Similar to Doc Brown, this thread helps Lakers fans go back to the future. And would this be a huge win?  Hello, McFly!

Remember, don't spoil any surprises for the folks still in suspense.

AK

Remember kids, if you're planning on watching the KCAL feed, don't read this thread.  My guess is it'll include a spoiler or two.  By the way, Darth Vader?  Totally Luke Skywalker's father. 

BK

Wait, check that.  We got "Michigan" and "Minnesota" (the state housing L.A.'s ninth consecutive road foe) mixed up. Tonight's opponents, the Detroit Pistons (4:30 pm PST, KCAL) are actually quite good.  On the plus side, their toughest game of the stretch- the longest since The Logo was just Jerry West- is out of the way right from the jump.  On the minus side, they're doing it with three guys out (Ariza, Bynum, Mihm), one questionable (Walton) and another nursing a welted shin (Odom).  Plus, there's Sasha Vujacic's sore jaw, an injury so heinous the league saw reason to take action.  Those players, however, all likely garner a certain degree of sympathy from fans over the ow-ee's.  The same can't be said about Kwame Brown, who remains stunned by a recent negative crowd reaction while he struggles (on the court and to recover from injury).  The knock on #54 may always be that he hasn't lived up to expectations, which makes swapped counterpart Caron Butler's expected second All-Star reserve nod (cbssportsline and SI both concur) even tougher to swallow.   But at least Jordan Farmar's career is cruising along at a nice clip.  Made the Rookie-Sophomore Challenge as a newbie last season.  He's on the "experienced" team this season.

Last night's win against the Knicks ran pretty late, so I didn't have time to transcribe all of the player copy, but I wanted to make sure y'all got a complete taste of the locker room jabber.  Some Ronny Turiaf and Jordan Farmar items (to go along with previously posted nuggets from PJ/Kobe/Sasha Vujacic), plus some thoughts from Derek Fisher after Sunday's loss to Cleveland, the third defeat in a row. 

During those losses, there had been much talk about production being picked up during Andrew Bynum's absence (and frankly, those conversations don't end after last night's win).  Is this a question of a player emerging as the unspoken (or even spoken) second option (and if so, "who" remains a mystery) or was it simply a matter of everybody upping their numbers a bit? Fish thought the latter scenario was the ticket and as last night's showing of six double-figure scorers showed, the savvy vet may be onto something.  We also talked about the offensive tweaks that'll be required until mid-March (since no other Laker is truly capable of duplicating the options Bynum creates) and how, while winning is still a possibility, how much smaller a margin for error the team has running their game without Drew (an aspect that hasn't been talked about much, but can't possibly be overstated).  Here's what everyone had to say.

AK

Unfortunately, Renaldo Balkman never read the NBA Rulebook's fine print.  As as result, he's getting suspended one game for yesterday's flagrant (literally and basketball-y) shot to Sasha Vujacic's grill.  I imagine Slovenia's Favorite Son won't be too unhappy with the decision, having talked with him after the game.  Sasha mentioned that his time spent on the floor was in no way an attempt to play things up (accusations he dealt with after the incident where Carmelo Anthony grabbed him around the throat).  Having seen the play live, I don't doubt that.

By the way, BK and I both noticed yesterday that not only are Balkman's elbows pointy (meaning that knock Vujacic took had to hurt), but so is the man's whole body.  Nose.  Face.  Knees.  Even his braids form into points.  Dude may very well be the most angular cat in the entire league.

Anyhoo, justice has been served.  On to Detroit.

-AK   

PROGRAMMING NOTE:  Remember, Purple, Gold, and Blue starts at 11!  We're hoping to have Eric Pincus of Hoopsworld.com fame on today. 

Even taking into account the degree to which the Knicks have increasingly jelled during the decreasing presence of Stephon Marbury (a shocking development, I'm sure), they're still a 14-win team and the Lakers are still about to hit the road in grueling fashion, meaning the need to snap a three-game losing streak at New York's expense was fairly clear.  The 120-109 win did the trick, although the victory was rather slow in development.  Phil Jackson told his squad- a touch uptight during this losing stretch- to let the game come their way and relax a bit.  The "relax" part was perhaps taken too literally, as their 58 halftime points were actually bested by the Knicks tally (61).  It wasn't until the fourth quarter that scoring was accompanied by some honest to goodness D.   In between slowing Jamal Crawford and flaring Nate Robinson's temper (the former tougher than the latter), Sasha Vujacic exploded for a dozen final frame points.  Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom- who's been in dire need of a pick me up game- were decidedly on the same page, creating a chapter that included a winning box score.  The only downside to the victory was Luke Walton's hip pointer injury that makes the roadie even lighter on dudes of any size.

There were serious questions, however, about who would take this eventual 120-109 Lakers win.  Perhaps inspired by the presence of Eddy Curry, mutual defense took a holiday in the first, second and third frames.  In particular, the quarter before Big Games James' show witnessed a particularly porous showing from both teams, with the Lakers' 55% shooting clip representing the lesser effort.  The 61-58 Knicks lead heading into the third was obviously not the sign of a trend positive.  The third saw a shrinkage in New York baskets, but this was a moot point, considering the Lakers also forgot how to put a roundball in its proper home.  Sluggish ball movement (only four total assists) and a slew of bricks created action equal parts herky-jerky, odd and, frankly, dull.  But down by two and with a dozen final minutes of regulation, the Lakers finally got it into gear. 

After some trey-balls were traded between both squads to help create a 104 tie, the Lakers went on a 14-4 run, with everyone adding their two cents (and points).  Aside from Kobe's near trip-dub (the slacker was too satisfied with a 24/8/11 to grab that extra pair of boards), big contributions came from several Lakers, especially those six fellas (Kobe, Kwame Brown, Jordan Farmar, Lamar Odom, Ronny Turiaf and Sasha, who raised the dander of both Renaldo Balkman and Wee Nate Robinson) who played in the closing frame.  It would have really been a bummer for the Lakers to do their version of "Easy Rider" while riding a losing streak, so the triumphant box score will help settle some nerves, if not completely placate all those involved.

BK's breakdown is below.

-AK

BK here.  Pardon my typos.  I haven't live blogged for two games. 

Lakers open with pregame montage set to Sympathy for the Devil.  Nice little change of pace. Rock solid classic rock.  Crowd seemed to like it, too.  Then into the traditional Baba O'Reilly.  All in all, it's been a big night for old school iconic bands. 

Starting lineups- Kwame, Luke, Kobe, Fish, LO.  Knicks- Curry, Richardson, Crawford, Collins, Randolph.

Apropos (sp?) to nothing in particular, how much fun would it be if the Knicks got Morris Peterson?  Then they could have Zach Randolph, Randolph Morris, and Morris Peterson all on one squad. I bet that sort of thing never happens.  Anyway,

FIRST QUARTER:

11:00- Nice work by Kwame on Curry to avoid picking up his second foul as Curry backed him down on the post.  The Knicks have fed the post on every possession thus far.  With a quick foul on 54, they'll keep at it, I'm sure they'll keep at it. 

Given that the reporter/player ratio in the locker room was an unfavorable 8/.3 (the one-third coming from periodic fly-bys from Ronny Turiaf), there wasn't much to get before the game.  So with that in mind, you get PJ's pregame audio, and a look back at the ultra-scary 95-90 win the Lakers bagged in New York before Christmas.  For those of you who were perhaps decorating your tree or doing a little last minute shopping, it was a tale of two halves.  In the first, the Lakers utilized some epic ball movement, had great looks at the hoop, attacked, played some defense and generally looked like they were ready to run the Knicks out of the building.  Around the middle of the third, they stopped doing all of those things.  Jamal Crawford went all goony on them, and suddenly the Lakers found themselves in a dogfight. 

Fortunately, they scraped by. 

Sure, things look stark after the Bynum injury, and yes, a loss tonight to the Knicks will very likely bury the needle on the ArmageddonIsNigh Meter, but that makes it a perfect moment to gain a little perspective.  Last night, watching a Brand/Kaman/Maggette-less Clippers squad get waxed by a Bobcats squad that had won only three roadies entering the game, the Fox Folk were so desperate for something to talk about that they did a courtside interview with Clipper Darrell, who is apparently being courted by Mark Cuban to become, one would think, Maverick Darrell. 

In what was one of the most painful interviews ever, CD repeatedly declared "I have to do what's best for my family," proving that sports cliches are not simply limited to locker rooms.  So if you're keeping score, that's 13 wins, the possibility for mass star defection after the season (Brand, Maggette), and even the quasi-mascot is thinking of jumping ship.

All told, things aren't so bad in Lakerville.

Carry on.

BK

Similar to a sign announcing the lone gas station in a 300 mile stretch of Nebraska, tonight's game against the Knicks represents the final Laker home contest before embarking on the mother of all roadies.  The absence of Andrew Bynum has amounted to something of a rough patch (three straight losses heading into tonight's duel), but under normal circumstances, the Spurs, Mavs and Cavs could have potentially provided losses.  Isaiah's soldiers, however, should be beatable with AK and BK in the starting lineup.  The win is crucial to pocket, considering the Western standings ain't getting any easier to scale.  Tonight would be a good place for the supporting cast to lose some timidness on display of late.  And for Kwame Brown, Bynum's fill-in, the time would truly be nigh to turn "potential" into "consistent reality."  Whatever the means may be, the ends need to amount to surviving without #17.

Given how little rain interrupts outdoor sporting events in L.A., the Lakers should have known something was off Sunday afternoon, when a rain- okay, drip- delay caused a 12 minute stoppage in play during the first quarter.  Still, the slow flow of H2O wasn't limited to water from the rafters at the end of the day, as Cleveland's 98-95 win likely caused a few tears among the Staples faithful.  Particularly at the end, when the Lakers didn't get a shot off to tie on the final play.  Luke Walton was open for a semi-clean look at the hoop, but instead passed back to Kobe (maybe he read this article at halftime- 23 GMs can't be wrong, right?).  It was an ugly mistake to cap off an ugly day for the supporting cast, who were generally anything but.  The Lakers had other opportunities down the stretch.  If you're in the L.A. locker room, you look at the blown fourth quarter lead and the missed shots late, while the Cavs point to solid defense.   And if you have a basketball pulse, you look at the matchup between Kobe and LeBron.  The box shows both played strong games, but James had the edge in the fourth.  A big edge, on both ends.

Whether referencing shots, free throws, mental awareness or simply the opportunity momentum gained from the rare of late solid third quarter, much went "missed" during the fourth quarter of this 98-95 loss to the Cavs.  The Lakers shot a collective 40% during that fateful frame and worked a miserable 61% clip at the stripe, failing to end a skid created during their two-game excursion to Texas.  Conversely, Cleveland seemed incapable of missing throughout those same dozen minutes, going almost 67% from the field and featuring LeBron's sole quarter of true impressiveness.  Sure, he wrapped up the contest with 41 points, but spent the opening three quarters putting up a lot of shots (25) to rack almost the same amount of points.  His super-effiecent 5-7 finish, however, helped put his franchise over the top.  Throw in the four Laker turnovers down the stretch, some stagnant ball movement and one mofo of a mental error by Luke Walton during the closing seconds, and it ain't all that shocking to see a Laker box score emerge sullied. 

The breakdown is below.

AK   

Damon Jones has a mohawk.  Drew Gooden's involved in a high stakes beard growing contest with Washington's DeShawn Stevenson.  Varajao's got a serious mane.  LeBron may not have the best supporting cast, but their hair variety offered is simply A+

AK (who'll be doing the entire game, with BK still in Colorado for the X-Games)

First Quarter

During the time out, Andrew Bynum appears on the jumbotron and receives a rousing hand from the fans.  Shock of all shocks.

6:30 - Nice display of teamwork, as Luke shuttles a pass recieved from Fish inside to LO, who puts down the uncontested dunk.  On the previous possession, Walton had played some decent D on LeBron, sticking with "The King" at the top of the arc and not giving an inch of blow past space, forcing a long and missed jumper.  Hopefully, this would be a sign of Luke (2 quick dimes) and Lamar (8 quick points) taking to heart the recent (and deserved) from Phil of their combined Texas production.  Obviously, neither guy can take the place of Bynum.  But they've simply got to provide more than their last two games.  No way around it.  So far, both are off to a good start.

Or so goes the comparison tossed out by the Serbian sharp shooter, who'll be in uni for this afternoon's contest.  Radmanovic immediately dismissed the chance to assess "where he is" in terms of a percentage ("I don't like those numbers. 1%. 2%. 100%."), instead simply stating that he's "ready to go," while acknowledging that a certain amount of pain will be inevitable.  Asked if he was essentially giving his bad ankle a test drive, Vlad nodded, and upon further prompting, revealed that he saw his "vehicle-self" as an SUV.  I wondered if while evaluating the auto, Vlad would be judging heavily on how it handles, fuel efficiency, etc.  Vlad's deadpan? "It's about handling.  If you drive a Cayenne, you don't really worry about fuel efficiency.  I'm worried about the Malibu drive."  Vlad also pointed out that since he's not a superstar, he's not exactly banking on 48 minutes in his return (although he did agree that with Phil Jackson as a coach, you can never quite know what approach will be taken).

But we'll spare you yet another "Javaris Crittenton vs. Shannon Brown" breakdown, fans having been over-saturated to death of said topic heading into this afternoon's brouhaha against Cleveland.   Instead, we'll shift the spotlight towards Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, two kids just trying to get ahead in this often unforgiving sports world.  For LeBron, a theoretical contract in New York down the road may finally provide him with a chance to grab some ink (and not a minute too soon, thank God).  As for Kobe (who doesn't see the need to hype such showdowns), there's plenty of dap to go around.  Besides, he's looking forward to writers eventually flipping a coin as to whether he or Andrew Bynum is the Laker focus, a time he might not picture that far off in the distance.  Even closer is a treacherous roadie looming, a nine-game stretch that makes games like today's and Tuesday's against the Knicks important to pocket as victories.

And as along as we've discussed marquee pairings, C-Webb and Nellie, together again for the first time?

Stop us if you've heard this one before.  The Lakers play a pretty solid first half, forming a more than reasonable foundation to convert said effort into a win.  But then the third quarter rolls around, everything comes apart at the seams and in this particular case, it leads to a 112-105 loss to Dallas (and if you read the entire game summary, it also apparently led to one hell of a Mavs karaoke-jam to Queen).  The entire Laker squad, even Kobe, fell victim to the third quarter malaise, one that created a 17-point deficit to scale.  But as is often the case, Kobe heated up again in the fourth, manning the 3-spot while assisted by Ronny Turiaf (4) and Sasha Vujacic (2), a measure combating the ineffective Lamar Odom/Luke Walton forward tandem.  Despite the extra attention the pair received during Thursday's practice from Phil Jackson, nothing was falling or happening for either player.  Thus, both were riding the pine as Jordan Farmar (along with DJ Mbenga and the aforementioned trio) rallied the squad back within striking distance of a win.  But three point plays from Devin Harris (and one) and Jason Terry (trey ball) put the game back on AAA ice, leaving the Lakers with another "40" night from Kobe in the box score, but no win to show for it.  But at least Bryant's happy for the time being with his situation, thus far shaping into an MVP worthy effort.

Kwame Brown vs. Desagna Diop should cancel out to a wash.  From there, the other high profile scoring  questions are wide open.

AK

In the first part of my conversation with Lakers assistant coach Jim Cleamons, we talked a lot about his playing career, and how it impacted his development as a person and a coach.  In the second, we'll spend more time on coaching itself, talking about philosophies, the people who have coached him, and how the Lakers' staff operates as a unit. 

As before, keep in mind that the audio file has the complete interview, and what comes below are excerpts from it.  To hear the entire thing, click on the audio link. Download jim_cleamons_2_coaching.mp3

BK

On the role assistant coaches play in the coaching staff, which has seen so much continuity over the years, and has so much experience.  What’s the dynamic?

“I think we all understand that we are a team of coaches, just like the players are a team on the floor.  Our job is to help PJ prepare the team, and it’s unimportant who gets the glory… We revel in (that) fact, and are very competitive about the job that we do.  It’s not a complicated system, but it’s a very good system of basketball that we teach.  We don’t have an offensive coordinator or a defensive coordinator (as some teams do)…  We kind of transcend all the little phases of the game, and PJ puts it all together.  He is the spokesperson, and the face of our coaching staff…”

“…Sometimes I’m rather quiet, because having been a head coach, sometimes you need the information, but you also need to digest information.  If there are too many voices that you hear, it gets you ultimately confused.  Especially when all of us are saying almost the same thing.  Don’t quibble, let’s just get it done…”

“…We all have different teams that we scout, and in our preparation will have these grandiose ideas, but they have to be applicable and practicable in order to get the job done…” 

One day of rest, then back in the Lone Star State fire, this time against the Dallas Mavericks (5:30 pm PST, KCAL).  Dirk and his boys are never a squad to take lightly, but under ideal circumstances, Kobe and his boys wouldn't hesitate to declare themselves equals to their upper echelon hosts (or any hosts, for that matter).  Unfortunately, these are not ideal circumstances.  Injuries have currently taken prisoner of four players, which may not be enough to prompt the tickled pink Kobe Bryant into a 180 on his recent seals of approval towards his squad, but it does mean that Lamar Odom (among others) will need to pick up their games to make their fallen teammates' absences less noticeable.  In particular, the void left by no Andrew Bynum.  The squad has gone .500 since Drew went down to a subluxatickety (new adjective alert!!!) knee, and while maintaining that clip would actually strike AK as pretty good (all things being equal and realistic), in terms of building upon the Lakers' great start, it represents a road block.  The math shows that Kwame Brown is hardly a comparable replacement.  Ronny Turiaf has fared better, but his PT is being limited by a toe issue.  But on a positive note, assuming Bynum eventually returns healthy, it's easy to picture the Lakers  making some noise as the season winds down.   After all, Kenny Smith and Magic Johnson both professed during yesterday's TNT pregame show that had the kid remained healthy, he'd have been an All-Star.  Which means he'd be kicking it Big Easy style with The Mamba, who predictably led all West players to make his 10th team.  From there, let the reserve debate begin... and begin again.

Oh, for those who didn't know, the current issue of ESPN The Magazine features an article on Bynum, delving into large detail about his offseason workouts, his often underestimated love of the game and his relationship with Kobe.  It'll be on stands for about another week, so check it out or read it online.

Lakers assistant coach Jim Cleamons has a history with the Lakers that runs back to his rookie season in the NBA, when he was L.A.'s #1 pick in the '71 draft and was a reserve guard on the '71-'72 title team.  He'd go on to have a nine year career with the Lakers, Cavs, Knicks, and Bullets.  His long relationship with Phil Jackson goes back to the '78-'79 season, when they were tammates in New York.  As a coach, Cleamons joined Jackson's staff in Chicago for seven seasons, then again in Los Angeles during the threepeat years.  After a trip to New Orleans to work with Byron Scott, Cleamons came back to L.A. and Jackson's staff last season.  He also has head coaching experience, with the Mavs from '96 into the '98 season.  To say the least, he's seen a great deal over his 35+ seasons in professional basketball.

I had a chance to talk with Cleamons last week at the Lakers practice facility in El Segundo, on topics ranging from his tenure as a player and how it helped shape him as a coach, working with PJ and how the staff operates, and issues on the current squad from Kobe to how they'll have to adjust without Drew. 

Click here for the audio (Download jim_cleamons_1.mp3), and below for some quote pulls (Note: What comes beneath the jump isn't a full transcript.  Call it a highlight reel). 

BK

On how good timing, hard work, and luck all play in to success and winning:

"Without a doubt it's a combination.  The period of time I was born, the people who crossed my path as teachers, as teammates, the competition that I've had to play against and compete against, and the friends that I have as a result of this game.  It's all important.  It's all been, really, a highlight to me.  Nobody else will probably ever really care, but it's part of my experience and a legacy that I very comfortable about, because it is my experience." 

(Note: Sorry about the delayed post.  BK is in Colorado doing X-Games stuff for ESPN and I just moved with the girlfriend into a new place that became cable/Internet ready about 20 minutes ago.  I know y'all like your news ASAP, so apologies for the delay.  Anyhoo...)

Nobody expected a bout with the defending champeens to be an easy, peasy affair, which makes last night's 103-91 loss in San Antonio anything but outright shocking.  Not that the Lakers didn't have their shot at pulling off the upset.  In fact, the purple and gold's halftime chalk talk commenced with a nine point lead.  But an old nemesis, known in Laker Nation circles as "the third quarter," resurfaced to produce a frame where the visitors were outscored 31-12.  Kobe emphatically reminded his boys that the hometown soldiers weren't about to go down without a fight, a message they apparently took to mean, "I'll gladly do all the work for everyone."  From there, it was all about iso-born, highly contested shots and Mamba-assigned turnovers (which Phil Jackson felt reflected the ends, not the means) and tempers flaring a bit between young players- one of the pups being Jordan Farmar, otherwise enjoying a terrific sophomore effort- subbing in for ineffective vets.  Among the guilty is Luke Walton, whose bad ankle is affecting his ability to consistently contribute.  Sucks to be unhealthy, but according to Tex Winter, that's just tough noogies.  The Triangle guru feels its imperative for Walton and LO to step up their game during this Bynum-less period.  The Lakers will also need a steady dose of unwavering belief from Kobe.

If everything is bigger in Texas, so too should be the sweet, sweet spoils of victory, right? First big road test for the depleted purple and gold. Another one of those big games, where the "how" is almost as important as "the result."

BK

You may recall how the Lakers' 107-92 loss to San Antonio in November featured the rare Kamenetzky in attendance (specifically AK) during a roadie.  The results weren't pretty, and while the fall shouldn't necessarily be pinned on blogger-centric presences (especially considering the very next evening featured a win in Houston), perhaps neither Lakersblog rep being in attendance for tonight's Texas rematch will yield a more favorable outcome.  Any excursion through the Lone Star State (Dallas to follow on Friday) ain't no frolic in the daisies, but perhaps now is a prime time to face the Spurs (relatively speaking), considering they're a touch out of sorts these days (again, relatively speaking).  And they may be frantically guessing about whether "Kobe the Scorer" or "Kobe the Dish man" will be on hand.  If it's the latter, expect a dialed-in D.Fish on the receiving end of several passes, along with more talk about how Kobe's "getting it" when it comes to making his teammates better, pro-Mamba squawk that's gaining steady volume as "experts" break down a season at the halfway point.

Between working solo (no offense to Mom, who brought her A-Game to the proceedings but didn't do any actual typing), not having the chance to pick up the audio recorder at BK's before the game and the ridiculous length a TNT broadcast takes to end, I wasn't able to get y'all much in the way of post-game copy.  Unless I was willing to remain at Staples until about 1 am, of course, but to put it bluntly, I wasn't.  That said, I wanted to make sure everyone got their fill of purple and gold quotes, so here you go.

To me, the most interesting aspect of the night wasn't necessarily seeing Kobe setting up guys so frequently, since we've seen plenty of games where he's racked mucho dimes.  But I did find it noteworthy that he'd look to do so immediately, despite the squad missing some key bodies.  I realize he was looking to make Denver pay for double and triple teaming him, but at the same time, Kobe hasn't always taken that approach while facing swarms of defenders in the past.  I don't think it's going out on a limb to say Kobe's history has included forcing the issue and not, as the expression goes, "letting the game come to him."  Thus, Kobe deserves praise for not only exercising self-discipline, but also extreme confidence in his running mates from minute one.  Obviously, it won't be like that every night, since supporting cast shots won't always fall and there will be nights where the league's best player needs to dominate, especially down the stretch.  But I always think it's a great sign when Kobe doesn't appear pressed to take over from the jump, so I asked a few people (including Kobe) about that aspect of the win.  Here's what he (and others) had to say about that and other topics.  In particular, I thought Derek Fisher had some good insight, espcially to my "chicken/egg" query.

Or a "beng," if you're into the pun thing. 

But no matter what your phrase of choice, it doesn't change the fact that a 116-99 score equals the Lakers putting the wood to Denver.  What the Lakers didn't put to Denver, however, was a barrage of Kobe Bryant shots, the approach some might have expected with their rotation growing even more shortened due to Trevor Ariza's broken foot.   Instead, Kobe felt the game out and decided on an assist-heavy approach, racking 11 dimes and keeping Denver awkwardly on their heels. The most sensational of these passes was a behind the back beauty to a cutting Ronny Turiaf, but the most prolific recipient of Bryant's sharing was Derek Fisher, who tallied 28 points and hit six of his seven attempts from downtown.  Fisher began the game in the zone and, along with Jordan Farmar,  sparked a long distance bomb drop to put Lakers back in charge after Denver made a third quarter run.  From there, it was all about protecting the fans' free tacos, which were within a hairsbreadth of being lost.  You won't know simply from looking at the box score, but newbie Laker Mbenga's second block of the night was the Mexican grub clincher.  If you're out to become a crowd fave, that's the way to do it.

As a matter of fact, the fans always get tacos when she's in the press area and sticks around for the live blog, as was the case in tonight's 116-99 win over the Nuggets.  And these happy developments provided Mom and Lakers fans quite the blast.  To say the least, it's something of a tenuous period for the Purple and Gold, given how Trevor Ariza's recent foot fracture has combined with Andrew Bynum's "Subluxation Heard 'Round the World" to cause worries of deja vu all over again for the Lakers.  After all, the team's hot '07 start was derailed by injury, so why wouldn't the same happen again with the injury bug apparently still carrying a grudge?  Well, the Lakers seemed determined not only to thwart a historical repeat, but didn't even go into "Carry us, Kobe" mode doing it.  Five Lakers chucked the rock more times than the New Jack Bauer, the same number of guys (Kobe included) that hit double figures.  Obviously, this won't (nor should it) be the case in every go around, but the box score could serve as a statement of sorts.  These Lakers are better equipped, mentally and physically, to weather this storm, and as a team.

The breakdown is below.

AK

The Lakers have never lost a game where Mom co-live blogged.  They've also never won.  Something's gotta give.

-AK (who's doing the whole shmear)

First Quarter

It was nice to hear Kwame get a rousing round of applause during his introduction.  Hopefully, it'll stay the same, even after missing his first shot attempt.

Seriously.  For reals. 

BK is in Colorado right now doing some X-Games reporting for ESPN, so I needed some help.  And who better to ask than my mom, who happens to be a very big Laker fan.  For those unfamiliar with Mom's purple and gold passion (as well as her often unusual observations of the team), the "Mom on___" thread provides her greatest hits.  But in a nutshell, she started following the team as best as she could from St. Louis purely as a means of having something to talk about with her oldest, Laker-fanatic son.  But before she knew it, Mom turned into a genuine fan.  Thus, I thought she'd be pretty stoked at the opportunity to see her kids' gig up close and personal.  Here were the highlights before the game.

As many suspected would happen, the Lakers inked free agent DJ Mbenga to a 10-Day contract.  For those unfamiliar with Didier Ilunga-Mbenga, whose career stats don't bear a ton of run since entering the league, a few tidbits.  He's from the Congo.  He's probably best known for shot blocking.  Well, shot blocking and the ability to raise Stu Jackson's dander.  While playing for Dallas, he got suspended one game for a flagrant to Lebron (which I'm sure will tickle more than a few of you).  As a Mav, Mbenga also got punished six games for entering the stands.  In its own right, that's a pretty impressive clip for a dude who's only played 95 games as an NBA pro (I would have played the "in the Congo, we're allowed to do that" card in a transparently lame attempt to escape disciplinary action).

Oh, and I'm pretty sure the "M" is silent. 

Also got a couple scouting reports on the big man.  The Hoopshype take, then one from ESPN's John Hollinger (apologies to those without insider access). 

The official press release from the Lakers is below the jump.

AK

For that matter, neither do the K Brothers, but you don't hear us complaining (unless you can pick up on aggravation projected via keyboard typing, in which case, you in fact do hear it).

Well, another day, another TNT game, this time against Denver (7:30 pm PST) and featuring a "Sly and the Family Karl" storyline.  Hopefully, this nationally televised contest will also feature less derision towards Kwame Brown from the Chuckster, Ernie Johnson and Kenny Smith, who's got plenty of flattery for one of 54's teammates (similar to the praise from Jalen Rose).  Perhaps Kwame and the fans can remain a little more simpatico if the board work and general paint game of Andrew Bynum can be duplicated on some level, the onus of which will undoubtedly fall primarily on Lamar Odom's shoulders.  LO understands what is expected from him along these lines and says he's ready for the challenge, especially with health now on his side (which gives him little in common with Trevor Ariza).  If Lamar can't do it all himself and the Lakers are willing to embrace extreme- and not particularly smart- measures, there's always a certain center Chicago would love to trade.

For those who screamed all summer for Mitch Kupchak to pull the trigger on a Bynum-LO for JO swap, just be happy he's the GM and you're not.

The Lakers received some more bad news today, as Trevor Ariza was diagnosed with a fractured bone in his right foot (the fourth metatarsal, for those of you with a bend towards podiatry).  How much time he'll miss will become more clear after he's examined again on Monday.  Apparently, he came down on D-Fish's foot at practice Sunday (though another report had L.O. as the owner of the offending appendage).  All sorts of deja vu goin' on here, folks.

More news tomorrow, I guess, but the thinning of the Lakers continues. 

BK

A lot of fans have waited to see how Kwame Brown would react to his very public dress down by the fans at Staples during Thursday night's loss to Phoenix.  Saturday after practice, he spoke to the media and acquitted himself well.  Though he was surprised to hear the fans react the way they did- most of us were- he acknowledged that a) his level of play was terrible, and even worse, b) he let it affect his performance on the court. Both, Brown said, are things that he can't let happen.  Hopefully (for his psyche and the sake of the Lakers) he bounces back tomorrow night against Denver at Staples.  To see him working with Kareem on post moves (read that last notebook, folks!) is certainly a good sign.  Bad hands and a hurried pace?  Not so much. 

The questions about where the Lakers go from here- no Drew, shaky center, etc.- still loom large, but in the big picture life in LakerVille are actually healthier than it was a few months back (for those of you who missed the landscape altering words from Kobe in Seattle, here you go).  Hopefully L.A. gets a handle on things fast, because the schedule tightens up over the next month.

The Lakers aren't likely to be big players at the trade deadline, and despite some big rumors, the Suns aren't either, according to their owner (he'd certainly know). 

Light day in the way of news, but what's there is heavy on solidarity.  The Laker roster stood firm in its support of Kwame Brown, who was booed every time the rock was in his mitts during Thursday's loss to Phoenix, a loss that featured many a player off his "A" Game.  Such behavior doesn't mesh with Jordan Farmar's notion of a Laker fan (and the kid grew up in L.A., so he oughta know) and as far as Kobe Bryant is concerned, those razzing types need not make a return trip to Staples if that's gonna be their attitude.  The Lakers have enough to worry about at the moment without a home crowd turning hostile.  Like how to carry forth the momentum of their surprise success with Andrew Bynum on the shelf.  Is the fill-in answer a shot-blocking-and-not-much-else DJ Mbenga, former Laker bench staple Jelani McCoy or former Laker nemesis Chris Webber (who may have apprehensions about donning the currently diluted purple and gold)? 
Need an "expert's" two cents?  TNT's Kenny Smith talks (literally) purple and gold strategy without Bynum.

Speaking of the kid, he spoke before Thursday's game against the Suns, and managed to keep a pretty optimistic tone despite obvious disappointment.  Here's the sound: Download andrew_bynum_1.17 on injury.mp3

And a winning one, of course.  Such matters do require clarification to keep the mojo from running wild in the wrong direction.  But the Lakers had racked seven consecutive victories heading into last night's 106-98 loss to the Suns, a fall that also saw an end to their stay at the top of the Western Conference standings.  The match kicked off like a blowout in the making.  Nobody besides Kobe or Lamar Odom registering much in the way of first half points and the entire team struggling to make friends with the Phoenix goal.  Things went from bad to worse as a sputtering Kwame Brown began hearing from the boo birds any time the rock was in his hands, a development as jarring for Brown's teammates as the center himself.   No player, even one who thinks Kwame should be getting more from his raw talent, wants to see a dude sharing his uni treated in such fashion.  The razzing ended up overshadowing the actual game, with teammate more concerned with sticking up for their buddy than discussing the fourth quarter rally that put a winning box score within their sights, however fleetingly.

And the primo play came in the fourth quarter to boot, usually the time where wins and losses are solidified.  Unfortunately, the preceding trio of frames left oodles to be desired, proving too much for the Lakers to overcome in this 106-98 loss to the Phoenix Suns.  The Lakers found themselves down big from the jump, managing to nearly erase an eleven point deficit in the first quarter, then watching it widen to thirteen before the Charles, Ernie and Kenny did their TNT halftime gig.  The third was all about the slope becoming more slippery, along with seven more Phoenix points separating the Suns and the Lakers.  Finally, the fourth quarter featured a purple and gold pulse, but as the box score shows, all for naught.  Big games from a few fellas, so-so to awful from the majority and a fairly unsettling reaction from the crowd towards one Laker in particular.  Some good to take away, along with some bad, all of which we break down below the jump.

-AK

I tell ya, it's been nearly two years since the horse collar incident, and that Ra-Ra Bell remains as unpopular as ever.  Staples let him have it.

-AK (with the first quarter)

FIRST QUARTER

11:41 - The scoring begins Phoenix-centric, with Steve Nash drilling a three ball.  Fortunately, "Lawler's Law" doesn't state that the first to 3 wins, so hang in there.

10:30 - The only thing that gets a crowd more audibly uneasy than Kwame lining up to take a 13 footer is Kwame pausing three second to think about it, then lining up to take a 13-footer.  To say the least, not a confidence inspiration-er.

Much has been made about the need for Lamar Odom to step up his overall game in the absence of Andrew Bynum.  Phil Jackson mentioned it in his pregame confab with reporters.  AK and I have talked about it.  You have pointed it out on the site.  Well, while there are no guarantees in life, there are some positive signs.  First, LO is getting further away from his injury issues, and health is always an important factor.  Second, he's breaking in a new style of shoe tonight that, in my estimation, are good for six points and three boards on their own.  Very sharp, and anyone who has played a little hoop knows the confidence a slick pair of kicks can bring. 

Third, and most importantly, he received a passionate pregame peptalk from Vic the Brick. 

This isn't an uncommon thing for L.O. or any of his teammates, as VTB's mystical, metaphysical Gipper speeches are somewhat legendary (on one level or another) at this point.  But tonight's seemed particularly on point.  I couldn't hear what they were saying- Vic leans in tight and uses an earnest-yet-sotto voice- but it really looked like he was bringing the noise.  My prediction for LO tonight: 73 points, 54 boards, 31 assists, and 29 blocks.  I'm telling you, the speech was that good.

NOTES/AUDIO:

• PJ talked a lot about what Kwame does well for them, and the need to try and get him involved offensively against Stoudamire, especially early.  Amare, for all his athleticism, isn't a good defender, and with inside production so important for the Lakers these days, an active Kwame would be good for LA.  I asked him how they can keep that spacing and generate the good shots they've been able to create thus far, and Jackson emphasized good ball movement, cutting, player movement, and productive outside shooting to help even things out.
• Speaking of bombers, Sasha is back in the lineup, but Vlad, as you know, is out for the time being.  PJ hopes he'll be ready for the start of the big trip at the end of the month. Luke Walton's ankle is still an issue, but he'll dress.  PJ seemed to indicate his problems could be something that could dog him for a while.
• Inactives:  For the Lakers, Bynum and Mihm.  For Phoenix, Alando Tucker. 
• On the white board in the locker room is always a list of sets and strategies the team needs to watch during that night's game.  Tonight, under "Defense" was a laundry list of about 12 things, from watch the pick and roll to close on outside shooters to clean the glass.  Looking at Fish, I said, "That's an awful big list."  He laughed.  "Oh yeah.  A lot bigger than you'll see with most teams, that's for sure."
• Sound: Phil Jackson- Download phil_jackson_1.17 prePHO.mp3

BK

I was going to start this news/opinion post by saying that perhaps the least important thing about tonight's game at Staples against the Suns (7:30 pm, TNT) will be the final score.  That, of course, is ridiculous.  The point of the game is to win, so obviously it matters, especially given the potential importance of the game down the line in terms of clinching a head-to-head tiebreaker (should that sort of thing come in handy around playoff time).  But notwithstanding my suppressed flair for melodrama, the larger point I was planning to make still holds: Tonight provides great opportunity for the Lakers to show the rest of the league- and themselves- that they're capable of performing at that top o' the conference level we've all come to know and love without Andrew Bynum.  It's pretty clear at this point how I think they need to play to get 'er done, so that Kobe was talking Wednesday about finding that early '06 rhythm, where Kobe was a force but his team contributed, too, was certainly encouraging.  Bryant correctly acknowledges it could take a few games to get there, but that those games are on the brain is a great sign for a team confident in its skills thanks to a 17-3 run over their last 20 games.

But back to the winning/not winning thing: If the Lakers play a strong, confident, (at least reasonably) well played game and lose- yes, it's a possibility, especially given how annoyed the Suns must be after losing to the Clips on Tuesday- they'll still make their point (at least to me).  Ironically, if they lean on Kobe to take another 44 shots, even if 24 comes through and buries 26 of them en route to a win, larger questions will linger (at least for me).  And of course, it's all about proving things to me, right?

It's still just one game, part of a larger process, so fans (and media) shouldn't freak out no matter what happens, but as far as either fueling a little more paranoia or starting to ease some minds, this game could go a long way towards doing both.  Should be fun!
 

BK

The Suns, after frustrating playoff results over the last couple seasons, seem to have a new attitude about the regular season, trying to find that balance between worry, motivation, and cruising.  For Bynum, after hurting his knee Sunday night there was some worry, and now he's got plenty of motivation to rehab and get well (no cruising, dude).  For those among us without an M.D., Gary Vitti broke down Bynum's injury after practice on Wednesday, explaining both what happened and how he can heal.  Beats any episode of "House." 

On the personnel side, the Chris Webber rumors aren't going away, perhaps reaching "when" as opposed to "if" status.  Exacerbating the need for another player is the news that Vlad Radmanovic, whom the Lakers had hoped would start practicing this week, will be on the shelf for at least another couple weeks. 

PROGRAMMING NOTE:  Be sure to tune into Purple, Gold, and Blue today at 11.  We'll be kicking around the Bynum injury, talking about where the Lakers go from here, FAs and potential trades... all with Bethlehem Shoals of Free Darko.  Click on the show widget on the side of the page, and feel free to call in!

The Clippers did the Lakers a solid, beating Phoenix last night at Staples to allow the Lakers to maintain their perch high atop the Western Conference.  (Ah, the Suns ain't that good anyway, right?) Ask Phil Jackson, though, and he'll tell you that if they'd like to stay there, LAL can't be a one man show as they were Monday night against Seattle.  Everyone, from Kobe on down, needs to maintain the mindset of getting involved and staying that way.  As it is, the Lakers- or at least some Lakers fans- are trying to suppress feelings of injury induced deja vu as nicks little (Sasha, Vlad) and big (Bynum) start to add up.  It's widely suspected that the Lakers will add another body to the mix, to shore up the runway model thin frontcourt.  PJ Brown says he's not interested, but Chris Webber is certainly an option (this deja vu thing really has legs).

What they'll be a mover and a shaker at the trade deadline is an open question, as there are good reasons to deal, and bigger limitations that could keep it from happening. 

One silver lining to the Bynum injury?  It shows how much Kobe believes in this team when he's healthy.  There are, though, some lingering questions (and answers) about the injury aftermath. 

Not to be a total downer, but the lofty dreams Lakers fans have conjured over the highly successful first 37 games of the season- I'm talking about winning the Pacific, maybe even the Western Conference- are officially out the window with the injury to Andrew Bynum.  The growth in his play and his influence on games is the single greatest factor in L.A.'s improvement this season, and without that production in the lineup, they're simply not going to win as many games.  Hopefully he comes back with enough time left in the season to regain the sort of form he was showing up until Sunday.  If he does, the Lakers have a chance to make some noise in the postseason.  If he doesn't?  They're a whole lot more like the teams of the last couple seasons... and we know how that turned out.

Where they finish, though, when mid-April comes will be determined by how they fare over the next eight (hopefully not more) weeks.  Sunday night, Kobe talked a lot about rhythm, how they'd established one with Bynum, and how they need to find a new one with him out of the lineup.   

I hope they don't settle on the one they used last night. 

Given their current circumstances, it's hard to figure on it lasting all that long, but this morning at least, the Lakers wake up as the best team in the Western Conference, courtesy of a 123-121 OT win over the Sonics in Seattle Monday night.  It was hardly easy, and if the game was any indication of what life without Andrew Bynum is going to look like, folks might want to make sure their home defibrillator is charged and encourage Kobe to get all the rest he can between games. 

The former because for the second night in a row, the Lakers found themselves in a close game against a less than spectacular opponent, and the latter because for one night at least, the L.A. offense was W.K.O.B.E. Radio: All Kobe, All the Time.  48 points on 21-44 from the floor, including huge points down the stretch and the game winner in OT, a patented Kobe pull up jumper from 18 feet.  It was a night where 24 felt he needed to be more assertive, considering the mood of the squad.  It was a night of offense as the Sonics attack, not exactly robust of late, found room to roam on the Lakers D- particularly Nick Collison (24/18) inside.   

First day of the rest of Lakers fans' lives?  Well, at least the next eight weeks.  Here we go...

-AK

On the plus side, I learned what "subluxation" means.  On the minus side, everything else. 

I'm not gonna lie.  Nor am I gonna beat around the bush.  Andrew Bynum missing at least eight weeks with, in layman's terms, a dislocated kneecap puts the Lakers, to use "Ocean's Eleven" speak, in "Barney Rubble."  For those of you who only saw "Ocean's Twelve," that's the Don Cheadle character's phrase for "trouble."  And if there's such a thing as "deep Barney Rubble," the Lakers are currently standing waist-high in it.  They've just gone from one of the top-5 teams in the west (arguably in the NBA) to a squad that becomes markedly less dynamic and effective.  Yes, there were several factors to this season's forward leap.  The leadership and skills upgrade Derek Fisher represents over Smush Parker.  Jordan Farmar's offseason improvement, which has allowed him to lead a more prolific (for the most part) second unit.  Trevor Ariza replacing two spare parts and immediately clicking.  The natural growth that comes with a core unit racking another season together.  But that was all icing on the cake.  Bynum is the cake.  There's no single element shifting the Lakers into a legit playoff team than Andrew Bynum balling like a top-tier center.   

Period.  End of discussion.  There is no debate to be had.
 

ESPN.com is reporting that Andrew Bynum won't need surgery, but will miss eight weeks or so with a subluxation of the left kneecap.  In layman's terms, that's a dislocated kneecap.  (For more about subluxation, consult this link, or visit your local library.) I'm sure more info will filter in, and we'll have our reaction to the news ASAP, but it's fair to say that while the news could have been better... it could have been an awful lot worse, too.

BK

Update (1:27 pm):  The Lakers have released their official word on the MRI results.  Not much different than what was in the initial report from ESPN, except that they mention that Bynum also suffered a bruise of the left knee, and they added the words "minimum of" in front of "eight weeks" in describing the time frame.  The team did cap the very brief report with the chipper news that Bynum is "expected to make a full recovery."

Obviously, he might come back a little earlier, he might come back a little later.  But nobody should count on the former.  At quick check, though, it does appear that on an eight week timetable, Bynum has enough time to come back and get into a groove before the playoffs.  So that's good. 
 

It was Ronny Turiaf's birthday, Kobe was able to gut through his upper respiratory bug, and the media room was serving some delicious little tostadas.  That was some good news from Sunday's game at Staples.  The rest came almost exclusively in the final score- a narrowly taco worthy 100-99 win over the Grizzlies- and was totally overshadowed by the bad.  Andrew Bynum went down with an injury to his left knee early in the third quarter after landing on Lamar Odom's foot while reaching for a rebound