I have big plans for you two… Somehow, the Miami...

11:21 pm - Mon, Oct 25, 2010: 152 notes

I have big plans for you two…

Somehow, the Miami Heat have stolen the limelight away from the two-time defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers, and quite frankly, I like it. The Lakers need attention and title assumptions like LeBron James needs twitter on his phone and a chin strap beard.

The Heat are sexy. Flashy. Three All-Stars running around trying to dunk on dudes as hard as they can. Powerful drives. Long threes. And all the preening you can handle.

Let Miami be the marquee offensive juggernaut in the league. Because the Los Angeles Lakers can become something else. They can be the lunch pail - down and dirty - blood, sweat and more blood - junk yard dogs of the NBA. Defense wins championships, and now we have the players to start locking up the other side of the court.

With two 7 footers, a 6’10” Lamar Odom (who has quietly turned himself into one of the NBA’s premier rebounders) and a defensive specialist in Theo Ratliff guarding the basket, our front line is rock solid and super long. Now picture 8x All-Defensive first teamer like Kobe Bryant hawking the ball, wanting his 6th ring as bad as the first, alongside a gamer like Steve Blake.

And here’s where those two above come into play. Ron and Matt have the opportunity to change the culture in Los Angeles. You wanna get nuts? C’mon. Let’s get nuts.

Take chances. Get physical. Intimidate somebody. Go for the steal, and if you get beat, your teammates will watch your back. If that doesn’t work, just knock ‘em on their asses.

Let Miami handle the offense. The highlights. The Lakers should be the Ray Lewis-Ravens. The Belichick Pats. The Bad Boys with the Triangle Offense.

So that’s my charge, Phil Jackson. Turn this “soft,” finesse team built on spacing and offensive execution into a filthy, nasty, grimey team of hard workers, ready to get after it every night, hell bent on locking down their opponents. What a fitting way to close out the most accomplished coaching career in sports history.

Anything less may not cut the mustard.