The Official Los Angeles Lakers thread

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

LOL@Baby G...Even Laker haters know we'll improve this year:

lol sorry nicholas, i didn't know you took my opinions to heart.

I don't really...LOL. Just thought it was funny that some fans would think we didn't improve this year when we obviously did. You KNOW we've improved when people who admit they hate the Lakers with a passion admit it...PeACe

[d-nice]

I want to see Bynum do more of this on opponents, minus the punch and getting dunked on 

[rik]

I want to see Bynum do more of this on opponents, minus the punch and getting dunked on 

Shaq fouled Bynum on that dunk.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Nothing is guaranteed except the roster of 15

By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
October 26, 2006

Phil Jackson's least favorite time is arriving.

He agonizes over roster cuts every year, even devoting extensive space to the concept in one of his books, detailing how hard it was to cut Jannero Pargo a few years back.

The Lakers currently have 18 players on their roster, three more than the league allows. They must pare down to 15 by Monday afternoon, although they are expected to start trimming today despite their influx of injuries. Any players kept after today begin drawing pro-rated portions of their salaries, even if their contracts are not guaranteed.

The Lakers have three non-guaranteed players on their roster: rookie J.R. Pinnock and second-year players Devin Green and Von Wafer.

"They're three young players that have promise and it's obvious we can't keep them all," General Manager Mitch Kupchak said. "Regardless of what happens, they all have a future in pro basketball. Some guys you bring to camp, they're what we call camp fodder to fill out your roster. These guys are legitimate NBA prospects."

Pinnock, a second-round selection from George Washington, shot well at the start of training camp, but it hasn't translated to games. Wafer, a second-round pick last season from Florida State, has been an erratic shooter and has been hobbled by a heel injury.

Green beat long odds last season to make the roster as an undrafted rookie from Hampton, but the team will not come close to carrying four rookies again after doing it last season. Jordan Farmar is the only rookie with a guaranteed contract.

"It's the toughest part of the job to inform players that the opportunity that they've worked long and hard for has to come to an end," Kupchak said. "We always try to buffer it by indicating it's not the end of the road, particularly if you're a young player and you continue to work on your game. It's the toughest part of what I do, for sure."

Veteran guard Aaron McKie and his guaranteed $2.5-million salary will stay, even though he played only 14 games last season because of a quadriceps tendon injury. McKie was experiencing a good training camp until injuring his back last week.

Jackson, who spoke to the media Tuesday for the first time since undergoing hip replacement surgery, did not talk to reporters after Wednesday's practice.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

GM's Vote Kobe The Best Player To Shoot With The Game On The Line

By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
October 26, 2006

For a fifth consecutive year, Kobe Bryant received the most votes when the league's 30 general managers were asked which player they would want taking a shot with the game on the line. A survey released Wednesday by NBA.com indicated 74% selected Bryant.

Bryant was not, however, among the top three vote-getters for which player would win this season's most-valuable-player award. LeBron James received 39% of the vote, Dwyane Wade received 29% and Dirk Nowitzki received 18%. Bryant was listed in an "others" category, along with Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.

The Phoenix Suns were picked by 89% of general managers to win the Pacific Division. The San Antonio Spurs were the most popular choice to win the NBA title.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Deavan George Claims He Was 'Programmed' By The Lakers

By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
October 26, 2006

Devean George is adjusting to a new city, a new contract and a new life.

Not to mention a new offense.

The former Lakers forward is enjoying his new surroundings as a member of the Dallas Mavericks, but their wide-open offense is vastly different from the hemmed-in sides of the triangle.

"I like my role here, like it a lot," George told the Dallas Morning News. "But I'm still struggling in breaking some of my old habits. I didn't really realize how much I was programmed."

George, who signed a two-year, $4.2-million deal with Dallas, used to lurk around the perimeter for spot-up jump shots. Now he's in a system with more player and ball movement.

"It's crazy how programmed I was," George said. "I think everything is totally opposite from what I'm used to doing. But it'll work its way through."

George averaged six points in seven seasons with the Lakers.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Los Angeles becoming a Clippers town, too

Posted: Wednesday Oct 25, 2006 9:22 PM
LOS ANGELES (AP)-

Elton Brand remembers how it used to be when his lowly Clippers played the mighty Lakers.

"It was great if we could get a win for us and our fans,'' Brand recalled.
 
How about now?

"We expect to get a win against anybody in the league,'' he said.

And that, of course, includes the Lakers, who have history on their side - but have finished behind the Clippers in each of the past two seasons.

"We're definitely making our mark,'' Brand said. "It's two years in a row now. The Lakers' winning tradition, you can't take that away from them, of course.''

The teams share the Staples Center, but there's been a distinct Lakers flavor there since it opened before the 1999-2000 season. And for good reason.

High above the court on the south wall are the nine NBA championship banners the Lakers have won since moving to Los Angeles in 1960, and another representing the team's five titles in Minneapolis.

The retired jerseys of former Lakers stars Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Wilt Chamberlain and Gail Goodrich hang nearby, along with a microphone honoring longtime announcer Chick Hearn.

And the Clippers? Nothing.

Maybe someday.

"The city's big enough for two teams. Why not share the love?'' Clippers guard Cuttino Mobley said. "The Lakers are supposed to get the credit. We're just trying to earn ours.''

The teams haven't had much of a rivalry since the Clippers moved to Los Angeles in 1984 because the Lakers have been so dominant, winning 80 of their 103 matchups. But the count is 4-4 the past two years, and with the Clippers on the rise, a rivalry appears to be brewing.

"Rivalries can't happen until both teams are in the playoffs,'' Mobley said.

That happened last spring, and the Clippers did their part to set up the first-ever postseason matchup between the teams by beating Denver for their first playoff series victory in 30 years.

The Lakers led Phoenix 3-1 in their first-round series, but the Suns rallied to win the final three games, thwarting a potential "Hallway Series'' at the Staples Center.

"That would have really been fun,'' Brand said with a wide grin.

Like a long, leisurely homestand.

"I was ready,'' Lakers forward Luke Walton said. "It would have been so much fun, people talking about it. You tried not to think about it because you were in another series.''

In the first five seasons after the Lakers left the Forum, they quickly put their stamp on the new Staples Center, winning three championships and advancing to the NBA Finals four times and the Western Conference semifinals once.

The Clippers, meanwhile, had a 140-270 record and never made the postseason.

Their fortunes began to reverse when the Lakers traded Shaquille O'Neal to Miami after the 2003-04 season, and sank to 34-48 the following year. The Clippers, meanwhile, showed significant improvement, going from 28-54 to 37-45.

The Clippers added veteran Sam Cassell before last season, and improved 10 games to 47-35 for the second-best record in the franchise's 36-year history. The Lakers also got better, going 45-37 and returning to the playoffs.

Regarding the dominance by the Lakers over the years, Cassell smiled and said: "It ain't that way no more, which is good for the city.''

But Reggie Miller, who grew up in Los Angeles, cautioned that because the Clippers' identity has changed, so will the level of their competition.

"I thought I would never say this, but it is slowly becoming a Clipper town,'' the former Indiana Pacers star said. "My biggest question is, will they be content? Will complacency seep in? ... Now when they go on the road, the Clippers are starting to sell out. It's not the Clippers of old that were pushovers. Teams will be getting up now for the Clippers.''

While the Lakers have last season's scoring champion Kobe Bryant leading the way, the Clippers have a superstar of their own in Brand, who finished seventh in the NBA Most Valuable Player voting last season.

The Lakers have the most successful coach in league history in Phil Jackson. The Clippers have Mike Dunleavy, a top-flight coach in his own right.

The Lakers have outdrawn the Clippers over the years, with most of their games selling out since Staples Center opened. But those numbers are evening out, too.

The Lakers have sold between 13,000 and 14,000 season tickets, keeping some single-game tickets available. The Clippers have sold over 12,000 season tickets - a franchise record. And the average attendance at Lakers games last season was 18,883, and the average attendance at Clippers games was 17,376.

Of course, sitting courtside at the Lakers is still a distinct privilege, with the best seats priced at $2,200. For the Clippers it's less than half that amount.

And, this being Los Angeles, both teams have their famous fans - Jack Nicholson and Denzel Washington attend most Lakers games; Billy Crystal and Penny Marshall support the Clippers.

"There's definitely a rivalry now,'' Walton said. "Even some of my own friends, they're wearing Clipper jerseys. It's fun. It's nice have a rivalry in the city. I love it. It just makes the games that much better. I think it's great for the city, it's great for the NBA.

"Now, every time we play the Clippers,'' he said, "it's a big deal.''

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Help from the left hand

BY ROSS SILER, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated:10/25/2006 10:12:32 PM PDT

EL SEGUNDO - As soon as he said the words, Lakers forward Lamar Odom had to stop and correct himself. Until Odom starts using his right hand on the court, there's no use in describing himself as Kobe Bryant's right-hand man.

So Odom will set his sights on being Bryant's "left-hand man," a role all the more important as Bryant continues to recover from knee surgery.

Odom said he hopes to lighten the load on Bryant, who had to average 35.4 points and play 41minutes a game for the Lakers to make the playoffs. The Lakers coaches, in turn, are hoping for more out of Odom, a player they almost have to beg to shoot.

If Bryant is unable to play in Tuesday's season opener against Phoenix, Odom would be counted on to lead in his absence. He can fill up a box score like few others in the NBA, but the Lakers instead are looking for Odom to be on the attack.

"We need an aggressive Lamar," Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis said Wednesday. "His passing instincts are there, his unselfishness, willingness to pass the ball. Those are all there, that's something that he will always have in him.

"What we need him to do is be able to read and react whenever we need him to be aggressive offensively. He's so much better for us when he's attacking and getting to the basket."
While Bryant is capable of outscoring entire teams or shutting down an opposing guard on defense, Odom sees his role as being a playmaker for others.

"My mind-set," Odom said, "has always been that the more players I've got coming along with me, the easier it's going to be to win this game."

In March, assistant coach Brian Shaw set a goal for Odom simply of taking 14 shots a game. That was nearly 2 shots more than Odom averaged for the 2005-06 season, when he averaged 14.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists.

Rambis said he hoped that by playing a forward spot on the wing, Odom would be able to get in "attack mode" more easily this season. When he played in the backcourt, Odom tended to swing the ball around the perimeter, Rambis noted.

Odom said he and Bryant have reached a point where they know each other's tendencies.

"I know what to expect from him, he knows what to expect from me," Odom said. "I think we both respect that. In that case, nothing really needs to be said."

Gettting defensive: The greatest concern with Bryant's knee probably comes on the defensive end, where Bryant would have to chase after opposing guards, fight through screens and change directions without warning.

"It's trying to work through that," Bryant said, "so when I come back I don't have an issue of having to take shortcuts and things like that."

Rambis said Bryant tried to make steals and played aggressive defense in a scrimmage Tuesday at Staples Center.

"He will have an impact in games defensively," Rambis said, "just because his understanding of what we want to get accomplished."

Bryant went through all of Wednesday's practice but sat out at the end as a precaution against his knee tightening. He is not expected to play in tonight's exhibition game against Denver in Anaheim.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Improving Bynum will start at center-
Teenager will be in the Lakers' lineup on opening night, and possibly the first two weeks of the season as Mihm and Brown nurse injuries.

Andrew Bynum got an early birthday present Wednesday when he learned he'll be the Lakers' starting center in the season opener.

The 7-footer got the nod because of injuries to Chris Mihm (offseason right ankle surgery) and Kwame Brown (shoulder).

Brown, who had been penciled in as the starter, and Mihm could miss at least the first two weeks of the season, which begins Tuesday against Phoenix.

"As far as practice, I'm really comfortable," he said. "As far as in-game goes, the more minutes the more comfortable I become. I think I've been doing better and better in every preseason game."

Bynum, who turns 19 Friday, has played in all seven exhibition games. He's averaged 8.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and .71 blocks in 20.6 minutes.

 

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Lakers vs. Nuggets (last Laker pre-season game) on in 40 minutes on TNT...

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Lakers vs. Nuggets (last Laker pre-season game) on in 40 minutes on TNT...

First game I'll be able to watch this preseason.

[Tha G In Deee]

Lakers vs. Nuggets (last Laker pre-season game) on in 40 minutes on TNT...

It felt like a long time waitin' from Sunday 'til today for a new Lakers game but now it's about to be on...

[LAKERS_FAN89]

Lakers vs. Nuggets (last Laker pre-season game) on in 40 minutes on TNT...

It felt like a long time waitin' from Sunday 'til today for a new Lakers game but now it's about to be on...

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Holy shit! ANDREW BYNUM MUTHAFUCKAZ...18 points first half (14 in the first quarter)! Dude's gunna end up being our starting center all year!!!

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

LMFAO!!!!! Andrew Bynum just yelled at Sasha Vujacic "GIVE ME THE FUCKING BALL!!!" right after Sasha passed up feeding it to Bynum, who established good low-post position...You could hear it on TNT.