This just proves everything I thought of Chris Bosh when he started receiving unheralded props for really no reason. Management is at fault here, they thought Bosh was a franchise player but he is not even close to one. He can’t impose his will on a game, he is a terrible defender and he can not make anybody around him better. The Lakers were in town on Wednesday evening, and this is how power forward Bosh finished against Lamar Odom; He scored 12 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in a big regular season game. He also pretty much quit on the team and the organization when he announced he will not resign in 2010. I’m telling you right now, he will have to go to a team that already has an established star and play the second fiddle to be successful in this league.

Kobe Bryant went for 61 points on Monday night against the New York Knicks, and broke the record for most points scored in Madison Square Garden. The previous record was 60 and that was held by the Legendary Bernard King.

Expect a lot more nights like this for Kobe as Andrew Bynum is out for 8 – 12 weeks with a torn MCL. Talk about bad luck, if the Lakers had Bynum last year, the NBA Finals would have still gone to the Celtics but it would have been a lot more difficult. We might have been treated to a 7-game classic.

Speaking of Kobe’s 61, it was no surprise that LeBron went for 52 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds two nights later in the same arena. LeBron didn’t get the same praise Kobe had received from the Garden faithful due to the fact that it was a close game and Al Harrington was putting on a show himself. Al finished with 39 points, 13 rebounds and just 10 assist shy of a triple double. You got to wonder just how many games it would take for Al to get 10 assists. What a treat for the Madison Square Garden folks, to witness back to back spectacular performances from the games best show men. If you are a die hard fan, you just knew LeBron was going to try and top Kobe’s performance from a few nights earlier. We have seen it before from many of the game’s greats. Kevin McHale once broke the Celtics record for points in a game with 56 only to have it broken two weeks later by teammate Larry Bird who scored 60. We also recall the 50 point game exchanges from once great stars Allen Iverson and Vince Carter in the 2001 playoffs. All the great players know there measuring stick, and for LeBron it is Kobe and for Kobe, it is now LeBron. I’m looking forward to the rematch on Sunday. Even with Bynum out of the lineup, I expect Lakers to in win the game.

Speaking of Lakers winning games, they were in town Thursday night to face the Boston Celtics. The Lakers ended the Celtics 19 game win streak and were looking to end there current 12 game win streak as well. The Lakers were without Andrew Bynum, so you had the same exact line up that lost by 39 points in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. The rivalry has definitely intensified with several little skirmishes disrupting the game. Most notable was Kobe going after Rondo and then Lamar kind of going at K.G. But Lamar was the unsung hero for the Lakers. After only scoring 2 points in the first half, he exploded for 18 points in the second half and overtime and also knocked down to huge free throws with 16 seconds left to give the Lakers the 1 point victory.

Lamar has been having an up and down season, but a player as talented as him when confident, can dominate game. I can just imagine how frustrating it is for Kobe and Phil; they have no idea which Lamar Odom is coming to play tonight. The aggressive slasher to the basket, or the bashful baby, you just don’t know from game to game. It is unfortunate that Bynum got hurt; however this gives Odom the chance to re-assert himself as one of the team leaders and go to guys.

I believe what sparked Odom second half surge was the flare up between himself and K.G... After K.G. was called for a foul, Lamar gave him a little pat on that back, and K.G. took exception, and stepped up to Odom. Odom didn’t back down at all and the two had to be separated. I know from my own playing days, any time I was having a head in the clouds game, one thing that always got me going was a flare up. Nothing like it, your heart begins to race, your blood boils the brows come down on your forehead and you’re just angry. But you have to finish the game. So now your playing the game with different type of focus, you want to make a big defensive play, you want to make some baskets. You want to beat your opponent. The Lakers definitely had that sort of focus last night, they were several excuses they could have used, no Bynum, second night of back to back, poor Kobe shooting but they stayed tough, executed on defense and were able to pull out the victory. Kobe did shoot poorly except for those three incredible three pointers over Paul Pierce which basically kept them alive in the fourth and put the pressure on the Celtics to execute on the other end. We got a glimpse of the 2009 NBA Finals, and it may be early, but I am putting my money on the purple and gold. The NBA got to love it, next week folks.