Lakers.com BasketBlog

on January 8, 2008

in Kobe Bryant, Lakers Today, Luke Walton, Phil Jackson and Trevor Ariza

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The Lakers start a two game roadie tonight at 5pm against the Memphis Grizzlies.

After practice yesterday Phil mentioned the possibility of starting Trevor Ariza over Luke Walton because of Trevor’s athleticism and familiarness with the Grizzlies’ Rudy Gay.

The Small Forward position is one that is getting overlooked around the league (or at least by Jim O’Brien after Sunday’s game), but the rotation of Walton and Ariza has been a nice complement to the starting unit of Fisher, Bryant, Odom, & Bynum. Each brings something different (Ariza-athleticism, defense; Walton-knowledge, ball movement, sporadic shooting) that allows Jackson to play the match ups and both have shown an ability to perform off the bench when needed.

Luke continues to play through an ankle injury he sustained in mid-December and hasn’t allowed him to work at 100% since.

Some days, Luke Walton said, his right ankle feels 90 to 100 percent healthy. Other days, the ankle feels 60 to 65 percent.

He just carries on, knowing that he is limited.

“It’s fine enough to play,” said Walton, who tweaked the ankle again almost 2½ weeks ago and hasn’t been the same since.

The last time the Lakers visited the home of BBQ and Beale Street, Kobe got nuts to the tune of 60 in a two point victory. While Bryant’s outside shot hasn’t been falling as regularly as expected, it’s been the supporting cast and the up-tempo style that has allowed the Lakers to sustain the offensive end and a commitment to defense that has helped win games.

For Memphis it’s a guy that used to be the man that is now the X-Factor.

Lakers Today: 01/04/08

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on January 4, 2008

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Kobe and the boys hit the floor at STAPLES tonight against the 76ers (7:30pm, FSN HD) to start a seven game stretch with some very winnable games.

As Phil Jackson mentioned after practice yesterday, there are no easy games in this league and the Lakers have been known to drop a couple to teams they should beat.

“We last year notoriously were not effective against teams under .500,” (Jackson) said. “I don’t like to look at things that way right now. I’m trying to keep these young players on an even keel so that they play hard every game.”

The players didn’t seem to want to peer too far into the future either.

“We’ve had a tough schedule this first quarter of the season or whatever it was,” Kobe Bryant said. “We’ve had some heavy hitters. The important thing for us is to really focus on one game and try to build energy for the team every single game.”

The old saying “Some of the best trades are the ones you don’t make” always sounds great when things work out (I guess you never hear it when things don’t), so far this one has worked out and the best trade was the one that wasn’t made.

The early season success has lightened the load minutes wise on the Lakers. Something that should help down the stretch and into the playoffs.

And Kobe’s keeping the sleeve, not because he needs it, but because he likes it.

Lakers Today: 01/02/08

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on January 2, 2008

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Although the league took swift action in suspending Lamar Odom for Friday night’s game against Philadelphia, not everyone with the Lakers agreed with the decision.

“We’re disappointed,” Lakers spokesman John Black said. “We don’t think he would do anything to ever intentionally harm another player. We’re going to be missing one of our best players for Friday’s game, but the league made its decision and we will accept it, even if we disagree with it.”

The fallout from Sunday night’s much-hyped loss to Boston continues to spread, but Kobe Bryant was still able to take some pearls of wisdom away from the Celtics’ suffocating defensive performance.

Lakers Today: 12/28/07

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on December 28, 2007

Click here if you want to see what we had to say about the site in TrueHoop today.

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Back to STAPLES Center it is for the Lakers tonight as they welcome in the Utah Jazz at 7:30 tonight. The last time the Jazz visited LA, the Purple & Gold sent them back to Utah on a rail. The Jazz returned the favor when the Lakers visited Salt Lake City.

The team might want to forget that last match up, but Phil Jackson isn’t going to let them forget it. Since that last meeting the Lakers have won 9 of 12, while the Jazz have lost 9 of 12.

Kwame Brown and Luke Walton are both being listed as doubtful for the game.

Trevor Ariza is starting to adjust to his role with the Lakers and becoming a fan favorite with his athletic play.

After Ariza dunked over Hill, a solitary voice from the courtside seats could be heard over the din of the crowd.

“Hey, Grant, will you sign my poster?” a fan yelled derisively.

Check out Lakers Gameday for all of today’s game-related info.

Lakers Today: 12/27/07

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on December 27, 2007

in Andrew Bynum, Lakers Today and Magic Johnson

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Slow day in Lakerville yesterday as the team was given the day off after working on Christmas day (or was it to celebrate Kwanzaa?).

The team continues to downplay it’s promising start. That’s a lesson that was learned from last year’s 42-40 finish that came after a 26-13 start (that’s 16-27 down the stretch sports fans).

Kurt from Forum Blue & Gold is subbing over at TrueHoop a couple times this week and just couldn’t help but bleed a little purple and gold onto ESPN’s pristine web space. Shouldn’t the nation learn to love Andrew Bynum as much as Lakers fans do anyway? Probably.

I’ve been meaning to give this it’s own post, but I haven’t and I can’t let it slide anymore. On Christmas Day the LA Times’ Bill Plaschke wrote a great piece about Magic Johnson that everyone (Laker fan or not) should read. It was so good that I even went out and bought a hard copy of the paper so my family could read it. First time I’ve bought a paper in 5 years. Check it out here.

The team gets back to work today. Check back later for the practice report and video.

Lakers Today: 12/26/07

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on December 26, 2007

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A lot of excitement surrounding the 122-115 holiday victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Game Recaps
LA Times | OC Register | Press-Enterprise | Daily News

Expectations for Bynum?
LA Times | Press-Enterprise | More Bynum

Everyone’s hoping Kwame can be back by Friday & Phil’s got a chance to pass Red against the Celtics.

The Lakers early season success isn’t escaping the national media and it’s possible that the West’s elite teams are starting to slow down a bit.

Lakers Today: 12/20/07

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on December 20, 2007

in Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Lakers Today and Phil Jackson

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The Lakers roll into Cleveland tonight possessing the 4th best record in the West, a goal which they set for themselves at the start of the season.

As it always is when the Lakers take on the Cavs, the spotlight is on Kobe and LeBron.

For Kobe it’s a “been there, done that” thing.

Bryant says he’s not caught up in the hype that comes with the matchup.

“It’s no difference for me than it is playing against everybody else,” said Bryant, 29. “I’ve been through so many of these…

“This is my 12th year. See what I’m saying? So it does nothing for me.”

Keep reading Brad Turner’s piece for Charles Barkley’s comments and more LeBron/Kobe comparisons.

As Kevin Ding notes, LeBron is in a different place:

James is in a different place. He was just named Forbes Magazine’s No. 1 earner among stars younger than 25, a list that included Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen at No. 5. (Reggie Bush, Maria Sharapova and Michelle Wie were in between James and the Olsen twins.)

James turns 23 on Dec. 30, but he had an early birthday party at a New York nightclub Tuesday night — even though the struggling Cavaliers were in the midst of a stretch of five games in seven nights that is their most tiring of the season.

The Cavs then went out and got worked over to the tune of an 18-point loss against the woeful Knicks. At least the King won’t have to worry about pulling gray hairs anytime soon–Kobe does.

Excitement in Lakerland is peaking with the 15-9 start, but to Phil and Kobe, it’s just a start. According to Derek Fisher, the third youngest team in the league has been steadied by an ever-maturing Kobe throughout the season.

Fisher spent last season with the Utah Jazz and the previous two with the Golden State Warriors after leaving the Lakers as a free agent in the summer of 2004. He re-signed with the Lakers last summer and rejoined Bryant in the backcourt.

“My observations, for sure, are that he’s a different individual,” Fisher said of Bryant. “He’s grown and matured. I personally can’t imagine coming into this (NBA) world at 18 or 19 years old, trying to maneuver around with all the things you have to figure out, and do it at the level of stardom that he was at coming out of high school.”

Lakers Today: 12/18/07

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on December 18, 2007

in Andrew Bynum, Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Lakers Today and Phil Jackson

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The Lakers may have defeated the Clippers handily on Sunday, but that doesn’t mean it’s all smiles for Coach Phil Jackson. Even though Kobe scored 32 points and Andrew Bynum had 14 points and nine rebounds, a Los Angeles Times article said that Jackson was not particularly enamored with the efforts of his starters.

“I didn’t enjoy how the first unit played,” he said. “The ball stopped too often. They didn’t have good movement, didn’t play together, did a lot of individual stuff with the ball. As a result, there were turnovers and steals that lost us our momentum in the third quarter, which was difficult to watch.

Kobe seems unfazed by the inevitable media storm he will likely face in the next 24 hours as the Lakers take on the Chicago Bulls later tonight. The Bulls were at the heart of the rampant trade speculation with many insiders revealing that Bryant’s preferred destination was Chicago.

“It’s no different than any other game,” he said. “We’re going to get ready to go out there and punch the clock.”

Lakers Today: 12/17/07

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on December 17, 2007

in Andrew Bynum, Injury News, Lakers Today and Phil Jackson

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Both of L.A.’s promising young centers performed well in last night’s game, with Bynum getting the upper edge in the Lakers’ win.

Two young, ascendant centers — 20-year-old Andrew Bynum of the Lakers and 25-year-old Chris Kaman of the Clippers — were on display Sunday at Staples Center, and they didn’t disappoint.

“He’s so long and he’s got good timing in blocking shots. He got a couple of mine that I thought he wasn’t going to get. He surprised me a little there,” Kaman said. “He does a good job for them. He’s going to be very good. I have a good feeling about his potential.”

The Lakers held high hopes that injured center Kwame Brown would fly out with them on their four game swing back east, but he is still been unable to practice with the team.

He was supposed to travel on the Lakers’ upcoming four-game trip, but Coach Phil Jackson decided against it because Brown “couldn’t get on the floor and practice with us yet.”

A Daily News article on the same topic said that Brown was expected to be sidelined for up to six weeks — a figure he is still on pace for after missing his 14th game on Sunday.

“It’s like right there,” Brown said. “I can go straight ahead. Slowing down is a problem. When I have to react real quickly, my knee tends to give out a little. My ankle is a little better. Some days the ankle feels great. Some days it swells up.

The Lakers will play four teams with losing records on their road trip — a stat that Phil Jackson says should help make up for the difficult schedule the Lakers have faced to open up the season.

“We have extended road games later in the season, but this is a good swing for us at this time,” Jackson said. “It’s the right time for us to go out on the road and kind of balance our schedule out a little bit.”

Lakers Today: 12/12/07

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