Here is Part Two of our interview with Ken Miller, longtime basketball writer and the Sports and Entertainment Editor at the Los Angeles Sentinel. Part One sparked a lot of conversation, which we were happy to see. Hopefully, the next installment will do the same. Enjoy.

Andrew Kamenetzky:  In terms of bringing back Phil Jackson, to me it seemed to be an odd decision if the strategy is to prepare for two or three years from now.  To bring in a guy like Phil, who carries expectations of championships or close to that level, when the team isn’t anywhere near that?  What’s your opinion on that hire?

Ken Miller:  I think the hiring of Phil Jackson was solely a reputation hire.  The Lakers as a franchise, their reputation is in the toilet.  When they made the blockbuster trade with Shaquille O’Neal and they sided with Kobe Bryant, they had to bring Phil Jackson in.  He was the only guy that they could have brought in that could have given the organization a bona fide reputation.  There’s no question that Phil brings that kind of reputation to the Lakers, and I think that he takes a lot of the negativity away from Kobe Bryant.  The fact of the matter is that when Phil Jackson is done in three years- if he’s done, because we really don’t know when Phil is going to be done- but if he’s done in three years, I think what they’re going to do is to move Phil Jackson into a decision making capacity upstairs, so that he can attract the players in.  Because Kobe Bryant cannot attract the players and they are not guys who are willing to come and play for Mitch Kupchak.  So Phil Jackson is going to have to be the magnet to get one of those superstars over here.

          I just don’t see it happening.  I don’t see it happening, because I think the level of players they’re going to go after, they’re going to be guys who have probably won a championship with their existing team, and are going to want to play for a team that has an opportunity to win a championship.  You talk about the marketing base and expanding your personal profile, but that hasn’t helped Kobe Bryant.  Why would it help another solid superstar?  I don’t even know if it’s going to make a difference.  There’s not a guy out there like that.  Probably the next superstar is gonna come from the high school and college ranks.  You’re talking 2010, 2011 before the Lakers can get that kind of player.  I really don’t see the Lakers winning another NBA championship in the next twenty to twenty five years.

AK:  Really?

KM:  Really.

The kids were alright Tuesday night in San Antonio, but the score wasn't.  While Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, and Sasha Vujacic contributed their strongest games of the season, Kobe Bryant was locked down by Spurs defensive specialist Bruce Bowen, forcing shots on his way to a 9-33 night.  Kobe, discussing a critical miss late in the game, is still trying to balance the need to score with his teammates lack of experience in the O, believing in the good ol' days, players would have been in the right spots to receive a pass. 

As part of his longest on-court stretch of the season, Andrew Bynum had the chance to match up against his idol, Tim Duncan.  In what can only be seen as a positive sign, Bynum hopes to pattern his career after the steady, fundamentally sound Spurs big man (god forbid the words, "I want to be just like Jerome James" pass through his lips).  While he played big (6 points, 6 boards, 2 blocks in 21 minutes), he's still a rook:  after the game, he forgot to remove his mouthpiece at the start of a post-game interview.  He'll have time to adjust, since it looks like he won't be visiting the D-League this year. 

Make no mistake, the Zen Master is doing plenty of coaching this year, although he had a chance to reminisce on better times in San Antonio (hello, Derek Fisher!) when the Spurs-Lakers rivalry had a little more tooth to it.  No matter what's going on, Jackson will have plenty of chances to talk about it on his new radio show. 

(photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty)

Some think there's no such thing as a good loss, but I disagree in the case of the Lakers 90-84 loss to the Spurs. Put that first quarter aside (a tempting offer, considering how ugly L.A. played) and I think this was the best The Lakers have looked in a while. The Spurs are a team they have no business beating. Seriously, their bench smokes the Lakers' starting five. By miles. And the Lakers are missing Devean George, Kwame Brown and Slava. The Laker Nation should actually feel pretty stoked about this one, despite clocking another "L." It was far from perfect, with that "Okay, for real... Can Kobe and LO actually play together?" matter still a bigger mystery than the Iraq exit strategy. But the team was more energetic, more so than the usual Kobe-watching strategy. Keep up that kind of effort on a regular basis, and they'll inch themselves closer to .500... And maybe further.

Anyhoo, the game...

Even in San Antonio, Kobe's high shot totals are news.  All part of an outsider's view of the purple and gold in anticipation of tonight's game against the Spurs.  Look for the Bruce Bowen vs. Kobe matchup to be key. 

Lamar Odom's inconsistent play is starting to concern Phil Jackson (making him just like you, we suppose).  According to Odom, it's not for lack of effort.  He's spent extra time in the gym, and is trying to gain more confidence in his shot.  Odom has had greater success passing the ball, which is more than you can say for the team, currently 18th in the league in assists. 

Despite the gap in scoring between Bryant and Odom, Kobe has a ways to go before setting the NBA record for largest gap between leading scorers on one team.

Recently, we had a chance to speak with Ken Miller, longtime basketball writer and the Sports and Entertainment Editor at the Los Angeles Sentinel, who shared some interesting views on the state of the Lakers. This is the first part of our discussion.

Brian Kamenetzky: What was your impression of the team going into the season, and have they performed how you expected?

Ken Miller: I think it’s been about what I expected.  The Lakers are about where they should be considering the talent level on the team.  I think that Kobe Bryant is truly, I think he’s the best player- the best talent in the league, bar none.  There’s not anyone in the league that’s more talented and determined than Kobe Bryant. Lamar Odom is a very good role kind of player who can be a leader, but he can only be a leader if Kobe is not on the court. And they need him to coexist with Kobe. They need dynamic play from Lamar Odom when he and Kobe Bryant are on the floor, and I don’t think that Lamar Odom can perform that way. I think that he’s the kind of guy that when Kobe is out there, he’s not going to put up the same kind of numbers than when Kobe is not out there. I don’t know how to explain that.  I don’t think that he’s Kevin Garnett.  I think that he’s a real solid player.  He’s not as versatile as some people give him credit for- I don’t think I’ve ever seen him go to his right.  But he’s 6’10”, and you can’t teach height, and you can’t teach athleticism. 

It's the first Monday after Thanksgiving.  Nobody really wants to be at work, everyone's looking forward to the days off they get at Christmas.  Something has to get us to the day end whistle. 

All the talk of holiday travel got me thinking... What Lakers player would you most like as your road trip wingman? We'll call it an 8 hour trip from LA to wherever is 8 hours from LA.  No 24 hour, "you take one shift while I sleep, I'll take over and you take a nap" stuff.  It's not about finding the best driver of the bunch. 

And for the sake of argument, the trip is taken in a hypothetical car, the Nissan Pathfinder.  Roomy enough for everyone, but you don't get to choose Kobe because he's the richest guy on the team, and therefore must have the most pimped out ride.   And no trolling for a lift in the Smushcalade.

My choice?  8 hours with Kobe could be either the most revealing or completely awkward 480 minutes of my life.  A real crapshoot.   Can I take that kind of risk?  Bynum?  Too young.  Same with Devin Green.  Slava?  Language barrier.  Odom?  Not a bad choice.  Solid guy, pretty funny.   But in the end, it's all about tunes.  I think I'd have the fewest arguments over the stereo with Luke Walton.  He's probably got some huge stack of old Grateful Dead bootlegs from his dad, and the miles just roll by when you're jamming to some Fillmore concert from '71. 

Justify your answer.

BK

Kobe went off for 46, but again the Lakers suffered from a lack of balance, falling to the New Jersey Nets in OT Sunday 102-96.  Bryant dominated the offense, taking 36 of Los Angeles' 95 shots, making only 14.  Still, his 39% shooting bested the Lakers team total, an ugly, rim clanking, child scaring 34%. 

Lamar Odom chipped in 10 boards and 5 assists, which was good because he didn't do much else.  Coming off his best stretch of the season against Seattle, Odom's 1-11 showing from the field, including 0-4 from beyond the arc, was good for only 8 points (thank god for free throws). The Lakers got off to a horrible start, digging themselves a 16 point deficit after 1 quarter that they spent the rest of the game trying to overcome.  Bryant brought the team back in the 3rd and 4th to force OT... and the rest is (unpleasant) history. 

T.J. Simers gets away from mocking us to mock far more important people, like Phil Jackson. 

This week, Mark Heisler discusses the dilemma of Kobe's shot totals.  How do balance the need for Bryant to take over a game (it's part of what makes him such a great player) with the need to keep his teammates involved... especially when most of those teammates are offensively challenged?  What Lakers player will demand some of those shots from Kobe?

That synergy, especially between Bryant and Lamar Odom, has to happen if the injury riddled, talent thin Lakers squad is going to make the playoffs.  The Lakers best two players must start playing better together.  It's noteworthy that Odom had perhaps his best stretch of the season- the 1st half vs. Seattle- with Kobe on the bench.  It's a fix that needs to happen, and fast. 

Kobe Bryant wants to go down not just as a great scorer, but a great defender as well.  His performance against Ray Allen this week will help, but Bryant is looking for more challenges.  He'll have another chance tonight when Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, and the New Jersey Nets visit Staples. 

Meanwhile, Lamar Odom may find himself returning to the frontcourt, at least for a game, since Brian Cook has the flu.  His availability for tonight's game is in question.  Luke Walton, on the other hand, should be active for the first time this season. 

Charley Rosen checks in on Phil (scroll down, although it's always fun to read about Ruben Patterson). 

Okay, here's the deal.  I'm not a Mitch Kupchek apologist.  You'll never hear me say the guy is the best thing since sliced bread (or Jerry West).  But this "Cupcake" thing?  Not working for me.  I'm not sure it's as biting or clever as intended (more like an 8th grade put down where someone then says, "Ooooooh, burn, sizzle, fry.").  And by now, repetition has taken any wit and totally thrown it out the window.  While I believe it's completely possible to slag on a guy while using his actual name, I also have an appreciation for comic name change as a form of satire.  If that's your M.O., use it.  But 11 games into the season, Cupcake has run its course.  It's time to do better.   

So for the anti-Mitch faction out there, here's the challenge:  Find a new derogatory or mocking name for the Lakers GM.  Something.  Anything.  Use Kupchek as your template, or don't.  I believe in the creativity of the Lakers Blog family of readers.  Just remember our rules- no cursing, no inappropriate sexual content (that's right, keep your dirty Mitchnames to yourself), and no slander/libel. 

Then go to town.  Extra points for being clever.  Explain your name, if need be.   

(Pro Mitchers?  Feel free to chime in as well with positive monikers.  This neither a condemnation nor commendation of Kupchek's work, merely an attempt to improve the quality of Lakers Blog banter.  And if you guys dig Cupcake, than so be it.) 

BK

Brian Cook was stoked just getting into a game with his mom in the house. The Lakers were pretty psyched about those 17 points and 7 boards. Whether or not he'll continue starting is up in the air, but between the strong effort and the rash of injuries, Cookie's guaranteed some big minutes for the time being.

If you're gonna drive something called "The Smushcalade," your game better be up to snuff. Smush agrees, which is why he's looking to step up his (Devean has spare SUV's lying around? Must be nice.). In fact, the Sonics game could be a template for the kind of night both Smush and LO would like to have in the future. 

FYI: Walton hopes to dress on Sunday to face the Nets, and close bud Richard Jefferson.

Steve Kerr of Yahoo! Sports discusses the Lakers' dependence on Kobe offensively, but notes they've become a better defensive squad this season (hey fans, it's all relative), and that Phil Jackson sees encouraging signs for down the road. 

Finally, a fun Saturday afternoon time killer, the CBS Sportsline NBA Basketball Player Ratings.  Scroll down to find most of your favorite Lakers...

Andrew and I are pleased at the response for the blog thus far (like the team we're covering, it's a work in progress).  Feel free to contact us at kambrothers@yahoo.com if you have questions, comments, and suggestions.  Can't say we'll follow all of them, but I promise you they'll get read. 

Also, we've tried to use and respond to your comments as a way to deliver our analysis and spark debate among readers.  If you have specific questions or topics that you want us to address, feel free to post them on the blog, but also drop an email- stuff we could use for "reader mail" style posts.

Thanks, and keep reading (we need the work).

BK

Last Friday was part one for L.A. bragging rights supremacy. Score a round #&%*-talkin' points for the Clips. No way around it, the Lakers had it handed to them in a 97-91 loss that really wasn't as close the score would indicate. The confidence of their Staples Center mates has swollen up bigger than Jamie Foxx's ego, but their play merits swagger. Feels weird just typing it, but this wasn't a team the Lakers had any business beating.

The Bulls, however, could have been a different story on Sunday. A better team perhaps, but coming off a three game losing streak on the road, and just as young and inexperienced as the Lakers. Unfortunately, they were also more aggressive and confident, and the Lakers hung onto Kobe like Linus with his security blanket. Thankfully, they managed to pull it together on Thursday, even maintaining a strong effort during the first half with Kobe on the bench in foul trouble. Lamar Odom took over the opening 24 minutes in a big way, and then it was all about Kobe, who put on a clinic (and held Ray Allen in check). The ideal would still be a fluid two man game for an entire contest, and it's still a work in (long) progress. But Lakers fans had to be happy seeing both give solo displays of what they do best.

Unfortunately, Kupchak is getting the most of his squad's medical insurance premiums. Guys have been falling harder than Paris Hilton's boyfriend as a valet hands him the keys. Devean George and Kwame Brown have entered the ranks of "no clue when they'll be returning," exchanging the secret handshake with Luke Walton and Slava. And with the squad now thinner than Vujacic's legs, every win, regardless of opponent, is a good one.  Problem is, they're basically playing every other day all week, and those getting heavy minutes due to injuries (possibly everyone but Von Wafer) could get pretty tired down the stretch. It'd be a sweet time for the entire squad to just sort of wake up and know the triangle. That being a long shot, the more realistic shot of winning will come from guys busting butt on D, taking the open shot without hesitation, and not watching Kobe do his thing. It'll be a test, for sure.  Here's what's coming:

Hey, if you have to give up Thanksgiving with the family, you might as well win.  Thursday's 108-96 win against Seattle put the breaks on a 1-5 skid and lifted the Lakers out of the Pacific Division cellar. 

Kobe Bryant trumped Ray Allen in the Battle of the Western Conference Stars, pouring in 34 points while putting the clamps on Seattle's leading scorer, holding him to 19.  Bryant, who only had 5 points at halftime, went freakin' nuts in the 3rd as L.A. quickly erased a 7 point halftime deficit. 

If you're reading this, you're probably avoiding your mother in law. 

Anyway, it's Thanksgiving Day, and at Lakers Blog, we feel there's a lot to be thankful for.  That we're gainfully employed, for example. 

Even at 4-6, Lakers fans have much to appreciate.  That after tonight's game, Sasha Vujacic can engage in the truly American celebration of belt loosening and take down a 3,000 calorie dinner with hundreds of grams of fat. That Andrew Bynum seems to have a clue (even if Kwame Brown doesn't...).  That the Lakers didn't sign Jerome James.

Tonight's Thanksgiving battle against Seattle is an opportunity to get a little more thankful, in another matchup against an end-of-the-playoff ladder hopeful that LA needs to win.  This is truly one of those, "something's gotta give" contests.  Seattle is the worst rebounding team in the NBA, but if the Lakers can't improve their team defense around the perimeter, Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis will have so many open looks that they'll be unlikely to miss too often.  The Sonics give up more points than anyone else in the league, and the Lakers can't score. 

Cynics would question how much fans should eat before watching the game.  After all, if the Lakers perform like they have during this 1-5 skid, most of a lovingly prepared meal could come up the same way it went down.  That'll ruin the evening, and the rug.  Ah, but it's Thanksgiving!   Let's give thanks for a little optimism.

But put some plastic down, just in case. 

BK

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Lamar Odom will not be attempting to average 20 points a game after all.  After meeting with Phil Jackson, who wants Odom to continue distributing the ball, Odom restated his goals, saying he meant he intends to play more aggressively.  Certainly no harm in that.

Phil Jackson went on Leno a couple days ago, talking about Kobe's need for better shot selection, but reiterating that they were on the same page. Also, Kobe was fined for violating the dress code after wearing sneakers to the game. Think about the children, Kobe!

T.J. Simers weighs in on the blog. Hey man, if you're gonna bag on it, at least bag on the right guys. It's Andrew and Brian Kamenetzky! Not Adam and Brian. And if he wants a Clips blog, we'd do that, too. We're willing to give hoops fans from all walks of life an excuse to blow off work.

The Seattle Times capsules tonight's game at Staples.  Tuning in on TNT?  Try to figure out how many pounds Charles Barkley gains during the broadcast before the tryptophan puts you to sleep. 

Slow news day for the Purple and Gold in front of Thanksgiving...

Lamar Odom, who only took 4 shots in the loss to Chicago, says he's going to try and average 20 points over the next four games in an effort to take some of the offensive pressure off Kobe Bryant.  Phil Jackson isn't so sure that's a good idea, going so far as to suggest the media is putting pressure on Odom to play away from his strengths- rebounding, distributing the ball, and taking advantage of opportunities when available- to concentrate on scoring.

ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan stuck Andrew Bynum in the "rookies off to slow starts" category in his first evaluation of the '05 draft class:

"Andrew Bynum, Lakers (No. 10): Logged some fourth-quarter minutes during the meltdown against the Bulls the other night, but hurt the Lakers more than he helped."

Sheridan's point leads to an interesting potential debate (Aw, heck.  Let's just make it the Interesting Debate Topic of the Day, why not?  No need to go through the formality of a separate post.)  How much PT should Bynum be getting?  Beyond being literally one of LA's few big men, he's also one of the only ones with a nose to block shots on the defensive end.  He's been very active in the lane when given an opportunity to play.  On the other hand, he's a black hole offensively, and if left on the floor too long, will most likely be exploited and abused by opposing offenses and bigs.  They're not a better team with him on the floor, but the reality is the drop off with him out there isn't as big as it should be.  That's not a good sign for the team as a whole.  At what point is it time for Phil and Mitch to say, "even if it hurts us in the win column, we're getting the kid some experience?"

Discuss. 

BK

It's now ten games into the season, and at 4-6, it hasn't exactly been a disaster for the Lakers. But it hasn't exactly been ideal, either. In particular, there are concerns about whether a legit second scoring option will emerge. In theory, it should be Odom, and at times, he's seemed more than up to the task. But he's also disappeared just as often, and by his own admission is more comfortable helping folks score than putting the ball in the basket himself. Smush is capable of putting up nice numbers now and then, but has no track record when it comes to doing it on a consistent basis for an entire season. Check out the other candidates. Devean, Mihm, Cook, etc. Different name, same explanation. And obviously, there's plenty of time for folks to man up. But what happens if they don't?

Should you get an opportunity to visit the Lakers practice facility, don't drink the water.

An injured left foot has 6th man Devean George joining Kwame Brown, Slava Medvedenko, and Luke Walton in L.A.'s increasingly busy M.A.S.H. unit.  After Sunday's loss to Chicago, George headed to Indianapolis to get checked out by the same doc who performed his ankle surgery.  CT and MRI scans were negative.  He's expected to miss at least a week.  Time for assistant coach Kurt Rambis to suit up?

His impressive show in the 4th quarter of Sunday's game combined with L.A.'s injury issues means Andrew Bynum may gain the game experience he needs with the big club, rather than in the D-League. 

If you're a KG rumor junkie with access to ESPN Insider, check out Chris Sheridan's take on where he might end up, or if he'll move at all. 

Ronny Turiaf Update:  The Lakers 2nd round pick is practicing with his alma mater, Gonzaga. He graduates in December and may be able to begin working out with the Lakers afterwards, but currently there is no timetable for his return to competition.  It's entirely dependent on medical evaluations. 

A light Sunday night for Celeb Traffic

Larry David may have angst, but he's nothing compared to Lakers fans at the moment.

From poster Ox, regarding last night's game and post game wrap up:

"What did you guys think of Foxsport analyst Jack Haley's comments after the game in which he said the Lakers should junk the triangle?  I agree with him."

Interesting you ask, because Andrew and I were actually talking about this last night.  I understand why people would want to scrap the triangle, but I don't think it's a good idea.  Here's why:

1) It's still early.  For all the endless talk we've heard about how long it takes to properly implement the triangle, it's actually the truth.  It's complicated, and doesn't come quickly.  10 games into the season seems pretty quick to give up on Phil's system. 

Lamar Odom must have caught the same bug that's infected the Lakers frontcourt this season, because his return to power forward in Sunday's loss to Chicago at Staples was a rough go, filled with foul trouble and offensive struggles.  For the night, he only attempted four shots, and made only one of six free throw opportunities. 

Kobe's shots were again an issue, with #8 taking 34 of the Lakers 78 total attempts.  While Phil Jackson said he thought 90% were quality attempts, it's something he believes needs to change:

"We will have to find another alternative to 34 shots out of 78.  That's too high a percentage of shots for Kobe to take and the team to absorb. We have to do better than that."

To illustrate proper spacing in the offense when Michael Jordan faced double teams and to show how His Airness passed out of them, Jackson showed the Lakers film of the 1991 NBA Finals.  Apparently, it didn't work.  L.A. often found themselves with two, three, or even four players within five feet of each other on the floor.

While Luke Walton hopes he'll be ready to go Thursday in Seattle, Kwame Brown knows he'll be in street clothes for at least another week, time he can use to watch the offense and figure out where he's supposed to be, and how he fits in.  It's all about using your time wisely, right? 

The Lakers woes were due in part to their inability to contain Tyson Chandler on the boards, in what Bulls coach Scott Skiles called Chandler's best game of the year.  His 15 rebounds, together with Michael Sweetney's 12, were only 11 fewer than the Lakers pulled down as a team. 

(photo by KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/AP)

There's been a lot of talk lately about the strong start by the Clippers, and their effort to carve out their own space in a Lakers dominated town. Readers have chimed in with their opinions. Here's a little of what Elton Brand and Mike Dunleavy had to say after their 97-91 W over the Lakers last Friday.

Elton Brand
On the Clippers being the more confident team from the beginning of the game:
”We wanted to go after them right away, you know? It’s an away game. Different floors. Different fans out there. It was an away game. We wanted to start off well…”

Q: Is it as clear to you as it is to us who the better team is?
A: It’s not a big deal for us to be better than them, for me, personally. We were better than them last year. Now we’re trying to catch the upper echelon teams. That’s my goal.

On how the approach to playing the Lakers has changed since his first year in the league:
”It’s changed a lot. Their team’s different. I remember coming in here, you know, it was hard to get some sleep that night. You had Shaq and Karl Malone. That team was a lot different. Now, we’re confident. We feel like we can come in and win.

On being told that there were more Clipper cheers heard tonight than before:
”(Than) ever. Ever. More jerseys. More Clipper jerseys. More Clipper, you know, cheers, than ever before. I remember just nothing but boos. But I heard some cheers and saw some jerseys, so that’s good. The fans, they came out for us tonight.”

On whether they think they’re forging their own identity in the “crosstown rivalry:”
”Oh, yeah. We definitely feel like we’re forging our own identity. We’re tied with San Antonio for first. It’s early, but we’re tied for first place in the west. There’s nothing else. That says it all.

If guys like him, Maggette, Wilcox, who’ve been there a while; were growing sick of the second class status?
”I don’t know if they were, but I personally… I’m a realist. I kind of understood it. They have the tradition. They have the heritage. They were beating us… What are you supposed to do? But now, we’re winning the games. We got a better record. I expect it to change soon.”

Coach Mike Dunleavy

”What I liked about (the win), it was billed as a bigger game than normal. I was a little worried about coming into the game tonight. Would our guys be too excited? Too pumped up, you know. Too much energy. But they came out right away and they executed well.”

On how much he cared about forging the team’s own identity in the city, regardless of his indifference towards the actual “rivalry” aspect:
”The way I look at it is this. You know what? We win, all that stuff takes care of itself. I don’t have to say anything. And I don’t say anything. We just go out to win… It basically is, who wants to be the guy that blows his own horn? There’s nothing to it. I mean, we’re solid.  We work hard. We got good energy. We’ll come take care of business. At the end, you guys write what you want to write… We’re just going to win. The main thing for us, we don’t have any room to brag. We don’t want to brag about it. We haven’t done anything yet. 7-2, we still haven’t done anything as far as I’m concerned.

Did you get the sense that guys like Maggette, Brand, Wilcox, who’ve been here a while, had that feeling of second class citizens in L.A.?
”I don’t think they’ve felt that way since I’ve been here. I won’t let them feel that way. Our basic thing is, we’re on this slope right here, (pointing) straight up, okay? And I think they believe that. I believe it. They believe it. And that’s where they’re going.”

Kobe opens up (a little, at least) to the Chicago Tribune's Sam Smith, discussing his past and future.  Smith describes a player with enough talent to carry a team, but with a tattered public image that will be difficult to rebuild.  Some very interesting comments from Kobe. 

Mark Heisler's explanation for the Clippers victory over the purple and gold on Friday?  L.A.'s other team is also L.A.'s better team (as has been stated repeatedly on this blog).  Meanwhile he checks in on the Lamar Odom Experiment, and the idea that it may be coming to an end as the Lakers try to figure out where the guy belongs on the court.   Also, more on Spree, who will not be insulted by accepting the veteran's minimum of $1.1 million, and passed up a chance to play in Motown because he wouldn't start.  Raise your hand if you'd like to be insulted with $1.1 million...

The Lakers may be forced to put Odom down low for a while, since Kwame Brown's hamstring will shelve him for at least a couple weeks.  With Slava out and Chris Mihm limping around on a bum ankle, the Lakers already thin frontcourt looks worse than a plate of escargot after a night of tequila shots.  The good news is Andrew Bynum will see a little more time (might as well get the kid's feet wet now), and if any fans out there ever wanted a chance to play power forward or center on a genuine NBA team, this could be it. 

Finally, the question of whether or not Kobe takes to many shots is popping up.  Does he do it because he doesn't trust the supporting cast, or are the other pieces of the puzzle not stepping up?

Score one for the redheaded step child. The Clips worked the Lakers in a 97-91 win after taking an early lead and never letting up. Kobe feels like he's taking too many shots and the team's depending on him too much. He's right on both counts. Obviously, history is still on the Lakers side, and the Clips have a long way to go in terms of proving they can maintain this pace. But the Clips have a new attitude and there's no question which team has a bigger buzz at the moment.

For those still wondering why The Lakers (or anyone else) haven't signed Latrell Sprewell, this article pretty much sums it up. In a nutshell, Spree's priorities are money and playing time, with winning a distant third (if even that high). Seriously, this moron turned down the opportunity to play for Detroit, a perennial contender, because he wouldn't start. Okay, Latrell, who exactly is Flip supposed to sit? Rip Hamilton? Tayshaun Prince? They're both better than you! Ironically, both guys are team oriented enough that they might consider doing it, but why would you mess with one of the best starting fives in the NBA to make Sprewell happy? I'll field that one. You wouldn't.

And in terms of Spree playing for the vet's minimum, I'll give him this: He's definitely better than most cats clocking those dollars. But when Karl Malone signed with the Lakers for "slap in the face" cash, he was playing at a higher level than Spree and had accomplished just a touch more than the King of Rims during the course of his career. The difference is, Malone wanted a ring. Malone wanted to win. Spree doesn't care about winning. He cares about himself, and that's not the kind of guy you want on your team, especially one in a rebuilding phase.

Bottom line, Spree did this to himself. He was stupid enough to spurn Minnesota's offer to absurdly overpay him at 7 mil per year because his family needed feeding, and apparently they subsist on a three squares a day of solid platinum. Now he's priced himself out of the league. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy.

To all Lakers fans still inexplicably clamoring for Kupchak to offer this dude a contract (which he wouldn't sign anyway, since it won't be for enough $), ask yourself the following: How many wins do you realistically think Spree can deliver at this stage of his career (them Knicks days are long since gone, people), and are those few W's, if any, worth the hassle of dealing with this guy? The answer is pretty obvious.

Every GM in the league can't be wrong, folks.

AK

It was a tale of two cities, or games at least, for the Lakers this week.  Monday's game in Memphis was basketball at its worst.  Two teams playing badly, shooting what felt like a combined 11% and turning the ball over like they were allergic to leather.  Had I paid for a ticket that night, I'd have staged a sit in at the FedEx Forum until the police came to arrest me or management delivered a refund.  The game ended the Lakers 1-3 road trip on a point so low you'd need coal miners or Fraggles to find it. 

Fortunately, The Relief For What Ails 'Ya, otherwise known as the New York Knicks, visited the friendly confines of Staples on Wednesday.  How the Kobe Bryant's- I mean the Lakers achieved their 97-92 victory has been a point of debate on this site.  I contend that at home, how you win matters, and can be indicative of a team's quality.  It's not healthy for Kobe to score so much while the rest of the players don't.  Ignore for a second the question of whether or not Kobe freezes out his teammates, they stand around and watch him too much, or if the supporting cast just isn't good enough to get the job done.  Then compare Wednesday's win with the Denver home victory and even the Phoenix loss with their more equitable distribution of points and decide which form of offense works better.  Kobe must dominate the O.  He's generally the best player on the floor.  But there's a tipping point where that dominance becomes counterproductive, and the team flirted with that line, if not crossed it, this week.

In tonight's game against the Clippers- the world beating Clippers- the Lakers have a chance to break out of that cycle that hurt them so much last season.  That is, of course, if they can find an answer to Boniface N'Dong. 

It's a slow week comin', but here's what's on tap:

Check the current headline on Yahoo! Sports' NBA page (as of 1:46, at least).

From a roster talent standpoint, I'm going with the red and blue.   As an organization?  Jerry Buss vs. Donald Sterling?  Do we need to have this conversation?

BK

Lakers fans may not want to admit it, but at this moment, the Clips are legit, more so than the Purple and Gold. Yeah, history definitely favors the Lakers, along with a predictable Clippers collapse. But for the first time in eons, perhaps ever, the Lakers are the ones with something to prove in a match against their roommates. If nothing else, Kwame's got a lot to prove if he wants to be known as L.A.'s best PF, since Elton Brand's had that territory staked out for quite some time.

(photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty)

Sports Illustrated's Marty Burns wrote an article on Kwame Brown. This will come as a shock to most readers, but it's not entirely complimentary.

As always, her emailed observations get to the heart of the matter in a way her two dumbs sons could never even attempt.

"I noticed that Lamar Odom smiled alot and that gave a friendly look to a team fraught with celebrety. Kobe seems more focused with his new do. Maybe the short hair is one less thing to worry about."

Mom raises a good question. During his time with the Lakers, Kobe's gone back and forth between close cut and rocking a bit of a 'fro. Which do y'all think he played better in?

An email from Gary M.

Laker Fans need to vent on Shaq. Please give us a Shaq catagory to vent our frustrations about the Big Lard. We have had almost 4 years of penned up anger and need to vent.

Chris Rock, apparently power walking to his seat.

For one night at least, it wasn't Kobe and Phil, but Phil and Larry.  The coaches were the center of attention in Wednesday's 97-92 Lakers victory over the Knicks at Staples, as fans tried to measure the progress of two legendary figures attempting to turn around weak teams. 

Coming off Monday's loss in Memphis, which Lakers fans and Jackson hope will be the team's worst effort of the season (could it get worse?), it was Kobe Bryant's show, as #8 took over the 2nd half, scoring 29 of his 42.  Playing with a bandage for an injury to his shooting hand, Bryant says he's adjusting to the wrap and beginning to trust his shot again after a string of off games.  Whatever it is, he was more than the Knicks could handle. 

(photo by LUCY NICHOLSON/Reutuers)

Kobe takes 36 shots, and scores 42 of the team's 97 points.  Any win is a good win, but that's not a healthy distribution.

BK

Well, at least it's a sports spectacle not involving T.O. But let's be honest. Two fairly average teams  squaring off, no matter who's coaching them, is barely worthy of a one ring circus, much less the three ring extravaganza the media has tried to create out of it. But it did provide relief for Lakers fans convinced they have the worst constructed, least flexible roster in the NBA. Please! The Knicks make L.A. look like a team built for the ages and way under the cap. How a payroll with those players tops 110 mil is beyond me. There ain't a franchise guy in sniffing distance. Even Laker fans unhappy over a lack of depth or stars must admit, Kupchak at least has a plan, regardless of whether or not you think the plan makes sense or is being executed properly. Isaiah's route feels like letting a recovering alcoholic hang out with Tara Reid at an open bar. A lack of self control will rear its ugly head. (Let's see... Jerome James? Starbury and Crawford in the same backcourt? Jerome James???)

Anyway, the game...

In honor of tonight's game against Larry Brown and the Knicks, I present the following questions:

1) Which legendary coach would you rather have patrolling the sidelines- Phil Jackson or Larry Brown?

2) Which legendary franchise, both in rebuilding mode, do you think is closer to making it back to the top? 

It turns out that Slava's back problem is a herniated disc, meaning he'll miss a month and a half during his recovery time. Granted, he wasn't playing a ton, anyway. But if Phil ever wanted to get heavy on front court scoring, outside of Odom, Slava might have been their best option.

Presumably, the doctor will prescribe more than candy bars. 

The Knicks are in town! And in case you weren't aware (or the rock you lived under wasn't cable ready), this off-season was somewhat Phil Jackson/Larry Brown-centric in the NBA. Both were courted by Isaiah, with Phil always more interested in a west coast reunion than east (He was a Knick back in the day). And having squared off in the 2004 finals, they're permanently linked together, although this is hardly the high powered showdown of two seasons ago.

USA Today's Western Conference Notes. Smush is the lead story. Did you know he was the first player in NBDL history to record a triple double? You never know when the Final Jeopardy category will be "The Florida Flames" so burn it into the back of your minds.

Dude, someone dropped a dime on my fantasy squad's namesake! The NBA's former #1 bad boy is up to no good again. Apparently, battery is against the law these days. Who knew? This probably doesn't help his bid for a comeback (if one such effort even exists).

For readers who've been riding the winning fantasy bus (mine!) since day one, fear not. I know the guys on my team, and they won't allow a distraction like this to unravel their season. They're going to stay focused and weather the storm. And who knows? Perhaps Mr. Rider can use my band of warriors as a source of strength and learn from this unfortunate incident (I seriously doubt it, but I also never thought the Knicks would have $90,000,000 worth of center and still not have a quality starter, so anything's possible, I suppose.).

AK

Elvis has left the building... along with the Lakers' mojo. Phil Jackson's summary of last night's 85-73 loss in Memphis? "We were pathetic." As one might expect in a loss like this (3 points above the franchise's all-time points low), the offense was far from running on all cylinders. "I think we're not trusting one another offensively and defensively," said Lamar Odom. And as the Times' Mike Bresnahan noted, the night felt like a familiar retread from last year's disaster season. Oh yeah, the team is officially under .500 right now.

Your box score:  http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2005111429

Did anyone else watching the KCAL broadcast Monday night catch the shot of Kobe on the bench as the 3rd quarter ended?  The first big unveiling this season of the "Kobe Scowl."  Of course, any Lakers fans tuning in probably had the same pained-yet-angry expression. 

With three consecutive road losses after a convincing win against Atlanta, the Lakers officially dashed the hopes of that enthusiastic minority who saw their 3-1 start as the germ of a 60 win season.  Like Philly and Minnesota before them, the Griz threw everything at Bryant and basically dared someone... anyone... to beat them.

A new item from the O.C. Register. As one might guess, the Lakers are still figuring out the triangle.

Continuing further with Brian's earlier post regarding the possibility of Garnett playing in L.A...

Like my brother, I think it would be great if KG donned the purple and gold. Like my brother, I also don't think there's a shot in hell of it actually happening. Yeah, yeah, KG could always become sick of Minny's sideways growth and pull a Shaq, forcing Minny to trade from a position of extreme disadvantage and making their lives as difficult as possible. Under those circumstances, sure, the Lakers could get KG for Kwame, Von Wafer and 50 autographed "The Magic Hour" DVDs. But that's probably not gonna happen for two reasons:

1) By most reports, KG is a pretty classy guy who seems to recognize that, even while flailing, Minnesota has pretty much centered its entire universe around him since the day he arrived, and The Big Ticket appears to appreciate it. Even if he wants out, I don't think he'd force a team's hand in the vindictive manner that Shaq did.

2) Garnett could play the biggest jerk card this side of Terrell Owens, and the Wolves could still find a better offer than whatever the Lakers could scrape together.

Which sets up what I want to discuss: The concept of realistic trade scenarios.

The Lakers had a brief scare yesterday after Slava fainted in a Philly hotel elevator and had to be taken to the hospital. He's apparently okay, and Phil thinks it was a combination of eating nothing but candy and not sleeping well due to back spasms (With the NBA inactive list rules changed, guys formerly on the IL with "back spasms" now actually have back spasms). Hopefully, he'll be feeling better soon.

Stephen A. Smith of the Philadelphia Enquirer notes that Kobe Bryant's coping skills are off the charts- no matter what gets thrown at him, Bryant has the will to disregard it and play though while he tries to write the classic story of the fallen hero who redeems himself. 

It would help if the Lakers were more productive in the fourth quarter, perhaps relying less on Bryant, who faces constant double and triple teams as time runs down.  Meanwhile, don't look for Slava Medvendenko or Luke Walton to play Monday in Memphis.  Slava's back is acting up (not that he would have played much anyway), and Walton has a slight muscle pull in his right leg. 

Finally, about four hours after they signed him to a $29 million contract, ESPN's Marc Stein reports the Knicks, who visit Staples on Wednesday, are shopping center Jerome James.  Hard to believe he wouldn't end up a Larry Brown type player.  Good luck with moving him, Isiah. 

The rumor mill is churning with Kevin Garnett talk, and some fans in Lakersville are fired up.  From Young_Hov:

"Is it true what i heard from someone that Kevin Garnett want's a trade.  If he do what are our chances of us getting him without losing Lamar Odom?"

From James:

"I think Lakers should get Garnett, as its mentioned in topbuzz.com rumor section.. for Odom, Medvedinko, 1st draft pick, young potential player..

"Is this a good deal though? I think Lakers should get at least 2nd draft pick or a point guard from Twolves."

Honestly, I haven't investigated the KG rumors.  Yeah, I know he's not happy with the way Minnesota has disintegrated in over the last year and a half.  Sure, there could come a point where, like Shaq did with the Lakers, Garnett forces the Timberwolves' hand and facilitates a deal.  But until things get desperate, the answer to Young_Hov's question about Odom is no, there is no chance of the Lakers getting Garnett without dealing Lamar, unless they flip Kobe for him instead.  And the second deal?  Odom, spare parts, middle first round pick, and a young player for one of the five best players in the NBA?  A guy in the prime of his career?  C'mon.  Even if that young player is Bynum, the sum of Odom, the #1, Slava (is he supposed to sweeten the deal?) and a kid who won't be good for a couple years at least is not an offer that will make Kevin McHale pay much attention.  Or shouldn't at least.  Not until he's desperate.  And to say that deal wouldn't be good enough unless the Lakers received another pick or player? 

I hope he was being tongue-in-cheek. 

Could Garnett end up in L.A. via trade?  I'm not counting on it.  I don't know if he wants to come here, but I do know the Lakers are not in a position to offer nearly as much for Garnett as other teams.  The dropoff of appealing acquisitions after Bryant and Odom is swift and severe.  Even in the Shaq deal, the Lakers got two useful player (Odom and Butler).  And that was with zero leverage. 

Trading a bunch of lesser players for a superstar is always a great deal for the team that gets the superstar.

BK

For those who don't, a quick refresher. Celestand was the Lakers' second round pick in the 1999 draft (30th overall, with Devean George going 7 spots earlier). Celestand only played in 16 games, averaging just 2.3 ppg, and was gone the following season. But he did get one more ring than Malone, Stockton and Reggie combined. Currently playing in Europe, he's written a probasketballnews.com piece about experiencing firsthand Kobe Bryant's tenacity, on display even with a cast on his wrist. Take a look, and enjoy. 

Kobe Bryant's return to hometown Philadelphia brought boos and bad shooting.  With the Sixers packed tight around the hoop and facing a consistent double team, Kobe was forced to take jumpers from the perimeter, with virtually no success. 

Call it an off night if you want, but much of the credit for Kobe's bad showing goes to Sixers guard Andre Iguodala, who in his second season is developing into one of the league's best defenders.  While Sixers coach Maurice Cheeks praised Iguodala's performance, he was even more impressed with Philly's overall team defense. 

Bryant may have been jeered, but former Sixer Aaron McKie, an amnesty release by Philadelphia this summer, received a standing ovation from the Wachovia Center crowd.  McKie acknowledged he's struggling to pick up the triangle adjust to reduced minutes on the court.  And after 7 years in Philadelphia, McKie admitted that he hasn't lost all his loyalty to the Sixers or the city. 

Friday's loss in Philadelphia showed two things:

a) the Lakers can stay in a game when Kobe isn't shooting well.

b) the Lakers don't score a lot of points when Kobe isn't.

That the Lakers managed to stick around and even take a substantial lead in a game where Kobe missed 20 of 27 shots is impressive.  The defense was active, did a decent job containing Iverson, and the rest of the Sixers contributed virtually nothing.  John Salmons was the only Philly player in double figures who shot over 50%.  The Lakers made them earn their points (granted, it's not like Philadelphia is an offensive juggernaut). 

Chris Mihm played almost an entire good game (disappearing in the fourth), but Kwame Brown did nothing to build on Wednesday's positive outing, managing only 3 boards in 24 minutes.  That's one less rebound than the number of personal fouls he managed to acquire, or his turnover total for the evening.  Not good.  What was good?  Sasha Vujacic scuffling up with A.I. 

Believers will take positive lessons from this one, based on the notion that if Kobe scores a little, they'd win.  Pessimists would say that it's a bad sign that they struggle when Kobe isn't putting the ball in the hole.  The strategy becomes load up on Bryant