Caught in the Web: Lakers enjoy day off before getting ready for New Orleans
Lakers reports
--The Times' Mike Bresnahan explains why Lakers Coach Phil Jackson believes the team can win 60 regular-season games.
--The Times' Broderick Turner highlights Lamar Odom's efforts during the team's five-game trip.
--The Orange County Register's Kevin Ding examines how the Lakers' recent high volume of turnovers has affected their performances.
--The Daily News' Elliott Teaford details how drastically different the New Orleans Hornets have become since being a contender two seasons ago in the Western Conference.
--The New Orleans Times-Picayune's Jimmy Smith details how rookie guard Marcus Thornton is in for a real test in trying to guard Kobe Bryant.
More Lakers links
--The Times' Mark Heisler argues that there's not much to worry about regarding the Lakers, and also questions Roland Lazenby's reporting on a rift between Jackson and the Buss family as well as the possibility LeBron James could join the Lakers. For the sake of fair play, here's Lazenby's response on Laker Noise.
--Lakers.com's Mike Trudell has some news and notes on the Lakers' playoff picture.
--Pro Basketball Talk's Matt Moore takes an early peek at the NBA playoffs.
--Silver Screen and Roll dissects Derek Fisher's recent performance against Houston.
--Sports Illustrated's Dan Shaughnessy argues that Spurs forward Tim Duncan isn't among the best 10 players in NBA history, a list reserved for a few Lakers greats, such as Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O'Neal.
Tweet of the Day: "Kobe Bryant is averaging just 14.0 points on 44.0 percent shooting over his last two games." -- MEavesFSWest (Fox Sports West sideline reporter Michael Eaves).
Reader Comment of the Day: "Last I checked, you don't get a trophy for winning 60 games. The only number that matters is 16 once the season ends." - EJK
-- Mark Medina
Follow the L.A. Times Lakers blog on Twitter. E-mail the Lakers blog at mgmedin@gmail.com
Photo: Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul will be part of the action in the Lakers' fourth game on a five-game trip. Credit: Andrew D. Bernstein / NBAE via Getty Images
(Re-post...because MM, dude, you are positively a posticulous postaholic)
MM, regarding the matchups for the playoffs, I'm going to repeat an observation I've made many times, regarding the Lakers under Phil Jackson. Namely, that they, more than any other team not just in the NBA, but in ANY sport, have been constructed piece by piece specifically for the playoffs. So while your survey is entertaining, to see what the blog-think-sync is, the truth is...it doesn't really make much difference (good call on that poll option, MM).
Phil likes maximum versatility and rotation flexibility. It's not just Odom as the ultimate Swiss army knife player, it's also the Lakers as the ultimate Swiss army knife playoff team. And it's not just matching up against certain teams (as the Clueless Cavs and the Not-so-Magic have erroneously done in loading up specifically for the Lakers), it's also having specific options in game situations over an entire 7-game series.
So that's why the ankle-biting pretender teams (Thunder, Blazers, Jazz) get so thrilled when they ambush the Lakers for ONE game in the regular season, but would lose in 5 or 6 in the playoffs.
Simply put, the Lakers have more weapons at more positions, and can be assembled and re-assembled in more ways than any other team in the NBA. And if they still have the hunger to want to take it one more time (the ONLY X-factor), they will.
Posted by: CornerJ | March 29, 2010 at 01:13 PM
REGARDING LIVE-GAME CHAT...
I, like LakerTom, choose to DVR Laker games, then start watching no earlier than 45 to 60 minutes after game time, thus avoiding most of commercials. But, on rare occassions I do watch live (such as a couple days ago and tonite) when I am traveling and stuck with a non-DVR TV. Hope to be there tonite.
By the way, I am a Pastor. So I will enjoy being the designated driver for all of you kegsters at the chat party! :-) lol
Minute by minute,
Quarter by quarter,
One game at a time,
Rooting to win "FO".
Mike
Posted by: LakerMike | March 29, 2010 at 01:23 PM
The Lakers have what no other teams have.
Phil Jackson.
Prime Geographical Location.
Hollywood.
Any other coach coaching this team and the team would've imploded long ago.
Posted by: Curry | March 29, 2010 at 01:29 PM
1. Wow. Roland Lazenby just evicerated Mark Heisler in his article. EVICERATED HIM! Whoa.
2. Roland Lazenby just argued that the Lakers have too much control over local media. a) All sports organizations have public relations divisions. It's a basic component of marketing. b) If Roland thinks that the Lakers have too much control over local media, he should live in Cleveland for a little while. NOTHING (NOTHING!!!) negative about the Cavs gets out in the local media. NOTHING! I get scoops off the street from people who personally know LeBron James and various Cavs. You don't hear ANY of that here in the media. So maybe Roland should chill out a little bit. L.A. Times writers can be critical of the Lakers at times. It happens. Actually it happens a lot. c) I love Roland Lazenby as a writer, but he seems to have a personal vendetta at times against certain members of the Lakers organization while, at the same time, Tex Winters can absolutely do no wrong.
3. Is it game time yet?
What do we play for? RINGS!!!
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!!!
Posted by: Jon K. | March 29, 2010 at 01:31 PM
Dan Shaughnessy has LeBron James above Tim Duncan. Makes sense. It must because of all of LeBron's rings.
What do we play for? RINGS!!!
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!!!
Posted by: Jon K. | March 29, 2010 at 01:42 PM
to whom it may concern-
it's getting pretty damn old having the Times' site constantly trying to install malware on the computers of website viewers. it's a bad piece of javascript, in case it's not intentional and the webmaster needs to protect against a hacker. more likely, though, it's corporate datamining which MUST stop.
Posted by: mud | March 29, 2010 at 01:51 PM
MM,
Give me a heads up next time. I didn't even have time to prepare a thank you/acceptance speech.
And wow, what a smackdown between Roland and Heisler. I have to agree with Roland on one thing - Heisler's articles are generally uninteresting and simply regurgitate the obvious. That's why I come here first for my Laker news.
Posted by: EJK | March 29, 2010 at 01:57 PM
EJK - I thought the element of surprise would make it even more special, you know to build up the anticipation when you wake up in the morning wondering if you've been nominated.
MM
Posted by: Mark Medina | March 29, 2010 at 01:59 PM
mud- can you be a little bit more specific to what you're referring to? I'm simply asking because anytime I get any feedback regarding problems to the sight, I immediately forward to our administrators so they're aware of it and, hopefully, fix the problem
MM
Posted by: Mark Medina | March 29, 2010 at 02:00 PM
EJK, EJK, HE' THE READER COMMENT OF THE DAY!
YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH, Kudo's to you bro. Couldn't go to a better person. By the way there's a stipulation to that prize. You have to buy Taco's for the entire lakers Blog! lol! Just playing with you brother. Kudo's, congrats and...OUT FREAKIN STANDING!!
MAMBA24(LARRY)
Posted by: MAMBA24 | March 29, 2010 at 02:19 PM
hey guys we got a new post
MM
Posted by: Mark Medina | March 29, 2010 at 02:28 PM
"2. Roland Lazenby just argued that the Lakers have too much control over local media. a) All sports organizations have public relations divisions. It's a basic component of marketing. b) If Roland thinks that the Lakers have too much control over local media, he should live in Cleveland for a little while. NOTHING (NOTHING!!!) negative about the Cavs gets out in the local media. NOTHING! I get scoops off the street from people who personally know LeBron James and various Cavs. You don't hear ANY of that here in the media. So maybe Roland should chill out a little bit. L.A. Times writers can be critical of the Lakers at times. It happens. Actually it happens a lot. c) I love Roland Lazenby as a writer, but he seems to have a personal vendetta at times against certain members of the Lakers organization while, at the same time, Tex Winters can absolutely do no wrong."
Posted by: Jon K. | March 29, 2010 at 01:31 PM
------------------------------
Great post Jon K. Although I'd have to say that the reason why Lebron James isn't talked negatively much in the media is because...
the NBA's league office controls that aspect of it.
They want to control the NBA's image.
Same goes for the Lakers' coverage of Kobe and the rest of the team. The League allows the disgruntled, power struggle nature of the Lakers BECAUSE it adds an different aspect of personality to an already established brand.
This is another branding or image technique.
All this is done to maximize viewership and hence revenue. That's all there is to it.
Posted by: Currt | March 29, 2010 at 02:39 PM
Mamba,
Thanks for the kind words, bro. Nothing beats getting an "OUT FREAKIN STANDING" from you :)
As far as the tacos go, feel free to put it on MM's tab. With his new gig here, I'm sure a few thousand tacos is chump change to him. Thanks in advance, MM!
Posted by: EJK | March 29, 2010 at 03:13 PM
Where is there where the struggle as a valuable ... It is just like a country in order to safeguard its own national interests have taken all the so-called "exclusion policy" ...
The NBA, as an alliance have to weigh the pros and cons of some of the measures made! Therefore, to suppress part of the people and things is to some other brand or the rise of Yeh!
Posted by: Jerome | March 29, 2010 at 03:33 PM
EJK, EJK, HE' THE READER COMMENT OF THE DAY!
YEAHHHHHHHHHHHH, Kudo's to you bro. Couldn't go to a better person. By the way there's a stipulation to that prize. You have to buy Taco's for the entire lakers Blog! lol! Just playing with you brother. Kudo's, congrats and...OUT FREAKIN STANDING!!
MAMBA24(LARRY)
Posted by: MAMBA24 | March 29, 2010 at 02:19 PM
WTH????????????? When I won I had to buy everyone STEAK.
Posted by: justanothermambafan | March 29, 2010 at 04:14 PM