http://www.yardbarker.com/users/EdZiti Recent Yardbarker Articles: EdZiti en-us Paul Pierce is the best player in the world, if you don't believe me, just ask him This is in response to the publics perception that the current best player in the world resides in Los Angeles, none other then Kobe Bryant. I thought the best players in the world were in Beijing representing the United States in the Olympics, but according to Pierce he is the best. That's kind of humorous, because most fans would agree that he's not even the best player on his team. That distinction would go to Kevin Garnett. Sat, 02 Aug 2008 14:22:16 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/299843 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/299843 The Lakers signed free agent Dwayne Mitchell out of the NBDL. The former Louisiana-Lafayette star had played for the Lakers summer league entry and averaged 6.7 points per game in 15 minutes of action per game. Mitchell is a very athletic 6'2 guard, who is as strong as an ox. He weighs in at around 215 and has the build of an NFL running back. Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:36:13 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/299811 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/299811 The Lakers are closely monitoring the Chinese basketball talent, as the feeling is many future NBA players will come from the world's largest country. Last year the Lakers drafted Sun Yue in the second round and this year they invited Yi Li to play on their summer league team as a non-roster invitee. Mon, 14 Jul 2008 01:24:26 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/290017 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/290017 Who is the toughest guy in the NBA? Jerry Stackhouse is one, I wouldn't want to mess with Matt Harpring, Ime Udoka is another, and DJ Mbenga is 7 feet tall, 260 pounds and has a black belt in Judo. What's funny is, so many people think that NBA players are thugs, but it couldn't be any farther then the truth. Sure every professional sports league has its riff-raff, but for the most part, NBA players are a bunch of nice guys. With the success of MMA and the UFC, I thought it would be an interesting question to answer; who is the toughest guy in the NBA? After going through the NBA rosters, I realized that the tough guy left the NBA right about the same time as Charles Oakley did. In the old days, everyone had an enforcer; guys like Maurice Lucas, Rick Mahorn, and Wes Unseld were on every NBA roster. To a lesser degree Truck Robinson, Ken (The Animal) Bannister and San Antonio's bruise brothers (Mark Olberding and Dave Corzine) were also gainfully employed. Now that David Stern has fixed the NBA, there is only one real tough guy left, and that is Ron Artest. Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:43:07 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289859 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289859 The Clippers are still reeling from the loss of Elton Brand and are in a state of shock over his departure. Many have blamed Elton and his star struck agent David Falk, but in the end, the Clippers didn't play the game the right way, and they paid for it. They need to learn how to play hard-ball and stick it to the teams that stick it to them. Many years ago the Knicks signed restricted free agent Kevin McHale to a whopper of an offer sheet. It included no trade and opt-out clauses, and a lot of money up front. Red Auerbach not only matched the offer, but then signed Rory Sparrow, Marvin Webster and Sly Williams (Three Knick players) to contracts valued at two times their worth. The Knicks lost millions in the deal. If the Clippers want to be respected around the league, they need to stick it to the Sixer's and make a big offer for Andre Igoudola. Include an opt-out clause after two years and a no trade clause, just to stick it to Philly. That's what championship teams do. Sun, 13 Jul 2008 16:41:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289857 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289857 As the Lakers plan for the off season, Mitch Kupchak has already come out and said that he wants everyone back by virtue of this comment, "If we did nothing," Kupchak said, "and brought back the players that are our existing free agents, just by virtue of this team aging one more year and getting Trevor (Ariza) and Andrew back, I think we're right back in the hunt." Although that might be true, many Laker fans are looking for Mitch to make a big splash and bring in a Ron Artest or maybe Tayshaun Prince to add the grit many think the Lakers need. The soft tag has been a put on this team unfairly, and although I doubt the Lakers do anything, it is some thing where everyone has a suggestion. If the Lakers are so soft how did they eliminate the gritty Utah Jazz? What about the Spurs; how did they fall to the soft Lakers? Bottom line is this, had the referees called game two correctly, the series probably would have gone seven games, and the Lakers would not have laid an egg two games in a row. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:51:52 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280635 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/280635 Presidential candidate and political activist Ralph Nader sent a letter to David Stern at the conclusion of the Los Angeles Lakers/Sacramento Kings game six play-off game in 2002. This play-off game was recently brought up in Tim Donaghy's recent disclosure of irregularities within the NBA, but was something aggressively addressed by Ralph Nader immediately after it happened in 2002. Here's the letter in its entirety (By the way, David Stern never responded): Dear Mr. Stern, Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:18:40 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276974 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276974 Well I guess we now know what David Stern wanted to talk to Tim Donaghy about. I know many think we should just take Donaghy, put him away, and throw away the key, and that in itself would solve any problems the NBA has. That's the perception, but few people are willing to understand the reality of this situation. Let me make one thing clear; Tim Donaghy is guilty, and no one, himself included, is saying otherwise. Right now, he is facing sentencing for his crimes, and is looking at a very long prison sentence. In order to reduce his sentence, he's singing like a canary. If you know anything about police work or military intelligence, you know that this is how they make the majority of their arrests and gather the most pertinent information. Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:47:56 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276854 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276854 The Lakers didn't play their best game and were extremely fortunate to come out of game three with a victory. The final tally was 87-81, but this was not the blow out redemption game many expected. Sure Kobe was strong down the stretch and Sasha was clutch off the bench, but the Celtics were right there, even with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce having off shooting games. Offensively for the Lakers, other then Kobe's 36 and Sasha's 20, no one else was in double figures. Pau Gasol, had 9 points, Lamar Odom 4 and Derek Fisher had a whopping 6 points. When we discuss tempo, this is the kind of game that usually favors Boston. However, with two dozen make-up calls in the first half, and Garnett and Pierce not on their game it was too much of a mountain to climb. Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:47:38 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276713 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276713 Ah, the heart of a champion isn't it amazing how today's NBA defines it. Right now the Celtics have the hearts of champions! That plus 38 free throws and they beat the Lakers 108-102 in game two. The Lakers clearly do not have the heart of champions, because they were only allowed 10 free throws in the entire game. Please go to heartofchampion.com to see if this is your year to win a ring. Most people don't understand what I'm talking about, because this is all they know. "Todays NBA" has force-fed them the worst officiated game in sports and they have grown to get used to it. When I hear people say, "it is, what it is," I know either a rip job is coming or happening the minute those words are uttered. The rip jobs have become common place, but what I can't stomach is the "heart of the champion" rhetoric that the media wants to attach to some of these players. Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:38:39 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276165 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276165 The clash of the working class grit vs. Hollywood glitz starts next Thursday in Boston as the Lakers come West Coast strutting into Boston after dispatching the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. Boston also took out an ex-champ in the pesky Detroit Pistons, but this was the finals everyone wanted, so let's get it on. Boston dominated the Los Angeles in the 60's winning an unbelievable six finals against them. When they hooked up in the 1980's it was some of the best basketball ever played with the Lakers and Celtics playing three times in the finals. The Celtics made it seven in a row (actually 8 if you count the Minneapolis Lakers in 59) by beating the Lakers in 1984, but the Lakers finally got the monkey off their back by winning in 1985 and 1987. After weak attendance and dismal TV ratings in the 1970's the rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird would propel the NBA into the stratosphere in the 80's. It was must-see TV for all sports fans as the "Rivalry" would transcend even sports itself. Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:06:50 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/273981 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/273981 The last time Kobe Bryant was playing in the finals; he was the Crown Prince of the NBA. At 25 years old; he was a three time champion, and even changed his game a little as the Lakers had added Karl Malone and Gary Payton in hopes of securing another title. The year prior he had averaged a scintillating 30 points 7 rebounds and 6 assists a game, but this was old hat for the Kobester, as he and championships rings were something he expected every June. A lot has changed since then, but one thing that hasn't, is his immense desire to just win the game. When you are scouting players and looking for the next big thing; that's what is often overlooked, the immense desire to win the game. It makes an average player great and for the few with Kobe's talent, well Jordanesque! Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:06:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/273980 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/273980 As Americans we have tried to implement the government of our forefathers around the globe, only to be met with resistance, war and flat out rejection. We have been through cold wars, nuclear bombs and two world wars and have reached a point where we have to realize that not everyone is willing to do things the way we want to do them. We can't go out there bomb and occupy every area that has a different opinion. Sometimes you have to stop fighting and start loving. Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:05:18 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/273979 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/273979 The question of the day is why, why will the Lakers beat the Celtics in the finals? Some say the dominance of Kobe Bryant, others cite the record of Phil Jackson and others like to point out the depth of the Lakers bench. These will all be factors in the series, but it would be easy to point out similar advantages that the Celtics have- in the end it's a push at best. The real reason the Lakers will win the title this year against the Celtics is my "theory of relativity." All things being relative, which in this series you have, there is one thing that definitively separates the Lakers and Celtics. I'm speaking of the time the team has been together. Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:04:26 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/273976 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/273976 For the Celtics to win they are going to have to control the tempo of the game. This can be done with a ball control offense, solid offensive rebounding and good free throw shooting. By slowing the ball down, there are a ton of advantages that all point to the Celtics. Number one, a slower tempo will allow their "Big 3" to log longer minutes; less running equals less fatigue. Two, they can score down low with Garnett, Perkins and to a lesser degree PJ Brown. Three, they have reliable scorers in Paul Pierce and Ray Allen that can take big shots on the perimeter. But by far the biggest factor is that a slower tempo should favor the older team, which in this case is the Celtics. Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:03:28 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/273975 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/273975