FanHouse RoundCast

Tip-Off Timer counts down the days until the first game of the 2009-10 season. On Friday, there are exactly 81 days remaining.

On January 22, 2006, Kobe Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors. Whether you love Kobe or hate him, most would agree that It was, in all probability, the greatest individual scoring performance that we'll ever see in our lifetime.

But don't take my word for it -- hear it from someone who was actually there when it happened.

In a special edition of the RoundCast, Craig Kwasniewski of The Association joined me to talk about what it was like to be in the building as Kobe went off on this historic night. We discussed the 2006 Lakers, the 81-point game itself, and wondered if we'll ever see another performance like that again in the future.

Our conversation can be heard after the jump.

Bloggers knee-jerking on the phone + roundtable style = RoundCast.

One of the biggest moves of this free agent season went down on Thursday, when it was learned that Ron Artest will be heading to the Lakers. Matt Moore and I break down what is effectively going to be L.A. trading Trevor Ariza for Artest, as it was also announced that Ariza agreed to a deal with the Rockets.

After plenty of Artest talk, we also review some of the other deals that have gone down, and ponder the fates of some other would-be contenders like the Cavaliers, Pistons, Magic, and Celtics.

Free agent talk at it's finest, after the jump.

On the eve of the NBA Draft, what's likely to be the biggest trade of the season has nothing to do with any of the players that will be shaking David Stern's hand on Thursday night. Shaquille O'Neal is headed to Cleveland to play alongside LeBron James, and Matt Moore joined me to break down the implications.

Are the Cavs now officially contenders? Did the Suns get anything more than cash savings in return? And most importantly, will all of our heads explode if Shaq, Lebron, and the Cavs face Kobe Bryant and the Lakers in the Finals next year?

Important stuff to be sure, and we discuss it all, after the jump.

Bloggers knee-jerking on the phone + roundtable style = RoundCast.

With the NBA Draft just a few days away, Matt Moore and Tom Ziller joined me to discuss some of the many ways that we might see things play out on the big night in NYC. And just about every scenario hinges on what the Memphis Grizzlies decide to do with the number two pick.

There's Ricky Rubio and Hasheem Thabeet to consider, or the team could try to trade down to get some more value, while still scooping up someone like Tyreke Evans. We know that the Clippers have the first pick, but for all intents and purposes, the Grizzlies are on the clock.

Bloggers knee-jerking on the phone + roundtable style = RoundCast.

The Los Angeles Lakers are the World Champions, finishing off the Orlando Magic in five games on Sunday night to put a glorious end to the 2008-09 season.

FanHouse's Matt Moore and old friend Craig Kwasniewski joined me to break down Game 5, as well as look back at how the NBA Finals unfolded. Will Stan Van Gundy ultimately be held responsible, or were the Lakers simply the more talented team this time around?

We also look ahead to next season, as both of these teams face questions about whether some of their key players will return after hitting the free agent market. The season is over but the celebration continues, after the jump.

Bloggers knee-jerking on the phone + roundtable style = RoundCast.

Great Game 3 for the Orlando Magic, and not so much for Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Magic came through with an NBA Finals record shooting performance, while Kobe missed 10 of his last 12 shots, and turned the ball over in crunch time for the second straight game.

Matt Moore and Matt Watson join me to break it all down, and we wonder which is more likely to continue: Orlando's hot shooting, or Kobe's lack of production with the game on the line.

All that, plus we discuss whether this is officially "a series," since if the Lakers win Game 4, it's all but over.

Bloggers knee-jerking on the phone + roundtable style = RoundCast.

As the series shifts to Orlando for Game 3, Matt Steinmetz and Matt Watson join me to break down what we've seen so far, and to look ahead at what might be in store.

We wondered if the Magic's fortunes will turn once they get back on their home floor, and discussed Stan Van Gundy's mistakes from the first two games. Is he going to take the fall for a Magic loss in the NBA Finals? Should he?

All that, plus a discussion of the 2-3-2 Finals format, and whether or not it gives too much of the supposed home court advantage away to the underdog with those three straight games they get to host.

Bloggers knee-jerking on the phone + roundtable style = RoundCast.

Wrapping up Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Gary Washburn and Matt Moore joined me to break down all the action. J.J. Redick's play was defended, as was Stan Van Gundy's handling of his point guard rotation this time around.

The big topic, though, was Dwight Howard, and whether or not he needs to dominate -- on both ends of the floor -- for the Magic to have a chance to get back into this series.

All that, plus we take a look into the future and see what might happen as the series shifts to Orlando. Will the Lakers pull off the sweep? Can the Magic win four out of the next five games to get the title? Give us a listen, and find out for yourself.

Bloggers knee-jerking on the phone + roundtable style = RoundCast.

A lot of things went wrong for the Orlando Magic in Game 1 of the Finals, and Matt Steinmetz and Matt Watson joined me to break them all down in this edition of the RoundCast.

We discussed Dwight Howard's single field goal, and Kobe Bryant's dominant performance, and wondered whether Stan Van Gundy will stick with a single-coverage defense on Bryant as the series goes on. But the hot topic was Jameer Nelson's 23 minutes in his first NBA game in four months -- I thought it was a mistake, while Watson and Steinmetz weren't so sure.

All that, plus our thoughts on how the rest of the series will play out, beginning with Game 2 on Sunday.

Bloggers knee-jerking on the phone + roundtable style = RoundCast.

With the NBA Finals tipping off Thursday evening, we decided to pick the brain of two noted bloggers from Los Angeles and Orlando. Earlier today, you heard Will Brinson and Brett Pollakoff talk to Kurt Heilen from Forum Blue & Gold, breaking down the series while wearing dark, Jack Nicholson shades.

And now, here's a conversation with Brinson, Matt Moore and Ben Q. Rock, the mad genius behind Third Quarter Collapse, analyzing the matchup while wearing mouse ears.*

* May or may not be true.