Boy the injuries
I'm sure there might have been another season similar to this. A season there was a number of significant injuries to front line players. The vast majority of players are on the injury list on a day to day basis as for the others it’s been much longer. I don’t just speak of my Lakers with Kobe, Farmar, Blake and Nash all on the sidelines. Late last week it was announced Nets center Brook Lopez has a broken foot and will miss the balance of the season. Of course we knew Derrick Rose was re-injured and also out for the season.

There are several players who are holdovers from last season. They are the Knicks Amar’e Stoudemire and he is yet to play a complete game this season. Also missing in action is teammate Tyson Chandler who should return any day now after missing a number of games. Of course we include Rajon Rondo who’s also a holdover from last season. Rondo is expected to play his first game of the season next month. The Nuggets Danilo Gallinari also remains on the injured list from last season. Any sport suffers when star players are missing for a number of games.

The other Dukee
ESPN’s Dick Vitale is fond of using Dukee to describe an athlete at Duke University. I borrowed it for the lead in of this piece. Over and over I’ve stated the difficulty of comparing players especially those who played in different era‘s. The idea is to provide you the manner of play of an athlete who may be familiar to you. The day after Kansas played Duke and Kentucky was matched against Michigan State the airways were full of conversation regarding the three high profile freshman.  They are Kentucky’s Julius Randle, Andrew Wiggins of Kansas and Duke’s Jabari Parker.

Someone declared Parker’s game was comparable to Grant Hill; a number of us have forgotten how injuries robbed Hill of much of his game during his NBA career. See if you can locate video of his days with the Pistons and see the talent Hill displayed early. Check it out for yourself and see the similarity in the play of Parker and Hill. Even more interesting physically they are nearly identical in size. Both are listed as 6-8 and they are nearly the same weight, Parker at 235 pounds and Hill at 225.

If this sounds as excuse so be it
At the beginning of the season I made my best guess the Lakers would make the playoffs. There is no method to project future injuries, I had no idea the Lakers would lose three point guards. First it was Steve Nash later its backup Jordan Farmar. Steve Blake backup to Nash went down; he may have been playing the best basketball of his NBA career. Kobe Bryant was forced to handle point guard duties after all these injuries and then he falls victim to injury after a brief six games.  

Kobe will be out a minimum of six weeks, how does this impact the 2013-14 Lakers? He could return by early February but there is probably not enough season remaining for the Lakers to make the playoffs. I don’t believe they will “tank” the season but they should begin an extensive scouting effort. For the first time in a number of years the Lakers have both draft picks, it's imperative they secure two players who aid their return to the playoffs. There it is once again the glass is either half-full or half empty.

Bits n Pieces
He played but 11 games in his freshman year, was he ready for the NBA? That was my question regarding Duke’s Kyrie Irving. All he did to answer my question was being named NBA Rookie of the Year in 2012. He has continued his stellar play leading the Cavs in just about everything.

Saw Mavs highlights on NBA TV and it made for a question. How old is Sean Marion? I looked it up; he’s the same age of Kobe Bryant (35). Funny I don’t ever remember hearing hear age questions regarding Marion.  Of course I'm referring to the period prior to this most recent injury.  
 
Naysayer’s continue to question Mizzou’s move from the Big XII to the SEC. They do this especially in light of what appears to be a standout Big XII this season. A reminder, this was a football move not basketball. Football programs pay the vast majority of a school’s athletic budget. There are always exceptions but that’s the basis for the move.

What’s a Swaggy P, that’s the nickname Laker guard/forward Nick Young has bestowed on Nick Young? I didn’t realize until this season he’s one of a group who never saw a shot he didn’t like.