Clearly Kermit didn't have the Celtics in mind when he famously lamented the condition of his hue, because these days, it's apparently not that difficult being green.  Boston made that plenty clear with a 110-91 win over the Lakers Sunday night at Staples.  To say there was a lot of hype and excitement coming in would be an understatement, as fans and media alike had sugar plum visions of an old school rivalry revived.  The Lakers even put their uniforms in the Way Back Machine, and came out in the first half in 80s style short shorts to go along with more traditional throwback jerseys.  In the end, though, despite all the excitement, the Celtics showed the Lakers who the better team is heading into 2008.  The Lakers, said Kobe, Phil, and Fish after the game, still have some work to do before getting to that elite level.  Boston controlled the game early and dominated late, as their defense (thanks to KG, the NBA's best) stymied Kobe and his brethren.  On the other end, Boston's "Big Three" of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and some Garnett fellow- maybe you've heard of him- did plenty of damage, with guys like Tony Allen pitching in as well.  Pierce was particularly effective, scoring 33 points.  Toss in some frustration at the refs that hurt the Lakers mentally, understandable given the officiating but not acceptable in any situation, and you have the ugly result reflected in this ugly boxscore. 

Still, it's exciting to have Celtics-Lakers mean something again. 

Well, that sucked. 

About the only taste of the true, highly competitive, old school Lakers/Celtics rivalry fans got tonight came in the form of uniforms and a killer pregame, days-of-yore montage on the giant curtain they hang from the scoreboard during pregame introductions at Staples.  Everything else was all Boston, as the NBA's winningest squad kept on winning, 110-91.  From the beginning everything was a little wonky.  The short short look?  Not a winner in this day and age, more a modern day wedgie fest.  But while it might have been a distraction, it was the solid play of the guys in green that ruined what most hoped would be a marquee matchup.  (Note: the officiating didn't help, either.)  The Celtics were in control from the start, opening up a nine point lead after one, as the Lakers settled into an early pattern of taking (and generally missing) perimeter jumpers.  Doc Rivers made a point of packing the lane and trying to stop ball/player penetration.  Fair to say it worked.  The 38.1% L.A. shot in the first quarter looked positively robust compared to the 26.1% mark they posted in the second.  And while, thanks to a miracle Derek Fisher triple, the Lakers finished the half down by only eight, it was pretty clear who was in control.  They stuck around for a while in the third, even cutting Boston's lead down to six, but the Celtics ran away with the game with a big run to end the third and start the fourth. 

Really, though, while the scoreboard may have shown a competitive game for a while, it wasn't really that close.  Click below for the breakdown.   

Lots of energy in the building tonight.  As much as any regular season game they've played in a long time.  Maybe the first Christmas day game when Shaq came back was buzzier, but other than that?  I can't think of one.  Very cool Celtics/Lakers montage shown on the big white curtain thing they hang from the scoreboard before games. 

Nice that this rivalry means something again.  Lakers starters: Drew, LO, Ariza, Kobe, Fish.  Boston, without Rajon Rondo goes with: Tony Allen, Ray Allen, KG, Pierce, Perkins. 

They're holding off on taking their tearaways off as long as possible... can't wait for the unveil! 

BK

FIRST QUARTER:

Wow.  They all look like they have wedgies.  That look hasn't aged well. 

No early action to the hole yet for the Lakers.  They don't want to get trapped taking too many jumpers early.  Attack, folks.  Boston is a better defensive team than Utah, but they still have to try to get the ball inside one way or another.

The shorts got shorter.

As part of tonight's throwback uniform ensemble, the Lakers will be kickin' it old school with genuine late-80s short shorts. Nobody in the locker room was allowed to cop to it before during media time, but assuming plans don't change, the Lakers will be fully time warped for tonight's tussle with Boston's Big Three.  I saw Sasha walking through the locker room in them, and needless to say, he looked a little sheepish, kind of like a guy who realized he was the only one at the pool in a Speedo. My understanding is that the Celtics, while wearing throwbacks of their own, will be wearing the longer version that is so popular with the kids these days.  In all seriousness, I wonder if that gives them an advantage.  No feeling self-conscious. 

"It's not the shorts they played in 20 years ago.  It's the style, but not the length," said Ray Allen with a sense of relief (Thanks to the Boston beat guy sitting next to me for the quote!).  Meaning, they're not quite as short as they were back in the day... but they're still pretty damn short.  I think as a show of solidarity, I'm going to wear a fedora with a little piece of cardstock that says "PRESS" on it.  Everytime anything interesting happens, I'll shout "What a scoop!" from press row.  Yeah, I know the unis aren't reaching back to the mid 30s, but I refuse to put on parachute pants or feather my hair (metaphorically speaking) for anyone.

Some notes:

• PJ said both Walton and Sasha will dress, despite sore ankles.  We talked to both, and neither is totally healthy, but it sounded like they'll give it a go.  Jackson wasn't sure how much each would play, though.  But only Chris Mihm is inactive for L.A.
• For the Celtics, Rajon Rondo won't play, because of a bum hammy he tweaked last night in Utah. 
• As you'll hear in the audio, Jackson continued to sound like a guy who plans on keeping Trevor Ariza in the starting lineup.  He likes what Ariza does defensively for the first unit, and his lack of familiarity with the offense is less of an issue with that group.  Walton, who Jackson has hoped to put with the reserves all season, fills a greater need there.
• Jackson said Kwame felt fine after Friday's game, and actually looked like he gained a lot of confidence in his mobility and spring.  That's good news, for sure.      
• AUDIO: Phil Jackson- Download phil_jackson_12.30 preBOS.mp3

BK 

(For those who can't resist, insert obligatory Cheech and Chong, "Friday" or Willie Nelson joke here.)

Why the fire?  Because the Celtics are in town (7 PM, FSN and Prime Ticket) and for the first time in quite a moon, this showdown sparks the excitement of a historic sports rivalry.   Granted, some new history- or at least a repeat of some old arrogance- needs to develop before people can refer to the current incarnation as a true "rivalry."   But with Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett now in the fold with Paul Pierce for Boston, the interest level couldn't be any higher.  Especially now that the Lakers are playing like a well oiled, well adjusted machine.  Plus, Red Auerbach will likely be watching this game from above (or below), and it stands to reason that he'll choke on his cigar watching one Phillip Jackson break his regular season wins record at the expense of his old squad.  And speaking of folks once tangling with Auerbach, Jerry West weighed in on "KG vs. Kobe," comparing the two in cinematic terms.  And for his money, Bruce Willis beats Gene Hackman every time.

In any event, we can all agree, this Boston squad is indeed talented.  However, they still might be, as the cliche says, "one player away."  Thus, the rumored interest in Smush Parker.

After all, it ain't often that the Lakers, or any NBA team for that matter, put the smack down in such fashion as last night's 123-109 win over the Jazz.  Some garbage time sloppiness from the second unit helped create the appearance of a slightly more competitive outing, but in truth, the Lakers owned this showdown from about the opening tip onward.  Crisp ball movement, plus a relentless (and often successful) attack towards the basket kept Utah on their heels all game, allowing the Lakers to quickly fill up the bucket towards a large lead.  75 points in the first half (a season record) often creates such gaps, especially when the defense is allowing fewer looks than a pitch black blindfold.  And coming out of the halftime break, instead of letting up, the good guys found necks and stepped on them.  Thus, the scrubs got some extended run, allowing Kobe to conduct a triangle tutorial for Andrew Bynum and LO.  With any luck, the extra lessons will bear fruit in a future box score. 

For the Jazz, the loss was a sad way to see the "Gordan Giricek era" wind down.

The popcorn guy chipped in with 10, Jack yanked down a couple boards, and that cute Laker Girl (you know, the brunette) managed a triple-double in only 14 minutes of play. 

Okay, maybe none of those things actually happened, but given how completely the Lakers dominated the Jazz in their 123-109 win Friday night at Staples (it wasn't nearly that close), it's not hard to stretch the imagination far enough to accommodate any of the aforementioned scenarios.  (Maybe not the part where I block four shots, since that's my yearly quota in pickup ball, but seriously, folks...) Before getting a touch loose in the final 12 minutes, The Lakers laid the wood down on Utah like I used to punish Soda Popinski in Punch Out! on my Nintendo.  Up by 15 after one quarter, 27 at the half, 32 after three, all part of a smorgasbord of purple and gold contributions.  Six players in double figures.  34 assists to go along with 43 field goals.  54.4% from the floor against a fourth-quarter-boosted 45.6% for Utah.  All of these numbers would have been more lopsided had garbage time not started so early. 

I should have known something like this was coming, given that it was carne asada night in the media room.  Good, delicious karma.   

Click below for the breakdown:

Paul Simon in the house!  He's quite wee. 

BK will have the first. 

FIRST QUARTER:

Starting lineup: Odom, Ariza, Bynum, Kobe, Fish.  Marielle Stoermer and Mel Trudell delivering tonight's game ball.  Solid work by both.  Smattering of boos for Steve Javie, upon his introduction.

First team to score wins!

11:15- Well, hopefully not, as Kirilenko hits a three in front of Ariza.  The Lakers go down 5-0 when nobody boxes out Brewer, and he dunks an Okur miss. 

8:33- While it's always fun to be at the game, I always enjoy watching the Jazz on TV, because what they're doing offensively is easier to see.  The endless back screens and picks away from the ball to free people.  Lord knows it gave the Lakers trouble in November.  It'll be interesting to see how they do with it tonight.  Thus far, not great, as the Jazz have been able to generate some pretty clean looks.

So large that I can't tell if I'm Woodward or Bernstein.

First, Kwame Brown will suit up tonight.  Second, Luke Walton won't.  Third, Lamar Odom's head star is gone.  He's planning on bringing it back, but the vagaries of trick barbering were apparently screwing with his look.  It wasn't growing in correctly.  Odom told AK that he was curious if anyone would notice that it was gone.  Are you kidding?  We live to notice this sort of thing around here. 

With Kwame, don't expect big minutes, but PJ seemed happy to have him back, another body to bang with Boozer down low.  Kwame, for his part, was happy to be healthy enough to play ("There will be a Kwame sighting, thank God," he joked) and said he thought this matchup would be better for him than it would have been had he been on the floor against Phoenix.  Less up and down, less high screen and roll, more doing what he does best- bodying up to a guy on the block.  No talk yet from anyone on how his return will impact the rotation in the long run.  It'll certainly be interesting to see how it plays out (call it a hunch, I think it'll be a topic of conversation on the site...). 

Audio:

• Phil Jackson: Download phil_jackson_12.28 preUTAH.mp3
• Kwame Brown:  Download kwame_brown_12.28 preUTAH.mp3

BK

Perhaps you've taken the memory and stashed it somewhere deep in your gray matter.  That wrinkly, dark, hidden place where you store those things you'd prefer simply to forget.  Things like After M.A.S.H., Eddie Murphy's singing career, or Gigli.  "It," of course, would be L.A.'s November 30 visit to Utah, in which the Jazz, missing both Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur, dissected the Lakers like a biology class frog on their way to a 120-96 win over the purple and gold.  Well, if the Lakers wanted to forget, Phil Jackson didn't let them, forcing his guys to watch all 48 minutes of the horror in anticipation of tonight's rematch at Staples (7:30, FSN).  The verdict?  L.A. was outplayed in every way, shape, and form. 

Now the Lakers are a team on a roll, and should be better equipped to handle Jerry Sloan's array of back picks and fancy player movement.  They'd be in even better shape if Kwame Brown and Luke Walton were available, but that doesn't look like it'll happen.  Trevor Ariza, however, is becoming increasingly more comfortable with his new teammates and offense, so he'll be more likely to kick in with some contributions.  For Utah, Sloan and Gordon Giricek have made nice, so the backup guard, banished from the team for over a week, is back. 

Must be something about the holidays, because even Smush Parker has returned to the Heat. 

But you can judge Laker free throw shooting by the fact that players were on the verge of running a mile in their own shoes.  As is the custom wrapping up most practices I've witnessed, the guys gather and each take a turn at the stripe.  Assuming enough shots go down (in today's case, no less than three misses), Phil says a few words and they're done.  Faulty attempts, however, result in baseline-to-baseline jogs and suicides.  Today's practice produced a flurry of "yifting" (which was BK and my high football coach's phrase for running, presumably a nod to Miruts Yifter). 

The first trio of misses came courtesy of The Critter, Coby Karl and Ronny Turiaf.  Cue opening wave of penance.  The second freebie outing saw whiffs from Vlad Radmanovic (who actually airballed) and repeat offenders Crittenton and Turiaf, the latter of whom was so disgusted with himself that he kicked the rock and almost nailed Sasha Vujacic.  Round two of punishment.  The third try appeared initially not to be the proverbial charm, with Carl and "The Face" (who's nearly automatic at the stripe) quickly clanging rim.  But the boys regrouped and hung in there until final contestant Jordan Farmar swished net, allowing everyone's legs to stop burning.

More or less glowing, to be exact.  These Kwanzaa-rested Lakers are still reaping the good vibes of a big win over the Phoenix Suns, a nemesis squad that's feeling out of sorts at the moment.  The Purple and gold are trying to keep heads from getting swole up, but it's hard when folks are now declaring this team a true threat in the west.  That Andrew Bynum is now among the league's top five 5's, now thought of as untouchable in virtually every trade scenario conceivable (and on the topic of inconceivable trades, folks are still trying to figure out how "Caron for Kwame" happened).  That people would want to know what Drew thinks a development that might explain Kobe appearing presidential candidate-like when it comes to the Lakers.

Hopefully, every Laker fans' morning grogginess is the result of being up late celebrating a 122-115 victory over the Suns, not the excess of a sugary cream concoction.   A holiday treat stuffed to the gills with entertainment value featured highlight plays from Kobe Bryant (who finished the evening 30th on the all-time scoring list), career production from Andrew Bynum (28 points, 4 assists, 42 minutes of PT, all personal bests) and all five starters hitting double figures (including Trevor Ariza's Laker debut at the tip).  But as previously hinted, the real show came courtesy of a familiar sight from the year 2000 and beyond: A certain shooting guard and a center beating an opponent into submission.  Kobe managed to keep one eye on the bucket (38 points) and the other on his teammates (7 assists), successfully walking a tightrope between takeover and setting up. 

 

There's only one thing a Laker die-hard loves to see more than cool gifts under his or her tree.  A lump of coal in the stocking of every Phoenix Suns player, coach and fan.  And that's exactly what the hated visitors received during a holiday showdown at Staples.  The 122-115 Lakers win featured all Laker starters in double figures, only one Sun reaching 20+ points (Steve Nash) and a few personal achievements by Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum.  Plus, this was just flat out entertaining roundball.  15 lead changes.  35 combined fast break points.  Scoring like Colin Farrell at an XTC party.  Seriously, what more could you ask from a Christmas afternoon with the purple and gold? 

And before some greedy little cuss shouts "well, what about Kobe Bryant passing Tom Chambers to reach 30th on the all-time scoring list," easy, gunpowder.  That's part of the X-Mas loot, too.

Trevor Ariza with the start at small forward.  I like it.  Vlad has playeds considerably better with the second unit and Ariza's a good choice to help defend an opponent sprinting all over the place.  It'll be me the entire game.  I'll do my best to type and update.

-AK

FIRST QUARTER

11:00 - Amare slipping past Bynum for the layup and the Lakers inability to sink a loose ball tip in and prevent it from ending up in Grant Hill's mitts (for the streaking dunk) puts the lakers behind the 8-ball quick.  Bynum converts a layup to put the purple and gold on the board, but the Suns pick up another pair of scores off Laker missess.   Everybody knows these guys make their living in transition (and L.A. struggles to defend that game), so the Lakers need to make sure they

a) take good shots

b) clean up the misses when those shots don't fall

c) take care of the ball, because this squad will punish them badly for carelessness.

Or as George Bailey would scream it, "Merry Christmas, you wonderful old Building and Loan!"

Just a quick update, as I'm riding solo this holiday afternoon (BK's in NY with the in-laws) and I still need to grub before the Live Blog.

Health: Luke Walton told me before I was leaving the locker room that he wasn't cleared to play, but joked about trying to talk his way into the game.  All kidding aside, a Suns-paced game is a tough one to jump back into while getting over a bum ankle and if you can't maintain Phoenix's tempo, it's debatable how much help you'll be in the first place.  Thus, I'm not surprised Walton's a no go.  The same logic applies to Kwame, who isn't quite ready yet for runnin' and/or gunnin'. 

Coby Karl: Recalled from the D-Fenders and taking Walton's spot on the active roster.  I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that Mike D'Antoni has spent little to no time prepping to stop George Karl's kid, so this strikes me as the perfect opportunity for Phil Jackson to think outside the box, run the offense only sporadically- if ever- through the Mamba and keep the Suns on their collective heels as they try to adust to #11.  Call me optimistic, but I'm setting the "Over/under" on the Karl's points at 65.

Finally, Sly and the Family Turiaf was all over at Ronny's house last night (along with close friend Boris Diaw and his crew) celebrating the holidays.  The brood will also be in Staples, so if you hear a few sections get overly geeked when Ronny does something as simple as inbounding the rock, that's the explanation.

-AK 

Not that the Lakers didn't do their best to make this considerable achievement accompany an 0-1 clip.  The 95-90 win over the Knicks had all the makings of a one-sided joke, considering how the purple and gold built up a 25 point lead during the third quarter.  The first half was all Lakers, all the time, highlighted by Kobe laying the foundation for a near triple dub in a city he loves (and would have been willing to represent on the court).  The beat down in progress provided the visitors opportunities to entertain New York celebs and generally enjoy themselves... perhaps a little too much.  Laker laxness allowed the Knicks- more specifically, Jamal Crawford- to turn this into an actual game.  One point game with just a minute and change left to ball.  Kobe canned a mid-range J to push the gap to 3, but then his miss ended up in wee Nate Robinson's mitts.  Questionable Knicks timeout.  Lakers sweat a bit.  But the antiperspirant came in the form of Ronny Turiaf deflecting Davd Lee's inbound and Jordan Farmar scuttling the loose ball up court for a dunk.  Happy box score preserved.   

The Lakers will head home today having taken three games on this four game roadie, but maybe only because NBA games aren't 51 minutes instead of 48.  L.A. did just about everything they could to give away Sunday afternoon's tilt against the Knicks at the Garden before slipping away with a 95-90 win.  I'm talking serious skin of their teeth territory, after building up a 25 point lead mid-way through the third quarter.  Had it gone on any longer, the result could have been less pleasant.

"We started settling for shots," Phil Jackson said.  "Our second unit didn't handle the pressure very well in the fourth quarter, and got in foul trouble right away."  After the game, PJ smiled and said the Lakers thanked a higher power for their win.  "We did our normal thing.  We asked the Lord's Prayer after a Sunday game.  Forgive us our sins and trespasses.  We had some trespasses, there's no doubt." 

Pehaps he should have thanked the Knicks and Isiah Thomas, who after making a seemingly miraculous comeback down the stretch botched any chance to tie the game, down by three with 9.8 seconds to go. Jamal Crawford pushed through halfcourt, using up about five seconds, then the Knicks took a timeout.  Likely it was supposed to happen right after the rebound.  Instead, the Knicks were forced to inbound the ball, and the Lakers, with a foul to give, capitalized.  Jordan Farmar, able to play aggressively because a foul didn't hurt the Lakers at all, stole a bad David Lee inbound pass for an easy, game icing layup. 

Whew!

Click below for the breakdown, and the audio.

BK 

Vlad Rad in for Luke, nice hand for Bynum (in fairness, I think he supplied tix for about a third of the fans in the building), and a big one for Kobe.  And, already, I've heard some things directed at Isiah Thomas that I can't print here. 

'Tis the season.

BK

9:16- Vlad picks up a foul, the second on the Lakers in about two seconds for pushing off going after an offensive board.  honestly, given how weak both Curry and Randolph are inside on the glass, they shouldn't have to resort to that in the long run.  They're getting decent looks early, and should have no trouble getting to the rim on these guys.  There's no interior presence on that end for the Knicks.  A lot of really big paychecks, but no defense. 

LO gets to the rim, Fish gets to the rim Bynum gets to the rim.  I think I could get to the rim.  LO at the line shooting 2, 10-4. Misses the first, makes the second.  11-4.

Good morning, from Madison Square Garden!

My wife is from Long Island originally and her family is still out here.  We Christmas with her peeps, so with this happy accident of scheduling, Lakers Blog has a rare, Sunday morning road Live Blog.  As it's 8:30 on the west coast, I'm not going to get too deep into detail in the pregame report- Really, are any of you out of bed yet?  If you are, you're probably brewing coffee- but there are a few notes to pass along:

• Kobe is still limited, and Phil Jackson said the groin issues mostly prevent him from getting the sort of lift on his shots that we're accustomed to seeing.  He described Kobe as "On the mend."  And we all saw in the Philly game that penetration is a problem as well.  When 24 only shoots five foul shots, as he did on Friday, it's more than officiating holding him back.  Kobe loves to put on a show in New York.  It'll be interesting to see if he'll be able to do it today. 
• I believe the final tally for Andrew Bynum ticket requests was 39. I didn't get a chance to ask him this morning so it could be a few more, could be a few less, but either way, damn, that's a lot of ducats.
• For those of you who have never been to MSG, it's got that sort of "time machine" feel that most old buildings have, rare these days since there are so few left.  It's small and intimate, with low ceilings and no luxury boxes and giant concourses to pull fans away from the floor. Pretty cool.
• The visitor's locker room is about the size of my living room.  I say that not to brag about the size of my apartment, but rather to illustrate how small that room is.  With the LA and New York media packed in, it's basically shoulder to shoulder.  The whole "old school" feel was reinforced even more with the throwback unis hanging in the lockers. 
• Inactives: Lakers- Coby Karl, Kwame Brown.  Knicks- Stephon Marbury, Jerome James, Randolph Morris.  Luke is listed as a game-time decision, but word hadn't come down yet before we were kicked out of the locker room... 

Audio:

• Phil Jackson:  Lots of talk about Kobe and the Knicks (PJ said he's not coming here-- or going anywhere, for that matter), and the Knicks in general.  State of the franchise talk. Jackson was very diplomatic, so don't expect any digs at Jimmy Dolan. Download phil_jackson_12.23 preNYK.mp3

That's about it.  Given the early tip- this game is early by any standards, east coast or not- I'd expect a slow start before things get going.  I know I'm still a little foggy.

BK   
 

They found a little extra disdain for the Lower Merion product after the Lakers' 106-101 win over the Sixers ruined the celebration of Bryant idol Dr. J and the 1983 title team.  But if the Philadelphia citizens are seeking a reason to smile (not that they ever are, but bear with us), said inspiration would come from the notion that Kobe wasn't the central reason for the loss.  Kobe didn't even hit the 20-point mark, in large part because he's still feeling the effects of groin injury (and we all know how much City of Brotherly Love folks love opponent pain).  Instead the show was provided by 20+ point guys Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher (the former racking a double-double and the latter getting seven dimes) and 20-year old Andrew Bynum, who racked a career-best two dozen and eleven boards.  Bynum's first half in particular was effective, the opening act of a contest that included two "dear diary" moments.  His first left-handed shot of the season and becoming the 7th youngest player to enter the "Thou Club."  Who would blame the kid if he framed this box score and hung it on the living room wall?  He won't get any complaints from Kobe, who's been full of props for a kid that's quickly appearing like a cornerstone big.

The thread for those an hour and a half behind the real world.

AK

Remember, if you're going to watch the delayed KCAL feed at 5:30, don't read this thread.  It'll spoil all the fun.  In fact, you might just want to stay away from the Internet entirely.  And sports radio.  And television.

Man, these delays really are a pain.

BK

Last night's 94-90 loss to the Cavs wasn't terribly entertaining.  It wasn't terribly flashy.  It wasn't terribly engrossing.  But then you consider how the Lakers blew the lead of a winnable game, it could be considered disappointing.  A nine point advantage during the third frame's closing minutes quickly gave way to a 10-0 fourth quarter Cavs run, one that eventually had the James Gang up by four.  The Lakers got ahead 90-88 after Luke Walton tracked down his miss for the put back with four minutes left.  Those ensuing 240 purple and gold seconds were spent missing shots, mostly from outside (and in Kobe's case, often with Bron Bron guarding him).  Chances were in screaming distance, in particular, Andrew Bynum at the line and Kobe Bryant racing to track down a loose ball in traffic and call time out.  But the former bricked both and the latter ended up missing a rushed three ball out of the timeout.  Derek Fisher snagged the rebound, but was called for a very suspect offensive foul in the process (even in the eyes of a die-hard Cavs guy).  Game.  Set. Box score.

Hey, who are the big stars in this one, again?

BK

Some cats over at ESPN talk a little "Mamba v. King."  Everything from skills to leadership to who's better on many a level.  Personally, I think Kobe is the better of the two (as I've said many times, I think he's the best all-around player in the league), but anybody who claims LeBron isn't closing the gap in quick and tangible fashion is either confusing him for Mike James or is seriously willing to fool themselves out of blind Laker loyalty.  It's a shame these two didn't hit their prime at the exact same time.  As much as James-Wade-Melo will provide plenty of entertainment for years to come, extra years with Kobe in the mix would only make it better.

Which brings me to a pair of questions.  During yesterday's podcast (which can be listened to by hitting the button on the right side of the blog), the topic of how much "Kobe vs. Lebron playing to 21" on Pay-Per-View would make.  After settling on a figure roughly around "a kajillion," BK and I debated how much we'd pay to watch it in person.  We were both willing to fork out 250 bucks, no problem.  We also threw around some undercard bouts, including:

Reggie Evans v. Desagna Diop (The "offensively challenged" bout)
Antoine Walker v. Von Wafer (The "only bad shots from behind the arc" bout)
Shaq v. Jerome James (The "two most out of shape centers in the NBA" bout, with James lasting five minutes or less before dropping out to throw up)

So here's the two part query.  How much would you pay to watch that Kobe v. LeBron showdown live?  And what other undercard suggestions do ya got, whether for high comedy (like the three above) or as a legit display of hoops skills?

-AK

Call it Mamba vs. King.  MVK, for short.  Because no matter what other story lines you'd like to prop up for tonight's game in Cleveland (5:00 p.m., KCAL, TNT) the one people will tune in to see is Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James.  We talked about it in yesterday's "Purple, Gold, and Blue" podcast (click on the show widget to listen).  Folks write about it in the newspaper.  Charles, Kenny, and Ernie will comb over the matchup on the TNT pregame show.  Hard to avoid, really, given the ludicrous star power (and incredible statistics- see Kobe, Lebron) both have.  This, despite the fact that Kobe claims at this point in his career he's seen so many of these bright light, marquee pairings, they don't move the needle for him.   Instead, Kobe says he'll focus on trying to get the most out of the Lakers as he possibly can, because despite the good start there's still plenty of work to do.  "We're playing well. I think we can get much, much better." 

The Cavs are coming off an embarrassing loss last night in New York, a little redundant, yes, since all losses to the Knicks are by definition embarrassing. 

The key to Sasha Vujacic's improved play?  Playing time, he says.  A Little run, too, would help give Javaris Crittenton a chance to climb up the ESPN.com rookie rankings. 

It's rare when teams get a chance to go on the road and get fat and happy.  Then again, it's rare for teams to get four straight roadies against bad and/or struggling teams, as the Lakers will get this week.  Cleveland (struggling), Philly (bad), and New York (cataclysmic, and apparently not big on criticism) are still to come, but Tuesday night L.A. kicked things off on the right foot with a 103-91 win over the Bulls in Chicago.   It was their sixth win in their last seven tries, and it happened despite a slow night (7-19, 18 points) from Kobe Bryant.  Instead, it was the supporting cast who kicked in during a solid, controlled, 48 minute effort, capped by a 20-6, game capping fourth quarter run in which 24 didn't score a point.  The box shows five other players in double figures, including 19 from Sasha Vujacic, who hit six of his ten shots from the floor.  L.O.? 17/16. Andrew Bynum played a career high 40 minutes.  Luke Walton had a second straight solid game, with 12 points, five dimes, and no TOs. 

All in all, it was a pretty satisfying end for Lakers fans, if only because it perhaps drops the lid on the "Kobe-to-the-Bulls" coffin.  Kobe admitted that before the season started, he really wanted to be a Bull (fair to say some fans wanted him, too).  But for now, everything is hunky dory.  Besides, it was apparently just the deep dish pie that attracted him to Chicago in the first place... right?  However you slice it, the Bulls are still without that One. True. Star. 

It's a shame the schedule makers didn't give Kobe's teammates a chance to pull what would have been a pretty sweet practical joke.

Sorry.  No Magic for mayor.  For now...

It might not take much for Chicago fans to start chanting "Kobe."  If they start chanting "Smush," you'll know they've hit rock bottom.

AK

NOTE: The registration system should be set up for today.  Hopefully, it makes a dent in SpamBot's cruel reign...

UPDATE (9:30 am): Well, that experiment officially sucked.  I'm turning off the registration requirement and resetting the site.  Things should be back to "normal" in a few minutes...

A few months ago, tonight's game in Chicago looked like it would be a lot more intriguing than it does today.  That was before the season started, and the grass looked an awful lot greener on the other side for Kobe than it does today.  Now the Lakers' lawn is growing in nicely, 24 says he's happy, and Bulls fans aren't.  After all, despite winning six of their last nine, Chicago is still only 8-13.  Either way, it's very clear that Kobe's visit to the Windy City tonight is just that- a visit.  Much to the chagrin of any "Kobe!" chanting fans still lingering around the United Center.  But now that the Bulls seem to suck less, the Lakers should expect a better effort from Chicago than the one we saw on November 18th, when the Lakers beat the snot out of them at Staples.  Phil Jackson will likely want a better effort than he saw from the first unit in Sunday's win over the Clippers, or at least one with more consistency.   Getting the trip kicked off on the right foot tonight could help give the Lakers momentum through the next three games, all of which seem pretty winnable. 

So what Lakers twosome is, at least according to the numbers, L.A.'s most productive?  Kobe and Fish?  Drew and Kobe?  Sorry. Try Jordan Farmar and Vlad Radmanovic.  Here's how the rest of L.A.'s two-man combos break down, and since it's important to remember that five guys actually occupy the court at one time, the numbers for full units.  And while we're getting all statsy, here's the individual +/- for each Laker.

Finally, the holiday spirit (and some serious Lakers enthusiasm) has gripped Ted M. Green.  We wonder if he's stepped a little too close to the holiday egg nog, but certainly love the optimism.  LakerTom will love this. 

One potential fix to the spambot issue might be to institute a log in procedure, where everyone would have to register with TypeKey (one time, I believe) to post a comment.  While we've always resisted this in the past, feeling that an extra layer of things to do discourage new posters from participating, it certainly is preferable to the bot. 

Again, I'm not sure it'll eliminate the problem, but it's one potential fix.  Opinions?

BK

Before they can enjoy a nice Christmas dinner next week (after a date against the Suns, of course), the Lakers must hit the road and head east for a four game stretch.  Fortunately, after Sunday night's 113-92 win over the fast-sinking Clippers, the Lakers will fly with their heads held high.  They've won five of six, and are starting to get some of that early-season swagger back.  On Sunday, the purple and gold came out hard and fast, building an 18 point lead in the first quarter behind an efficient offense, tight D, and a lot of Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum.  24 showed quickly that his groin injury was not going to be an issue (actually, he showed it earlier that morning), rising up to hit a variety of jumpers, while Drew blocked three shots in the first frame and helped force Clippers C Chris Kaman into a 1-8 start.  The Lakers let the Clippers stick around in the middle quarters, but never really relinquished control (even after a Corey Maggette circus heave from his side of halfcourt at the end of the third cut the Lakers lead to  six), and used a 17-3 run opening the fourth to take all non-taco related tension out of the result. 

With the game generally in hand throughout, the center battle- L.A. has a couple of very good ones right now- was the marquee matchup of the night, and Drew performed more than admirably.  14 points, nine boards, six blocks, on 7-9 from the floor.  And Bynum had company, as the box shows.  32 from Kobe, 15 from Luke Walton (who didn't miss a shot from the floor), and 14 fourth quarter points from Sasha. 

Just one of the matchups the Lakers won on Sunday night, in their 113-93 win over the Clippers, and perhaps the one that most analysts pointed to heading in as the evening's most pivotal.  Well, maybe not, but Sasha still took it to the former Gonzaga star.  14 points to Frahm's five.  Two dimes for Vujacic, one for Frahm.  A lone rebound for Richie, Sasha explodes on the glass for three.  Fair to say Frahm did not come alive tonight, and will likely hit the pillow with images of Euro jumpers infiltrating his dreams.  Asked after if he did indeed own Richie Frahm, Sasha laughed and didn't answer.  Savvy vet that he's becoming, Vujacic knows better than to provide that sort of bulletin board material to a guy with Frahm's pedigree. 

Other good things happened, too.  See the breakdown after the jump for the details. 

It's the BATTLE FOR THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF L.A. BASKETBALL FANS!!! 

Okay, not really, but it's fun to use caps and exclamation points sometimes.  BK with Q1. 

FIRST QUARTER:

Clips trot out Kaman and Maggette with Ross, Knight, and Paul Davis.  I doubt that's what Elgin Baylor hoped to have on the board in, say, late May.

9:21- Kobe short on a jumper.  It'll be interesting to see what kind of hop he has on those shots tonight.  If he can get the necessary lift, the Lakers will be in good shape... and with that he hits a nice little fallaway.  Good sign.

It's important to be specific. 

Anyway, Kobe's going to give it a go tonight.  He moved well- or at least well enough- at this morning's shootaround, and will take his customary spot in the starting lineup.  "He was taking his jump shots when I got to work at nine o'clock this morning.  I asked him to do some defensive slides," PJ said, "because that's really the injury- with lateral movement- and he seems to be alright.  We were surprised.  Pleasantly."

I asked PJ if there's a line with 24, where Jackson would pull him from the court if it looked like he was hurting.  Obviously, short of anything totally debilitating, Kobe is going to try and play.  "If he can help the team, because of the presence he has out there, then it's okay.  But if it becomes a deficit for us, then it has to change.  That was my dilemma on Friday night," he said.  "That becomes the critical mass in that situation.  The other night he wasn't shooting the ball great, but he was able to use a couple screens for Fish... But he just couldn't retreat (on the fast break) in time, so that hurt us.  But, on one leg, he still feels that he's probably better off than if we had a player with two.   He was adamant about coming back."

In other news, it looks like Kwame Brown won't be making the trip after all.  He hasn't been able to practice, and is still unable to move laterally.  Jackson pointed out that this week would be the fourth since his injury, so it's just in that expected window for his injury- four to six.  Hopefully he can play next week. 

AUDIO:

• Phil Jackson:  Interesting stuff in here about Trevor Ariza and where he fits into the rotation, and also on how they plan to handle Chris Kaman.  PJ hopes Drew's length will perhaps frustrate the LAC big, and that they won't have to double him.  Download phil_jackson_12.16 preLAC.mp3
• Kwame Brown: Both on his injury, and some fun talk of Christmas shopping. Download kwame_brown_12.16 preLAC.mp3 

BK

As evidenced here. 

But without the music, the ailment pretty much sucks, as Kobe Bryant will tell you.  He's dealing with the strained groin sustained during Friday night's loss to the Warriors and will be a game time decision for this evening's contest against the Clippers (who ain't about to roll over and play dead to their glitzier rival).  Aside from the question of Kobe's mobility, another issue on the table will be Clips center Chris Kaman, who's playing at an All-Star level this season picking up the slack for Elton Brand's absence.  Phil Jackson acknowledged that the former Caveman could require a double team and if fouls are racked in Andrew Bynum and Ronny Turiaf's efforts to contain him, Chris Mihm could get the rare-of-late call to arms.

The Lakers entered Oracle Arena with nine consecutive wins over their Pacific Division rivals, the Golden State Warriors.  And after a 108-106 loss, they'll have to be content to begin a new multi-game rally (and with their playoff-steady pace).  The Lakers could have left Oakland with a positive result in their pockets, having owned the entire first half and regained control of the match down the stretch.  This in spite of an off-shooting night from Kobe, who sustained a fourth quarter quad injury that felt like he was a victim of a shooting.  Said ailment took him off the court during the last 90 or so seconds, when the Warriors seized a four-point advantage off a huge trey ball from kissing bandit Baron Davis.  The knockout punch was administered after Lamar Odom missed a wild 11-footer on the heels of some handle issues.  LO managed to cut the deficit in half with a last minute layup, but missed his and-one opportunity (and the rebound to Monta Ellis), which iced a box score in Golden State's favor.

On the one hand, Jessica Alba is a dedicated Warriors fan.  That's a plus.  On the other, she's taken, so where's the fun in that?  She is, however, cheering for two, now. 

On another note, all together now--- pound the ball inside!

BK

While on any given night any NBA team can beat any other, often times games can be broken down on pretty simplistic levels.  The Spurs (at full strength) should beat the Lakers, because a) they're a better team, and b) they do things in a way that reads almost like a checklist of things the Lakers don't do well.  Quick penetrating guards, excellent ball movement, off ball screens, smart play that doesn't allow for easy opportunities the other way.  The Lakers should beat the Clippers, because the Lakers are better.  They have more talent, depth, and are more athletic. 

The fun often comes, then, in games like tonight, where you have two teams in the Lakers and Warriors who both have talent, both have flaws, and generally play in opposite styles.  Yes, the Lakers are running more this year, but not in the "shoot like the ball will explode like a grenade at the 17 second mark of the shot clock" way the Warriors do.  It becomes a battle of wills, one that the Lakers have won 14 of the last 15 times.  We saw what happens on Sunday when the Lakers stick to their guns and play in their style.  Pounding the ball inside.  Repeatedly using size and strength to muscle the Warriors around. 

It's not often the Lakers get a chance to kick the Spurs while they're down, since San Antonio isn't down all that often.  But Thursday night at Staples, the champs arrived without Tony Parker and Tim Duncan (perhaps you've heard of those guys?) available, and while it wasn't easy, the Lakers left with a 102-97 win. Without two of their stars, the Spurs were more than happy to add some scrap to the contest, and the refs seemingly obliged, resulting in an ugly, physical contest.  Just ask Andrew Bynum.  In a third quarter where his frustration was percolating like a Krups machine, with the ever-wily Fabricio Oberto sensing his anger and taking every opportunity to annoy him, Bynum finally lost his cool and was tossed with about four minutes to go.  But while Bynum absorbed the slings and arrows of officiating discipline, his teammates had to endure a triple-fueled Spurs run that turned an eight point halftime lead into a two point deficit.  In the fourth, however, the Lakers' second unit hit the gas, and a strong finish from Kobe closed the deal.

It certainly wasn't pretty, but the box shows contributions up and down the roster for L.A., and that the Lakers did a nice job putting the clamps on Manu Ginobili. 

This 102-97 Laker win over the Spurs was anything but pretty.  Whether you're talking..

a) the 43% shooting by the Lakers (which only reached such luxurious heights after a fourth quarter at a 62% clip).

b) An ice cold first quarter shared by both squads that quickly caused everyone in Vegas who bet the "over" to immediately shred and curse their betting slips.

c) A third quarter where the Lakers went up from up being by 8 after the half to down by 2, in large part because nobody could remember to stay at home on Bruce Bowen.

d) Andrew Bynum done getting himself tossed.

e) San Antonio's uncharacteristic 15 turnovers, possibly the result of a team trying too adjust to life without Tony Parker or Tim Duncan.

f) all of the above...

This weren't no feat of beauty.  Thankfully, that aforementioned fourth quarter was particularly fruitful for the Purple and Gold.  A bench that went 8-11 from the floor.  Seven points from Kobe Bryant.  A 10-6 advantage in the assist department and a 13-11 rebound victory.  A couple of huge blocks from Ronny Turiaf.  And, get this, zero turnovers.  This Laker squad went a dozen minutes without getting butter-fingery.  In a night that got seriously feo, there was at least a little beauty.  BK will have the breakdown and I added a few quotes after that.

-AK   

Let's see if the Lakers can take advantage of a shorthanded Spurs squad.  BK with the first period...

FIRST QUARTER:

Fish, Kobe, Walton, LO, and Drew start the game for LA, Bonner, Manu, Oberto, Bowen, Vaughn for San Antonio.  As a reminder, Jacque Vaughn is no Tony Parker....

10:33- Lakers are going at the hoop early.  Not much to show for it yet, but they're working in that direction.  Good on a couple levels.  First, they should ALWAYS work towards the hoops, but second, with a thinned out SA squad, not only do they have an advantage inside, but foul trouble could be a serious issue for the Spurs.

8:21- Spurs 5, Lakers 2.  To say the Lakers have come out cold would be an understatement.  Try frigid.  Four minutes in, and Kobe finally hits their first FG on a fast break run out.

Tim Duncan is out for San Antonio.  So, too, is Tony Parker, though the latter is not on the inactive list.  But while I didn't have a chance to get to the visitor's locker room, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told the media that Parker is indeed out with a sprained right ankle suffered against the Wolves on November 30th.  It's probably for the best, considering Parker has enough to worry about right now.  From a basketball standpoint, it's obviously a huge boost to L.A.'s chances tonight, to face the champs without two-thirds of their big three.  Still, the Spurs are such a sound squad that they pose a threat despite missing those cats.  Look for a lot of motion, a lot of Manu, and.... well, pick something else that starts with "m."   Despite the absence of The Big Fundamental, San Antonio will still likely try to out fundamental the purple and gold. 

Incidentally, this is the fifth game (counting the one where he actually got hurt) the Spurs have played without Duncan.  They've won three of four so far.  Obviously, that doesn't factor in the absence of Parker, but it indicates San Antonio is still a threat. 

Notes: Luke Walton will play tonight, having been able to successfully participate in yesterday's practice, and Phil Jackson revealed that Kwame Brown will indeed travel with the Lakers on the road trip that begins next week in Chicago.  He might not be ready to play, but that he's even traveling is a good sign.

Audio: Just a little Phil.  Much about how the Spurs are dangerous, no matter who plays, and the whole TNT mic'd coach/cameras in the locker room deal.  He's not a fan.  Download phil_jackson_12.13 preSA.mp3

BK

Cryptic as that might sound, it still may describe a situation easier to pin down than "who" the Lakers really "are."  Could they be a team positioned to take a better-than-expected (by many) quarter pole result (12-8) and build even further upon it? Or will this squad remain turnover-ridden and often their own worst enemy?  Tonight's showdown against San Antonio provides a credible indicator read in either direction. Even without Tim Duncan (expected to miss the game with a sprained ankle), the Spurs provide a challenge for anyone in the league.  Besides, the Spurs trounced the Lake Show earlier this season in a game where Tim Duncan essentially didn't play, given how much of a non-factor he was.  Will the Lakers come out focused after a long layoff?  Well, yesterday's practice got all the "loose" out of the way, so maybe all we'll see on the court is "fast."  At any rate, we do know one thing that lies ahead:  Phil Jackson, officially.

As mentioned in yesterday's brief practice report, I had a chance to talk to Lakers rookie guard Javaris Crittenton for a few minutes Tuesday afternoon.  While he hasn't had a lot of PT thus far, Crittenton is slowly finding his way into the lineup, if only for a minute or two here and there.  But don't confuse lack of run for any sort of disappointment in The Critter on the part of Lakers management.  They like the kid, and should.  By all accounts, he works hard in practice, shows a genuine interest in getting better, has a good attitude, and it's pretty clear Crittenton has some skill.  The good news for the Lakers this season- much improved play in the backcourt- has meant more pine time for him, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the rook squeeze out a little more playing time as the season goes on.   The Lakers have the luxury of not having to toss him in the fire.

Patience, folks.

BK

Brian Kamenetzky: You're a quarter of the way through your first NBA season. Talk a little about how you feel you're doing, what's been good, what's been bad. 

Javaris Crittenton: I feel like I'm doing pretty good, and that everything has been progressing since day one.  I've been working hard in pr