As always, it's best to start off any Lakers practice report with an injury update.  Luke and Kwame both ran today.  Walton still says he's hoping to play Friday (more on that to come), but P.J. says in Walton's current state, he's not ready to play him (see previous parenthetical).  Kwame wasn't available post-practice for comment, having headed in for treatment, or lunch, or something.  Point is, he wasn't around.  But you'll hear in the audio that he's making progress.  Andrew Bynum still is riddled with flu-like symptoms (otherwise known as the flu), and was excused from practice.  Finally, Mo Evans, who collided with Utah's Matt Harpring in Monday's win experienced some swelling in his right knee.  He went to see the doctor and had 60cc's of clear fluid drained from the joint.  No word on if, like tonsils, he got to take it home.  And while I'm no House, I'm pretty sure clear is good.  Evans is considered day to day. 

On to the audio:

A three-game win streak is great and everything.  But if it's all the same, the Lakers will continue to assume they could use a little extra help, which makes the news of impending cavalry rather sweet.  Kwame Brown and Luke Walton are both expected back sometime next week, with the latter holding an outside chance for Friday against Sacto.  In the eyes of Tony Meija, Billy's Boy could be the difference between the Lakers remaining just inside his top 10 or jumping even higher.  No word as to whether Walton's presence would propel the Lakers past #6 for Tim Legler.  But if you ask Steve Kerr, like Spinal Tap's amps, the Lakers go to 11.

I'm guessing AK and I were 21st.  Maybe next year...

BK

Here it is, the grand finale of our recent interview with Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak.  The teaser and Part I covered everything from how an endless string of injuries may (or in this case, may not) affect the team's trade deadline action to the hypothetical ability to keep big men Andrew Bynum, Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm in the fold down the road.  In our final installment, Kupchak discusses, among other topics, his own playing days, how that NBA experience shaped his GM tenure and Manu-Gate.  Here's what he had to say. 

Brian Kamenetzky: With Kobe this year, so much has been written and said about the changing perception of him and his play.  Whether you want to call it an evolution or a maturation or whatever, he's playing and speaking differently this year than in years past.  Is this something you could see coming?  Have you seen something like this before?  Is there someone you can compare it to? 

Mitch Kupchak: Off the top of my head, no.  But once again, due to an unfortunate circumstance, we were able to have Phil Jackson return last year.  I think their growth together has really made Phil a better coach and I also feel it's made Kobe a better ballplayer.  We were very happy with Rudy Tomjanovich, and I think Kobe would have continued to grow as a player and a person under Rudy, but we'll never know.  But we could have made the wrong choice when Rudy stepped down.  I think we made the right choice.  Because they do have a special bond, the two of them right now, and they're good for each other. 

We at Lakersblog aren't necessarily saying Kobe should spend the rest of the season purposely getting sick, mind you.  But if being under the weather equals performances like the one featured in last night's big time 102-94 win in Utah, perhaps Bryant should consider maintaining a germ-laden existence until the playoffs end.  Again, we said, "Bryant," not "Bynum.", who, like the team he plays for, is at his best when he's playing the best (and healthy, of course).

Conventional wisdom dictates that you can't stop Rafael Araujo, you can only hope to contain him.  But if I know my Lakers, they won't be satisfied unless they pull off both.

AK

FYI - Deron Williams will be out tonight, so L.A. needs to capitalize on that timely break.

We'll keep switching up the "Know Thy Enemy" moniker if change continues bringing about Laker wins. Or we run out of titles, admit defeat and go back to the original name, whichever comes first.

At any rate, tonight's dudes come from Utah, and like the music they're named for, are currently be-bopping along like a Miles-Trane-Mingus-Bud-Blakey quintet. With only one February loss to their names (against Portland, proving those cats can throw everyone's mojo sideways), the squad few media types (including either K Brother) pegged for '06-'07 success have the Northwest division locked up like Bobby Brown. And while the Lakers remain snakebit when it comes to injury, they can't catch a break when it comes to an opponent's health. There's a good shot Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko will be back in uni, putting the Jazz at full strength for tonight's rumble.

Unless you're Forest Whitaker, Helen Mirren or another one of these Hollywood big shots, Academy Award Sunday meant watching other people win everything. But Laker fans didn't need to get handed a gold statue, because they got their 102-85 win against the Golden State Warriors before the ceremony even began. As per usual, Kobe Bryant got his, notching 11 of his 26 before the opening dozen minutes expired. And should No. 24 decide down the stretch to do some hard-core stumping for an MVP award, he can skip a Nor-Cal campaign stop, since the people have already pledged their vote. But the afternoon featured more than just a repeat episode of "The Kobe Bryant Hour."  Keeping in harmony with the "Oscar" theme, Mo Evans provided one heck of a "best supporting" performance, racking a career-high 26 points in his second consecutive start at small forward. Need any proof of how hard he worked for those points (even if a little luck was involved)? His black and blue hips don't lie. Actually, a lotta folks were working their butts off, which may explain the lack of success on Golden State's part when it came to adding some points to the box score.

Yes, I know the game was in Oakland, but I couldn't think of anything as (and I use this word loosely) witty for that city. So you get said Rice-A-Roni reference, and no complaining. The point is, the Lakers went into the mausoleum known as Oracle Arena on Sunday and put their now-standard beatdown on the Warriors, 102-85. After a slow start, the Lakers used a massive 33-7 first half run to get some distance between themselves and Golden State, led by Kobe Bryant and Mo Evans, who justified his position in the starting lineup with a career-high 26 points. In the second half, the Warriors occasionally looked kind of like they might want to try and sort of maybe get back into the game ... but not really. As he did against the Celtics on Friday, Phil Jackson treated his rotation like a kindergarten t-ball game, letting everyone have a chance to play. And again, Shammond Williams provided quality minutes with seven points and three boards. 

So it's now two in a row as the Lakers head to Utah tomorrow night, a much better direction to be going, I'd say.

BK

The key to a Laker victory?  Keeping the ball out of Adonal Foyle's hands. 

Either that, or in his hands at all times and at all costs.  I can never remember which one.

AK

The Lakers will head into Oakland today having unshackled, at least for a day, the vets at the end of the bench. And not surprising Shammond Williams is happy to get a shot. And he could play more today, since Smush Parker turned an ankle in practice Saturday and may be limited this afternoon.  They're still without a fully healthy L.O., Kwame Brown and Luke, Walton--each of which hurts in its own special way. 

By now, we all know why the J-Kidd deal folded. Mitch Kupchak kept his big ace and waited to play another hand (poker metaphors are big this morning). The Warriors are certainly happy they won't see him today. As long as we're talking about player-to-city scenarios that didn't happen, how about this one? For former Laker Kareem Rush, he'd just like to play anywhere in the lower 48 (and Toronto, too). Rush probably wouldn't help the Lakers rise in Mark Heisler's Sunday Rankings, but at least he'd have been stateside for an interesting weekend in Vegas. 

As everyone from Laker fans to the Park City ski patrol now know, Vladimir Radmanovic's shoulder injury was indeed caused by a snowboarding tumble, as opposed to ice and a sidewalk conspiring to ruin his season.  Vlad came clean yesterday with a statement, then addressed the media.  But that hardly means the incident is dropped.  Jerry Buss made a rare- and unlikely coincidental- pregame locker room cameo, exhibiting a mood that, at its most generous, would be described as "foul."  As for the consequences, he stated he'd "mull it over."  And before enjoying his meal in the media dining room (taco night, BK's favorite!), Mitch Kupchak spoke to reporters.  Despite being pleased that "(Vlad) did a lot of soul searching and decided to come in here and tell the truth," the eventual honesty didn't appear to entirely satisfy the Laker GM.  Kupchak didn't want to get into any specifics regarding potential punishment ("I feel comfortable with our options, but I'd rather not share them with you.") or Vlad's specific contract restrictions, but shared his thoughts on a few other questions. 

On not being surprised by the eventual explanation:
"Well, I mean, when there's a person that goes to a ski resort and they get an injury that's typically associated with a winter activity like that, your antennae goes up.  We talked to him on Tuesday when the players reconvened and he told us what us initially what his explanation was and we believed him.  A player's going to come in, talk to you and tell you what (we) believe to be the truth, then you believe him.  We believe all our players." 

They say all good things must come to an end.  Fortunately, that also applies to bad things, too. The Lakers finally figured out a way to win, snapping their six game losing streak Friday night by pounding an absolutely awful Celtics team 122-96 Friday night at Staples.  It was truly a team victory, as all at once Phil Jackson asked Kobe to get the Lakers going early while dusting off Shammond Williams and Aaron McKie for real minutes.  Apparently, they don't wear street clothes under their sweats.  Who knew?  Jackson even changed how he delivered information in time outs.  Anything to help turn L.A.'s mojo back from a bruised to a regal purple.  On thing that helped? A little D, including a huge stretch of steals and pressure at the end of the first half that pushed a two point lead to eleven.  The box score indicates the metaphorical clamps the Lakers put on Paul Pierce (4-12, 15 points), as the entire Celtics backcourt struggled.  Yeah, they're the Celtics, but success on the defensive end has been so rare lately, the Lakers will take it. 

Or Boston Celticified the Lakers, which means showing up and by definition guaranteeing a win for their opponent.  But anyway you slice it, tonight's 122-96 win was just what the doctor (Buss or otherwise) ordered.  The victory featured a healthy dose of an unstoppable Kobe, who stepped on the necks of the hapless Celts from the outset and littered a box score with 38 points, 9 dimes and 5 swipes in just under three quarters.  Andrew Bynum was nearly perfect from the field, hitting 6 of 7 field goal attempts and sinking all four freebies en route to 16 points.  Smush Parker was good for a dozen.  And despite a quick foul out (12 minutes), Brian Cook managed to rustle up 10 points. 

But in a rare treat, the evening was also heavy on Shammond Williams.  For that matter, there was also a healthy dose of hia equally elusive sidekick, Aaron McKie.  And all you John Hollinger types, chew on this stat.  The Lakers have yet to lose a game this season where the wily vet from Temple gets some run.  How can Phil Jackson not pick up on such obvious and irrefutable trends?  Zen Master, my ass!

More to come later. (AND NOW ADDED, AFTER THE JUMP)

AK

The Lakers have never lost a game after Vladimir Radmanovic gives a press conference to come clean about a snowboarding injury.  Let's see if the streak can remain intact.

AK

First Quarter

AK here.  And let me tell you, the natives are a might restless with a six game losing streak and 17-8 Boston lead after 5 minutes.  I've never heard the boo birds out this early into a game.

5:39 - Kobe hits his third consecutive trey to bring the team within 2.  You get the sense that #24 plans on doing whatever it takes to get this team off the schneid, even if it means taking the game over from start to finish.  Normally, I'm not a proponent of such strategies, as the involvement of his teammates is key for this squad's bigger picture success.  But given where this Laker team is at right now, I'm fine with whatever it takes to stop the bleeding.

The first order of media business tonight before the game, not surprisingly, was to track down Shammond Williams and find out if he's still happy to be a Laker after the trade deadline.  Just kidding.  Vlad Radmanovic, having publicly admitted that his separated shoulder was in fact suffered in a snowboarding fall rather than a ice and coffee related mishap (we're shocked- shocked!- to learn the truth), entered the locker room and turned to the assembled media throng.  "You guys waiting for me?"

To his credit, Vlad Rad was blunt about his actions, and didn't try to create any excuses, a good thing, since his first attempt at spin won't win him any post-career P.R. gigs.  Basically, he hurt himself, panicked, lied, and decided he needed to tell the truth.  That it likely would have come out eventually isn't really the point.  Click below the jump for the audio. 

Because, as it turns out, the theoretical defendant wasn't even at the scene of the crime when Vlad Radmanovic separated his shoulder.  Truth be told (and it finally is being told), The Artist Formally Known as Cat Stevens didn't hurt himself after a nasty spill on frozen water.  As many suspected,  the injury happened because of a fall while shredding on a snowboard.  No word, however, as to whether Vlad was actually riding his Burton to pick up a cup of coffee. 

It has been pointed out that since we resurrected the "Know Thy Enemy" feature, the Lakers have gone into the tank.  So rather than continue to drive the Lakers towards the lottery, we'll try messing with the name of the post. 

Unfortunately, what has been a depressing year for Celtics fans got far worse yesterday with the untimely passing of Dennis Johnson at 52, of an apparent heart attack.  Outside of Boston, there may not be a city where the impact of the defensive specialist was felt more than L.A., given his role in the Lakers/Celtics rivalry of the 80s.  Sad news, for sure.

It's not normal when we bring you today's news yesterday, but indeed much talk today was about Andrew Bynum's cell phone.  Or missing cell phone as it were.  He was therefore unable to chat with friends back in Jersey who thought he might be on his way home.  Of course, for that to happen, he would have had to be on the metaphorical table, which he was not.  A Jason Kidd deal was never close to fruition, so Bynum, like everyone else who woke up on Thursday morning drawing checks from Jerry Buss, will continue to do so. Not a good thing, depending on who you ask, and ask again.  Any players who swapped ZIP codes would have missed yesterday's epic film session in El Segundo, in which Wednesday's loss to Portland was broken down, frame by depressing frame.  That might have made a trade worth it, considering the ugliness they had to sit through.  And to our knowledge, no Goobers or Sour Patch Kids were made available, either. 

Word of L.A.'s struggles has made news abroad.

If you've been leaving unreturned messages for the Lakers' starting center, he's not dissing you.  Drew simply lost his phone last week.  So despite oodles of headlines about him being a make or break piece in the now-fizzled Jason Kidd swap, the kid has no clue if his buddies back in Jersey have been blowing up his cellie with messages about coming home.  "I'm going to get a new phone right now," grinned Bynum on his post-practice plans.  As Jim Hill joked, "People will say 'rookie'."

The trade deadline has come and gone without any new faces being added to the Lakers squad.  Obviously, the chatter on the site today is centered around the ramifications of today's lack of activity, Jason Kidd or otherwise.  The crux of the Kidd deal, by all accounts, came down to the Lakers' unwillingness to trade Andrew Bynum.  It's not a decision I'd want to have to make.  On the one hand, Bynum is clearly a potential cornerstone player for the franchise, and the true seven foot post player has become Yeti-rare around the NBA these days.  If the Lakers were to move him, they'd have to do it with the understanding that a Replacement-Bynum is going to be nearly impossible to find (as opposed to moving Caron Butler, who as good as he is, plays a position with more available talent).  On the other hand- there's always another hand- the key word in that whole equation is potential.  Bynum looks like he'll be a player, but nobody knows for sure.  And more importantly, nobody knows when.  At 20?  22?  25? 

Therein lies the rub. 

The Lakers limped, bloody and battered, into today's trade deadline looking like a team that needs a lot of help. Healthy players, a defibrillator, gauze--anything that might stop the bleeding and resuscitate the team after Wednesday night's 112-108 loss to Portland at Staples, their sixth in a row. There was no talk of the "Q" word, still over their last 16, the Lakers are 4-12, prompting talk of challenging for the wrong end of the playoff ladder.  Chalk this one up to some Charmin-soft D that allowed the Blazers to shoot a rather frightening 60% from the floor.  The same Portland bunch that have been a weak offensive team all year, and were playing the second half of a back-to-back. But nobody told Jarrett Jack, LaMarcus Aldridge, or anyone else in a Portland uni they were supposed to miss, and Blazers torched L.A. all night. And when a bit of Phil Jackson strategy backfired in the fourth, it was all over for the Lakers, leaving a box score showing ugly numbers and a thinned out roster behind. 

Or is it DEFCON Five?  I forget, because it's been a while since I've seen War Games.  Either way, the Lakers are getting a little too close.  Phil Jackson officially has his first six game losing streak, courtesy of a hot-shooting Portland team that bombed his squad out of the gym Wednesday night, 112-108.  The Blazers, with the help of some rather porous Lakers D, shot 60% from the field.  I'll write it in letters, just for emphasis- sixty percent!  Sesenta!  Brandon Roy was 6-11, Jarrett Jack 9-12, LaMarcus Aldridge 9-12, Zach Randolph 9-16, Ime Udoka 4-5.  Their towel boy was perfect from downtown, the video guy went 10-13, and four dudes in Blazers jerseys walked out of the line at the concession stand to nail a few jumpers.  Needless to say, the leaky defense was a major theme of the night, as was a fourth quarter breather for Kobe in which the Blazers ran a one point lead to nine before anyone had a chance to blink.  All in all, it was a continuation of the ugliness that has been displayed for the better part of a month now. 

Click below the jump for some audio. 

The Lakers have yet to win a game since Von Wafer became a Clipper.  It's time this particularly dark era came to end.

AK

First Quarter

9:35 - Former Laker Ime Udoka hits a little jumper in the paint.  Raise your hands if you remember his cup of coffee with the Lakers.  Now put your hands down, liars.

7:23 - Terrific ball movement around the horn (or for those who prefer their hoops terminology remain non-baseball, around the arc) leads to LO getting a wide open lane straight to the paint for an easy dunk.  And note, I said, "dunk," not "long jumper."  I'd like to see a little more of the former, a little less of the latter.

When asked about his goals for the post ASB stretch run, Phil Jackson smiled and replied, "Undefeated.  28-0."  You have to admire his pluck.  But there will be none of what our president once called "the soft bigotry of low expectations" with the purple and gold between now and late April.  With that out of the way, how about some audio?

They may not provide the same slam dunk fodder to lazy media types like myself, but since Portland passed the mantle of "Team Most Likely to Star in an America's Most Wanted Marathon" to the Cincinnati Bengals, things have improved considerably in BlazerVille.  Through 55 games, Portland has already won more games (23) than they did all of last season (21).  Sure, they're not good yet, but it's fair to say they're no longer an unholy abomination of a hoops team (again, on and off the floor) that besmirches the otherwise good name of the Pacific Northwest.   Zach Randolph has been a monster at 24.0/10.2, Brandon Roy is likely to win Rookie of the Year, and prompt a lot of bad Roy ROY puns.  LaMarcus Aldridge has shown signs, and Jarret Jack has done a serviceable job replacing Sebastian Telfair.  So when the Lakers kick off the post-ASB season tonight at Staples, Portland provides perhaps the ultimate opponent- talented enough to beat about any team on any given night, strong enough inside to provide matchup issues, and bad enough that you'd think the Lakers should win easily... which they never do. 

In the absence of evidence to the contrary, the Lakers will take Vladimir Radmanovic's word that he hurt his shoulder slipping on a patch of ice in Park City while hanging out with Vlade Divac.  No word yet if Vlad Rad was smoking, too.  But his eight week vacation will strip an already threadbare frontcourt of another body, and add to the struggles of a team dropping in the standings faster than "The Nine" did in the Nielsen's (hurting Kobe's MVP chances in the process).  It also fuels the Jason Kidd-to-LA talk (scuttled by a refusal to include Bynum?), the Scottie Pippen-to-LA talk (scuttled by the fact he's a billion years old?), and the just-about-anyone-over-6'6"-to-LA talk.  Usually, the big trade rumors don't pan out, but if the Kidd rumors pan out, Kobe won't have a problem with it.  Whether the Lakers will absorb the nearly $40 mil left on Kidd's contract is another issue.

The Lakers had hoped to have Luke Walton back for tonight's game against Portland at Staples, but they'll have to wait. 

For those who don't know, Allan Pinkerton was a 19th century spy and detective who gained fame not only for foiling an assassination plot against Presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln, but forming the first detective agency which has survived to this day.  His legacy in the P.I. field includes developing techniques like surveillance and undercover work.  Dude even helped hunt down Jesse James.

Why the history lesson, one may ask?  Because when asked after practice if Vladimir Radmanovic's freak shoulder separation (slipping on ice while walking in Park City during the All-Star break) was par the course for the team's injury-plagued season, the Zen Master took about an five second pause, smirked, and replied, "After we get Pinkerton on the case, we'll get back to you on that."  To some, the comment read like a not-so-subtle jab at Vlad's explanation of the circumstances surrounding his tumble. 

...the Clips and Lakers are now Lakers vs. Celtics, OSU vs. Michigan, Yankees vs. Red Sox, and AK vs. technology (trust me on this one) all rolled into one.  Why?  Because the Clippers are bringing in none other than former Laker (and Lakers Blog favorite) Von Wafer on a 10-day contract.  That's right, Von Wafer is back in the Association.

Frankly, I'm a little torn, given my well documented affinity for his style of play.  And since Mike Dunleavy prefers disciplined outside shooting, I can see lots of potential for fun at the other end of the hallway down at Staples.  But I do know one thing: Assuming he's still around when the Lakers and Clippers meet on April 4, I would look for Von to average at least 29 shots per minute played.  It's going to be awesome.   

BK 

Given how things have gone for the Lakers, the news that Vladimir Radmanovic will miss the next eight weeks after slipping on a patch of ice in Utah and separating his right shoulder is surprising for one reason only- it wasn't an ankle.   A bad season for Vlad Rad only got worse, and the injury riddled Lakers were dealt another big blow.  The injuries have been so pervasive, you half expect to see those kids who mop the sweat off the court break a leg in the completion of their duties.  Still, however shorthanded they might be, the Lakers will look to make a push over their final 28 games.  Who they'll push with is still a major question.  But regardless of who inhabits the roster down the stretch, P.J. and Kobe will have to keep their heads together and Kobe will have to lead, a process that started last summer.  Otherwise the PWS (Power Rankings Slippage) will continue.  Of course, more growth from Baby Bynum will help push things along.  After all, if the Nets have a change of heart (or the Lakers sweeten the deal) his ownership of the Lakers frontcourt could continue to grow. 

Generally, teams tend to heal over the All Star break.  Then again, nothing about this season, the Lakers, and health can be filed under the category of "generally," so the news that Vladimir Radmanovic will miss the next eight weeks after separating his right shoulder over the weekend.  He apparently fell on a patch of ice while walking in Park City, Utah.  And there you have it.  Hopefully this doesn't turn into a roundball, barless, snowier version of Joe Beimel. 

BK

We already provided a small taste of our interview last week with Mitch Kupchak, where he talked about the extended time Kwame Brown will miss due to a bum ankle, the C-Webb saga and the (seemingly remote) odds of any trade deadline action.  Now comes a bigger forkful.  In the sitdown's first part, we discuss everything from Andrew Bynum's progress to to the team's future to Lamar Odom's past struggles with inconsistency (with an optimistically decided emphasis on "past.")  As the K Brothers follow the Lakers' lead in taking a few days off during the All-Star break (but continue chatting away, since comments WILL be updated), we leave you with Kupchak had to say.   

Andrew Kamenetzky:  With the news of Kwame Brown's delayed recovery, there's now more of an onus or pressure on Andrew Bynum in terms of what he needs to bring to the team.  During his rookie season, there was a lot of talk about how the Lakers might not truly know what they have in Andrew for at least a couple years, that he might not be able to contribute before that.  Is he progressing faster than anticipated?

Mitch Kupchak:  Well, nobody expected him to start.  And certainly if Kwame and Chris (Mihm) were here, we probably would not have started.  I don't know what would have happened towards the end of the season, but because of some misfortune to Kwame and Chris, he's gotten thrust into the action.  The initial results were really encouraging and then he kind of leveled off a little bit.  And Kwame was coming back, so Phil (Jackson) had to make a decision.  Andrew is still in the development stages of what it is to become an NBA player, or a great NBA player.  And his body is continuing to change as well.  He's never played this much.  His last two years in high school, because of transferring and injury, he didn't play that much, so he was really learning on the run.  And then Kwame went down again and to Andrew's credit, he saw the opportunity once more to really use what he learned here and try to hold onto that spot.  He's made it clear that he likes starting and that's all fine and good, but in this league, it doesn't really matter what you say, it's what you do

We are all witnesses.  The Lakers are simply in a rut.  That a fifth straight loss came at the hands of a LeBron led crew likely stings even worse to most Laker fans, but in the end, the 114-108 loss to the Cavaliers would feel crappy against any team.  Speaking of feeling like crap, a little All-Star break R n' R might be in order for your Lakers, who need some bodies (maybe even this guy) back in uni.  As per usual during this rough, shorthanded stretch, L.A. defense and rebounding was a scarce commodity, explempified by the seven Cavs in double figures and Anderson Varejao the sole 10+ board man on hand.   The Brazilian's final board- the snagging of LBJ's missed freebie- was the biggest, especially considering Ronny Turiaf and Kobe Bryant both had shots at it.  Deja vu all over again.  At least they both didn't quit on the play, a statement Phil Jackson might not make about some of their teammates.  And there was one bright spot.  The box score indicates the "This league ain't big enough for two Sasha's" Battle was won by the purple and gold Sasha, who enjoyed one his best games of the season.

I feel fine, thanks. AK, too, far as I know.

We'll have a few things for you before we take our own All Star break- more on that in the morning- including this little smattering of audio from Thursday night's loss to Cleveland.  Given the pace of play, you might assume the game is still going on.  After all, it's not every day basketball games take nearly three hours unless the letters "O" and "T," and occasionally "double" and "triple" come with it. (Note to referees: 97 free throws is too many.  Put the whistles away.  Note to TNT: Three hours?  You're broadcasting basketball, not AL baseball.  No need to celebrate every moment with a commercial.)  But when it was all over, Phil Jackson had some interesting things to say.  And given you have the next four days or so to kill, it's worth a listen.

Worst... refereed... game... ever.

I didn't realize until tonight that the NBA occasionally lets interns run a game while unsupervised, but that was apparently the case during tonight's 114-108 loss to the Cavs.  I can honestly say I've never seen three refs less in control.  To say the wheels came off the rails would infer that there was a train running smooth at one point.  Casey Jones had gone loco from the opening tip.  What began as phantom contact drawing whistles with rough house play on both ends going unpunished evolved into calling everything so over-zealously that I expected a courtside fan to foul out.  And beyond that, the trio often seemed confused, unorganized, lost.  Maybe even homesick, who knows?  To say the least, a disjointed affair.

Mind you, the refs didn't "lose this game" for the Lakers.  Despite the chaos, L.A. could have taken this bad boy.  Their lack of D against an offensively challenged LeBrons squad (and LeBron in particular) was the biggest culprit, with a sub 70% clip at the line and a lack of timely rebounding tied for a close second.  But it wouldn't surprise if the crummy referee flow put the Lakers off their collective game.  It certainly couldn't have helped matters.  Then again, as this five game streak has shown, putting the Purple and Gold on tilt ain't exactly mission impossible these days.

To quote Latka Graves during my favorite episode of "Taxi," "Hard to get happy after that one."

More to come later.  (NOW ADDED, AFTER THE JUMP)

AK

 

Seriously, let's go into this All-Star break on an upnote.  I don't need 6 straight days of Mom asking what's wrong with the team.  She's very worried.

AK 

First Quarter

AK Here. 

10:06 - LO slithers his way into the paint for the lefthanded layup.  Good to see him on the board early.  They need Lamar up and running.

9:35 - Looked like Smush's pass to Vlad was gonna sail into the stands, but Vlad manages to corral it for a bunny hop and a lay up.

Forget Kobe vs. LeBron.  The real battle when the Cavs and Lakers meet is not for MVP sympathies, but for Sasha Supremacy.  There was a stretch where you could argue that Sasha Vujacic was indeed the headliner on the NBA All Sasha Team.  These days, though, it's no contest.  Cleveland's Sasha Pavlovic has taken that mantle with a firm Slavic grip, and as his recent play shows, seems in no hurry to give it back.  In their last meeting, all of four nights ago, it was no contest.  Sasha P. crushed the Lakers for 21 often-critical points, while Sasha V. went for three (though, in fairness, purple/gold Sasha did go 100% from the floor).   So tonight it was no surprise to enter the Lakers locker room and see Vujacic staring, intense and beady eyed, at a picture of Pavlovic, muttering something in Slovenian I later learned translated into, "Tonight, revenge is mine."*  Don't be surprised if tonight's Sasha Battle Royale is a little less lopsided.

BK

*May not have actually happened.

The odds of John Amaechi signing a ten day contract with Cleveland before tonight's game seem relatively low, meaning it should be easy enough to shift the previous thread's discussion entirely back to the Purple and Gold (although admittedly, it was interesting). 

Tonight, the Lakers square off against the LeBrons, who pulled out a 99-90 W against the Lakers just four days ago.  ABC billed the proceedings as "Kobe v. LBJ," but the box score revealed "the other Sasha" as the afternoon's hero.  Pavlovic, who's been coming on strong these days after a slow start (both to the season and his career), put the game on ice with 13 points in the fourth quarter.  One suspects he won't garner "afterthought" status heading into tonight's showdown.

WE'RE BAAAAAAAACK!

After 24 hours worth of technical glitches, Lakersblog is up and running on all cylinders. In the meantime, Lakersblog readers are anxiously awaiting for the same to be said about their beloved squad. Well, tonight's showdown with the Cavaliers represents the Purple and Gold's last chance to get off the schneid before heading into All-Star break (and two extra days off, too boot). L.A. and Cleveland tangled just last Sunday, an Ohio matinee with an unexpected name above the title: Pavlovic. The NBA's most successful Sasha will be in town tonight, but Big Z might not be. Beating a fractured squad might just be the key to conversely juicing the Lakers' own cohesion, a factor the squad seems to desperately lack at the moment.  One reason for the disjointed vibe could be Lamar Odom's struggles since coming back from a knee injury.

At the end of the first quarter, when the Lakers had a 19-17 lead in a game moving slower than a parked car, it looked like this was going to be one of those ol' fashioned grind-it-out slugfest type deals.  Then the second quarter started, and apparently it was decided that both teams would open it up a little.  Certainly the Lakers did for the Knicks, who went 32, 32, 26 the rest of the way, often on the largesse of some ineffectual Lakers transition D.  For their part, L.A. got a little heavy on the gas, too.  In the end, though, a Jamal Crawford feed to Eddy Curry with seven seconds left- after the Lakers gave up an offensive board to David Lee- sent Spike Lee home happy with a 107-106 win in L.A.s first game at Staples since the Garfield administration.  Kobe led the way with 31/7 (including a clutch mid range jumper to give the Lakers a one point lead late), Mo Evans chipped in with 16.  Ronny Turiaf was huge for L.A., going a perfect 5/5 from the line, causing serious havoc on the boards, and drawing a huge charge on Stephon Marbury with about a minute to go.  The Lakers managed to get Eddy Curry in foul trouble, but he still went for 19/7, and they had no answer for Jamal Crawford, who ran them silly on his way to 24.  And I already mentioned the critical hook up they had late.  Most depressing might have been the last possession for the Lakers, when Lamar Odom didn't get a really clean look and missed the game winner by about two feet.  Kobe never sniffed the rock.  Ugly.  Just like the loss.  More on the game to come.

NOW UPDATED AFTER THE JUMP...

BK

Let's see if we remember how to do this... it's been a while.

BK

BK for the first quarter.  So when did the Lakers get yellow uniforms?   Hahahaha.  It's likely we're going to milk this "long road trip thing" for most of the game, so get used to it.

The Lakers got slaughtered on the boards in New York, and it's important that they do what they can to even that out tonight.  They also got beat up by Eddy Curry (here's an instance where KB54 would CLEARLY come in handy), and he's already on the board, posting Bynum down low.  AB is going to have to do what he can to keep him from establishing position in the low block.  No easy task. 

Contrary to his claim made to a surprised Sasha Vujacic ("My name is John Smith.  I'm on a ten day contract."), the cat wearing #10 is indeed still Vlad Radmanovic.  The man of many looks these season (full beard, half beard, dastardly mustache) has switched it up yet again.  I got the feeling Vlad's answered the "Dude, what's up with the new face?" question about 100 times in the last 20 minutes, because he answered my inquiry with a "no comment" that was equal parts friendly and "Please don't ask me again."  But whatever the reason, I hope it leads to some consistently good play, because otherwise, the lack of facial hair will rob the blog of one of my favorite inside jokes ("Cat Stevens") without the added benefit of more production. 

Recently, Knicks center Eddy Curry said if coach Isiah Thomas was fired, he'd ask for a trade.  This is sort of how things work around the Garden these days.  Yes, the Knicks have made progress this year, which is saying something considering they're currently 22-29.  So let's check the hands: On the one (coaching first), they are technically going the right direction with Thomas.  On the other hand, they're a colossal mess salary wise, and progress aside, still can't crack the top eight in a horrible conference.  Regarding Curry, their center is currently experiencing a career year and is clearly one of New York's best players.  On the other, he's still leakier than a colander defensively and at 6'11", 285 still doesn't average 10.0 rebounds per 48 minutes played.  Remember, this is a guy who when former coach Scott Skiles was asked how Curry could be better on the glass, he replied, "Jump."

So if you're a New Yorker, do you want Isiah gone knowing Curry, the current "cornerstone" of the franchise will, at least theoretically, be right behind him?  Do you cross your fingers and hope that everyone else on the roster, save rebounding machine David Lee, Channing Frye, Quentin Richardson (currently having a really nice year, injuries aside), and maybe (maybe) Jamal Crawford joins Curry in his pledge... and then fire Thomas (my vote).  It's a pickle, that's for sure! 

Unless the league offices decide Kobe hit Manu Ginobli with an "unnatural" motion in a dream he had last night, didn't wake up and apologize and thus requires another suspension, odds are good that #24 will indeed be in uni when the Lakers play the Knicks this time around.  Given all the eyes watching, will Kobe look to exact revenge?  According to this writer, yes, BECAUSE of all the eyes watching.  Perhaps things would be different if a certain someone controlled the ball for the purple and gold (although the odds of this particular scribe changing his mind are low at best).  But for the rest of the Lakers, the home date simply means a return to semi-normalcy (as in "sleeping in the same bed two nights in a row") after the mammoth Eastern Conference roadie.  "Full on" normalcy would means a home stand with Luke Walton on the court, but that isn't a likelihood until the Vegas festivities come to a close.  Given the recently stagnant state of the offense, Walton's passing and general triangle smarts might just come in handy.

 

It is, after long last, over.  That's about the best thing you can say about the Lakers eight game roadie (unusual enough to be mentioned here) that ended Sunday afternoon in Cleveland with a 99-90 loss.  To put things in perspective, it was their longest trip since 1989, when the music charts looked something like this, back when Bobby Brown was in the news more for his music than his (disturbingly watchable) reality show.  So the Lakers limped home at 3-5 over the octet, a far cry from the 6-2 Phil Jackson was looking for.  Not that they didn't have their chances, but in the end, a lack of defensive intensity (and communication) broke them down.  Oddly, it wasn't LeBron who did them in down the stretch Sunday, but Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic.  If this were an Orlando Magic game, Brian Hill would be saying, "You can't let the Anderson Varejao's and Sasha Pavlovic's of the world beat you."  It was all part of the whuppin' the Cavs bench put on L.A.'s, as the box score shows.  At least Vlad Radmanovic responded to some harsh Jackson criticism with his best effort in a while, though he sat in the fourth when the Lakers went small. 

I can't believe how it's totally gone over the heads of the ABC marketing people that today's game features two young, charismatic, multi-facteted individual talents in Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Scorers often compared to each other, both of whom have carried the "Next MJ" mantle since arriving in the league.  And you'd think that even if the network cats didn't pick up on this angle, at least the media might.  But not a peep about it from them, either.

We'll see if TNT can pick up the ball during next week's rematch.

AK

In news not related to Kobe/LeBron, Luke Walton is likely to be out until after the All Star break because of his bum right ankle.  Of course, he's going to see a specialist Monday, which, if recent trends hold, means he'll end up out another three months after the guy (Dr. Kenneth Jung) goes digging around in there.  On a more positive note, Vlad Rad says his hand is feeling better.  Unfortunately, "injury" would have been a nicer explanation for his last two games than "just playing like doo-doo."  Keep an eye as well on how P.J. uses a still-rusty Lamar in his second unit rotation.  Anything to keep the Lakers from mixing with the potential sevens and eights in the W.C.

Gilbert over Kobe?  Outrageous!  Either way, 24 says he's just fine.  Maybe it's because his locker room has more square footage than the Clippers'. 

Okay.  Now on to today's game in Cleveland, the final game of L.A.'s eight game, grueling odyssey through the midwest and east coast.  We all know where Flea stands on this one, and Kobe says he's not paying any attention to the Me vs. LeBron angle.  No worries, because the rest of the planet has that covered for him (toss in D-Wade, and you can really have a fun discussion- add Timmy D, and it's that much more fun).   

When the Schedule Gods released the fruit of their labor a few months back, there was a reason pretty much everyone looked at this eight game, nine week, seven billion mile trip (Note: last two figures represent an estimate only) with a hit of dread.  And given Friday night's 96-92 loss to Toronto, it's easy to see why.  The purple and gold, already black and blue with injuries, looked whatever color tired is against the Raptors, playing catchup all night and dropping to 3-4 on the roadie.  Things were off all night.  12 dimes on 35 buckets indicates a lack of ball movement on offense, making it hard to jump on a Raptors squad that missed shots early and free throws throughout, and Lamar Odom still doesn't look quite like the pre-knee-injury version.  Still, a bounce (and a box out) here or there, and the Lakers had a chance to steal this one, or have an easier time of it, anyway. It wouldn't have hurt to contain Chris Bosh and Anthony Parker.

Tonight's opponent features the best #1 overall pick in league history with a chick name.  He ain't all that bad a pick without such specifications, either.

AK

Remember, if you're gonna watch the game on KCAL, no peeking, eh?

AK

As double-edged luck would have it (the luck being bad for the Lakers, good for blog topicality), we happened to have an interview scheduled with Mitch Kupchak Thursday, a day after the news that Kwame Brown's bum ankle would cost him an extra 4-6 weeks of PT.  There's obviously much more to come from our discussion with the Lakers GM, but we wanted to get this portion up ASAP, as it addresses recent reader chatter involving both a trade for frontcourt reinforcement and "almost frontcourt reinforcement" Chris Webber, who toyed with the idea of donning a Laker uni (and helped tear apart L.A. last night while wearing a Pistons uni).  The rest of the interview will start popping up next week.     

Brian Kamenetzky:  How does the news that Kwame Brown could be out another 4-6 weeks impact what you might have to do at the trade deadline?

Mitch Kupchak:  Well, there was never an expectation, in terms of him being back in a day or two.  Our medical people had always indicated that (Kwame) is still couple weeks away.  So we didn't expect him back ten days ago, but ten days ago, we were hopeful that maybe he'd be back in two weeks or so. 

Time to revive an oldie but a goodie- the patented Lakers Blog scouting report!  A couple months back, tonight's visit to Toronto would have been slotted as an easy win... at least for teams that don't stink it up against garbage squads, as the Lakers have been known to do.  But in theory, crossing the border meant they'd have to declare a victory to customs agents on the way home.  Not so much anymore.