Por Eduard Gygax / @egygax

Para FOX Deportes

‘La línea del suicidio’. Así deberían llamar ahora a la línea de tiros libres cuando jueguen los Lakers.

Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan y otras leyendas del baloncesto han dicho en más de una ocasión que ningún equipo puede ser campeón si no mete sus tiros libres. Mike D’Antoni, Dwight Howard y algunos más deberían poner mucha atención a esa frase y comenzar a hacer algo al respecto.

Los Lakers no están jugando bien, pero con tanto talento sobre la cancha, logran ganar partidos sin estar en su mejor momento. Las victorias se definen por individualidades o errores ajenos, lo cual no es bueno, pero son  triunfos que se agradecen a final de temporada.

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By Jose M. Romero

NBA teams all over the country held Media Days/openings of preseason training camps Monday, and serious basketball fans had to be pretty excited.

It will be a full season. No lockout, no protracted schedule, jamming dozens of games into a shorter time frame and no more back-to-back-to-back games for the players.

Not like they should complain anyway, given the salaries for NBA players. It’s unbelievable really. Good but not elite players got huge contracts in free agency this offseason. Roy Hibbert – back with Indiana for four years, $58 million for 13 points and nine rebounds a game. Landry Fields – three years, $20 million from Toronto. Brook Lopez (is he Latino?) – four years, $61 million for the Brooklyn Nets.

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By Eduardo Maisonet, III / @edthesportsfan

For FOX Deportes

“I’m a beast.”

Those were the words of Pau Gasol, the captain of the Spain’s basketball team in the Olympics and the big man of the Los Angeles Lakers. You know who he is, you’ve seen him play, you’ve watched him make those faces, and hearing that he said those three words makes him totally unrecognizable.

“I’m a beast.”

Passive. Finesse. SB Nation’s Bomani Jones refers to the man as “The Pau-sy Cat.” So yes, I’m shocked to hear these words come out of his mouth. This is not to be offensive to Gasol, as I think he’s underappreciated. However, to hear the man speak in such a fashion definitely  caught me off guard.

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By Eduardo Maisonet, III / @edthesportsfan

For FOX Deportes

The Lakers have had quite the off-season. Traded for and signed point god Steve Nash from the Phoenix Suns, signed Antawn Jamison as a free agent (quietly was one of the best signings in the league) and are seemingly ever closer to acquiring Dwight Howard from the Orlando Magic. Even when they’re losing, somehow the Lakers are always winning.

Of course, then there’s Kobe Bryant. The man who is out gallivanting with the rest of his Team USA Basketball teammates in Europe, has witnessed much of this from afar and has been a willing sound bite on a variety of topics. From accepting Kyrie Irving’s 1-on-1 challenge to calling David Stern’s age limit consideration for future NBA olympians “stupid,” Bryant’s opinion has been well known to the masses.

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Por Eduard Gygax / @egygax

Para FOX Deportes

Como aficionado del fútbol y del básquetbol desde pequeño, siempre comparo el funcionamiento del mercado de fichajes entre ambos deportes. Es interesante ver cómo los equipos manejan sus contrataciones, pero hay algo que me llama mucho la atención: en el básquetbol existen fichajes  ‘a corto plazo’, algo muy poco usual en el fútbol.

El más claro ejemplo la llegada de Steve Nash a los Lakers de Los Angeles. El base estelar lleva 15 temporadas en la NBA y ya tiene 38 años, pero eso no impidió que los populares Lakers pusieran sus ojos sobre él. Si comparamos, es como si el Real Madrid o el FC Barcelona hubieran fichado al delantero marfileño Didier Drogba. Sería un fichaje a corto plazo, de uno o dos años, y con una gran pretensión salarial por parte del delantero.

Pero volvamos a la NBA: ¿Por qué tiene tanto sentido el fichaje de Steve Nash por los Lakers?

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By Eduardo Maisonet, III / @edthesportsfan

For FOX Deportes

During the 4th of July festivities, I was out doing what everyone would expect me to be doing while celebrating America’s independence. Drinking Corona’s, eating grilled food and enjoying fireworks illegally in front of my buddies house. Good times were had.

Of course, when I was leaving my partner’s house I decided to check Twitter. I’d neglected my timeline for a few hours and I figured I’d check and see what was going on. Then I saw my buddy Phillip Barnett, Lakers fan extraordinaire tweet the following:

Nash/Kobe/Shooter/Pau/Bynum is a nearly unstoppable offensive lineup. — Phillip Barnett (@imsohideous) July 5, 2012

I figured the man was just making a joke, but he kept talking about Steve Nash….and kept talking about Nash. Repeatedly. Did the Lakers really trade for Steve Nash? I called the man to confirm.

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By Eduardo Maisonet, III / @edthesportsfan

For FOX Deportes

1. Russell Westbrook’s third quarter outburst won game five and the series for the Thunder. When you get some free time, go onto Twitter and check out the hashtag I created called #0appreciation, which might go down as one of the greatest things I’ve ever invented. Sad life, I know.

If you read me long enough you’ll quickly realize that my fandom to the Thunder is overboard. Its my hometown team, so can you blame me?

Yet, while many can find Westbrook’s style a maddening one to follow: quick jumpers, quick tempered, quick to gamble, to name a few. Its something to truly appreciate once you step back and realize the following.

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By Jose M. Romero

For Fox Deportes

The Big One is finally going to hit Los Angeles.

Not that Richter scale-shattering earthquake that geologists talk about striking the L.A. basin – at least we all hope not – but that perfect storm when four of the city’s major pro sports teams are all playing meaningful games within the same span of days.

In the NBA, the Lakers and Clippers are about to start their respective playoff series against Oklahoma City and San Antonio. Games 1 and 2 are on the road for both teams beginning Monday in OKC, with the Clips playing Game 1 in Texas Tuesday.

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