DENVER -- Jermaine O'Neal isn't feeling 100 per cent but he's going to give it a go for the Raptors Tuesday night vs. the Nuggets.
Meanwhile, the Lakers gave Chris Bosh some different looks according to Bosh's comments in the locker room following the 112-99 defeat at the Staples Centre Sunday night. Bosh had four turnovers, which is unusual for him, and has done a better job of recognizing and passing out of double teams as he has become more of an offensive threat over the course of his career.
What it really demonstrated was how much more committed the Lakers are at the defensive end of the floor this season. After talking to Pau Gasol before the game, he came out and said that was the one thing, their defence that let them down in the Finals last season.
Wow, even Pau is talking tough.
As we sat on the Los Angeles bench before he went to work in the pre-game warmup, Lakers' assistant Jim Cleamons talked about their improved defence by saying it was really very simple. "We've worked on it and all it is paying attention to detail, some energy and effort and you can get it done," he said.
Having had not one, but two copies of former Phil Jackson right hand man Fred "Tex" Winter's book on the triple post offense (a.k.a. The Triangle) go missing from my library, I went about asking for another. I wanted to use it as a prop for a little TV piece in the pre-game and inquired about getting my hands on one for my one minute chat. Cleamons laughed and told me he didn't think they had one at the arena. He touched the temporal area of his head with his hand to tell me where all the assistants had the book.
Moments later I saw the book walk by as Winter, now a consultant with the Lakers, walked into the building.
Kobe Bryant does his work early on game days as we witnessed on Sunday. The broadcast crews usually arrive some two-and-a-half hours early for the game. With a 6:30 p.m. PT tip off we arrived at the arena just before 4:30 p.m. and there was Bryant already in a full sweat. It's not unusual for Kobe to get to the arena early and put the time in so that when most guys are just getting there to start their preparation, he's already done his work.
It seems like Denver's J.R. Smith should take a page out of Kobe's book, or at least get to the arena on time. It appears Smith is not exactly on speaking terms with Nuggets head coach Geogre Karl, who has a good reputation for dealing with "off beat" personalities. The Nuggets are playing well since the trade that sent Allen Iverson to Detroit for Chauncey Billups, but if the injury to Carmelo Anthony keeps him out of the lineup for a while, it could be problems for the Nuggets.
The New Jersey Nets have played well since their overtime win over Toronto. Sunday night the Nets, led by 47 points from Devin Harris, took down the Suns in Phoenix to finish their west coast trip at 3-1.
