The Official Los Angeles Lakers thread

[Halu Sination]

^ exactly, lakers' defense was shitty today. speaking of which, did anyone see james worthy's analysis on kcal sports central after that? he was pretty heated and was very critical about their d, and said they didnt even deserve to go to overtime.

[wcsoldier]

Our D was very wack.... plus losing at home against Wash, NO and the Bucks are already too much for me

[LAKERS_FAN89]

damn man we could have that games if we could play a good D...well after the games i got me a few lakers gear at the store next home games will be dec 31 vs philadelphia


Brian Cook sent the game into overtime when he hit a 3-pointer with 5.7 seconds remaining, but the Lakers could not keep the pace in Sunday's 147-141 loss to the visiting Wizards. Kobe Bryant led the way with 45 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. Luke Walton nearly recorded his first triple-double as he registered 15, 11 and eight.

[Antonio_]

We sucked.

[Juronimo]

Godawful defense. Beyond horrible.

Why the hell were we doubling Brendan Haywood? Why? wtf...

Shootout basketball is not our game. There was an obscene amount of 3's taken and guess what, 3's rebound long which results in transition for the opposition. Our defense is supposed to be based partly on our offense. If you run the offense correctly, you will end up with defensive balance with limits opponents transition and slows the pace of the game in our favor. If you just jack up 3's all game, that ruins that allows the other team, which happens to be full of explosive scorers to get hot. That's what happened this game. Once Arenas and company got hot due to our unintelligent play, there was no stopping them.

We're not the Phoenix Suns, that style of ball is not our game.

 

[Teddy Roosevelt]

After an amazing comeback to force it into over time the Lakers should have continued the momentum to win the game. Shit was embarassing. There's no way Arenas should have dropped 60 regardless of how many over times there were. On a good note Vlad Rad played a hell of a game. Like I said before, he needs minutes to be effective and he proved it. He's just a waste with limited mintues.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

I believe Vlad Rad will pick it up from here on...I can tell his hand is feeling better.

[Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It]

I think the Lakers are going to go 5-1 on this 6 game road trip. The Bulls are hot right now so they'll probably lose that game, And then win their next 5 games. 

[LAKERS_FAN89]

homie u never know we might win this shit 6 in a row L'UP

[GangstaBoogy]

This game fuckin sucks! Not because of the game, but because of the commentary...where is it? It feels like I'm watching the tv on mute. NBA-TV is pissin me off.

[LAKERS_FAN89]

The Los Angeles Lakers go to Minnesota after dropping 2 in a row to the Wizards and the Bulls hopefully we come out ontop Kobe Bryant also seemed like he needed some rest so hopefully tonight he can get a goodnight sleep and tomorrow he will help us to victory and the Lakers will help him out and we can't afford to lose 3 in a row not right now not like this... LO get well soon and get back asap!

[reguLAtor]

I'm worried that the refs are going to be up Wade's ass as usual and get whistle happy on X-mas.  I say 3-3 on this road trip.  But I hope I'm wrong.

[GangstaBoogy]

Atleast Kwame played well. Too bad it was on a night when Kobe was way off.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Kobe was way off...That's when we need Odom the most, for nights like that...But yea, Kwame's back!

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Kobe as Bulls' go-to guy? Close
Lakers star admits he was eager to join team on rise after tough 2003-04 season

It could have happened, Kobe Bryant insists. He could have been a Bull, really wanted to be a Bull.

"We were looking at houses, we were looking at schools. We already were talking about a sign-and-trade," said Bryant, perhaps the premier individual star in the NBA today. "I liked the Bulls' direction."

No one ever will know for sure, and they insist in Los Angeles that Bryant never was going to leave, that at worst he would sign as a free agent with the Clippers.

But Bryant, who was here Tuesday night as the Lakers opened a six-game Eastern Conference trip, said he was a lot closer to becoming a Bull than anyone really believes in perhaps one of the great unexplored possibilities in the NBA.

It was after the 2003-04 season, when the Lakers' championship run had come apart badly with a Finals collapse against the Pistons. It seemed clear there was no saving the Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal relationship. Pat Riley even flew out and told the Lakers he would consider returning to coach if he could get Bryant and O'Neal back together. He couldn't even reach both.

Coach Phil Jackson was leaving and his relationship with Bryant had soured, and Bryant was wrung out over the attention in Los Angeles following his infamous sexual assault case in Colorado.

He sent word to the Bulls he was interested and Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf and general manager John Paxson flew out to Los Angeles to meet with Bryant and his representative.

Bryant insists he was serious, though he admits his wife, a Southern California native, was reluctant. But she also understood Bryant no longer could co-exist with O'Neal and, according to Bryant, agreed.

"She said, 'Go for it,'" Bryant said.

Bryant had his agent contact the Bulls to see if they would do a sign-and-trade deal with the Lakers.

The Bulls were at the salary cap and could offer only an exception deal starting at about $5 million. As a free agent of the Lakers, Bryant could sign the long term deal he eventually agreed to of $136 million over seven years. But the Clippers were convinced Bryant would jump the Lakers and sign with them. They printed a jersey with his name on it for a signing news conference they believed would occur. They had made several trades to create contract room for a big deal, like the Lakers did a few years before for O'Neal when he left Orlando.

Bulls sources confirm Bryant's agent did follow up and ask the Bulls if they would agree to a sign-and-trade deal, and Bryant sent word he would approach the Lakers to make the deal or threaten to leave for nothing. It would enable Bryant to get $100 million from the Bulls and the Lakers to recoup some young talent.

The notion was with Bryant gone, O'Neal would remain. The Bulls had some short-term and expiring contracts to send along, like those for Scottie Pippen and Eddie Robinson, and players they wanted to deal among Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler. Paxson had not been a big fan of any of them as a broadcaster and subsequently traded all when he became general manager. But one or both of the big guys might have remained and teamed with Bryant. Who knows what could have happened?

A few days later, O'Neal asked to be traded.

The Lakers had made their choice. Bryant quickly resigned and O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat.

Urban legend? Hollywood fiction? A real possibility? Not even the Bulls know for sure, but it is interesting to contemplate, What if the Bulls had gotten that one go-to star they appear still to need?