lakersfury9

Transaction Review: TJ, Villanueva, VladRad and Tim Thomas

2006-07-24T13:29:00.000-07:00

Keeping an eye on who’s gaining and losing value as players switch teams …

Milwaukee Bucks trade TJ Ford to Toronto Raptors for Charlie Villanueva

This is a nice move for Ford, who had a mini-breakout year last year. He will be given the keys to the show in Toronto, who will be looking for scoring from Ford as Mike James will likely be elsewhere. I’d expect a slight uptick in points to maybe somewhere in the 15-16 range, and maybe even a few more threes as well.

I’m not sure that this is a great deal for Villanueva. In Toronto he was developing nicely as a sidekick for Chris Bosh, and with James leaving he could easily have been the second-leading scorer for the Raptors. Still, he should see at least 30 mpg in Milwaukee and get his fair share of threes, steals, and blocks, meaning he’ll maintain his calue from last year, if not improve on it slightly.

The big question still out there is whether or not the Bucks are really willing to head into the season with Mo Williams and Charlie Bell as their only options at the point. Look for them to get a point guard back when they inevitably trade Jamaal Magloire.

Los Angeles Lakers sign Vladimir Radmanovic

Radmanovic is going to keep being himself – a stay outside, shoot threes, don’t rebound seven-footer. At this point we know what we can expect, and it’s not worth hoping for a breakout year from VladRad anymore. Still, when he’s on, he can pour in two triples a night, and that makes him worth drafting, particularly now that he’s playing next to Kobe Bryant. Kobe does have a knack for drawing defenders off the perimeter, opening up threes for his teammates – just ask Smush Parker and Brian Cook, two guys who would be virtually useless if they didn't have Kobe dishing them the ball on the perimiter. Vlad might post a career-high in threes, but to ask for any other value from him is just unrealistic at this point.

Los Angeles Clippers sign Tim Thomas

It only takes one sucker team to make Tim Thomas an overpaid, underachieving player. And just when you thought the Clippers were done being suckers, they came through and overpaid for Thomas, giving him $6 Million a year for 4 years. Keep in mind, this is a guy who the Bulls didn’t even want hanging around in the locker room. But after three good months with the Suns (where, honestly, everyone plays great), that was enough for the Clips to throw out some pretty big bucks. Thomas will take over where Vladimir Radmanovic left off, and if he can stay motivated will be a borderline fantasy player. Odds are he will continue his on-again, off-again relationship with your league’s waiver wire, showing potential every so often, but never really establishing himself as a consistent asset.

NBA's Javis Hayes undergoes Knee Surgery

2006-07-20T20:54:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON - Washington Wizards swingman Jarvis Hayes underwent surgery to repair a non-healed right patella fracture on Tuesday.

Hayes, who has missed the team's last 29 games, will be re-evaluated in six to eight weeks. No timetable has been set for his return.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Stephen Haas, Dr. Marc Connell and Dr. Ben Shaffer at Sibley Hospital in Washington.

"I am obviously disappointed," Hayes said. "I was looking forward to getting back on the floor with my teammates, but I've learned that this is the best way to get me back and ready to play. I'm going to work hard during the rehabilitation process and I'm looking forward to rejoining the team."

Hayes sustained the injury in a December 16 game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

"Jarvis is a big part of our team and it is unfortunate that this injury hasn't healed properly," Wizards general manager Ernie Grunfeld said. "After reviewing Jarvis' progress, it was decided that the best course of action was to have the injury surgically repaired. We expect Jarvis to make a full recovery."

The 10th overall pick in the 2003 draft, Hayes started 13 of 21 games this season and averaged 9.3 points and 3.9 rebounds.

Knee Surgery News

http://knee-surgery-recovery.blogspot.com/

The Daily Roundup: Wednesday

2006-07-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

The BEST ACC Sports Coverage!!!

Because we care:

Milton Kent of the Baltimore Sun: Practicality loses with decision on disabled girl. How do the basketbloggers feel about this. I'm inclined to call the guy an idiot, but I tend to be very liberal in these type circumstances. Take it to the comments section!!!

Activists, leaders welcome Duke arrests: "Community leaders and NAACP activists welcomed the news that Durham police early Tuesday had arrested and charged two Duke University lacrosse players in connection with an alleged gang rape, saying the move finally would allow the legal process to move forward."

Duke rape suspects raised in affluence and academics

Finnerty's exclusive neighborhood in shock. I didn't even read this and, let me guess: The neighbors report that he's a great young man, they can't believe all of these lies, and that they would trust him with any of their kids. That's great. Just make sure you add that in his spare time, he apparently acts like a homophobe and assaults people (see plea agreement in DC stemming from an attack last year). Can you really trust the credibility of a person who is already up on charges involving a physical assault on an innocent man and now accused in another assault? Goose.....gander?

Having said that.....I'm kind of sick of the media harping about the wealth of these guys....really painting them into a corner. I don't know how relevant it is to there guilt or innocence but really just serves to heighten emotions in an already highly heated debate. We'll do our best to stay away from these type stories going forward.

Seligmann's backers say he 'isn't a nasty player'.

The indictments in North Carolina v. Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann.

Nifong's opponent takes a swing

Classmates: Arrest of suspects 'surreal' : "By all accounts, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann are the kind of Duke students that acquaintances least expected to be facing charges of rape and kidnapping. "

Jim Cramer's MAD MONEY and RADIO recap

The Headlines:

Eyes on the Pack -- Day 18: "Some people associated with the search say not to underestimate the chances of former UCLA coach Steve Lavin, now a college basketball analyst with ESPN." So, Steve has already been run out of one program b/c he couldn't win consistently. Now, he may be hired into another where they just ran a coach out who.....couldn't consistently win at a high enough level?!?!?!?

Andrew Jones of the Wilimington Star - N.C. State forced to shift focus in coaching search: "The silence from the N.C. State coaching search has been deafening."

Colleges are using headhunters more often: "Athletics directors turning to executive-search firms to fill coaching vacancies."

Full resume required for coaching hopefuls

Stephen A. Smith Why is Jackson pushing his way into Duke situation: Three cheers for Stepehn A!!!!

Redick's dinner in Roanoke tonight

Dascenzo: A devil of a good friend: "On Monday night, I grabbed an empty glass from a kitchen cabinet and set it on top of a corner table in my living room."

UM adds Katrina evacuee Gilbert :"The Miami Hurricanes added swingman Lawrence Gilbert to the 2006 signing class this week."

News from the Association:

Honors Await: Chris Paul likely to be rookie of the year: "Paul will wrap up his first NBA season tonight for HornetsChris Paul's rookie season with the New Orleans-Oklahoma City Hornets will come to an end tonight in Los Angeles, when the Hornets play the Los Angeles Lakers. It has been a phenomenal season, filled with phenomenal numbers." Looks like Chris made the right decision. What a season that kid had.......

ACC Football News from the Footblog:

Cavs' Mines, Williams to provide senior experience: "Receivers rising to roles as U.Va.'s leaders."

No. 1 ... for now: "Sean Glennon owns the label as the Hokies' No. 1 QB for the summer, but that could change."

Assistant coaches rewarded with high salaries: "The going rate for an assistant coach at a major college jumped appreciably during the past decade."

Hokie Notes from the Times Dispatch

More to come from Birkel in the PM.......

Two-Time MVP Steve Nash And Suns Take On Second Los Angeles Team ...

2006-07-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Steve Nash on winning his second MVP Award!

Nash and the Suns were red hot in Game 7 to end the Los Angeles Lakers season, but the two-time MVP and his teammates aren't done with Los Angeles -- next up the Clippers -- as L.A. fans hope to avoid a second playoff heartbreak

By Scott McLean

The first round series for the Phoenix Suns wasn't easy, except for Saturday's Game 7 blowout of the Los Angeles Lakers. Steve Nash was doing a fine job distributing the ball, as usual.

L.A. can expect another exhibition of greatness by Nash this week when the Suns take on the Clippers, the other Los Angeles team.

The Suns biggest matchup problem could be trying to contain the powerful inside game of Elton Brand. Nobody has been able to really limit Brand's scoring this season, as he is an excellent shooter and rebounder.

This could be a huge test for the Suns defense, which struggled early in the series with the Lakers.

On the other hand, it's doubtful the Clippers can keep up with the Suns, a team that takes advantage of opponents in the open court.

Nash is among the best ball handlers and passers in the league, and his focus is on the team and winning, which is possibly the reason he was chosen for the MVP Award.

The NBA is dominated these days by superstars and their statistics, whereas Nash's focus is on making his teammates better and working hard to win a championship. But Nash has lots of talent around him on this Suns team.

Forward Shawn Marion had a great season, scoring and rebounding to pick up the slack when Amare Stoudamire was out with an injury.

Boris Diaw is also an important part of the Suns ability to score at will. Diaw is a great all-around player, which means he is a good passer, as well as a scorer and rebounder.

But the Suns offense is excellent because of Steve Nash, because of his remarkable talent to distribute the ball, to find the open man and his emphasis on team.

If the Suns don't look past the Clippers (meaning they must take the Clippers seriously), they could win the series in five games.

However, if they don't shoot well in Los Angeles and Elton Brand or Sam Cassell get hot, this could be another seven game series, something the Suns don't want, given they get to the conference finals against San Antonio or Dallas.

As I sit here thinking over the matchups, it's hard for me to see how the Clippers will have a way to contain Nash or Diaw, both of whom can take the ball inside and pass it back out to the open man.

The team that gets the most easy baskets should win this series because it won't be a physical series comparable to the Texas series between Dallas and San Antonio.

I'm thinking the Suns will get more fast break baskets, possibly shoot more free throws and get more wide-open jump shots.

Phoenix will be patient and make the extra pass needed to work the ball inside or find the man with no one guarding him on the perimeter. That's why my prediction is Suns over the Clippers in six games.

2006 draft board

2006-07-10T18:22:00.000-07:00

1st ROUND

1. Toronto Raptors Andrea Bargnani, Forward, Italy
2. Chicago Bulls LaMarcus Aldridge, Forward, Texas (to Portland)
3. Charlotte Bobcats Adam Morrison, Forward, Gonzaga
4. Portland Trail Blazers Tyrus Thomas, Forward, Louisiana State (to Chicago)
5. Atlanta Hawks Shelden Williams, Forward, Duke
6. Minnesota Timberwolves Brandon Roy, Guard, Washington (to Portland)
7. Boston Celtics Randy Foye, Guard, Villanova (to Minnesota via Portland)
8. Houston Rockets Rudy Gay, Forward, Connecticut
9. Golden State Warriors Patrick O'Bryant, Center, Bradley
10. Seattle Supersonics Saer Sene, Forward, Senegal
11. Orlando Magic J.J. Redick, Guard, Duke
12. N.O./Okla. City Hornets Hilton Armstrong, Center, Connecticut
13. Philadelphia 76ers Thabo Sefolosha, Guard, Switzerland (to Chicago)
14. Utah Jazz Ronnie Brewer, Guard, Arkansas
15. NOOCH Cedric Simmons, Forward, North Carolina State
16. Chicago Bulls Rodney Carney, Forward, Memphis (to Philadelphia)
17. Indiana Pacers Shawne Williams, Forward, Memphis
18. Washington Wizards Oleksiy Pecherov, Center, Ukraine
19. Sacramento Kings Quincy Douby, Guard, Rutgers
20. New York Knicks Renaldo Balkman, Forward, South Carolina
21. Phoenix Suns Rajon Rondo, Guard, Kentucky (to Boston)
22. NJ Nets Marcus Williams, Guard, Connecticut
23. NJ Nets Josh Boone, Forward, Connecticut
24. Memphis Grizzlies Kyle Lowry, Guard, Villanova
25. Cleveland Cavaliers Shannon Brown, Guard, Michigan State
26. L.A. Lakers Jordan Farmar, Guard, UCLA
27. Phoenix Suns Sergio Rodriguez, Guard, Spain (to Portland)
28. Dallas Mavericks Maurice Ager, Guard, Michigan State
29. NY Knicks Mardy Collins, Guard, Temple
30. Portland TrailBlazers Joel Freeland, Forward, United Kingdom

2nd ROUND

31. Portland Trail Blazers James White, Guard, Cincinnati (to Indiana)
32. Houston Rockets Steve Novak, Forward, Marquette
33. Atlanta Hawks Solomon Jones, Foward, South Florida
34. Los Angeles Clippers Paul Davis, Center, Michigan State
35. Toronto Raptors P.J. Tucker, Forward, Texas
36. Minnesota Timberwolves Craig Smith, Forward, Boston College
37. Minnesota Timberwolves Bobby Jones, Forward, Washington (to Philadelphia)
38. Golden State Warriors Kosta Perovic, Forward, Croatia
39. Milwaukee Bucks David Noel, Forward, North Carolina
40. Seattle Supersonics Denham Brown, Guard, Connecticut
41. Orlando Magic James Augustine, Forward, Illinois
42. Cleveland Cavaliers Daniel Gibson, Guard, Texas
43. NOOCH Marcus Vinicius, Forward, Brazil
44. Orlando Magic Lior Eliyahu, Forward, Israel (to Houston)
45. Indiana Pacers Alexander Johnson, Forward, Florida State (to Memphis via Portland)
46. Utah Jazz Dee Brown, Guard, Illinois
47. Utah Jazz Paul Millsap, Forward, Louisiana Tech
48. Washington Wizards Vladimir Veremeenko, Forward, Belarus
49. Denver Nuggets Leon Powe, Forward, California (to Boston)
50. Charlotte Bobcats Ryan Hollins, Center, UCLA
51. Los Angeles Lakers Cheick Samb, Center, Senegal (to Detroit)
52. Los Angeles Clippers Guillermo Diaz, Guard, Miami
53. Seattle SuperSonics Yotam Halperin, Guard, Israel
54. New Jersey Nets Hassan Adams, Guard, Arizona
55. Cleveland Cavaliers Ejike Ugboaja, Forward, Nigeria
56. Toronto Raptors Edin Bavcic, Forward, Bosnia (to Philadelphia)
57. Minnesota Timberwolves Loukas Mavrokefalidis, Center, Greece
58. Dallas Mavericks J.R. Pinnock, Guard, George Washington (to L.A. Lakers)
59. San Antonio Spurs Damir Markota, Forward, Croatia (to Milwaukee)
60. Detroit Pistons Will Blalock, Guard, Iowa State

2006 draft board

2006-07-10T18:21:00.000-07:00

2006 draft board

2006-07-10T18:20:00.000-07:00

Interview With Former UCLA Star: Brad Holland

2006-07-06T17:48:00.000-07:00

By Bruin Basketball Report

Former UCLA basketball star, Brad Holland (’75-’79) helped lead the Bruins to four NCAA tournament appearances including one Final Four game.

He averaged 17.5 points and 4.8 assists a game as a senior, and set the single-season field goal shooting percentage record (59.6%) for guards in 1979.

Holland was an honorable mention All-American and second-team Academic All-American in his senior year.

The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Holland in 1979 as the 14th player taken in the first round, and went on to win the 1980 NBA championship. He played until 1982 finishing his career with the Washington Bullets and Milwaukee Bucks.

Holland returned to UCLA as an assistant coach under Jim Harrick from 1988 to 1992, and helped lead the Bruins to four NCAA tournament appearances.

After his success as an assistant coach at UCLA, he was named head coach at Cal State Fullerton in 1992 and helped guide the Titans to their first winning record in four years during his first year at the helm.

Holland recently completed his 12th season as head coach of the University of San Diego (USD) Toreros. He is the school’s winningest basketball coach with 182 victories. He helped lead the Toreros to their first NCAA tournament in 2003 in sixteen years. He was named West Coast Conference (WCC) Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2000 and by CollegeInsider.com as WCC Coach of the Year in 2005.

The former Bruin great recently sat down with Bruin Basketball Report (BBR) for an in-depth telephone interview.

BBR: As a senior at Crescenta Valley High School in 1975, you averaged 34.9 points per game including two contests in which you scored over 50 points. You were one of the most highly sought after prep stars in your recruitment year. What made you decide to commit to play at UCLA?

Holland: “I was blessed to be recruited by some great programs such as Indiana and North Carolina, and although I entertained offers from other schools, UCLA was way ahead in my recruitment from the beginning. I was an L.A. kid and my Dad took me to many UCLA games. Just as importantly, I had a long-standing relationship with the UCLA assistant coaches, Frank Arnold and Gary Cunningham, who began recruiting me when I was in the ninth grade.”

BBR: You have the distinction of being the last player ever signed to a scholarship by Coach John Wooden. It was well known Coach Wooden rarely, if ever, watched his recruits play their high school basketball games in person. Tell us how it felt to be recruited by the legendary coach?

Holland: “John Wooden actually watched me play in a CIF playoff game during my senior year. What an honor it was to have him there. I was warming up before the game when my Dad came over to tell me Coach Wooden was entering the gym. It was like Moses walking in the building - the place got real quiet and the crowd parted for him as he walked to his seat. I truly feel a large reason why Coach Wooden did not go to many high school basketball games during those days was because of all the attention he drew to himself at the venue. He’s a very humble man.”

BBR: How did you play in the game with Coach Wooden watching from the stands?

Holland: “I was able to settle in after all the excitement and actually played well. Our team won the game, I scored 35 points and hit the game-winning shot.”

BBR: Coach Wooden retired after the 1975 NCAA championship game and thus you never had the opportunity to play for him. How difficult was it for you, a young prep star, to deal with this situation?

Holland: “I was frustrated and very disappointed when I learned I was not going to play for Coach Wooden; yet ironically, it was Coach Wooden who helped keep me at UCLA after my sophomore season. I had started in only seven games as a freshman and eleven as a sophomore - it was well known that I was not happy with my playing time. Coach Wooden wrote me a letter after the season which I still have and keep in a special place. He knew I wasn’t happy with my role on the team but he wrote in his letter it was a matter of me gaining confidence in my play and staying motivated. His letter meant much to me and set me back on the right course.”

BBR: Do you keep in contact with Coach Wooden?

Holland: “Yes, I talk to him regularly and cherish every moment I spend with him. I have brought my coaching staff to meet him at his home. Last November, we honored Coach at our ‘Sixth Man Night’ for his many contributions to basketball.”

BBR: You had the opportunity to play for two outstanding coaches at UCLA in Gene Bartow and Gary Cunningham. Under their leadership, the Bruins won four Pac-10 championships, reached one Final Four, and finished 102-17 over four seasons. However, both coaches were under intense scrutiny at the time by the media and alumni as a result of following in the immediate footsteps of Coach Wooden. How was it as a young basketball player to play under such circumstances? How much pressure did you feel to help uphold the UCLA championship tradition?

Holland: “The expectations placed upon the coaches were unfair but it was reality. Unfortunately the pressure filtered down from the coaches to the players at times. David [Greenwood], Roy [Hamilton], and I laugh about it now, but we were looked upon as a ‘losing class’ because we were the first UCLA recruiting class in a long time to not win a national championship.”

BBR: Coach Wooden was certainly a tough act to follow. Yet, it’s interesting how time puts events into their proper historical perspective. I imagine any college basketball program, including the present one at UCLA, would look back at your team’s impressive accomplishments with envy.

BBR: Your UCLA teams advanced to the NCAA tournament in each of your four years as a player, including a 1976 Final Four semifinal game against Indiana. You had an outstanding individual effort in 1979 when you averaged 18.3 points during the tournament. What was your most memorable NCAA tournament experience?

Holland: “In my sophomore year, we met Louisville in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Louisville, of course was coached by ex-Bruin player/coach Denny Crum and were led by a great freshman player, Darrell Griffith. I had played sparingly during the regular season and didn’t think I was going to play in this game. But after not playing in the first half, Coach Bartow put me in with just 13 minutes left in the game. I hit my first shot in the game and kept going. I finished with 16 points and did a good defensive job on Griffith - we won the game going away. I was named NBC Player of the Game. I can still remember the tremendous feeling I had as I walked off the floor after our victory.”

BBR: The incoming 1976 Bruin recruiting class which included yourself, Greenwood, and Hamilton was an extraordinarily talented group.

Holland: “Yes, it was a strong class, three of us went in the first-round of the NBA draft after our senior seasons. There was a fourth player in our recruiting class, Chris Lippert, who was an excellent ball player and an L.A. City Player of the Year , but he never got a chance to play regularly at UCLA.”

BBR: After an outstanding senior campaign at UCLA in which you averaged 17.5 points a game, you were selected by the Los Angeles Lakers as the 14th pick in the NBA draft. You’d be considered a ‘lottery pick’ in today’s draft nomenclature.

Holland: “I will forever be the answer of a trivia question – ‘In the year the Lakers drafted Magic Johnson first overall, what was the name of the other guy they picked in the first round.’ On draft day, I remember waiting at home in my one bedroom apartment for the telephone call from an NBA team. San Antonio and Philadelphia had shown the most interest in me, but when I got the call and heard Jerry West and Bill Sharman on the other end of the line, I thought ‘Wow, I get to stay home.’ Jerry West was my favorite player growing up in the area and it was just amazing that he was telling me that I had just been drafted by the Lakers. I had the opportunity to play with a young Magic Johnson and a basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and be part of a team that revitalized Lakers basketball. It’s what you dream about doing as a kid.”

BBR: Although you did not win an NCAA title during your collegiate career at UCLA, ironically, you won an NBA title in your rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1980. You scored eight points in the decisive game 6 against the Philadelphia 76ers. What were some of your memorable moments from this game?

Holland: “I knew I was going to play in Game 6 since Kareem had badly injured his ankle the game earlier - Paul Westhead told me I was going to play some minutes. Our team had the perfect attitude going into the game. We felt Philadelphia had all the pressure on them, which allowed us to play loose and get after them. It was great to close them out at Philadelphia. What a feeling it was to watch the clock wind down knowing you were about to become world champions.”

BBR: Do you follow the progress of the UCLA basketball program? What are your impressions of the team, the coaching?

Holland: “I have great pride in being a Bruin. I thought Ben Howland was a great hire. I first met him when he was an assistant coach at UC Santa Barbara. He is a savvy coach and has made a huge impact on the UCLA basketball program. His players have bought into his system based upon the importance of defense and rebounding. I attended the Final Four championship game at the RCA dome with my 13 year old son. It was a treat to root for the team along with the other UCLA alumni.”

BBR: Congratulations on a successful 2005-06 campaign which marked your 12th season as head coach at USD. Your team finished with the second best overall record in the WCC and almost eliminated Gonzaga in a thrilling semifinal game in the WCC tournament. Both Nick Lewis and Corey Belser had terrific senior seasons. What are your expectations for next year's squad?

Holland: “We want to make the NCAA tournament every year. Nick and Corey had outstanding careers at USD – Corey is a great defensive player, he shut down Adam Morrison in every game we played against Gonzaga this season. We have six of our top eight scorers returning to the team, and played four freshmen extensively last season. I feel very good about our team’s future.”

BBR: Brad, thanks for taking the time for this interview.

(BruinBasketballReport.com)

(photo credit: ASUCLA and CollegeInsider)

LA Lakers

2006-05-08T19:50:00.000-07:00

The team is renowned for the fanbase of celebrities, such as musicians and movie stars who attend its games. Without question, many are present only during successful times for the team. During such times, near-court seats at an important Laker game are a desirable place for entertainment figures to "be seen". Each network broadcast, and many local broadcasts, of Laker home games invariably includes a few moments taken out to show on camera the various celebrities present at that particular game, and clearly many attendees are more interested in this aspect of their attendance than in the team or the game itself.

2006-04-16T16:42:00.000-07:00

lakersfury9 new articles for Sunday, April 16, 2006Los Angeles Lakers Celebrity Poker Invitational

Episode0157 - Los Angeles Lakers 3rd Annual Las Vegas Poker Night
Episode 157 - Los Angeles Lakers 3rd Annual Las Vegas Poker Night The Los Angeles Lakers host celebrity poker invitational to benefit Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation.

Highlight Reel from The Battle of Los Angeles (Lakers vs. Clippers)
Here is a highlight reel from last Sunday’s Lakers-Clippers game put together by CaCHooka Man…whoever that is. (Hopefully we didn’t just start some kind of gang war.) Anyway, it’s some highlights of the game with musical accompaniment ...

ESPN’s Bill Simmons votes Kobe for MVP
Answer: If you replaced Kobe with a decent 2-guard (someone like Jamal Crawford) for the entire 2005-06 Lakers season, they would have won between 15 and 20 games. I can say that in complete confidence. Terrible team. ...

Lakers: Kobe Bryant Canditate for NBA MVP!?
That’s hard work and a commitment to excellence. We can’t forget that. He’s the MVP. Key stats: 34.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.7 apg Lakers’ record: 36-34, 7th in West. Technorati Tags: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, Basketball.

Kobe, Lakers Beat Playoff-Bound Clippers

Kobe Bryant scored 17 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter, Lamar Odom had 23 points and 15 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the playoff-bound Los Angeles Clippers 100-83 on Sunday night. ...

Not the sports page anymore – it’s the police blotter
A sexual assault case that brings up uncomfortable recent memories for Los Angeles sports fans will ... In the past three years LA has endured three such rape accusations, against two USC football players and a Lakers basketball star. ...

A Very Hilton Affair
Paris and Kathy Hilton were amongst the many invited guests at the Los Angeles Lakers' 3rd annual Mirage Las Vegas Casino Night and Bodog Celebrity Poker Invitational benefiting Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation held Wednesday night ...

NBA Finals
The San Antonio Spurs will begin their title defense against the Los Angeles Lakers who return to the postseason after a one-year absence. It will be a short sharp return for Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant who were beaten 3-1 by the Spurs ...

Dita Von Teese (Marilyn Manson's wife) arrives at the Los Angeles ...
Dita Von Teese (Marilyn Manson's wife) arrives at the Los Angeles Lakers 3rd annual Mirage Las Vegas Casino Night and Bodog Celebrity Poker Invitational benefiting Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, ...

Lakers' Bryant sets franchise mark in win over Portland - Seattle ...
Covers, Lakers' Bryant sets franchise mark in win over Portland Seattle Post Intelligencer - 3 hours ago Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant netted 50 points and in the process set the Lakers' franchise record for points in a ...

Dita
Dita Von Teese arrives solo at the Los Angeles Lakers 3rd annual Mirage Las Vegas Casino Night and Bodog Celebrity Poker Invitational benefiting Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, California.

Stephen at Lakers Casino Night...
On April 12th Stephen attended the Los Angeles Lakers 3rd Annual Casino Night and Poker Invitational. You can check out a picture below...

News And Notes
Not a lot has been made of the Los Angeles clippers this year, yet they are heading to the playoffs and are better than there rival the Los Angeles Lakers. So, where is the love for the Clippers? It’s there just in a lesser amount. ...

The Mascot Fearsomeness Index
Among the wussiest cities are Los Angeles, Seattle, Philadelphia and Baltimore. Los Angeles trots out the Clippers, Lakers, Angels and Kings... if the Saints end up moving to LA, Los Angeles should just go ahead and rename the entire ...

Lakers 108, Denver 110 OT
Anthony's jumper with 3.8 seconds left in overtime gave the Denver Nuggets a 110-108 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night. It was the eighth time this season he's made a big shot in the waning seconds. ...

Lakers make case: They belong, too
By BRODERICK TURNER The Press-Enterprise LOS ANGELES - For the Lakers and Clippers, Sunday night's game was more than just about an intercity rivalry or which team is LA's best. It was about two teams trying to improve as the playoffs ...

If the Playoffs Begin Today...
2 Phonix Suns vs 7 Los Angeles Lakers (Suns lead series 3-0) 3. 3 Denver Nuggets vs 6 Los Angeles Clippers (Clippers lead series 3-1) 4. 4 Dallas Mavericks vs 5 Memphis Grizzlies (Mavs lead series 3-1.

Bryant, Odom lead Lakers into 7th spot in West
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant, left, celebrates with teammates Kwame Brown, center Kobe scores 31, Lamar notches triple-double; Warriors lose 9th straight.

Lakers 104, Houston 88
[excerpt] Bryant scored 43 points Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles' 104-88 victory over Houston. It was his 23rd game of 40 or more points tying a Lakers single-season record set by Elgin Baylor in 1962-63. "I never in my wildest dreams ...

2006-04-10T22:18:00.000-07:00

lakersfury9 new articles for Tuesday, April 11, 2006Battle of Los Angeles: Hot Lakers favored (Covers.com)
Oddsmakers are giving the Los Angeles Clippers the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately treatment in Sunday’s tilt with the Lakers. The Clips posted two convincing victories over their city rivals through three meetings this season, downing...

Bryant leads Lakers (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant scored 17 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter, Lamar Odom had 23 points and 15 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the playoff-bound Los Angeles Clippers 100-83 on Sunday night.

Kobe, Lakers Beat Playoff-Bound Clippers (AP via Yahoo! News)
For the Los Angeles Lakers, it was a game of major importance. To the Los Angeles Clippers, it was anything but crucial. That's typical of late-season matchups between the crosstown rivals, but this was different than the norm since the Clippers are the ones with the playoff berth locked up and the Lakers are still battling to get there.

Kobe makes the Lakers a dangerous squad (The Sports Network)
(Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Lakers are a very dangerous team to have to play in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. They are more than capable of sending one of the top seeds home early.

Lakers Quiet Playoff-Bound Clippers (NBA.com)
In the LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS, Ross Siler writes that "the Clippers can celebrate clinching their first playoff berth since 1997 all they want in the coming week. The Lakers weren't going to let them do it in front of their fans at Staples Center on Sunday night. It was time for order to be restored and the Lakers did just that in a 100-83 victory, with Kobe Bryant playing 47:21 minutes and Lamar

Lakers pull away from Clippers (Fox Sports)
Kobe Bryant scored 17 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter, Lamar Odom had 23 points and 15 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the playoff-bound Los Angeles Clippers 100-83 on Sunday night. Luke Walton added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Lakers (41-37), who outscored the Clippers 20-6 to finish the game in snapping a two-game losing streak and winning for the seventh time in 10

Bryant, Odom Carry Lakers Over Clippers (NBA.com)
Kobe Bryant scored 17 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter as the Los Angeles Lakers pulled away for a 100-83 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Lakers beat Clippers, forge tie for 7th (The Arizona Republic)
For the Los Angeles Lakers, it was a game of major importance. To the Los Angeles Clippers, it was anything but crucial.

Lakers down Clippers in battle for LA (The Sports Network)
Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant poured in 38 points to lead the playoff-hopeful Lakers over the Clippers, 100-83, in the battle for Los Angeles at the Staples Center.

Bryant leads Lakers past Clippers (Honolulu Advertiser)
LOS ANGELES — For the Los Angeles Lakers, it was a game of major importance.

2006-04-02T21:12:00.000-07:00

lakersfury9 new articles for Sunday, April 02, 2006Where Did It All Go Wrong?
However, something happened the next time I went to a Blazer game. Los Angeles came to town. I was already a fan of the Lakers, I'd written a biography of Kareem Abdul Jabbar in 4th grade. This was the Showtime Lakers. ...

A Hall of Fame (Sky) Hookup; Kareem Tutors Lakers' Bynum
As Los Angeles Lakers rookie Andrew Bynum strolled into the shower after a game in November, veteran guard Aaron McKie looked down at Bynum's feet and noticed that the 7-foot center was wearing calf-high tube socks. ...

Spurs End Lakers' Streak
I know the Los Angeles Lakers were fiendin' for that chemistry and balanced attack the Spurs displayed in their 96-85 triumph over the Lakers. "It is on us to stop penetration," Los Angeles star Kobe Bryant said. ...

NBA Double-Header: Pistons Defeat Bucks, Lakers Defeat Sonics ...
The 1987 Lakers championship acted as a strange redemption in my heart. Boston wasn't supposed to have a chance against Los Angeles, but after 6 tough games, the Lakers won the 1987 Finals. I went on to watch a lot more Lakers over the ...

Lakers 83, Clippers 101
Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson hangs his head on the bench during his team's 102-83 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb. 24, 2006, in Los Angeles. "We didn't match their energy and their effort ...

The Lakers made no trades
The Rockets have tried to complete a deal to move Anderson to the Heat, Cavaliers, Lakers, Nuggets or Magic. The Knicks also rebuffed efforts by the Los Angeles Lakers to obtain Channing Frye in a package built around Lamar Odom. ...

Lakers 105, New Orleans/Oklahoma City 94
[excerpt] Brown finished with 17 points, helping the Lakers beat the New Orleans Hornets 105-94 Sunday night for their fourth straight victory. The fifth-year center, who came to Los Angeles last August in a trade from Washington, ...

Bryant 43 points help Lakers win
Los Angeles Lakers have won five of their last six encounters and stayed 1 games in front of Sacramento for seventh in the Western Conference standings. Kobe claimed outloud: "When we have losses, we don't want them coming in bunches." ...

LA in Wooden's Words
In the almost 60 years I've been in Los Angeles, I've seen a lot of great baseball. Although I pull for all the local sports teams — the Lakers, Clippers, Angels — I've always been partial to the Dodgers. ...

Lakers 87, Sacramento 80
[excerpt] Kwame Brown has taken a lot of heat from the hometown fans and media in his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers. He heard only cheers Wednesday night. "Yeah, best all-around game, defense, rebounding and scoring," Brown ...

Lakers 92, Minnesota 89
[excerpt] Kobe Bryant pulled out another victory for the Los Angeles Lakers down the stretch. It wouldn't have been possible without Lamar Odom's contributions before that. Bryant scored 25 points, including a pair of layups in heavy ...

Lakers 105, Detroit 94
[excerpt] The Los Angeles Lakers played up to -- and beyond -- some formidable opposition. Kobe Bryant scored 40 points, Lamar Odom had 24 points and 10 assists, and the Lakers took a 105-94 victory Saturday night over the Detroit ...

Lakers 113, New Orleans/OKC 107
Kobe Bryant scored 18 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New Orleans Hornets 113-107 Wednesday night, disappointing the standing room crowd that put aside its Hurricane Katrina problems for a night ...

Kwame and Kobe Lead Lakers over Hornets
The Los Angeles Lakers' fans giving a standing ovation to Kwame Brown?! Definitely not the usual, more like Kobe Bryant and occasionally Lamar Odom. Brown's 17 points on flawless shooting sparked a 105-94 victory over the plummeting New ...

Wednesday Links
According to Gist, Sprewell made the mistake of waiting on the Los Angeles Lakers at a time when the Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers all were expressing interest in signing him. ...

Weekend News!
Lakers win fourth straight Kwame Brown's sore hamstring held up well enough to allow the Los Angeles Lakers to put some distance between themselves and one of their major threats to a playoff berth. Internet Sports Betting.

Lakers win their fourth straight

Kobe Bryant scored 30 points and Lamar Odom added 23 points to help the the Los Angeles Lakers top the New Orleans Hornets 105-94 for their fourth straight win.

The Lakers are eighth in the Western Conference playoff race, ...

Rumor Mill Churning - Who Will It Be?
I fail to see how a player that shoots like that would help one of the poorest outside shooting teams in the league, the Los Angeles Lakers. After Kobe, as a team, the Lakers shoot about 10% from downtown. But they keep hoisting them up ...

DOES KOBE BRYANT WANT TO BE JEWISH?
Plenty of interesting and shocking words have been spoken in the visitors' locker room at TD Banknorth Garden in Boston during the 2005/06 NBA season, but nothing compares to Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant telling a handful of ...

The Punch
The Punch is the story of two professional basketball players, Kermit Washington, then of the Los Angeles Lakers and Rudy Tomjonovich, from the Houston Rockets. On Dec 9, 1977, the two teams were playing each other, and there was a ...

Los Angeles Lakers

2006-02-22T16:12:00.000-08:00

The Lakers began in 1947 when Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen bought the Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League for $15,000 and relocated it to Minneapolis. As the Gems had by far the worst record in the NBL, the Lakers had the first pick in the 1947 Profesisonal Basketball League of America dispersal draft, which they used to select George Mikan, later to become the greatest center of his time. With Mikan, new coach John Kundla and an infusion of former University of Minnesota players, the Lakers won the NBL championship in their first season.