Fair to say the Lakers handled the first half of their toughest back-to-back to date with style. 

Breakdown below.

Because it wouldn't be Thursday without the newest edition of your favorite bit of Lakers related ear candy (if it's not, keep it to yourself)...

Part I: Hamstring Week! at Lakers Blog continues. We kick around Pau Gasol's comments from Wednesday's practice about his injured right hamstring, get in depth on hammy injuries with sports injury expert Will Carroll of Baseball and Basketball Prospectus (and editor of The Carroll Guide to Sports Injuries), and discuss AK's alternate theory of Pau's recovery timetable.

For just the interview with Carroll, click here.

Part II: We start with a breakdown of Kobe Bryant's domination in the post. From there, it's on to league-wide issues. LeBron James says he's done talking about his impending free agency, but given how much LeBron has enjoyed stringing the media along ahead of The Great Summer of 2010, we don't think he can stick to it. After all, last night against the Magic he was wearing shoes with a tribute to the Yankees on 'em. With that in mind, we provide a few other passive-aggressive ways in which LBJ could hint at his future home. Finally, we lament the short (shelf) life of Earl Smith III, and reveal my secret bowling moniker.

BK

Ears receive the gift of manna from the heavens, because a new 710 ESPN.com Lakers PodKast has entered the Internet.  And like them gum hawking twins, BK and I double our listener's pleasure with two installments of our voices.  At no extra charge, I might add.  Because we're givers. 

Part I

        -The Lakers arrive in L.A. after back-to-back OT roadie wins over Oklahoma City and Houston.  Only bummer? Andrew Bynum's strained elbow, which will force him to miss tomorrow's game against Memphis.  Hopefully, it's not an extended absence, if for no other reason than he and Pau Gasol need time together on the floor ASAP.

        -Well, one more reason, too.  The sooner Drew and Pau are the starting 4/5 duo, the sooner Lamar Odom can rejoin the second unit, which desperately misses his presence.  Sixth man LO also likely means the quick end of a five man guard rotation, which PJ hinted wouldn't run much longer either way.  We speculate who's most likely to find himself aced out. 

        -Who'da thunk it, but Sasha Vujacic may be half of the highest profile romance involving an NBA player.  Does dating Maria Sharapova top Khlamar?  And more importantly, is this a "Domino!" heard 'round the the Lakers locker room?

PART II

       - BK and I talk with Slam Magazine/Slamonline.com's Lang Whitaker about who got the better end of the Artest-Ariza "swap," shoot down the ludricous "LeBron to the Lakers" scenario that's all the rage these days, and discuss the media's delicate covering of Delonte West's issues (detailed in wonderful form by Cleveland Scene's '64 And Counting blog)

        -Move over, Antoine Walker, there's a new irresponsible spending sheriff in town.  Once chief among my acting heroes, Nicolas Cage not only makes mostly crap movies these days, but spends his "crap movie" checks on ludicrous nonsense he neither needs nor apparently can afford.  Like, say, a pair of islands.  Or a pet octopus.  Although if he knows a guy who sells shrunken heads in bulk, that might have saved him a few bucks.

AK

We're getting ever... so... close to the start of the regular season, but for those needing a way to kill the hours between now and the 27th, I recommend this week's 710 ESPN.com Lakers PodKast.  Play it about 300 times, and boom! you're basically at opening night. Easy peasy.

This week, there's all sorts of auditory nutrition for your consumption.

• Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus, co-author of the Pro Basketball Prospectus 2009-10, a very thorough, extremely handy guide to the upcoming season well worth the $9.95 download price, joins us to talk about the Lakers. We touch on Ron Artest, Kobe's "decline," the growth of Pau Gasol, and more. They've run the numbers, and- this is going to shock you- the Lakers are really good. For that segment, click here. 
• We talk of Jordan Farmar's likely non-extension, the likely non-extension everyone seems to agree on. 
• Last week, we completed a Western Conference Crapapalooza, a whirlwind tour of what Andy called the algae eaters of our side of the basketball universe. This week, we rise, if not to the cream, at least to fish more towards the middle of the aquarium.
• There's a vigorous, vibrant mailbag (on Kobe's place in history and Phil Jackson's coaching style), followed by an examination of the lunacy taking place up north with Stephen Jackson and the Golden State Warriors. Jax is back on the floor, back but not happy and having voluntarily given up his captaincy. Call it another ring for the on-court and front office circus that's plagued GSW fans for the last few seasons (for more on the Warriors, click here). Since there's no drama down state, we had to look north for a little wierdosity.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson spoke to 710 ESPN radio today on a variety of topics, including his status for next season.  Again, he stated that health is the only thing that would keep him from coming back, and also that, as many have speculated, there's a possibility he might return but not keep a full travel schedule. 

PJ hits on other topics as well, including coaching this year's playoffs without Tex Winter, the factors that play into bringing all of LA's free agents back next year, Kobe Bryant, the location of his 10 rings, and those areas in which the Lakers can improve in '09-'10.  All told, it's almost 20 minutes long, and worth a listen.

Certainly it makes a lovely companion to his exit interview, posted earlier in the day.

BK

Yes, it's Shrimp on a Treadmill Set to the Benny Hill Theme!  (Yakety Sax, for those looking to extend proper royalty payments.)

Or, if you prefer, this very interesting interview with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (former Laker, very tall) from yesterday's Mason and Ireland Show on 710 ESPN.

BK

Breakdown below...

Hey folks.  I had a chance to talk with Ryan Schwan of the top notch NOH blog, Hornets 24/7.  We kick around the Tyson Chandler deal that wasn't and what the Hornets have to do now, dissect the differences between last year's Hornets squad that finished with 56 wins (one game back of LA) and this year's bunch- still good, but disappointing on a few levels.  Plus plenty of insight on how the Hornets operate on both ends of the floor.

I'm playing around with a new audio recording program and the results are a little spotty.  Sorry about that, but I think it's still plenty good enough to do the trick.  Enjoy!

Download ryan_schwan_hornets_preview.mp3

BK

We review a monumentally successful first half of the '08-'09 season, and welcome back F.O.T.S. (Friend of the Show) Eric Neel of ESPN.com.  The All Star Game, the Shaq-Kobe-PJ reunion, next week's trade deadline- we kick around all that and more.  Really, it's a feast of basketball sound.  A smorgasbord.  Your ears will have to join a gym when you're done listening, so packed with high calorie audio goodness is this week's installment.

Enjoy!

BK

More to help you get ready for tonight's game. Our guest is Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, one of the best beat guys in the business.  We talk LeBron, Kobe, the Cavs, the Eastern Conference, and (near the end) our dead childhood hamsters.  Really, it's more audio fun than should be allowed in any one day.

BK