Thursday Night NBA Viewing Party: Lakers/Kings, 2nd Half

- Kenny's Pictures tonight are evaluating Charles' commentary ... and so far, he's been very complimentary.

- By the way, that picture above? I like that picture.

- Charles is awesome. EJ tells Charles he has to talk to Dick Bavetta when he comes out for the second half, and tell him about the challenge. Charles says, "First of all, if I talk to a 67-year-old man, he's not gonna be able to hear me." Cold-blooded. He's still adamant that he could whip Dick Bavetta in a race, and... man, I want to see that. If that could, in any kind of way, happen tonight ... I'll watch an entire season of The Closer. That's what I'll do for TNT if they'll do this for me tonight.

- Okay, the second half is underway here... it's 74-58, Lakers, and I'm not seeing how the Kings are going to get back in this. Their only chance is a lapse in intensity from the Lakers right now.

- Luke Walton hits a turnaround jumper right over Kevin Martin, high of the glass... beautiful shot there by Walton, who has really expanded his repertoire.

- Bryant finds Bynum on the penetrate and dish, though two Kings defenders... and Bynum is flashing his huge Tracy Morgan-smile all the way back to the huddle. Lakers lead is 20, timeout Kings.

- By the way, since we're all friends here, I'd like to call your attention to this comment, from a previous post of mine. Man, that person's going to be upset when the FanHouse launches their porno blog.

- Jess Kersey is calling everything. Instead of racing Dick Bavetta, I wish Charles would throw Jess Kersey through a window.

- Charles is getting mad at Andrew Bynum again ... Bynum had it in the post with Abdur-Rahim on his hip, and he wouldn't take him. Charles is right ... I mean, it's cool that Bynum's a good passer and that he's looking for his teammates, but when you have a clear advantage, you take advantage of it. That's the right thing to do for your team.

- You know, I'd liveblog anything Charles Barkley does. I just want to follow him around and blog it. That's the job I want. I want to liveblog Charles Barkley.

- Dick Bavetta apparently did accept the challenge ... and he says he'll spot Barkley to the free-throw line. Barkley doesn't believe that Bavetta runs five miles a day, an assertion that I absolutely believe. Marv, Kenny and myself are all on record as saying that we would pay to see this.

- The Kings have cut the lead to 15 here, and Luke Walton picks up a charging call ... Kenny Thomas had position on him there, but at the position on the court where that happened, I hate that call. Walton's fourth.

- The Lakers are letting Abdur-Rahim have the open jumpers, and he's hitting them. Lead is down to 13.

- Offensive three seconds on the Lakers. The run could continue. Abdur-Rahim another jumper out of a high screen-and-roll, and he gets the friendly roll. Lead is down to 11, and Phil Jackson calls a timeout.

- Steve Kerr recorded an edition of "Steve Wonders" from his bed, where he's laying with his feet propped up. He's wondering how Charles is enjoying his new role here with Marv... and Charles says he wants to turn Kerr into Wally Pipp and take his job.

- Lakers turn it over again, Sacto had a 3-on-2 break, but freaked out and couldn't finish it. That would've gotten the lead under 10 and popped the building. The Lakers take it down and hit a jumper, though ... missed opportunity.

- And Kenny Thomas blows a lay-up ...

- The Lakers are absolutely melting down right now, but the Kings can't take advantage. Terrible pass by Brian Cook, the Kings miss on the other end.

- Here we go, though... Bibby into the lane, puts up the one-hander and is fouled from behind senselessly by Rony Turiaf. The lead is down to 9 ... and now 8.

- Ridiculously bad pass by Radmanovic on a break ... and I'm telling you, the Kings should have this thing tied up by now. Radmanovic then completely bricks one from about 14 feet. Just clunked off the backboard.

- Charles Barkley just told the world that Ben Coleman, a former teammate, once wondered aloud why his portable television didn't have cable.

- Oh, Kobe... he put a nasty hesitation move on John Salmons, then banked in an off-balance shot from about 9 feet. Pretty good defense by Salmons, but ... you know, that's Kobe Bryant, the best player in the game. Lead is back up to 9.

- Corliss Williamson again goes to his hook, and the lead is now 7 with 4.8 seconds to play in the third ... plenty of time for Kobe to get off a lay-up, and he was fouled, but now, they decide to swallow their damn whistle. 90-83, heading into the 4th.

- Dick Bavetta's mic'd up this evening, and they show him explaining a call to Danny Farmar ... and then trying his hardest to make Vladimir Radmanovic understand any damn thing.

- Corliss Williamson loves the pull-the-chair move ... he pulls it on Andrew Bynum and forces a turnover. Ron Artest on the other end, makes them pay, getting around Luke Walton.

- Ooooh ... Artest backdoors it to Kevin Martin, who just victimized Luke Walton on the cut. Kobe Bryant's on the bench for the beginning of the fourth. If the Lakers don't score here, they'll need him right now. Vujacic hits.

- Walton's working on Artest in the post here, Artest pokes it away twice before finally getting called for the reach. I don't know what it is that makes Luke Walton think he can back down Ron Artest.

- Walton hits a jumper in Artest's eye there... big bucket. Artest from the corner to answer on the other end ... no. He's been cold tonight.

- Kobe for three out of the timeout, hand in his face ... cash. Lead is back to 9.

- Vujacic on the jumper ... lead back to 11.

- I was looking forward to seeing The Kevin Martin show tonight, but it hasn't been there.

- Brian Cook with a beautiful pass to Kobe Bryant, cutting behind him ... free and clear plush for Kobe.

- Maurice Evans, if I'm not mistaken, has taken three three-balls tonight. After each one, Charles has said, "That's not his shot." Even after the one he just made. Nice response for the Lakers here to the Kings little run.

- Kobe with a jumper right in Artest's mug. Not much you can do about that one, Ron-Ron.

- Hey, Vlade's in the house. I think Vlade shaves about every three hours, and he still looks like that. He's not the hairiest man I've ever seen, but he's got the fiercest beard in the history of mankind. I bet there's $11.93 in change lost in Vlade's crotch right now.

- 5:04 left to play, the Lakers lead is 8. Bibby and Williamson run the high screen and roll, and Bibby finds Williamson perfectly ... Bibby's been the Kings' best player, by far.

- Kobe tries to dribble through a double team, and doesn't make it ... we'll have a jump ball here between Corliss and Kobe. Charles calls a Kobe victory, and I agree. That's the way it goes ... Easy win for the Lakers, but they miss the shot and get an away-from-the-ball foul. Kings are down 6, and that puts the Lakers over the limit.

- Kobe, guarded by Artest... screen from Bynum, Corliss switches off, Kobe launches the shot from the baseline, off-balance, under pressure, impossible angle... off the side of the backboard and out of bounds.

- Corliss to the free-throw line after another pretty little pass from Mike Bibby. He hits the first ... and we've got a timeout, and a 4-point deficit for the Kings.

- The Lakers come out of the timeout and go to Bynum... the double-team comes, Bynum passes off, and the Lakers convert on a putback.

- Artest answers with a putback of his own, cutting the lead back to three.

- Oh, and Bynum gets called for a travel when they go back to him in the post. They didn't double this time, and he took steps.

- Bibby and Williamson work the two-man game again, and Williamson's going to the line with a chance to cut the lead to 1.

- Brian Cook misses a good look at a three, Kobe forces the opportunity on the long rebound and turns it over... Kevin Martin on the other end, is fouled... ties it up with the first one, and the Kings have the lead.

- Kobe demands the ball. Launches a three over Artest ... and yeah, he's still Kobe Bryant. Bottoms.

- Tied at 111 now... Artest tries to deny Kobe the ball, and he gets called for the grab. That's Artest's sixth on a pretty ticky-tack call. Not that I'm faulting the officials, I'm faulting Artest for grabbing jersey with five fouls in that situation. It's not like he can keep Kobe from getting the ball anyway.

- Francisco Garcia replaces Artest in the line-up ... and promptly gets called for a charge as Brian Cook held his ground. Under a minute now, still tied at 111.

- Brian Cook's going to the line ... Smush Parker fond him wide open, Cook had a dunk, and Francisco Garcia went after him like a pitbull after a steak. Cook misses the first ... hits the second. 41.5 seconds.

- Bibby for three ... take it, Marv.

- Marv: YES!

- Bibby was fantastic on that possession. He had the ball, tried to set guys up, demanded it back as soon as he got rid of it if he didn't like the shot the other guy was thinking of taking. He found what he wanted, sacked up on the three, and buried it. 23.5 seconds left, Kings lead by two.

- Charles just called Vujacic "Hooch-a-vick." So let's see what the Lakers do here. Byant one-on-one against Salmons, he takes it in, spins, tough shot off the glass ... rims out, doesn't go. Let's look at the replay. And yeah, he got fouled. Salmons probably didn't foul him, but Corliss Williamson sure as hell did. Don't know why Kobe wouldn't get that call when these bastards have been calling everything all night.

- Salmons hits his first free throw, giving them a three-point lead... and then hits the second.

- 6.7 seconds and a 4-point deficit for the Lakers here.

- They fake to Kobe and go to Radman in the corner for the quick three, he hits. 1 point game, 4.7 seconds. And the Lakers are alive. And Kobe's called for a dead-ball foul here, I think ... which gives the Kings 1 free throw and the ball. I don't know what Kobe did here, they haven't shown a replay.

- There it is. They got Kobe for holding Mike Bibby ... and he did hold him, that was a foul. Usually not called in that situation, but a nice job by Bibby selling it, too.

- Kevin Martin, a 90% free throw shooter misses ... Charles: "That 90% don't mean nothin' when you've got a tight sphincter."

- So the Lakers are down two here with 4.0 seconds to play. Vujacic will inbound here for the Lakers, plenty of time... 117-115. Kobe finds Smush Parker for the lay-up on the way to the basket, and that's a great play design by Phil Jackson, and poor Sacto defense. Bibby left him to double Kobe, but never really got over to Kobe, either. He left himself in no-man land, Smush got past him, great pass from Kobe, and we're headed to overtime.

- Join us here for it.