tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55746414167721542862024-03-13T03:29:05.357-07:00The Lakers BlogWWW.THE LAKERS BLOG.COM
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<p>from a fan that gives a unique perspective on all things Lakers.</p>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-77072825529521576072012-01-18T19:17:00.000-08:002012-01-18T19:34:30.108-08:00<script type="text/javascript" src="//js.sopablackout.org/sopablackout.js"></script>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-63209313851732947222012-01-17T10:27:00.000-08:002012-01-18T01:04:20.540-08:00Fisher Still Suits the Lakers & Lamar Doesn't Look Back<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eCy971nI_fQ/TxaHZOTLK3I/AAAAAAAAARw/Ssdt98qehhY/s1600/img16903669.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 313px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eCy971nI_fQ/TxaHZOTLK3I/AAAAAAAAARw/Ssdt98qehhY/s400/img16903669.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5698891245888940914" border="0" /></a><br />Staples Center -- D-Fish spent the better part of last year wearing suits on the sideline while working on negotiating a union labor deal that was suitable, and he senses that he may be closer to hanging up his Purple and Gold for some of those same suits as he realizes he is in the last few minutes of his peak playing days. <p> While the 'haters' may think that Derek Fisher's better days are 'bespoken for', Kobe Bryant borrows a term from former coach Phil Jackson to describe anybody who doubts what the Lakers' veteran point guard, the Fisher King can do in a pinch... </p> <p> "That's inherently idiotic," he said. </p> <p> Fisher hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3.1 seconds to play and Los Angeles emerged from a dismal offensive game by both teams with a 73-70 victory against the Mavericks on Monday night, snapping Dallas' five-game winning streak.<br /></p><p> Vince Carter missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the defending champion Mavericks, who swept Los Angeles out of the second round of the postseason last spring, ending the Lakers' bid for a three-peat. </p> <p> Neither team looked much like a championship contender in their first meeting since, with 3<b>½</b> 1/2 miserable offensive quarters before the exciting finish keyed by Fisher, who added another line to an overflowing list of late-game heroics. </p> <p> "This is what I do," Fisher said. "When opportunities like that present themselves, I'm confident in my ability to step up and make the right play. I've been fortunate in my career to come up with some of those big plays." </p> <p> Fisher scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, leading a 10-0 run midway through the period before the Mavericks rallied to tie it on Jason Terry's running jumper at the top of the key with 9.9 seconds left. </p> <p> Bryant, whose streak of four straight 40-point games ended with just 14 against the Mavs, drew the Dallas defense before passing to Fisher. The veteran point guard calmly drilled a long 3-pointer from the wing. </p> <p> "We made the decision to get the ball out of Bryant's hands, and we just didn't get to [Fisher] in time," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "Our full intention was to rotate to him, but he got the shot off quick and he shot it high, so we couldn't get to it. But he made a great shot. In that situation, you've got to live with that decision. And it's tough." </p> <p> Carter's desperation try was far off, and the Lakers celebrated their ninth consecutive home victory since Christmas. </p> <p> Dirk Nowitzki scored 21 points for the Mavericks, but committed a crucial traveling violation with 38 seconds left in their first loss since Jan. 5. Lamar Odom scored 10 points in his return to Staples Center, where he won two championships Andrew Bynum had 17 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers, who have won six of seven overall despite barely scoring 70 points -- the franchise low in the shot-clock era, set in November 2002. </p> <p> Bryant had scored at least 40 points in each of his past four games, but the NBA's leading scorer didn't even score until midway through the second quarter. </p> <p> "I like the fact that if we don't score, we can still win games," said Mike Brown, the Lakers' defense-minded new coach. "Hopefully our guys understand that we can win ugly games, we can win pretty games, we can win high-tempo games. However you want to bring it, we can get down that way." </p> <p> Two elite NBA franchises might have showed the strain of the NBA's compacted schedule, or the excitement of the playoff rematch -- or maybe they both just stunk. </p> <p> Airballs, turnovers and missed assignments dominated play, which included a seven-point third quarter by the Lakers and 35 percent shooting by the Mavericks, who extended their string of exceptional defensive performances. </p> <p> Pau Gasol, whose struggles in last year's playoff series played a huge role in the Lakers' losses, had only eight points on 3-of-11 shooting, while Dallas' Jason Kidd went 0 for 8 on 3-pointers and Terry was 2 for 9 from the field until his tying basket. </p> <p> "Man, we're setting records -- both ways, probably," Kidd said. "I thought we were competing at both ends, but sometimes you've got to make shots in this league, and we just couldn't do it tonight. It was one of those NFC kind of games -- just hand off the ball and run. It was just an ugly game." </p> <p> At least the Lakers have their first chance to recover from the lockout-compacted NBA schedule: After matching the league high with 15 games in 23 days, Los Angeles has back-to-back days off for the first time this season before Thursday's game at Miami. </p> <p> Odom said it was "surreal" to be in the visitors' locker room at Staples Center, his home for the past seven seasons. He got a lengthy standing ovation when he entered the game midway through the first quarter, and the Lakers played a video tribute on the scoreboard. </p> <p> "Actually, it gave me energy," Odom said. "I'm still trying to get my rhythm back. I'm still getting in shape, and once I get there, then I'll be able to help this team. In order for me to succeed, you have to move on, no matter what, and I plan on succeeding in this next chapter of my life." </p>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-48812937286644252602011-07-09T14:44:00.000-07:002011-07-09T15:01:15.321-07:00Lakers Hire Real Madrid's Messina<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B3v74XQTrhU/ThjPR9C4NdI/AAAAAAAAARc/OYo5Yq_VW2I/s1600/4129702334_9a32f06490.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-B3v74XQTrhU/ThjPR9C4NdI/AAAAAAAAARc/OYo5Yq_VW2I/s400/4129702334_9a32f06490.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5627475641750795730" border="0" /></a> The Los Angeles Lakers seem to be collecting new coaches like my nephew collects Pokemon cards, the latest is European coach Ettore Messina the was added to the collection on Friday.<div id="story_text_top"><p>Messina spent the last two seasons as the head coach of the Spanish League Club, Real Madrid, will serve as a coaching consultant for the Lakers.</p><p>"I am honored to have received this opportunity from one of the greatest basketball organizations in the world," said Messina. 'I have great respect for coach Mike Brown and I'm excited to work with him and his staff." </p> </div><div style="overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-decoration: none; border: medium none;color:transparent;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Highly decorated, Messina was named one of the Euroleague's 10 Greatest All- Time Coaches in 2008. Other honors include European Coach of the Year (1998), Euroleague Coach of the Year (2006 and 2008) and Italian Coach of the Year (1990, 1993, 1998, 2001 and 2005). </span><div style="overflow: hidden; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none;"><br /></div><br /></div>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-14231248425694110192011-07-07T13:33:00.000-07:002011-07-07T14:12:13.161-07:00Bryant 'Friend Requests' Pietrus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oJpjdGuKY-g/ThYbg9GIyKI/AAAAAAAAARM/JDbdAr5gKLs/s1600/Dont_Have_To_Like.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 323px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oJpjdGuKY-g/ThYbg9GIyKI/AAAAAAAAARM/JDbdAr5gKLs/s400/Dont_Have_To_Like.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5626715037416081570" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Kobe has made himself scarce to the media this summer, but seems he's looking to poke a few players and send out a few 'Friend Requests' in hopes of building up the Lakers squad for next year.<br /><br />In addition to a myriad of questions we have for Kobe, like what are his thoughts on the new coaching staff, about his decision to get surgery on his knee in Germany, and the latest, why do you want Mikael Pietrus to come to the Lakers?<br /><br />Pietrus, a Phoenix Suns guard with one year left on his contract, told the French newspaper <a href="http://www.lequipe.fr/Basket/breves2011/20110707_080940_m-pietrus-partager-et-gagner.html" target="_self">L'Equipe</a> (as first noted by Pro Basketball Talk's Kurt Helin and the <a href="http://lakers.ocregister.com/2011/07/07/mikael-pietrus-to-the-lakers-kobe-says-yes/56625/">Orange County Register's <strong>Janis Carr</strong></a>): “Phoenix did not play me, but that’s their problem. I continued to work. The only thing that interests me now is winning a title,” he said. “A lot of teams are interested in me, like the Lakers or the Celtics. This came from the best player in the world: Kobe Bryant. He told me two months ago that he would like to see me with the Lakers.”<br /><br />Pietrus could possibly provide the Lake Show with some needed three-point shooting, averaging at least 36% from downtown the past five seasons, and some much needed athleticism considering <strong>Shannon Brown</strong> just opted out of his $2.37 million contract. But Pietrus is an inconsistent shooter overall, shooting 39.2% overall last year with Phoenix. He isn't exactly known to add much on defense. And the Lakers already have plenty of his type of player at the wing position, including <strong>Ron Artest,</strong> who's a better defender and <strong>Matt Barnes</strong> who also started ahead of Pietrus in Orlando.<br /><br />So why would Kobe want Pietrus to play on the Lakers? Not, sure but I think he should just deny his 'Friend Request' and look elsewhere to strengthen the Lakers for their quest for a championship next season.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-38045129239831924032011-07-03T18:50:00.000-07:002011-07-03T19:54:50.947-07:00Kobe Gets Experimental in German-knee<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-slj_2eiVLao/ThEey9bIY0I/AAAAAAAAARE/3qwfAm4TXcc/s1600/gimg_1391539.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 262px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-slj_2eiVLao/ThEey9bIY0I/AAAAAAAAARE/3qwfAm4TXcc/s400/gimg_1391539.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5625311270393111362" border="0" /></a><br /></div><p>The NBA lockout is underway, giving arguably the best player in the league a chance to get back into top form. Kobe has had his bout with injuries, even ignoring doctors advice by playing through them, including his finger injury and the ankle at the end of this season, the lockout may be an opportunity to get back into pristine game shape.</p> <p>Although he did not miss much time on the floor, the five-time NBA champion has taken a beating on his aging body and now it may have finally caught up with him as his knees just aren’t what they used to be. The two-time NBA Finals MVP has decided to look outside the US to see if there is any way to get his knees back into game shape and ready for the upcoming NBA season.</p> <p>Kobe plans to recouperate in Germany after undergoing an experimental procedure called platelet-rich plasma therapy. This procedure is becoming very popular with professional athletes in this country and around the world like Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee, Tiger Woods, and New York Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty having gone through this same procedure.</p><p>The procedure should be successful and with three to six years left of playing at a high level in the NBA, Kobe Bryant will need all the help he can get in order to continue playing at a championship level.</p><p> </p><p> <span><a href="http://www.onlinesportsbookpro.com/nba/kobe-bryant-has-experimental-surgery-on-knee-in-germany/" alt="Kobe Bryant has experimental surgery on knee in Germany"><br /></a></span> </p>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-34078565560109163082011-07-01T21:58:00.000-07:002011-07-03T18:47:29.203-07:00The Lake Show Hires Quin Snyder, Chuck Person as assistant coaches<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6n67jnrzMms/Tg6m7egyHLI/AAAAAAAAAQs/T61L_tS4YQM/s1600/2012249662.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 78px; height: 139px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6n67jnrzMms/Tg6m7egyHLI/AAAAAAAAAQs/T61L_tS4YQM/s400/2012249662.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624616525365386418" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t_ifkNJK88E/Tg6m28YBoKI/AAAAAAAAAQk/Q6SySMMqeR0/s1600/2015486693.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 77px; height: 139px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t_ifkNJK88E/Tg6m28YBoKI/AAAAAAAAAQk/Q6SySMMqeR0/s400/2015486693.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624616447482372258" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ANnmChoBWos/Tg6nx5CDMSI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/B87FlvUnmmM/s1600/mikebrown_crop_340x234.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 121px; height: 139px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ANnmChoBWos/Tg6nx5CDMSI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/B87FlvUnmmM/s400/mikebrown_crop_340x234.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624617460197175586" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UCVVEzRYMxg/Tg6orVN1t_I/AAAAAAAAAQ8/Hr2AIlh48aY/s1600/philjackson_300_070402.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 102px; height: 138px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UCVVEzRYMxg/Tg6orVN1t_I/AAAAAAAAAQ8/Hr2AIlh48aY/s400/philjackson_300_070402.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624618447015360498" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"> <span style="font-size:78%;">Quin Snyder, Chuck Person, Mike Brown, Phil; We miss you already</span><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lakers hire two more to the cast of characters: Snyder, Person</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">as assistant coaches to Brown</span><br /><br />Ex-Sonic Chuck Person and Quin Snyde have been hired by the Los Angeles Lakers as assistant coaches to the newly hired first-year coach Mike Brown.<br /><br />Snyder, 44, was a Philadelphia 76ers assistant coach last season. Before working for the Sixers, Snyder spent three seasons coaching the Austin Toros in the NBA D-League and was the league's coach of the year for the 2008-09 season.<br /><br />"With the addition of Quin to my coaching staff, we've added someone who has an extremely intelligent basketball mind," Brown said. "Quin's most valuable asset, however, is his passion for coaching and his ability to get the most out of the players he coaches."<br /><br />Snyder was a college coach at Missouri for nearly seven full seasons and went 126-91; he resigned in February 2006 because he believed top school officials were unanimous in their decision to terminate his contract after the season.<br /><br />"I am grateful to Mike Brown and the entire Lakers organization for providing me with this opportunity," ex-Duke point guard Snyder was quoted as saying on the team's website. "I'm looking forward to fulfilling whatever role I'm asked to assume. I could not be more excited to have this unique opportunity."<br /><br />Person, 47, was an assistant on the staff of previous Lakers coach Phil Jackson. Person scored 13,858 points in his career.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-2553052833513596312011-06-30T16:54:00.001-07:002011-06-30T17:00:09.822-07:00NBA commences lockout of its players<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pDMS6eTUonI/Tg0NNlrzG0I/AAAAAAAAAQc/ArccH_IDWUU/s1600/NBA-Lockout.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 358px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pDMS6eTUonI/Tg0NNlrzG0I/AAAAAAAAAQc/ArccH_IDWUU/s400/NBA-Lockout.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5624166036760894274" /></a><br /><br />The National Basketball Association announced that it will commence a lockout of its players, effective at 12:01 am ET on July 1, until a new collective bargaining agreement is reached with the National Basketball Players Association.<br /><br />"The expiring collective bargaining agreement created a broken system that produced huge financial losses for our teams," said NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver. "We need a sustainable business model that allows all 30 teams to be able to compete for a championship, fairly compensates our players, and provides teams, if well-managed, with an opportunity to be profitable."<br /><br />"We have made several proposals to the union, including a deal targeting $2 billion annually as the players' share -- an average of approximately $5 million per player that could increase along with league revenue growth," said Silver. "Elements of our proposal would also better align players' pay with performance."<br /><br />"We will continue to make every effort to reach a new agreement that is fair and in the best interests of our teams, our players, our fans, and our game."<br /><br />During the lockout, players will not receive their salaries; teams will not negotiate, sign or trade player contracts; players will not be able to use team facilities for any purpose; and teams will not conduct or facilitate any summer camps, exhibitions, practices, workouts, coaching sessions, or team meetingsAcehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-30585162487574160012011-06-29T19:57:00.000-07:002011-06-29T23:12:56.788-07:00Coach Brown Hires Kuester To Coaching Staff<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0axi5aFSwbU/TgwTYGTqgmI/AAAAAAAAAQU/0RlrKWchXKA/s1600/John-Kuester-hand-on-head-300x162.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 162px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0axi5aFSwbU/TgwTYGTqgmI/AAAAAAAAAQU/0RlrKWchXKA/s400/John-Kuester-hand-on-head-300x162.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623891339409785442" /></a><br /><br />New Lakers Coach Mike Brown announced officially the hiring of John Kuester to his coaching staff.<br /><br />“I’m extremely excited to have John join the team as a member of my coaching staff,” Brown said in a statement released by the Lakers. “Having previously worked together in Cleveland, I know what assets he will bring to the team. His ability to effectively communicate with the players while teaching them valuable skills on both ends of the court is a quality that I respect and value. I look forward to working with him again.”<br /><br />Brown still has yet to announce who will fill his other coaching positions, but The Times' Broderick Turner recently reported that the Lakers also plan to announce the hiring sometime of this week of Chuck Person and Quin Snyder. Numerous outlets have also indicated the Brown plans to have former Moscow CSKA coach Ettore Messina serve as a consultant or special assistant role, though nothing has been formally announced. <br /><br />Kuester's recent stint with the Detroit Pistons didn't end well. The defining mark of Kuester's 57-107 mark entailed a number of Pistons players leading a revolt that entailed five of them skipping practice. When he was ejected during a regular-season game, several Detroit players could be seen laughing over the incident. <br /><br />Nonetheless, Kuester earned plenty of credit for helping the Cavaliers' offense when he was an assistant under Brown from 2007-09 where he was assigned to be the team's "offensive coordinator."<br /><br />Kuester has had several assistant coaching stints, including the University of Richmond (1980-81), Boston University (1981-83), the Boston Celtics (1995-97), Philadelphia 76ers (1997-2003), Detroit (2003-04), the New Jersey Nets (2004-05), the 76ersagain (2005-06), the Orlando Magic (2006-07) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (2007-09).<br /><br />Kuester's head coaching experience includes succeeding Rick Pitino at Boston U, as the youngest coach in NCAA Division I history, with a two-year stint from 1983-85, and then moving to George Washington from 1985-1990. In the 1988-89 season Kuester's Colonials went 1-27. He finished with a 81-122 record coaching college basketball.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-29605271654123764952011-06-27T18:15:00.000-07:002011-06-27T19:09:38.173-07:00Latest Lakers Trade Rumors: Odom for Iguodala talks fizzled because of Odom<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AszgSjfGqc0/TgkvyujKpBI/AAAAAAAAAQE/mzBJcLSP-c8/s1600/lamar-odom-hurt1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 394px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AszgSjfGqc0/TgkvyujKpBI/AAAAAAAAAQE/mzBJcLSP-c8/s400/lamar-odom-hurt1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623078158284268562" /></a><br /><br /><br />Trade talks between the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers for a switcheroo between Andre Iguodala and Lamar Odom may have been squashed because of Lamar Odom.<br /><br />Let me explain, according to HoopsWorld, "Philadelphia wasn't going to trade Iguodala for Odom if the latter was going to be unhappy and unmotivated. That's when the talks died."<br /><br />Basically, the 76ers don't want Odom on the team if he didn't want to be there, remember when he used to play for the Clippers? <br /><br />Odom has been the subject of numerous trade rumors since weeks before the draft. He has been connected with the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard, the Golden State Warriors for Monta Ellis, and other teams around the NBA for their draft picks. <br /><br />Odom is perhaps the Lakers most tradable asset because of his contract.<br /><br />He is fresh off of winning the Sixth Man of the Year Award and a power forward in the league making only $8.9 million next year. He also has a team option for the same amount next year, or the team can buy out his contract for about $2 million, freeing up salary cap space for the team.<br /><br />In addition, Odom is only 31 years old averaging 14.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in his 12 year career.<br /><br />Iguodala is younger than Odom and may have more potential at 27 years of age. In his career, Iguodala has averaged 15.6 poitns and 5.8 rebounds per game.<br /><br />Like Odom, Iguodala has also been linked in numerous trade rumors including with the Golden State Warriors in a trade for Monta Ellis.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-73355106351804850502011-06-26T15:17:00.000-07:002011-06-27T21:11:36.337-07:00Ron Artest: May You Go In Peace<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bMrveJHNl0g/Tge1gL4CD_I/AAAAAAAAAP0/RtWwdT1uoKU/s1600/ron-artest-hair-thumb-480x334-18458.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 278px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bMrveJHNl0g/Tge1gL4CD_I/AAAAAAAAAP0/RtWwdT1uoKU/s400/ron-artest-hair-thumb-480x334-18458.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622662224343601138" /></a><br /><br /><br />"Metta World Peace", yep, that's the new moniker that Ron Artest is going by, and evidently it's justa matter of time until it's his legal name now, I just hope it will fit on his new jersey.<br /><br />Ron Artest is not just making a few minor changed to his name, a la Shaq's numerous nicknames like "Big Daddy", "Diesel" or "Big Luggage" -no, this is a monumental name change. Following in the footsteps of Muhammed Ali and Kareem Abdu Jabbar he's taking his name from the Eastern religious influence he's experienced lately and changed his name officially to "Metta World Peace".<br /><br />Artest, um, Mr. World Peace (or Mr. Peace?) cites that he has “personal reasons” for the recent change. While it appears the new name has roots in the Buddhist tradition, there's nothing said of whether he will be adopting a new religion along with the new name change. The word “Metta” is a multifaceted word in the Buddhist faith, referring to a feeling of benevolence and kindness. If this makes Ron Ron a better player, and a better person, than May you go in Peace, Mr. Peace...Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-30014221152896469792011-06-25T15:51:00.000-07:002011-06-27T19:07:43.254-07:00Dealing With Lamar OdomThe Lakers did not make any major moves on draft day, Lamar Odom could be the subject of a deal soon, as I write this twitter rumors run rampant...<br /><br />The rumors about an Odom trade started at the offset of the end of the regular season, and the most well respected offer holding any weight at this point involved Odom possibly going to Orlando. Many people want the Lakers acquire Dwight Howard from the Magic, and give up Odom and several other players including Bynum and possible Gasol? as part of the deal.<br /><br />The most recent trade rumor had the Lakers Odom packing his bag (and, um Kourtney, too) and heading to Philadelphia with Luke Walton, and in return the Lakers getting athletic forward Andre Iguodala. There are also rumors that Lamar will go to Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love.<br /><br />Lamar played a pivitol role in the Lakers' past two championship teams and his incredible versatal ability as a 6th man to come off the bench and consistently play, and play well this season, but, alas, it seems as though Kupchak and the front office have decided to part ways with the the 6th Man of the Year 2011. I understand the Lakers want another star player and want to deal Odom before he gets any longer in the tooth, but his versatility, dedication and style of play is going to be hard to replace.<br /><br />Lamar will just have to go where his hand is dealt, we just have to hope that Kupchak realized he already has an ace up his sleave...<br /><br /><iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/MWXrGfg0jmc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-5273043132031589552009-11-06T23:45:00.000-08:002011-06-27T19:19:58.169-07:00Ron Artest's 'Abused Women of Afghanistan Rap Video' No Picnic...In what first appeared to be a set up for a perfect slam dunk of a parody rap video...comes a serious (yes, this is for real folks) piece from the only NBA player to fail his pre-draft mental evaluation, Ron-Ron has taken time out from his busy schedule of writing court order apology letters, applying for a job at <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2281289">Circuit City in order to get an employee discount</a>, <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/basketball/nba/10/14/artest.qanda/">recording a country song with an elderly woman neighbor</a>, showing up to practice in a bathrobe, <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/news/2003/01/04/artest_suspended_ap/">smashing a 100k HD Camera</a>, <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2851696">not feeding his dog</a>, recording a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcZaf8LAxvI">Michael Jackson tribute song</a> (yes this is real), and evidently picking #37 to grace his new Lakers jersey because of MJ's <a href="http://dimemag.com/2009/07/ron-artest-will-wear-no-37-because-of-thriller/">'Thriller'</a> (you can't make this stuff up), <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s24kx5ynRVQ">making nice-nice with Kobe,</a> anyone remember <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypPX_MfxfG0">this</a>?, and <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2788871">being arrested for domestic abuse himself</a>, to put together this high quality rap video for the abused women of Afghanistan.<br /><br />In his rapping ode to “all his Afghani women,” the video intertwines clips of battered women from the war-torn country of Afghanistan juxtaposed with apparently a bunch of hand-held camcorder shots of a walk in the public park with Artest rapping while families enjoy, um... picnics in the background.<br /><br />Michael Jordan allegedly commented on his charitable attempts as “not a very good way to make money for himself.” But Artest is not letting that get him down, he is always about doing it his way...whatever way that is. Thanks for showing us your sensitive side, Ron ('cuz you know he's all about the ladies) and for making this country proud...<br /><br /><br /><object height="295" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tv2tTRg9QuU&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tv2tTRg9QuU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="295" width="480"></embed></object>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-25292924585423915232009-11-06T22:05:00.000-08:002011-06-27T19:11:14.238-07:00Mbenga Off To A Great Start...Mbenga, the Congolese 7-footer, had started just two games in his entire career, getting one start in each of his first two NBA seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. D.J. Mbenga made the most of a rare and first Lakers start tonight, with five points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in a win over the Grizzlies.<br /><br />Other notes on tonight's game... The Lakers honored John Radcliffe, their longtime scorer, by presenting a championship ring to his wife, Carolyn. Radcliffe, who had held his job since 1961, died during the summer. ... Bryant is responsible for the three highest-scoring performances by an opponent in Grizzlies history, including a 60-point game in March 2007.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-14846661186586892272009-05-12T22:34:00.000-07:002011-06-27T19:24:59.420-07:00Lakers Win By 40!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_vfsvv9sc0Q/Tgk5E5AzByI/AAAAAAAAAQM/45x2ttJUM7Y/s1600/Neil%252BDiamond%252BCelebrities%252BLakers%252BGame%252BXC6d0iNixaDl.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 327px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_vfsvv9sc0Q/Tgk5E5AzByI/AAAAAAAAAQM/45x2ttJUM7Y/s400/Neil%252BDiamond%252BCelebrities%252BLakers%252BGame%252BXC6d0iNixaDl.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623088365935200034" /></a><br />What a great game, from start to finish. (reporting via mobile text) <br />The game started with an incredible rendition of the Star Spangled Banner by the most famous 'Pulgas' ever... incomparable Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It's a difficult feat to name a notable bass player by name, let alone someone named Flea....but his unmistakable funkafied slamming on the bass' strings letting loose what could only be the work of the resounding and his unmistakable sound. It was quite fitting to have him break off a little funk, cuz that same rhythm was cancelled through the Lakers playing tonight.<br /><br />All the way through to the diminishing minutes I started my section to start chanting for MBENGA to come in and play. I said in other posts and before this game that I was waiting for a little of Mbengas funk to be injected in this game, and as you know his funkified style of play is infectious.......thank you Phil for listening...great to see his first appereance in these playoffs.<br /><br />final score: 118-78 <br /><br />let's end this Thursday nite.....<br /><br /><br />UPDATE: I think I saw Neil Diamond at the game in a fake moustache and disguise (no, I am not kidding!) if anyone has a picture please send it, I'm going to do story tomorrow.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-21585263885527141052009-05-04T19:05:00.000-07:002009-05-04T19:13:48.993-07:00Pre Game Ramble: Game 1 Round 2Ok....here we go, reporting live from Staples to kick off this 2nd round Playoff Series, and the excitment is in the air.<br /><br /> STAPLES CENTER ADVANTAGE<br />Since moving to Staples prior to the 1999-2000 season, the Lakers have won 84% of their postseason games (56-11) . The Lakers have topped the century mark in over half of their preseason home game at Staples Center (37 of 67) while the oppostion has been eld under 100 poins in all but 18 of those games. In their last 30 home playoff games. the Lakers are 26-4.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-62646378119598679702009-05-04T15:12:00.000-07:002009-05-04T15:13:34.152-07:00NBA Playoff Preview Round 2: Los Angeles Lakers Vs. Houston Rockets<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jgvzpZd6GAA&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jgvzpZd6GAA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-68175181779946096782009-05-04T15:04:00.000-07:002009-05-04T15:06:26.392-07:00Round 1 Playoff Highlights...Getting ready for the Rockets in Round 2<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/So4NVoxknnY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/So4NVoxknnY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-67430987596587116392009-02-07T17:43:00.000-08:002009-02-07T18:45:48.519-08:00Mitch Kupchak Exclusive Conference Call<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UzUe4t6fmRc/SY49JVLKMBI/AAAAAAAAAPI/1SlAesvizzI/s1600-h/69e89b36.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UzUe4t6fmRc/SY49JVLKMBI/AAAAAAAAAPI/1SlAesvizzI/s400/69e89b36.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300241041973719058" /></a><br /><br />Mitch Kupchak gives details about the Radmanovic Trade in a conference call to the media.<br /><br />The Lakers Blog has the exclusive Here:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Mitch Kupchak Conference Call Transcript<br />Intro<br />"As the season wore on, it looked like Phil (Jackson) had settled into starting Luke (Walton) and bringing Trevor (Ariza) off the bench, and we are very pleased with both players. Vladi (Radmanovic) started the season (at small forward) and I thought he played well, but here it is early February and it looked like he wasn't going to play much. You can tell by just watching and talking to Vladi that he did want to play, and he didn't come here just to sit on the bench and collect a paycheck. So, part of the decision was to accommodate a player that wanted to play.<br /><br />From our point of view we feel we pick up two players that are still young developing players (is valuable). As you know, Adam (Morrison) was their No. 3 pick in the NBA Draft and had an ACL injury against us last year. That injury takes more than a year (to recover from), so we think he would benefit from a situation that has less pressure, and our staff here in terms of our people downstairs medically and just a stable environment where he could progress and get back to where he was in college. Shannon Brown is a developing player as well - you may recall that he played really well against us in L.A. last week. So we picked up two players that have upside. If there was a third reason, we picked up some flexibility down the road with a shortened commitment versus Vladi's (financial) commitment."<br /><br />More Details<br /># The Lakers were looking for a new defensive look off the bench that "Maybe Shannon Brown could come in and give us something we don't have." The former Michigan State standout is a solid 6-4, 211 pounds, and can body up on both shooting guards and small forwards.<br /># To Kupchak, it didn't make any sense to keep a player "who was highly compensated on the bench and not playing at all, especially if he was not happy." So shipping Radmanovic seemed to be a good option regardless; getting two young players with potential surely sweetened the deal.<br /># When asked if he felt the Lakers were taking a risk in making the deal in terms of chemistry, Kupchak replied that since Radmanovic wasn't playing, that shouldn't be an issue. Vladi was "well liked," but the feeling was if Vladi continued not to play, he would have been more and more unhappy: "Then maybe the chemistry side doesn't look as good."<br /># It was obvious to GMs around the league that the Lakers had an overabundance of small forwards. In short, Radmanovic, Walton and Ariza had to duke it out for playing time, and even though Vladi played well as a starter, Jackson opted for Walton due to his understanding of the offense and ability to move the ball, while Ariza's minutes couldn't be diminished in the interest of the team. As such, Vladi became expendable, and opposing front offices knew that. It just "Took a little time to see whom Phil was going to settle on," explained Kupchak.<br /># Neither player has previous experience with the triangle offense, but Kupchak doesn't see learning it as a problem. "We're not going to expect either player to come in and produce right away, although if they earn it, they could."<br /># The deal started to take shape in the middle of this past week, according to Kupchak. A second conversation followed on Thursday, and the deal was done Friday.<br /># Kupchak thinks Vladi, at worst, improves Charlotte's relatively thin bench, adding that he might in fact start with Gerald Wallace on the bench due to the injury suffered against the Lakers last Tuesday.<br /># When asked if the Lakers were done on the trade front before the February 19 deadline, Kupchak responded in turn: "I wouldn't say that I'm making a lot of calls. We have the best record in the league right now, we just had a great road trip and hopefully we can end it really strong tomorrow. The news on Andrew (Bynum) was not good, but it looks like he'll have a better chance to return this year than he did last year, so I'm not sure we want to address anything more than continuing to win as many games as possible and hope to get Andrew back.<br /># More pointedly: "I don't think there's a deal out there that can make this a better team than the one we have or the one we potentially have."<br /># Kupchak doesn't think there are any big men that are better than Chris Mihm or D.J. Mbenga that wouldn't command equal value on the trade market. "I don't know why we'd do that."<br /><br />Finally, a business note: Both Morrison and Brown have to pass physicals before playing for the Lakers, and neither will be with the team on Sunday in Cleveland. Instead, both players will fly to Los Angeles to take their physicals on Sunday and are expected to practice with the Lakers on Monday.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-47015416384124173372009-02-07T17:25:00.000-08:002009-02-07T17:26:41.866-08:00Phil Jackson Discusses Radmanovic Trade<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q_fyWxC-JKw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q_fyWxC-JKw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-6985402942518459192009-02-07T14:18:00.000-08:002009-02-07T17:25:17.109-08:00Lakers Trade Radmanovic<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UzUe4t6fmRc/SY4zqLNgD6I/AAAAAAAAAPA/itJJRsFVo1Q/s1600-h/ts_090207morrisonbrowntrade.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 260px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UzUe4t6fmRc/SY4zqLNgD6I/AAAAAAAAAPA/itJJRsFVo1Q/s400/ts_090207morrisonbrowntrade.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300230611118591906" border="0" /></a>Official Press Release:<br />Feb 27, 2009<br /><br />The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired forward Adam Morrison and guard Shannon Brown from the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for Vladimir Radmanovic, it was announced today. <p>Morrison, currently in his 3rd NBA season out of Gonzaga, was selected third overall by the Bobcats in the 2006 NBA Draft after earning unanimous First Team All-America honors and garnering multiple National Player of the Year awards his senior year. Named to the All-Rookie Second Team following the 2006-07 season, Morrison appeared in 78 games as rookie including 23 starts, averaging 11.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 29.8 minutes while earning T-Mobile Rookie of the Month honors for November 2006. </p> <p>Missing the entire 2007-08 season after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee in an October 20 preseason game against the Lakers, Morrison has played in 44 games this season including five starts, averaging 4.5 points and 1.6 rebounds in 15.2 minutes with a high-game of 16 points November 11 vs. Denver.</p> <p>In 122 career games (23 starts), Morrison is averaging 9.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 24.5 minutes.</p> <p>Brown, also in his 3rd NBA season out of Michigan State, was originally selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 25th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft. Traded to the Chicago Bulls as part of the Ben Wallace deal in February of 2008, Brown signed with Charlotte as a free agent this past August. In 30 games with the Bobcats this season, Brown is averaging 4.8 points in 11.4 minutes with a season-highs in points (16), steals (4) and minutes (26) coming November 3 vs. Detroit.</p> <p>In 74 career games (9 starts), Brown is averaging 4.5 points in 10.6 minutes.</p><p><img src="file:///Users/eanperrotti/Desktop/ts_090207morrisonbrowntrade.jpg" alt="" /></p><p><br /></p>Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-46224679371200122352009-01-16T19:10:00.000-08:002009-01-16T19:31:48.742-08:00Lakers (31-7) vs Magic (31-8)The Lakers trail this season's series with the Magic 1-0 after splitting last season's series 1-1. The Lakers have never lost a season series to the Magic, but have split on 9 occasions. The Lakers are 16-4 against the Magic in the last 20 meetings and 7-3 @n their last 10 overall beeatch. At the Staples Central es Lakers es oucho y uno todos jugando de Magic....perro ellos diaz jugando en casa...okay nuff espanol, just seeing if y'all are paying attentiones....10 winning streak come to an end with Orlandos 104-97 victory last seasonin La La Land. Last season on Nov 20 2007, the Lakers aquired Trevor Ariza from Orlando in exchange for veterans Brian Cook A Maurice Evans....think this was a good trade thus far? weigh-in below and tell me what you think....let's hope we win tonight, compadre, and bring home some free tacos! Go Lakers!<br /><br />Lakers vs Magic All-Time<br />HOME: 16-3 ROAD:14-7 OVERALL: 30-10Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-16682130917457366632008-11-23T17:50:00.001-08:002008-11-23T18:00:06.897-08:00Pre-Game Ramble: Lakers vs KingsThe Lakers won their 2007-08 season series with Sacramento, 3-1 for the second consecutive season. In their last 10 meetings, the Lakers are 7-3 against the Kings. The Lakers are 11-7 all-time against the Kings at Staples but are just 5-5 in their last 10 contests. The Lakers & Kings haven't met in the postseason since the 2002 Western Conference Finals. While Kobe Bryant & Derek Fisher bothe have played in that seriesam only Bobby Jackson remains on their roster from that season following an offseason trade that brought Jackson back to Sacramento.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-88813480743539393592008-11-23T17:50:00.000-08:002008-11-23T17:58:34.200-08:00Pre-Game Ramble: Lakers vs KingsThe Lakers won their 2007-08 season series with Sacramento, 3-1 for the second consecutive season. In their last 10 meetings, the Lakers are 7-3 against the Kings. The Lakers are 11-7 all-time against the Kings at Staples but are just 5-5 in their last 10 contests. The Lakers & Kings haven't met in the postseason since the 2002 Western Conference Finals. While Kobe Bryant & Derek Fisher bothe have played in that seriesam only Bobby Jackson remains on their roster from that season following an offseason trade that brought Jackson back to Sacramento.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-82801066741612394962008-11-21T18:56:00.000-08:002008-11-21T19:05:49.787-08:00Pre-Game Ramble: Lakers vs NuggetsThe Lakers lead the current series with Denver1-0 after sweeping last season's series with the Nuggets 3-0 for the first time since 2002-03. The 2 teams also met in the first round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs with the Lakers defeating Denver 4-0 , improving to 13-0 against the Nuggets in Post season games and 4-0 in playaff series. The Lakers are 6-4 in their last 4 str8 & are 24-11 against Denver since the 1999-00 season. At Staples the Lakers are 15-2 against the Nuggets all-time & 9-1 in their last 10. Thanks to Latoya & Lilly for the free shwag tonight! I will be at a private party with the Lakers in Hermosa Beach tomorrow night, full report and pics to follow...Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5574641416772154286.post-29501003245374795402008-11-14T19:25:00.000-08:002008-11-14T19:30:20.088-08:00LAKERS 7-0!
Undefeated StatusWith the Lakers victory over the Hornets on Nov 12. the Lakers pushed the dial to 7-0 for the 4th time in franchise history.Acehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01318417025518086436noreply@blogger.com0