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The Official Los Angeles Lakers thread
LAKERS_FAN89:
3 MORE DAYZ 8) L'UP
GangstaBoogy:
How many different shots can one player make in a single game?
The shots barley touch the net!
Fast forward to 4:30
Teddy Roosevelt:
McKie May Not Make Roster
EL SEGUNDO - His health remains a concern, so much so that Aaron McKie has many wondering if he'll be a Laker this season.
McKie missed most of Friday's practice with a sore back, fueling speculation that he may not be up to playing a 13th season. McKie, 34, missed 50 games last season, his first in LA, with a slight tear of the left quadriceps.
The Lakers may have to buy McKie out of his $2.5 million contract, especially considering they have a group of younger, healthier guards.
McKie wasn't the factor the Lakers figured he'd be after they signed him to a two-year, $5 million deal last year. He played in just 14 games and never quite got comfortable with the triangle offense, averaging less than a point in 8.6 minutes.
The Lakers like McKie's maturity, his leadership qualities and his professionalism. But that may not be enough.
"He shows all those good instincts that good defensive players have," assistant coach Kurt Rambis said. "He understands this offense, and now it's just physically whether or not he's able to keep up with it if he's going to compete for a spot."
Kobe Bryant, Smush Parker, Sasha Vujacic, Shammond Williams, Maurice Evans and Jordan Farmar all appear assured of making the Lakers.
Devin Green, who signed a non-guaranteed contract, also will push for a job. His chance of making the Lakers may be tied to McKie's performance.
Mihm Update
Chris Mihm, still recovering from right ankle surgery, said he has increased his activity but that he's not ready to practice.
Mihm said his goal remains to be ready for the Oct. 31 opener, but that it's possible he'll be able to play in the final exhibition Oct. 26.
Practice Gets Physical
Friday's practice became a little rough at times. There was some trash-talking, pushing and shoving.
"Everybody wanted to prove that they could play," Lamar Odom said. "Right about this time, you don't really get to show your individual stuff. Everything is so systematic. We've got to learn things together, as far as defense, offense -- even running the fast break is systematic.
"Guys get a little testy, especially the one time they get the ball and they get fouled, and then it's, like, an elbow."
Rambis wasn't happy with how the players reacted, how they got physical with each other.
"Our players were fouling way too much in practice," he said. "It's always frustrating for players when that happens ...
"Part of their learning the concepts that we're trying to get across to them defensively is being able to trust that your defensive teammate is going to be there so that you don't have to foul. You know that the support is there so you're not going to have to grab and reach and pull somebody, because somebody is going to be there to help you.
"Hopefully that aspect will eliminate a lot of fouling."
LAKERS_FAN89:
2 more day ;D
Now_Im_Not_Banned:
Jackson May Stay Around After Successful Surgery
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
October 7, 2006
Coach Phil Jackson has been reluctant to commit to the 2007-08 season for the third and final year of his $30-million contract with the Lakers, but longtime companion Jeanie Buss said his future is more clear than ever after the success of his hip replacement surgery.
Next season now looks to be a strong possibility for Jackson, with perhaps more to come.
"I look at him for the long haul and I, of course, hope that he's here longer than his current contract," Buss said Friday.
"He has suffered for many years with a lot of pain, and my understanding is that the radiating pain he had in his leg is gone. I think that will make him do things based on his passion as opposed to not being able to coach because he's physically unable. He can now do it as long as he's interested in doing it."
Buss, the Lakers' executive vice president of business operations, said Jackson's return date remained unclear, but he is expected to be back by the Oct. 31 season opener. He has been recovering at his Playa del Rey home, watching the baseball playoffs and talking to assistant coach Kurt Rambis before every practice.
"He's walking better than I've seen him in the last few years, even though it's very slowly," Buss said. "His posture looks so much better. He's feeling better. Now he needs the stimulation. He needs to be around the guys."
Jackson, 61, admitted earlier this week he had stubbornly denied the need for surgery, but then came an incident while he was watching tryouts for the Lakers' development league team, the Los Angeles D-Fenders, on Sept. 23 in El Segundo.
"He sat in the bleachers at the training facility, and after an hour and a half literally couldn't walk," Buss said. " ... That's when he knew he had to get answers because he wouldn't have been able to function in the NBA season. I've never seen him like that before."
Surgery became the only solution. Along the way, he received good news regarding his heart, which required surgery in May 2003 to open a blocked artery. As part of the preparation for hip surgery, a CT scan of his heart was promising.
"His cardiologist couldn't have been any more pleased," Buss said. "His heart's as strong as ever."
Jackson's hip surgery was a newer, less-invasive technique performed by Lawrence Dorr of the Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center in Inglewood. The surgery began with a four-inch incision instead of a typical 10- to 12-inch incision. In addition, muscles in the area were peeled back instead of cut through, Buss said.
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