Los Angeles Lakers News

Kobe Bryant's the king, say Golden State Warriors
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March 15
Oakland Tribune
 
"Warriors guard Raja Bell is perhaps most known for his rivalry with Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. During his days with the Phoenix Suns, Bell was Bryant's personal defender in multiple playoff series. The heated matchup included verbal jabs, elbows and shoves, a couple of physical altercations and zero love lost. But ask Bell who's the best player in the game, and he'll answer without hesitation. He won't say LeBron James or Dwyane Wade or Carmelo Anthony. "Kobe," Bell said. "He's a winner, man. Not that the LeBrons and D-Wades and 'Melos aren't. But he just seems to have a sixth sense about closing and timeliness with his game that I think he's developed over time. I think they ..."
Artest: Lakers are on right path
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March 15
L.A. Daily News
 
"Ron Artest has insisted for months the Lakers haven't played well. He has been concerned about it and has suggested the reason for their mediocre play was because things were too easy at the start of the season. He said Sunday he saw a change in the team during the Lakers' latest victory, however. He said he saw some of the fire and efficiency they displayed while starting the season with an 18-3 record. The Lakers ended a four- game losing streak on the road with a 102-96 victory Friday over the Phoenix Suns, which gave them a two-game winning streak. They led for most of the second half and outplayed the Suns down the stretch. "We've always been confident," Artest said. "We were just ..."
Lakers' Pau Gasol shows he can play the tough guy
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March 15
Los Angeles Times
 
"Pau Gasol won't ever be confused with Kurt Rambis or Rick Mahorn, but, yes, that was him in the middle of an on-court storm in Phoenix the other night. Hardly an enforcer, the finesse Lakers forward was responding to what was asked of him — standing strong in the paint on defense while trying to reduce the number of lay-ups and dunks by opposing big men. Gasol already had been beat for a three-point play in the game by Amare Stoudemire, arriving too late to stop a lay-up and then sending the Suns forward to the foul line, so Gasol made sure that another Suns post player, Louis Amundson, wouldn't get an easy look on a fourth-quarter drive to the basket. Gasol smacked Amundson in the head ..."
Road mentality on Lakers' minds
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March 14
L.A. Daily News
 
"The Lakers could have headed straight to the Bay Area after defeating the Suns on Friday night in Phoenix, but they didn't. They could have practiced Saturday in Oakland in preparation for Monday's game against the Golden State Warriors, but they didn't. They instead returned to Southern California immediately after beating the Suns. They took the day off Saturday and made plans to return to their El Segundo practice court today before boarding their chartered flight to Northern California. At this point, it's important to spend as much time at home as possible because the Lakers are home for only two games the rest of the month. They finish March with seven of their next nine games away ..."
Phil Jackson and his team want to look ahead, not behind
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March 14
Los Angeles Times
 
"Don't look back, even if someone is gaining. That's the approach the Lakers are taking. They maintained that they are not concerned about the Dallas Mavericks, who began play Saturday three games behind the Lakers for the best record in the Western Conference, or the Denver Nuggets, who started the day 3½ games behind the Lakers. The Lakers maintain that it's all about them - how they perform, what they do. So, they insist, they aren't feeling pressure from a Dallas team that had won 13 consecutive games. "No, we feel the pressure of not playing well," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. "That's something that bothers us." The Lakers have muddled through a couple of victories. They snapped a ..."
Kobe Bryant's hard to embrace, but he's clearly the best clutch player in the game
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March 14
Los Angeles Times
 
"Kobe or not Kobe, the mystery, wrapped in an enigma, wearing No. 24, continues.... There was never an icon, or whatever Kobe Bryant is, like Kobe Bryant, who's held at arm's length even by a segment of Lakerdom. When he broke Jerry West's scoring record a wave of protest arose - among Lakers fans - offended by the suggestion that it made him the greatest Laker. Kobe takes your breath away, but so did West and Magic Johnson, who also tugged at your heartstrings. If Kobe realizes you have heartstrings, he doesn't know how to tug at them, although he's gone through enough PR people trying. What setting a Lakers scoring record lacked in drama, Bryant is making up for with six game-winning ..."
Andrew's reaction to Pau cowering, Sasha's halftime hair products and Ron's classic postgame analysis
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March 13
Orange County Register
 
"Artest postgame: "I know what happened out there, but I really don't." Gotta love him. Schaefer got plowed on that Amundson chase, but Hamblen really did. Heard in locker room now: "U see Frank's ass get run over?" Phil on Drew: "He was strong in some situations where he wasn't as strong (before)." DJ Mbenga, Josh, Sasha and Adam are all cracking up unstoppably after Amundson plows Lakers strength trainer Chip Schaefer for loose ball. (In case you missed the column after last game, Odom asked for more fight from Lakers: http://is.gd/aqFae) Odom literally standing with his hands behind his back. There's something psychological going on there. Bynum whips Amundson to the floor ... and I'm ..."
Kobe overruling Phil, Ron high-fiving a fan and 50 reasons Cleveland could win it all
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March 13
Orange County Register
 columnist Kevin Ding
"Morrison, sans all that fingernail, leads charge to mob Kobe after he nails fadeaway over Wright/Bargnani w/1.9 left. Lakers survive. Bosh hits 26-foot 3-pointer for 107-107 tie with 9.5 seconds left. Adam Morrison devouring his fingernails on Lakers bench. LOL. Artest goes over to give high-five to courtside fan to knocked ball away before Calderon could get to it and save possession for TOR. RT @DuranLA: Pau got up and spoke to Phil who shook his head, Pau sat back down. Every whistle Pau looks Phils hoping to get called in. Behind the play, Kobe waits for Drew and gives him eye contact, nod and high-five for more good defensive activity. Bynum has 22 points on 8/11 shooting. Sometimes ..."
Lakers consistent in win over Suns
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March 13
Orange County Register
 
"The NBA's big engine that couldn't has finally found some momentum. The Lakers put together a much-needed consistent effort Friday night and beat the Phoenix Suns, 102-96. The dominant plot lines from the defending champion Lakers' last game carried right over. Andrew Bynum, inspired by Derek Fisher's halftime speech Tuesday night about playing more freely, was stellar again with 18 points and nine rebounds. And the physical assertiveness called for by Lamar Odom in a postgame rant with reporters late Tuesday night was evident three days later in the team's play, which included a hard foul to the face of Louis Amundson from Pau Gasol. Amundson had been a pest against the Lakers in the ..."
Suns fall short vs. Lakers after physical, wild fourth quarter
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March 13
Arizona Republic
 
"Nothing lifts the energy level at US Airways Center quite like a visit from the Los Angeles Lakers. And with 17 games remaining on the Phoenix Suns' schedule entering Friday night's game, there was a playoff atmosphere in the building and on the court. In fact, in the Suns locker room a board on which the Lakers scouting report is posted included this message: "Playoff Game. Bring it!!" But despite the buzz in the building and a little extra juice in their legs after a five-day break, the Suns didn't have enough in the tank to beat the defending NBA champions, who survived a torrid Phoenix rally in a wild and physical fourth quarter to win 102-96. After a slow start, Kobe Bryant nearly ..."
Lakers regain some of their swagger in beating Phoenix
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March 13
L.A. Daily News
 
"After struggling to slow Amare Stoudemire, after going haywire offensively against a zone defense, after getting into foul trouble and after trailing by as many as nine points, the Lakers closed the first half with an electric run Friday night. The Lakers built a lead, lost it and then regained it when it mattered most. They did some crawling and then some running en route to a 102-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center. They took tentative strides toward regaining their championship form by ending a four- game losing streak on the road. Whether it was a sign of better days ahead remains to be seen. The Lakers (48-18) increased their lead in the Western Conference to three ..."
Phoenix coach Gentry: Lakers far from vulnerable
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March 13
L.A. Daily News
 
"Struggles? What struggles? OK, so maybe the Lakers haven't been as crisp in their play this month as they were in February or January, but really, what's not to like? They're still the team to beat in the Western Conference, according to Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry. The Lakers are not as vulnerable as some might think, Gentry insisted Friday. "I don't know if there's any team out there playing that can beat them four out of seven games (in a playoff series)," he said. "I don't know if that's possible. They've got a completely different agenda than what we have. We're trying to get ourselves into the playoffs. They're trying to get themselves ready for a championship run. "I don't know ..."
Readers want to know why the Lakers go passive
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March 13
Los Angeles Times
 
"Question: Many of the latest BMWs, Mercedes and other high-end cars have the option of "Active Cruise Control," a new technology that accelerates and brakes as needed to keep the car cruising while avoiding crashing into cars in front of you. The new-and-improved Lakers have a new feature called "Passive Cruise Control," a ho-hum lethargy that results in blowout losses or barely eking out wins against subpar teams. But come playoffs, they'll cut loose and the rhythmic swing of raucous hot jams will bring the Larry O'Brien Trophy back home to the Lakers again. At least, that's what we Laker fans are hoping is the reason for this team's lackluster approach to regular-season games. -Marc ..."
Lakers get on road to recovery with 102-96 win at Phoenix
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March 13
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Lakers needed a road victory and found one. They wanted to show they were still the dominant team in the Western Conference and accomplished it. It was only a game near the middle of March and yet it was a declarative statement after so many question marks the past couple of weeks. Wallowing in the waters of what would have been a fifth consecutive road loss, the Lakers pulled out of the muck by beating the Phoenix Suns, 102-96, Friday at US Airways Center. All five starters scored in double figures - a rarity these days - and Kobe Bryant became more distributor than scorer, in part because of the game plan and in part because he got rapped on the index finger of his right hand…again. ..."
Lakers' Andrew Bynum has another nice night
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March 13
Los Angeles Times
 
"Quietly yet efficiently, Andrew Bynum has put together a strong of games worth examining in March. The Lakers' 22-year-old center, a study in inconsistency at times this season, has been a source of scoring in recent games, continuing his trend with 18 points on eight-for-12 shooting Friday in the Lakers' 102-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns. "It's important for him to be aggressive," Kobe Bryant said. "A lot of times, he'll take a step back to Pau [Gasol] but he has to be aggressive, he has to continue to go out there and assert himself and look for those post-up opportunities." Said Lakers Coach Phil Jackson: "I thought he was strong in some situations where he hasn't been as strong. The ..."
This LA story has really hit home with Celtics
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March 13
Boston Globe
 
"With the Celtics reeling after another embarrassing loss at home, coach Doc Rivers ripped a motivational tactic from the headlines. The Celtics' play created bulletin-board material and he wanted his players to know what was being written. So he sifted through the newspapers — ones that either screamed the Celtics were just a one-and-done team or that called for change — picked one article, and read it. The story painted a picture of players who "hustled out of [the arena] as if leaving a bad movie'' and "hustled off the floor as if leaving a messy house.'' That was precisely the scene after the Grizzlies came into the Garden and tossed the furniture around Wednesday night in their 111-91 ..."
Lakers' Bryant remains in ornery mood
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March 12
L.A. Daily News
 
"Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry made what sure sounded like a concession speech after the Lakers thumped his team 108-88 on Dec. 6 at Staples Center by saying, "They're by far the best team (in the league). They're just too (freaking) good." That was then, this is now. The Lakers' lead over the Suns in the Pacific Division is a healthy seven games going into tonight's game in Phoenix. But whatever invincible aura the Lakers presented to Gentry and the Suns three months ago is long gone. Kobe Bryant used the word "garbage" to describe the Lakers' most recent victory, a 109-107 nail-biter over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday. Bryant made a jump shot with 1.9 seconds remaining to enable the ..."
Lakers are looking for more than wins on the road
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March 12
Los Angeles Times
 
"Here the Lakers go again, back on the road and trying to reclaim the invincible aura they seemed to have lost. They have lost four consecutive road games, the last three coming at Miami, Charlotte and Orlando. The Lakers play at Phoenix on Friday night and many have wondered whether the defending champions just have hit a rough patch, or whether this is something to be worried about. It was a question posed to Kobe Bryant, who didn't seem to be in much of a mood to discuss what ails the Lakers after practice Wednesday. "You guys can worry all you want to," Bryant said. "I could care less. We have to focus on what we do and continue to get better." At least the Lakers don't have to travel ..."
Nobody does it better than Kobe Bryant
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March 11
Los Angeles Times
 
"Even though Kobe Bryant called the game, uh, "garbage," his last-second winner Tuesday gave him six this season, the most in an NBA season since Elias Sports Bureau began tracking the stat in 2000-01. Denver forward Carmelo Anthony had five in 2005-06, according to Elias, which defines the category as a shot that proved to be a game-winner in the last 10 seconds of the fourth quarter or overtime. With the Lakers taking a day off Wednesday, what else was there to do but recap Bryant's run? It began with an off-balance, 27-foot three-point bank shot as time expired to give the Lakers a 108-107 victory over Miami on Dec. 4. Then Bryant backed down Charlie Bell in the high post and drilled a ..."
These Lakers don't look like champions
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March 11
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Bill Plaschke
"The shot sailed through the basket, the brightly colored strips of paper fell from the rafters, the fans stood and screamed. And then, see ya. The only thing quicker than Kobe Bryant's game-winning basket against the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night was the celebration afterward. The fans hustled out of Staples Center as if leaving a bad movie. The Lakers hustled off the floor as if leaving a messy house. They all know. The NBA knows. If we're going to be honest with ourselves, all of Los Angeles should know. Based on their current attitude and work ethic, the Lakers are not a championship team. If they can't summon the consistent urgency of last season, they are not even a Finals team. ..."
Concerns remain for Lakers despite dramatic victory over Toronto
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March 11
L.A. Daily News
 
"Kobe Bryant's winning jump shot grabbed the headlines and dominated the highlight reels after the Lakers' 109-107 victory Tuesday night over the Toronto Raptors at Staples Center. But did his shot mask the Lakers' ongoing struggles? Certainly, reviews of their first victory in four games were mixed. "Any victory is a good victory," Bryant said. There is plenty of room for improvement, according to the Lakers' Ron Artest. "I think we need to play harder and execute a little better," Artest said. "I thought we were a little better (Tuesday), but overall we are not playing great. We're trying and we continue to try. … We definitely want to get better." Where do the Lakers go from here? Are ..."
Lakers' Lamar Odom has had enough of opponents' trash talking
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March 10
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Toronto Raptors challenged the Lakers, doing a lot of talking in the process. The Raptors dared the Lakers, strutting around Staples Center on Tuesday night as if they owned the arena, as if they owned the Lakers. The Raptors mouthed-off to the Lakers, clearly not intimidated by the defending NBA champions. All of that bothered Lakers forward Lamar Odom to no end, even though the Lakers defeated Toronto, 109-107, on a 17-foot jump shot by Kobe Bryant with 1.9 seconds left. "Got dudes on the Raptors talking …," Odom said. "They ain't done …. You know what I mean? As a team, as individuals." The Raptors have never won an NBA championship. The Lakers won the franchise's 15th last June. ..."
Lakers need what Fisher preaches, Odom promises
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March 10
Orange County Register
 columnist Kevin Ding
"Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom are, respectively, the head and the heart of the team. And with the Lakers stumbling up to the crossroads of this post-championship season, both Fisher and Odom came to share a vision Tuesday night. They grew tired of their team being pulled left or right or backwards by individual concerns or even resting comfortably with an eye peeking back at the title already behind them. As Fisher told his teammates in a compelling halftime speech and then Odom told reporters in a fierce postgame rant, there is only way for the Lakers to react to these crossed roads: Go hard. Straight forward. With the Lakers again being slow, cautious and indecisive en route to an ..."
Return of Vujacic bolsters Lakers' depth
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March 10
L.A. Daily News
 
"Sasha Vujacic returned to the Lakers' active roster Tuesday night, ending an eight-game absence because of a sprained right shoulder and providing the team with more depth than it had during the past 2 1/2 weeks. Coach Phil Jackson said he looked forward to having another guard in his rotation when the Lakers faced the Toronto Raptors. Vujacic's return bolstered the Lakers' backcourt depth, and it also offered Jackson options if the play of others was lacking. It also gave him a player who isn't suffering from an injured thumb or finger. Ron Artest (sprained left thumb), Shannon Brown (sprained right thumb), Kobe Bryant (broken right index finger), Jordan Farmar (broken left pinky) and ..."
Lakers' Bryant hits winning shot as L.A. snaps three-game skid
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March 10
L.A. Daily News
 
"Kobe Bryant drove a stake through the heart of the Lakers' three-game losing streak Tuesday night. Neither he nor his teammates could put an end to their meandering ways, however. They won, but only just barely. "That urgency of playing well has not struck us yet," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Some of it is finding that spark. It's hard to keep that spark going." First things first, though. Bryant supplied more late-game magic, swishing a jump shot from along the right baseline with 1.9 seconds remaining to lift the Lakers to a 109-107 victory over the Toronto Raptors in front of a sellout crowd of 18,997 at Staples Center. It was his sixth winning basket in the final seconds this ..."
Another great episode of '24', Kobe Bryant to the rescue again
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March 10
Los Angeles Times
 
"Strange guys, these Lakers. It looked like they were still on the road, maybe trapped in Charlotte, their Eastern Conference house of horrors, but a quick check of the schedule and a quiet crowd verified they were indeed back at Staples Center. Tuesday should have been a day for an easy victory, a chance to end a three-game skid against the barely .500 Toronto Raptors, but it turned into yet another struggle for the defending NBA champions. The Lakers prevailed, 109-107, giving their fans something to cheer about, but it wasn't an impressive night for a team that looked tired and acted aloof ... yet again. It was getting close enough to a loss that reporters scrambled to look up the last ..."
Kobe under a microscope
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March 9
Toronto Sun
 
"The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in an unfamiliar position at a moment in time that is as unique as Ron Artest's choice in hair style. Veiled references about Kobe Bryant's trigger-happy habits have surfaced, a three-game losing streak and an onslaught known as the juggernaut Dallas Mavericks have turned the reigning champions into a mess, at least by L.A. standards. Most teams would welcome the added attention, distractions and saga, which go with the territory of being the NBA's marquee franchise. The team that takes to the court Tuesday night against the visiting Raptors is one that has been scrutinized more times than Bryant heaved shots during the Lakers' three-game losing ..."
Lakers star Bryant: The mood is `edgy'
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March 9
L.A. Daily News
 
"With three-game losing streaks such a rare occurrence for the Lakers, it was understandable that players and coaches were searching for answers after practice Monday. Whether it's as simple as just making more shots, as Kobe Bryant suggested, or better ball movement, as Pau Gasol recommended, it's obvious the Lakers need to fix the problems that plagued them in a lost road trip that saw them lose in Miami, Charlotte and Orlando over the weekend. Whatever the reason, the Lakers are not a happy bunch at the moment. "We're upset," Bryant said. "We're edgy." That's what the longest losing streak in more than two calendar years will do to a team. "We don't like losing." Gasol said. "This team, ..."
Lakers are a team on edge, with Kobe Bryant setting the tone
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March 9
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Lakers were already sporting a different look Monday, with Sasha Vujacic back on the court and Ron Artest unveiling his second hairdo in two days. Even cosmetic changes were welcome for a team returning home following its first three-game losing streak in more than two years. Kobe Bryant described the Lakers as "upset" and "a little edgy," supporting his descriptors with a series of curt answers to reporters' questions. Asked if he was feeling better a day after stomach issues forced him to miss the team bus to Amway Arena in Orlando, Bryant said, "I'm getting a stomach virus now with all these questions." The Lakers all seemed a bit queasy after losing three consecutive games for ..."
Loss drops Lakers into rare losing streak
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March 8
Orange County Register
 
"The last time the Lakers went winless on a three-game trip was April 2005. Those sad Lakers went 2-19 to finish Kobe Bryant's lone season without a playoff berth, and Phil Jackson was called back immediately thereafter to return as Lakers coach and eventually deliver another NBA championship last season. After their 96-94 loss to the Orlando Magic on Sunday, the Lakers again headed home 0-3 on a trip that began in Miami and Charlotte. It was hardly the sort of feeling the Western Conference front-runners are accustomed to as they never had lost three consecutive games under any circumstances since acquiring Pau Gasol two-plus years ago. "I don't worry about streaks," Gasol said. Gasol had ..."
Lakers miss a shot to end skid
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March 8
L.A. Daily News
 
"Kobe Bryant got the shot he wanted, a jumper from 20 feet, just to the right of the free-throw line, with the Lakers trailing the Orlando Magic by two points with 1.2 seconds remaining. The shot was straight but not true. The ball skimmed off the rim as the final buzzer sounded and the Magic held off the Lakers for a 96-94 victory in a rematch of the 2009 NBA Finals on Sunday at Amway Arena. Bryant jogged away from a group of celebrating Magic players and wore a pained expression as he untucked his jersey and headed toward the Lakers' locker room. He had scored 34 points but could not send the game to overtime in the closing seconds. "That's my shot," he said. "Give me that and I'll make ..."
Lakers miss a shot at ending their skid
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March 8
L.A. Daily News
 
"Kobe Bryant got the shot he wanted, a jumper from 20 feet, just to the right of the free-throw line, with the Lakers trailing the Orlando Magic by two points with 1.2 seconds remaining. The shot was straight but not true. The ball skimmed off the rim as the final buzzer sounded and the Magic held off the Lakers for a 96-94 victory in a rematch of the 2009 NBA Finals on Sunday at Amway Arena. Bryant jogged away from a group of celebrating Magic players and wore a pained expression as he untucked his jersey and headed toward the Lakers' locker room. He had scored 34 points but could not send the game to overtime in the closing seconds. "That's my shot," he said. "Give me that and I'll make ..."
Bryant gives Lakers an 'A' for effort
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March 8
L.A. Daily News
 
"So, exactly where are the Lakers after getting swept on a three-game trip for the first time since April 2005? Are they on their way back from wherever they went during their lifeless losses to Miami and Charlotte to start the trip? Or are they still in need of dramatic improvement? Opinions were mixed Sunday after the Lakers lost to the Orlando Magic, 96-94. The defeat also gave them their first three-game losing streak since they acquired Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies on Feb. 1, 2008. "It's not like (the losing streak) is something to worry about," Ron Artest said. "It's just that when we came into the season, we all had one goal (winning a second consecutive title). "There are ..."
Despite new hairstyle, Ron Artest's defense didn't cut it
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March 8
Los Angeles Times
 
"Kobe Bryant was late for Sunday's pregame activities, but Ron Artest arrived on time, with a new blond dye job and several inscriptions in his hair. He etched the word "defense" in three languages — Japanese, Hebrew and Hindi, he said. In plain English, however, his defense was poor Sunday against the Orlando Magic. His assignment for most of the game, Vince Carter, had 25 points, including 10 points on free throws in the first quarter. The Magic beat the Lakers, 96-94. Artest was rubbed out by high screens on some possessions but lacked the defensive flair he'd unveiled in recent weeks. One play pretty much said it all: He went for a steal in the third quarter and didn't get it, leaving ..."
Magic makes a stand against Lakers
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March 8
Los Angeles Times
 
"Matt Barnes was not going to back down from Kobe Bryant or Derek Fisher or any other Laker. Dwight Howard was going to be the aggressor, the attacker, the one to go at the Lakers. Vince Carter was going to be an offensive force even it was against defensive ace Ron Artest. The Orlando Magic felt if it had to make a stand against the Lakers, even if it meant getting technical fouls, setting hard screens, committing hard fouls or talking trash. Orlando Coach Stan Van Gundy summed up his team's 96-94 victory over the Lakers Sunday at Amway Arena the best. "I thought we battled them toe to toe," he said. From the Magic perspective, the Lakers would push and shove, but Orlando refused to back ..."
Lakers, Kobe Bryant aren't feeling so bubbly after 96-94 loss to Magic
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March 8
Los Angeles Times
 
"On the cover of the Lakers' media guide is a photo of Phil Jackson getting doused by champagne in a circle of smiling players, part of the joyous aftermath of the franchise's 15th championship. The minor slice of history that ended Sunday with their return to Orlando won't be so cherished. The Lakers hadn't lost three consecutive games since Pau Gasol joined them on Feb. 1, 2008, but that streak was terminated in a 96-94 loss to the Orlando Magic at Amway Arena. Kobe Bryant missed a 20-foot jumper with 1.2 seconds to play and the Lakers completed a reverse hat trick, losing to Miami, Charlotte and Orlando on a trip they'd just as soon forget. They shot poorly (37.5%), were heavily ..."
Lakers hope to regain magic against Finals foe
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March 7
L.A. Daily News
 
"The Lakers returned to the scene of their greatest triumph last season, eager to rekindle the fire that's gone out of their game. Actually, they practiced Saturday at Rollins College rather than at Amway Arena, but you get the idea. At this point, the Lakers need to latch onto something - anything - to get going again after starting their three-game trip with losses to the Miami Heat on Thursday and the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday. They haven't lost three in a row since January 2008."
Lakers look to avoid their first three-game losing streak since Jan. 2008
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March 7
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Kobe Bryant has seen enough. He's tired of watching the Los Angeles Lakers give up easy baskets. He's sick of watching opponents shoot free throws. He's fed up with other teams shooting over 50 percent from the field. But most of all, Bryant, one of the sport's legendary competitors, just can't stand losing. After a defeat Thursday in Miami and another Friday in Charlotte, the defending world champions will enter this afternoon's game against the Orlando Magic hoping to prevent their first three-game losing streak since Jan. 2008. Bryant spoke up during the Lakers' practice Saturday at Rollins College. He wouldn't tell reporters what his message was — "It's to my teammates," he said — but ..."
Kobe Bryant and the Lakers visit the Orlando Magic in an NBA Finals rematch
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March 7
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The last time the Los Angeles Lakers were here, it likely took a while to air out the visitors' dressing room at Amway Arena. The smell of champagne, sprayed everywhere, tends to linger. The Lakers are back in town today, a painful reminder for the Magic of the NBA title they captured in Orlando's building last June. Nobody much remembers the runner-up. And the Magic's memories of making their first Finals appearance since 1995 aren't all that warm and fuzzy, either. "It was a disappointment, but you move on. So I don't have to reminisce," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "You take what you think you might have learned about them [the Lakers] and their players and try to put that to use. But as ..."
Lakers talk over their issues
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March 7
Los Angeles Times
 
"Phil Jackson had seen enough, so he turned Saturday's scheduled practice into a miniature version of a clear-the-air meeting. The Lakers had been stumbling, losers of two consecutive games to quasi-.500 teams, making it an appropriate time to let players vent about their porous defense in the hopes they could turn it around before their game Sunday against the Orlando Magic. Kobe Bryant provided reporters with only a few scant words about what he said, though he still seemed annoyed as he sat on the bottom step of the bleachers at tiny Rollins College, ice bags on each knee. Did he talk to his teammates, as he pledged to do in the wake of an embarrassing 98-83 loss Friday in Charlotte? "A ..."
Lakers find the road to a repeat isn't easy
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March 7
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Lakers lost only 17 games last season when they won the NBA championship. This season, they've already lost 17 games. They've already lost as many games on the road (12) this season as they did last season when the Lakers were 29-12 away from Staples Center. The Lakers are finding out the road to winning consecutive championships is so, so difficult. "To win one, you put yourself in a place mentally and physically that you've never been before," Lamar Odom said. "So I guess to win it again, after every other team saying 'we're not going to let them win,' I can just imagine that it would be tough. "Everybody is gunning for us. Everybody wants to beat us. Everybody likes looking at the ..."
Lakers making less of more
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March 7
Los Angeles Times
 
"Nice knowing you, Lakers. Oh, they're not actually dead? They put on a good act last week, following a string of grisly wins, taking their record to a this-must-be-a-misprint 46-15, with losses in Miami and Cleveland. Oh, that was Charlotte? The Bobcats just looked like the Cavaliers, missing only LeBron James' Riverdance as they walked all over the Lakers. Of course, with their new-found humility and smoke rising from Mt. St. Kobe Bryant, the Lakers should no longer have a problem with Lack of Urgency. Nor are things as crazed as suggested by last week's scoop on Hoopshype.com that LeBron wants to come to the Lakers, whether Kobe stays or not."
Upsetting times call for a Lakers victory
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March 7
Los Angeles Times
 
"Mike Bresnahan covers the Lakers for The Times and ties up loose ends on the day of his self-designated "Game of the Week." The Lakers play today at Orlando. The Lakers return to the scene of their championship clincher nine months ago, the place where Derek Fisher made two clutch three-pointers, Kobe Bryant won his first Finals MVP and the Lakers rolled to their 15th NBA title. Not that Lakers fans care about reminiscing. Last June might as well have been a century ago, with fans seething over the Lakers' recent play. After the Lakers' lifeless loss Friday in Charlotte, Ron from Seal Beach had some very unkind words. "This is the worst Laker game going back to the 1960s that I have seen," ..."
Gasol feeling low as Lakers search for higher road
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March 6
Orange County Register
 
"As good as it has been for Pau Gasol as a Laker, this is as bad as it has ever gotten. "I would say so," Gasol said Friday night. I'd asked him if this was the most "off" the Lakers have been since he came to them two-plus years ago. The spacey look on Gasol's face that remained despite a fresh shower conveyed it, too. The tiredness in those eyes seemed more fitting of Gasol as the years dragged on in Memphis, not as a defending NBA champion. Yet Gasol put it plainly: "We have no real confidence in what we're doing right now." He acknowledged it might appear on the surface to be back-to-back losses in Miami and Charlotte, but that's not the burden the Lakers are starting to feel. Unless ..."
Lakers come out flat, lose in Charlotte
Comment
March 6
Orange County Register
 
"Maybe Orlando, the site of the Lakers' NBA championship last June, will get the Lakers' game back to where it needs to be. If not, the Lakers will be saddled with their first three-game losing streak since Pau Gasol was acquired two-plus years ago. The Lakers followed up an uninspired effort in Miami with a loss Friday night to the Charlotte Bobcats, 98-83 - a slow prelude to the NBA Finals reunion with the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Charlotte's active, extended defense was the difference in yet another opponent bringing more energy to a game than the Lakers could. "We were flat," Kobe Bryant said. "We didn't play with enough energy to carry the game." Bryant never got on a consistent roll ..."
Lakers' ailing forward Gasol makes no excuses for his struggles
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March 6
L.A. Daily News
 
"Pau Gasol has been playing sick lately. That's sick as in, ill, under the weather and not so hot. The 7-footer has failed to reach his scoring average of 17 points in each of the past four games. He scored 11 points on only 5-for-14 shooting during the Lakers' 98-83 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday. Gasol scored 10 points in the Lakers' overtime loss Thursday to the Miami Heat. He scored 14 points in their victory Tuesday over the Indiana Pacers and had 15 points during their victory Sunday over the Denver Nuggets. "I don't know," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said when asked before the game what has happened to Gasol's game recently. "I really don't like to talk about that aspect of a ..."
Lakers continue to sputter out on road
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March 6
L.A. Daily News
 
"Andrew Bynum said it looked like the Lakers played five sets of one-on-one games Friday night against the Charlotte Bobcats. They were not in sync after a credible start and paid the price in the form of a dreary 98-83 loss. "What the (heck)?" Bynum said, smiling faintly. "I think that's what everybody's thinking, right? We're just disjointed. We're not playing together. Everybody is a little discombobulated out there, I think is the best way to put it." Kobe Bryant said perhaps it was time for him to stand up and say something to snap his teammates from their funk, which started with a lackluster victory Tuesday over the Indiana Pacers and continued with losses Thursday at Miami and ..."
Questions keep coming after another stagnant road loss
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March 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"Andrew Bynum looked at the gathering before him Friday night and listened to the question about how the Lakers haven't played a worthy game since Denver last Sunday. Bynum smiled and answered the question before it was completed, making a statement on what Lakers' fans and the media have been wondering after the Lakers struggled to win the next game against Indiana and then lost the next two on the road at Miami and Charlotte "What the (heck)? I think that's what everybody is thinking right now," Bynum said following the Lakers' 98-83 loss to the Bobcats. Kobe Bryant stood before the media with a frown on his face, his answer curt, and his tone serious and definite. Bryant identified ..."
It's an effortless loss for the Lakers
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March 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Lakers lost again to the Charlotte Bobcats, which hardly passes as news any longer, though they continued to earn headlines by putting forth another indescribably uninspired effort. After a long night in Miami, the Lakers showed up in plenty of time to play the Bobcats, as confirmed by a box score that also revealed several other unsettling concepts, starting with the Bobcats' 98-83 victory Friday at Time Warner Cable Arena. Pau Gasol continued to play far below All-Star level, the Lakers kept treating March like exhibition season and Kobe Bryant seemed angry at it all for the first time in recent memory. None of it would be endorsed by Lakers' fans, except perhaps the final part, ..."
Kobe holds nothing back after Lakers' latest defeat
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March 6
Charlotte Observer
 columnist Scott Fowler
"Kobe Bryant was angry. He walked into the postgame locker room Friday night after a 98-83 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats with a venomous scowl on his face. He used the word "flat" four times to describe the Lakers' performance, then promised that he was going to be talking to his teammates very soon about why they needed to elevate their energy level. Would this be a nice talk? "What do you think?" Bryant growled. The Bobcats inexplicably have had the Lakers' number for years, no matter who was Charlotte's coach or who was playing. Charlotte is always a worse team than the Lakers overall yet has beaten L.A. seven of the past nine times the teams have played, handing the ultra-competitive ..."