Welcome Back.........NBA!

It's.........opening night.....

Game on

For the game in which we.........created. America's own sport.....invented in a gym.....with a peach basket and a round ball.

It has indeed evolved........The best athletes on the planet ........play this game....

It's international........and growing stronger by each year. The NBA is thriving .......and there have been changes........the 24 second clock.......the 3 point shot........a dress code for players entering an arena.......even a new ball (introduced last year, only to be thrown out).....

But that's our NBA.......and oh how we love it.

Five Questions......we hope will be answered after 82 regular season games.....and a the marathon post season:

1. Will the LA Lakers........repeat?

2. Can Shaq lead King James and the Cavs'.......to the promise land?

3. Will Boston's "big 3" let Rasheed Wallace ....play with their ball?

4. Will the Orlando Magic.....prove that last year .....was no fluke?

5. Will my beloved Atlanta Hawks........get to the next level?

Come April.......no wait.....I forgot.......the NBA play-offs last forever.....so....

Come July........all of our questions......should be answered......

Until then.........enjoy opening night......and the rest of this NBA season!

Purple Reign...........

This one.......was for Kobe.

Last night the L A Lakers beat the Orlando Magic, 99-86, in game 5, to win their 15th NBA World Championship.....winning the finals, 4 games to 1.

For Kobe Bryant.....it was his 4th.

For coach Phil Jackson.......it was his 10th.

For the city of Los Angeles........it was an excuse for thugs.......to act up.

For the rest of America............it was an end........to a wonderful NBA season.

They said, "Kobe couldn't win, without Shaq".......They said, "The Lakers were soft, lacked heart."..............They said, "Phil, just picked his spots...to coach".....They said, "The Lakers would not win."

Well.........."they".......were wrong.

These Lakers..........Kobes' Lakers.........are World Champions.......again. And Kobe should now get the credit and the due diligence he so richly deserves.

Kobe..........straight out of high school.......speaks several foreign languages..........has two beautiful daughters and a gorgeous wife........Kobe.....whom a lot of guys are simply jealous of.......

Kobe..........Took this team.....put it on his back.....and carried it through the 82 game season....and the marathon known as the NBA play-offs....

Kobe........this ones' ..........for you.

NBA........Update

Ah.......the NBA Finals........

Nothing like it in all of sports. And last night?

Take your pick........from Yahoo.com:

Lakers head to Orlando with 2-0 lead

Lee's missed layup dooms Magic in Game 2

Gasol dominates OT as Lakers win Game 2

1 2 3 4 OT Total Orlando 15 20 30 23 8 96 Final LA Lakers 15 25 23 25 13 101 OT ORL: R. Lewis 34 Pts, 11 Reb, 7 Ast LAL: P. Gasol 24 Pts, 10 Reb, 3 Ast Lakers lead series 2-0 Box Score - Recap - Highlights

The series travels to Orlando and will reconvene on Tuesday in this 2-3-2 format.

As close as the game was last night, the Magic have to feel good about getting at least 2 wins at home.

It'll never happen........and this series will never make it back to L A...

Last nights' game, was the Magics' one and only chance. And Mr. Lee could not hit a lay-up.

Can you believe Orlando is now 0-6.......in the finals? After this series........they will be 0-8.