Jai Ho

As the incomparable Jim Bob Sides and Alex Del Barrio just pointed out that, like out of a scene from Bring It On, the Snake Charmers and the Venom Dancers of the Boys and Girls Club both danced to Jai Ho today. Rather than comment on who was better (after all, the Snake Charmers are professionals while the Venom Dancers are kids... and, let's be honest, they were both entertaining and who was better is not important), let's instead explain the significance or Jai Ho.

If you've never met Vipers Director of Business Development Shu Muthyala, you're about to get to know him better than you ever imagined possible...




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The Vipers just completed a clean sweep of the Los Angeles D-Fenders (4-0). It blows my mind to see the D-Fenders be such a bad team. Maybe it's the wrong personnel for the triangle offense, but if that's the case, shouldn't they change personnel? Or change strategies? The D-Fenders have some good players that could easily succeed on other teams. So either use those parts to get what you need to be successful in Phil Jackson's offense, or stop trying to emulate the Lakers. I can't imagine the Lakers would allow the D-Fenders to not run their schemes, so how about making them use players that could be useful to the Lakers? I don't think there's a single player on the D-Fenders that fits in with the Lakers. Wasn't last year either. Hasn't been since the 2007-08 season. If you're going to own and operate an NBA Development League team, take advantage of it! See what the Houston Rockets are doing with the Vipers, what the San Antonio Spurs are doing with the Austin Toros and what the Oklahoma City Thunder are doing with the Tulsa 66ers.


Though, I guess the Lakers aren't as concerned as those three teams with NBA D-League players since they haven't needed them. But if/when they do, where will they turn?


It's an interesting juxtaposition to see the D-Fenders play the Vipers since the Rockets have really maximized this affiliation. A lot of it has to do with Rockets Vice President of Player Personnel/Vipers GM Gersson Rosas, who is going to be an NBA GM some day. He really gets it.


I think the NBA Development League is going to evolve a lot over the next few years, and I really think Gersson is going to be at the forefront of the changes.


I don't know all of the things that could change or that he wants to change, but Gersson did tell me during the Farmers Insurance Halftime Report on Saturday that while he's happy for the players like Garrett Temple and Kenny Hasbrouck who have made the NBA with other teams, he really wants to be able to control the right of all the players on the Vipers, similar to the baseball system. It's a Collective Bargaining Agreement Issue, and what do you know? We're not far from negotiations for the next one...


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Huge night for Jermaine Taylor. He STARTED for the first time for the Rockets against the Lakers, scored 10 of his career-high 15 points in the first quarter, hit 3-of-4 three-pointers, pulled down five rebounds (three offensive), dished out three assists and had a steal.


Aaron Brooks had 26 points and 7 assists.


Mike Harris did not play. Jordan Hill was back in the lineup. Gersson said that could really affect Harris' playing time, but also mentioned they're happy to have the ability to assign Harris to the Vipers at some point.