2012-13 NBA Season Thread

[dbadefense1990]

A knee injury and ankle injury weren't enough, but a foot injury took Kobe Bryant out.

The Los Angeles Lakers guard was helped into the locker room Friday by trainer Gary Vitti after falling with an injury for the third time. The Lakers said the injury probably was a torn Achilles tendon and would have an MRI on Saturday.

If this is true Kobe wont be back until midseason at best next year. This is a 8-10 month injury.

In addition to the Spurs injuries and Poppovich's tendency to not give two s#its about seeding (more emphasism on rest), the Kobe injury makes Sunday's game gigantictastically huge. No x-factors on either side places more emphasism on the lower-known starters and bench players.

That's it; I'm calling it. Sunday's game will determine the West's #8 seed, once and for all.

[dbadefense1990]

And what would be the benefit of the Lakers making the playoffs, to be, highly likely, extinguished in a 4-game quickie by the Spurs or OKC?

More viewers and money in it for the league as opposed to the small-market Jazz meeting the same fate.

It would kind of be asinine for the league to want the Lakers for only one playoff round. If they were really greedy, then the officiating would snowball its way to later playoff rounds, taking the Lakers with all those whistles.

I get the points of some of you people, that the league prefers a postseason with the Lakers, but I myself won't buy any of it...until some funny actions happen when the postseason does begin.

[Lights Out]

It would kind of be asinine for the league to want the Lakers for only one playoff round. If they were really greedy, then the officiating would snowball its way to later playoff rounds, taking the Lakers with all those whistles.

They are that greedy, and the officiating snowballs into later playoff rounds most years. This year, though, the Lakers could shoot a million free throws a game and they still wouldn't be a good enough team to get past OKC or the Spurs in a 7-game series, let alone LAC, Denver, Memphis, etc.

[Rockstar Matt]

Only took 50 free throws and countless blown calls for the Lakers to win it.

That's just stupid man. There were blown calls on both sides. The Warriors had chances to win it and they couldn't hit open shots. That's why they lost.

[pmoehrin]

I was amazed that Kobe was able to play as long as he did with that sprained ankle.

It never got a chance to heal right and now both Kobe and the Lakers are going to pay the price for it. Any chance the Lakers had at doing anything in the playoffs is gone, but even more importantly it may be the end of Kobe Bryant's career. A torn Achilles can a be a career ending injury and those who come back from it are never the same. Will Kobe really want to come back if the most he can be is a perimeter guard that can only average 16 points a night?

The only real achievement left for Kobe is to break Kareem's all-time scoring record which he's about four healthy years away from doing. But if this is a torn Achilles, I will guarantee you he will not break Kareem's record. So how much does that mark really mean to Kobe? Will he want to keep playing knowing he has no shot at it? I'm not so sure he will because beyond that he really has nothing left to prove. Outside of winning another title that's the only thing he really has left to play for.

[Kramerica Industries]

This is so fricken' ridiculous to read. On a night when Kobe finally had pushed himself to his breaking point, in his attempts to lift the Lakers over the top, and the discussion here is the usual tripe about how the referees are all helping the Lakers.

Geez. Get a grip.

[Nyk33]

I was amazed that Kobe was able to play as long as he did with that sprained ankle.

It never got a chance to heal right and now both Kobe and the Lakers are going to pay the price for it. Any chance the Lakers had at doing anything in the playoffs is gone, but even more importantly it may be the end of Kobe Bryant's career. A torn Achilles can a be a career ending injury and those who come back from it are never the same. Will Kobe really want to come back if the most he can be is a perimeter guard that can only average 16 points a night?

The only real achievement left for Kobe is to break Kareem's all-time scoring record which he's about four healthy years away from doing. But if this is a torn Achilles, I will guarantee you he will not break Kareem's record. So how much does that mark really mean to Kobe? Will he want to keep playing knowing he has no shot at it? I'm not so sure he will because beyond that he really has nothing left to prove. Outside of winning another title that's the only thing he really has left to play for.

I think he will continue to play so he can tie Jordan. That seems to be a bigger goal of his.

[NJTank]

I am sure Kobe will play again, but he will be a diminished player the rest of his career. Now diminished from his skill set would men he is still a solid player and prhaps an All-Star, but after seeing what this injury did to Dan Marino he will never be at the elite level again.

[Nyk33]

I just saw the East standings and noticed Brooklyn is 2 games behind Indiana with both teams having 3 to play. The Nets have an opportunity to sneak into the 3rd spot with their remaining schedule.

Nets: @Raptors, Wizards, Pistons

Pacers: @Knicks, @Celtics, Sixers

Edit: The Nets swept the Pacers in the season series so they have the tiebreaker.

[The Six]

This is so fricken' ridiculous to read. On a night when Kobe finally had pushed himself to his breaking point, in his attempts to lift the Lakers over the top, and the discussion here is the usual tripe about how the referees are all helping the Lakers.

Geez. Get a grip.

It's simple reality. The refs favor the Lakers.

The other story is 'Antoni basically ruining Kobe's career (for now). Playing him every single minute of the last two games led to this. And for what? The 8 seed? What a tragedy.

[Lights Out]

The other story is 'Antoni basically ruining Kobe's career (for now). Playing him every single minute of the last two games led to this. And for what? The 8 seed? What a tragedy.

To be honest, I wouldn't be shocked if Kobe himself demanded to play those increased minutes. He's never trusted his teammates and chances are, he felt the need to try to will the Lakers into the playoffs all by himself. The difference between now and other years, though, is that the coach isn't in a position to tell him no and rest him anyway. Whereas Phil could do basically anything he wanted, D'Antoni doesn't have that luxury, because of the fanbase being against him from minute one and the franchise having zero patience (as shown by how they treated Mike Brown).

[NJTank]

It had to be Kobe's call if he did not want to be out there, he wold not have been out there.

[The Six]

If Kobe had his way, he would play every minute of every game. It is on the coach, not him. Of course he wants to play. You do not leave an aging star out there, especially Kobe, who has already played too many minutes in his career.

[Nyk33]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy4SJdCRVXk&sns=em

Definitely a huge hit for not only the Lakers but also 'Antoni and Kobe himself.

[The_Admiral]

He'll be back before Derrick Rose.

[CS85]

He'll be back before Derrick Rose.

Do we have any updates on whether or not God has cleared him for action?

[FiddySicks]

This could either mean one of two things for Kobe. 1) He's done for good (not likely). 2) next year won't be his last.

I'd so much enjoy the first, but no way Kobe goes out like this.

[Nyk33]

He'll be back before Derrick Rose.

Do we have any updates on whether or not God has cleared him for action?

I think he said that Jesus would come back and tell us.

[Kramerica Industries]

This is so fricken' ridiculous to read. On a night when Kobe finally had pushed himself to his breaking point, in his attempts to lift the Lakers over the top, and the discussion here is the usual tripe about how the referees are all helping the Lakers.

Geez. Get a grip.

It's simple reality. The refs favor the Lakers.

The other story is 'Antoni basically ruining Kobe's career (for now). Playing him every single minute of the last two games led to this. And for what? The 8 seed? What a tragedy.

Whether this is true or not is completely irrelevant.

Kobe's greatness gets taken for granted far too often, not just here, but by basketball fans in general. That guy was doing absolutely everything he could to try and salvage a massively disappointing Lakers season, putting up numbers that a 17 year NBA veteran is not expected to come even close to. He finally reached the point where he could go no further. Love him or hate him, Kobe should be getting a hero's worship in light of the injury, an appreciation for all he had done. This is the one day where the usual "LAKER REFS!!!" crap should be given a silencing. There's a time and a place for everything.

I'm no Laker fan. I'm merely a general NBA observer who doesn't root for anyone. But to be talking about that the day after he suffered a horrible injury is just completely disrespectful. Give the man his due. I don't like the Celtics, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate how great a player Paul Pierce is. Ditto the Heat and Lebron or Wade.

[Nyk33]

This is so fricken' ridiculous to read. On a night when Kobe finally had pushed himself to his breaking point, in his attempts to lift the Lakers over the top, and the discussion here is the usual tripe about how the referees are all helping the Lakers.

Geez. Get a grip.

It's simple reality. The refs favor the Lakers.

The other story is 'Antoni basically ruining Kobe's career (for now). Playing him every single minute of the last two games led to this. And for what? The 8 seed? What a tragedy.

Whether this is true or not is completely irrelevant.

Kobe's greatness gets taken for granted far too often, not just here, but by basketball fans in general. That guy was doing absolutely everything he could to try and salvage a massively disappointing Lakers season, putting up numbers that a 17 year NBA veteran is not expected to come even close to. He finally reached the point where he could go no further. Love him or hate him, Kobe should be getting a hero's worship in light of the injury, an appreciation for all he had done. This is the one day where the usual "LAKER REFS!!!" crap should be given a silencing. There's a time and a place for everything.

I'm no Laker fan. I'm merely a general NBA observer who doesn't root for anyone. But to be talking about that the day after he suffered a horrible injury is just completely disrespectful. Give the man his due. I don't like the Celtics, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate how great a player Paul Pierce is. Ditto the Heat and Lebron or Wade.

He did not get assasinated last night so calm down. Yes it sucks that he got this injury but to say that people have absolutely no right to talk the events of a certain game because he got injured is ridiculous.