... and so are the Kamenetzky Brothers. We're both gonna take a couple days to chill and relax, as we've been posting a few times daily since the blog's inception. Thus, you're looking at the last new post until 2006. We will, however, update comments (although not as frequently), so if folks wanna keep yapping, feel free to fire away. And obviously, if something big breaks (for example, the Lakers trade for a certain psychopathic forward), one of us will put down the beer and put up a new entry. But otherwise, enjoy the rest of 2005!

And with that, I leave y'all with a topic. It's that time of year when everyone makes their New Year's Resolutions. Presumably, at least a few Lakers will be making a list of their own. If you could add an item to one (or more) player's plans, what would it be? And just to make things easier, here's the entire roster:

Kwame, Kobe, Bynum, Cook, George, Green, Mihm, McKie, Slava, LO, Smush, Profit, Turiaf (it's still up in the air, but what the hell) Sasha, Wafer, and Walton.  And just for giggles, let's throw Phil Jackson into the mix.

Take care,

AK

After Wednesday's OT loss to Memphis, there was much to talk about.  Defensive breakdowns, poor shot selection and third quarter struggles to name a few.  The mood after last night's game was one of shock.  Players were ticked and the fans seemed stunned.  But Jackson, though disappointed, was calm in his post game press conference.  It's interesting to look at his answers here and the ones he gave before the tip, in light of how the Lakers managed to hand Memphis an overtime win in a game that never should have reached that point. 

"Well, that was a diappointing loss for us.  We just couldn't carry the finish of that game to completion.  Stoudamire hit a great shot.  Kobe had a really good look, but couldn't finish the game.  And in overtime they really rode that momentum that got them into the tie to send it to overtime.  The first three minutes of that overtime we had to stumble back, and find our way back to the opportunity we had.  And it was a great opportunity we muffed."

As you're watching the Lakers on most given nights, do you ever get the sense that Chris Mihm is growing frustrated with the refs? Well, that's only because he is. And he doesn't quite know what to do about it. I imagine Mihm would be the first to admit, there are many nights where he's matched against a big with more pure skill than him. But in his mind, that's nothing compared to challenge provided by the whistle blowers, who often make his life hell. No doubt, Mihm's productivity is more directly related to his foul count than any other single factor. And unless Odom feels like working the post, L.A. has basically no inside scoring when Mihm's parked on the pine. Thus, his whistle tally is a legit issue for the team as well.

I talked briefly with Mihm after Wednesday's loss to Memphis, a night where he nonetheless played very well (15 and 11, plus 2 blocks). Coincidence that he also didn't rack up much (relatively speaking) in the foul department (only 4, in an OT game)? Not likely. We didn't speak much about the game itself, as I figured the game would be analyzed plenty on the blog as it was. Instead, I focused the conversation mostly on the refs and his relationship with them, a situation that will remain relevant as the Lakers look to make a playoff push. Here's what he had to say.

While the Laker Nation was jittery after the purple and gold dropped two games they could (should?) have won in Miami and Washington, Phil Jackson was not hitting the panic button before Wednesday's game against Memphis (nor did he hit it afterwards).  In fact, Phil was pretty loose with the media in the pre-game coach chat.  Of course, that was before the Lakers devised another creative way to lose, dropping the ball against the Grizzlies in their 100-99 OT loss.

Here's what Phil had to say, with a little commentary (in italics) thrown in.  Post game thoughts to follow.

BK

Once again the Lakers had a team on the ropes, and couldn't put them on the mat.  The result?  A frustrating 100-99 OT loss Wednesday night to Memphis, continuing the Lakers' struggles at Staples Center.  While much of the post-game talk was on Kobe Bryant's domination of the offense, especially in the 2nd half, Phil Jackson pointed to other breakdowns as well.  As the Lakers roll into the new year, every game will be a struggle, and none can be taken for granted. 

Jackson wants more balance, and thinks the team could learn from his old Bulls squads.  As for Lamar Odom, Jackson says it may be time to abandon the crunch time three pointer in favor of something with a higher percentage of success (considering their collective percentage from beyond the arc, the same could be said for most of the roster...).

A frustrated Kobe smashed a tv monitor outside the Lakers locker room Monday in Washington (unlike many of you, who probably smashed a tv monitor inside your living rooms).  Those of you who still have televisions might be seeing Ronny Turiaf on it soon.  While the Lakers say he needs a couple more games, Turiaf's agent expects him to sign a three year deal with the purple and gold. 

ESPN's Mark Stein hands out his "First Trimester" awards, and gives Kobe a little love. 

And, as always, your box score.  Your sad, heartbreaking boxscore.  Try not to replay this game too many times in your head.  It'll ruin what's left of your holiday season. 

As one would expect after a loss like last night's, the mood in the Lakers locker room was a touch... how shall we put it... miffed.  A three game skid was not the way the team wanted to close out 2005 (although at 15-14, they're still playing above preseason expectations). As always, Kobe attracted a slew of microphones, and while clearly disappointed, he gave some pretty candid thoughts on remaining optimistic, his flagrant foul on Mike Miller, and the need to toughen up while playing in the 213. Here are some of the highlights from a short Q & A.

On giving up 3's at the end of the game
We really focus on winning games on the defensive end... When we make mistakes offensively, we come down and get stops defensively and not give them easy looks. We didn't do a good job of that tonight. We gave them too many open looks down the stretch and they knocked them down.

On the final Lakers possession (Kobe drives, miss, Mihm misses the put back)
I definitely got fouled. That's why I never go to the basket. They're just going to swallow the whistle.

On Phil Jackson stating that he wasn't worried about the losing streak, and not taking it hard
I feel the same way he does. As frustrating as it is to lose these games, I feel exactly the same way he does. We're not soft. We just have to do a better job of finishing off quarters and starting the third quarter right away. Those little mental lapses that we may have, man, it just comes with inexperience... They have some savvy veterans over there. They knew how to exploit us.

On needing to do a better job protecting their home court
That's how we have to play. We have to be aggressive here. This is our home court. We can't just allow people to drive down the lane... dunk on us. That just can't happen. We have to stop that. We have to be more physical, especially at Staples Center. We have to establish that.

On the elbow he gave Mike Miller, which drew a flagrant.
I hit him, yeah... Any player that was going to come down the lane at that particular point and time, I was going to let him know that they just can't walk through there. I think we as a team have to do a better job of establishing that and me as a leader of the ball club, I have to take initiative to do that. And hopefully, everybody else will see that, especially with this being our home court. People come in here... It's Hollywood and all that stuff. They're gonna come down here and look pretty. Shoot jump shots. Dunk the ball. Finger roll the ball and all that cute stuff. We gotta stop that.

On the elbow to Miller being as much a message to Kobe's teammates as Lakers opponents
Yeah, we can't allow people to come down here and play Globetrotter ball. We gotta make a stand.

On never having the lead in OT
It sucks. It's as simple as that.

1st quarter:  Kobe 2-5, 2 assists, 6 pts.  Lakers score 35 on 73.7% shooting (sure, that's because everyone was knocking down jumpers with uncanny accuracy... but also because the other guys on the floor touched the ball). 

3-9 in the 3rd, Lakers score 13.   3-10 in the 4th, Lakers score 21.  At one point at the end of the 3rd into the 4th, he took shots on something in the neighborhood of 13 of 15 possessions, I think (it's late, so the math could be off, but you get the point).  It was an ugly game all around, but in the 2nd half, Kobe shot them out of the offense and out of the game. 

Monumentally disappointing loss for the Lakers.

BK 

The last few day's worth of comments have revolved heavily around Lamar Odom and his showing (or lack thereof) as the team's #2 scoring option. Odom has tantalized fans with 20+ nights on several occasions, only to frustrate them with single digit shot attempt follow ups. In particular, a comment from John Teo Marte caught my eye:

"Funny, Lamar didn't have any problem getting his touches or scoring points when he played with Dwayne Wade, Caron Butler, and Eddie Jones in Miami.  But when paired with Kobe Beane Bryant -- perhaps the "ball-hogging-est" player of the modern era -- he struggles.  I wonder why . . . ?"

What struck me about Marte's smack isn't the "Kobe = ballhog" angle, but the idea that Odom flourished as a scorer in Miami, or that he's lagging this season. In truth, Odom's doing, more or less, what's been typical for his entire career, points-wise. If you don't believe me, check out his career stats.

Going into tonight's game, he's averaging 14.7 ppg, a mere 1.3 off his career average (16). That's a difference of less than a bucket. His career high? Only 17.2. Not much higher, either. If Lamar Odom's scoring career was a golf course, he's currently on pace to shoot about a stroke over par, if that. Perhaps not a fantasy day on the links, but nothing worth tossing his clubs around in disgust, either. Frankly, it's exactly the score card he'd expect to fill out.

When it comes to purple and gold scoring, there's something of a drop off between Kobe and the other dudes. In fact, the discrepancy between the top pair of Lakers point producers (Ocho and Odom) is the biggest in exactly 40 seasons. And with Lamar's numbers tumbling lately, the schism could grow even further. Of course, if Kobe keeps scoring at the same clip that earned him a second straight Western Conference Player of the Week, the gap might widen even if Odom goes on a tear.

The Lakers want to end 2005 on a high note, and for what it's worth, history at home is way on L.A.'s side.  The match up to watch is always Kobe v. Eddie, with the old friends will be enjoying themselves as much as the fans.

They always say the sequel never does as well as the original.  Guess that's true in hoops, too, since Christmas Day II was not the ratings hit of last year's version. 

Ronny Turiaf helped Yakima sell another 2,000 tix in his SunKings home debut (that's massive for a CBA game).  Playing close to Gonzaga helps.  Oh yeah, he played well, too.

Tom Knott of the Washington Times says that Wizards star Gilbert Arenas is no Kobe... and is thankful for it.   

The Shaq and Butler deals have kept trades on the collective brains of Lakers fans for two years or so.  And with fans looking for help (is it out there?), that begs the question: 

What is the best trade in Lakers history? 

The worst? 

As always, justify your answer.

Sunday's loss against Miami may have been a letdown, but a tolerable one, at any rate. Last night's loss to Washington just kinda... well... sucks. A 16 point lead was completely squandered and the execution down the stretch left much to be desired, especially during L.A.'s final possession.  Kobe didn't take the breakdowns particularly well, and made sure the entire team felt his wrath, with Odom getting it the worst. Of course, #8 was probably already frothing about the two palming calls against him earlier in the game.

Your box score

We had a request from TrueLakersFan regarding some info on Ronny Turiaf's CBA debut tonight with the Yakama Sun Kings.

Well, here's the box score. 9 points and 5 boards, along with 6 whistles. Hey, might as well get his money's worth, ya know? At any rate, not sure how many minutes he played, but it sounds like a reasonably active game off the bench. Of course, the CBA ain't the NBA, so everyone should pop a Valium before declaring Gonzaga's favorite son (that campus loves him) "the Answer." But it's nice to see the kid active again and (presumably) playing with his usual high energy. With any luck, he'll keep it up and find himself wearing a Laker uni.

Here are a couple other links those looking to monitor Turiaf's progress might find handy:
Yakama Sun Kings website
The CBA's official website

AK

As I sit to make a few comments on yesterday's game (and some other issues) the Lakers are all over the Wizards in the first quarter.  To come back after yesterday and win the back end of a back-to-back on the road would be a big plus.

Anyway, some random thoughts:

-I agree with Kobe.  It would be nice to give the Shaq-Kobe feud a rest.  Granted, Shaq is making that hard, and it's not exactly like the media is dying to let the story go, either (yes, I'm part of the problem).  This year, though, it felt more manufactured.  Maybe I'm off about that.  Anyway, we eventually got the point that Phil and Kobe were just fine, and now it's old news.  Maybe as we approach next year's Christmas Day contest between Shaq and Kobe, we'll all find that it isn't such a big deal anymore (I'm not holding my breath).

-Sunday's loss to Miami was no big deal.  The Lakers played well on the road against a quality opponent, and could have won the game.  Roll that same performance out during every game away from Staples, and the Lakers will be fine.  That they lost yesterday was nothing to worry about.

-AK and I were talking today over and I brought up the point that the Lakers need a true second scorer, and that right now, that guy has to be Odom.  He's really the only option.  AK pointed out that such a role really isn't L.O.'s M.O., and that's true.  He's not comfortable in a role where scoring is a main requirement (despite the fact he's more than capable). 

They had quality second option, and he's now playing in Washington.  AK has said a few times in conversation that he didn't think the team gave the Bryant/Odom/Butler nucleus enough time to gel.  My counter has always been that they never would have signed Caron to the big deal he got in Washington, so it was better to move him while his value was highest and the team had the most leverage (the closer it got to signing time, the more desperate the Lakers would have become).  I think we may both be right.  I worry that as the season rolls on, despite the December success, the Lakers will find themselves losing more games where Kobe can't lead them, especially against elite teams (as Miami theoretically is).  A second dependable option needs to emerge.  Thus far this season, that role has rotated.  Sometimes it's Lamar, sometimes it's Smush, Mihm, George, or Cook.  But it needs to become consistent for the Lakers to thrive in the long run.  Something to think about in as the season progresses...

(Near the end of the first quarter, Lakers up by 8...)

-If Phil Jackson gets this team past the first round of the playoffs, he's coach of the year.  Conference finals, and he might be the best ever.  Championship, and they should add a face to Mt. Rushmore. 

-The trailers for "Glory Road," the upcoming film about Texas Western coach Don Haskins and the first all black starting lineup to win an NCAA title, look horrible.  I hope the actual movie is better, because it's great subject matter (I told you, random thoughts).

-Love those LeBron commercials. 

(end of 1st quarter, Lakers up by 9...)

BK

Another Christmas, another lump of Miami-grown coal in the Lakers' stockings. It was deja vu all over again for L.A., another tight game with Kobe missing a hero shot in the final seconds.  The Lakers had their chances, especially in the 3rd, when D-Wade, GP and the Miami soldiers began losing their composure. But in the end, it wasn't the humidity, it was the Heat the Lakers were feeling, Gary Payton in particular.

And speaking of The Glove, the new rivalry between him and LO managed to overshadow the day's more hyped feuds (Kobe-Shaq, Jackson-Riley). The two spent the entire game jawing, smack that Odom described as "disrespectful," and they had to be separated after the game. But Payton was hardly all talk (even if it felt that way to Lamar's eardrums). He was "the difference," according to ex-coach PJ, more like classic Supersonic-era GP than the supposed team cancer who's bounced around the league the last few years.

Merry Christmas!

While most of you are getting the gift you want today, it doesn't fit under the tree and won't tip off until 12.  Sorry.  Try to keep it together until then.  Even the NFL has seen fit to clear their schedules so they won't have to compete with "A Christmas With Shaq and Kobe II" (or they just wanted to give everyone the day off for the holiday, but the first way makes today's tussle in Miami seem more dramatic).

Either way, it's still a big game, but Christmas rivalry 2.0 has lacked some of the trash talk of the '04 version, in no small part because Pat Riley and Phil Jackson, former rivals, seem to have buried the hatchet.   Certainly Shaq vs. Kobe isn't the only subplot in today's game, just the biggest. 

Mark Heisler investigates the revival of the Heat since Riley returned, and (because it's the 29 billion ton elephant in any room when discussing a Lakers-Heat game) says Jerry Buss did the right thing in moving the MDE to South Beach.

Perhaps it's all that Christmas Day, goodwill towards men stuff, but Mitch Lawrence of the NY Daily News says it's time for the Shaq-Kobe feud to end, in no small part because the soap opera overshadows today's other (and technically better) game between San Antonio and Detroit- the one that should be today's marquee game.

More on today's game. 

Santa served up the Lakers a little pre-Christmas stocking stuffer in the form of the Orlando Magic, one of the East's weak sisters.  The Lakers gave fans something to put under the tree, continuing their stellar road play with a 104-88 pasting of the Magic at TD Waterhouse Centre.  L.A. refused to look past an inferior opponent in anticipation of Sunday's Yuletime Brawl to Settle It All. 

Kobe (now officially chosen to play for USA Basketball) cranked down the scoring from Tuesday's landmark game, but cranked up the passing with nine dimes, while the Lakers continued the strong defensive play that has been the greatest difference between this season and last.   Another feature of your box score that brings holiday cheer?   Balanced scoring, with all five starters in double figures. 

Laron Profit went under the knife Friday, which may help keep Von Wafer out of the D-League for a while.  The Lakers, like many teams, are taking a wait-and-see approach with the minor league. 

Onto Sunday's main event:  While Phil Jackson believes history shows you can't get equal value in return for a dominant big man, he doesn't believe it will be awkward to see Shaq in another uniform.  Nor does he hold a grudge against Pat Riley.  With their contrasting styles, they provide yet another layer of intrigue for Sunday's game. But according to ESPN's Marc Stein, neither Riles nor PJ are the best coach featured on Christmas, anyway (though he does rank the Zen Master higher than the Gel Master).

The Lake show is 15-11, but that's not the real story when it comes to So Cal hoops. And no, it ain't the Clippers, either. It's Why Not Isaiah Rider?, the greatest All-Lakers fantasy squad in the rich, illustrious history of All-Lakers fantasy leagues. Rider, AK's squad for the ages, is absolutely housing Rambis Glasses, BK's pathetic effort to draft a winner. My boys are off to an almost insurmountable lead, refusing to look in the rear view mirror as they leave BK in a cloud of mean spirited dust.

Oh, and not to add insult to injury... okay, totally to add insult to injury... the waxing I'm giving BK, doing it with 3 three less players!

Team "Why Not Isaiah Rider?": Kobe, Mihm, George, Cook, Smush, Bynum
Team "Rambis Glasses": Odom, Kwame, Sasha, Slava, McKie, Devin Green, Walton, Profit, Wafer

I lost Jumaine Jones via trade, plus Tony Bobbitt, Adam Perada and Corie Blount via lack of talent. Doesn't matter. My boys are focused, people! They're on a mission and play as a unit, reflecting the attitude displayed by your beloved (actual) Lakers squad currently stomping folks with purpose. And like y'all, I have many reasons to be proud.

A breakdown of the stats I own (FYI, we nixed DNP-CD as a category, since keeping track of it required more research, attention and effort than either of us anticipated, much less are willing to actually give):

With a win tonight in Orlando, the Lakers are guaranteed to start 2006 with a winning record.  Given the low expectations entering the season and their ragged play throughout November, that's pretty good news.  And if the hot streak continues and the stars align, the purple and gold could be sitting atop the Pacific when the new year begins.  Raise your hand if you thought that was a possibility a month ago (Note: If your hand is up, put it down.  Nobody should tell lies this close to the holidays). 

Tonight?  Orlando.  Then three more games next week before we shut the door on 2005.  Here's what's on tap.

This will come as an absolute shock to everyone (sarcasm alert), but we're still not done talking about 62! That said, it is nice to see somebody point out the overlooked fact that the Lakers absolutely shut down Mavs during Kobe's explosion.  In the meantime, out of shape civilians looking to score 62 in their rec league will be one step closer to fooling themselves with the upcoming release of Kobe's new shoe.

The other item on everyone's lips, of course, is Sunday's Lakers-Heat showdown (apparently, the game has some personal ramifications to it).  And speaking of the Kobe-Shaq rivalry, no matter whose fault you consider the dynasty breakup, the revenue loss falls squarely on Shaq's shoulders. In the year following the switch from Diesel to unleaded, the team has lost 14 mil.

According to Peter Vecsey, it's a "confirmed fact" that the Lakers are interested in Jalen Rose, whatever that means.

Did you hear?  Kobe scored 62 points!

Did you hear, too?  Kobe didn't have an assist! 

A little more fuel for the Kobe fire.  I don't think there's an athlete on the planet who inspires more controversy with every shot and point than Kobe Bryant.  And his whuppin' of the Dallas Mavericks only drives that point home.  So what does Kobe's score-a-thon reveal about his status as a (depending on who you ask) team wrecking ball hog/greatest player to ever bounce the roundball?

Absolutely nothing. 

Oddly enough, a day and a half later Kobe's 62 is still the talk of the league.  A.I. was in awe, and even Shaq passed on (what we're sure are sincere) congratulations as the hype for Christmas Day continues to build.

Lamar Odom thinks Kobe could have had 80, and would have fed him the rock to help him get there.  And had he not turned down Phil Jackson's invite to resume embarrassing the Mavericks, Kobe thinks he'd have made it, too.  How'd it happen?  He attacked Dallas before they could clamp down on him with a double team.  That, in part, explains the lack of assists... and the controversy, which only Kobe could generate.  There aren't many players, as TJ Simers points out, that could be criticized after posting 62 in a runaway victory for his team (it must be all the spiked egg nog, but once again, Simers is sounding reasonable, at least in his general theme if not the details).  But either way, Kobe is returning to the kind of status he had before the trial, dynasty breakup, and losing season.

J.A. Adande was impressed, but thinks as good as the Dallas game was, he's been better. 

By the way, some other things happened:  Laron Profit is officially done for the year, which will force the Lakers to play shorthanded for a while.  League rules state they can't sign another player without waiving one unless a 4th player gets hurt. 

(photo by DANNY MOLOSHOK/Reuters)

The second and final installment of our interview with Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak. As we noted in Part I, Kupchak's tenure has been examined with more scrutiny and speculation than the plot of Mulholland Dr. Nonetheless, he remains confident that greatness lies ahead for the Lakers (who are certainly playing better than the naysayers had predicted). Here are some more of his reasons for the optimism.

Andrew Kamenetzky: Can you talk a bit about how Smush Parker has played this season? Is he kind of like Bynum, in that he's also exceeded expectations?

Mitch Kupchak: Yeah. He's kind of in between a rookie and a veteran. But he's not a rookie, he's been around a couple years. But he left Fordham really early and kind of bounced around the school of hard knocks. Last year, two ten day contracts with Phoenix, and then he spent the year overseas. And then a rookie year in Cleveland, which was a bad situation. I think he was in Detroit for ten days last year. So he's been around for a couple years, but he's only 24 years old. He's not a rookie and he's not a veteran. So he's going to play like a veteran sometimes, but because he's not a veteran, he's going to have some stretches where he doesn't play like a veteran and he loses his confidence a little bit. I'm sure he's dealing with some issues that the public in general are dealing with about him: "Where'd the guy come from?" "Is he really this good?" So you have confidence that goes up and down.

And once you're in the league, the scouting report comes out on you. What you can do, what you can't do. "Don't leave this guy open." "Take away his right." "Watch him. Protect the ball." So they're going to make adjustments, so now Smush is going to have to make adjustments, too, because they're making adjustments. So those things are happening right now. But we're very happy to have him on the team. He's helped us win a bunch of games and he should only get better as well. We're thinking he has a bright future.

Brian Kamenetzky: You beat a good Dallas team on the road. Over the course of the season, you've played some very good games against some good team, but have also played some terrible quarters, terrible halves. How hard is it to watch and evaluate the direction of the team at the same time when there's been so much inconsistency?

MK: Well, I've always felt that as the season progresses, we're going to get better. I just think we're going to be a much better team in February and March than we are in November and December. And why do I feel that way? Well, our coach is an established coach. It's not like he hasn't been there before or he's not going to gain their respect. He has their respect. He's not going anywhere. And he's installing a complete system. So there's a learning curve with that. And during the last month I've watched the new players try to adjust to the triangle. And you can tell that they're not comfortable right now. They need to get comfortable. And when they get comfortable, they'll get better. I know that. It just takes some time. It's a very complex system.

We're the 6th youngest team in the NBA right now. There are only five teams in this league that have an average age younger than our age right now. Andrew is going to be better in two months. Kwame is going to be better in two months. Sasha is going to be better in two months. Smush is going to be better in two months. They're just going to get better. So I think, for those reasons, I've always felt we're going to be a better team in the second half of the year than we are in the first half of the year. You don't want to dig a hole too early, which we started to do. We had some really frustrating games that we should not have lost, which was part of the learning process. And that's all fine and good, to learn, as long as you don't dig a hole you can't climb out of... If you end up 3-10, or 5-14, those kinds of starts are hard to climb out of.  Our schedule will turn a little bit in March and April. Our home stands will be longer. So those are good things that lead me to believe that we'll be better the second half of the year, or at least the last third of the season. As opposed to the first third.

Well, Kobe had himself a solid little outing. Or, more accurately, you could say he went absolutely goony bird on the Mavericks, scoring 62 points (not a typo) in only 3 quarters (also not a typo) to lead a 112-90 blowout victory. Of course, when you put up 30 in the 3rd quarter, is it really necessary to step on the court for the fourth? Nope, not even with Elgin Baylor's all-time Laker scoring effort (71 points) in striking distance. And Kobe was cool with it, just happy to have made his mark in history.

ESPN.com's Daily Dime spent more or less its entire ten cents on the Kobe Show.

And here are a few tidbits on the evening from Elias, one of the leaders in research:

Kobe Bryant scored 62 points Tuesday night, all in the first three quarters. Heading into the fourth quarter, Kobe had outscored the Mavericks 62-61. No player in NBA history has ever outscored the opposing team over the course of an entire game.

• Bryant played only 33 minutes. Since 1960, only three other NBA players scored 60-plus points in fewer than 40 minutes: Jerry West (63 points in 39 minutes on Jan. 17, 1962), George Gervin (63 points in 33 minutes on April 9, 1978) and Karl Malone (61 points in 33 minutes on Jan. 27, 1990).

• Kobe scored 43 points against Dallas on Dec. 12. The last NBA player to score 105-plus points against one team over two games was David Robinson, who put up 112 against the Clippers in March-April 1994.

Your box score, one of the oddest looking you'll ever see.

(photo by Matt Brown/AP)

BK: Are you watching this game?  Kobe has 62 points.

AK: On only 31 shots.  Still, I hate to be a curmudgeon, but he has zero dimes.

Note:  He was kidding.

Ronny Turiaf has been cleared to play by team doctors, but whether he'll rejoin the team at all depends on his conditioning.  Turiaf's fitness level isn't yet up to NBA standards, so he'll have to fix that before anything else can happen.  If he is signed by the Lakers, someone will have to go, most likely Von Wafer (no, no, no!) or Devin Green. 

Lamar Odom has always had a rep as a player who isn't afraid to whine after a call he doesn't like, and it's starting to annoy Phil Jackson.  Jackson was also annoyed at the Tracy McGrady layup (so uncontested that any Lakers Blog reader could have made it, too) that led to Sunday's loss against the Rockets.  Fortunately, Lakers players were willing to stand up and take responsibility for the breakdown. 

The Mavs will look to make Kobe earn his keep tonight at Staples.  But for Dallas to win, they'll have to overcome a horrible history in LA.

The Lakers are creeping up the ladder in a couple Power Rankings.   

Kobe Bryant: Your Western Conference Player of the Week.

(photo by Lori Shepler/LAT)

America's sweethearts: Tommy and Pam

There may not be a member of the Lakers organization who catches more criticism and is the subject of more scrutiny than General Manager Mitch Kupchak.  He's taken over for a legend, won some rings, traded perhaps the most dominant player of this generation, and started a reconstruction project in Lakerland with the goal of returning the team to championship glory.  In short, Kupchak has packed a lot of action into a relatively short tenure as chief architect of the Lakers.  Last week, we had a chance to sit down with him and talk about those issues, and more.  Here is the first part of our discussion.

Brian Kamenetzky:  Los Angeles is a star driven town, and you stepped into the shoes of one of the city's greatest legends.  Did that make it more difficult for you?  Was it easier for you because you had Jerry West to show you the way?

Mitch Kupchak:  Well, to me it was a gift to be able to work with him as soon as I retired (as a player), and I wouldn't trade that for the world.  I still won't.  To be tutored and to work with Jerry West from 1986 as an assistant general manager to when he left in 2000-2001, I don't think there's a general manager in this league who wouldn't covet a run like that to work with a guy like that.  I look at it as an incredible gift, and I've been gifted my whole career.   From where I went to college and the people I met in college, and Washington and winning the championship, then coming to Los Angeles as a free agent.  Although I got hurt, to make a contribution and to win here, it's just kind of been that way.  That's my take on working with Jerry.  I wouldn't trade it for the world.  As far as following in his footsteps, I understood going into it.  You watch John Wooden, the guys that followed him and what they went through, and I understand how that was.  And of course with Dean Smith and Bill Guthridge and Matt Doherty.  It's tough to follow in those kinds of guys' footsteps.  But our owner is very involved, yet he defers, and he trusts my judgment.  A lot of the same people that we had when Jerry was GM in personnel- Ronny Lester, Bill Bertka, Gene Tormohlen, and our scouts, they're with us to this date, and they're really the people that don't get the credit that need to get the credit.  They're the ones that are pounding the bushes, finding players, and making recommendations to Jerry (Buss) and making recommendations to myself.  So those people remain the same, and that's comforting for me, and I know it's comforting to Dr. Buss to know that the whole group didn't leave when Jerry left.  Jerry moved on, and it was time for him to do that.  It's about winning, so when you don't win in any franchise, there's going to be criticism.  So when we won, there were two parades, and when we didn't win, there was criticism.  And that's just the way it is in this job, whether you're the GM in Los Angeles or in Utah, or New York.  So that comes with the territory and I understand that. 

Our mom always says that Yao Ming can't win without "his friend" (the friend being Tracy McGrady-she can't ever remember T-Mac's name). Apparently, it's a one-sided friendship, as McGrady carried the Rockets to a 76-74 victory over the Lakers at Staples Center, despite Yao's last minute absence (bad toe). T-Mac lit an easy lay up with .3 seconds left in the game, getting little resistance from the Lakers in the paint, LO and Kwame, the latter of whom got a serious earful from Kobe after the bucket.  Odom, in the meantime, disappeared for the entire game, save the technical he picked after jawing with Motumbo.

Not a pretty affair, but if you wanna check it out, your box score.

It's nearly Christmas and we're still a little short on goodwill towards men, at least as it relates to Shaq, and one man in particular.  The MDE believes that Jerry Buss is just covering for a bad choice when Buss says he'd make the same decision to trade O'Neal and keep Kobe "100 out of 100 times."  Meanwhile, Mark Heisler says it's time to pay a little more attention the 330 pound man behind the curtain when discussing Stan Van Gundy's exit in Miami.  After all, Shaq has a history of exerting influence when it comes to coaching decisions.   No doubt we'll have plenty of time to talk about all these issues, because with Pat Riley back, the Christmas Day game in Miami is even more fun. 

On the home front, Ronny Turiaf is working out and the Lakers are assessing his conditioning.  Once the results are in, the Lakers will determine if they'll sign Turiaf to play this season.  If not, the native Frenchman is expected to draw interest from European clubs. 

Did you get the impression Kwame Brown was a little too keyed up to face his former team?  You were right. 

After losing to the Clippers Saturday at Staples, the Rockets don't want to finish their six game trip (which ends after tonight's game) the victims of an L.A. sweep.  Before yesterday, they had been one of basketball's hottest teams. 

Finally, it looks like Ron Ron wants to stay home home.  Strange that a guy like him could change his mind. 

There's a Tijuana Dragons? Who knew?

From the "inbox" this morning.  Really, the woman sees everything, and apparently doesn't sleep.

"It is 4 AM and I just watched the replay of the game. First of all, I do not like the neckline on the Wizards jersey. Second, they were very short on Wizardry tonight.Third, Kobe is starting to think TEAM and the whole game goes better. He should consider having lunch with Steve Nash. Love MOM"

If he did get together with Nash, who would pick up the check? 

Recently, we had the chance to chat with Brook Larmer, an award winning foreign correspondent who has worked for over a decade at Newsweek, serving as senior writer in New York and bureau chief in Buenos Aires, Miami, Hong Kong, and most recently, Shanghai. 

In addition to having journalistic credentials that make us look pretty damn lame, Larmer is also the author of "Operation Yao Ming: The Chinese Sports Empire, American Big Business, and the Making of an NBA Superstar" published by Gotham Books.  In it, Larmer exposes the inner workings of one of basketball's final frontiers, China, and describes the process that brought Yao Ming (and Wang ZhiZhi) to America.  It's a fascinating read for anyone interested in the history of international basketball, the NBA's expansion overseas, the development of foreign players, and Chinese culture.  Even better, it delivers insight into a basketball market every GM in the league is currently scouring for new talent. 

The book hit bookstores in November, and is worth checking out.  With Yao on his way to town Sunday, we thought we'd catch up with Larmer (which, though the miracle of IM, we were able to do from his home in Shanghai- the Lakers Blog budget doesn't cover phone calls to China) and talk about his book, Chinese basketball, Yao, and why Kwame Brown owes the big fella dinner. 

Hope you find it insightful. 

"Mo" on the road is worthless if it comes to a halt at home. The Lakers kept their "mo," bumping their Staples record to .500. It started out ugly, with neither team able to hit the broad side of the ocean. But then Kobe got hotter than a Gisele lap dance, his 41 points leading the way to a 97-91 victory. And Lamar Odom was his partner in crime, helping create a two man game in some crucial spots.  Odom also hooked up Devean George with what wasn't so much a layup as a wide open TD bomb, icing matters for L.A.

In the meantime, Kwame's first matchup against his old squad was a solid outing. He didn't do much in the neighborhood of scoring, but his nine boards and interior D definitely made a difference.  And Kwame would be the first to tell you, showing up the Wiz was a priority.  If nothing else, solid play will make it easier for everyone to move on.

Your box score.

There's a new Odom in town, as L.O. is the happy father of Jaydon Joseph.  Kid already has sicker handles than any of y'all.  Certainly better than either of us.  So congratulations to Lamar. 

Tick tock. Tick tock. It’s getting closer and closer to Kwame Brown’s first match against the team that made him 2001’s #1 overall pick, the Washington Wizards. In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last 4 years, I’ll sum up that pairing with a slight understatement: Things didn’t quite work out as hoped. There was absolutely no doubt the Wiz and Kwame were destined to part ways last off-season, and the Lakers took what they consider a low risk, high reward chance by trading Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins for Brown and Laron Profit. The results so far, in terms of Mr. Brown? Fairly disappointing (although the last two games have provided a little optimism for Lakers fans).

To get a little insight into Kwame’s stay in D.C., I spoke with “Smokin’” Al Koken. Along with Georgetown coaching legend John Thompson and former NFL great Rick “Doc” Walker, Koken co-hosts “The John Thompson Show,” a D.C. based radio show on Sports Talk 980 AM, airing from 3-5 pm ET. (Check out sportstalk980.com for more info).  He’s got some interesting thoughts on Kwame, Laron Profit and the late, great Chicky. Here’s what we rapped about:

AK: How much do you think the relationship between Kwame and Michael Jordan may have stunted his progress? Was it really as bad as reported?

Smokin' Al Koken: Well, in the sense that, I'm one of those types of guys that always will side with people that have been successful... If you get ridden hard by a guy like Michael Jordan, his M.O. is that he does that with everybody. He's done that to rookies. He's done that to veterans. And you can say, "Well, that's just the way Michael does it, whether it's right or wrong, I think the proof is in that he has been successful... If you're going to be an NBA player and get your baptism by fire, your boot camp by fire, so to speak, then what really is "too tough?" I always felt that was kind of an indication of where Kwame showed a little immaturity on his part. He was always finding something or someone to blame, as opposed to "I wasn't ready for the NBA."

AK: So Jordan really may have been this tough on him, but there was a method to the madness, regardless of whether it was effective or not?

SAK: That's Michael's M.O., as we said, so yeah, I would say there's a method to that madness. I think it's not unlike boot camp to a certain degree. If you can survive that, you can eventually become a marine. I think that was Michael's way of making sure that a guy like Kwame and lot of young players and teammates could survive… I think coaches that can kind of look at each individual player and say "this is the kind of guy who could use a pat on the back more than a kick in the rear" probably succeed more. So if it was only one tone, then maybe there was a little bit of a mistake on their part. But if you can't learn how to be a better by working and playing with a guy like Michael Jordan...

…I'll give you an example. A guy like (Bucks G/F) Bobby Simmons was a guy that Michael saw when he was in Chicago working out. He was a guy that Michael obviously had an affinity for. I think he will be the first to tell you, he was a better pro by playing with Michael Jordan. Michael was the type of guy that made sure everybody would hit the weight room. So it was a lead by example type of thing as opposed to marking a rookie and doing your own thing. Michael was the first guy to the gym and one of the last guys out. Michael was in the weight room and expected that from all the young players. And a guy like Bobby Simmons appreciated it and I think his career has benefited dramatically because of it. And for whatever reason, Kwame didn't seem to take to it and made that one of his excuses.

Maybe you haven't heard, but the Lakers have had a pretty decent week, and have a chance to make it a great one with a win tonight at home against Washington.  The Purple and Gold have not been particularly intimidating at Staples, something that needs to change if they're going to keep the momentum from their 5-1 road trip. 

You never know what's coming around the bend, but for the time being, there are reasons for Lakers fans to celebrate.  The team is gelling, the holidays are coming (with Santa bringing a pretty good Christmas Day game), and if the season were to end today- which would really be unfair to people who bought season ticket packages- the Lakers would be in the playoffs. 

Here's what's coming this week...

Hey.  There were some major technical difficulties at the server that hosts the platform we use to create this bad boy (or something like that- basically, something in the matrix broke), making the site inaccessible to us, and not allowing you guys to post, either.  But the problem has been solved... we think... and we're back now.  Fresh material to follow soon.

Sorry about that. 

BK

Got a great email from Revgen, who passed on a column about the "Moe Standings," which essentially tells you what the Western Conference would look like if things in terms of home and road games were equal, which of course they're not.  He even decided to create his own Moe Standings for the Western Conference, something we wouldn't have done ourselves because it involves math.

Pretty interesting stuff.

BK

(UPDATE:  Sorry about the wee font.  I've tried a couple of times to fix it, but it's a struggle.  For some reason, it won't stay large.  Any html geeks out there who have suggestions, I'm all ears.  In the meantime, break out the reading glasses.)

(UPDATE PART DEUX:  Thanks to Lakerfan, who solved the problem, everything looks normal.  Don't know if he's an IT guy in real life, but if so, he's clearly a very good one.)

Maybe they should just stay on the road. 

The Lakers capped their best road trip since 2000 with a 94-79 mauling of the Memphis Grizzlies (Get it?  Mauling?  Grizzlies?) Wednesday night.    While Kobe poured in 27 points on 10-17 from the field, solid defense was the catalyst, with the Lakers holding Memphis to under 43% shooting and outrebounding them 48-38, including 15-10 on the offensive glass.  While the Lakers are focused on carrying momentum from the trip, Memphis guard Damon Stoudamire came awfully close to saying his team quit on Wednesday's game.   

Other solid contributors in the box score:  Lamar Odom (14/7/5), Luke Walton (5 boards, 5 assists in 19 minutes), Kwame Brown (6 points, 6 rebounds in 25 minutes). 

All those who predicted the Lakers would come home from this road trip 5-1, raise your hands.

All those with their hands raised who aren't actually lying, keep your hands up.

All those with their hands still up... Dude, you people are such liars!!!

I'll say it right now. I'm shocked. Shocked. A team still learning their offense, coming off a skin of the teeth home win vs. the Bobcats, embarking on a 6 game voyage and racking up 5 W's, the last of which was an absolute buttocks-whipping? I wouldn't have bet that getting 10-1 odds. But that's how it went down in Graceland, with the Lakers basically in control from start to finish. Naysayers will say the win comes with a caveat, since Shane Battier and Bobby Jackson were donning civvies. But the Lakers were more tired than Al Pacino's Insomnia character, so that squares things up. And even if it doesn't, a win's a win... except when it's a road spanking. Then it's more than a win. The Lakers should feel pretty stoked coming back to Staples for Friday's game against Washington, although I imagine they're mostly gonna feel the need for a nap.

Thoughts on the game...

A little more than one quarter of the season is done and gone, and the Lakers are 11-10, one half game out of the 8th and final playoff spot in the West.  Last year after 21 games, they were 12-9.  One 4th frame collapse against Minnesota from identical year over year records.  Are they better off now than they were a year ago?  And where is this team going?

The Lakers' strong road trip has been more than just a smile generator for fans. A team's early games are often the difference between a legit playoff push and scrapping to survive. And the Lakers have it doubly hard, with 29 of their first 49 out of house. Obviously, this particular swing doesn't guarantee a postseason birth, but it could end up a difference maker if L.A. does find themselves in the top 8. Some, however, would just say the true difference is the current relationship between Phil and the other top 8.

Kwame Brown's return to the active roster has also meant Andrew Bynum's return to the bench. But nobody can accuse the kid of not keeping a good sense of humor about it. Check out his criteria for getting back into the rotation.

A breakdown of the Memphis game. The Griz are slumping a bit, so now ain't the time for letting up.

The Lakers ran their record on the current six game road trip to 4-1 Monday night, putting the breaks on a hot Mavericks squad (one Magic Johnson called "the second-best team out there") behind Kobe Bryant's 43 points, including a half-blind heave from nearly 30 feet that put Dallas away.  The shot redeemed Kobe after a mid-game slump that got #8 and Phil Jackson talking.  Bryant had help along the way, most notably (and surprisingly) from Kwame Brown, who showed off solid moves in the low post and slick passing skills on his way to a perfect shooting night, and his best game as a Laker.

The good news kept coming.  2nd round pick Ronny Turiaf looks like he may be able to join the team this season after surgery to repair an enlarged heart.  Whether there is more help on the horizon (distant though it may be) is another story.  After gushing over Raptors free agent-to-be Chris Bosh, Jackson was mum on the subject of Ron Artest, presumably to keep from drawing any more ire from the league (also perhaps because Artest is nuts and isn't coming here). 

Am I the only one who noticed the courtside ad board during the 4th, after Kwame hit his sixth of six attempts?  It was for UPS.

"What can Brown do for you?" 

Finally for Lakers fans, the answer wasn't "nothing."  Great game for Kwame, and with the day off tomorrow, he gets to enjoy it until Wednesday at least. 

BK

It was requested a game or two ago to try and get some posts up during games, so the blogging fans can yell at each other during the game.  Whenever possible, we aim to please. 

So here they are, my stream of consciousness halftime observations.  Lots of good, lots of bad. Gotta type fast...

-You should never shoot 56% from the field in a half, and only be up by one.  The Lakers are shooting and moving the ball very well, but they're getting killed on the glass (26-12, including 11 offensive boards for Dallas) and it's been too easy to get to the basket. 

-Kobe has taken 17 shots at the half, and it's not a big deal.  Why?  Only a couple looked forced to me.  One pump-pump-fadeaway three pointer (I HATE THAT SHOT!), and a couple other tough-for-you-not-for-Kobe jumpers, but he's mostly stayed in the offense, and given his teammates a chance to play.  Plus, he's shooting a healthy percentage.  As I've said, quality is as much an issue as quantity, if not more. 

-The foul Nowitzki took on Odom's drive and slam dunk late in the 2nd quarter may have been the single worst defensive play I've ever seen.

-Every time a whistle blows, Chris Mihm jumps, then looks like he's going to cry.  That's the problem with developing a rep as a foul guy.  Once the refs focus in on you, they see everything, and nothing slides.  Plus, they become conditioned to assume Mihm related contact is a foul on the Lakers center.  But the poor guy must hear whistles in his sleep. 

-Kwame Brown?  Nice half.  A couple of very decisive low post moves, plus a great feed to Odom cutting to the hoop.  Good stuff.  Lots of work to go, but he showed some life. 

-The Lakers are going to have to tighten up considerably on defense, or the 2nd half will be ugly.  They won't continue to shoot 56%, and if they can't keep Dallas away from the glass, it'll be a long 24 minutes. 

BK

One quarter of the season is gone, and the Lakers are exactly what many predicted they would be: average.  Literally.  At 10-10, they're still finding the rhythm and trust in each other and the offense, and still evolving as a team.  L.A. is currently a half game out of the 8th playoff spot, one good streak from moving up a slot or two... and one bad one from falling into a serious hole. 

Phil Jackson sees some good, but notes there is plenty of room for improvement, particularly in the offense.  As for the big offseason acquisition, there is no guarantee Kwame Brown will reclaim his starting gig at power forward once completely healthy.  Brian Cook has played steadily in his absence.

The good news is that the big worries going into the season (Phil, Kobe, egos, and juicy passages from books) haven't been a story at all.  With the dynamic changed from maintaining a championship team to building one, coach and player are on the same page.  It helps that ego #3 is in Miami, says the Dallas Morning News.

The Lakers head into Dallas tonight to face a team that's on a roll, and has improved this year in many important statistical categories, especially points allowed.  Coincidentally, the Lakers are also looking to improve their D as of late, with Smush in particular being asked to step it up.