Lakers News

Kobe Bryant's 41 points lift Lakers by Grizzlies, 114-98
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November 7
Memphis Commercial Appeal
 
"Lakers guard Kobe Bryant dunks against the Memphis Grizzlies during the second half Friday. Bryant scored 41 points while becoming the youngest player to reach 24,000. Promises to play something that resembles defense. Now, the guy who writes the checks is about to have his say. Michael Heisley, the Grizzlies' Chicago-based owner, flew to town Friday in time to watch his team lose 114-98 to the Los Angeles Lakers in Staples Center. But Heisley isn't in Los Angeles for a leisurely weekend getaway. He joined the team for the expressed purpose of addressing some of the team's problems. Heisley will have several meetings, including a sit-down with Iverson, today with the goal of trying to get ..."
Lakers' Artest upset by Barkley's comments
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November 7
L.A. Daily News
 
"Ron Artest and Charles Barkley continued their long-distance war of words, with the Lakers' forward responding at great length Friday to the TNT commentator's chiding opinion Thursday that Artest should give up his off-court pursuits. "If Ron Artest just plays basketball, I think (the Lakers) can be better," Barkley said. "He's going to have to keep himself under control. He's going to have to accept that winning is the most important thing." Barkley's comments came moments after TNT aired a taped feature on Artest, one that painted him in a flattering light with the focus on his work in the community since he signed with the Lakers in the offseason."
Bryant, Lakers post up victory
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November 7
L.A. Daily News
 
"Without Gasol, Bynum in middle, L.A. star goes inside against Memphis and scores 41 points. Maybe things will be different when Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol play together for the first time this season. Maybe the Lakers' 7-footers will ease the burden for Kobe Bryant, who kept things together while they sat out Friday night because of injuries. Then again, maybe nothing will change. Perhaps things will look exactly as they did during the Lakers' comprehensive 114-98 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center, when Bryant scored 41 points for the third time in four games. OK, so maybe he might not make 19 of 30 shots, as he did in dismantling the Grizzlies. Maybe he might not score ..."
Kobe, Lakers have Grizzlies' number
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November 7
Los Angeles Times
 
"No Andrew Bynum, no Pau Gasol and, really, no big deal. There might have been issues had the Lakers played Boston or Orlando, but they caught a break in the schedule after catching none on the injury front, and were able to beat the hapless Memphis Grizzlies, 114-98, Friday at Staples Center. Kobe Bryant scored 41 points and Ron Artest had 19 as the short-staffed Lakers awoke in the second half to improve to 5-1. Bynum didn't play because of a strained right elbow and Gasol was sidelined for a sixth consecutive game by a strained right hamstring, though they weren't missed against a Memphis team that fell to 1-5."
Artest responds to Charles Barkley's criticism
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November 7
Los Angeles Times
 
"Ron Artest fired back at Charles Barkley on Friday after the TNT analyst criticized the Lakers forward by saying he could become a distraction to the team. Barkley made his comments after TNT did a prerecorded segment on Artest's off-court activities that aired Thursday night during the telecast of an NBA doubleheader. Artest said Barkley took his "shine," meaning his publicity. "That whole spotlight they did on me, he just took that away," Artest said about the TNT interview. Artest has spent time rapping, working on his Twitter account, interacting with fans and attending charity events and other entertainment ventures. He took exception to what Barkley said, pointing out that some of ..."
Bryant makes history again
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November 7
Los Angeles Times
 
"There were two milestones for Kobe Bryant on Friday night during the Lakers' 114-98 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at Staples Center. By scoring 41 points, Bryant became the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 24,000 points. And he passed Allen Iverson for 16th on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Bryant has 24,027 points in his 14-year career. Friday night marked the third time this week Bryant has scored 41 points in a game. He did so against Atlanta on Sunday and Houston on Wednesday. Bryant made 19 of 30 field-goal attempts against Memphis. Iverson, who now plays for Memphis, had just eight points. The Lakers looked more serious tonight in the third quarter, much more ..."
Artest's presence an added dimension for Lakers
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November 6
Toronto Sun
 
"No doubt Ron Artest is enjoying the moment as he continues to silence the legions of doubters. Mark Cuban emerged as the most vocal, which is hardly surprisingly given his penchant for opening his mouth on all things related to hoops. The maverick owner of the Mavs was convinced his team's best interest was well served when Artest bolted to the Lakers in free agency. In the first meeting pitting the two teams, Dallas downed the host Lakers, a setback that wasn't so much an indictment on Artest's game as it was attributable to a rare off night by Kobe Bryant. But so far, so good for Artest, whose transition to Los Angeles has been seamless. Artest remains an above-average scorer ..."
Lakers big men Bynum and Gasol likely out Friday against Memphis
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November 6
L.A. Daily News
 
"Andrew Bynum's injured right elbow isn't as bad as originally thought, but he still might not play tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. Bynum said it was doubtful he could play after an MRI exam revealed he has a strained elbow. Pau Gasol's strained right hamstring has healed, but he said it would be "very doubtful" that he could play tonight against his brother, Marc, and the Grizzlies. Gasol practiced with his teammates, but indicated he's not ready to play yet. Gasol did not participate in the full-contact portion of Thursday's practice. What might Lakers coach Phil Jackson do if neither of his 7-footers is sound enough to play against the Grizzlies? Well, he could give DJ Mbenga, the ..."
Bynum, Gasol are expected to miss Friday's game
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November 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"It was a day of medical terms and injury evaluations, a time for the Lakers to take a breath after two overtime road victories and, of greater importance, take stock of their ailing big men. Andrew Bynum was their latest 7-footer to undergo an MRI exam, the results showing a strained right elbow that left him listed as doubtful for tonight's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Pau Gasol did some work on the practice court Thursday but declared himself out for tonight's game, unless his strained right hamstring suddenly felt much, much better today. In other words, DJ Mbenga might start at center. Or if the Lakers go with a small lineup, Lamar Odom might get the call in the middle, with ..."
Bryant, Artest daunting pair for Lakers
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November 5
San Antonio Express-News
 
"His back ached, and his throat was sore, but as he trudged off to a hot shower after the Lakers' overtime road victory over the Thunder on Tuesday night, Kobe Bryant turned and offered some advice to the Spurs' Manu Ginobili. "If he sees another bat flying around the arena," he said, "he needs to swat that one out of the air, just like last time." Those rabies shots Ginobili now must endure were the price of sending a message to anyone, or anything, posing a threat to the game. "We're trying to play basketball out there," Bryant said. "You just can't let anything interrupt that." Not even a high fever that temporarily triggered swine flu fears kept Bryant from playing 46 minutes and ..."
Lakers Artest, Houston's Ariza steal the show in L.A.'s OT win
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November 5
L.A. Daily News
 
"After Ron Artest stuck a dagger into the hearts of his former teammates and after Trevor Ariza stuck one between the ribs of his old team, that's when the fun really started Wednesday. Artest and Ariza traded 3-pointers in the closing seconds of regulation, with Artest giving the Lakers the lead and Ariza countering for Houston and forcing overtime. Others would determine the outcome once the game went to overtime, but for a delicious moment or two late in the fourth quarter it appeared first Artest and then Ariza had made the game's crucial shot. Artest and the Lakers eventually defeated Ariza and the Rockets 103-102, as a sellout crowd of 18,291 at the Toyota Center tried their best to ..."
Lakers win, but Bynum leaves game with an elbow sprain
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November 5
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Lakers won another game but might have lost another big man. Pau Gasol is a little closer to returning, but Andrew Bynum was injured toward the end of the Lakers' 103-102 overtime victory Wednesday over the Houston Rockets. Bynum was fouled hard across his right arm while going up for a shot and sustained a sprained elbow with 24.7 seconds left in overtime. He will be re-evaluated today in Los Angeles. "I can't even lift my arm right now," Bynum said. "They just took a shot at me. That's that, I guess. It's not that bad. It just takes a little while to heal up." Anybody ready for Lamar Odom at center? On the day that Gasol was cleared to resume basketball-related activities, the Lakers ..."
Pau Gasol probably won't play Friday
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November 5
Los Angeles Times
 
"Day by day, Pau Gasol has made improvements from a hamstring injury to the point where he has been cleared to resume basketball-related activities. But his return for a basketball game with the Lakers remains uncertain. Gasol took an MRI exam Monday that revealed he had a strained right hamstring and not a slight tear that showed up on the sonogram he also took. The MRI is a more sophisticated examination. The Lakers also sent the MRI results to Gasol's personal physician in Spain. "The results of the MRI were promising and positive," Gasol said Wednesday night. "So that gives me a little bit of hope that I'll be back soon. I just hope that I can increase the level of work that I'm doing ..."
High praise from Kobe Bryant
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November 4
The Oklahoman
 
"Kevin Durant missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer in the waning seconds of regulation against the Lakers on Tuesday night. He was 0-of-4 from the field in overtime and 0-of-8 on 3-pointers as Los Angeles won 101-98. But Kobe Bryant says the 2008 Rookie of the Year will be just fine. Asked if he had any advice for Durant, Bryant smiled. "He don't need no advice," Bryant said. "That (guy) is good enough already." Kobe plays sick Bryant had a temperature Monday night after the Lakers arrived in Oklahoma City. He skipped the shootaround Tuesday afternoon. Wrapped in towels over his head and upper body after the game, Bryant said he wasn't nearly as sick as when he had the stomach flu ..."
Thunder's upset bid falls short vs. Lakers
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November 4
The Oklahoman
 
"Before he dashed out of the Thunder's dressing room, seemingly in search of any rock sizeable enough to crawl under and conceal his 6-foot-9 inch frame from the outside world, Kevin Durant sounded as glum as he's ever been after a defeat. He spoke to a group of reporters in a low monotone, holding back any emotion as he described what went wrong in his team's 101-98 loss to the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night at the Ford Center. His lengthiest response was three sentences, 22 words. His last reply, a nine-word answer, explained his disposition. "I could have won the game," Durant murmured. "I missed shots." On Sunday night against Portland, the Thunder's ..."
Lakers hang on in Oklahoma City overtime
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November 4
Orange County Register
 
"Andrew Bynum desperately wants to play the crunch time minutes, even after Pau Gasol's hamstring heals. Bynum took a big step Tuesday night by making the proper help-defense play and contesting Kevin Durant's jumper in the final overtime minute of the Lakers' 101-98 victory over Oklahoma City. It was the same play that Lamar Odom biffed late in the first quarter, annoying Kobe Bryant. But Bynum came through, popping out from inside to surprise Durant, and Bynum was pumping his fist in jubilation immediately after seeing Durant's shot fall short, even though play was continuing. Durant faded late in his 28-point game. For the Lakers, Bryant had 31, Bynum 22 and Ron Artest 20."
Lakers' Bench Mob stays on the bench
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November 4
L.A. Daily News
 
"The Bench Mob got benched again in the second half of the Lakers' 101-98 overtime victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night. The Lakers' second unit didn't come close to their customary minutes as coach Phil Jackson decided it was better to put the game in the hands of the starters rather than risk a meltdown in the second half. As a result, the starters played big minutes. By game's end, substitutes Josh Powell scored four points and Sasha Vujacic had two. No other Lakers reserve scored. Powell played 12 minutes, 34 seconds. Shannon Brown was the only other member of the Bench Mob to play more than 10 minutes. "They're just not picking up the flow of the game, coming back ..."
Bryant, Lakers well enough to beat Oklahoma City in overtime
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November 4
L.A. Daily News
 
"Kobe Bryant woke up Tuesday morning in a strange city with a strange feeling. His throat hurt and he was feverish, two symptoms that made him wonder if something was seriously wrong with him. Bryant stayed in bed for most of the day and the fever broke at last. The pain in his throat never went away, even as he hoisted the Lakers on his back once more and helped carry them to a 101-98 overtime win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. Bryant scored 31 points on 9-for-22 shooting, grabbed six rebounds and added four assists in 45 minutes, 41 seconds. It wasn't his best game of the new season, but considering how he felt before, during and after it, it surely was his bravest. Then again, it's not ..."
Ex-Laker to keep emotions at bay
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November 4
Houston Chronicle
 
"Trevor Ariza shrugged his broad shoulders and tilted his head, silently declaring that he really did not know what to say. Minutes later, he shrugged again, and then again, this time smiling, almost apologetically for being unable to play along. "I've done it before," Ariza said of facing a former team, with the Rockets going against the Lakers tonight at Toyota Center for the first time since he left Los Angeles. "They're not my first former team." Ariza would have to possess the world's best poker face to have been pretending when he said he was not especially eager to take on the Lakers for the first time since they shared last season's championship run only to have contract talks ..."
Pau Gasol appears close to return
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November 4
Los Angeles Times
 
"Pau Gasol's hamstring now stretches all the way to Spain . . . sort of. The Lakers sent the information from Gasol's latest medical test to his personal physician and also his parents, who are in the medical field in Spain. (His mother is a doctor and his father is a hospital administrator.) The Lakers declined to reveal the results of the MRI exam, citing the need for confirmation from Gasol's chosen recipients, but his strained right hamstring doesn't appear to be bad enough to keep him out much longer. He went through a "pretty good workout" after the team's Tuesday afternoon shoot-around, Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. Gasol will not play tonight against Houston, his fifth consecutive ..."
Trevor Ariza gets over it in Houston
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November 4
Los Angeles Times
 
"Four months later, Trevor Ariza still has some bitterness when he talks about his contract negotiations with the Lakers. On the court, basketball is about winning, about producing, about becoming an NBA champion. Ariza did all that last season, having the best of his five seasons in the league, as the Lakers won the NBA title with him starting at small forward. Off the court, though, basketball is a business. "You learn that it's cutthroat," Ariza said Tuesday. "It doesn't always go the way you want it to." That's what Ariza learned after he became a free agent and began negotiating with the Lakers for a new contract, which he didn't get, because the Lakers signed Ron Artest instead. ..."
Lakers' Pau Gasol out against Thunder; Kobe Bryant misses shootaround in OKC
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November 3
The Oklahoman
 
"The Los Angeles Lakers' Pau Gasol, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, will not play tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder or on Wednesday against Houston. Lakers star Kobe Bryant, the 2008 league MVP, skipped the Lakers' shootaround Tuesday afternoon at the Ford Center, reportedly with flu-like symptoms."
Kobe Bryant ill, could miss tonight's game
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November 3
Los Angeles Times
 
"Lakers guard Kobe Bryant did not attend the team shoot-around this morning because of flu-like symptoms that included a fever. It is not known if he will play tonight, though he has played through worse ailments. "He usually does," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said."
Gearing up for the defending champs
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November 3
The Oklahoman
 
"In just the third home game, the Thunder will play host to the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers tonight at the Ford Center. They're presence is the NBA's equivalent of the circus coming to town. "There's going to be a lot of excitement in the air from our crowd," said Thunder coach Scott Brooks. "They're the best team in basketball right now. Players are excited."The major change for the Lakers is the addition of Ron Artest, a talented but controversial player who replaced Trevor Ariza, who's now in Houston."He's a passionate guy on the court," said Thunder guard Kevin Ollie. "He's going to bring a lot of toughness to their team, another defensive stopper besides Kobe (Bryant). He's ..."
Thunder players fired up for Lakers
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November 3
The Oklahoman
 columnist John Rohde
"If the wind chill is 10-below on a February night and the Minnesota Timberwolves are visiting the Ford Center, it's understandable how Thunder players, coaches and fans might struggle warming up to the task at hand. A visit from the Los Angeles Lakers, no matter what time of season, presents no such problem.Such is the difference between the former Minneapolis franchise and its current franchise.(By the way, the Timberwolves visit Feb. 26 this season. Kind of gives you a chill, huh?)An 82-game regular season is a grind, but the blood has no problem circulating when the Lakers come to town, which happens to be tonight at 7.Thunder players couldn't throw the ball into the Pacific two nights ..."
Glory days revisited
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November 3
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 
"They went from being bitter -- though usually respectful -- rivals who went head to head in some of the most memorable college and pro basketball games of all time to being very good friends off the court in retirement. And now, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are co-authors. The basketball legends put out "When the Game Was Ours" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $26) with the Boston Globe's Jackie MacMullan. The book is available now, though the official release date is Wednesday. Johnson and Bird participated in a conference call Monday to promote the book and to discuss the path they have created since squaring off in an epic 1979 NCAA title game -- Bird with Indiana State, Magic with Michigan ..."
Lakers getting an angel or demons?
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November 3
L.A. Daily News
 
"Ron Artest is not normal, but you probably already knew that. He stands 6-foot-7 and weighs 265 pounds, which makes him large by small forward standards. He's a capable scorer from the perimeter and the paint. He's a superb defender, a strong rebounder, a deft playmaker, arare mix of strength and finesse. He's also capable of going off the rails, as evidenced by his role in the "Malice in the Palace" brawl, which resulted in a league-record 73-game suspension in 2004-05. And he's been a self-described bad teammate at times in his career."
Lakers great Magic Johnson expected strong reaction from Isiah Thomas regarding book
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November 3
L.A. Daily News
 
"Lakers great says about long-time friend, `We both move on and keep going.' If Magic Johnson's fractured friendship with Isiah Thomas suffers further collateral damage by a book released this week, there doesn't seem to be much movement for any kissing and making up in the near future. In "When The Game Was Ours," a book coming out Wednesday co-authored by Johnson and Larry Bird to recount their basketball rivalry- turned-brotherhood starting 30 years ago, a few egos have been stepped on when diverting to other sidelights. Johnson writes how more than miffed he was that Thomas began asking people close to both of them whether Johnson was gay after it was revealed he had HIV in 1991. He ..."
Former rivals Bird, Magic now co-authors
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November 3
NBA.com
 
"Larry Bird doesn't understand what all the fuss was about. So what if LeBron James didn't shake hands with the Orlando Magic after his Cleveland Cavaliers lost in the Eastern Conference finals? "When basketball is over you live the rest of your life, and you'll have plenty of time for that," Bird said of players being friends with their opponents. His greatest rival -- and now one of his greatest friends -- agreed. "We never shook each others' hands," Magic Johnson said. The two Hall of Famers -- their names forever linked -- have now written a book together. When the Game Was Ours, written with Jackie MacMullan, is due out Wednesday. They said they were tired of other players, coaches and ..."
Lakers' Pau Gasol may have slight tear in hamstring
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November 3
Los Angeles Times
 
"Because his right hamstring had been slow to heal, Lakers forward Pau Gasol decided to undergo an examination, one facet of which was a sonogram that revealed he might have a slight tear. Gasol also had an MRI test Monday, which offers a more detailed picture. The Lakers didn't have the results by the end of practice, but they could have them by today. "It's not as sophisticated a test," Lakers spokesman John Black said about the sonogram. "That's why we are doing the MRI. It's much more sophisticated." Gasol originally was diagnosed with a strained hamstring. He tried to practice two weeks ago, but said he aggravated it. Gasol has been shut down for three weeks now, missing the first ..."
Kurt Rambis has Phil Jackson's demeanor, if not his players
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November 3
Los Angeles Times
 
"You could ask any of the literally dozens of Clippers fans who are left (owner Donald T. Sterling, Penny Marshall, Jimmy Goldstein plus entourages) . . . they don't make can't-miss young teams the way they used to. With this one having missed four times in the first six days of the season, Clipper Nation, however depopulated, was heartened to see its team win a game. Or maybe Kurt Rambis' young Minnesota Timberwolves lost it. In any case, the Clippers have a 1 under W in the standings, where there used to be a 0. Remember Rambis Youth, his horn rim glasses-wearing fans in the Forum? These were Rambis' Youths, whom the Clippers were expected to beat soundly but escaped by a score of 93-90 . ..."
Lakers' Pau Gasol may have small tear in his hamstring
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November 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"Lakers forward Pau Gasol underwent a sonogram that showed a possible tear in his right hamstring, and he is not expected to play on the team's upcoming two-game road trip, the team said. Gasol also had a more complex MRI exam today on his hamstring, and those results will be known by Tuesday. Gasol is traveling with the Lakers for their games in Oklahoma City on Tuesday and in Houston on Wednesday but will not play. "We don't expect him to play on this trip," Lakers spokesman John Black said."
Lakers still on uneven ground after victory
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November 2
L.A. Daily News
 
"Defending champs put together sporadic performance in beating Atlanta; Bryant scores 41. Three games into the new season and the defending NBAchampion Lakers are still very much a work in progress. Their game certainly came in fits and starts against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night at Staples Center. One minute they were defenseless, the next they couldn't be scored upon. One minute, they scored at will, the next they couldn't throw a ball in the ocean. In the end, their good moments overshadowed their bad ones and they defeated the Hawks 118-110. An electric third quarter enabled them to break open a close game and coast to a victory that gave them a 2-1 record to start the season."
Lakers forward Gasol accepts his role as spectator
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November 2
L.A. Daily News
 
"Pau Gasol has gone through the various stages of grief. He's well past being angry about the strained right hamstring that sidelined him for a third consecutive game Sunday night. Now he's simply resigned to sitting on the bench in street clothes. "I've been pretty open- minded about it," he said before the Lakers faced the Atlanta Hawks at Staples Center. "I've been a little frustrated. I've been a little disappointed that this happened, but at the same time, I've moved on from it." Gasol is midway through the estimated six weeks it could take for his hamstring to heal fully. The trouble is the Lakers need their power forward/center sooner rather than later. They can't wait six weeks to ..."
Jordan Farmar, Adam Morrison aren't offered extensions by Lakers
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November 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"Jordan Farmar now has extra motivation, should he need it. So does Adam Morrison. The Lakers did not give contract extensions to either fourth-year player, making them both restricted free agents in July. The Lakers had until today to reach an agreement with each player. Farmar, 23, will make $1.9 million this season and Morrison, 26, will make $5.2 million. Farmar is locked in a battle with Shannon Brown for minutes as Derek Fisher's backup "I think I have a lot to offer. I know I can do so much more than I'm doing right now," said Farmar, who is averaging 4.7 points and 1.7 assists through three games this season. "If they really, really want me, they probably would have signed me. It's ..."
Lakers' Artest puts a stop to Atlanta's Johnson
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November 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"His knees were wrapped in ice and his feet were in a bucket of ice. His Lakers jersey still was damp from the night's work, and now Ron Artest was resting, relishing the moment even. Artest had shut down Atlanta's Joe Johnson, taking him on in the second quarter after the Hawks' All-Star guard had scored 18 points in the first quarter of Sunday night's game at Staples Center. This was why the Lakers acquired Artest -- to be that lock-down defender on nights when Kobe Bryant seemingly cannot. Johnson scored just nine points during the rest of the game, and Artest's suffocating defense was a big reason why. "[I] stayed with the team concept and got up in him," Artest said after the Lakers ..."
Kobe Bryant helps Lakers rebound
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November 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"Whatever happened Friday, whatever seeped into the Lakers in an embarrassing home loss to Dallas, evaporated into a fine powder and blew away when they reconvened at Staples Center two days later. The Lakers took apart the Atlanta Hawks in much the same way they were dumped by the Mavericks, cruising to a 118-110 victory Sunday. Kobe Bryant had 41 points, Andrew Bynum had 21 and Ron Artest showed why he was the Lakers' main off-season acquisition, sending teammates into a tizzy with his defensive effort against Hawks guard Joe Johnson. This season hadn't been the cleanest start for Artest, relocating to a star-studded city and a talent-oozing team, but he shut down Johnson in the second ..."
Jordan Farmar, Adam Morrison aren't offered extensions by Lakers
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November 2
Los Angeles Times
 
"Jordan Farmar now has extra motivation, should he need it. So does Adam Morrison. The Lakers did not give contract extensions to either fourth-year player, making them both restricted free agents in July. The Lakers had until today to reach an agreement with each player. Farmar, 23, will make $1.9 million this season and Morrison, 26, will make $5.2 million. Farmar is locked in a battle with Shannon Brown for minutes as Derek Fisher's backup "I think I have a lot to offer. I know I can do so much more than I'm doing right now," said Farmar, who is averaging 4.7 points and 1.7 assists through three games this season. "If they really, really want me, they probably would have signed me. It's ..."
Lakers pound mistake prone Hawks 118-110
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November 2
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"Another big game and another big let down for the Hawks. The Hawks lost their sixth straight game against one of the league's elite teams dating back to the playoffs last season, falling 118-110 to the world champion Los Angeles Lakers Sunday night at Staples Center. Cleveland swept the injury-plagued Hawks out of the Eastern Conference semifinals last season and they were blown out in their preseason finale last month by reigning Eastern Conference champion Orlando. Sunday night's game against the Lakers was a chance for redemption, a chance to prove that their 2-0 start to this season wasn't just a product of their ability to channel their energy and emotion in the right direction at ..."
Lakers trying to get their groove back
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November 1
L.A. Daily News
 
"In hindsight, maybe the Lakers should have worn those little stickers you place over your chest that read: Hello, my name is They certainly seemed to forget who they were during Friday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center. The Lakers were out of rhythm from the opening tip. "We had incidents that got us cross-matched against referees, so we had technicals," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Saturday. "We had lane violations, defensive three seconds (and) we got steals and then committed fouls and got a technical on top of it. We missed free throws in a situation where we scored eight straight points, and that stopped our momentum. There was a reason for it. "We weren't in sync and ..."
Lakers' Ron Artest says he's shooting well
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November 1
Los Angeles Times
 
"His stats tell one story. He tells another. The two are conflicting, confounding even when Ron Artest explains his woes on offense. He's shooting only 25% (four for 16) from the field, 22.2% (two for nine) from three-point range. He's even missing from the free-throw line, making only 33.3% (three for nine) of his tries. Those numbers say Artest's shot has betrayed him. He says otherwise. "I feel like I shot the ball well," Artest, who is averaging 6.5 points after two games with the Lakers, said after practice Saturday. "I feel like I'm playing great. That's how I feel." Artest's problems started in the exhibition season, when he made only 39.6% of his shots, 25% of his three-point tries ..."
Lakers are pick-and-rolled to this loss
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November 1
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Lakers took it on the chin on defense Friday night, the Dallas Mavericks slicing them up with a steady diet of pick-and-rolls. At times last season, the Lakers had trouble with their pick-and-roll defense. All too often during Friday's 94-80 loss to the Mavericks at Staples Center, the Lakers were a step slow on defense, or were unable to recover, or simply left Dallas players wide open. "We let this team get back to the middle all the time and use screens all the time in situations where we could take them away from screens," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said. "That's really one of our major points of emphasis." The Lakers are supposed to have two of the best wing defenders in the NBA in ..."
Hawks face early road test against Lakers
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November 1
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"Having been here before, winning their first two games of the season for the second consecutive year, the Hawks are aware of how easy it is to become smitten with your own performance. They ran off six straight wins last year before tasting defeat, and would have made it seven if not for a Paul Pierce buzzer-beater in Boston. But the upcoming schedule, and their recent history against the league's elite, has them grounded in the reality that the slightest misstep against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday at Staples Center could prove disastrous. In each of their past five matchups against a top-tier team, the Hawks have been humbled mightily. Cleveland swept them out of the Eastern ..."
Lakers get served a dose of reality
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October 31
L.A. Daily News
 
"So much for the afterglow. The glitz and glamour of opening night had faded into ancient history by the time the Lakers returned to Staples Center on Friday night. There was no chatter about championship rings or banners, only talk of missed chances and failed execution. The Dallas Mavericks punished the Lakers for their lackluster play, defeating them 94-80 and reminding them that opponents always seem to play with added emotion and efficiency when they meet the defending champs. After defeating the Clippers in their season opener Tuesday and celebrating their 2008-09 title for the last time, the Lakers went back to the mundane business of trying to win games. They learned what all ..."
Lakers coach Jackson doesn't call foul on one of Donaghy's claims
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October 31
L.A. Daily News
 
"Coach Phil Jackson didn't exactly dispute recent allegations made by disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy that the league's officials give preferential treatment to superstars, including Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. "That's happened ever since Naismith threw a jump ball up, that's always happened in basketball," Jackson said Friday, referring to the inventor of basketball, James Naismith. "There's nothing unusual about that or disturbing about that at all." Jackson said he and the Lakers coaching staff joke about it on the sidelines. "We say during the course of a game, 'They've put their whistles in their pockets, they're not going to call fouls tonight.'" Jackson said before the Lakers ..."
Lakers' Pau Gasol is concerned about hamstring injury
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October 31
Los Angeles Times
 
"Lakers Coach Phil Jackson keeps saying he's not concerned about Pau Gasol's hamstring injury. But someone on the Lakers is worried. "I'm concerned about it, definitely," Gasol said. "There's no set time to return, no set date. I just don't want it to turn into something long-term." It's almost at that point. Gasol was sidelined Friday against Dallas, the second regular-season game he missed after sitting out the last six exhibition games. The Lakers continue to call him day to day because of a strained right hamstring, but it has practically become week to week. Gasol has practiced only once since he was injured almost three weeks ago. He felt sore the next day and hasn't been back on the ..."
Lakers are humbled at home by the Mavericks
Comment
October 31
Los Angeles Times
 
"These guys are going to finish 73-9? The same ones who stood in the center ring of a circus of miscues and missed shots Friday in an embarrassing home loss to the Dallas Mavericks? No way, no how. The Lakers didn't just lose to Dallas as much as destroy a season-long story line. And it's only their second game. The Chicago Bulls can apparently rest easy after the Lakers' 94-80 loss. Their NBA-record 72-10 mark in the 1995-96 season looks safe, despite the fact some of the Lakers talked earlier this week about surpassing it. The Lakers are still favored to win a second consecutive championship, but nothing from Friday will be on their year-end highlight video. Kobe Bryant had an awful ..."
Mark Cuban has fun at Lakers' expense, then Mavericks do too
Comment
October 31
Los Angeles Times
 
"Drat. There goes that 82-0 season. It was Game 2 of 82 Friday night. A Lakers team whose last season seemed to end yesterday was back in full swing. The Dallas Mavericks were in town, as was their energetic and entertaining owner, Mark Cuban, who can be more fun than the game. There are only a few things to look for in Lakerland this early in the season. The Lakers won it all last June, have 11 players back from that team, and are expected to do it again this season. Like the baseball fans in New York with the Yankees, Los Angeles pro basketball fans -- except for the seven who root for the Clippers -- have a sort of entitlement feeling about their Lakers and league championships. Staples ..."
Mavericks conquer their Kobe-phobia and get past Lakers
Comment
October 31
Dallas Morning News
 columnist Eddie Sefko
"The first step to beating the Lakers is getting over the fear factor. You know how it is. Like the TV show of the same name, you have to get over the phobia of eating a bug or being trapped under water. Call it Kobe-phobia. The Mavericks proved Friday night that, if they have any fear of the Lakers, they can overcome it. They may not always beat the Lakers. But they know now the kind of grit that's required to play with them. They played a first half exactly the way it must be played to have success against the Lakers. They ran extra defenders at Kobe Bryant. They rotated their defense to cover other players when Bryant passed the ball. And they moved the ball offensively the way a team ..."
Lakers' Bench Mob a non-factor in opening-night win
Comment
October 30
L.A. Daily News
 
"The Bench Mob got benched. The Lakers' second unit was so ineffective in the first half of the season opener Tuesday against the Clippers that its members hardly played at all in the second. The Lakers' backups were outscored by the Clippers' substitutes 29-9 by game's end. Jordan Farmar led the reserves with four points in a tick less than 15 minutes. DJ Mbenga had two points in a little less than 10 minutes. Josh Powell had two points in less than eight minutes and Shannon Brown had one point in more than eight minutes. What's more, Sasha Vujacic was scoreless in almost five minutes and Luke Walton did not score in almost 3"