Strike of the Black Mamba

I absolutely love this picture.

Blake Griffin Jumps Over a Car

This dunk was crazy, I wish he had a better pass so he could do something with it, or if he jumped over the roof. But nonetheless, this kid is something.

Shannon Brown's Incredible Slam at MSG

This one still has me jumping out my chair screaming. Runway 12 clear for takeoff!

Chipmunk Feat. Chris Brown - Champion

Some flavor from the UK. Hot track, check for the remix with J. Cole (couldn't find a no tag version). Breezy killing the vocals on this one.

Road Sweet Road

When all things looked like they were coming crashing down in La La Land last week with losses to Boston and San Antonio at home, the Lakers took off for the annual Grammy road trip with some "experts and pundits" writing the Lakers falling stock. The lousy outcomes against the Celtics and Spurs were followed by the overnight breaking news of the Melo-Bynum trade talks. These eventually swept through the sports world and was the topic of discussion on every sports talk radio show and daytime sport shows on ESPN. All these stories, headlines, and worries can all go back to the all important saying in sports - winning cures everything. And for now, it seems like with back-to-back statement road wins in Boston and New York, the critics are temporarily silenced.

Were the Lakers concerned with losses to Boston, Dallas, Chicago, Miami, and San Antonio (2x)? Slightly, but not nearly as much as the sports world was. The fact is, it is still February. Games in November and December are not going to make or break a back-to-back championship winning team. To say that a team that has won 2 championships with 3 consecutive NBA Finals appearances has forgotten how to win against the good teams is ridiculous.

To take a look back at history, the last time the Lakers were in position to go for a 3-peat was the 2001-2002 season. Through the first 54 games that season, the Lakers record was 38-16. So far this season, the Lakers have played 54 games, and their record? Yes, you guessed it, 38-16.

Phil Jackson has admitted multiple times this season that it is hard to get a team that has won 2 championships motivated every night. Most people have trouble grasping themselves around this theory. "They're professionals, this is their job, they should go out and try to win every game." The fact is, it does not work like that. This team knows its capabilities, and the regular season for a team like this is simply about growth and execution. Losses in December do not translate to losses come May and June when the games really count. What you want is your team to assess and learn from the losses. You want to see a team go on a stretch where they gain momentum and confidence in one another. This Grammy trip looks like it might be one of those stretches where this team comes together and really gets an assessment of where they are and where they need to be come May and June.

The win in Boston was important just because they were able to make adjustments from a week and half ago against one of the best teams in the league. In their first meeting, Kobe took it upon himself to push the team offensively. He had a great individual effort scoring 41 points while shooting over 50%, but the rest of the team struggled badly. Gasol went 5-13, Artest 1-10, and Fisher 1-6 with no big grabbing more than 7 boards. The Lakers were out rebounded 43-30, a very important stat. Last year in the Finals, the team that won the rebounding battle won every game. Last night, the Lakers came out with a different look. Kobe only took 3 shots in the first half trying to facilitate for his teammates. It worked in leading the Lakers to a big run at the end of the second, and in the second half Kobe came out looking to be more aggressive offensively scoring 20 of his 23 points in the second half. Most notably, he put the game away in the 4th dropping 3 daggers on the Celtics (and Henry Abbot thinks he's not clutch). The Lakers also won the rebounding battle 47-36 and outscored the Celtics in the paint (the Celtics lead the league in points in the paint).

There is no doubt much of the Lakers success relies on Pau Gasol. Since Kobe's "black swan" talk with Gasol, the Spaniard has come out with a purpose. Maybe a little butt-kicking in January was what was needed to awake the champions. I see the Lakers finishing this road trip strong heading into the post-All Star Break the team to beat.

Lupe Fiasco - Words I Never Said ft. Skylar Grey [AUDIO]

Lupe's lyrics are amazing, one of the best lyricists in the game. I wish people would give this kind of stuff more play instead of guys like Waka Flocka. This is what hip hop is missing. This is what hip hop needs to gain respect from White America.

California Love Hats

I needa get one of these