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Author Archive for LD2k

Peres Center for Peace: Farmar Checks In From Israel

Published by LD2k on August 6, 2008 in 2008 Off-Season. 17 Comments

If you checked out the recent Farmar interview from our friends over at AM570, you’ve probably heard Farmar is in Israel on a peace mission. Jordan checked in with NBA.com on his progress.

NBA.com: Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar, in partnership with the Peres Center for Peace, is hosting basketball clinics for Israeli and Palestinian children in Israel throughout the week. The trip serves as a follow up to Farmar’s visit to the Seeds of Peace camp in Maine last week. Seeds of Peace uses sports to bring together Israeli and Palestinian children. The children play different sports together, and discuss the shared problems and challenges in their daily lives.

Farmar checked in with NBA.com and talked about his experience thus far.

Getting Started in Israel: We started today by taking a tour of Jerusalem and the Old City. We saw the Western Wall, the City of David, and the different sections of the Old City; the Christian, Muslim, Jewish and Armenian quarters. I’ve been to Israel before, but I’ve never seen it in such depth and with this perspective. It was cool to get different views, and get this history of Jerusalem and Israel from the start – through the different time periods, rulers, religions and cultures that shaped the country.

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USA defeats Australia, yet poor free throw and 3 point shooting is a concern

Published by LD2k on August 5, 2008 in USA Basketball. 8 Comments

This one wasn’t pretty, but a win none the less. Team USA wins 5 straight exibition games… now the real games begin.

ESPN: Undefeated, but no longer unchallenged.

The U.S. Olympic basketball team wrapped up its exhibition schedule with its toughest test, pulling away to beat Australia 87-76 Tuesday night in its final game before heading to Beijing.

The United States led by only four points nearly halfway through the third quarter and was up by seven midway through the fourth against an Australian team that was resting its best player, Milwaukee Bucks center Andrew Bogut.

The Americans relied on an aggressive defensive effort to overcome a horrendous night from 3-point range and the free-throw line, the same areas that proved costly in their semifinal loss to Greece in the world championships two years ago.

“I think we made it a little harder on ourselves by not moving the ball around as much,” Dwyane Wade said. “We didn’t make our outside shots tonight as well as we’ve been in the past, but at the end of the day we won the ballgame. We found a way to win.”

Wade scored 22 points and LeBron James had 16 for the Americans, who finished 3-of-18 from 3-point range and 20-of-33 (61 percent) at the foul line.

Patrick Mills and Chris Anstey, who had a first-half altercation with Wade, each scored 13 points for Australia.

“In the third quarter they knocked down some big shots and I think that got them back in the ballgame,” Kobe Bryant said. “And for us, we have to understand that that’s going to happen from time to time and it’s important to keep our poise, keep our composure and buckle down.”

The U.S. team seemed in control after allowing one basket in the final 5½ minutes of the first half to open a 44-29 lead. But the Americans left that defensive intensity in the locker room, allowing a number of open 3-pointers and uncontested drives to the basket.

“We came out lazy,” Wade said.

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Kobe Would Play In Russia For Right Price?

Published by LD2k on August 4, 2008 in Kobe Watch. 30 Comments

Kobe in Russia? If the price is right…?

RealGM: Kobe Bryant admitted over the weekend that he would consider leaving the NBA for Russia if a sizable contract could be arranged, according to The Sport Express Daily.

“Of course,” Bryant said when asked if he’d consider playing overseas. “By the way, are you the owner of a Russian team? It can be arranged for $40 million per year.”

A number of NBA players have left the NBA for Europe this offseason, in a somewhat surprising turn of events. It’s highly doubtful that Bryant would ever actually sign with a Russian team, but anything could become possible for the right price.

It seems as though everyone wants a piece of Kobe though.

“I would love Kobe to come to Duke University to play for me,” added Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski. “I can’t offer him that kind of salary, but he would receive a university diploma instead.”

Kobe on getting older, team USA

Published by LD2k on August 2, 2008 in USA Basketball. 14 Comments

Kobe will turn 30 a day before he will help team USA bring home the Gold. Recently, Kobe talked about his age and how he feels at this point in his life/career.

MiamiHeattrky: Kobe Bryant turns 30 on Aug. 23 - the day before the gold medal game. He said that he doesn’t feel like an old man just yet. “I feel younger this year than I did last summer,” Bryant said.  Asked why, Bryant said, “I have no idea. I’m fine wine, baby.”

Bryant did express some disappointment that he won’t get to celebrate his milestone birthday with his daughters, Natalia and Gianna, who will be in the United States. “That’ll be my first birthday away from my kids - obviously, since they’ve been born. Those are sacrifices we’ve made for our country,” Bryant said, adding that it’s good that he likes his teammates. ‘They become your extended family. This is the summer where we make sacrifices, our families make sacrifices, in terms of being away from home and us banding together as brothers.”

Traylor Completes Laker Workout

Published by LD2k on August 1, 2008 in 2008 Off-Season. 11 Comments

Traylor completes a workout for the Lakers. He participated with players that were ten years younger and managed to stay with them - good news for a big?

O.C. Register: The NBA journeyman has just worked out for the Lakers at Hangar Athletic Xchange in Hawthorne, looking for another shot at the NBA and couldn’t hide his excitement. A team, not just any team either, was giving him a chance.

With Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak watching, Traylor participated in drills alongside players 10 years younger and managed to stay with them. Kupchak, while declining to comment on individual players, did say they “all looked good.”

Kobe gave himself a new nickname: “The Doberman.”

Published by LD2k on August 1, 2008 in Kobe Watch. 15 Comments

The “Doberman” you ask. Well this should explain it. We shall now call him… “DOBE!”

ESPN: The other two items, however, were true rarities, and Kobe Bryant’s shutting down of Jasikevicius was one of the biggest eye-openers, as Team USA handled Lithuania with relative ease in a 120-84 victory that wrapped up the Macau portion of its pre-Olympic tour.

“That’s what I do,” said Bryant, who gave himself a new nickname: “The Doberman.”

The best piece of defensive work was performed by Bryant, who was all over Jasikevicius the same way he was against Leandro Barbosa of Brazil last summer during the Tournament of the Americas. The box score listed just three turnovers for the former member of the Pacers and Warriors, but the count on press row was more like seven or eight.

This is the same Jasikevicius who burned the Americans four years ago in Athens by burying seven 3-pointers and scoring 28 points in an opening-round victory over the U.S. And although it has only been four years since then, so thorough was the job Bryant did on Jasikevicius, he made him look like a player 10 years past his prime.

“He had a great game against us a few years ago, and he was real brash about it, trash talking and things of that nature. So it’s my responsibility to bring it to him,” Bryant said. “He reminded me of it, so we sicced the Doberman on him.”

No word yet on whether Bryant will be assigned to guard the best player on each of those teams — 7-footers Andrei Kirilenko and Andrew Bogut. But there’s no doubting the fact that the Doberman is up to the challenge, and as Boozer said as he stepped into the service elevator leading to the team bus: “Kobe can stop anybody.”

Wade compliments Kobe’s defense

Published by LD2k on August 1, 2008 in USA Basketball. 17 Comments

In the post-game presser video, D-Wade said that he would like to focus on defense. And even though we aren’t really playing the strongest teams right now, Kobe’s role as the defensive stopper has really been money! Here is what D-Wade had to say…

“The one thing I want to do is play defense. Learn from Kobe. Y’know, the way he plays defense, the way he helps his team out.”

Nation Discussion: Kobe vs. MJ in their primes; MJ says “no contest”

Published by LD2k on August 1, 2008 in Nation Discussion. 129 Comments

So the great taboo of basketball debating = Kobe vs. Jordan… well why bring it up then? Jordan was recently at his camp talking hoops to the next generation of ballers when one kid asked if Kobe would beat him in a game of one-on-one.

Jordan’s response basically was that Kobe would beat him now because hes “old,” but that if he were in his prime, it wouldn’t even be a contest. You can check out the video here…

Kobe lovers, Kobe haters, Jordan lovers, Jordan haters… SOUND-OFF! I’m taking KB24.