Melo has Arrived

In 2003, the basketball world was anticipating the arrival of two young stars-to-be in the NBA. Some even dubbed this duo as the next Larry Bird-Magic Johnson rivalry. A high school phenom that has a more NBA ready body than half of the league, and a college freshman that carried his team to the National Championship. Their names are LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. But after a year of pitting these two against each other, Melo disappeared. LeBron James continued to wow the basketball world. He would be included in MVP talks with Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, while Melo would fail to make the All-Star team every season. The rivalry was dead.

The NBA wants to see a Kobe-LeBron finals. But after seeing how Denver is playing this post-season, I think it is better for the NBA to see a Melo-Bron showdown. This is what they were dreaming of in 2003. And it is not like Carmelo is just chillin' like he did the past post-seasons. He is dominating the playoffs...especially the Lakers. If not for 2 bad plays by Denver in the end game of Game 1, the Nuggets might have been up 2-0 right now. Chauncey Billups has been a big reason for Denver's success, but in my opinion, its Carmelo's decision to be a "Superstar" that changed Denver's attitude. Now, the series is tied at 1 apiece. The series shifts back to Denver where Carmelo will announce to the people that he has arrived.

Breaking Down the Contenders part 1, LA Lakers

Last year, when young Lakers big man Andrew Bynum went down with an injury, most NBA observers thought LA's championship hunt was over. Fortunately for Kobe and Co., their season was saved by GM Chris Wallac... er, Mitch Kupchak when he traded spare gym equipment and a couple of meal stubs to Memphis for Spanish stud Pau Gasol. The season still ended in heartbreak, though, as the Lakers were manhandled in a six-game series with the Boston Celtics amidst questions on the Lakers toughness.

It's deja vu for the Lake Show when Bynum was declared injured yet again. Initial reactions were similar to last year's, with the team's championship aspirations seemingly derailed. The Lakers, though, immediately made it clear that this was nothing like last year.

Kobe Bryant issued a clear statement with his record-breaking Madison Square Garden performance (61 pts on 19-31 shooting). There is no lack of firepower on this roster. The Black Mamba alone has enough ammunition for a whole army. The game worried head coach Phil Jackson for a bit, as the team seemed to revert back to its pre-'Kobe Nash' habits. But Kobe wasn't making a statement to his team; this was a clear warning to all their rivals, to the entire league. Everyone should stop talking about Bynum, because this team was about Bryant. The statement was loud and clear.

Any fears of Kobe being the selfish Kobe were quickly diffused with last night's Celtics game. In this game, played in Boston's home court, the Celtics were out to test LA's toughness yet again. Kobe led an all-around team performance, scoring 26 points to Gasol's 24 (and 14 rebounds). Lamar Odom chipped in 20 points as they nipped the defending champs by 1 point in overtime. Though the game could obviously gone either way, it was how the Lakers picked up the win that was so impressive. The Celtics pushed them, the same way they did in last year's Finals. The Lakers pushed back. Boston talked their trash, like they always did. LA talked right back. Boston challenged the toughness of the Lakers, who were fielding practically the exact same lineup they had when the Celtics roughhoused their way to the championship, and boy, were they up to the challenge.

There's no need for a drastic trade deadline deal, or a veteran free agent signing, or any action whatsoever. This LA team, right now, is good enough to win it all. With or without Bynum. They know it. And with these statement games behind them, the rest of the league should take notice as well. These aren't last year's Los Angeles Lakers -- and I'll say this. I've never been more scared of them than I am right now.

What's Up With the Lake Show?

It's been a bad month for the Lakers. It wasn't long ago when they were being primed as the team that could challenge the 96 Chicago Bulls record 72-10 mark. In December, they're a mediocre 7-4. And that record isn't even what's worrying - it's how they accumulated it that's got the Laker fans sweating.

Losses to under-.500 teams Indiana and Sacramento. A blown 20-point lead to Eastern Conference-worst Washington. They even had to scramble to beat the rebuilding New York Knicks after being down 15 points at the half. Now, their first losing streak of the season. Back-to-back losses to Miami and Orlando.

The Lakers' vaunted depth? Missing. Kobe has taken 55 shots in the last two games. Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom are averaging a combined 7 points in those two games. So-called MVP candidate Pau Gasol is averaging just 12. And the greatest closer in basketball? Mamba missed two at-the-buzzer shots that could have sent either game in overtime.

Meanwhile, their rivals from Beantown are on a 17-game winning streak and are at 25-2. The Lakers have dropped down to 21-5 and are now third (behind the 22-4 LeBronaliers) in the league.

Have they been overlooking the past few games - excited for their Christmas Day rematch against the Celtics? Or have they been exposed? That they're essesntially the same team that lost to Boston last year, so expecting this year to be any different is wishful thinking.

Guess we have to wait til Christmas to find out.