Photo credit: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

With 7:31 left in the third quarter, the artist formerly known as Ron Artest decided to momentarily ditch World Peace and ignite a battle that lasted the remainder of last night’s game against the Clippers, and also the foreseeable future. The Lakers had been flailing for the better part of two and a half quarters, down 60-56, seemingly incapable of getting over the hump against their more entertaining and athletic counterparts.

In a matter of seconds, the entire tone of an already competitive game shifted, as #15 wrestled the increasingly combative Blake Griffin to the floor, refusing to cede control of the ball. This game was about pride, about protecting the Lakers home court, about reminding this city that the Lakers’ stars can still shine when it matters most, with or without Chris Paul. World Peace understands what it’s like to be disrespected as well as anyone on either bench, which is why he aggressively battled Griffin, resulting in a jump ball and brief brouhaha between the teams. From that point forward, it was game on. Pushing, shoving, technicals doled out in bulk, and some good ol’ fashioned trash-talking—all the makings of a playoff atmosphere in late January.

You don’t think this game carried a little extra meaning for the players and fans? I was inside STAPLES Center, along with a surprising 90% of the arena’s patrons who were actually in their seats at tip-off—especially impressive on a night of unusually bad traffic in Los Angeles. Lakers vs. Clippers games have always had a fun, amusing and mostly non-threatening vibe to them. “Oh, that’s cute—L.A. has two basketball teams!” The first NBA game I ever saw in-person was actually a 1998 Clippers game in Anaheim, where Pooh Richardson and Co. used to play eight games per season in an effort to broaden their Orange County fan base. Like most fans, I attended more to see opposing road players in their prime at a reduced price, with little more than a passing interest in the “home” team.

14 years later and Lakers vs. Clippers has turned into a marquee matchup. The type of game you and your buddies circle on your calendars and make sure to watch together in front of a flat screen, beer in-hand. Fans from both teams were ready for this one, trading barbs throughout the week, even as the perpetually mouthy Chauncey Billups declared this just another game. “Clippers Darrell” also showed up for the game, his vocal chords piping out his usual “Here we go Clippers, here we go!” chant. Only this time, he wasn’t alone as he was briefly joined in the second quarter by more fans in red jerseys than I’ve ever seen at a Lakers home game. During an early timeout, the jumbotron flashed to a fan wearing a shirt that quite literally represented a city divided—one half yellow, the other red. Lakers fans booed loudly, dismissing the fan’s indecision and fast-pass ticket aboard the Clippers’ bandwagon.

You can’t have it both ways these days—something CP3, returning from injury, knows all too well. Paul, too, had his moment on the Lakers’ big screen early on in the game, and was promptly booed. I actually turned to my friend who was sitting next to me and told him I didn’t understand why people were booing Paul, who in my book was largely an innocent bystander in the mess that nearly put him in a Lakers uniform. The fans’ response wasn’t bred from animosity, he exlained, but instead, envy and wishful thinking.

As a Southern California native, observing the Clippers rapid evolution has been exciting, but also jarring. I’ve watched first-hand as the Angels and Dodgers’ battle for the region’s attention has steadily intensified over the past decade. Whereas the Angels’ recent acquisition of Albert Pujols added to their allure, the domino effect from the Clippers’ acquisition of Paul has done much more than turn “Lob City” into L.A.’s shiny new toy; it has also dented the Lakers’ psyche 19 games into this truncated season. The ripple effect has the city buzzing about the talented men wearing red, white and blue for the first time ever, while simultaneously declaring a full-fledged state of emergency for the underachieving oldies in forum blue and gold.

If the aging Lakers are like the fathers who have guided L.A.’s basketball hopes and dreams for more than five decades, the Clippers are their red-headed step children—hungry for attention, plotting their path to relevance. I remember playing basketball in my driveway against my Dad, for years with the handicap of an eight-foot hoop. At a certain point, I finally advanced to the big leagues, raising the hoop to regulation height, and eventually discovering that I was quicker, craftier, and actually capable of beating him. Just as I was peaking in confidence, if not premature cockiness, I’d drive to the hoop for an easy layup, only to have the ball emphatically swatted away by my Dad’s outstretched arms—an important reminder that old-age or not, he built this house.

Those old war horses, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Derek Fisher and the ghost of Ron Artest, clearly decided last night that they had had enough with the Clippers. Together—along with an unexpected 14-point dart of adrenaline from Andrew Goudelock—they clamped down on defense in the second half, took advantage of their interior scoring and stood up to a rusty Chris Paul and his pugnacious teammates.

It was a refreshing, gritty team win where just about everyone who stepped foot on the floor had their moment under the sun. Bryant’s go-ahead jumper with 5:01 remaining; Gasol’s offensive resurgence; Fisher’s three makes from beyond the arc; Bynum’s game-clinching layup and block; World Peace’s defense and three-pointer with 3:30 to go that brought back memories of his hesitation shot from around the same area two seasons ago that all but clinched the Lakers’ 16th championship.

For as pronounced as the Lakers’ wrinkles have been early on the season, there is still a great deal of pride in L.A.’s locker room. It goes without saying that this team needs upgrades at point guard, its bench and probably an athletic wing, too. Last night, more than anything, though, this team needed a win. For the first time, the fact that it came against the contending Clippers was more than an added bonus.

“Most important win of the season and it comes against the Clips. Was that as weird for you to read as it was for me to type?” I asked on Twitter, once the final buzzer had sounded. Such is the newfound reality in L.A.’s basketball landscape, where the [rival?] Clippers finally share more than just an arena with the Lakers. No one said the teams have to coincide peacefully, though. In fact, it’s probably more fun if they don’t.

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The already weak economy of Iran faces additional pressure after the European Union banned all oil imports from Iran effective July 1.   The EU actions support a U.S. directed effort to embargo Iranian oil and sanction the Iranian banking system, effectively freezing Iran out of the international financial system. The moves by the United State [...]
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It’s Battle of Los Angeles: Part deux. With the Clippers now trying to claim the city as theirs at the expense of the Lakers, Forum Blue & Gold reached out to Breene Murphy of Clipperblog to discuss the game.

J.M. Poulard, Forum Blue & Gold: With three losses in a row, the Los Angeles Lakers (10-8) do not at this point in time look like a championship caliber team. The defense has looked good for the most part but the offense has left much to be desired.

Kobe Bryant is playing extremely well for the Lakers but not all of his teammates have been able to follow suit as evidenced by losses in Miami and Orlando. In addition, the home loss at the hands of the Pacers last Sunday have people wondering how the Lakers can improve their play late in ball games when teams force the ball out of the hands of Kobe. Indeed, against the Dallas Mavericks, Bryant was able to find Fisher for an open 3-pointer, but for the most part the late game execution has been subpar at best for the Lakers.

This is relevant when discussing the Clippers because the last time they played the Lakers, they were all witnesses to the Kobe Bryant show, as the star guard lit up the Clips defense for 21 points in the third quarter and also made numerous big shots in the fourth. Once Vinny Del Negro ordered the double team off of Darius Morris, the Lakers star became a little hesitant with the ball and had trouble trusting his open teammates (*cough* Daris Morris *cough*). Ever since that game, it seems teams have been far more willing to throw extra attention on Kobe coming off screens, especially late in games.

What’s the temperature check for the Clippers going into this matchup?

Breene Murphy, Clipperblog: If we’re talking temperature check, the first name we have to mention for the Clippers is Mo Williams. After sitting out three games, Mo has averaged 25.3 points in his last three games, shooting an absurd 64 percent from the field. He’s been en fuego for sure, and it’s buoyed a Clippers team that shouldn’t be as desperate for guard play with Chauncey Billups also there to help the Paul-less Clips.

However, Paul is allegedly scheduled to play against the Lakers, so the big question will be how Mo reacts to the return of Paul, and if that will lead to the same success the Clippers have seen against the Lakers this year.

Based on Paul’s play against the Lakers this year and last year in the playoffs, how’re you feeling about him with a better cast than in the past?

J.M. Poulard: On Christmas day, I predicted that the Clippers would finish with one of the four best records in the Western Conference and that’s a testament to Paul’s talent. CP3 is an exquisite ball handler, good finisher and highlight reel waiting to happen with his passing; but his true value comes in his leadership and late game execution.

When players start jogging up and down the court on defense, Paul is usually the first one out there yelling at them to get back on defense, and his mastery of the offense is a thing of beauty, especially for a team that has had more than their fair share of issues closing out games. Paul brings terrific decision-making as well as a levelheaded player to stir the ship when all of the crewmembers are ready to dive into the water. I’m pretty sure I just said that the former Demon Deacon is the second coming of captain Jack Sparrow.

After seeing Kobe Bryant take on the Clippers, what’s your take on his play this season?

Breene Murphy: I really hope that CP3′s leadership turns the Clippers lackluster defense around, because so far, they’ve been a real disappointment on that end. And what’s somewhat disconcerting is that I don’t think that they have the personnel to be above average even with CP3 barking at them, or VDN finally connecting with them. The biggest struggle seems to be at the wing, where Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler don’t have the necessary athletic gifts at this point in the career to be good defenders.

So, Kobe, yeah, he’ll be tough for the Clippers to guard, especially considering his resurgence. Count me in the group that thinks Kobe needs to spread the ball around (36.0 usage rate?), especially with the quality of bigs on the team. Pau and Bynum? That’s formidable.

Speaking of Pau, he was so productive for so long, it’s hard to imagine that he’s just fell off so quickly. Last year, I’d say that he was the most effective defensive force on Blake Griffin this side of Tyson Chandler, making him a fulcrum player against the Clips.  Was it related to the failed trade? The playoff performance? How do you feel about the PF matchup this year?

J.M. Poulard: Honestly, with the way Pau has played this year, one would be inclined to believe that Blake would win the PF matchup; but through two preseason games and one regular season meeting; Griffin has been pretty average by his standards when playing against the Spaniard. Blake has looked to show off his handles against the Lakers as opposed to rolling hard to the basket and posting up with some aggression.

Consequently, the Clippers should have the advantage at the four spot, but in truth it seems to be just about even given Blake’s struggles against the Lakers.

Breene, normally I’d ask you to pick a winner here; but we’ll do this a bit differently. If the Lakers lose this game, do you think the roster remains intact going into this weekend?

Breene Murphy: Maybe I’m wrong, but Kupchak hasn’t struck me as a reactionary GM, barring the Lamar Odom trade (which wouldn’t have happened had it not been for Stern’s rejection of the CP3 trade). So I’ll say no. I believe that Kupchak’s forever working on the best possible trade, while remaining smart enough to know that teams simply go through slumps. 4-game losing streaks give a perception of panic. A team that panics is a team with less leverage, and trading with less leverage typically doesn’t work out well.

J.M. Poulard: At this point in the season, the Lakers face more serious questions about their roster than the Clippers and that makes the Battle of Los Angeles all that more intriguing. Mind you the Lakers’ core has sipped championship champagne while the Clippers’ has yet to make the playoffs.

None of that will matter tonight when both teams take the court at Staples and try to earn themselves a victory in what promises to be a playoff-like atmosphere. I’ll take the home team tonight.

Breene, thanks again.

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Global energy production may need to become significantly less complex…

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An Unpriced Energy Constraint?

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The XD Series rims and other aluminum alloy rims are the way to go if you are looking to spruce up the look of your truck or car. Even though rims last forever, sometimes the manufacturer’s boring ones leave something to be desired and ruin the beauty of a new vehicle. But alloy rims are not all about looks. There are other benefits such as better handling that make them a popular choice.

A custom lifted truck or SUV just isn’t custom until you install some new, better-looking, custom chrome wheels on it. This style of rim with its clean and uncluttered look enhances the appearance and beauty of your vehicle. Going a step further, some like to achieve a better look with plus-sizing. Plus-sizing is when you upsize the rim size and use low-profile tires. This allows the design of the rim to stand out, drawing attention and jealous stares by onlookers.

Another advantage to plus-sizing is how it improves the handling of a vehicle. The rims help low-profile tires keep their shape and prevent bulging sides when taking turns. That means that you have better steering control when taking tight turns, which is important for high performance tires or aggressive driving.

Whether plus-sized or not, alloy rims are lighter weight than steel which leads to better comfort and performance. Because they are lighter, it reduces the weight on the suspension, allowing for a better grip to the road and better steering response. That lightness also has another plus to it as it can provide better gas mileage, saving you a few cents in gas overtime.

When brakes overheat, there is a risk of fading and brake failure. That is why alloy rims are a top choice for many. They can increase the lifespan of the brakes by cooling them down. Alloy conducts heat better than steel and more airflow goes over the brakes because of their design. This improves the performance of the brakes, giving you a quicker brake time and a safer experience.

Not only does their construction allow them to dissipate heat better, it creates a stronger rim. That strength makes them more resistant to bending than steel and it minimizes cracking of the metal. They are also rust-resistant and easy to keep clean so they always look good. Another aspect of their construction is the low-pressure casting technique which allows them to be more adaptable and flexible. This is how they are able to have such unique designs.

You’ll have no problem finding the right rim in the large selection offered today. Because of how great they look on vehicles, their popularity has grown immensely which has called for a demand of more choices. The one thing to always keep in mind is the bolt pattern. Unusual patterns will have a limited choice in rims.

Deciding on XD Series custom rims is not an easy decision today and not all rims are created the same. You need to take into consideration the handling and performance the wheel & tire packages will provide, along with their aesthetic benefits. Aluminum rims are so popular today that some manufacturers are foregoing steel rims and fitting their new cars with alloy ones instead. Enhancing your vehicle’s appearance is easy when you choose XD series wheels because while your ride looks better, it handles a lot better, too.

(Oof, of course the duty of recapping this game would fall to me)

Box Score: Lakers 96, Pacers 98.

The Good
I really wish I could skip this section, but if I had to choose bright spots from this gloomy game, I would have to choose:

Pau Gasol’s passing
Pau made some truly beautiful passes in this game, including an over the head pass that Bynum really should have converted into a dunk, but instead got 2 free throws after a foul. At times too unselfish, Pau deferred to his teammates throughout the game, setting up Barnes for a highlight dunk, and even setting up a lob to Andrew. Throughout the game, the offense ran much more smoothly (note: this is a relative term) when Pau was at the high post, directing traffic, and hitting cutters with pin-point passes. This led to a season-high 10 assists for Pau, and he probably should have had more had his teammates converted some of the bunnies they missed.

Metta World Peace’s Return from the Dead
While MWP was effectively corpse-like against Miami and Orlando, he had a strong game, tallying up 11 points on 5-9 shooting (and even a made three!). While he still made a ton of questionable decisions (those off-balance fade aways are not pretty, nor effective), it was good to see him contribute at least something to the game.

First Quarter Energy
The Lakers did come out firing in the first quarter, taking a 13 point lead, 27-14 going into the 2nd period. Matt Barnes led the way with 6 quick points, leaking out on multiple occasions for some easy points. Pau Gasol and Josh McRoberts also played with great energy, each getting a couple blocks, further fueling the Lakers excellent defensive play (in the 1st quarter).

The Bad
After that first quarter, everything went downhill. While holding the Pacers to 28% shooting in the 1st, the Lakers gave up 65% shooting in the second, with the Pacers shooting lights out from three. This included a David West buzzer-beater, cutting the lead to 3 going in to the half. The Pacers finished 10-18 from three, while the Lakers were an anemic 2-9 from three, which has become a regular thing for this Laker team. Even though the Lakers had a huge free throw advantage (22-33 to 16-19, with four Pacer free throws at the end of the game), they weren’t able to overcome the extra 24 points that the Pacers got from beyond the arc.

Roy Hibbert also had a monstrous game, going 9-13 for 18 points, finishing +18 in 27 minutes. He repeatedly pushed his defender (Bynum, Gasol, Murphy, McRoberts, it didn’t matter) deep into the lane, then finishing solidly with what appears to be his favorite move, a left handed hook shot. Indiana’s trio of young guards, Darren Collison, Paul George, and George Hill, all played solidly, shooting 13-22 combined, and 6-10 from three. The Lakers repeatedly clamped down on penetration on defense, giving up open three after open three, and the Pacers made them pay.

The Ugly
I wish I could put more under this section, but Andrew Bynum deserves special mention. While he didn’t play all that poorly (6-12 shooting for 16 points, 8 boards), he struggled mightily against the double team, making several bad passes and committing turnovers. He also did not contain Hibbert in the slightest, with the Pacers going to Hibbert twice in the last three minutes, each time with Hibbert either getting a shot for himself or a shot for a teammate. For someone vying to be one of the best centers in the league, Andrew needs to be able to contain Hibbert one-on-one, and he just wasn’t able to do that tonight.

Also deserving special mention is how horrible the Lakers last two offensive possessions went. First was a horrible play leading to a terrible Fish shot/pass to Gasol that went out of bounds, then the last was a horrible Kobe three that was contested 30 feet from the basket. Needless to say, the Lakers being down three with only one shot attempt left is a recipe for disaster, because unless Fish is open, Kobe is taking that shot, and he just doesn’t get the separation on the perimeter that he needs to get off a clean shot. A lot of blame should go to Mike Brown for designing an offense with a ton of off-ball movement but very little actual ball movement, but it’s clear that the Lakers have no go-to play down the stretch, not like they used to with the Kobe-Gasol pick and roll.

The Play of the Game
If I had to pick a play, it would have to be Gasol’s high post pass to a cutting Matt Barnes, who dove straight down the lane for a crushing dunk. Sadly, the Lakers went away from Gasol after this play. It is a wonder to watch him pass on the perimeter, and he made a lot of good decisions this game. Hopefully the Lakers will continue this trend, and continue to play their offense through Gasol.

Forum Blue And Gold

Kwong-Mun Achong Low, an analyst with Northern Securities in Canada, thinks that copper and gold juniors are in for a better run this year. He’s ferreted out the juniors with the most promising management and assets that are on a path to production-not to mention rising stock prices.

A Path to Gold and Copper Production: Kwong-Mun Achong Low

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When looking for the best Black marlin fishing, there is only one place to look, the tropics. However, individuals planning on fishing for such large fish may want to read a variety of reviews and testimonials before embarking on such a challenge. For, it often takes a special person to catch what has often been called one of the fastest, longest and heaviest creatures of the sea.

Location

In addition, as the fish often weighs upwards of one thousand pounds, it is also important that those going on such journeys consider the risk. For, in addition to capsizing small vessels, these fish have been known to fly into boats and hit guests, sometimes causing injury. Still, while this is one of the hardest fishes to catch, it also remains one of the most active in the tropics.

Fishing Factors

Now, while it sounds like such fish may be rather easy to catch, this is somewhat of a misnomer. For, while being one of the longest and boniest fishes on earth, it is also one of the fastest. As such, it can be very hard to capture these massive creatures of the sea.

Location

For otherwise attempting to do so could actually end up being a real live episode of deadly catch. Before embarking on such a journey, it may also be a good idea to read up on the different areas in which one plans on fishing. Not only can doing so help create a safer environment when fishing, it can also aid in the overall success of the journey.

Fisheries

In addition, as these fish often come from unknown unsustainable fisheries in various parts of the world, it is often hard to tell whether or not such fish is still fresh once it has made its way to supermarket shelves. In addition, as such is often shipped from ports outside the area in which such fish are sold,such are also often frozen before being thawed and placed in local markets.

Fishing Tours

Still, there are also those who wish to embark upon such fishing trips alone. However, unless one has the skills and abilities necessary to handle 1,000 pounds or more, going alone to fish for such large creatures may not be the best idea. Of course, for those who have the knowledge and know how, such can definitely be an exciting solo journey with great success.

Solo Journey

As such, even when planning a solo Blue marlin fishing journey, it may be best to first take a guided tour. For, in doing so, one can pinpoint the best fishing areas as well as any areas to avoid. In addition, one might just catch a fish or do while performing such research.

Box Score: Lakers 80, Magic 92
Offensive Efficiency: Lakers 94.1, Magic 108.2
True Shooting %: Lakers 49.5%, Magic 55.6%

The Good:
Kobe Bryant had an efficient 30 points and 8 assists.

They showed some fight on some parts of the game. It was nice to see them play through Pau Gasol at the start of the third quarter (before going away from it again). The Lakers did turn up the defense better in the second half and I actually thought the Lakers had a chance to steal the game after they cut the lead down to eight. A quick-trigger technical foul on Kobe killed all that momentum.

The ball movement seemed a little better in this game than the contest against Miami. It’s just that the Lakers can’t throw a dime into the ocean and they end up building houses (BRICKING) inside Amway Center. They should go hide in those newly-built houses after the game. This performance was, overall, shameful.

The Bad:
I don’t even know where to start. I’m surprised that the Magic didn’t lead by 30 at one point.

Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol didn’t make any field goals in the first half. And while we touted the Bynum/Howard match-up, Dwight Howard thoroughly outplayed the Lakers center tonight (Howard had 21 points and 23 boards while Drew ended with a deceiving 10 points and 12 rebounds). It didn’t help that Bynum was in foul trouble the whole game. As for Gasol, he settled for too many jumpers once again. This has become a disturbing trend as we know how wonderful Pau is on the post. Like most of the Lakers, he looks completely lost in this new system. As for the rest of the Lakers, the bench continues its bad production. They only scored 12 points (and they are dead last at 19.9 points per game coming into Orlando). And I know I’m not the only one clamoring for this but it’d be very nice to get Steve Blake back soon. Also, the Lakers are missing Lamar Odom more and more everyday. But let’s deal with the cards the Lakers currently have.

Coming into the game, the Lakers were third in rebounding (45.1) while the Magic were 13th (42.7). Howard led the charge with 23 rebounds and helped outrebound the Lakers to the tune of 51-42. Once again, the Lakers got killed on the offensive glass (15-8).

It also looked like that the Lakers were tired after they got smashed by the Heat the night before. Mike Brown chose to play the starters through the end of that Miami game even though the result was already academic. Yes, we all know that Phil Jackson used to do that at times… but this one basically came back to bite the Lakers the following night.

Can’t forget that the Magic made 12 treys. The Lakers are the worst 3-point shooting team in the league and while they made six, they still got outscored by 18 behind the arc.

The Ugly:
We’d better get used to this. The Laker offense is terrible (only scored 100 or over once this season). Today was no exception… and the first quarter was ESPECIALLY ugly. They shot 4 for 21 (19 percent) in the opening quarter and only scored 10 points. The Lakers also went 7 minutes and 36 seconds of game time without a field goal before a Troy Murphy 3 stopped the bleeding. The Lakers would finish the first half at 11/38 (29 percent) and would end the game at a “somewhat respectable” 38 percent.

And good grief, I expected SOME jumpers to fall in for the Lakers but it seemed like they couldn’t make anything. I swore that every time the Lakers clanked an outside J, a brick would smash through my window every time.

I feel like at some point, Kobe is going to yell about shipping his teammates out. This is not getting any easier for him and the Lakers.

The Play Of The Game:
I have to pick one?

How about that difficult driving banker by Kobe early in the second quarter. It’s quite amazing he made that over three Magic defenders. But Laker fans would be hard-pressed to cheer for SOMETHING in this Laker game. Hopefully, it’s something completely different at Staples Center when they face the Pacers on Sunday night. At least, the Lakers are a tidy 9-1 at Staples.

Forum Blue And Gold

ANNA WHITFORD WEDDING RING PILLOWS