The Official Los Angeles Lakers thread

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Luke Walton: 15 points, 6 rebonds

My fantasy team killed em yesterday! 

He's on my fantasy team, but he's on the bench so he didn't get anything..I dont even know how that works.

[Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It]

So this is why Sasha has looked bad these last 2 games 

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Healing process continues for L.A.

BY ROSS SILER, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated:11/01/2006 11:59:25 PM PST

OAKLAND - There are scars on the Lakers that don't belong to Kobe Bryant or Phil Jackson, no matter the attention their respective knee and hip have gotten in the past month.

The one in Lamar Odom's heart following the death of his infant son Jayden never will heal. The one running down the middle of Ronny Turiaf's chest is a reminder of all he has overcome.

Neither Bryant nor Jackson was in the building Wednesday night as the Lakers spoiled Don Nelson's return as coach and the Golden State Warriors' home opener with a 110-98 victory.

The good feelings extended throughout the Lakers, now 2-0, but especially to Odom and Turiaf, whose stories are unique in the NBA.

Odom followed his 34-point, 13-rebound game in Tuesday's opener with 22 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. Turiaf stepped in at the start of the third quarter and finished with a career-high 23 points and ninerebounds.

After the game, Bryant called Turiaf on his cell phone to congratulate him. Bryant skipped the trip to undergo treatment on his right knee; Jackson was not ready to travel four weeks after having his right hip replaced.

For Odom the talk afterward was of his trip to hell and back this summer.

Somehow after the death of his son, Odom is playing some of the best basketball of his career.
He talked Wednesday about playing with the spirit of three people inside of him: his mother, his grandmother and his son. Odom pays tribute to them on his sneakers every game.

"I bring it to the court with me," Odom said. "I just feel comfortable right now. It's still early in the season. I'm not saying I'm not going to have any bad games.

"It's like therapy out there playing basketball. I feel real good whether the shots are going in or if they're not. Hopefully, I can keep it up. Maybe I'm focused because our best player's out."

Odom once again seemed to sense when his teammates needed him most.

He pushed the Lakers in front 75-65 in the third quarter with twoof the game's biggest baskets. It was the first double-digit lead all night.

After Baron Davis missed everything on a jumper, Odom buried a 3-pointer as Troy Murphy gave him space to shoot. The next possession, Odom attacked from the block, fending off Murphy and Andris Biedrins to power in a shot.

"Our guys weren't getting into the offense, they weren't providing a punch to how we want them to execute," Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis said. "There was just too much standing around and waiting, and he (Odom) realized that.

"He became aggressive, attacking, getting the ball to the rim at that time, and that's what we needed guys to recognize. He's such a fine ballplayer, and the scary thing about Lamar, I think the sky's the limit with him."

Rambis went on to say Odom "could mean so much to our ballclub in our wins and losses."

Then there was Turiaf, who was recovering from open-heart surgery in Spokane, Wash., this time last year. He was determined to make it back to the NBA in what was supposed to be his rookie season and returned for 23 games.

Turiaf's enthusiasm is such that he walked onto the floor Wednesday with the starting five and slapped hands with each one a different way. He returned to the bench but got his chance to play in the second half.

Not even a minute into the third quarter, center Andrew Bynum was on his way to the bench with his fourth foul. Turiaf raced to the scorer's table and didn't come out the rest of the game.

He hustled his way to 14 points in the third quarter alone. When Smush Parker blew a layup on the fastbreak, Turiaf was there to follow it up as part of a three-point play.

Turiaf even knocked down a 22-footer with 5:10 left in the game. He hit 8 of 10 shots, 7 of 12 free throws, grabbed four offensive rebounds and had two blocks and two steals.

"I can play basketball. I don't have just cheerleading skills," Turiaf said. "If you play hard, good things are going to happen. I'm just happy and I'm thankful for the opportunity I have."

The Lakers led by double figures nearly all of the second half but weren't in the clear until Odom drove for a basket out of a timeout in the final three minutes.

Even Odom admits that this season could be something special, coming after a tragedy that was unspeakable.

"I know how good I am," Odom said. "I know that I can be a household name or superstar.

"I've never been an All-Star. I want that this year."
 
 
 

[GangstaBoogy]

Luke Walton: 15 points, 6 rebonds

My fantasy team killed em yesterday! 

He's on my fantasy team, but he's on the bench so he didn't get anything..I dont even know how that works.

Yeah I'm new to the fantasy thing too. I got Kirk Hinrick too, but I forgot to play him during opening night 

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Yo how do u rank the lakers in terms of player-value to the team? obviously everyone is gonna say kobe and odom at #1 and 2, but it'll be interesting to see where u rank everybody else. i would say radmanovic and walton are up there.

Such a tough list to make.

Kobe Bryant
Lamar Odom
Kwame Brown
Vladimir Radmanovic
Andrew Bynum
Smush Parker
Brian Cook
Luke Walton
Sasha Vujacic
Chris Mihm
Ronny Turiaf
Jordan Farmar
Maurice Evans
Shammond Williams
Aaron McKie

This is when the team is moderatly healthy. Mihm is a wild card cause it is unkown what his role will be when he comes back.

Ideally I'd like the lineup to look like this:

Smush Parker/Jordan Farmer
Kobe Bryant/Sasha Vujacic/Maurice Evans
Vladimir Radmanovic/Luke Walton
Lamar Odom/Brain Cook/Ronny Turiaf
Kwame Brown/Andrew Bynum/Chris Mihm

McKie will be inactive the whole season.
Williams will probably see significant minutes on the inactive list.

The depth on the Lakers is fuckin' amazing.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Current value at full health:

Kobe Bryant
Lamar Odom
Kwame Brown
Vladimir Radmanovic
Andrew Bynum
Luke Walton
Chris Mihm
Smush Parker
Brian Cook
Ronny Turiaf
Jordan Farmar
Maurice Evans
Sasha Vujacic
Shammond Williams
Aaron McKie


Honestly though, a whole lot of the players are interchangeable on a day to day basis. Hell, all our players are talented, I can make a legit starting 5 our of our bottom 7 players.

PG Jordan Farmar
SG Sasha Vujacic
SF Maurice Evans
PF Brian Cook
C Ronny Turiaf

 

[Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It]

 

It's Turiaf's turn to shine

OAKLAND -- As Lakers forward Ronny Turiaf spoke to reporters Wednesday night in the Lakers dressing room at Oracle Arena, an arm slipped through the crowd with a cellphone in hand.

A Mr. Kobe Bryant was on the line.

 Stuck back home in Los Angeles rehabbing his sore right knee, Bryant missed Turiaf's career night, which included 23 points (14 in the third quarter), plus nine rebounds in 23 minutes while leading the Lakers to a 110-98 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

When asked afterward what Bryant had told him, Turiaf said it was personal.

But the big smile on Turiaf's face said it all.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


A year ago, Turiaf was out of basketball, still recovering from heart surgery to replace an enlarged aortic root. Could he have dreamed then of a night like Wednesday?

"Why not?" he said. "I don't just have cheerleading skills. God put me on this earth to play basketball."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Teammate Luke Walton called Turiaf's night "awesome."

Said Walton: "This was a guy who might never have played again because of his medical problems. Yet, through it all, he's always been positive whether he played or didn't."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


In both their wins the Lakers have outrebounded their opponents. Wednesday night the Lakers had 55 rebounds, versus 46 for the Warriors, led by Turiaf and Lamar Odom with nine each.


http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-spw-lakeweb3nov03,1,1965317.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-nba-lakers

[Tha G In Deee]

^ Ronny deserved that career high, he's worked hard for it...

[Teddy Roosevelt]

Honestly though, a whole lot of the players are interchangeable on a day to day basis. Hell, all our players are talented, I can make a legit starting 5 our of our bottom 7 players.

PG Jordan Farmar
SG Sasha Vujacic
SF Maurice Evans
PF Brian Cook
C Ronny Turiaf

 

Some young, talented, energy, but not a legit starting 5.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Honestly though, a whole lot of the players are interchangeable on a day to day basis. Hell, all our players are talented, I can make a legit starting 5 our of our bottom 7 players.

PG Jordan Farmar
SG Sasha Vujacic
SF Maurice Evans
PF Brian Cook
C Ronny Turiaf

 

Some young, talented, energy, but not a legit starting 5.

I think they can all be starting players in the NBA...

[GangstaBoogy]

Honestly though, a whole lot of the players are interchangeable on a day to day basis. Hell, all our players are talented, I can make a legit starting 5 our of our bottom 7 players.

PG Jordan Farmar
SG Sasha Vujacic
SF Maurice Evans
PF Brian Cook
C Ronny Turiaf

 

Some young, talented, energy, but not a legit starting 5.

I think they can all be starting players in the NBA...

you mean right now, or later on in their careers?

[wcsoldier]

Lakers- Warriors mix with California Vacation in the back  , props to Cachooka

http://www.rogepost.com/dn/uq2e

[rik]

We got the Sonics tonight. Should be 3-0 after the game  .

[rik]

Lakers- Warriors mix with California Vacation in the back  , props to Cachooka

http://www.rogepost.com/dn/uq2e

props...bout to check it out.

[Stone Cold is Bout It, Bout It]

Lakers- Warriors mix with California Vacation in the back  , props to Cachooka

http://www.rogepost.com/dn/uq2e

Cachooka is that nigga......for some reason i can't log-in to clublakers.com   

We got the Sonics tonight. Should be 3-0 after the game  .