Why Missing The Playoffs Wouldn't Be Such A Bad Thing For Laker Nation?

With a loss tonight and a Jazz win, the Lakers would find themselves absent from the playoffs for only  the 6^th time in team history.  Laker fans, don’t worry.  Why you ask?  Well, let’s just say history tells us you will be landing an all star caliber player in next years draft if the playoffs aren’t in the cards this year.  LA missed the playoffs in each of the following seasons, 1957-1958, 1974-1975, 1975-1976, 1993-1994, and 2004-2005.  Take a look at whom they drafted in the first rd. of the following years drafts:

’58 draft – Elgin Baylor

’75 draft – David Meyers and Junior Bridgeman (who they immediately traded for Kareem Abdul Jabbar)

’76 draft – No 1^st round pick

’94 draft – Eddie Jones

’05 draft – Andrew Bynum

“34” All Star Games, “20” first team All NBA selections, “8” NBA titles, “6” MVP’s, “6” 2^nd team All NBA selections and “2” Rookie of the Year awards later and I think we found our silver lining.  

5 For Thought

With Kevin Durant sitting tonight, Carmelo Anthony will win 2013 NBA scoring title

           Anthony becomes only the 2^nd NY Knick to win scoring title (Bernard King, ’84-’85)

Carmelo Anthony is 1 of only 4 players who have won BOTH the NCAA Final 4 Most Outstanding Player award and a NBA scoring title

            The 3 others, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West

 Lakers will miss playoffs if they lose tonight and the Utah Jazz win

            The Lakers have missed the playoffs a total of 5 times in their history

 With the win over the Royals last night the Braves extended their win streak to 10 games

            The Florida/Miami Marlins are the only team in MLB history to not record a win streak of 10 games or more

 Martin Brodeur has a time on ice per game total of 60:48 this year, the highest of his 20-year career

His 2^nd highest total was 60:44 in 2003-2004 when he was 33.  He is 40 now.

             

5 For Thought : Boston Marathon Edition

In light of yesterdays tragedy at the Boston Marathon, I thought it would be appropriate to make today’s 5 for Thought about why the Boston Marathon is so great and special to those who participate in the event.

The prize purse for the Boston Marathon is $150,000 plus an extra $25,000 for setting a course record

NYC prize purse equals $20,000

Women were not allowed to enter the race until 1973

            In 2011, 43% of the entrants were women

The Boston Marathon is the oldest marathon there is

            Beginning in 1897, the marathon is said to have begun after the first ever marathon was ran at the 1896 Olympics.

Close to 500,000 spectators line the marathon's course each year

            That number represents 80% of the entire Boston population

Since 1991, only 1 male winner has NOT been from either Kenya or Ethiopia

            Lee Bong-Ju from Korea won the race in 2001

Thoughts and Prayers go out to those impacted by the tragic events which took place yesterday

 Wear Purple for Boston!

            

5 For Thought

Tiger Woods shot a 70 (-2) in the first round of The Masters Thursday

            In 3 out of 4 of Tigers career Masters wins he shot a 70 in the first round.  Had a 74 opening round in his other win.

Over the last 6 games, Melo and Jr. Smith have played a combined 435 minutes

            In the same span, LeBron James and Wade have played a combined 60 minutes

Carlos Quentin tied for the MLB lead in HBP last season (17)

            He played in 86 games last year

Quentin was HBP in 5% of his total plate appearances last season (ML lead)

            Carlos Ruiz was 2^nd on the list at 3.8%

Tyron Mathieu failed over 10 drug tests in college

            “ I quit counting at 10” – Mathieu.  (Enough Said)

5 For Thought

Doug Collins has a .520 win percentage in 845 games coached (439-406)

            Notable coaches with a better win % with at least 600 games coached; Mike D’Antoni (.534), Mike Fratello (.549), Jeff Van Gundy (.575)

 With the win over Portland last night the Lakers won back-to-back games on consecutive nights for the first time this season

            They are now 1 game up on Utah with 3 games remaining

 The Lakers have (7) 3-game winning streaks this year

           

            The Lakers have (6) 3-game losing streaks this year

 The Toronto Maple Leafs are 0-5 in shootouts this season (only current playoff team without a single win in a S/O)

            There are no shootouts in the NHL playoffs

No one has ever won both the Masters Par 3 challenge and the Masters

            Sorry Ted Potter