LAKERS vs NUGGETS (POST-GAME REPORT)

LAKERS 79 - NUGGETS 90

Total opposite of last night. The Lakers looked fatigued, average, and flat out helpless. The highest scoring team in the league was held to only 79 points against the third seed in the west, the Denver Nuggets.

The Laker bench was held to only 6 points, Kobe took 31 shots, Chris Anderson had 7 blocks tying his career high, and this is the first game we truly miss Andrew Bynum.

Our silver lining was Pau Gasol who continues to be consistest with 18 and 10. Although he did look tired, otherwise he would have been more aggressive against the lower ball IQ opponents. Kobe had 29 forced points, and Lamar had 12 points with 19 rebounds but only connected on 5 of 17 shooting. The Lakers shot under 30% which is surely their season lowest.

Let's try to forget this game and move on to the team we just dismantled the other night, the Pheonix Suns. Shaq is coming off a 45 point season high scoring effort, and I'm almost positive that they will change their technique on playing L.A. this time around.

LAKERS vs SUNS (POST-GAME REPORT)

LAKERS 132 - SUNS 106

The Lakers destroyed the Suns tonight at the Staples Center improving to 48-10 and winning 6 straight.

This was Shaq's first outing at Staples Center since he was a Miami Heat. He received a great ovation, and a great ass kicking.

Everybody got some tonight. Let's start with Lamar. 23 points on 11-12 shooting 9 rebounds and 4 assists in only 3 quarters. It's great to see the Suns not playing defense again. Kobe couldn't miss either. 22 points on 10-13 shooting 8 assists and 4 rebounds. Also in only 3 quarters. Pau had 16 and 9 with one rebound short of a double double but was somewhat busy on defending Shaq.

The bench was awesome. Tonight was the first night you saw the complete bench mob out and running. Even Mbenga got solid minutes and scored 8 points and 2 blocks. Shannon Brown and Adam Morrison look like they've been a part of this team since training camp, both contributing in the 4th quarter. The UCLA connection continued with their run-n-gun style. Ariza had 10 points with 5 steals, Farmar had 12 points with 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Josh Powell dropped 6 points and grabbed 6 rebounds and The Machine connected for 14 points.

Great game to watch. Even better to see the starters get some rest and not have to come back. The Lakers jumped on the Suns early and the Suns could just not get up. Hopefully the Lakers continue with their dominance tomorrow night in Denver. Next up, the injury riddened Nuggets.

LAKERS vs THUNDER (POST-GAME REPORT)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)—Kobe Bryant needed just a few minutes to thwart an Oklahoma City rally and put the Los Angeles Lakers on the way to improving the NBA’s best record.

It took quite a bit longer to shake off the effects of the ankle injury he suffered in the process.

Bryant scored 10 of his 36 points in a 3-minute span of the fourth quarter to stave off the Thunder’s comeback bid and lead the Lakers to a 107-93 victory on Tuesday night. He didn’t emerge from the Lakers’ training room until about 40 minutes after the game, but he was in a good mood when he did.

“It was my ankle, but I’ve got ankle insurance,” Bryant said with a smile. “I’m fine.”

Bryant moved into 19th place on the NBA’s career scoring list, ahead of Adrian Dantley only one game after he passed Elgin Baylor for 20th. Entering the game, he had needed only 13 points to tie Dantley.

He got to that point with the first of back-to-back jumpers that pushed the lead back to 18 with 7:05 left in the third quarter after Oklahoma City had gotten within 10. The Thunder still had one last charge in them, closing within one before Bryant returned from the bench and took over.

Coach Phil Jackson said he had to turn away Bryant once before he finally let his star check back in with 9:17 to play and the Thunder within two. Bryant said the thoughts that were running through his head were not pleasant ones.

“If I don’t check in within the next 2 minutes, I’m just not going to sleep very well tonight,” Bryant said. “It’s about time for me to go in and do what they ask me to do.”

He had 15 points in the fourth quarter after the Thunder were threatening, allowing the Lakers to improve to 47-10 on the season and 21-6 on the road.

Kevin Durant scored 32 to lead Oklahoma City in its sixth straight loss. “A guy like Kobe Bryant, he’s a great player,” Durant said. “He makes those shots. We forced him into some of those tough ones, but that’s the kind of player he is.”

Pau Gasol added 14 points, Derek Fisher scored 12 and Luke Walton had 11 for Los Angeles. After averaging 16 rebounds over the last seven games, Lamar Odom had only eight points and eight rebounds.

But Bryant had plenty of production, especially down the stretch.

He hit a jumper immediately after checking back into the game, then scored six points in a row to respond to Jeff Green’s three-point play that cut the deficit to 81-80. He used a series of hesitation moves and pump fakes to draw two fouls from Weaver, then backed his way in against the rookie for a layup that made it 87-80.

The Lakers’ lead eventually ballooned to 104-89 on Walton’s layup, and that allowed Bryant to exit with 1:26 to play. He had stayed in the game despite clutching his right ankle when he landed awkwardly after getting fouled on a layup attempt under the basket with about 4 minutes left.

Odom was disappointed in how Los Angeles squandered the big lead and said it “wasn’t a wholehearted effort at all defensively for us.”

“We’re pushing for perfection. We can play better than what we played tonight,” Odom said.

LAKERS vs TIMBERWOLVES (POST-GAME)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)—Major knee injuries have robbed the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves of their star centers.

The Lakers just keep cruising right along on their way to the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs even without Andrew Bynum, while the Timberwolves look lost without Al Jefferson.

The difference? The Lakers have Lamar Odom.

Odom had 25 points and 14 rebounds, and Kobe Bryant scored 28 to move past Elgin Baylor into 20th place on the NBA’s career scoring list in the Lakers’ 111-108 victory Sunday night.

Pau Gasol added 25 points for the team with the league’s best record, which is 9-1 since Bynum went down with a torn MCL in his right knee on Jan. 31.

When asked how his team has sustained its success, guard Derek Fisher pointed across the locker room to Odom.

“Lamar has been asked more than anybody to make sacrifices that guys of his caliber normally aren’t asked to make,” Fisher said, referring to Odom coming off the bench for 45 of the team’s first 46 games. “Now that he’s back in the starting lineup, he’s letting the game come to him and his talent speaks for itself.”

Odom is averaging 17.2 points and 13.9 rebounds since Bynum went out.

“I’m just finding my way,” Odom said. “I’m feeling real comfortable out there.”

The Timberwolves wish they had that kind of depth.

Ryan Gomes had 20 points and seven rebounds and Craig Smith scored 19 on 9-for-10 shooting for the Timberwolves, who are 1-4 without Jefferson and have lost six straight home games.

“You just have to fight through that frustration level when you think things aren’t going your way,” Minnesota coach Kevin McHale said.

Bryant’s breakaway lay-in with 10:42 to play in the third quarter pushed him past the former Lakers great Baylor into third in franchise history, behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jerry West.

The last time the Lakers were here, Bynum had 27 points and 15 rebounds in the Lakers’ 132-119 victory, but things weren’t as easy this time around.

The Lakers had height mismatches all over the floor.

Bryant had a 2-inch advantage over Randy Foye according to the listed heights, but he plays so much bigger than the Wolves’ captain and had no problem getting his shots in the low post.

The 7-foot Gasol was an even bigger handful for Kevin Love, generously listed at 6-10, on the low block. The Spaniard routinely beat Love down the floor to gain position in the paint, and once he got the ball, it was all over.

Bryant was 6-for-8 in the first half, most coming on short turnaround jumpers over Foye. Gasol went 8-for-10 in the first two periods with nothing coming from further than 5 feet out.

“He is the best player in the game, the way he plays, the way he dominates,” Foye said of Bryant. “It’s just a tough matchup. It’s a mismatch all around the board. They’re always going to have a mismatch, no matter the position.”

Yet for all that success, the Lakers had plenty of problems putting this depleted Wolves team away. Smith made his first eight shots from the field, the last two on breakaway layups to give Minnesota an 80-78 lead after three quarters.

Bryant converted a three-point play and then a baseline turnaround jumper over Foye with his tongue wagging Jordan-style for a 106-103 lead. He added two free throws and Foye missed a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer to seal it.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson ripped his team’s defense, which allowed the 18-37 Wolves to shoot 50 percent, make 10 3-pointers and get several wide-open drives to the basket.

“We got lucky, man,” Odom said.

LAKERS vs HORNETS (POST-GAME)

LOS ANGELES (AP)—The New Orleans Hornets were the only NBA team that hadn’t played an overtime game this season, so they might have forgotten what was required to win in the extra period.

They could’ve started with defending Kobe Bryant.

Bryant scored 11 of his 39 points in OT and the Los Angeles Lakers beat New Orleans 115-111 on Friday night, snapping an NBA-record streak of 13 overtime wins by the Hornets dating to December 2005.

“There have been many times this season where the starting unit struggled and the bench came in and bailed us out. Tonight was the opposite,” Bryant said. “Anytime you have a game like that where you kinda seesaw down the stretch like that and come out with a win, it’s always good.”

Pau Gasol had 20 points and 12 rebounds for the defending Western Conference champions, who won for the 14th time in 16 games. Derek Fisher, whose 3-pointer with 14.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter forced overtime, made four free throws in the final 14.3 seconds of the extra period to ice it.

“We had our chances and should have won the game, there’s no doubt about it,” Hornets coach Byron Scott said. “We just gave it to them. The last thing I said in the huddle was, ‘Don’t give up open 3s.’ But we gave a 3 to Fisher. We just have to put it in the past and forget about it.”

Lamar Odom grabbed 12 points and 17 rebounds, the fifth time in six games that he had 17 or more boards.

The Lakers improved the NBA’s best record to 45-10 and avenged a 116-105 loss to the Hornets on Jan. 6 that ended a 15-game home winning streak. Chris Paul and David West, who combined for 72 points in that one, had 21 and 16 respectively in the rematch while Rasual Butler led the team with 31.

Paul also had 16 assists in 45 minutes before picking up his sixth foul with 1:32 left in OT—the first time he fouled out in a regular-season game in his four-year NBA career. West had a season-high 16 rebounds for New Orleans.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson rested Bryant for the first 5 minutes of the fourth quarter, and New Orleans reduced a 13-point deficit to 85-82 with 8:46 remaining on Butler’s 3-pointer—one of five by the Hornets in the quarter.

“We made it a lot harder on ourselves, which we have to give New Orleans credit for,” Jackson said. “They came out in the fourth quarter and hit a bunch of 3s. We knew they would eventually start hitting them, but I don’t think we were intent enough about covering them up.”

Paul’s two free throws gave the Hornets a 95-93 edge with 3:21 to play after the Lakers turned the ball over on a traveling violation. James Posey, who helped Boston beat the Lakers in last year’s finals, drained his third 3-pointer of the quarter to give the Hornets a 98-95 lead with 1:15 to play after Los Angeles tied it on a tip-in by Gasol.

Paul was called for an offensive foul with 20.1 seconds left. Fisher took the charge, then made Paul pay for it with his tying 3-pointer.

“We’re used to it from him,” Bryant said of Fisher. “That’s what he does. That’s why he is so valuable to our ballclub.”

Ariza Ready To Cash In.

from realgm.com

Trevor Ariza will become an unrestricted free agent this summer and is one of the Lakers' top off-season priorities.

He makes $3.1 million this season and might be able to at least double his salary with his new contract.

RealGM Note: Ariza is ranked 90th in season FIC and with a Reina Value of +152%, he 'deserves' to make almost $8 million.

Ariza has shown his impact to one of the best, if not THE best team in the league. I'm sure he'll be cashing in this summer and it was a great move by mitch to move Chris Mihm to prepare for the offseason.

LAKERS vs WARRIORS (POST-GAME REPORT)

LAKERS 129 - WARRIORS 121

Definitely an exciting game to watch! The first team to play defense would win the game. Neither team played defense in the first half, but Kobe and the Lakers did in the second. Well, kind of.


One thing you have to know about the Lakers is, don't let them be anywhere within reach. The Lakers hung around the whole game and just struck the Warriors down late in the 4th quarter with Trevor Ariza's back to back 3-pointers.

Kobe was extravagant tonite. 2 huge blocks showing his leaping ability, and 1 of them was on a strong dunk attempt from the rook Anthony Randolph, who is extremely annoying if I might add. He looked like he was going to start crying after falling off L.O.'s back. We already have one "Big Baby" in this league, please don't emulate. Back to Mamba, 30 points, 9 assists with 3 rebounds and 3 steals. And that oh-so-pretty fadeaway on his buddy Ronny to seal the deal. You should know better Ronny!

Pau Gasol continued to beast in the paint, even with the uptempo style that the Warriors ran. 24 points on 10-15 shooting, 13 rebounds, and still managed to dish out 5 assists.

Lamar continues to impress me. His aggressiveness and attacking the basket shows what he has learned since having early success against the more premier teams, confidence. 22 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and 6-8 from the stripe. Lamar knocks down these free throws when they really matter most.


Josh Powell was great in the first half, and already proved that he can be on the court late in games. Remember the game in San Antonio? He definitely showed his stroke and has made his point that he wants more minutes with Bynum out and Mihm shipped to Memphis. 16 points and 7 rebounds and perfect from the line. It shows that any player can step up and have a big game on this roster at any given night. Along with Powell, Trevor Ariza showed why he is such an asset to the Bench Mob. Ariza had 17 points with 2 steals and knocked down those back to back 3's with confidence to put us up ahead and basically gave us the momentum.

Next up are the New Orleans Hornets with CP3 and company. Expect another high tempo game, but with a lot more defense. Lakers return home to get some rest and play friday night.

Chris Mihm traded to the Memphis Grizzlies

from realgm.com

The Memphis Grizzlies added depth to the team’s frontcourt by acquiring Chris Mihm from the Los Angeles Lakers, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today. The Grizzlies also received cash considerations in exchange for a 2013 protected second round draft pick. The 7-0, 265-pound center holds career averages of 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.02 blocks in 20.1 minutes in eight seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Lakers.

It sucks that Mihm had to go, but it's a business. I remember when Chris was our starting center and was a solid piece to our Laker team. It's sad to see him leave, especially since we can taste the trophy, but we wish him all the luck. Thanks for everything Mihmzy!

LAKERS vs WARRIORS (PRE-GAME REPORT)

The Lakers head to the Bay tonight to face-off with the Warriors. L.A. is still number one in the league and are looking to improve to 44-10.

Our Laker "Big 3" has been amazing. Lamar Odom is averaging 18.5 points and 18.5 rebounds in the last 4 games and has been a beast against elite teams in the NBA. Pau Gasol is coming off his third career triple-double last night against the Hawks and has been continuing his efficiency with Andrew Bynum out. Kobe only had 10 points last night and didn't play in the fourth quarter. It wouldn't be a surprise if Mamba has another big night and show why he's the reigning MVP.

The Bench Mob came off the All-Star break ready to play. With the addition of Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown, who got some minutes last night, the Lakers have become even more dangerous. Trevor Ariza and Jordan Farmar had 10 points each off the bench and controlled the tempo last night. Hopefully they can continue to do so.

Get ready for a high scoring run and gun game. The team that plays defense wins. Good thing the Warriors don't play any defense.

LAKERS vs HAWKS (POST-GAME REPORT)

LAKERS 96 - HAWKS 83

The Lakers did awesome tonight. They started off a little slow letting Mike Bibby score at will and looked a little lazy on defense, but when Jordan Farmar and Trevor Ariza came off the bench, they ran the hawks out of Staples Center.

I was at the game and wanted to mention a few things. One of the most consistent things that I have noticed is that the "Bench Mob" are actually the ones who create the separation from other teams. We already know our team is deep and that we have one of the best benches in the NBA, but what the main difference with our Bench Mob is that they give the opponents starters a hard time. The tempo change is just ridiculous. The starters are more mellow and execute the triangle as much as possible, then the bench comes in and just runs and runs and give the other teams headaches. My main point is, the starters keep us within reach, but the Bench Mob are the guys that can definitely break the game open. Don't get me wrong, our starters are a great squad, otherwise they wouldn't be starters. It's just most of the other teams build there defense around Kobe, Pau, Lamar, and Andrew which allows the second team to come out and totally change the game. And the thought of another shooter in Adam Morrison and the athleticism of Shannon Brown added to the team doesn't hurt either.


Lamar Odom did even more damage on the board tonight collecting his first 20 rebound tally this season. Had 2 steals and 2 blocks. He also chipped in 15 points on 6-11 shooting. This is definitely what we need from L.O. I think he's regaining his confidence and I can get use to seeing him in the starting line-up.

Pau Gasol recorder his first triple-double as a Laker and only the third of his career, and he did all of this by the end of the 3rd quarter! 12 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists with 2 blocks. 7 footer getting Jason Kidd stats, but with ZERO turnovers. Nice clean game for "Purple Spain."


Kobe only scored 10 points because he had help from everyone else. Fish chipped in 14, Farmar and Ariza scored 10 each, so 6 Lakers were in double figures. Tonight was also the debut of newly acquired Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown. They looked a little nervous, but hey, Staples Center is a pretty big stage. Welcome to L.A. fellas! The entire team looked like they were having fun the whole night and it was a great way to begin the second part of the season. Next up, the Golden State Warriors in Oakland, CA.

LAKERS vs HAWKS (PRE-GAME REPORT)

After a great All-Star weekend featuring our very own Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, the Lakers continue into the second half of the season. "It was a fun weekend," Bryant said. "As soon as I leave this podium, it is time to get back down to business. Looking forward to it." In a awesome reunion with Shaq and Kobe reliving their title days in Phoenix this weekend, it was only fitting that they shared MVP honors. It was said that Kobe let Shaq keep the plaque, Mamba has bigger things in mind. "We want to win another championship," he said over the weekend. "We have a good team, have the team to do it. That's our goal."

The Lakers enter their first game back since the All-Star break with the number one spot in the league against the Atlanta Hawks. This is the same Hawks team that gave the Celtics a hard time in the first round playoffs last season, minus Josh Childress, who is playing in Europe.

The Lakers are 4-1 in the past home meetings with the Hawks, including the home debut of Pau Gasol at Staples last year, February 19 where he dropped 23 points and received a great ovation. That game the Lakers blew out the Hawks 122 - 93. Joe Johnson has been averaging 25 points in the last seven games against the Lakers. Watch Kobe and Trevor Ariza on him majority of the game.

Hopefully tonight we get a glimpse of Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown for the first time since the trade. Look for the Lakers to start off the second season right with a complete team effort. 30 more games left. Tip off tonight at 7:30. We will be there tonight so we'll have plenty of pictures and hopefully free tacos.

LAKERS vs JAZZ (POST-GAME REPORT)

LAKERS 109 - JAZZ 113

The Utah Jazz handed the Los Angeles Lakers their 10th loss of the season. It was a very close game but Mehmet Okur hit a big shot with a minute left to seal the deal.

Even the heroics of Kobe Bryant couldn't save the day. Mamba hit a three at the 1:36 mark to give the Lakeshow their first lead of the fourth quarter. Then, after missing a three in the corner to take the lead back after a Paul Millsap dunk, Kobe stole the ball on a trap with Lamar odom and tied the game at 109. Our MVP ended with 37 points, but we ended up with a loss tonite.

Lamar had another great game. He did his job defensively on Millsap holding him to only 10 points, well below his average. L.O. himself? 19 points and 19 boards. 7 offensive boards with 2 blocked shots, marvelous outing for Lamar.


Pau Gasol connected for 50% of his shots with 16 points, but only managed to grab 3 boards. Not to make any excuses, but fatigue may have finally came into play. Pau has been averaging a hair more than 40 minutes in the past 5 games, he looked real tired and wasn't aggressive on offense or defense. Okur did a job on Pau, 22 points with 8 boards, and the 3 point shot which pretty much put the Lakers away late in the fourth.

Deron Williams was superb. He killed us single-handedly tonight. 31 points on 12-17 shooting and chipped in 11 assists. Containing the star point guards have always been a problem for us, maybe this is where Shannon Brown will come into play?

There's no need to panic, the Lakers are just exhausted. And the Jazz played a really well all around game. Many think we didn't play any defense tonite, the Jazz were shooting 60% in the first half. But honestly, the Jazz were just knocking down some shots, and in the closing seconds, D Fish couldn't. Next up, Kobe, Pau, and Phil head to All-Star weekend. Good luck fellas!

LAKERS vs JAZZ (PRE-GAME REPORT)

The Lakers are looking to improve to an eight game winning streak, 7 of them on the road. Tonight the Lakers take on the Jazz in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Jazz have struggled with injuries all year and still have stars Andrei Kirilenko (ankle) and Carlos Boozer (knee) out with injuries. Derron Williams has picked up most of the slack and is averaging 34 points and 8 assists in the last 4 games. Paul Millsap has been doing an acceptable job at the starting power forward position. He was always known as an extraordinary rebounder, but he has also evolved into a great scorer. It will be a great matchup with L.O. tonight.

Kobe has been balling like "swoosh." Even his "flu-like" symptoms against the Cavs, the Mamba shoot around 50% from the floor with a big 19 points. Last night in a trap game against the Thunder, Kobe went off for 34 points and reached another milestone in his career becoming the youngest player to score 23,000 points in his career.

Pau Gasol was named western conference player of the week after having some huge games when Andrew Bynum went down. It may sound like a broken record, but the man continues his efficiency and dominance. Look for Pau to have another big game tonight.

Lamar Odom has been outstanding after breaking out in Boston. Last night he collected a season high 18 rebounds and chipped in 12 points. The game before that was the best game I've seen him have in about a year with 28 points and 17 rebounds. Mind you it was against the Cavs!

This is the last game for the Lakeshow before the well deserved All-Star break. Break is the keyword and the Lakers definitely need one. Tonight will cap off eight games in eight cities in the past 14 games. Look for the Lakers to finish up this part of the season strong and maintain momentum until after the break.

Newly Acquired Adam Morrison is activated for tonight's game so maybe we get to see him get some playing time. Shannon Brown is not yet activated.

LAKERS vs THUNDER (POST-GAME REPORT)

LAKERS 105 - THUNDER 98

The Lakers continue with their streak as the other top tier teams start to falter with losses(Boston to Spurs on Sun, and Cleveland to Indiana today). It was what most has suspected, and almost everyone thought it would be a let-down game at the beginning when Lakers struggled to hold Oklahoma from scoring. But once again they rose to the occasion and came out victorious.

Once again it was Kobe who led all scorers(even feeling a bit low due to sickness), with 34pts and 7rebs. Kobe early in the game hitting 18pts, reached the 23,000 point milestone. Kevin Durant had himself quite a game, again scoring 31pts, and also filling up the box with 10rebs, 4asts, 4stls, and 1blk. Rookie Russel Westbrook filled up the boxes with 17pts, 9rebs, 7asts, and 2stls. Not bad for some young'ins. Jeff Green added 16pts, and 8rebs to his Thunder team score.

Gasol another efficient night 22pts, 14rebs, 2blks and 4asts. But it was Lamar who seriously crashed the boards tonight with 18rebs while also managing to put up 12pts, all which came only in the first half. Second half, Lamar was scoreless. It was also production in the Lakers bench that kept them in the game with Farmar, Sasha, and Ariza, all finishing with 9 points a piece. Not to mention Powell's 4pts on 2 of 4 shooting.

With time on their hands, with most of the minutes being eaten up by the core Laker players, Morrison and Brown have time to learn(the triangle offense) and develop a place in this Laker roster. And if they do so, expect them to make big contibutions to the Laker organization. Up next, out to Utah where the fans are just loud and horrible. Good Luck!

LAKERS vs THUNDER (PRE-GAME REPORT)

After sweeping the road trip, and breaking a few records, the Lakers are back in the City of Angels. So, who's up next? Only the team with the worst road record(3-20) in the NBA, the Oklahoma City, Thunder(which is a stupid name BTW). Let's not hope it's a let-down game by the Lakers which they tend to do sometimes.

Don't let Oklahoma's record fool you. This team has won it's last two games and scored +100pts in their last four games. Speaking of numbers, last year's Rookie of the Year Kevin Durant, who's been averaging 25.5PPG, has averaged 33.5PPG in the Thunder's previous 4 games. Rookie Russel Westbrook, since being on the team, has overshadowed Earl Watson and has taken over the starting PG position. Westbrook averaging 14.9PPG and 4.9APG, unfortunately isn't on a winning team and pretty much kills his chances for this year's ROTY. Playing alongside Durant doesn't help either.

The Thunder also has Jeff green, who has been sensational lately and averages 16.7PPG. Nick Collison who only averages 8.4PPG, for some reason kills the Lakers with easy buckets in the paint EVERYtime. The only weakness they have is at the SG position with Desmond Mason and Kyle Weaver. Luckily for them, Kobe is still a bit under the weather, who didn't practice Monday due to feeling sick after a workout on Sunday. Kobe's attendance to the game is still probable for tonight's game.

I feel that the Lakers might show a bit of fatigue after coming off a long and restless road trip. If they can hang on to this win without exerting too much energy, especially with Kobe not himself. Though Lamar and Pau used up alot of it during the Cavs game, I know they still have pleanty more in the tank. It'll be good for them since they do have another game tomorrow at Utah, who not too long ago the year before, had a good streak playing at home.

Bynum to start rehab soon.

SWEET! It's music to my ears to hear he's already on his way to recovery. Come back as soon as you can! Nice to see Bynum and Mbenga sporting matching blazers. Haha!

O.C.Register

Injured Lakers center Andrew Bynum will begin riding a stationary bike Thursday, signaling the beginning of his rehabilitation from a torn medial collateral ligament of the right knee.

The prognosis is that Bynum will miss 8-12 weeks.

Lakers spokeman John Black said Monday that Bynum would remain in Los Angeles during the All-Star break, rather than travel back home to New Jersey.

Radmanovic makes impressive debut with Bobcats.

Radman puts up 3 fourth quarter three-pointers on his first game without even practicing with the team?? Nice to know he making his presence known. We shall meet again Wolf Man!

Thestate.com

Vladimir Radmanovic wasn't sure he'd even play against the Los Angeles Clippers 90 minutes before making his Charlotte debut.

The ex-Lakers forward not only became the Bobcats' NBA-high 23rd player Monday night, his 13 points and three fourth-quarter 3-pointers propelled Charlotte to a 94-73 win over the road-weary Clippers.

And as coach Larry Brown continues to tinker with his roster, he may have found an answer to the team's shaky outside shooting with Radmanovic, acquired Saturday from the Lakers for underachieving Adam Morrison and reserve Shannon Brown.

"It was so funny trying to talk to him through stuff," Brown said of Radmanovic, who had yet to practice with his new teammates. "We invented plays, but I was really happy that he struggled early and then had the confidence to come back and knock down some shots.

"It gives us another guy who has length and athleticism."
Emeka Okafor had 19 points and 16 rebounds for the undermanned Bobcats, who were missing starters Gerald Wallace (rib, lung) and Raja Bell (groin).

So they turned to Radmanovic, who had wanted out of Los Angeles after falling out of favor with coach Phil Jackson, to end a five-game losing streak.

Radmanovic fired up an early air ball, but eventually got comfortable in the fourth quarter. After Baron Davis' jumper cut Charlotte's lead to 67-63, Radmanovic hit two long jumpers during a 15-2 run. He added another 3 to put Charlotte ahead 88-70 with 4 minutes left.

"It took me a while to get that second wind, but overall I felt pretty good in there," Radmanovic said.

Lakers welcome Shannon Brown and Adam Morrison

from Lakers.com

Mitch Kupchak’s trade with Charlotte, announced Saturday afternoon while the Lakers were in Cleveland, came to fruition on Monday at L.A.’s practice facility as Adam Morrison and Shannon Brown took part in their first practice as members of the Lakers.

An almost giddy Brown, the well summed up the apparent feelings of both youngsters: “Man … I’m just so excited to be here.”

Both former Bobcats stuck around to work with assistant coaches Kurt Rambis and Brian Shaw - plus Trevor Ariza, Josh Powell and Sun Yue - for some extra exposure to the triangle offense.

Afterwards, we spent some 1-on-1 time with Brown (who was picked one spot ahead of Jordan Farmar (26th) in the 2006 NBA Draft) before catching Morrison (the No. 3 overall pick that same year) with the media horde.

(Click HQ in the drop down in the bottom right of the video player to watch in High Quality)


SHANNON BROWN (4:54)
ADAM MORRISON (4:14)

We also spent a few minutes picking the brain of Lakers assistant coach Jim Cleamons, who talked about what coaches focus on while teaching new players a system more than halfway through a season.

JIM CLEAMONS (3:35)

Barkley back after All-Star break.

Again not Laker related, but just as important. Haha. As much as I enjoyed watching Kenny Smith and Gary Payton argue on who the better player was, I'm so glad that Barkley is coming back to TNT. See you during the Pheonix game on Feb. 26th, Sir Charles!

ESPN.com
Charles Barkley will return to the TNT network as an NBA analyst soon after its airing of the All-Star Game on Sunday, the Sports Business Journal has reported.

Barkley, who faces a drunken-driving charge after a Dec. 31 arrest, took a leave of absence last month. Test results revealed Barkley had a blood-alcohol level at .149, nearly twice the legal limit of .08 in Arizona.

"It wasn't a hard decision for me to give him some time off to get his legal matters straight and to get his personal life in order," Turner Sports president David Levy said, according to the report. "The question is, when is the right time to bring him back? There is no magic answer to that. It's just a gut feel."

While waiting for results of the blood test, TNT considered suspending Barkley if the results showed his blood-alcohol content was over the legal limit, a source told ESPN.com

The network has not chosen a specific date for his return to its "Inside the NBA" studio show, the Sports Business Journal reported, and plans are forthcoming as to how Barkley will address the incident.

"We haven't really thought about it, but I'm sure Charles will have something to say," Levy said. "What's really nice is that he's had so much support from a lot of people in this challenging time for him. He's humbled a little bit."

More from, "Cavs: The Blog"

Again, curious about what other teams said, I once again stumbled on the Cavs Blog. John Krolik, a 19YO Sophmore at USC who also writes for SLAM magazine . I like this guy. He's unbiased and just tell it how it is.

"Kobe’s off-ball movement in the first quarter to get low catches was an absolute thing of beauty, as were his little mini-jumpers to get the buckets. I think one reason why so many people go with Kobe over LeBron despite the evidence to the contrary is that Kobe’s solved a lot of the problems LeBron has and the difference is evident, while the things LeBron does better than Kobe are either more subtle or a result of pure athletic talent-he just seems like he’s at a further point on his development curve. And that turnaround to end the game was absolutely ridiculous."

"Lamar Odom was everywhere. He absolutely made a living in the paint. If Andy’s(Varejao) going to be off in la-la land, bigs with real speed are going to give this team fits. 2 shots for Odom outside the paint. Two. Andy is the guy who’s supposed to keep this from happening."

The reason why I don't do this to other blogs, is that some of those other dudes on the other blogs just talk poop.

LAKERS vs CAVALIERS (POST-GAME REPORT)

LAKERS 101 - CAVALIERS 91

Well there you have it ladies and gents, the Lakers remain at the top with this win in Cleveland, Ohio. Not only do the Lakers do what no other team has done so far; handing the Cavs their first loss at home snapping their win streak of 23, but they sweep the 6 game road trip. This another statement game to the rest of the teams, letting them know that they ARE the team to beat this year.

A highly anticipated game with people buzzing about the match-up of Kobe and LeBron, once again was non-existent, and instead it was Lamar "The Goods" Odom who stole the spotlight. And after that game you know why they call him "The Goods" putting up 28pts, and 17rebs on 13 of 19 shooting. After being down 10 points entering the half, L.O. was the difference and was significant to the Lakers win while going on a spurt of 15pts and 10rebs in the 3rd quarter alone, entering the 4th up by 5 points. While Kobe was feeling a bit under the weather today suffering from flu-like symptoms, he only managed to get 19pts. D-Fish had another clean game with 13pts, 3asts, 3stls, and 0 turnovers. Though Pau wasn't as efficient as most nights, he still managed 18pts, 12rebs, and 6asts on 6 for 15 shooting, a little below his avaerage percentage.

LeBron was no better than Kobe today with 16pts but had 12asts, and 8 rebs due to some great Laker defense. They denied him the ball most possessions, and when he did have it, he either had a contested shot or he gave the ball up. No "triple-double" for the King today. The Cavs lit the Lakers up with threes shooting 47.8% from behind the arc. Mo Williams took part in that with 19pts and 4asts. Wally also hit 4 of 5 threes and finished with 16pts and 4rebs off the bench. Ilguaskas led the Cavs in scoring with 22pts and 9rebs. And Varejao still a bit stagnant since coming off the bench with 6pts, and 9rebs.

This is another example when Laker stars aren't up to par, the other Lakers always step up. And this is by far the best defense I've seen the Lakers play for some time holding the Cavs to 39% shooting. They took care of the ball and limited their turnovers to only 6, while the Cavs had 9. It was just an overall great performance by the Lakers. I only hope they continue this energy and intensity. Up next is Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

FUN FACT:
The Lakers became the first team in NBA history to win back-to-back games, both on the road, against teams with .800-plus win percentage at least 40 games into the season.

LAKERS vs CAVALIERS (PRE-GAME REPORT)

Several nights ago, Kobe set a record at MSG breaking the scoring record of most points as an opposing player with 61pts. How did LeBron respond to this? The next night(also playing against the Knicks), he may have only put up 52pts, but the man also added 11ast and 9rebs! Who does that? Effin' man-child that dood is.


Coming off a huge win over the Celts', the road trip ends with the Lakers' final test. They come to Cleveland to face the Cavs who have been amazing at home. With being the only team in the NBA who has yet taken a loss on their floor with 23 straight wins in their arena. Yeah, pretty amazing. The L.A. team looks to return home with a win tonight sweeping the road trip.

The last time these teams clashed, the Lakers took the win in a 105-88 victory as the Lakers throttled through the second half. Minor differences in tonight's game though. One, the Lakers come handicapped without Bynum who is a big presence offensively as well as defensively. Two, last time they played without Luke and Farmar(who are important roles for the Lakers), and now they're back on the roster. Three, the Cavs played without Ilgauskas last time, and he is a guy who can be big problems for the Lakers, and here's why.

The Lakers' defense depends on denying penetration from the middle and funneling the opposing guards to go baseline where either Bynum or Gasol would meet them and trap. Now any of this would be alright going up against any other center, but this is where our problems arise. Ilgauskas, also has a touch outside the paint that ranges out all the way to the 3-point line and spreads the floor. And in my opinion if Bynum were playing, would guard Wallace and Gasol would take Ilgauskas. But since Drew is out, Pau would guard Ilguaskas leaving the middle open for penetration. This problem became evident when they played Detroit with Rasheed shooing threes. But another option is having Odom rotate off of Ben when penetration does occur, being that Ben isn't much of an offensive threat.

Since Big Z's return, Verejao's numbers pretty much became stagnant, so I guess it just evens out. You just trade point in the paint for jumpers. Although Big Z can score, I don't see him much of an defensive player, I guess that's why they have Big Ben out there. So the Lakers need to dominate the paint early. Both Pau and Odom need to assert themselves and be aggressive. Wally has been shooting the ball pretty well also, so there's another guy who can spread the floor for the Cavs.

I see Mamba and King James going at it as things heat up in the game. Hopefully they don't cancel each other out like they did last time. And hopefully this time the Refs will let them play a little bit more than calling questionable calls and weenie fouls. Either way were in for a good game.

Lakers deal Vlad for Morrison & Brown.

As much as I'm sad to see Vlad go. I guess it was time to let hit go. I honestly don't see Brown having any place with the Lakers. Even with Morrison; he just seems exactly like Vlad, and with none of them having any experience with our offense, look to see them riding the bench till we see another blow-out.

ESPN.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Bobcats traded managing partner Michael Jordan's first draft pick on Saturday, sending struggling forward Adam Morrison and reserve guard Shannon Brown to the Los Angeles Lakers for forward Vladimir Radmanovic.

Jordan's first major decision after becoming part owner with the final say on all basketball decisions was taking Morrison with the third overall pick in the 2006 draft.

The former Gonzaga star known in college for his shaggy hair and thin mustache never lived up to expectations, and had fallen out of favor with first-year coach Larry Brown. He was jettisoned for the 6-foot-10 Radmanovic, who was averaging 5.9 points and 2.5 rebounds a game with the Lakers.

"We definitely wish him well," Bobcats general manager Rod Higgins said of Morrison. "He's a good kid and hopefully he gets an opportunity to play. You never know, he might get a chance to win a [championship] ring."

The move is the third trade the Bobcats have made this season in a roster shakeup under Brown, who is trying to get the fifth-year Bobcats to the playoffs for the first time.

Morrison and Brown were never a good fit. Morrison's defensive deficiencies didn't mesh with Brown's style, and Morrison had failed to hit shots consistently, struggling in a starting role the past four games after small forward Gerald Wallace suffered a partially collapsed lung and a broken rib against the Lakers on Jan. 27.

Morrison, who cut his trademark hair short before this season, will get a chance to crack the Lakers' rotation and become an outside scoring threat. Morrison, who averaged a nation-best 28.1 points for Gonzaga in 2005-06, missed all of last season after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in a preseason game.

Morrison, due about $5.3 million next season, was averaging just 4.5 points while shooting 36 percent from the field and 34 percent from 3-point range.

The 6-foot-10 Radmanovic, who is owed $6.5 million in the final year of his deal next season, gives the Bobcats more depth up front. Higgins said Radmanovic can play both small and power forward.

"Being a 6-10 guy, obviously he brings some height as well as some athleticism," Higgins said. "He's guy that can make some shots. I think he will fit in with our current roster well."

Shannon Brown was signed in the offseason and had played sparingly until Friday night, when he committed a turnover and had a shot blocked in the closing seconds of a 102-97 loss to Atlanta. A groin injury to starting shooting guard Raja Bell put Brown into the lineup.

Higgins said they were arranging for Radmanovic to fly from Cleveland, where the Lakers play the Cavaliers on Sunday, to Miami. The Bobcats play the Heat Sunday night.

Odom says, "I want to be a Laker for the rest of my life"

In an article about trade rumors dealing him to Sacramento for Brad Miller, Odom says he wants to remain a Laker. Of course Kupchak denied any allegations about any trade rumors. Kupchak looks to see the Lakers press with the players they already have in hopes for an early return from Bynum.

DailyNews.com

“I hope not,” Odom said when asked before Thursday’s game against Boston about the possibility of a trade. “I want to be a Laker for the rest of my life. I’m a rock star. I can’t help it. Some people want me to go, some people want me to stay.

“I want to stay. I love L.A. I’m done moving around. I’ve been in L.A. since 1999. Why would I want to go anywhere else? And I want to win the big one. Why not? You’re playing, you might as well want to win, right? I’ve lost plenty. It’s time to win.

“Then I’ll sail off to the sunset one day on my white horse.” Odom laughed when he realized he had mixed his metaphors.

Of the rumors of a trade with the Kings, he said, “I’ve got to ignore it.”

LAKERS vs CELTICS (POST-GAME REPORT)

LAKERS 110 - BOSTON 109

Acceptable. The Lakers improved to 5-0 on their road trip tonight at the expense of the Celtics. In their last meeting at TD Bank North Garden in Boston, our Lakers were embarrassed and sent home without a fight. The Celtics took the NBA championship from us.

A little revenge was rendered on Christmas day when the C's visited L.A. and lost through the tremendous play of Pau Gasol down the stretch. That day the Lakers snapped a franchise high 19 game winning streak, then the Celtics went on their worse losing streak since KG was still a Wolf and Ray Ray was still a Sonic. A little more revenge was sought out tonight as the Lakers defeated the Celtics on their homecourt in a very physical game. This time the Lakers snapped the Celtics 12 game winning streak. Along with another win in our column comes first place in the NBA. We also sweep the season series against Boston, which means if we do see each other in the Finals, which I hope, we gain homecourt advantage. Which is very critical in the playoffs, especially in the Finals. When's the last time you saw Kobe shoot like that on the road? Honestly, everyone looked like they had the jitters.

Pau Gasol continued his dominance in efficiency. 10 of 14 shooting, 24 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, with a steal and a block. His defense was solid, the strength which everyone questioned he had last year definitely showed tonight. He's the main reason KG was fouled out, battling strong in the post. Kobe had game high honors with 26 points, but took 29 shots and only hit 10 of them, ouch. It wasn't really the defense, his shots were just not falling. I have to admit Paul Pierce did a good job on him in the 4th quarter, but that was after Kobe drained three 3-pointers all over him to let the Lakers back into the game. Lamar, Lamar Lamar. Sometimes you just don't know what's going on with the guy. Is he having fun? Is he in the zone? Is he taking things serious? Is he being aggressive? In the beginning of the game, L.O. was making some bone head plays and seemed real nervous. But with 16 seconds left and the Lakers down by 1, I witnessed Lamar do something that I haven't seen in a long time. CONCENTRATE (and hit 2 free throws). 60% shooting on 10 shots, 20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Way to step up with Bynumite out. Fish did his thing with 13 points, 5 assists and 0 turnovers, pretty clean game for playing a hardnose defensive team. He also redeemed himself by doing a good job on Ray Allen at the buzzer, maybe it was Roger Mason's hair that made Fish want to just smack him.

The bench contributed very well, in fact, all Lakers scored that played. Everyone played there part and hit some big shots. One person that impressed me was JPeezy, Josh Powell. He played great defense and knocked down a few shots. He got some pretty strong boards and kept up with the physicality of the C's, I hope to see him used more with the big man out then maybe he can earn some solid minutes.

Solid win for us and hopefully the momentum carries on until Sunday. The build up has been great. Kobe goes for 61 at the Garden, Lebron goes for 52 with a triple double. Now they battle for the number one spot in the league. Future MVP vs Reigning MVP. This is the last most anticipated regular season game of the year. We're shooting for 6-0 on the road trip and stay TOPS in the league!

LAKERS vs RAPTORS (POST-GAME REPORT)

LAKERS 115 - RAPTORS 107

We'll take it. The Lakers beat the Raptors tonight on the road at Air Canada Centre. It felt like we were down the whole 4th quarter but were well within striking distance. Then when Joey Graham blew the and 1 free throw after pounding his chest, Kobe pounded a dagger through the chest of the Raptors.

The 1-2 punch? Kobe had a "mediocre" game tonight, sarcastically speaking. 36 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and ZERO turnovers. A clean game for the Mamba. Mr. Efficient is back and is killing silently again. Pau put up 31 points with 15 boards, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and ZERO turnovers. He is definitely out to pick up the slack without the presence of Bynum. Pau had 2 identical nights and we'll look forward to him continuing tomorrow in Boston. Lamar is still trying to find his niche in the starting lineup, 13 points with 6 rebounds and 2 blocks. If L.O. is having an off shooting night, he can definitely change shots and defend the best of them. Just pay a little more attention Lamar, stop with the unneccasary fouls!

Defense, Defense, Defense! Allowing the Raptors to score 107 points is unnacceptable. Allowing Joey Graham, who averages 6 points a game, score a career high 24 points, is totally unnacceptable. Giving the old and broken Jermaine O'Neal 9 blocks, unnacceptable. Tomorrow, we have to bring the toughness and attack harder. A win in Boston without Bynum? ACCEPTABLE. We're looking at stopping the Celtics 12 game winning streak and be 5-0 on the road tomorrow night. It's also a chance for the team that was blown out in game 6 last year to get some revenge, and though it might not be much, it's still sweeping a season series. Let the countdown begin!

LAKERS vs RAPTORS (PRE-GAME REPORT)

The Lakers have a chance to go 4-0 on their 6 game road trip tonight against the Toronto Raptors. Last night I watched Lebron and company steam roll the Raptors in Cleveland, I'm hoping to see the same from Kobe and Co.

The Raptors are a sub 500 team and are still trying to find a rhythm, which makes them dangerous to the Lakers. We always somehow play down to the opponents level. The only way to stray from this habit is to jump on the team early, especially on the road. Without Andrew Bynum in the lineup, there has to be a 3rd option to step up behind Kobe and Pau. Lamar did a good job last year and helped us get into the finals, but the guy just accepted the 6th man role, can he do well in the starting lineup? In new york he only scored 6 points but grabbed a monstrous 14 rebounds and a couple of great blocks. In order to maintain the top spot in the West, and to aim for the number one spot in the NBA, everyone has to step up. But it all starts with L.O.

Chris Bosh was going nuts in the beginning of the season, but then kind of toned down towards the All-Star weekend. He has a similar game as Pau, it will be an interesting matchup to watch. Jemaine O'Neal comes off the bench now and is very inconsistent, he reminds me of the Portland Trailblazer J.O. It's the same story with Jose Calderon, Candace Parker's Brother, one of those Graham twins, Kapono and the rest of those guys. Inconsistency. Look for Kobe to have that same stroke from the Garden and have target practice to get ready for tomorrow's game in Boston. Lakers should take this one easily, I'm looking at the 1-2 punch with Kobe and Pau going off with Lamar complementing as the 3rd option, and the bench taking care of business and finishing the game strong. Lakeshow by 10+.

CONGRATULATIONS KOBE FOR NEW RECORDS SET AT MSG!

The Black Mamba just keeps biting. Kobe Bryant just keeps getting better. Congrats KB24 for the new record for most points EVER scored at Madison Square Garden with 61 total, and most free throws made without missing. 20-20 from the stripe! Talk about loving the attention. Here's a clip from the post game conference.

LAKERS vs KNICKS (POST-GAME REPORT)

LAKERS 126 - KNICKS 117

To be honest, here at Daily Dynasty, we were trying to cut down on so much Kobe and focus more on the Lakers as a team, as a whole. But Kobe is Kobe, and no matter how much you try not to be amazed, he does it over and over again.

Mr. Kobe Bryant set a new record at the Madison Square Garden. 61 points. Surpassing Michael Jordan's opponent 55 point record against Patrick Ewing and company with 2 free-throws, then passing up Bernard King's 60 point home effort with another pair. Mamba's game was so sweet that the Knickerbockers fans were not only chanting MVP, but maybe their biggest fan, Spike Lee, got out of his seat in awe of what the reigning most valuable player was doing to his beloved Knicks.

“It’s a blessing to do what you love and to have moments like this,” Bryant said.

“On a lighter note, I’m going to review this documentary I’m doing with Spike Lee tonight after the game and I didn’t feel like sitting next to him and hearing him talking trash about the Knicks, so that was added incentive as well. Seriously. He’s going to get an earful tonight.”

Pau Gasol flew under the radar and stepped up with our other big man out. 31 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks. Perfect time to step up and get ready for true road tests this week with Boston and Cleveland home games coming up.

Trevor Ariza played great against his first NBA team. Dunking the ball all over his hold uniforms. 13 points, 8 rebounds and 1 steal. 4 terrible turnovers though, let's hope he cleans it up a little bit. Lamar was pretty solid today in the starting line-up. He racked up 14 boards, dished out 4 assists, and had 3 huge blocks. He only managed to put up 6 points, but when one of your teammates score 61 points and the other scores 31, I think you should get them the ball as much as possible.

Although this is a great win for the Lakers, we are missing Andrew Bynum. Missing him from the starting lineup, missing his defensive presence, just missing him period. The Knicks felt comfortable attacking the inside and I'm sure the other teams will do the same since Bynumite is out. Let's hope our bigs step up in the middle and contest as much as possible. I mean, this is the same team that got us to the Finals last year. Next up, the team where their mascot is one of their players. Chris Bosh, the Toronto Raptor, and the Toronto Raptors.

Bynum Out 8-12 Weeks With Torn MCL

Ouch. We're going to take a hit in the post position. "Bynumite" was establishing himself as one of the top centers in the league, then goes down in the month of January. I feel like I'm in last season all over again.

Andrew Bynum’s right knee showed a tear of the medial collateral ligament in an MRI, it was announced Monday. The MRI was performed Sunday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and Bynum was examined this afternoon by Dr. David Altchek.

Bynum, who suffered the injury early in the first quarter of Saturday’s victory over Memphis after having scored seven of the Lakers’ first 13 points, will be out approximately 8-12 weeks.

The regular season ends in just over 10 weeks so it is not clear if Bynum will get back on the court again this season. However, the timetable that has Bynum missing up to three months of action may be a conservative medical prognosis and a worst-case scenario for the Lakers' young center.

Via Los Angeles Times