THE WORM HAS TURNED

or more accurately, the self-proclaimed "Black Mamba" has. Something strange happened, I started to root for Kobe instead of against him. Gladly, I am not alone. There are a group of others over on FreeDarko that are experiencing the same metamorphisis: "So how fucked up is this: lovable, floppy-haired Steve Nash has somehow managed to become a villain in my universe while likely rapist and pathological competitor Kobe is cast as the heroic dramatic foil? And keep in mind, objectively, I hate Kobe. I can't stand his personality, his usual disdain for people not named "Kobe," his distant gazes--he's horrible. But yet, the supremacy of his ability and the triumph of his will--I ain't mad at either of those things." Others posit that it has to do with a sense of justice, that Nash doesn’t deserve the MVP. There is an analogy to the Vienna Philharmonic, another to Jack Bauer on “24” and some other bizarre theories. They are worth a read. So Kobe has turned the corner, I think. I wonder if Phil played the Jordan card on him and Kobe realized he’d never be as well respected as MJ no matter how many points he scores unless he buys into the system. Looks like they will advance and play the Clippers. That will be awesome. All games at Staples Center?! How does that work, will the breakdown in fan support be for the Lakers even during Clipper home games? Or are there enough Clipper season ticket-holders to offset them? Will the scoreboard say “Go Clippers,” chant “DE-FENSE” or turn off the lights during their introductions? BTW, I can’t imagine that they turn the lights off for the Clippers anyway. If both LA teams advance, it will be a much tougher series as the Clippers have so much more size down low. But win or lose, this dramatic finish that we saw in game 4 could be the moment that turns Kobe’s career back on an upward trajectory. I don’t want to be a hater, so don’t give me something to hate on.    - nutlow