Anyone familiar with the Secretary Bird?(I didn't think so.) Well, I'll enlighten you; it subsides in Sub-Saharan Africa, has an eagle like body and is one of the only types of birds on the planet that is a persistent and successful hunter of snakes. This unique bird stalks its prey on foot and hunts in pairs. One of its snakes of choice just happens to be one of the deadliest snakes on the planet: The Black Mamba. See where I'm going with this? The Houston Rockets have a pair of hunters out for the head of one of the deadliest players on the planet, and if game one was any indicator, it's not looking good. Well Kobe, you choose the name, (I hate self proclaimed nicknames) so you better defend it.
Now I knew this would be a tough series when others insisted that it wouldn't. I heard the bullshit. Cats were talking about Houston like they would come in this series with a Hatton-esque meltdown(Glad I didn't pay for that fight). There was talk about the Rocekts missing Mcgrady, starting a young and inexperienced point guard, and having a heck of a time scoring in the fourth quarter. But just in case you know absolutely nothing about hoop, they match up with the Lakers extremely well. For one, this is one of the few teams in the league that does not allow the Lakers to completely dominate inside. Yao Ming is 7 foot unfair(someone should really investigate what science lab he was genetically engineered in, along with Lebron James' by the way) and makes Bynum look like Spud Webb. Scola is extremely physical, and Gasol? Well, he's just....not. I'm not saying he's soft, but he has a toothpick frame and can get get taken out of his element by a player that will bully him. Fisher has no chance of slowing down Aaron Brooks, who I have to tip my hat to by the way. The kid is doing whatever he wants and forces the defense to react to what he does because he gets in the paint effortlessly. Fisher on the other hand is on a two month long and counting shooting slump and is one game away from growing a gray beard and joining Phil on the side lines with a suit and clipboard.
Then there's Kobe, Mr. 81, KB24, the Black Mamba. He sure had a tough time out there. He got forced into plenty of difficult shots and barely got to the line except for the very end of the game. Artest and Battier (Mainly Battier), did an unbelievable job on the Mamba; whenever he attempted to strike and per serve his existence, the two hunters sank their talons into his neck. I was worried the whole year about this match up. The fact that the Rockets were able to pair up Artest and Battier scared the hell out of me. The Celtics were able to do the same thing last year, with Pierce, Allen and Posey to throw at Kobe. I don't believe it will be the same outcome, the Rockets don't have enough fire power in the long run to win the series. To quote the Zen Master "The sky isn't falling Laker fans." Clearly some changes have to be made for game 2, and the Lakers better grow a pair come tomorrow.
Kobe is currently the best player on the globe (sorry Lebron), but right now its kill or be killed and the Mamba better strike back before he faces extinction.
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