Home-cooking

The Lakers are going to make the playoffs. How could we have ever doubted that? Them making the playoffs is a foregone conclusion much like their 2002 WCF victory against the Kings was. Their win today against Atlanta was a statement game. And the statement was: they will not lose in close games. Or rather, the refs will not allow them to lose in close games. I saw it in the game against Portland the other week, too. So while Laker fans irrationally chant "M-V-P" for Kobe and his borderline-legal German-treated knees, I looked up the TV ratings the last time the Lakers missed the playoffs in '06. Unsurprisingly, it was the third-lowest since 1982.

The NBA. Where home-cooking happens.