Break it down old school, the Lakers are again on the winning path. 

Kobe Bryant provided the points (43) and the shots (38) in L.A.'s 106-93 win over Seattle at Key Arena.  Meanwhile, the frontcourt tandem of Ronny Turiaf and Kwame Brown were a major factor, combining for 18 points and 20 boards as the Lakers were able to control the second half, outscoring Seattle 54-37. 

Kudos, though, to Seattle for holding the Lakers .3 points under their season average for opponents points allowed.  You think L.A. struggles defensively? 

More on the game tomorrow. 

BK

A light work week for the purple and gold got off to a top notch start, with the Lakers adding the rumpled carcasses of Milwaukee and New Orleans to their stack of conquests for their first four game winning streak in a very long while.  After defeating the Hornets on Sunday, L.A. had three days off to heal (between Kobe's back, Bynum's ankle, Smush's finger, Mihm's ankle, and George's wrist, Gary Vitti has been a very busy man) and prepare for their next big test, Thursday night's game against San Antonio.

We all know how that went. 

With their 96-85 win, the Spurs reminded the Lakers that their game still has some holes that need filling if they're going to play with the conference powerhouses come playoff time.  In a way, the game could be a blessing for the Lakers.  Why?  Because flaws that don't get exploited against lesser opponents (allowing them to slip under the radar) cause serious issues against a ludicrously methodical team like the Spurs.  Every time the Lakers made a mistake, they were scored upon or prevented from scoring.  That they rolled out a red carpet in the lane for Tony Parker didn't exactly help, either (anyone who spends that much time in your paint should have to shoot more than one free throw for their troubles).  But even with the loss- honestly, are you that surprised- the Lakers still had a good week.  And with three games on tap this week, a 1.5 game lead over Sacramento and at least a chance (about as likely as your blog hosts winning a Pulitzer, but still a chance) of catching Memphis for the 6th spot, they don't have the luxury of dwelling on Thursday's loss.  Here's what's on tap...

As last night reminded us, there's a reason these guys are in first place and the Lakers are clinging to 7th. Actually, there are many reasons, if you wanna get technical about it. Start with Bruce  "Edward Scissorhands" Bowen. Whether you consider him a defensive stopper or a dude with an unwritten license to chop up perimeter players, the bottom line is he makes life very difficult for anyone looking to score. He's not the only reason Kobe shot 9-26, but he deserves the lion's share of props. Add to the list their assorted cagey veterans. Whether Robert Horry, Michael Finley or Nazr Mohammed, it's huge having guys up and down a roster with the ability to pick their spots. Guys who've been around are also less likely to compound mistakes with more mistakes. The Lakers' less experienced players? Not so much. And most of all, they've got Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, an inside-outside punch that can take over a game even while playing through injury. Throw all that into a mix with Greg Popovich stirring the pot (a chef T.J. Simers would perhaps prefer over PJ, sentiments our friend Roland Lazenby might disagree with) and you've got a team that's tough to beat without playing at the top of your game.  Looking over the box score, one hopes this wasn't the Lakers firing on all cylinders.

To be fair, two in a row against San Antonio was probably too much to ask.  In their 96-85 loss, the Lakers were given a pretty fair clinic in what they'll need to bring in the playoffs if they're going to steal a round against the Spurs, or any other elite Western Conference team for that matter.  L.A. held on for a half and even made a little run at the start of the third (six point lead!) but when San Antonio turned up the juice the Lakers didn't have an answer.  Not a very good one, at least, unless you consider a 33-9 Spurs run to finish the period satisfactory. 

Not a lot of offense outside of #8, who had to grind for each of his 23.   Some contributions from the bench- Sasha with 11, Walton with 10- but the big boys were largely shut down.  Moreover, the Lakers chose to compensate for their offensive struggles by playing some less than stellar defense (probably not the strategy Phil outlined before the game).  Smush had trouble sticking to Tony Parker (not a surprise), but the Lakers couldn't close off the lane to stop the penetration. 

Overall, it wasn't their best effort, and when you play the best team in the conference, that's what it takes.  No win, no tacos, no nothing.  Just a happy Eva Longoria. 

More on the game tomorrow. 

(photo by Mark J. Terrill/AP)

First Quarter

Hey all. Welcome aboard. 30 seconds have passed and we've already got mop stoppage. Of course, this being a TNT game, should you really expect anything to zip along? By the time this game ends, you'll be watching the Lakers play Seattle.

Kwame Brown with the little baby hook. off to a nice start. It's very weird. Until this recent offensive jag he's embarked on, I had never noticed his "scoring" music. I'm not even sure he had one picked out. And I seriously doubt the audio guys knew which buttons to push to cue his up. At any rate, it's kind of a deep, bass heavy, hip hop beat. Works for him.

Bruce Bowen hits a jumper to make it 9-7. I asked him and Popovich before the game about the "Edward Scissorhands" nickname PJ gave Bowen. Both thought it was pretty funny. Popovich described it as "clever and creative." And Bowen acknowledged that he's "been called worse." When told it was probably a compliment (at least in a roundabout way), Bowen laughed again and replied, "It sure don't sound like it." But both were definitely amused.

I've been looking around, and this far, no sign of "Manu Girl." I'm very, very bummed. BK said he may have heard her, but he can't verify it.  I'll be searching for her during every time out. And if the words in this post feel a little tear stained, you'll know I never found her.

Robert Horry enters the game. Lakers fans give him a hearty, sincere cheer. That's it, Laker Nation. Do the right thing.

For a dude with a supposedly hurt shin, Tony Parker certainly doesn't seem to be having trouble moving around at the speed of light. And yes, exactly as one would expect every time Parker scores, Eva Longoria cheers like a woman who knows the entire arena is watching her. And likes the entire arena watching her.

If Tony Parker opened a clinic to teach wanna-be NBA PG's how to shoot that tear drop, he might actually make as much loot as he does in the NBA. He makes that too easy. Nobody in the NBA does it better.

Nick the Quick enters the game. Doesn't get quite the love Horry recieved from the crowd.

Marcia Cross just joined her Desperate Housewives co-star Eva Longoria. I'm not making a joke. They're actually sitting together now. Call me a purist, but once Marcia Cross' Melrose Place reign ended, she was dead to me. 

End of the first: Spurs 25, Lakers 21. Actually not a horrible quarter for the purple and gold, but they gotta stiffen up a bit on D, especially in the middle. The Paint's becoming a free for all.

First things first.  There is nothing wrong with your television.  Craig Sager's outfit really is that color.  If you haven't seen it yet, you'll know what I'm talking about when it happens.  I'm actually worried my typing will be off because I looked directly at his pants. 

Second, let me say that while Eva Longoria isn't a bad looking woman, I wasn't so impressed seeing her live tonight.  Nothing to go that crazy over.  I'd seen her out before, and this just confirms my previous impression.  It's all about types, and she's not mine (and no, I'm not saying that because I'm worried my fiance reads this thing.  I can assure you she doesn't).

So, as you've noticed, Parker is playing.  It'll be interesting to see if Smush can stay in front of T.P. even with the bum leg. 

9:50- It's a double dose of Kwame.  First he bats the Odom miss out to the perimeter, then cleans up inside with a nice little turnaround bucket.  And before I can even finish the sentence, he draws an offensive foul on the other end from Duncan.  That's three good plays in about 30 seconds.  Not something you heard much in October.   Good to be able to say it now. 

8:50- That said, Kwame will need to step out on Duncan.  He can't let him take too many wide open jumpers from outside, because TD can hit that.  It's a good test to see him drawn away from the basket.

'Cause we're live blogging tonight. Just giving everyone a heads up. Be there or be... somewhere else, I guess.

AK

Interested in pushing Kobe Bryant "all in?"  Give it a shot at the Lakers 3rd Annual Casino Night & Poker Invitational, benefiting the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation.   Lakers players and coaches will be there, as will Dr. Buss himself.  Not enough for you jaded, star-fatigued L.A. residents?  AK and I will be there, too. 

Now that's celebrity power.

It'll all take place at Santa Monica Airport's Barker Hanger, Wednesday, April 12 at 7:00.  For tickets, call Ticketmaster (310.285.6031).   We'll have more info, I'm sure, as the event gets closer.  In the meantime, I'll be nose deep in all those Doyle Brunson books. 

BK

... whoever the world eventually declares Michael Jordan's heir may have to earn the honor while sporting bare legs. Doesn't the NBA have better things to worry about?

Know how people sometimes talk about hating somebody for so long, they don't even remember why anymore? That pyschology may be somewhat applicable to Spurs hatin' Lakers fans, at least from the perspective of the players/coaches they're cheering or booing. With L.A.'s roster more tossed than a Cobb salad since the threepeat run, it just don't feel the same no more for the participants. That being said, tonight's match up at Staples is far from meaningless. The Spurs are trying to snatch up as much home court as possible throughout the postseason. The Lakers, meanwhile, are trying to hit their first five game winning streak since '04 and keep those challenging for their seed at bay. The timing ain't bad for the Lakers, with every San Antonio PG suffering through one injury or another. Does said gimpiness provide optimism equal to Chris Mihm's regarding his eventual return?  Well, give the game a quarter or so before deciding for sure.

In his four years as a Laker, Brian Shaw never averaged more than 5.3 points or 3.2 assists, yet he had a profound effect on the team during their threepeat run.  A steadying influence on the court and a respected presence in the locker room, Phil Jackson leaned on Shaw for crunch time minutes, and was usually rewarded.  He used to be a coach on the floor.  Now he's a Laker assistant and, more than likely, a future NBA head coach.  I had a chance to talk with Shaw Tuesday afternoon at the Lakers practice facility in El Segundo. 

Brian Kamenetzky:  Talk about the process of coaching for you, moving from being a player to being a coach.

Brian Shaw:  The first year I stopped playing, Phil told me I needed to kind of distance myself from the guys a little bit, because it was all the guys I played with, so I could come back and have more of a respect factor from the coaching angle and not just be so buddy, buddy with everybody.  But it was still kind of tough because you still feel like you can play.  The toughest thing is standing up in practice in one spot for two hours and not moving.  I've never had any problems with my back, but now my back is constantly tight just from standing around.  So I want to get out there and actually get into some drills and get moving so that everything kind of loosens up. 

BK:  Do you have to fight that urge?

BS:  Yeah, I do.  And then a lot of times what ends up happening after practice is that some of the young guys will challenge you.  So I end up playing three on three or playing some of the shooting games and then that kind of keeps me connected. 

Wanna know why the man's name is Laron Profit? Because even spelled differently, when it comes to Kwame Brown's recent growth, his longtime teammate has been predicting success since day one.  In Profit's mind, his buddy's issues were never physical, strictly mental (reasonable theory, since Kwame is a yoked natural athlete). Unfortunately, basketball is also about the physical, which includes speed, which has some people (including AK) concerned that a likely first round match against Phoenix equals "Advantage: Suns." It's actually a shame these consecutive days of rest weren't scheduled before the upcoming pair of games against Steve Nash and company. When it comes to strapping on track shoes, the fresher the legs, the better. On the bright side, these rankings were determined before Phoenix's back to back crushings. If re-ranked today, the gap between the Suns and the Lakers might be a bit smaller.

photo by Lori Shepler/LAT

After a day off Monday, it was back to work for the purple and gold down in El Segundo.

INJURY UPDATE:

First, the good news for Lakers fans.  Kobe underwent some physical therapy instead of practicing, but spoke to the media while standing appropriately vertical.  No need for a cane, no wincing, none of the bent straw posture that I recognize from my own back issues. 

"It's a little tight today, but it should be cleared up by tomorrow.  It's just tight today.  I just stayed on top of it," Bryant said.  The back trouble was a new thing for Kobe (in his words, "unique") but he seemed unconcerned.  "It'll go away."  He's played through a lot worse, so I'd be pretty shocked if he wasn't on the floor Thursday against the Spurs. 

As for the rest of the walking wounded, Kwame is apparently doing fine.  Andrew Bynum said his right ankle was getting better, but he was clearly favoring the foot and Phil Jackson said there's still a little ways to go before he's healed up.  Watching him walk, it doesn't look like Bynum will be ready for Thursday night.  Smush Parker came off the floor without tape on the thumb he injured Sunday, which is a good sign.  "It was taped earlier.  I played with tape on, but I took it off.  I don't need it," Parker said.  "I'm a soldier." 

As for his day off, Parker came in for a little treatment, then found himself with something totally out of the ordinary- spare time.   "I (haven't) had a day off in Los Angeles in a long time.  I was lost.  I didn't know what to do.  I was like, "I don't know what this feels like anymore," Parker said.  "I just stayed home, watched a little TV, caught some shows that I didn't know came on at certain times of the day.  That was pretty much it."

MORE ON KWAME:

Not surprisingly, the strong play of Kwame Brown was again the topic of conversation.  Despite the change in his performance, Kobe says his attitude at practice hasn't changed.  "He's the same today as he was in December.  Pretty even keel," he said.  "I just think he's done a good job working hard, and not letting any of the talk get to him.  He just comes out here and works hard every day.  He knows what we expect from him, and we've been happy and pleased with the way he's been playing this season.  And now the way he's playing, he's been terrific for us."

Like many on this site have suggested, it's helpful that Kwame seems to be doing, rather than spinning the wheels trying to figure out what needs to be done, a change that Bryant believes isn't limited to Brown.  "He's more comfortable in playing.  He's not having to think and play at the same time.  And that's for everybody.  That's Lamar, that's Smush, that's everybody that's out there on the floor.  Once you get comfortable in this offense then it becomes more of an instinctual type of offense, you start getting better at it." 

Not surprisingly, Jackson echoed the positive sentiments regarding Kwame, and had an interesting spin on his development.  "He hasn't had a lot of chances to play basketball in his life.  He's been a pro and he's such a kid.  A guy that's that size a lot of times doesn't get to have the chances to play ball with like quality players so that you can work on the game that you have to work to play at this level." 

There's no question Kwame has played better at center than power forward.  So what happens when to the rotation when Chris Mihm comes back?  "We'll cross that when we get to it," Jackson said. 

BK

Remember how way back in the day, some of you guys were cursing Kupchak for not issuing this cat a purple and gold uni at all costs? Mitch may just know what he's doing every now and then.

For those without an ESPN Insider account, the article is pasted into a comment.

So aside from Kobe's back, Smush's thumb, Kwame's hammy, Bynum's ankle, Mihm's ankle (plus Jim Jackson apparently hurting when it comes to learning the offense), really, why would the Lakers want a few days off? Professional athletes. So needy! Actually, as ideal as the break is, it wouldn't be stunning if Kwame preferred no gap in the schedule at all, considering the roll he's on.  No doubt, everything's coming up "Kwame" right now, and he's making headway towards erasing bad memories. But what do these recent good outings do for his future as a Laker? In the world of the NBA trades and contracts, you simply never know. But one thing is a certainty. The future is a topic analyzed heavily at the El Segundo offices. So are the Spurs, we imagine.

Good to see Kobe's maintained a sense of humor over recent issues getting to the stripe. And some of y'all have wondered why Shaq's hand on Jermaine O'Neal's throat during the JO-Haslem skirmish didn't merit a fine. Probably because both sides knew all along it was a peacemaking "choke."

With ten games left, those who put in for playoff tickets are breathing relatively easy. Not that the Lakers should rest on their laurels or begin starting a Devin Green-Von Wafer-Aaron McKie-Jim Jackson-Ronny Turiaf lineup (they're going really small). But barring injury or some monumental collapse, they're wading in reasonably safe waters. The team's in a pretty nice groove at the moment. And save Sacto, nobody trailing behind seems capable of back to back wins, much less a threatening win streak. No slacking allowed, because every game still counts big and bad. But assuming the Lakers treat their business as such, I have a hard time picturing a 9th seed finish.

That being said, I don't see them rising past 7, either. Never say never, especially since they could do some damage by beating their Staples roommates on April 9th. But both Memphis and the Clips are playing pretty well. The Clips are deep enough to absorb Cat Mobley's ankle injury. Pau Gasol and Mike Miller are making life without Damon Stoudamire pretty tolerable. Therefore, I wouldn't bet your metaphorical farm, much less my own, on a 6 or 5 seed (Unless I just wanted the property off my hands, since I have absolutely no interest in farming).

It's all about creating space between the Lakers and anyone looking to snatch their playoff spot, which is why last night's 105-94 win over the Hornets can't be taken lightly. A four game winning streak coincided with creating a four game cushion between themselves and NO/OKC.  Actually, cushion might be the wrong word, since the Purple and Gold can't afford to get soft during these final ten games. "Soft" also wouldn't describe the play of Kwame Brown, whose recent offensive prowess continued despite suffering an early bloody bloody nose. Smush Parker's thumb and Kobe Bryant's back joined Kwame's shnoz on the in-game casualty list. Throw in the ankle Andrew Bynum sprained before the game, and it's been a fairly painful 24 hours. Luckily, no ouchie appears terribly serious, but enduring all that discomfort for a loss would have sucked. Perhaps even the Hornets felt L.A.'s pain, because their second half numbers were bad enough to suggest they were trying to hook the Lakers up. Or they just can't play a second half to save their lives. But NO/OKC did show a little pride, even if you wouldn't know it from the box score. With five seconds left and the game in hand, Sasha Vujacic inexplicably went for a lay up as opposed to just running down the clock. His own teammates didn't seem to mind Speedy Claxton's reaction.

(photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty)

We mentioned in the post game wrap that the Lakers are dinged up and need a break.  Here's some proof, gathered up after Sunday's win over the Hornets. 

Kobe Bryant:  Had to come out of the game in the fourth due to back spasms.  He said he'll be fine going forward.  Not that they need him that much... 

Kwame Brown: Smashed his nose up in the first quarter, but returned.  He told me that his hamstring, a concern entering the game, came through fine.  No worse for wear (still a little tender, but he didn't make it worse). 

Andrew Bynum: Turned an ankle in a two on two game after practice (very common for guys to do, especially ones that aren't playing much), didn't dress Sunday.  Phil didn't sound too concerned.

Smush Parker: Jammed his right thumb in the fourth against Hornets forward David West's chest.  X-rays were negative, but the thing did look a little puffy. 

Laron Profit was also hanging out after the game.  He's heading to the doctor on Wednesday, and hopefully will be given permission to start jogging. 

The Lakers will have a well earned day off Monday. 

BK

It's officially a winning streak.  The Lakers won their fourth game in a row, torching the Hornets 105-94 at Staples to stretch their lead over the Kings to two games.  More importantly, the Lakers are now four games up on New Orleans and 4.5 ahead of Utah with only ten left on the schedule.  The technical term for that is "breathing room." 

After the Lakers gave up 60 points in a first half straight out of those old, grainy ABA films, they delivered a far more taco worthy effort in the second, holding the Hornets to 15 in the 3rd and 19 in the 4th (too little, too late for hungry fans, but still a positive development).  Kobe had an efficient 30 on 10-19 from the floor, Lamar Odom's strong March continued (23/8/5), and Kwame Brown overcame a bloody nose to hit all seven of his shots on his way to 17 points and 6 rebounds.  Whether it's natural development, confidence, Body Snatchers, or some sort of "Damn Yankees" scenario, the big fella has strung together three strong performances in relief of Chris Mihm.  He even got interviewed (and cheered) on the Jumbotron after the game. 

No games until Thursday night against San Antonio.  Good thing, too, because this is a team in need of some rest.  Best of all, it means that Lakers fans get four days of winning streak to carry them through the work week.  None of you have an excuse to be cranky at work until at least Friday. 

More on the game tomorrow.   

Happy Sunday!  Another nice game for UCLA, and the weather is supposed to be great today.  Now for the bad news.

Looks like Kwame Brown's hamstring may be a little more serious than previously thought.  He'll still suit up for tonight's game at home against the Hornets, but Phil Jackson may not play him much to protect against further injury.  Given their paper thin front court, it's better to let him sit for a game than risk a two or three week absence. 

With or without Brown, a win tonight would be huge for the Lakers, putting them four up on New Orleans with only 10 games remaining.  That would put L.A. in position to start thinking about playing in the playoffs, not just getting to them.  Considering the distance between the Lakers and the Clippers and Grizzlies, Jackson isn't eying the six seed too strongly.  But he'd take the 7th.  One place the Lakers have jumped (nice segue) is in Mark Heisler's NBA Rankings.  One reason?  Lamar Odom, who has been a monster since being turned down by Team USA.

Not that watching 32-36 Philadelphia cling to a postseason birth isn't riveting and all, but there's no doubt that the best playoff drama comes out west.  While it looks good for the Lakers to get in, will Kobe have enough left in the tank once they get there?   

Cool article about Ronny Turiaf and Robert Traylor, who is currently rehabbing after undergoing the same heart procedure as the Lakers rookie. 

Kareem scored a lot of freakin' points. 

Behold the power of three. 

The Lakers managed to string together their first three game winning streak since the All Star game on Friday night, 101-96 at Staples Center.  The win ran their record at home to 19-13, and with 8 of their final 11 games to be played at Staples, it's possible that they're building a little momentum at home.  Phil Jackson, though, needs to see more before he agrees.  Kobe's 43 put him a step closer to Elgin Baylor, and after going for 21/12 vs. Sacramento on Wednesday, this morning's box score shows Kwame Brown had another strong game.  A tweaked hammie shouldn't slow him down heading into Sunday's matchup with New Orleans.

Lamar Odom hit 6-11 from the field, including 3-6 from downtown.  Check out his game log, and you'll see that L.O. has had some serious flow over the last five or so weeks. 

UConn squeaked out a win last night against Washington (nice pun, too, from the ESPN.com headline writers).  Would Andrew Bynum, who was committed to the Huskies before turning pro, have helped Jim Calhoun's crew on Friday?  Phil isn't so sure.  Either way, Jackson is happy the kid is learning with the big club. 

Gene Avila is tired of excuses.   

BK's computer is acting weird, and he can't access it. So just post in AK's. Thanks.

I hate computers.  The first time I turned it on, I got a black screen (bad).  The second time, I got a stripey red screen (somehow that felt worse).  Then a brown with yellow pinstripes screen, before mercifully I got the one that recommended starting in "Safe Mode", which I believe is something straight out of Marathon Man.  I had to uninstall a couple programs, but here we are!

And just in time for a Kwame Brown soaring thunder dunk that will allow Mike Teniente to die happy (not anytime soon, we hope). 

Seriously, though, I've been screwing around with this stupid machine so much that until Bobby Simmons drilled that three, I had no idea the Lakers had lost their lead.  Please remember that if I make any outlandish first half evaluations (quite honestly, everything will be drawn from the box score).

FSW interviewed Dan Gadzuric before the game, and apparently he's been inspired by his television appearance.  He's doubled his scoring average after one half.  Attention whore.  And it's good to know, too, that we have confirmation that white guys don't really pull off that tights look.  Thank you Andrew Bogut for clearing that up. 

First Quarter

Hey all! Welcome to the live blog. BK's will be up in a second. His computer is just slightly newer than the Batcave model, so it'll take a sec.

2 minutes in and I've already learned something new. Andrew Bogut may be a solid player, but he can't pull off the tights to save his life. He looks really silly. It probably doesn't help that he's really freakin' pale, which makes the leggings look that much darker and distracting.

Caron Butler, in town to play the Clips tomorrow afternoon, is sitting about ten feet from us. I'll keep an eye out as to which team he's cheering for, but if he's rooting purple and gold, it may not be outta loyalty to old friends like Kobe and LO. Remember, The Wizards are jostling with the Bucks for playoff positioning. 

Wow! A fan just yelled "Give it to Kwame!" A month ago we were having the "Boo-Gate" blog topic about the fans' right to boo him, productive or not. He's clearly in everyone's better graces, at least for the time being.

I think we can all agree Kwame was overdrafted at #1 overall. But does anyone even remember that Joe Smith was also one? If not, I don't blame you. It's rather easy to forget. Solid career, but seriously folks. #1?

And speaking of Kwame, 4 boards this early on is definitely a good sign and start. He's very active and that's never a bad thing. And he's got Wednesday's mini-ponytail with the braids. I think he may be on to something. That bucket he hit in the paint certainly doesn't hurt matters.

Dan Gad-zur-eech just checked in for Milwaukee. I absolutely refuse to acknowledge the change in pronunication of his name. Until someone gives me a solid, valid reason for the change, I ain't doing it.

End of the 1st: up by 13. Bucks shooting 38% If Jim Jackson, Turiaf and Socks don't see a solid quarter of action, something went very wrong.

A week passes. 4 games go by. The Lakers pull out a .500 result. Many things in life qualify as "shocking." That wouldn't be one of them. But for a 2-2 stretch, Lakers fans sure found plenty to discuss amongst themselves:

Conspiracy theories, ranging from "Kobe-hatin' refs" to "Why the hell ain't Jimmy Jackson playing?"

Kobe v. Ron Ron.

Will Kwame Brown's huge night be the start of something big or merely a fond memory/tease?

And those were just the highlights. Granted, much of that buzz will understandably take a backseat to Von Wafer's return. But with a mere dirty dozen games left on the schedule, the importance of said contests take second stage to nothing. There's no such thing as a "must win" game anymore, because it's too redundant down the home stretch. Seriously, which ones can they lose? Buckle up, Lakers fans. It's about to get interesting. Here's what's on tap.

Lakers fans have teams that they hate.  Sacramento (no explanation required), for example.  The Celtics (old habits die hard).  Some hate the Clippers (crosstown rivalry), some don't like Miami (Shaq).  I'm sure there are plenty of people out there who don't like the Spurs (too much talent) or the Mavericks (too much Mark Cuban), or even the Pistons (beat them in the '04 Finals).  But tonight's game got me thinking. 

Does anyone out there hate the Bucks?  If so, why?  There may not be a team in all of basketball that inspires less passion among opposing fans than Milwaukee.  If you wrote out a list of every team in the league, Milwaukee would get on there after a long pause, a "Who am I forgetting?" and then an, "Oh, yeah, the Bucks!" 

So here's the question.  Everyone has teams they love, and teams they hate.  What team inspires so little in you one way or the other that they're totally neutral?  The Switzerland of the NBA? 

If you can explain why, go for it. 

BK

Wednesday night was great for Kwame Brown, and it looks like the Lakers will need more of the same because Chris Mihm isn't coming back anytime soon.  After all, if you can barely walk, that might be good enough to guard Greg Ostertag, but not much else.  Sasha Vujacic suffered a mildly sprained ankle in practice Thursday but should be able to play.  Still, the Lakers are a little banged up going into tonight's game at home against Milwaukee.   They're looking for their first three game winning streak since the All Star break, which (we imagine) gives them a lot in common with readers of this blog.  Us Weekly was right- "Stars, They're Just Like Us."   

Behold the power of tacos.  And one guy who has been avoiding them (hey, the Lakers need some frontcourt help, right?  Right?).

Former Lakers broadcaster Paul Sunderland, whose work we both respected (especially when you consider the shoes he was trying to fill), has found success with Fox Sports. 

The rich get richer:  Amare Stoudamire went off for 20/9 over 19 minutes in his first game back with the Suns. 

Hands in the air if this was not the Kobe related headline you were expecting today.  L'chayim!

Finally, some props to UCLA for their incredible win last night over Gonzaga. 

photo by Danny Moloshok/AP

Overshadowed in the postgame of last night's (well deserved) Kwame Lovefest were two possessions that could lead to more success for the purple and gold.  Simple stuff, really.  At the end of the second and third quarters, the Lakers had a chance to run down the clock and take the last shot.  Normally in this situation, the plan of attack is more predictable than your average David Spade film.  Give the ball to Kobe and watch him do stuff as the clock winds down. 

Funny, but the league seems to have caught on.

But Wednesday night, the man with the ball was Lamar Odom, not Senor Ocho.  The results were very encouraging.  To end the half, after a nice little time-eating three man weave at the top of the key, Odom drove and kicked out to Kobe, who drilled a three in perfect rhythm.  A ten point lead became thirteen.  The third ended with Odom driving the lane and drawing a foul.  Two possessions, two positive results.  I asked Phil about it after the game, and he told me that they want to take advantage of Lamar's ability to create mismatches.  Kobe agreed. 

"That's one of his strengths, being able to handle the basketball, especially when he's got a bigger guy on him.  It's such a mismatch.  Such an advantage for us, just to let him facilitate the offense.  We read situations... and try to play to our strengths."

I'm not saying that Kobe shouldn't touch the ball at the end of quarters (and I doubt Kobe was saying that, either).  But as the old saying goes, variety is the spice of life.  No doubt Kobe has the ability to hoist a team on his back and carry them.  I'll be surprised if he doesn't need spinal surgery after this season.  But the team gets into trouble when it seems like the only option is to give it to Kobe and watch.  Nobody benefits except the guys who cut together his highlight reels.  After all, they can edit out the misses.  The best part about the end of the first half was that Kobe did take the last shot.  But it was one in rhythm.  It had flow.  It's the kind of shot he'll make far more often then he'll miss, and way more often than those freaky fall away, turn around jumpers most guys can't pull off on NBA Live '06. 

If it's put in the heads of other teams that there is a Plan B for the Lakers, it'll help free up Kobe for when the iso-and-let-him-do-his-business is the best option.  I've said plenty of times that I'm not really concerned with how many shots Kobe takes (within reason), but am very much concerned with what those shots look like. 

March has been the Month of Lamar.  He's showing the total floor game that makes him so appealing in the first place.  I know he's had some brain locks with the ball in clutch situations (my memory isn't that short) but right now he's playing with confidence and intelligence.  By giving him a few more opportunities to hold the rock at crucial times, it'll make the Lakers- and Kobe- more effective.

BK

With a solid overall performance, especially on the defensive end, the Lakers on Wednesday night went a long way to proving the power of film study, leading wire to wire in their 87-80 win over Sacramento at Staples.  After spending Monday dissecting each of the 114 points allowed in their last meeting with the Kings, the Lakers were far more active, disrupting Sacramento's offense with 6 first quarter steals and 13 overall.  Lamar Odom continued his recent streak of outstanding play, Kobe chipped in with an efficient 28, and Sasha Vujacic nearly made Mike Bibby freak out with his really, really annoying style of defense.  But the night belonged to Kwame Brown, who played his best game as a Laker, scoring 21 points, grabbing 12 boards, hitting the floor for loose balls and playing solid defense.  That'll teach the Kings not to guard him. 

One worrisome aspect of the box score?  A very short bench for the Lakers.  Three starters over 40 minutes.  But with Mihm out, George just returning, and not a lot of depth to begin with, there isn't really much room to rest the weary.  Andrew Bynum will be Brown's primary backup while Mihm is gone.  Jackson noted that Bynum struggled on the recent road trip, but believes he can contribute. 

Ron Artest stopped his verbal war with Kobe.  Phil Jackson, on the other hand, had some lofty words regarding his hope for a final Laker win total.   

Great story about Bynum's work with Kareem.   Mitch Kupchak called a trade for KG a "remote" possibility.  Not that he's gonna say otherwise, but it's still interesting. 

Got time to kill (okay, more time to kill)?  Vote for your favorite MVP candidate. 

Lamar Odom makes John Hollinger's (ESPN.com)  "Good... but overrated" list:

"Lamar Odom

Lamar Odom Player Efficiency Rating 16.85 vs. NBA Avg.: +1.85 Odom profile

People can't stop gushing about Odom's skills whenever they talk about him, but I'm wondering whether they're kidding themselves about his ceiling. Odom is indeed a great ballhandler for his size and a decent player in other respects, as well. But I'm missing how that translates into an All-Star talent. Without a great first step or a great jump shot, Odom is always going to have company around when he's going to the basket, which is why his turnover rates are persistently high. That helps explain why Odom has been in the league for seven years and hasn't moved beyond "a pretty good forward." Don't hold your breath waiting."

Finally, click here to review every move Mitch has made.  Solid water cooler stuff. 

Yeah, it wouldn't be this team if they didn't make things more complicated than need be down the stretch. But it was a huge win with huge stakes. Not only did the Lakers take firm control of that 7 seed, but they put even more distance between themselves and the Hornets. Should they come up short against Chris Paul and his sidekicks on Sunday, they'll be happy to have that cushion.

Apparently, yesterday's extra film session wasn't actually spent watching a DVD of Walk the Line. Whatever was said and pointed out by Phil, his boys took it to heart. Best display of team D and overall defensive awareness in quite some time. If I were PJ, I'd make these guys watch film before going home tonight. And more film tomorrow at 7 a.m. Phil can give them some lollipops before each screening, just so the team doesn't feel unrewarded after a great effort.

X factor? None other than Kwame Brown. 21 points, 12 boards and energy off the charts. As I commented during Brian's live blog, I wouldn't pencil those numbers in as Kwame's averages for the next month. Aside from the fact that Sacto sports the softest inside presence this side of jello, it's not like he hasn't teased fans before. But the kid's definitely done some nice work of late and may very well have been the difference behind this win. I kinda wish Kobe had missed one basket, just so Kwame could have ended up the leading scorer. He doesn't get the opportunity often, so it's a shame to see him come up a point short. And if he hadn't been named Carl's Jr. Star of the Game, I would have forever boycotted that B.S. fast food chain. Except when they're doing waffle fries promotions, of course. Those babies is good.

AK

Game on! 

Everyone warm up your typin' fingers, it's gonna be a barn burner!  (remember, no spell check on this thing. No time!)

I wonder how many Laker fans get sad when they see the Staples Center pregame video montage, where Worthy, Kareem, Mikan, Baylor, Magic, etc. are followed by Smush, Mihm, and Kwame.  No offense to the current guys, but it's not exactly the same thing. 

Tip off! 

Okay, the Lakers won that.  Ist possession:  Kwame stood alone in the lane from about six feet, and passed it up. Since Smush made the three, it's not such a bad thing, but you'd like to see him take that shot.

Three seconds on Kwame, and that's only because they started counting after he had been there for five.  But a nice rebound off the Kevin Martin miss (yes, the other K Mart) and an aggressive move on the offensive end.  You just don't know what you're going to get with him.

Miller just hit a shot, taking Kwame outside.  It was an accident that I've started tonight discussing Kwame, but it'll be interesting to see how he responds to a center that can move him away from the basket.  It's an aspect of his defensive game that needs work.

9:00- Now that's what you want to see out of Brown.  Run the floor, get rewarded, dunk the ball (none of this layup stuff. that's not really his thing.)

Yes, the rumors are true. 

Von Wafer is Back. 

And not a moment too soon.  It's hard for me to rejoice too strongly because I know there are fans in Fort Worth dabbing the tears away.  Yeah, they have a first place team, but is that really what's important?  Good thing I'm not all that fond of Texas to begin with, or I'd really feel bad. 

It's good to know that time in the minors didn't change Von too much.  I scanned a couple box scores and quickly found one I liked: 5-13 in only 18 minutes.  Sweet. 

For some reason, I've never managed to make time for The Sopranos.  But I'm guessing this is what fans of the show felt like after Tony and the gang came back from their hiatus.  My mind is already putting together the Von Highlight Reel.  The climax comes on April 19.  Final game of the season against New Orleans.  Winner gets into the playoffs.   Smush Parker has turned an ankle.  Kobe draws his second technical after he drives the lane, is beaten back by a steel chair wielding PJ Brown and no foul is called.  Lamar Odom is exhausted, Kwame Brown is Kwame Brown. 

With the Lakers down by 13 and only three minutes remaining, Phil turns to Von and says, "Make something happen, kid."  Wafer chucks off his warmups and does just that, going 15-18 down the stretch, including a game winning 50 footer at the buzzer. 

Ah, Hollywood.  Is this idea really any more far fetched than Battlefield Earth? 

Anyway, live blog tonight.  Make sure to check in.  Hopefully it'll be up and running by 7:25 or so.

BK

As you read here first Tuesday afternoon, despite a cross country flight back from Boston the Lakers met yesterday for a film study session at their El Segundo practice facility (are we comparing breaking this information to Watergate?  Not really, but a scoop is a scoop, right?).  The theme, of course, was defense.  Hopefully the increased study will help Lakers players anticipate where Sacramento's offense is going before it gets there, with an eye towards February's 85 point defensive show as opposed to last week's 114 point debacle. 

With their win last night at home against Seattle, the Kings have again pulled into a tie with the Lakers for the 7th and 8th spots in the playoffs.  The Hornets didn't cooperate Tuesday night either, and are now only a game back.  One problem for LA?  Games in hand.  Sacramento has two, New Orleans has four.  So while the Lakers are trying not to add extra significance to tonight's game (they're all important at this point), its importance is tough to overstate.  Beating Sacramento not only gives them a needed win, but takes one away from the Kings.  It's a process that will be repeated in the two games remaining with the Hornets as well.

How is Chris Mihm?  Well, it's probably best to keep him out of your fantasy lineup for the time being.   

Interesting perspective on the chase for the 6th seed.  Incidentally, I asked Mike Dunleavy about that a couple weeks ago (before the Hornets slowed down and the Clippers took control of the 5th seed).  Are the Clippers being penalized for finishing higher?  His response?  Be careful what you wish for.  Play every game to win, finish as high as you can.  For the Lakers, it seems more applicable in the effort to "avoid" Phoenix, even if it means playing San Antonio.  I agree with Dunleavy.  Win every game, finish as high as possible.  The Lakers hope that gets them high enough to avoid the Suns or Spurs in the first round, but if not?  So be it.   

The Pistons are no longer tops in CBS Sportsline's Power Rankings.  Who is #1?  Hint, it's not the Lakers.

Having flown home Tuesday afternoon from Boston, Lakers practice was limited today to film study.  Specifically, defensive film study.  Considering they surrendered 114 points to Sacramento in their last meeting, that's probably not a bad idea. 

"Today was just about watching the game film of the last time we played Sacramento," said Smush Parker.  They focused on "play recognition.  Just got to recognize when certain guys are in certain positions on the court, this is what they're gonna do.  And we just have to recognize that." 

Said Lamar Odom, "We went over every defensive possession that we had in the last game we played against Sacramento, from the first score to the last one."  Considering how awful that performance was, I wonder if the team would have rather been running drills despite obvious road trip fatigue.  So what did they learn?  "How we're going to go with the pick and rolls, the down screens, their high post offense with Bibby cutting and setting picks and things like that."

Obviously, defense has been an issue all year.  Odom noted that last year they were really bad last year defensively, "and we're better... but we're still bad."

Both Parker and Odom agreed that Wednesday night's game is big, but given their situation, they all are.  It's a healthy attitude.  To say the Lakers have underperformed in games that seemed on their face to be less significant would be an understatement.  It's all part of the inconsistency Odom once again acknowledged they've been battling all season.  To add extra significance to one game over another isn't something they should be doing right now. 

WHAT PHIL SAID: 

Jackson decided, given that they had flown back cross country today to leave the more active parts of game preparation for tomorrow.  "We had to get focused on our last meeting with Sacramento, and look at some of the things we did," Jackson said.  "We had an 83 point defensive game against Sacramento in late February, and this was a 114 point game.  So that's a thirty point difference, it was a real disappointing defensive effort by our team." 

Jackson mentioned how Artest was hot throughout and that Bibby got fired up late, but noted "everybody contributed.  We just didn't have an identification as a defensive team." 

I asked Jackson about Kwame, specifically regarding his rebounding and his inconsistency on the glass- two nine board games sandwiching games with four and five:

"Kwame gets involved in ball games usually early and he stays involved.  I think some of that has to with fouls, some of it has to do with teams that have an outside perimeter player he may have to guard against, screen and rolls that may be taking him out on the floor that contribute to less rebounds and to less of an impact on the game.  He's really playing okay, and we're happy that we have him on this ballclub at this time when Chris (Mihm) is down, that we have a guy that we know can go forty minutes, that physically can do the job in both defense and rebounding for us.  That helps us out a lot.  His offense has I think improved, and yet I'd like to more involved in the offensive frame of mind."

Is Kwame a natural rebounder?  A guy who can see and anticipate where a ball will head off the glass, and position himself appropriately?

"I think Kwame can go get rebounds.  The one thing I've kept after him is the second attempts.  Usually rebounds are second and third efforts.  Sometimes you just keep going back and be relentless on the boards.  Sometimes he gives one good effort and doesn't come back and give that second good effort.  That takes balance, and also that thirst or that hunger to get the ball."

BK

Twenty years ago, a late March game in Boston would have been the national sports story of the night.  Today the rivalry may have lost some of its luster, but the Lakers 105-97 victory over the Celtics Monday night was no less significant for the purple and gold.  Kobe Bryant scored the final 14 points for L.A., who needed this game to sneak ahead of Sacramento with Wednesday night's Staples showdown looming.  It was his twentieth 40+ game of the year, a personal best and only three from Elgin Baylor's club record.  Unfortunately, it took him 39 shots to get there, too many for Phil Jackson's taste.  Finally, the Lakers were able to close out an opponent on their East Coast swing.  Good thing, because another close loss might have put Phil six feet under.

Checking last night's box score, you'll notice that Lamar Odom again had a strong game, continuing his recent trend.  Just in time, too. 

Will their schedule down the stretch really benefit the Lakers?  Jackson is confident his team can play with the big boys.  Check out Steve Kerr's Power Rankings to see which of those teams are on top right now. 

How do you know Kobe isn't getting a lot of calls these days?  Even guys from Sacramento agree with him. 

That breeze you felt was the collective sigh of relief from Lakers fans after the purple and gold's 105-97 win over the Celtics in Boston.  Say what you want about this team, but they seem unwilling to drop below the .500 mark, and are now a half game ahead of the idle Kings for the 7th spot in the west.  Kobe managed to drain 18 field goals (seven more than the next closest Laker even attempted) on 39 shots.  Four more FGAs and he would have gotten a free latte.  Is 39 a lot of shots?  Sure, but that's the sort of thing for the Laker Nation to argue about after a loss, right?   

Monday's eyepopping stat of the night?  Five dimes from Kwame Brown.  Maybe this is the start of something completely unexpected.  Kwame struggles catching the ball, but his deft passing touch vaults him to the top of the league in assists.  If Wilt can do it...

More on the game tomorrow.

I'll put up comments about the Celtics game ON THIS POST.  I think the game is being shown by KCAL on delay starting at 5:30.  If you don't want to know what's going on in the game before you get home, DON'T READ THE COMMENTS ON THIS POST UNTIL AFTER THE BROADCAST!  Then you're good. 

Also, as a courtesy to your fellow bloggers, try to leave Celtics game related comments here.  It's hard enough to get home without hearing a score.  We don't want to make it any harder.

Thanks.

BK

Laker fans have been frustrated with some, uh, let's call them "underwhelming" calls by the NBA's zebras on Kobe Bryant.  More specifically, non-calls on Kobe Bryant. If you can use comments posted on this site as any indication, and I'm pretty sure there's some solid science behind that, Sunday's game in Cleveland was just about the tipping point.  As Kobe's free throws have decreased, the conspiracy theories as to why have increased. 

I mentioned yesterday that I'm not buying into the grand conspiracy, mostly because to me it doesn't make much sense, at least from the league's POV.  There is no way in hell David Stern doesn't want #8 in the postseason, however briefly.  You think the ratings for round one are better with the Lakers or the Hornets?  Kobe or Chris Paul (yes, he's going to be the Rookie of the Year, but come on).   The NBA loves TV, and TV loves the Lakers. 

But logic has no place in conspiracy theories.  Maybe, just maybe, the NBA has it out for Kobe.  Or maybe it's just the refs themselves who have formed and anti-Kobe cabal with the single minded focus of getting him to 16 technical fouls.  Or maybe it goes deeper.  More sinister.  Something involving organized crime, perhaps?  Important made men who are consistently making prop bets that pay off if Kobe doesn't hit the stripe?  Offers that can't be refused?  Maybe it has to do with the Bush Administration's domestic spying program?  The war in Iraq?  Duke Cunningham?

This is Hollywood.  No story is too far fetched.  So what's your best Kobe-no-call conspiracy theory?  Give it your best shot.  Creativity counts. 

BK

Finally, a little time in front of a computer. And as promised, a few bonus tidbits.

As has become plainly obvious this season, closing out under duress hasn't been this team's strong suit. (The Cavs also can't brag about that skill, either. But somebody eventually had to win). A potential breezer became a nail biter (thanks in large part to Flip Murray), complete with the requisite Kobe Bryant buzzer beating attempt. This one didn't rattle in #8's favor. The Lakers have also developed a C-Webb disease of sorts, seemingly unaware of when to call a timeout.  These are the sort of issues that keep a team hovering around the .500 mark. Hopefully, a trip to Boston won't put them below it. On the plus side, Lamar Odom is playing out of his skull, shooting an absurd 62% from the field over the past nine games. And with Kobe mighty tired these days, the breakthrough couldn't be better timed.

Many of y'all have complained about Sir Charles' criticisms of Kobe Bryant. By Phil Jackson's logic, unfair Barkley evaluations would be another item to add to the Kobe-LeBron comparisons.

FYI- Today's "morning paper" is going to be delayed by a couple hours.  Your delivery boys (so to speak) will literally be passing each other in the air on the way to and from spring training.  Hopefully not so close that we'll actually see each other.  That's too close. 

Here are a couple clips to tide you over...

There were plenty of things to point to in Sunday's 96-95 loss in Cleveland.  Who did most of the damage?  Not LeBron (okay, not just LeBron), but Flip Murray.  This time, it was a big fourth quarter that hurt them, instead of the third.  Viva variety!  One problem, Kobe nearly admitted he was a little weary at this point in the season.  The return of Devean George should help, and Chris Mihm is walking without a boot. 

Here's the box.  More to come later. 

This morning, the Lakers take on the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James, a straight outta high school phenom that many think about as "a young Kobe Bryant." Ironic, because lately Kobe's been looking like an old Kobe Bryant. And what are old people always complaining about? That's right! Being tired! Kobe's legs have gotten more mileage lately than a trucker's rig, which may explain his recent shooting woes. Phil Jackson will preserve Kobe's wheels on some level today, putting Lamar Odom on King James. And if Devean George plays, that will definitely provide Kobe a little down time. But if some form of consistent rest doesn't come Kobe's way soon, the results may not be as funny as Kobe's fainting act.

Speaking of youngsters, Mark Heisler breaks down the incoming draft class. And speaking of even younger youngsters, scroll down this article and learn about LO making a sick kid's decade.

Head throbbing like its about to explode? That's just the St. Patty's hangover talkin'. But the 92-89 loss to the Nets is probably worth an aspirin or three. The Lakers had their shot, down 90-89 with enough time for another possession, assuming they stopped New Jersey on the one before.  Unfortunately, a zone defense, employed specifically because of Kobe's foul troubles, allowed Vince Carter to stride through for a lay up. Even worse, it left Nenad Krstic unboxed to put back V.C.'s miss. And worst of all, Lamar Odom forced an inbounds pass to Brian Cook as opposed to calling a time out on the Lakers' final chance. Long story short: Kobe wound up chucking a heavily blanketed trey that didn't fall. All in all, the night felt like a mirror image of the Lakers' most recent dilemmas: Nothing going down for Kobe (9-24) and spotty D all around. Plus, Kobe not heading to the line, an issue referee Ronnie Nunn says hasn't emerged courtesy of a crackdown on #8.

Cross out the 21 TO's and the box score doesn't look all that horrible. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way.

Which word do Lakers fan relate better to? "Topsy" or "turvy?" Why quibble? They should just embrace both. Hot off the heels of a huge win against San Antonio in their house, the Lakers were on top of the world, ready to pounce on a "gimme" game against Seattle. Well, aside from a 120-113 loss and Chris Mihm's severe ankle sprain that could keep him out the rest of the season, everything pretty much came up "purple and gold." Kobe Bryant, fighting a drastic shooting slump, would have probably preferred a different opponent on Tuesday than Ron Artest and the Kings. After a 114-98 loss, the feeling amongst his teammates was mutual. Thankfully, the squad managed to regroup at Staples for a 92-89 squeaker against the Wolves.

Another week passes. The quest to float above .500 and keep a playoff seed remains intact. It doesn't hurt that the teams trailing the Lakers aren't even inconsistent, lately. They just stink. But covering their bases by simply winning a few games wouldn't be a bad idea. Here's what's on tap.

Happy St. Patty's Day to all! Hope everybody has some big plans for the evening, and remembers to be smart and safe in their quest to drown themselves in green brew. The Lakers will be battling it out in New Jersey tonight, probably killing any chances of a wild night getting their Irish on. But if they had the night off (and a subsequent night off to recover), maybe some guys on the team would be up for a holiday featuring an Irish car bomb or three (for those who don't know the drink, take a shot of Baileys and Irish whiskey, drop it in a half filled Guinness, then slam the whole thing. Yummy!). So here's the riddle. If you could pick one Laker to party with during tonight's festivities, who would it be?

You gotta think about this carefully, though, because this decision will shape your entire bar hopping experience. Let's drop a little insight, shall we?