WHAT YOU DIDN'T SEE

Here’s some notes and fun behind-the-scenes fun from Game 2 that you might not have seen on TV:

-Max Lucado’s “For the Moment” daily bible in Ime Udoku’s locker.

-Derek Fisher shooting 20 for 25 in practice before the game, hoping to break his 3-point jinx.

-Tim Duncan watching film from Game 1 in the quite Spurs locker room and scheming about layups with Tim Thomas.


-Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers playing the National Anthem with a trumpet while free stylin’ at certain parts in the song. Flea and Anthony Kiedis wrote two songs about the Lakers on their 1989 album Mother's Milk, called "Salute To Kareem" and the "Magic Johnson" which features these lyrics:

Lakers are the team that I watch on the telly
Cause they got more moves
Than a bowl full of jelly

Flea also used to blog about the Lakers. Even though the announcer says, “Please remove your hats,” he's still sporting a yellow Lakers hat during the song. Fans don’t seem to mind at all. They’re loving his rocker-trumpet version of the epic tune. Afterwards he jumps up about 5 feet in the air and then runs over to the Lakers players and high five’s them all.

-There’s a sign in the crowd that says “Kobe Diem.” While it’s no secret that Kobe is a big fan of Latin, having spent much of his childhood in Italy, perhaps this is because his favorite saying is, “Carpe Diem, Carpe Diem, Carpe Diem.” I know this, because we talked about it after a game.

-The regulars are here, of course: David and Posh, Tobe Maguire, Denzel Washington, Jack Nicholson.

-Ronny Turiaf yelling at the top of his lungs, dancing and singing "Sashaaaaa Vucacic, Sasha Vujacic!" after Sasha scores.


-After the game a hundred or so fans stick around to watch Kobe do a TNT post-game show with Charles Barkley, Magic Johnson and a couple TNT guys. There are a ton of fans snapping pics, screaming “Kobe, Kobe, Kobe!” and “MVP, MVP, MVP!”

-For the first time in a while Trevor Ariza is surrounded by five reporters. Earlier before the game a reporter had asked Phil Jackson if Trevor would play or not. They’ve been asking all season and then sure enough, he played!

THE SASHA FACTOR

I can’t say it enough how Sasha is one of my favorites. We have the best pre-game convos ever. He always says hi to me and chats. He's also happens to be an incredible player. Here's another fun Sasha pre-game convo:

ME: What do you do before the game to get mentally prepared?

SASHA: Pick out socks. (He says as he folds some in his lap)

ME: Which ones are good to wear?

SASHA: It doesn’t matter, they’ve just got to match.

ME: You just need to get all the same socks so they always match.

SASHA: Yeah, but it’s the washing. They become grey after awhile. Seriously, I’m not kidding.

ME: Is Pau your best friend?

SASHA: I don’t know. Ask him. You never know what he’s going to say. He’s Calderon.

ME: Are you excited to go to San Antonio?

SASHA: Yeah, are you? Are you coming?

ME: No, they don’t send me.

SASHA: You’re going to party in OC, right?

ME: Uh, huh.