Replay complicating matters for referees
A moving tale of inspiration and perseverance
New York
This is a story about individual courage and reciprocal caring.
Immeasurable courage! Incalculable caring!
It’s a story about an exacting and tender basketball coach who infused high school players with a lifetime code of categorical conduct.
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Kobe not the greatest Laker by a longshot
New York
Fascinating that two-thirds of the people who did all the talking — Magic Johnson and Jeanie Buss — at Kobe Bryant’s jerseys retirement had nothing to do with him becoming a Laker and winning five championships.
Why invite Jerry West’s statue inside Staples just to sit stonily at courtside?
I’m guessing people would have loved to hear the Lakers’ GM describe the high school kid’s fabled pre-1996 draft workout, illuminate what Kobe did that day against Michael Cooper that provoked West to proposition a dozen teams before Charlotte agreed to trade the rights to the 13 pick for Vlade Divac, LA’s central nervous system at 28.
Full column available at: patreon.com/petervecsey
The real story behind Carmelo’s trade to Knicks
Other shoe certain to drop in hoop harassment cases
Lack of probing into Fizdale firing very telling
Fizdale paved way for early exit from Grizzlies
Rivers running out of time with Clippers
Suns set right pace against Lakers in win
New York
I felt compelled to restart my computer late last night after watching the Suns liquidate the Lakers, 122-113, and listening to LA’s post-game show.
James Worthy, the regular studio analyst who offers very deliberate commentary, had a few decent opinions. Usually his partner is Robert Horry, low key and consistently candid. This time it was Derek Fisher, whose insights were, in a word, wonderful.
As best I can remember (I wasn’t taking notes), he said, “You could tell right from the start that the Suns wanted this game more than the Lakers. I’m not saying the Lakers didn’t want it. The Suns just wanted it more. They were coming off a beat down by Houston and already had lost twice to the Lakers.”
Full column available at: patreon.com/petervecsey