In the beginning of April, Lakers Nation mentioned how the Lakers playing in the playoffs was much better for the NBA than the Jazz. One thing not mentioned was how important the Lakers brand was to television ratings; many of you reach out to tell us why L.A. was good for TV and we agreed. This weekend, Lakers fans were shows just how incredible the Lakers are for television. Ben Cafardo, Manager of Communications for NBA on ESPN, reported today that the Lakers/Spurs game on Sunday highlighted the highest-rated opening playoff weekend in the last decade. Impressive.
Kobe Bryant managed to still be making headlines during game one of the Lakers vs Spurs playoff series by… tweeting? The Lakers organization wasn’t too happy with him deciding to vent frustration, observations and advice for his team on Bryant’s Twitter (@KobeBryant) account throughout the entire game. I can imagine tweets like this just don’t sit well:
What I would say if I was there right now? “Pau get ur ass on the block and don’t move till u get it” #realtalk
In case you missed Kobe’s rantings, it may be too late to see the Mamba speak his mind. It has been announced that he will not be tweeting during games for the duration of the playoffs by Bryant’s publicist. D’Antoni wasn’t too happy with his antics, and the focus should ultimately be on the team in the coming games, not social media squabbles. But, just for the fun of it, Lakers Nation wanted to know from our fans whether or not Kobe should be allowed to tweet during the rest of the playoff series. 85% percent of you said yes. Check out the rest of the results here.
The Lakers and Spurs will play Wednesday before heading back to Los Angeles for Game 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday.
Lakers Nation News
Lakers Nation Reacts: Kobe Bryant Should Tweet During Playoff Games
Lakers, Spurs Game 1 Highest Rated Opening Playoff Game in 10 Years
Lakers Practice Report: Steve Nash, Jodie Meeks Game 2 Injury Update
Lakers News: Publicist Confirms Kobe Bryant Won’t Tweet During Games
Steve Nash: “I’m Not Myself” After Returning From Injury
Clippers’ Vinny Del Negro Doesn’t Believe Lakers Can Beat Spurs
After Game 1, Spurs Don’t Worry About This Laker ‘Inside Threat’
Lakers News: Kobe Bryant Tweets During Lakers, Spurs Game 1
NBA News: Cleveland Cavaliers Plan to Reach Out to Phil Jackson
Lakers News: Howard Stresses Importance of Continued Post Play
Lakers News
The Los Angeles Lakers Can Not Escape Their Own Stupidity [Silver Screen and Roll]
Western Conference 1st Round: Lakers-Spurs Predictions [Silver Screen and Roll]
NBA Playoffs-Lakers/Spurs Positional Breakdown: Forwards & Centers [Silver Screen and Roll]
Bereft of Chemistry and Consistency, the Lakers Have to Start Producing More on Offense [Silver Screen and Roll]
Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs – Recap [ESPNLA]
Lakers are Game but Spurs Get the Victory [LA Times]
From the Mind of the Mamba: Injured Kobe Bryant Live-Tweets Lakers’ Game 1 Loss to Spurs [Ball Don’t Lie]
Lakers’ Mike D’Antoni Calls Kobe Bryant ‘a fan’ After Tweets During Loss to Spurs [The Point Forward]
Steve Nash Says He’s “not himself” in Lakers’ Game 1 Loss to San Antonio [Inside the Lakers]
Stifling Defensive Effort Leads Spurs to Game 1 Win Over Lakers [ProBasketballTalk]
Adopt an NBA Playoff Team: The Los Angeles Lakers [SB Nation]
Rapid Reaction: Spurs 91, Lakers 79 [ESPNLA]
Postgame: Steve Blake | video [LAKERS.com]
Lakers’ Steve Nash Isn’t Himself Against Spurs [LA Times]
Lakers May Consider Amnesty of Pau Gasol This Summer [ProBasketballTalk]
LAL 79, Spurs 91: Game 1 Running Diary [Lakers Blog]
Did the Los Angeles Lakers Get the Ball Inside Enough? [SB Nation]
Big Brother Kobe Has Eye On Lakers [Hang Time Blog]
Postgame: Steve Nash | video [LAKERS.com]
Lakers Will Need to Hit Outside Shots to Beat the Spurs [LA Times]
Lakers-Spurs: 10 Things to Think About [Los Angeles Lakers Blog]
2013 NBA Playoffs — Time for Los Angeles Lakers Coach Mike D’Antoni to Earn His Label [ESPNLA]
Resurgent Manu Ginobili Makes Spurs Less Favorable Matchup for Lakers [LA Times]
Kobe Bryant, Mike D’Antoni and Failing to Scrub Phil Jackson from the Lakers [SB Nation]
Lakers Couldn’t Overcome Chemistry Issues, Poor Shooting in 91-79 Game 1 Loss to San Antonio [Inside the Lakers]
Kobe Bryant is Missing, and So Are Lakers in 91-79 Loss to Spurs [LA Times]
NBA News
NBA Playoffs 2013: Nets, Clippers Look for 2-0 Series Leads [SB Nation]
2013 NBA Playoffs — Golden State Warriors Lose David Lee for Playoffs with Hip Injury [ESPN]
2013 NBA Playoffs — Denver Nuggets’ Kenneth Faried to Play Tuesday’s Game 2 [ESPN]
2013 NBA Playoffs — Tony Allen of Memphis Grizzlies Says ‘we have to toughen up’ [ESPN]
2013 NBA Playoffs – Joakim Noah, Kirk Hinrich Expected to Play for Chicago Bulls in Game 2 [ESPN Chicago]
Al Horford Playing 28 Minutes in the NBA Playoffs and Other Inexcusable Coaching Decisions [SB Nation]
The Indiana Pacers Grab a 1-0 Series Lead Over Atlanta, as Paul George Notches a Triple-Double [Ball Don’t Lie]
Derrick Rose ‘Most Likely Out,’ For Playoffs, ‘But You Never Know’ [ProBasketballTalk]
Bucks’ Need More Than Bravado To Beat Heat [Hang Time Blog]
Grizzlies vs. Clippers Adjustments: Pick and Roll Defense, Mike Conley and Crashing the Boards [SB Nation]
Warriors’ David Lee Out for Season After Tearing Hip Flexor in Game 1 Loss to Nuggets [Yahoo! Sports]
Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls in Same Hotel After Loss in Playoffs [ESPN]
Heat Open Title Defense with Blowout Game 1 Win Over Bucks [ProBasketballTalk]
Brooklyn Peaks At Right Time, Based On Opener Vs. Bulls [Hang Time Blog]
Chris Paul is a Nightmare, and Other Lessons from the NBA Playoffs [SB Nation]
Warriors Forced to Cope After Losing David Lee in First Career Playoff Game [SI.com]
Cleveland Cavaliers Reach Out to Phil Jackson About Open Coaching Position, Sources Say [ESPN]
J.R. Smith Wins 6th Man, Marc Gasol Expected to be Defensive Player of the Year [SB Nation]
Vinny Del Negro, When Asked if the Lakers Have a Shot Against the Spurs: ‘No.’ [ProBasketballTalk]
One Year Later, Bulls’ Woes Still Same [NBA.com]
Video: Nuggets’ JaVale McGee Dunks, Blocks and Goaltends Against Warriors [The Point Forward]
NBA Playoffs BIG Mistakes: Courtney Lee Assists the Wrong Team [SB Nation]
Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers – Recap [ESPN]