Going it alone is for nobody

It's funny how things work out sometimes. I was so upset that I didn't get to go to Paolo's baby blessing because I felt like I would be spreading, Kate and I, too thin financially. But then the money I didn't end up spending on that trip was invested and grew fairly significantly and gave me (and Kate) the ability to help out her cousin with his last semester of college and my family through a difficult financial stretch. It's amazing how things work out, I'm just happy that despite their hesitation we were able to help our families when they needed it.

This story really illustrates how I feel better than i can say...

"A young man wanted to know the difference between Heaven and Hell. The sage led him to two rooms with observation portals, one labeled Heaven and one Hell. Looking in at Hell he saw a banquet table filled with luscious food but the people at the table were emaciated and distressed. Their spoons hand long handles to reach the food, but the handles were too long to bring the food to their mouths. Then he looked in on Heaven. Same table full of luscious food. Same long spoons. But the people were healthy and happy and using their long-handled spoons to feed one another."

2009 NBA Champions, your Los Angeles Lakers!!!

People love to critique, analyze and hate the Lakers and anytime LA falls short of an NBA Championship those same people feel justified in their stupidity. So it always feels good, check that, amazing, to shut them up every once in a while. Greatness generates hatred and jealousy and the Los Angeles Lakers are great and made my year last night.

NBA Finals - Game 4

The Lakers continued to double Dwight Howard and allowed the Magic perimeter players to step into wide open threes or blow by close out defenders who were slow on their rotations. So with no answer for Orlandos shooting they trailed by 12 at halftime while giving up 55% shooting from the field. Now for those of us who have watched the Lakers throughout the Kobe years, we know the game is not over until the final buzzer sounds. But coming off a game where the Magic shot an NBA Finals record 63% from the field and recording the first finals victory in their franchise’s history, thanks to the Lakers defensive strategy, the series was noticeably turning in Orlando’s favor.

Surprisingly the Lakers came out in the 3rd quarter and decided to stop doubling Dwight Howard forcing him to make an impact on the game with his limited offensive skill-set. Now with hands in their face and no clear lanes to the basket the Orlando Magic perimeter players, who cannot create their own shot, had difficulty getting good looks. As a team they shot 33% from the field and the Lakers ended the 3rd up by 4, a 16 point switch in the quarter.

With momentum apparently in the Lakers favor still shooting over 50% from the field and the Orlando Magic falling apart turning the ball over 8 times and converting only 2 field goals in the first 8 minutes of the 4th quarter the game would seemingly be in hand for LA. Yet they found themselves down 1 following a Mikeal Pietrus free throw with 3:58 left. Thanks to a 10 to 1 foul and an 11 to 0 free throw desparity in the first 8 minutes of the 4th quarter which allowed Orlando to stay in the game.

Frankly, Orlando should have won the game thanks to some home cooking. The 4th quarter ended with the Lakers not attempting a single free throw compared to Orlando's 17. By the time Pau Gasol attempted his free throws with 3 seconds remaining in overtime, 23 minutes of game time had elapsed from the previous shooting foul on Orlando. 23 minutes! That is ridiculous but the Lakers were able to pull the game out with clutch three pointers by Derek Fisher and aggressive team defense in overtime holding the Magic to one FG in the period, a prayer 3 pointer by Rashard Lewis as the shot clock ran out at the start of OT.

The game came down to experience (yes, it does matter Stan Van Gundy) and attitude. Attitude that was displayed when Kobe told Dwight Howard to shut up and play in the 3rd quarter after ripping the ball away from the strongest player in the NBA and experience that Orlando just cannot match. Los Angeles is now one game away from another championship banner, the only banners hung in LA. As long as they remember when they don't double they dominate, Lakers in 5.