The Whole Delivery

In honor of his last All-Star Weekend and game as a player, take it back to Kobe's first All-Star Weekend and game back in 1998 in Manhattan, and the time he thought that he would be a legend both in basketball AND music. It's the only public music performance for him (and Tyra Banks), and how laugh out loud funny and bad it still is 'til today. Again, from 1998, it's Kobe, with Tyra, with "K.O.B.E." More to come from The Whole Delivery. Stay tuned.

In honor of NBA all star weekend, it is the annual Flashback Friday tradition to go back to Kobe Bryant's only live performance of his epically disastrous rap career. With Tyra Banks also providing a memorable guest appearance, it's "K.O.B.E" from the 1998 All-Star Weekend, when the game was last in New York. The performance was as memorably bad as the All-Star festivities were. More to come at The Whole Delivery, stay tuned. 

And he is out for six weeks  after that injury he suffered against the Grizzles. Although I still thought he came back too soon, this was an injury that had nothing to do with his Achilles, especially as he played his best in his comeback against the Grizzlies. More to come at TWD, stay tuned.

He came back way too soon in my book, and here are the highlights to his eight turnover night, as he took away key minutes from Xavier Henry and they lost at home to a Raptors team they would have beaten without him:  Plenty of time left, but he rushed back, especially with Steve Nash's future in some question. More thoughts on this in a bit.

One of the more remarkable comebacks will be official Sunday, when Kobe Bryant returns to the Los Angeles Lakers team against the Toronto Raptors from his Achilles injury in April. It's been a decent start for the Lakers considering Bryant's absence, as Mike D'Antoni has seen bringing in younger players for his up tempo offense like Xavier Henry and Nick Young give his team a needed athletic and explosive boost.  To be 9-9 at the moment is quite respectful for this team. More on this in a bit. Update: After losing Robinson Cano, the Yankees are getting Carlos Beltran: BREAKING: Source says Yankees and Carlos Beltran have agreed to a three-year deal. More details to come. — Mark Feinsand (@FeinsandNYDN) December 7, 2013 This is even more of a shock than them signing Ellsbury.

Photo from Steve Dykes of USA Today It's the fear that all Chicago Bulls fans have at the moment come to bare, as Derrick Rose is now officially out for the rest of the 2013-14 NBA season. The meniscus tear Rose suffered in his right knee after coming back from his ACL tear in the left knee last season occurred on Friday in the Bulls' loss to the in-form Blazers. It is a devastating blow for him after all that transpired last season and how this happened on his supposedly good knee. Outside of an 6-11 3-point shooting night in giving the Pacers their only loss of the season, Rose was still primarily the same player he was before the knee issues. Still, the Bulls have been bad offensively again, where Luol Deng , Carlos Boozer , and Joakim Noah aren't consistent star men who can carry a team by themselves. With how the Pacers have started along with a certain team in Miami, they were never going to beat both of those teams with him. Other Notable News K...

It's just too memorable for the soul not to forever cherish: Forget ESPN or NBA TV, for this is the best pre-game warmup for another great final series between the Celtics and the Lakers.

Seriously, Kobe rapping is too great not to remember :

Thank goodness that this is fake, but there has got to be someone out there, whether in LA or elsewhere, that thinks like this about Kobe: Miscelleaneous I know people really hate Kanye and all, but I don't know why Kanye made this list . Everything else though was funny, especially this: Few people in this world are more hatable than Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt. There simply isn’t one shred of humanity between the two of them that would warrant not hating them, but their being a couple of grade-A douchebags isn’t what gets them on this list. While most of what they do is — on the surface — nothing but a desperate bid for more media attention, it becomes pretty plainly obvious that they are actually and truly stupid people when examined more closely. Watching the video above will make you cringe, and may actually cause permanent damage to the part of your brain that tries to cope with immense stupidity, so watch at your own risk.

 This was a funny story that actually...

It was funny how everyone was thinking that he could leave, and leave for my Knicks. Too funny : Kobe Bryant has signed a three-year contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, the team announced Friday. The deal will keep Bryant a Laker through the 2013-14 season. "We are extremely pleased that we were able to reach an agreement and come to terms on the extension at this time," said Lakers general manger Mitch Kupchak. "Kobe has been a cornerstone of the Lakers for well over a decade, helping to lead us to four NBA championships and in the process developing into one of the greatest players in basketball history."

Bill Simmons is something the typical American sports writer who can be a condescending fool on sports like soccer and tennis. But when he talks about basketball, he is definitely relevant and knows what he is saying most of the times. His criticism of the fawning over Kobe being a different person is definitely astute indeed. Did you hear about Gasol's sacrifice during the playoffs? Not really. Just like you didn't hear about Odom's willingness to give up minutes and touches during a contract year (a rarity in the NBA these days), or Ariza's red-hot shooting and the irony of Orlando giving him away last season. We always heard about Kobe sacrificing, but really, the key to the 2009 title was that he finally found three talented sidekicks willing to sacrifice for him. Big difference. Read the whole thing, it is actually good stuff.

Photo from NBA.com The Orlando Magic blew a golden opportunity to win Game 2 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and come home to the Sunshine State with the series knotted at 1. Instead, Orlando's carelessness with the pill and poor free throw shooting led to sabotaged their chance of getting the victory, committing 20 turnovers and missing 5 consecutive free throws down the stretch in the fourth quarter. Orlando now faces a desperate must win tonight or face a perilous 3-0 deficit. Impossible odds no team in NBA history has surmounted. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers know the significance of taking a commanding 3-0 lead and essentially making the finals a snack wrap. Will Orlando make it a series or will LA seal their championship fate tonight? Orlando Magic Howard must be tower of power Dwight Howard was dominant against the Cleveland Cavaliers inferior frontline, averaging 25.8 points and 13 rebounds on 65 percent shooting. However, the Magic's First Team All-NBA center has bee...

Who knew that J.J Redick would be the Kobe stopper, lol?

Back in 2001, Jay-Z didn't know that releasing his album on September 11 was going to be on a day that literally shock the world .Eight years later, Jay-Z will release "The Blueprint 3" on that same date. More on this tomorrow. And fitting that Finals time, Lil Wayne with "Kobe Bryant." And it's kind of hot, and I can't believe I'm saying this about Lil Wayne, but it is.

From NBA.com I wonder who at NBA.com thought it was cool to place Kobe's personal biz as a headline? (Click if need to see the text better). Blame it on the wi wi wi wi wi wi wi wife indeed for the whole matter , but still? If this is going to be a regular theme, we may need to contact DWade before it gets completely out of control. Update : Also a little peculiar to see up there is Mark Cuban battle with the SEC. Now, it is much less personal than say Kobe's business, but I wouldn't have expected that. Would you?

Photo from the AP's Chris Carlson An intriguing debate has emerged over the course of the incipient days of the NBA Playoffs' Conference Finals stage. But the intrigue has mainly come from irrationality and quick thinking. The topic: Whether star players should always take the last shot in the game? This has generated from both Nike's obsessions, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, not taking the final attempts the previous two nights in their teams' defeats. There have been a number of individuals, including Rob Parker on ESPN's First Take this morning, that have questioned at least the decision of this year's MVP to pass to Delonte West in their Game 1 loss to the Magic (even though that didn't turn out to be the final shot, as Mo Williams got off an attempt before time expired). Though Parker didn't mind Derek Fisher hoisting a three from the corner as the Lakers only chance to send the game into overtime yesterday fell by the wayside, Parker condemned Jame...

Photo from Jim Rogash/NBAE/Getty Images Paul Pierce was certainly emotion tonight, as the Boston Celtics' kicked off their title defense and the 2008-09 NBA season with a gritty 90-85 win over LeBron and the Cavs. Pierce was probably the only player in mid-season form in the opening night contest, as he dropped 27 points. King James had 22 points in an understandably sloppy game to start the season. But may no mistake, the night's real highlight was the raising of the banner and the rings bestowed to this version of the Celtic club. Out west, Portland Trail Blazer fans had their hearts almost come out when they saw Greg Oden pick up an injury right off the bat in their loss to the Lakers, 96-76. In his first professional game after missing last season because of his right knee, the 2007 No.1. pick felt pain in his right foot, and left the game late in the first half. It was the ugliest sign in a not so good opening night for the upstart Blazers, who have a lot of high expectati...