Sports News and Trade Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

Bulls never really threaten in loss to Lakers

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November 20

Chicago Sun-Times

"After an impressive win in the opener of their six-game road trip, the Bulls on Thursday night had a performance more in line with most of the circus trips in the post-Jordan era. With the Bulls never mounting a serious threat after about the middle of the second quarter, the Lakers cruised to a 108-93 victory at Staples Center. The Bulls (6-5) were led by Derrick Rose with 20 points on 9-for-20 shooting. John Salmons had 18 points (all in the first half), and Joakim Noah posted his eighth double-double of the season with 12 points and 15 rebounds. The Lakers (9-3) were led by Pau Gasol -- back in action following a hamstring injury -- with 24 points and 13 rebounds. With his 21 points, ..."

Lakers dump Bulls 108-93

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November 20

Chicago Tribune

"Pau Gasol made his season debut Thursday night. An argument could be made that Derrick Rose did too. Rallying from a brutal first half that mirrored his season-long struggles, Rose rallied with 16 of his team-high 20 points in the second half of the Bulls' 108-93 loss to the Lakers Thursday night at Staples Center. Rose has flashed glimpses of promise previously this season, most notably the fourth quarters of the Nov. 3 and Nov. 5 victories over the Bucks and Cavaliers, respectively. But if the Bulls are to take the next step this season -- and rebound from a game in which they clearly were outclassed by the defending NBA champions -- they'll need more performances like Rose's second half ..."

Gasol Returns, Comes up Huge

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November 20

Los Angeles Times

"The never-ending "hamstring watch" finally ended. Pau Gasol was back. After two setbacks and almost five weeks of limping around on the most scrutinized leg muscle of the season, Gasol returned to the Lakers, looking as if he had never left them. The box scores show he missed 11 games, but he was in late-season form in a 108-93 victory Thursday over the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center. Gasol had 24 points and 13 rebounds in 35 minutes. The Lakers had the starting five they envisioned for months. They had experienced a weird few weeks without him. There was a home loss to Dallas. Near-losses in Oklahoma City and Houston. A drubbing in Denver. Another home loss to Houston."

Gasol set to return for Lakers

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November 19

L.A. Daily News

"Pau Gasol will make his season debut tonight against the Chicago Bulls. Definitely. Maybe. "I don't know about definitely," he said, wincing after Wednesday's practice. OK, let's just say Gasol's strained right hamstring definitely is improved. Maybe it's not 100 percent but it's still good enough to allow him to play tonight. That is, unless he suffers a serious setback today at the Lakers' shootaround. "It felt great today," he said. "I don't want to jinx it, but I don't see why there's any reason I shouldn't play. I want to play. I've been wanting to play since day one. It just wasn't ready. The muscle wasn't healed. "Now it is healed. It feels good." Lakers coach Phil Jackson said he ..."

Gasol now just one of the guys

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November 19

L.A. Daily News

columnist Ramona Shelburn

"It happens to all of us at some point, usually on a schoolyard, and usually during recess or lunch. A boy or a girl, whichever applies to you, starts picking on you for seemingly no reason. Only there is a reason, but it doesn't become evident to you until you're in your mid-20 s. Jest, infinite or otherwise, generally means exactly the opposite as what it seems, indicating affection rather than derision. In team sports, it is something of a rite of passage. The butt of everyone's jokes often tends to be the most popular guy on the team. All of which means congratulations are in order for Lakers forward Pau Gasol, and not simply because he is set to make his season debut tonight against ..."

Chicago could try to blame road woes on the circus

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November 19

Los Angeles Times

"Mike Bresnahan covers the Lakers for The Times and ties up loose ends on the day of his self-designated "Lakers game of the week." The Lakers play host to Chicago tonight. Here's the difference between Los Angeles and Chicago. The Lakers get kicked out of Staples Center every year in late January because of the glitz and glamour of the Grammy Awards. The Bulls get booted from the United Center every year because of the pomp and circumstance of the circus. That's right. The circus. Ringling Bros. and Barnum"

Gasol to Return to Action Against Bulls

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November 19

New York Times

"Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol is set to make his long awaited return to the court Thursday when the defending NBA champions host the Chicago Bulls. Having missed the team's first 11 games because of a hamstring ailment, the seven-foot Spaniard trained Wednesday and declared himself fit for his first regular season game on the Lakers website (http://www.nba.com/lakers/) said."

Gasol says he will play Thursday

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November 19

Los Angeles Times

"Pau Gasol finally will play for the Lakers tonight when they face the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center. The right hamstring that kept Gasol out of the Lakers' first 11 regular-season games, the injury that hampered him for just over five weeks, healed enough to where he feels comfortable enough to play in a game. "I think that I'll be able to go tomorrow," Gasol said after practice Wednesday. "It felt great today and I don't plan on any reason why it wouldn't feel the same way tomorrow." Gasol has experienced a few close calls in returning to game action since he injured his hamstring in early October. So Gasol was pressed harder, with the media looking for a definitive answer about his ..."

Lakers avoid third straight loss

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November 18

Orange County Register

"The Pau Gasol Statistic still stands. The Lakers still have not lost three consecutive games since acquiring Gasol on Feb. 1, 2008. The Lakers blew out the Detroit Pistons, 106-93, at Staples Center on Tuesday night to stop yet another two-game losing streak before it could grow too damaging. It was the ninth time the Lakers have successfully stopped such a skid from reaching three games, including playoffs, and they've actually pulled it off three times with Gasol unable to play. Gasol intends to make his season debut Thursday night against Chicago if his strained right hamstring holds up in practice Wednesday. This victory, however, was secured largely by the Lakers' All-Star other than ..."

Pau Gasol should be back Thursday

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November 18

Los Angeles Times

"In his acting debut, Pau Gasol died of a brain injury as a character on Monday night's episode of "CSI: Miami." He'll soon be coming back to life in his other, more lucrative job. Gasol is expected to return Thursday against the Chicago Bulls after sitting out 11 games because of a strained right hamstring. "Sounds good to me," he said Tuesday. The Lakers' forward-center shot with the team at Tuesday morning's shoot-around and reported only a small amount of pain. "A little sore here and there, but the good thing is the hamstring has responded well," he said. "It's really promising." Of course, Gasol's recent improvement didn't come without a round of ribbing from Lakers Coach Phil ..."

Lakers almost let it get away

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November 18

Los Angeles Times

"It's not comparable to the Lakers' 33-game winning streak in 1971-72 or the Boston Celtics' string of eight consecutive championships in the 1950s and '60s, but a curious little Lakers streak continues to thrive. They still haven't lost three consecutive games since acquiring Pau Gasol in February 2008. Their latest blush came after two uninspiring, even perplexing, losses to Denver and Houston, but their recent sins were whisked into the past after a 106-93 victory over Detroit that restored order to their season Tuesday at Staples Center. Kobe Bryant had 40 points despite a slow start and a strained right groin, and the Lakers led by as many as 28 points. It's becoming redundant to point ..."

Pistons fall to defending champion Lakers

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November 18

Detroit Free Press

"The Pistons got a first-hand look at a team with dominant size and length Tuesday night when they faced the world champion Lakers. And they didn't like what they saw. The Pistons lost, 106-93, for their second-straight loss after a three-game winning streak. The Pistons were dominated on the glass (44-32) as Lakers center Andrew Bynum continued his early-season dominating play with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Things might have been worse if Pau Gasol, still nursing a right hamstring injury, had been able to suit up. Oh yeah, some guy named Kobe Bryant scored 40 points - the 100th time he reached that mark in his career. But this game was decided in the paint, where the Lakers had 56 ..."

Pistons lit up by livid Lakers

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November 18

Detroit News

"The Los Angeles Lakers came into Tuesday's game angry, and the Pistons paid the price. After ugly losses their previous two games, the Lakers beat the Pistons, 106-93. But not without the Pistons giving the Lakers a scare at the end. The Lakers (8-3) took a 28-point lead in the third quarter, but the Pistons cut the margin to seven points (98-91) with 1:55 left in the game. DaJuan Summers then fouled the Lakers' Shannon Brown (Michigan State) on a 3-point try, which extended the lead to 101-91 and all but clinched the outcome. "We gave them too much respect early on," Pistons rookie Jonas Jerebko said. "In the fourth quarter, we just played hard and not as much respect. But we can play ..."

Lakers' Bryant shows true grit in win over Detroit

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November 18

L.A. Daily News

"Kobe Bryant had the ball in his hands in the third quarter Tuesday night at Staples Center. Ben Gordon of the Detroit Pistons tried to body him as Bryant posted up against him just off the edge of the lane and to the left of the basket. Didn't work. Bryant twirled away from Gordon and drifted toward the basket. Suddenly, inexplicably, he turned his back to avoid the pressure of Detroit's Kwame Brown and flipped the ball over his head. The ball rose in an arc and then fell through the basket as a sellout crowd of 18,997 roared its approval."

Lakers' Gasol practices; Walton injured

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November 17

L.A. Daily News

"The medical news went from good to bad for the Lakers on Monday. First, Pau Gasol practiced with his teammates during the afternoon and said he was optimistic he could play for the first time this season sooner rather than later, but not tonight against the Detroit Pistons at Staples Center. Gasol said his strained right hamstring was vastly improved and did not rule out making his 2009-10 debut Thursday against the Chicago Bulls. Then, later in the day, the Lakers announced Luke Walton would be sidelined for at least six weeks because of a pinched nerve in his back. Dr. Robert Watkins examined Walton, who did not play in the Lakers' loss Sunday to the Houston Rockets. Walton suffered a ..."

Lakers fall to Rockets, 101-91

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November 16

Orange County Register

"The Lakers have not lost three consecutive games since Pau Gasol joined the team. They're up against it now. With Gasol still not having played this season because of his strained right hamstring, the Lakers lost, 101-91, to the Houston Rockets on Sunday night at Staples Center. The failure followed one Friday night in Denver. And it was apparent that the Rockets and Nuggets, the last two Western Conference teams ousted by the Lakers last postseason, simply played harder than the Lakers. Next up for the Lakers are the Detroit Pistons here Tuesday night. At least the Gasol-less Lakers catch a break there, with the 5-5 Pistons missing Richard Hamilton (ankle) and Tayshaun Prince (back). The ..."

Lakers great Abdul-Jabbar overwhelmed by support

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November 16

L.A. Daily News

"Kareem Abdul-Jabbar visited Staples Center for the first time since announcing last week that he has a treatable form of leukemia. He said he intends living his life as if nothing were wrong, and that includes retaining his job as a Lakers assistant coach. Abdul-Jabbar also said he has been surprised by the outpouring of support from people he meets in the course of going about his business at the supermarket, in airports and driving around Los Angeles. "It's been quite an experience, all the attention," the 62-year-old Abdul-Jabbar said before the Lakers faced the Houston Rockets on Sunday. "I didn't expect it to play out that way. The fans and the general public have been incredible in ..."

Lakers have no shot in loss; Bryant nursing groin injury

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November 16

L.A. Daily News

"It wasn't so much the sights that were so strangely unfamiliar Sunday night at Staples Center, but there also were the sounds. There were long stretches of uncomfortable silence, followed by audible grumbling and, finally, boos. Waves of discontent washed over the out of sync Lakers as they turned in a second consecutive clunker and fell with a thud to the opportunistic Houston Rockets 101-91 in front of a confused sellout crowd of 18,997. The normal rhythm of the Lakers' game was absent. They shot a miserable 38.1 percent (32 for 84). They were hammered on the boards by the shorter Rockets, 60-38. They couldn't stop speedy guard Aaron Brooks, who torched them for a career-high 33 points ..."

Former Lakers forward Ariza treated like homecoming king

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November 16

L.A. Daily News

"Trevor Ariza put on new red basketball shoes Sunday for the first time this season. They were the same candy-apple red to match his Houston Rockets jersey. He didn't tap his toes together three times and say, "There's no place like home." But it sure felt like home at Staples Center with the warm reception Lakers fans gave him. Ariza, who grew up in Los Angeles and played college basketball at UCLA, walked to center court at Staples Center with his 19-month-old son, Tajh, in his arms and the adoration of seemingly an entire city. He received his championship ring he had won as a member of the Lakers in style, with Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher presenting it to him. He got hugs from both, ..."

Rockets still a thorn in Lakers' side

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November 16

Los Angeles Times

"The Lakers gave Trevor Ariza his championship ring Sunday night, but their generosity didn't stop there. They handed the Houston Rockets just about everything else, including a victory while getting booed by their own fans in a surprisingly uninspired effort at Staples Center. The Lakers continued to look nothing like defending NBA champions, losing to the Rockets, 101-91, after a moribund effort two days earlier against the Denver Nuggets. This was supposed to be the start of a friendly eight-game stretch against a flurry of mediocre teams, seven of them coming into Staples Center. But it's hard to win while shooting poorly, getting killed on the boards and showing little to no continuity ..."

Ariza emotional as he joins inner circle

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November 16

Los Angeles Times

"There was a video montage from Trevor Ariza's time with the Lakers, during which he helped them win the 2009 NBA championship. It finished with, "Thank You, Trevor." Then Ariza walked onto the Staples Center court Sunday night with his 19-month-old son Tajh in his arms and was greeted by former teammates Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher, who presented Ariza with his championship ring. As Bryant and Fisher hugged and rubbed heads with Ariza, the Houston Rockets guard became emotional. "There's no crying in basketball," Ariza said. "But I almost gave it up a little bit." After the game, Ariza hugged Jordan Farmar, Fisher, Lakers Coach Phil Jackson and assistant Frank Hamblen. Ariza didn't have a ..."

Ragged Lakers are well off-pace

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November 16

Los Angeles Times

columnist Helene Elliott

"This is when the Lakers should be cleaning up, not scraping their egos up off the floor. During a stretch in which they will play 17 of their first 21 games at home, they should be resting Kobe Bryant in the fourth quarter because they have put the game out of reach, not because he aggravated a week-old groin strain during the first quarter and had no reason to risk making it worse. The Lakers' 101-91 loss to Houston on Sunday in front of an unhappy crowd at Staples Center was their second in a row and third this season. That, in itself, is not a problem. The problem is they followed a putrid, franchise-worst second half at Denver on Friday with a ragged first half Sunday -- and let that ..."

Lakers are flexing their star power

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November 15

Orange County Register

columnist Kevin Ding

"Someone sent this out via Twitter on Thursday, shouting all the relevant info in all caps, apparently so excited that the words tumbled out in the wrong order: "RON ARTEST BIRTHDAY PARTY ADDRESS NOVEMBER 14TH: CLUB EMPIRE 1716 N. CAHUENGA BLVD. LOS ANGELES, CA 90028." Who did it? Artest, himself. Artest is insanely interactive with fans via Twitter and wants to meet them in person, too. Mere minutes after Artest finishes talking to the media in the postgame locker room, he is communicating with his "Tweoples" and offering more details. Or he will express lament that a fan didn't pick up the tickets he left. Or he will ask for suggestions for his birthday party theme: "What would be cool ..."

Lakers opponents could follow Nuggets' blueprint

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November 15

L.A. Daily News

"After a big victory Thursday night over the Phoenix Suns and an even bigger loss Friday to the Denver Nuggets, the Lakers rested Saturday afternoon. There was no practice, no drills, no running. Lakers coach Phil Jackson said he would review the video of their 26-point loss to the Nuggets for clues to their many second-half breakdowns. He said it was the wise thing to do before tonight's game against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center. "Oh, without a doubt," he said. What can he learn from it? "Just what guys were tentative about, how (the Nuggets') defense kept us from getting the ball into the post position," Jackson said. "These guys have to learn things like that. The defense Denver ..."

Lakers' Phil Jackson cancels practice to take inventory

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November 15

Los Angeles Times

"As the Lakers landed at LAX sometime around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, Phil Jackson took stock of his team, considered its up-and-down two-day basketball binge, and canceled the practice that was scheduled later in the day. The Lakers had spent the last couple of nights oscillating from a convincing victory over Phoenix to a humbling loss in Denver, transitioning from an effort that turned the Suns into a two-loss team to a series of gasps in mile-high air that turned themselves into a two-loss team. They are now 7-2. At this rate, they'd finish 64-18, well off the Chicago Bulls' record-setting 72-10 season in 1995-96. The Lakers' schedule, however, loosens up over the next 19 days. Their next ..."

Lakers' faith in Artest in question

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November 14

Orange County Register

"Carmelo Anthony's strong start to the season got back on track with a couple of drives and several transition scores, and suddenly the Lakers' faith in Ron Artest as a defensive answer has to be shaken a little. Anthony overwhelmed the mistake-prone Lakers after halftime Friday night in the Denver Nuggets' 105-79 victory at Pepsi Center. Anthony was in early foul trouble but wound up sending Artest to the bench on his 30th birthday with five fouls and 7:17 still to go in the third quarter. The Lakers collapsed mentally thereafter. Artest's failures were magnified by Kobe Bryant's cold spell, Derek Fisher's unsteadiness, Lamar Odom's mind freezes and Andrew Bynum's struggles with double ..."

Jackson backs retiring No. 23 permanently

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November 14

Denver Post

"This week, Cavaliers star LeBron James said he's going to stop wearing jersey No. 23, in order to pay respect to Mi- chael Jordan, the legendary Bulls guard. And James suggested that no other player should ever wear No. 23, to honor the Hall of Famer. Friday, Jordan's old coach thought it was a classy move. "I think it's great," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who coached Jordan to six titles in the 1990s. "Hockey did that for Wayne Gretzky. He was a guy who changed the way the game is played. We haven't seen this happen in basketball. It might be a little step on the toes for guys like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. But he certainly set a standard.""

Nuggets earn playoff payback

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November 14

Denver Post

"On three straight possessions, Denver's J.R. Smith splashed two 3s and swooshed down court for a layup, but it was Smith's next play that had coach George Karl clapping furiously like he was about to scream "Tu-lo!" Late in Friday night's third quarter - a third quarter we'll talk about for months - Smith drew a courageous charge deep in the paint, a play that was the quintessence of the quarter. Up just two points at halftime, the Nuggets outscored the defending champion Lakers 29-8 in the third, breezing to a 105-79 victory at the Pepsi Center. "I think it was the best quarter I've seen our team play against a special team, maybe since I've been in Denver," said Karl. "It was intense, ..."

Nuggets' Lawson views Lakers as a main rival

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November 14

L.A. Daily News

"True, the Lakers and the Denver Nuggets have a history, but are they truly rivals? If so, it's been one-sided in recent years, with the Lakers demoralizing Denver in a four-game sweep in the opening round of the 2008 playoffs. The series was such a mismatch that Denver's Kenyon Martin admitted the Nuggets quit during Game 3. Then there was last spring's fiesta, when the Lakers took the Nuggets out in six games in the Western Conference finals. The Nuggets might have beaten the Lakers, but threw the ball away in a pair of crucial situations, costing them dearly. Overall, the Lakers are 5-0 in playoff series against the Nuggets and 17-4 in postseason games against them. The Lakers also led ..."

Lakers lose their air of superiority against Denver

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November 14

L.A. Daily News

"They were in fine shape. Trailing by only two points at halftime. Working as hard as their opponent and the mile-high altitude would allow. Then it all went haywire for the Lakers during the wrong kind of record-setting second half, which led to a 105-79 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night at the Pepsi Center, ending their six-game winning streak. They couldn't shoot straight. They couldn't handle the basketball. They couldn't play adequate defense. In the end, the Lakers got it only half right - the first half. The Lakers were outscored by an astounding 47-23 in the second half, shooting a meager 22.7 percent (10 for 44) and committing 10 turnovers. Their 23 points broke the ..."

Half measures fail miserably for Lakers

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November 14

Los Angeles Times

"Phil Jackson might want to rethink this thing. Before Friday's game, long before the Denver Nuggets thumped the Lakers, pounding them in practically every category in front of an amped-up crowd, Jackson said he didn't consider Denver to be a Western Conference rival. Instinctively, he said the Lakers' main rival was . . . Sacramento? Oh, boy. Hold the cowbells, forget all those cow-town jokes Jackson uttered earlier this decade. The Lakers apparently have a new adversary in the West, in case a 105-79 Nuggets victory didn't prove the point at the Pepsi Center. San Antonio is always looming in the background, and the Lakers haven't won in Portland in forever, but recent history suggests the ..."

Lakers' Ron Artest loses Round 1 to Denver's Carmelo Anthony

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November 14

Los Angeles Times

"The Lakers signed Ron Artest for very specific reasons: LeBron James, Paul Pierce and Carmelo Anthony. They wanted a strong small forward to take on the NBA's bigger small forwards. Artest seemed like a good fit. Listed at 6 feet 7 and 260 pounds, he outweighed his predecessor, Trevor Ariza, by 50 pounds and brought a reputation as one of the league's top shut-down defenders. Anthony is listed at 230 pounds, James weighs 250 and Pierce is 235 pounds. Fast forward to Friday, and Artest's first test this season against a top veteran forward. Anthony had been off to a solid start for the Denver Nuggets, averaging 30.2 points, fourth in the league before Friday. Against the Lakers, he had 25 ..."

Nuggets are primed to tangle with Lakers

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November 13

Denver Post

"Ty Lawson has played as many regular-season games against the Los Angeles Lakers as, well, you have, dear reader. But ask Lawson about the Lakers, and he sounds like, well, you again. Dude wants to beat L.A. "I'm already ready to beat the Lakers - it's a rivalry," the Nuggets' rookie point guard said this week. "We've got to set a tone early. Last year they beat us in the Western Conference finals, so this year, we're going to set the tone that we're not taking it this year - we're going to get this win." If Lawson feels this way, imagine how his teammates feel. The Lakers return to the Pepsi Center tonight for the first time since seizing the Western Conference crown last May, and while ..."

Lakers run past Phoenix

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November 13

L.A. Daily News

"Bryant scores 29, Bynum returns with 26-point, 15-rebound effort as L.A. coasts past Phoenix. So, if there really are no big games in November, as Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson insisted the other day, then exactly what was Thursday night's contest between the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center, anyway? Well, for starters, it was a beat down. What looked like a compelling matchup of two of the best teams in the NBA turned one-sided rather quickly in the third quarter. In the final analysis, the Lakers simply were better at running and gunning than the Suns. The Lakers thumped Phoenix 121-102 in front of a sellout crowd of 18,997, and then set their sights on the second part of ..."

Lakers surprised at timing of Hornets coach Scott's firing met with surprise

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November 13

L.A. Daily News

"Shock is the wrong word to describe the reaction to Byron Scott's firing as coach of the New Orleans Hornets on Thursday, considering how hot the seat under the former Lakers guard had grown in recent months and weeks. Still, nine games isn't much of a petri dish for evaluating a team, a coach or a season. So there was considerable surprise around Staples Center before Thursday's Lakers-Phoenix Suns game at the quick hook the Hornets wielded in dismissing Scott and replacing him with General Manager Jeff Bower and former USC coach Tim Floyd as his top assistant. "I think we're all surprised," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "It's pretty early in the season, not even 10 games in that this ..."

Phil Jackson is feeling much better

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November 13

Los Angeles Times

"The smaller things in life ate away at Phil Jackson the last few years. He felt the toll of 12 seasons as an NBA power forward whenever he stood for too long. Or shifted in his seat at a movie theater. Or simply walked from the locker room to the team bus. The Lakers' coach had chronic pain in his back, hips and knees, sometimes skipping games to rest his body. But Jackson, 64, is feeling better than he has in years. He is wearing an "unloader" brace on his left knee and seeing the benefits of years of physical therapy. "I feel really good," he said Thursday. "I have a device that really takes away a lot of the discomfort that I've had. That's a real big relief for me as far as just having ..."

Lakers are hotter than the Suns

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November 13

Los Angeles Times

"The Phoenix Suns came into town with their flashy record, their rejuvenated point guard and their rekindled run-and-fun offense. The Lakers didn't even care. What was supposed to be a burner turned into a bore, the Lakers yawning and stretching in the fourth quarter of a 121-102 victory Thursday at Staples Center. Still without Pau Gasol, the Lakers (7-1) led by as many as 27 and passed the Suns (8-2) for the best record in the Western Conference. The Suns came into the game averaging a league-best 112.3 points and left with an obvious problem on their hands whenever they play the Lakers. It's about 7 feet tall. Andrew Bynum came back from a two-game layoff and belted the Suns' smallish ..."

Phoenix's big-top antics come to a stop against Lakers

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November 13

Los Angeles Times

columnist Bill Plaschke

"The NBA's traveling carnival came to town Thursday, tilt-a-whirl breaks and cotton candy shots everywhere. It rolled in here after owning Boston, owning Miami, owning Philadelphia, turning the early season into its own Disneyland. "This is a fun team," chortled the Phoenix Suns Leandro Barbosa early Thursday evening at Staples Center. "We play fun basketball." Then the diamond-studded locals wandered in, wise to the midway and wary of the rides and unimpressed with the barking. Three hours later, the fun ended. Three hours later, the NBA's traveling carnival had been reduced to a collection of creaky metal and cracked mirrors in a church parking lot. Lakers 121, Suns 102, and let's not get ..."

Lakers' Pau is soft and smart

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November 12

Orange County Register

columnist Kevin Ding

"You won't be seeing Pau Gasol's season debut real soon. "Christmas?" Phil Jackson suggested in apparent jest Wednesday. Jackson's way is always to deflect touchy subjects with humor – except when it comes to Gasol, the coach loves to brandish his needle anyway. Jackson is secure in his knowledge that Gasol isn't injured anymore. The MRI doesn't show any more damage to his right hamstring, after all. And Gasol's gentle gestures and shooting touch have perpetuated a career-long speculation that he's soft. Well, he has indeed played soft at times, including in the failed 2008 NBA Finals, but bear in mind that he was out there against Boston back then on a bad left ankle, which was hurt in ..."

Lakers' next two games 'a good measure' of progress

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November 12

L.A. Daily News

"Phil Jackson began smiling before a reporter could finish a question Wednesday. "No," the Lakers' coach said, laughing. "There aren't any big games in November. The big games are in June." All right then. What does that make tonight's game between the defending NBA champion Lakers and the upstart Phoenix Suns? Well, when you pair the game with Friday's contest against the Nuggets in Denver, you get "a good measure, a good measure" of progress, according to Jackson. This certainly looms as the first serious test of the Lakers' resourcefulness, given that the Suns likely will run and run and run some more. Then the Lakers will fly to Denver to play in the mile-high altitude Friday against a ..."

Lakers' Gasol still awaits season's greeting

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November 12

L.A. Daily News

"Thanksgiving is still a few weeks away, but already the countdown to Christmas has begun. This year, the Christmas season might mark the season debut of a certain 7-foot Spaniard to the Lakers' lineup. That's right, Christmas. After giving daily updates and forecasts about when All-Star forward Pau Gasol and his stubborn right hamstring might finally be fit enough to play, Lakers coach Phil Jackson teasingly said Wednesday that Gasol might not play until Christmas. Just how much Jackson might've been teasing - or needling Gasol - with that comment is unclear. For his part, the Spaniard said he wanted to have at least two days of pain-free running on a treadmill and at least a couple of ..."

Magic, Kobe stand tallest in Lakers' dream backcourt

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November 11

Los Angeles Times

"Imagine a Lakers' backcourt of Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant. Close your eyes for a few seconds and envision the Magic Man pounding the rock on the fast break, his eyes darting, options all over the place and on the wing is Bryant, out-running everyone to make sure he's in Johnson's line of sight for one of those signature passes. Yeah, it's just a dream, but as we celebrate the Lakers' 50th anniversary of producing magical moments in Los Angeles, of producing some of the best basketball players the NBA has ever seen, the best Lakers' guard duo would have to be Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant. Sure, one can easily substitute Jerry West, or perhaps even Gail Goodrich or Byron Scott, into the ..."

Lakers' Bynum to return Thursday

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November 11

L.A. Daily News

"Andrew Bynum joined his teammates for Tuesday's practice, suffered no immediate setbacks and pronounced himself ready to play Thursday against the resurgent Phoenix Suns. A strained right elbow no longer was an issue for him. Bynum sat out the past two games, a pair of ho-hum victories over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday and the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday. He was injured in the closing seconds of the Lakers' overtime win over the Houston Rockets on Nov. 4. "It's time for me to go out there and try it out," Bynum said. "No, I'm not going to be cautious. I went out there and banged with DJ (Mbenga) a little bit and nothing bad happened. No swelling came back, so I should be all right." ..."

Lakers great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has leukemia

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November 10

Los Angeles Times

"NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has a rare form of leukemia, but the Lakers legend says his long-term prognosis is very good. Abdul-Jabbar, 62, revealed during an interview Monday that he has Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow that produces cancerous blood cells. The disease was diagnosed in December. But Abdul-Jabbar said his condition can be managed by taking oral medication daily, seeing his specialist every other month and getting his blood analyzed regularly. He said he expects to lead a healthy life. Abdul-Jabbar acknowledged he was scared after visiting his doctor and learning of the diagnosis. "The word 'leukemia' ..."

Kobe arrives, but then again he has always been here

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November 10

Los Angeles Times

"This article was originally published June 16, 2009 and is part of the new book "Los Angeles Lakers: 50 Amazing Years in the City of Angels" by the Los Angeles Times sports staff. You can purchase the book online here. Remember Shaq and Kobe? Now it's Kobe and Shaq Actually, they're tied with four NBA titles apiece, but there's no doubt whose time this is . . . finally . . . with Kobe Bryant, who's 30 to Shaquille O'Neal's 37, on a young powerhouse, as opposed to being shopped around the league. The Lakers won more than a title Sunday, which ranked with such watershed moments as the first one they won in Los Angeles in 1972; their first with Magic Johnson in 1980; and their first over the ..."

Lakers victory is Big Easy

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November 9

Orange County Register

"Derek Fisher tossed home a 3-pointer from the corner just before the buzzer, then turned and locked eyes with his wife in the stands to share the little moment. It was that kind of night for the Lakers. They did pretty much everything well and got to enjoy an easy 104-88 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday night at Staples Center. Fisher's 3-pointer only beat the first-half buzzer, but the Lakers were in complete control then with a 13-point lead and thereafter. Kobe Bryant continued his scoring rampage with Andrew Bynum (elbow) missing his second consecutive game, pouring in 26 first-half points. Bryant finished with 28, shooting 11 for 21 from the field. DJ Mbenga, starting at ..."

Peterson benched by Scott

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November 9

New Orleans Times-Picayune

"When Hornets Coach Byron Scott met with shooting guard Morris Peterson following Saturday afternoon's practice to tell Peterson he'd been inactive for Sunday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers, it wasn't as if Peterson hadn't heard such news before. A year ago, though troubled by injuries, Peterson lost his starting job to Rasual Butler and even when he regained his health, Peterson could not work his way back into Scott's rotation. Sunday night's start, and a defensive matchup against the Lakers' Kobe Bryant, went to veteran Devin Brown. Peterson watched in street clothes. "I guess Coach is doing what he feels is best for the team," Peterson said in the dressing room at the ..."

Bryant, Lakers burn Hornets

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November 9

New Orleans Times-Picayune

"Hornets Coach Byron Scott and guard Devin Brown are frequent golfing companions, sparking the obvious question to both Sunday night. Was Brown beating Scott on the links? Why else would Scott choose this, of all nights, to toss Brown into a potential inferno, making him the starting two guard against the Los Angeles Lakers and their other-worldly shooting guard Kobe Bryant. The query elicited laughs from both. But by game's end, Brown and the rest of the unsmiling Hornets had been torched by Bryant's 28 points -- 26 in the first half -- as the Lakers ran away to a 104-88 victory at the Staples Center, where the Hornets will play the Los Angeles Clippers tonight. Scott made the move to ..."

Lakers center Mbenga also has ailments

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November 9

L.A. Daily News

"Andrew Bynum sat out because of a strained right elbow. Again. Pau Gasol sat out because of a strained right hamstring. Again. Coach Phil Jackson revealed that DJ Mbenga, the Lakers' third 7-footer, has been suffering from a lingering abdominal injury and tendinitis in his knees and it's been a chore to keep him healthy enough to practice and play in relief of Bynum and Gasol. "His athleticism has been hindered this year by his abdominal injury - partial groin, partial abdominal," Jackson said before the Lakers faced the New Orleans Hornets with Mbenga at center Sunday night at Staples Center. "He has tendinitis, which has kept him from being as active as he'd like to be. So, he's playing ..."

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