Say what you want about last night's 107-104 OT loss to the Houston Rockets, but it weren't dull.  Indeed, the game, which offered everything from sluggish stretches, miracle treys, and the most unpredictable of finishes (Traveling in the NBA?  Wha????).  That unpredictable nature of the contest may have been best embodied by Kobe Bryant, who overcame a wretched 40 or so minutes of shooting and turned red hot on a dime.  Okay, that's probably not all that hard to see coming, given Bryant's track record.  But nobody could have forseen the miracle trey he sank off Kwame Brown's clanked second freebie.  To say the least, things were looking "up" for #24 at that moment. 

On the one hand, coming off what was a solid candidate for most putrid loss of the season Tuesday night against the Grizzlies, the Lakers played hard and showed a lot of heart against a very solid Houston Rockets squad Friday night.  L.A. made big shots, hit the floor for loose balls, contested shots around the rim, refused to fold down big late in the fourth, and generally put together as good an effort against a quality team as they have in a while.  On the other hand, they still lost, 107-104 in OT.  At least it all must have made for excellent television.  Lakers come back from a 12 point deficit in the last five minutes, tying the game on a ridiculously tough, potentially disastrous Kobe three pointer off the second of two missed Kwame Brown freebies with 11.8 seconds remaining.  Then the Lakers go up by four with a mere minute of free hoops remaining.  Then, poof, it was gone. 

10:35 left in the first, and it's 2-2.  Tacos are still an option.

BK

7:04- The Lakers are doing what they can to make it hard for Yao to get a clean look underneath.  If he catches clean and close, there isn't much of anything anyone can do.  But Kwame is playing aggressively, and is doing what he can to deny the entry pass.  Still, four of five from the line means Yao already has 8 points.

5:48- Timeout on the floor.  17-12 Rockets.  Not a good opening pace in terms of keeping Houston off the board.  Remember, the Rockets defend and play mucky, grinding basketball.  30 point quarters are bad enough against the Golden States of the world.  Against Houston?  That's real ugly.

So we're down a K Brother tonight. Andy is traveling for a wedding, so it's just me.  I'll do my best to pay attention to my "WWAKW (What Would AK Write?) handbook periodically, so fans of the older brother get their fix.  We don't like unhappy customers.  Anyway...

Interesting stuff observed while standing in the Houston locker room.  Since Jeff Van Gundy is notoriously anal, it's wasn't surprising to see the Rockets watching film before the game (teams typically will have either the most recent game an opponent has played or film of their last meeting on the locker room televisions before every game).  But this one was broken down player by player, with all of their tendencies and things to watch for.  Basically, a video scouting report.  Not surprisingly, regarding Kobe, the list of things for which Rockets players need to keep an eye out is extensive.  To see all of his different moves cut into one sequence was interesting.  Basically, if it's in the handbook, Kobe's got it. 

No matter how the Lakers fare tonight against Houston, win or lose, progress will be marked if they don't have to endure the mother of all lectures at tomorrow's practice.  Phil Jackson was disappointed in his players (although he's happy no Laker was this disappointing), and challenged them to raise the intensity  (which involves not relying on Kobe Bryant's one man show, which sometimes thrills off the court as well).  Not a problem for Lamar Odom, who's been mustering up some grit of his own to play through pain of a bum shoulder. 

Judging by Phil Jackson's comments today, his players got the intentioned point of yesterday's "lecture the crap outta them, then send everyone home to think about the lecture in lieu of practice" approach.  "We had a good practice.  The response was good."  (The attendance was also good with 12 men on the floor, a luxury more rare these days than undercooked steak tartar.  The dirty dozen even included Kwame Brown, who was able to do some half court work.).  One of the themes Jackson apparently stressed was that of pride, which he summed as "a certain responsibility when you come to a ballgame to play with a certain amount of energy.  There's a chance that at this time of the season, with the amount of injuries we had, players in a position where they can't get themselves motivated without some little extra help." 

It's pretty much common knowledge that Kobe Bryant is doing just fine when it comes to scoring (and if you live on the street word hasn't reached, ask Melo or LeBron, because they'll tell ya). But Tarance Kinsey and Rudy Gay? Not exactly household names when it comes to filling up a bucket. That the duo (among others) was able to channel their inner-Elgin and help lead their hapless Grizzlies squad to a win over the Lakers sat rather poorly with Phil Jackson. In turn, he made sure it sat poorly with his team.  Perhaps while the players are at home thinking about various matters, one of them will decide he's ready to play Sundance to Kobe's Butch Cassidy.

Because I'm guessing a night's sleep, a hot shower, and nutritious breakfast haven't wiped away last night's loss to the Grizzlies, here's a chance to wallow in it a little longer, with P.J.'s postgame press conference and some words- a few pointed- from L.O.

Download phil_jackson_3.27 postgame Memphis.mp3
Download lamar_odom_3.27 post-Memphis.mp3

BK

All season long, Jack in the Box has made out like bandits on their "Lakers hold the opposition below 90, everyone gets two free tacos" promo.  The team's defensive prowess has kept the overhead costs on that deal rather low for the clownheaded CEO.  Last night, however, the fans actually walked away with their free grub, a sight for sore eyes (and hungry stomachs).  But that likely still amounts to precious little solace in the face of a 88-86 loss to the Grizzlies of Memphis, the gristle of the NBA.  The quest for the franchise's first post-Shaq sixpack got off to a good enough start, with the Lakers taking an 8 point lead into the locker room at the half.  But then came a redunkulously bad third quarter, where the Lakers shot 22%.  Rounding up.  One would have thought these were the kids Martin Lawrence coached in "Rebound."  And just like the box office take for the aforementioned flick, the results were a flop.  Even Kobe Bryant, who'd been magma-hot over the last five games, racked a harsh 7 shots on 26 attempts.  The Lakers seemed dead set on snapping their shooting woes (and Memphis' zone D) by chucking like frenzied crackheads from beyond the arc, which simply led to clangs and Memphis boards.  And one big dud of a box score. 

The Memphis Grizzlies showed up at Staples Tuesday night having won 17 games all season, and without the services of Mike Miller and Damon Stoudamire.  So this one was in the bag, right?  Especially after the purple and gold finished the first quarter with a 12 point lead?  Or held Pau Gasol to five points in the first half?  Uh... no.  In the third quarter, the Lakers didn't shoot the lights out, but did shoot as if the lights were out.  As in, couldn't see the rim.  5-23 from the floor, including 2-8 from downtown.  And no penetration, either against the zone Memphis threw at the Lakers all night long.  Only eleven trips to the line all night.  Memphis erased an eight point Laker lead in the third, shooting 50%, then made enough buckets (often with looks so clean they seemed doused with Pine-Sol) to maintain control on the way to an 88-86 win over the Lakers.

Down by two with 6.6 left in the fourth, the Lakers had a chance to tie with a two or win with a three.  Off the inbound, Smush came off a screen and had a clean look, but his three was short.  Kobe's follow was blocked by Gasol, and that was the ballgame.  Very questionable play, very disappointing result.

More on the game to come.  Not that it'll be pretty or anything.  (NOW ADDED AFTER THE JUMP)

BK 

Maybe it's just crazy talk, but I thinking tonight we see Aaron McKie begin a 50+ point streak. 

AK

First Quarter

AK here.  For those of you wondering why Andrew Bynum is starting instead of Kwame, get in line.  Phil didn't say anything about it before the game and asking around to a couple other writers, our best collective guess is Kwame's ankle.  But nothing resembling firm knowledge.  We'll certainly ask Phil after the game.

8:44 - I don't like to "criticize" per say, but that uncontested lay up Hakim Warrick just put in after kinda kicking it under the basket:  A mite too easy.

And I loves me some tacos. 

But that doesn't mean there isn't news.  First, for your visiting Memphis Grizzlies: Mike Miller and Damon Stoudamire won't play tonight.  For the Lakers, Mo Evans will sit again, a trend that will likely last for the next few games at least.  Evans says he'll play in the postseason- and hopefully before- but he has to get the knee right before that can happen.  Or at least righter.  That's just one of the things Phil addresses in this first clip.  There's also some interesting stuff about the Kwame/Gasol matchup.  The Spaniard had 35 when these teams met in Memphis, and obviously, the Lakers would like to contain him a little more tonight.  A strategy alteration may be in order, especially with Miller and Stoudamire out.  Download phil_jackson_3.27 on Mo Evans, Kwame Brown.mp3      

Kobe's 50+ streak is now behind us, but there are plenty of numbers circling Lakerland these days.  There's "40," although that's a little "been there, done that" for a dude who can score like Kobe.  Besides, he's declared it a personal goal to hit the 100 mark, but not the kind you're thinking of.  In the meantime, the Lakers are looking to do whatever it takes to eliminate 110 from their existence.  Take away that zero and you're left with 11, although that could be a little subjective for the Lakers to truly sweat.

Don't get me wrong.  Kobe Bryant's recent scoring streak was not only incredible in terms of pure achievement, but a blast to watch.  An absolute treat.  We all know Kobe can put the biscuit in the basket.  Seeing Kobe put up silly-ridiculous tallies has become as commonplace as Lindsay Lohan being hospitalized for "exhaustion" or a member of the Bush administration being subpoenaed.  But this was different.  This was history.  Kobe joined a club with a membership consisting of "Wilt," "Mr. Chamberlain," and "Mr. Wilt Chamberlain."  Pretty tough to learn that secret handshake.  To say the least, Mr. Bean turned the basketball world on its ear.  And like any event of such magnitude, it's impossible not to get caught up in the moment.

And as last night's game demonstrated, that was starting to become a problem.   

The Lakers entered Staples Center with two streaks going: A four-game winning streak and Kobe's quartet of consecutive 50+ppg outings. And of course, being the talk of the town and nation, it's only natural that an achievement like Bryant's would prompt nostalgia about history's other great scorers. But when the dust cleared, revealing a 115-113 win over the Golden State Warriors, there was just one roll still intact, but the purple and gold can live with it (and their new power ranking). Besides, as Lamar Odom reminded everyone after the game of Kobe's final tally, "43 ain't bad." And perhaps it was fitting that Kobe's streak would end, as the story eventually became equally that of his teammates as his own.  Lamar Odom gritted his teeth and racked himself a season-high 19 rebounds to go with his 24 points.  And Ronny Turiaf's electric fourth-quarter presence and energy inspired his team to find its focus down the stretch. It may have been an "off night" for Kobe (as he jokingly put it), but he was still a big factor in producing the winning box score. As Billy Shakespeare famously said, "All's well that ends well." And in the case of Kobe's streak, ending it--and ending it well--may have been the best thing for all parties concerned.

Kobe's run of 50+ games ended at four Sunday night with a 43-point night (slump alert!) in L.A.'s 115-113 win over Golden State. After it was done, Kobe met the media. Here's his news conference, unedited and uncut, for those of you with nine or so minutes to kill.  Download kobe_bryant_3.25 post GSW, streak ending.mp3

BK

And frankly, the more important of the two is the one entering the win column, a 115-113 win over the Warriors that extended the Lakers winning streak to 5.  Especially since Denver pulled out a "W" over the LeBrons (meaning the Cavaliers, not the cats from the Nike commercials).

Not that you've ever heard this one before, but porous D and turnovers (the octet in the 3rd quarter were particularly rough) nearly derailed the good time train running full steam these days.  The absurdly fast Monta Ellis absolutely torched any Laker defender assigned to him, putting up 9 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter.  Al Harrington chipped in 23 and the streaky but often dangerous (in all senses possible) Stephen Jackson was good for 16.  But as the game wound down, the Lakers finally clamped their hands on the ball and their heels into the ground, coming up with some timely stops and scrappy hustle.

For all the hoopla surrounding Kobe's final tally (and it's safe to say, his 43 points- along with the 9 rebounds- certainly came in handy), he was hardly the only hero of the evening's contest.  He was forced to sit a fair amount of the first quarter with foul trouble, but Lamar Odom made up for lost time in a big bad way with 24 points and a season-high 19 rebounds.  Andrew Bynum racked 8 points and 7 boards in just 11 minutes and sent a blocked shot into the stands that re-energized the restless natives at Staples.  But the game's difference maker may very well have been Ronny Turiaf.  After playing just 5 minutes for the opening three frames, The man from Martinque had an absolutely monster fourth quarter.  7 points, 4 boards, 2 blocks, 1 tussle on the ground to force a jump ball, and energy off the charts.  Turiaf's vibe really juiced his teammates and helped regain control of a game that was slowly getting out of hand.

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

AK

Will Kobe get 50 tonight?  Or in celebration of tonight's theme, "cincuenta?"

AK

First Quarter

7:43 - AK and BK finally realize that the other one hasn't been doing the first quarter.  It's now officially in AK's hands.

5:59 - LO snags what's already his fifth board in 7 minutes.  At this rate, he may be the Laker hitting the "50" mark.

By the way, if I'm wrong about the number, don't blame me.  Instead, talk to Lakers P.R., who fed me the info about tonight's annual 'Fiesta Lakers' celebration.  As part of it, the Lakers will have special trim with the flags of all twenty-one aforementioned nations sewn on their unis.  Kind of snazzy, really.  In honor of the occasion, AK and I did consider writing tonight's live blog in Spanish, but a trip to Barcelona last summer reminded me that when the conversation strays past asking for the time, directions, or a good place to eat/drink, I struggle... and my Spanish may be better than AK's.  So circumstances will force us to stay mono-lingual, unless AK decides to break out the pig Latin for a quarter.   

Onto the news:    

Ten days ago, things looked Anne-Ramsey-Throw-Momma-from-the-Train ugly for the Lakers after they were waxed by the Nuggets 113-86 in Denver.  That may have been the last in a chain of events that touched off a real life scoring streak for Kobe Bryant that betters what most could swing on an PlayStation.  Pulling every option from the arsenal, Kobe is showing the full effect of his will in a way that makes it virtually impossible not to be impressed.  Even for those who weren't so complimentary a couple weeks back.  Now for many, the question is if he can break Wilt's record of seven straight 50+ games.  It's certainly possible, though Kobe says he's not worried about it.  He'll have a chance to go for five tonight against the Warriors, a notoriously porous bunch against whom Bryant has his fourth highest career scoring average (over 26 a game). 

So here's the deal.  The Lakers beat the Hornets 111-105 Friday night in New Orleans for their fourth win in a row and a two game lead on the Nuggets for the six seed in the Western Conference. 

Now, let's move on to Kobe, because as you'll see, that's all anyone's really talking about.  And with good reason.  Bryant poured fifty on the Hornets, his fourth 50+ game in a row, joining Wilt Chamberlain (Kobe loves a history lesson) as the only players in NBA history to accomplish such a feat.  That it came on the rough end of a back to back makes it all the more impressive.  Enough to distract Hornets fans from the serious dent he put in their team's playoff hopes.  Just about everyone in a New Orleans jersey took a crack at guarding him, but with Bryant taking everyone in the league to school these days, it didn't much matter what Byron Scott threw at him.  (And Lakers great is someone who saw the writing on the wall early.)   Two weeks ago, fans of the purple and gold wanted to strangle Stu Jackson.  Now maybe they should thank him. 

Sure, Kobe Bryant had scored 175 points over three games, going for 65, 50, and 60 against the Blazers, Wolves, and Grizzlies, respectively.  Sure, he had joined a pretty exclusive club of dudes who have replicated that sort of scoring output in a trio of games.  Your Elgin Baylors, Michael Jordans, and Wilt Chamberlains.  Sure, he had helped the Lakers snap a gruesome seven game skid that had fans about ready to go lemming off the nearest cliff.  But I'm pretty sure most of you were sitting at home before tonight's tip in New Orleans saying, "Okay, Mr. Bryant.  Three isn't bad, but I'll only be impressed if you blow up for a fourth consecutive 50 point game."  Well, you cynical, what-have-you-done-for-me-lately types are probably tipping your hat right now, because Kobe indeed (wait for it... wait for it) stung the Hornets for another 50 in L.A.'s 111-105 win Friday night.  Two quarters.  A half century.  L.  And at 16-29, he was once again over 50% from the floor.  Lamar Odom chipped in with 15/10, Luke Walton dished out eight assists, and the Lakers once again played some generally shoddy defense... but frankly the Loch Ness Monster could have done a two-step with Tupac at halfcourt of the New Orleans Arena and we'd still be talking about the fact that Kobe has scored fifty or more in four straight games.  Can he/the Lakers make it five on Sunday against Golden State?  We'll find out.  More on the game tomorrow.

BK

Kobe has scored 175 points over the last three games.  Let's see if he score 175 in one night. That would be impressive!

BK

This just in- Kobe Bryant can play. 

His 60 points in the Lakers' 121-119 win over the Grizzlies in Memphis Thursday night not only gave L.A. their third straight win and a one game lead for the six seed over Denver, but also put 24 in some rare company.  After torching Portland and Minnesota for 65 and 50 respectively, Bryant became only the fourth player in NBA history- that's a long time- to score 50+ in three straight games (for anyone trying out for Jeopardy today, the others are Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and Michael Jordan).  Once again, Bryant was a model of efficiency, using an already shaky Memphis D to the tune of 20-37 from the floor and 17-18 at the charity stripe.  Memphis threw the metaphorical kitchen sink at Kobe, not that it did much good.  Perhaps they should have tried the real thing.  The high percentages (and Kobe's own sentiments) indicate he had a lot of quality looks.  Like Jaws, Kobe can tell when there's blood in the water.  No need to make it any easier to feed than necessary, right?  Not for a guy who's part of the "Greatest Scorer Ever" conversation. 

Lakers 121- Grizzlies 119.  Kobe goes for 60.  Fair to say he's in a groove.

BK

It's a little early, but given how long it's been since the Lakers won a roadie, I figured they could 12 extra minutes of positive "game" vibes.

AK

Kobe Bryant heads into tonight's game in Memphis with his name in the paper for all sorts of reasons. There's the good stuff, like the possibility of equaling the great (and too often overlooked) Elgin Baylor's Lakers record of three consecutive 50 point games. Not surprising, his scoring explosion has the attention of the Grizzlies, who would just as soon not become a historical footnote. Given that they've won only 17 times this season and own the worst opponents field goal percentage in the NBA, Memphis may not have much of a choice. But they kicked the hell out of the Lakers the last time they tussled, so who knows? It's not like the purple and gold have feasted on the bottom dwellers this season, anyway.  So it's Kobe vs. history/Memphis tonight. That's the good stuff. On the flip side, his name rather casually popped up in a Dallas Morning News report saying he'd contacted Texas star Kevin Durant.  Given that just about everything is a no-no with the NBA, that such a call is a big-time infraction is no surprise (that rule actually makes sense). At practice Wednesday, Kobe denied it. Vehemently.   

And like most of you (I assume), Kobe has never met or spoken to Kevin Durant, which is why he's annoyed by Chip Brown's Dallas Morning News article claiming The New Jack Bauer put in a call to the uber-Longhorn on behalf of Nike. "It's complete B.S.," snorted Bryant.  "I don't know him.  I've never spoken to him.  Obviously, he's a phenomenal talent, watching him play on TV a couple times.  But I don't know him." 

Kobe was surprised to arrive at practice this morning and have an assistant trainer (who knew the piece was "non-sensical" from the jump) mockingly ask about contacting Durant.  "I don't know where they got that story from, where they got that idea from, or where they came up with that, but they might want to start checking their facts first."  When a reporter joked that "we never do that," Bryant laughed, then added, "The good ones normally do."  Kobe hasn't actually read the piece, outside of the opening paragraph mentioning him.  But really, he doesn't need to, since that's the only place his name even comes up, with no further details or elaboration.  "That's crazy.  Don't just print something that's just completely false that makes no sense whatsoever.  It's just really unprofessional."

Cue AK climbing on his soapbox. 

Kobe Bryant isn't necessarily looking to become the first Laker since Elgin Baylor to score 50+ in three straight games... but should the need arise tomorrow evening in Memphis, he's certainly more than capable.  But the Lakers would rather not get into the habit of needing him to score at unprecedented levels just to get a W.  That ain't healthy.  Speaking of which (nice segue!), Brian Cook's ankle still isn't right, and he won't play Thursday.  And regarding Andrew Bynum's unhealthy (in that 19 year-old way) outburst on the bench Sunday night, Kurt Rambis said yesterday that it's been talked out, and all is forgiven.

Clearly the Lakers are a better team when Brown, Odom, and Walton (how's that for a law firm?) are available.  Not that it's happened all that much this year.    

At practice this afternoon, I happened to catch a glimpse of Chris Mihm in the weight room, carrying a Styrofoam to-go box. While I cannot confirm said box indeed contained his lunch, the shape of the box combined with the time of day (approximately 1:15 p.m.) leads me to that conclusion.  So it's good to know he's eating.  As for playing?  Don't count on it this year.  The situation isn't the same for Brian Cook, who is doing what he can to promote healing in his injured ankle and get back on the floor.  While the rest of the team finished up practice, Cook hit an elliptical machine next to the court to try and maintain his fitness... therefore making himself an easy target for media.  So if you watch the news tonight, look for Cook talking about his health while working out, unintentionally contributing to the world of seminal exercise/interviews currently occupied by Marc Cuban's treadmill talk and the granddaddy of them all, T.O. in his driveway.  (By the way, Cook won't play Thursday.  As for a target date: "I'm trying to get back as fast as I can."  Not something easily marked on the calendar.  My guess is next week.) 

Kobe seemed in good spirits after practice.   Not surprising, really.  After all, I scored four points in two pickup games yesterday at the gym, and was pretty proud of myself, having likely hit my quota for the rest of March.  In Kobe's last pair, he's dropped 115.  That's smile-worthy.  And while he's aware of the potential history (it's been 20 years since someone went for 50+ in three straight games) to be made Thursday in Memphis, Kobe said he was more concerned about the team continuing to build momentum so hopefully he won't have to. Download kobe_bryant_3.20 on hot streak, team momentum.mp3   

Should any of you out there aspire to one day be Western Conference Player of the Week, we recommend scoring 115 points in two NBA games, 'cause that'll get it done. Kobe says having L.O. and Luke Walton (just call him 'Elmer') back makes things easier for him, and the Lakers hope it means he won't have to score 115 points every two games for them to win. Everyone gets healthy, so to speak, in that scenario. And of course, when Kobe goes off, some reflect on the Good Kobe/Bad Kobe argument and whether the ultra-high octane Bryant actually is healthy for the purple and gold. Of course, some are hard to please for entirely different reasons.

Tune in to my appearance today on "The Big Show With Mason And Ireland" to hear which of the following "exclusives" I plan on breaking:

Another couple games like the last two, and that kid in the 24 jersey just might stick in this league. After dropping 65 points on the Blazers Friday night, Kobe Bryant threw (a historically significant) 50 at the Timberwolves Sunday evening, helping push the Lakers to a 109-102 win, their second in a row after a seven game losing streak. The victory moved L.A. a half-game ahead of idle Denver for the sixth seed in the W.C., and the points nudged Bryant ahead of Carmelo Anthony for the NBA scoring lead. (With those two bits of good news, the Lakers officially matched their total from February and the first two weeks of March.) Not that it was easy. The Lakers ran off to a big lead early but had to hang on late, as the T-Wolves nearly erased their lead in the fourth. It didn't help that Kwame Brown's bum ankle had relegated him to the bench down the stretch, but fortunately the Lakers got near trip-doubs from Lamar Odom, Smush Parker and Luke Walton to help bouy Bryant's Spectacular Scoring Machine. 

Laker sounds.  Click below the jump for all the post-Minnesota audio.

BK

Against what appeared to be their best judgment (at least during a near fourth quarter collapse), the Lakers opted to end tonight's game with a 109-102 win over the T-Wolves.  The Lakers spent the first  half with a comfortable lead, tearing it open to 19 at one point during the third, setting up for what should have been hella rest for Kobe and a hella "Turiaf-McKie-Farmar-Sasha" time.  But the Wolves howled down the stretch, with a Ricky Davis triple shredding the margin to a scant three points with just under three minutes left.  And as we all know, bad things oft happen in 3's.  But some collective heels were dug in, and the Lakers created their first winning streak in what feels like a millennium.

Kobe Bryant may not have scored 65 points this time around, but his half-century tally will likely still induce some high fives and back slaps.  And three Lakers (Smush Parker 19/7/9, Lamar Odom 16/9/8 and Luke Walton 10/8/11) flirted with trip-dubbish numbers, reflecting an output more balanced than a game with a 50-point scorer typically offers.  The Lakers out-dimed the Wolves 36-25 and won the boards battle by 1, so with the exception of the 18 turnovers, the Lakers were pretty much on point when it came racking solid numbers.  And with the two straight under in the win column, perhaps the Lakers will head out on the road feeling a little closer to how they defined "themselves" before becoming Gary Vitti's regulars.

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

AK   

The Lakers have yet to lose a game coming off a 65 point performance by Kobe.  We shall see.

AK

First Quarter

8:00 - Mark Blount hits an outiside jumper. Obviously, the Lakers have to be on the look out and do the proper job guarding him, but even after his last game against the Lakers, I'll take my chances if he wants to lurk behind the arc.

The Lakers (okay, Kobe) tossed some dirt on their seven game losing streak with a win Friday night against Portland.  Unfortunately for the purple and gold, any hopes of reaching a five seed were buried long before.  At this point, the question is whether they can reclaim the six spot, or if the Lakers will enter the playoffs as a seven (assuming, of course, they can hold off the Warriors and Clippers).  "Before, it was like, where do we want to go?  What would be wonderful to be at?  Can we get to the four?  But at this particular point, our year is about finding momentum," Phil Jackson said before Friday's game.  "To find stop that slip and start getting momentum back for the playoffs."  Nothing like a few weeks of watching your team get sacrificed at the alter of injury, suspension, and loss to change a guy's perspective. 

It's been almost 48 hours, but the world is still having a "65 Love Affair" with Kobe's performance against the Blazers.  Hotter than Gisele Bundchen wearing stolen diamonds in a sauna, Kobe's 65 points were the dramatic measures needed to stop a Lakers skid (and even the criticisms of T.J. Simers' and- in a predictably backhanded kinda way, Peter Vecsey).  The 62nd and 63rd came courtesy of an insane turnaround jumper from way deep in the corner, a feat so tough, you'd bet big bucks against him ever pulling it off again.  Ask Ronny Turiaf how that went.  His one man wrecking crew abilities may prompt coaches to instruct players to stick their faces in front of his elbow (similar to Coach Buttermaker telling Rudy Stein to lean into pitches in "The Bad News Bears") as a means of keeping Kobe off the court and leveling the playing field. 

Happy St. Patty's Day, y'all!  And not that one really needs a reason to down a Guinness (AK typically has 3 or 4 of each before noon "because he's an adult and he can."), if there were ever a reason, it would be to toast Kobe Bryant after last night's 116-111 OT win over Portland.  Having sensed his team's waning confidence during a seven game losing streak, Kobe decided from the jump that it was necessary for him to control the game.  After a sluggish purple and gold start featuring a big-time Portland run, Laker fans were treated to a Sweeps Week episode of "The Kobe Bryant Show." The 2nd  quarter, 4th and (especially) beyond basically belonged to #24, featuring a smorgasbord of shots converted in 405-esque traffic.  The killer, both from Portland's perspective and just "killer shot?"  A twisting, shot clock beating trey from the corner with Brandon Roy and LaMarcus in his grill.  That put the Lakers up by three, a lead they iced with a couple converted free throws by Mo Evans.  Not only did the win produce a box score certain to be framed on the Bryant family fridge.  It provided at least temporary ownership of the 6 seed being pursued by L.A. and Denver.

The six from Bynum, combined with the 65 from Kobe, of course.  To say that Kobe hoisted the Lakers on his back and carried them through Friday's 116-111 OT win over Portland would be like saying John Lennon carried the Plastic Ono Band.  A mighty understatement.  He outscored his teammates by 14, and poured in 56% of L.A.'s points, hitting just about ever big shot a guy can hit over the course of a game.  23-39, including 8-12 from downtown. But clearly, Kobe's teammates needed every ounce of what he gave.  He just had to do it.  Losers of seven in a row, it really didn't matter how the Lakers won, just that they won.  But how Kobe wasn't the Carl's Jr. Star of the Game, I'll never understand.

Just kidding.  He was.  More on the game to come. NOW ADDED AFTER THE JUMP.

BK

If I have to run on the court myself to make sure someone guards LaMarcus Aldridge this go around at Staples, someone's gonna guard LaMarcus Aldridge.  It won't be effective, but the dude will technically be guarded.

AK


First Quarter
AK here.  The bad thing about this losing streak.  The team is losing.  The good-ish thing about this losing streak.  It (along with the fact that it's a Friday night and they're playing the Blazers) has apparently sparked enough apathy towards the team from some higher ranking media members that BK and I got sat courtside for tonight's game.  That NEVER happens.  But if the current climate remains, it could more often.  And courtside is pretty cool.  As much as the losses piling up is killing me, I'm kinda torn.  You can sort of understand, right?

Walking down Fig towards Staples tonight, AK and I passed a father in an Odom jersey carrying his young son, dressed in his little tiny Kobe 24.  The boy was crying, and it got worse every step his father took towards the arena.  One can only assume his parents have substituted the last seven Lakers games for his normal "Bob the Builder" vids.  To quote the late, great Marvin Gaye, it's time to "Save the Babies," Lakers.  You are literally making small children cry.

The Lakers have lost seven in a row, and generally haven't given fans much to smile about over the last two months or so.  But here, finally, is some good news.  The eggheads over at www.coolstandings.com have crunched the numbers, and think the Lakers are a virtual lock to make the postseason.  98.4% likely, to be exact.  So smile, purple and gold fans.  Mathemagicians are never wrong, right? 

But it does lead me to my question:  Now that we've shown the Lakers will stay in the top eight, what will their record be?  Clearly my preseason forecast (47, I think- somebody remind me) doesn't look promising right now... will they make me look smart in the end?   (It's hard to do, I know.)

BK

"7."  Lucky first roll in craps.  Outstanding flick.  Add another "7" to that "7" and you got yourself a pretty solid cocktail. 

But when it comes to the Lakers, an otherwise fine number marked the number of consecutive losses the Lakers currently have under their belts, this time a 113-86 fall to the Denver Nuggets.  The return of Lamar Odom and Luke Walton meant this team, at long last, had its ideal starting lineup on the floor for the first time in eons.  And for the opening 24 minutes, the positive impact of the two pass-first forwards was obvious.  But unfortunately, a third quarter almost always follows the first two in an NBA game, and that's where things fell apart for the Lakers.   Whole lotta Denver alley oops.  Whole lotta threes from a kid named Linas, who definitely made the Lakers feel the need for a security blanket.  Throw in Odom and Walton's collective lack of conditioning and a D that's rarely been ship shape all season (much less last night), and you're looking at a box score not worth looking at.

That much I can guarantee.  Unfortunately I can't say when, and while I'm fairly sure it'll be at some point during their final 17 games, the way things are going I can't say for sure.  The Lakers were dropped by Denver 113-86, their seventh loss in a row, the last four of which have been blowouts.  The return of Lamar Odom and Luke Walton helped keep the purple and gold afloat for a half, but the final two quarters were a different story entirely, killing any potential for a Rocky Mountain high. Denver outscored the Lakers by a rather nauseating 62-35 margin.  Disturbing on a lot of levels.  Walton had a solid return (13/7/6, but with four TOs), and Kobe had 25, but as a group L.A. allowed the Nuggets to shoot nearly 54%.  Very Washington Generals-esque.

The loss drops the Lakers percentage points behind Denver for the 7th seed in the Western Conference, real estate the Lakers haven't seen in a while.  But they'll have a chance to get it back tomorrow, when the Blazers come to town.  And yes, that sentence shows I'm still thinking positive thoughts. 

BK

It's official.  The cushion has all but been eaten away.  Lose tonight, and the Lakers will no longer be the lone occupants of SixSeedVille.  Fortunately, since the eighth seed is apparently radioactive and unwanted by anyone, we don't need to have that conversation yet. 

But enough cloudy thoughts.  L.A. has more bodies tonight, and more reason to hope.  Git 'im, boys!

BK

Looks like Phil Jackson will only make $9,925,000 this season, what with the 25K he sent the league last November and the 50 large he (along with the Laker organization itself) just got fined for the "witch hunt" comments. No doubt, it's a tough situation for the Laker coach. But assuming he designated a little part of each check as "rainy day" funds, he'll probably be able to weather what's certain to be a tough economic year.

One way or another, when Kobe Bryant is playing a game in Colorado, the question of "image" will likely become a topic. Granted, to some degree, this would be the case no matter where the Lakers headed for battle, since he's had to answer questions lately about whether he's a dirty player. His answer? No.  Frankly, Kobe's very unhappy people are even examining the topic in the first place, believing it should be a nonissue. Unfortunately, as others in the league have found out, this is the NBA world we now know and ... "love."  But a trip to Denver itself tends to prompt writers to examine the perception of Kobe since sexual assault accusations against him were dismissed. By most accounts, he has done a successful job getting himself back in public favor. But has his celebrity status actually provided advantages in repairing his life that the woman who accused him doesn't have?  Yes or no, it's an interesting question.

I know this, because he said so.

As one might have guessed, the buzz around today's practice- Aside from the team's collective health, which now features Lamar Odom and Luke Walton ready to play but Brian Cook expecting to miss at least three games- was Phil Jackson's comments that the NBA, via retroactive reviews, suspensions and fines, was making Kobe Bryant the focus of a witch hunt.  Jackson's remarks are now under league review, but unlike the player he's defending, the Zen Master doesn't expect he'll be forced to write the NBA a check.  "That doesn't even enter the equation in my mind, that (it) would happen.  Fines are about officiating and directly talking about officials in a personal way, in a way that undermines the game.  This isn't about officiating at all."  In fact, he doesn't even expect to hear back from anyone in the office.  "They like it," explained Jackson.  "They know there's got to a corrective person out there who speaks the truth." 

Not quite sure if Jackson was being sarcastic about David Stern's deep appreciation of his searing honesty, but either way, I chuckled.

If voodoo dolls actually do work, then it's safe to say that the witch doctor holding a set of Laker figurines is continually pricking a pin in the ankle area.  Just as Luke Walton and Lamar Odom are set to make a return to action- the latter of whom possesses a spirit that impresses even T.J. Simers- Brian Cook becomes the latest Laker to catch ankle-itis (which may or may not be an actual disease).  While Cookie is expected to watch Thursday's game in street clothes, the sprain was considered moderate, so that's a plus.  Of course, the doctor (witch or otherwise) originally diagnosed Walton's sprain as "moderate", too.

There's no confirmation whether these witches in question happen to have medical degrees as well, but according to Phil Jackson, they're definitely on the hunt.  The Zen Master harshly criticized Stu Jackson and company over their habit of retroactively punishing Kobe Bryant.   And "elbow-gate" is indeed sparking a wide array of opinions.  Kyle Korver, whose face caught the receiving end of Kobe's last elbow in question, definitely wants to see #24 on the court.  Some find it absurd that Kobe's arms are being treated as the most dangerous weapon this side of a nuke.  Others feel Kobe needs to adjust, if for no other reason than his rep is getting hit harder than any recipient of the contact in question.  As for the notion that the fans missing the chance to see a suspended Kobe in person are the ones truly penalized, one writer considers that notion fairly condescending.

Kobe Bryant and Brian Cook got the day off from yesterday's practice, but if even they were in attendance, they'd have been an afterthought, since all eyes were decidedly focused on Lamar Odom and Luke Walton prepping for their Thursday returns.  To say the least, the pair has been missed during their absences, when a win has become more rare than Jordan Farmar getting meaningful minutes.  Odom said he's feeling no pain during these sessions, even during the fleeting moments spent down low in the post where he works his best magic.

Crack journalist that I am, I've been digging all morning for information on a potential third Kobe suspension (and by that, I mean I'm watching ESPN News). They just announced that Kobe will be assigned a flagrant foul, but will not get a suspension. I finally got a good look at the elbow, and I have to say, he's lucky, given how his wayward limbs have attracted attention lately. Keep those elbows down, 24!

More news as it comes in.

UPDATE:  Interesting to note in the link that a suspension was apparently never on the table.  That explains why there was no review before the Dallas game. 

BK

The good news? The Lakers made history last night playing the Mavericks at Staples. The bad news? It was most dubious. The 108-72 ass-smacking handed to them by Dallas was the worst home loss since the Lakers loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly. A competitive first quarter aside, the game had the steady makings of the blowout it eventually became. And from Phil Jackson's perspective, the whole thing was an embarassment. He wasn't keen on Kobe Bryant's "gotta do-it-all" attitude, a six-for-19 shooting effort that PJ felt disrupted the game plan. Kobe simply felt the onus was on himself to keep the team competitive. But no matter whose philosophy you endorse, we can all agree the points weren't going to come from Smush Parker, who got the boot early in the second quarter after yapping his way to a pair of T's.  Not the best way to get on your coach's good side (or remain NBA-employed). Perhaps the vibe was marred from the outset, as Kwame Brown's late arrival to shoot around nixed his Jackson's original plan to give him the starting nod.