Lost Time Is Not Found Again is what the MPS blog crew is reading today. Maybe.

+ Well, now this is ruined: the All-Star Game’s H-O-R-S-E competition is being sponsored by Geico. So now they’re played G-E-I-C-O. {First Cuts.}

+ Anquan Boldin is not happy with Arizona right now. {Larry Brown Sports.}

+ How well do you know your SI swimsuit models? {Simon On Sports.}

+ Ways to improve the NBA All-Star weekend. {Wizznutzz.}

+ Non-sports: Google puts free books on iPods, Androids. {Lifehacker.} New Peter, Bjorn and John video “Nothing To Worry About.” {Stereogum.}

Quotable:

“The Lakers won, so there’s nothing much to worry about here. And this small sample size doesn’t prove much of anything. But to me it seems to fit a little bit of a trend. Out of the trio of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant, I suspect Bryant is the lifelong leader in catching the ball, and shooting it, without getting near the basket.

The fact that Bryant can score so efficiently taking such difficult shots … that’s what makes him a miracle worker. He makes tough long shots all the time. But many times, if I were a coach, I’d prefer to see my superstar at the rim.

It’s a challenge to Bryant’s game that is not present for LeBron James.

Against that same Celtics defense, the shot charts reveal, James gets to the rim time and again.

No, this doesn’t settle anything about who’s better. And no, it doesn’t mean Bryant doesn’t outshine James in many aspects of the game.

The thing to keep in mind, though, is that just as Bryant can make shots James could never even think of, the same is also true in reverse — even if it’s not as dazzling.” – Henry Abbott