Lakers for redemption

Lakers and the Celtics again is what everybody wants to see in the finals.

But I think the Lakers will win the championship this time and Kobe will get his fourth ring.

The New Guitar Heroes Commercial!

Watch Kobe Bryant on the mic, A-Rod and Michael Phelps playing the guitars, and Tony Hawk hitting the drums in the latest commercial of guitar heroes. It's so funny.

Is Kobe playing tonight?

Kobe Bryant is expected to play Tuesday against Portland Trailblazer for the opening game of the season. He "kinda" injured his knee when he bang into Josh Powell against the Bobcats on Tuesday. He was a little worried when it happened but later said that he was okay. The Lakers is playing the Bobcats again tonight for another preseason game. 

Is Kobe playing tonight?

Want to trade Lamar?...Think Again.

Lamar Odom is part of the bench mob now and I don't know about you guys but I think Lamar coming off the bench is the best thing for the Lakers if they want to win the championship. The fans and media are always giving him a hard time because he's inconsistent...wanting to trade him. I think he should stay because he does all the other small stuff that builds up to something big. As a Laker fan...we shouldn't take him for granted.

Find out why he would help the Lakers

Jordan Farmar's Goal as a Laker

Jordan Farmar has been playing great so far during the preseason. Coming off the bench, he's averaging 12 points a game, 3 assists, 2 steals, making 59.1 percent of his field goals...all 2nd in the team. His goal is to definitely start for the Lakers one day and he's pushing himself to do so. Right now, he's learning from the master Derek Fisher. 

Find out when he will start

Lakers' Kobe Bryant injured in exhibition

Kobe Bryant has experienced just about every injury in a pro career spanning 37,519 minutes, but this was a new one.

Bryant sustained a hyperextended right knee and was listed as day-to-day after banging knees with Lakers forward Josh Powell in the second quarter of Tuesday's 102-98 exhibition victory over the Charlotte Bobcats. Bryant was injured while going for a rebound off Sun Yue's missed shot from the wing. Bryant bumped into Powell, his knee was hyperextended and he landed off balance.

Bryant immediately signaled to the bench that he was injured, and a timeout was called with 3:08 left in the second quarter. He walked over and sat at the end of the bench for a few moments before heading to the locker room under his own power, with trainer Gary Vitti closely behind.

Bryant did not return for the second half and will be re-evaluated today. The injury is not considered serious, and an MRI exam is not scheduled for today unless he wakes up and experiences pain.

"We'll see how it feels [today]. It's sore," Bryant said in a brief...read full article

"The Machine" is working again.

Sasha Vujacic participated through the entirety of Monday’s practice, saying that he had a little discomfort in his ankle but no sharp pain. He didn’t want to push off it too much, and won’t play in L.A.’s preseason game in San Diego on Tuesday. However, he does feel good about his progress and will see how the ankle responds to a day’s worth of activity.

Click here see the Vujacic interview on video.

WOULD YOU RATHER: ANDREW BYNUM/JORDAN FARMAR

We played a game of “Would You Rather” with Andrew Bynum and Jordan Farmar, with names like Kimbo Slice, James Bond, Jessica Alba and Mr. Belding coming into play.

If you can figure out whose answers are better, let us know. I’m undecided.

MT: ... Would you rather fight Chuck Norris in a cage match or Kimbo Slice on the street?
Bynum: Chuck Norris. He’s a little bit smaller than Kimbo. I’m going to be able to stay away from Chuck a little bit, and I don’t want Kimbo to be touching me. 
Farmar: Chuck Norris, because I like organized sports. I don’t play basketball in the streets really anymore … I like being in a gym with refs. I’ll take my chances with Chuck.

MT: ... Be James Bond for a day ... Or Hugh Hefner for a day?
Bynum: James Bond. All day. You get the cars, you can shoot very well, you’re an ace, you’re a ladies’ man … You have the total package. 
Farmar: James Bond. Come on, he’s a highly-trained assassin/double-agent. He does his thing, and he still gets girls. He drives the hot car, he’s young, he’s fly, athletic, coordinated … Plus I’m not a Playmate kind of guy.

MT: ... Be able to communicate with animals, or be able to read women's minds?...read full article

Farmar backboard alley hoop pass to Ariza for the slam!

The Lakers are looking like the team to beat already. If you missed the Lakers vs. Raptors game on Sunday, here's a clip to show you that the Lakers are taking it all the way this year. Jordan Farmar to Trevor Ariza for a fast break backboard alley hoop slam!

Lakers' Kobe Bryant still needs some legwork

MVP might be a little fatigued from the Olympics and Phil Jackson is keeping an eye on him.

Long after the NBA Finals ended in mid-June, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol took center stage in an international theater, helping their respective countries to gold and silver finishes at the Beijing Olympics.

Has there been a carry-over effect from almost two months' worth of overtime? Gasol seems to be faring fine on the court this month, but Bryant has looked fatigued at times, Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said.

"Kobe still looks to me like his legs might be a little bit tired," Jackson said. "So I constantly ask him if he wants to take a day off or if he needs a day off. I check in with him."

Bryant sat out a few practices the first week of training camp and was sidelined for the second part of Friday's practice after feeling a twinge in his back. He is not expected to miss preseason games tonight and Sunday at Staples Center.

Bryant's shot has been somewhat flat in preseason play. He is shooting 36% (nine for 25) in three exhibition games.

"That's all legs," Jackson said. "He's got to get his legs into it."

Bryant also had a subpar exhibition season a year ago, but he snapped back to life with a 45-point effort in the season opener against Houston and eventually won his first...read full story

Lakers' Luke Walton may be scrambling for court time

The team has a logjam of talent at small forward and Jackson is still trying to define the forward's role.

Once, Luke Walton was the starting small forward for the Lakers, seemingly putting him on the path to success.

He was awarded a six-year, $30-million contract during the summer of 2007 after having a career year during the 2006-07 season in which he started 60 games, and all five of the Lakers' playoff games. But now Walton is in a struggle to find minutes because of the log jam of talent at his position. And it hasn't helped that Walton fell behind in training camp while recovering from ankle surgery.

"My job is to go out and play. His job is to determine who plays where, when and how much," Walton said of Lakers Coach Phil Jackson. "That's out of my control."  When Walton was a starter during the 2006-07 season, he averaged career highs in points (11.4), rebounds (5.0), assists (4.3) and minutes (33.0).

Last season he played in 74 games, but only 31 as a starter.

Walton's role this season has yet to be determined.

"I really don't know," Jackson said today after practice. That's because Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza, Vladimir Radmanovic and even Kobe Bryant all will spend time at the small forward position.

Andrew Bynum's agent disappointed with contract talks with Lakers

The center is in the final season of his contract and could become a restricted free agent next year if the Lakers don't sign him to an extension by Oct. 31.

Andrew Bynum turns 21 on Oct. 27. Then comes an even bigger date. The Lakers have until Oct. 31 to sign Bynum to a five-year contract extension, though discussions with the team have been "few and not significant," according to Bynum's agent, David Lee. "I just don't get it," Lee said. "I do not understand certain things that happen. Andrew has taken everything the Lakers have thrown at him, including criticism. He doesn't do anything to respond other than go on the court. He just goes on with his business."

Lee is traveling from New York to meet today with Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak in hopes of working out a deal.

Bynum, who will make $2.8 million this season in the final year of his contract, can sign a five-year extension worth up to about $85 million, a figure that won't officially be determined until the NBA's salary cap for the 2009-10 season is announced next summer.

The Lakers currently do not plan on offering Bynum a maximum deal, and they want to gauge his health and on-court prowess over the final five exhibition games.

Bynum has said his surgically repaired left knee feels fine. He also said he didn't think too often...read full article

Derek Fisher wants the Lakers to play with urgency

The 13-year veteran guard knows the Lakers have a chance to win a championship this season and he wants his teammates to understand that.

Derek Fisher always has been a calm, steady influence for the Lakers. He has been a rock for his younger teammates, a coach on the floor and a friend for Kobe Bryant in his times of need. That hasn't changed, but Fisher senses the gravity of what's at stake and that is to win an NBA championship sooner rather than later and that has changed his way of dealing with his teammates.

"It used to be 100% calm and pretty chill," Fisher, 34, said after practice today. "I guess in my old age, it's dwindled down to about me being 75 to 80% calm and chill. But I mix in 20 to 25% of a little fire in there just to let guys know that this is important and that this is our job . . . and we've got to take it seriously. I try to make sure that I keep that on our minds." He spent his first eight years in the NBA with the Lakers before playing two years with Golden State and one season with Utah.

Fisher re-joined the Lakers a year ago as an elder statesman who has learned during his 13-year career how to become a leader.

"I feel like as a team we have a great opportunity," Fisher said. "I feel like individually I can help the team take advantage of the opportunity and I feel great about this time in my career, I really do."

Fisher was an integral part of the Lakers team that won three consecutive...read full article

Lakers probably will start season with 15 on roster

Early in training camp, the Lakers considered carrying just 13 players, but now it appears DJ Mbenga has earned a roster spot and that rookie guard Joe Crawford will get the nod over Coby Karl.

All indications are that the Lakers will open the season with 15 players, the maximum allowed by the NBA. Early in training camp, the Lakers considered carrying 13 players, which would have given the team flexibility to pick up another player or two during the regular season. But now it appears, based on their play in training camp, that backup center DJ Mbenga has earned a roster spot and that rookie guard Joe Crawford will get the nod over Coby Karl, who made the team last season as an undrafted rookie free agent.

Guards Brandon Heath and forward C. J.Giles also are pushing for a spot that may be hard to come by.

The Lakers already have 13 players under contract who are assured of making the team.

Crawford was drafted out of Kentucky in the second round by the Lakers with the 58th pick in the NBA draft. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard has to make the team for his contract to be guaranteed.

"It's definitely more pressure coming in not guaranteed," Crawford said. "You don't know what these guys [the Lakers' coaching staff] are thinking every day. You just have to stay confident. You're going to have some bad days, but you have to be strong and...read full story

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson sets priorities beyond winning in exhibition play

He sees it as a time to give young players a chance, tinker with lineups, challenge some veterans and see which players will round out the end of the bench this season.

The Lakers are 1-2 in exhibition play, not that Phil Jackson is worried about it. The Lakers coach has had one winning exhibition season in eight prior attempts with the Lakers, and he didn't exactly fret when asked if this would be a winning one. "I haven't really thought about that," he said recently.

After all, this is a time for the young ones, not the veterans, in Jackson's mind. It's a time to tinker with lineups, zing 6-foot-10 ball-handling forwards about not being in shape and see which players will round out the end of the bench.

"We always know that our game is going to take a little longer time to gel than most other teams," he said. "We do have most of our veterans back, but this is a time for us to play some younger players that we want to look it. Until the last of the exhibition games, I won't be playing the regulars in heavy minutes."

Jackson was 16-24 in exhibition games in his first tour with the Lakers and, after going 6-2 in 2005-06 in his first year back, the club went 4-4 and 3-4 the last two seasons.

Jackson, however, is not giving the team much time off, despite almost a week passing between games before the Lakers play Regal FC Barcelona on Saturday at Staples Center.

"There's a possible day off in a couple weeks -- the Sunday before the season starts," Jackson said.

The players have to comply, like it or not.

"We've had a couple long practices already," Kobe Bryant said. "It's an opportunity...read full article

Pau Gasol sees Andrew Bynum as a complement

The duo of seven-footers hope that in time they can dominate the paint together.

It wasn't a demand -- not like the ones Shaquille O'Neal once made. Rather, it was a point of emphasis by Pau Gasol. Gasol is 7 feet and 250 pounds and Andrew Bynum is 7 feet and 285 pounds, a duo that will form a Twin Towers for the Lakers that can be devastating, but only if the Lakers utilize them in the low post.

"We have to play like we have two seven-footers that dominate the paint. That's how you take advantage. If you don't do that, then you might as well not have it," Gasol said.

When O'Neal played for the Lakers, he demanded the basketball and let it be known that if the big dog wasn't fed, he wouldn't guard the porch, which was code that O'Neal wouldn't play defense if he didn't get the ball on offense.

Gasol isn't saying that.

Gasol and Bynum each take high-percentage shots, are good passers and can make life easier on their teammates with an inside-out game.

The two started for the first time together in the exhibition season Sunday night and had some...read full story

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Phil Jackson Practice Notes

The Lakers practiced for three plus hours today, but Phil didn’t think that it was that hard of a practice. Although none of the three hours were spent in film study, the team spent a substantial amount of time working on defensive sets, which meant a lot of standing around and teaching. Overall, Jackson was happy with the practice, “Sometimes when they go that long they don’t finish as strong as you like, but it was okay.”

Vladimir Radmanovic is a starter for “right now,” according to Jackson. “We play really well with him out there on the floor. As long as you play well, coaches are addicted to that kind of stuff.” That doesn’t guarantee Vladi the starting spot when the Lakers next lace them up against Regal FC Barcelona on Saturday, but it is a nice vote of confidence for the big man from Serbia.

Phil liked how aggressive Lamar Odom was when he entered Sunday’s game. What he wasn’t as fond of was Lamar taking a couple of three pointers as soon as he entered the game. This isn’t a slight on Odom’s long-range game as much as it’s just Phil wanting to see only a few designated gunners taking the shots from deep.

Phil intimated that there would be a roster cut at some point this week. No indication on who or when, but the decision will be based on how practice goes the next couple days and the overall health of the team.

The Andrew Bynum/Pau Gasol experiment seems to be heading in the right direction. “They’re playing pretty well together,” Jackson said. “It’s still a work in progress.” Phil mentioned that Pau is still learning a lot of the organizational intricacies and automatics of playing the wing spot as opposed to the center position. The advantages of these two figuring out how to play with each other has been discussed ad nausea, but Jackson brought up transition defense as something that could be a disadvantage of the twin tower setup. Both will have to realize when it’s best for them to go to the boards and when it’s best to retreat.

Phil Jackson mixes lineup, trying to find right match

Lakers coach has run Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, Trevor Ariza and Vladimir Radmanovic in and out of lineup in exhibitions, and he isn't done experimenting.  It's as if Lakers Coach Phil Jackson has become this mad scientist, relishing entering his laboratory to experiment with his test subjects.

Subject No. 1 is Lamar Odom, who started the Lakers' first two exhibitions but came off the bench in Sunday night's win over the Sacramento Kings. Subject No. 2 is Andrew Bynum, who came off the bench in the first two games but started against the Kings. His other subjects are Trevor Ariza and Vladimir Radmanovic. Ariza started the first two games but was a reserve Sunday. Radmanovic came off the bench the first two games but started against the Kings.

"I'm alternating a few guys out there together, see how they play," Jackson said.  Only Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol have started all three games. "Phil is still playing with the lineup," Bryant said. "It's tough to really know what that lineup is going to look like, or what we want to be while he...read full article

Lakers beat Kings in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Pau Gasol had 12 points and six rebounds to help the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Sacramento Kings 94-89 in exhibition play Sunday night.

Kobe Bryant scored nine points in 25 minutes on 4-of-12 shooting for the Lakers (1-2), Andrew Bynum had nine points, five rebounds and three blocks, and Vladimir Radmanovic also finished with nine points and had seven rebounds.

Jason Thompson led the Kings (1-2) with 15 points and also had eight rebounds. John Salmons added 11 points, and Brad Miller had 10.

Los Angeles built its largest advantage at 84-72 with 5:25 left. The Kings cut it 92-89 with 36 seconds to go, but got no closer.

Lamar Odom shows a positive side to Lakers

Despite a reserve role, he says he won't be 'detrimental' as Lakers win exhibition, 94-89.

LAS VEGAS -- Lamar Odom wasn't a starter for the first time since ninth grade, but he seemed at peace with it, if not apologetic for his recent anti-establishment attitude. Odom had four points and nine rebounds as a reserve in the Lakers' 94-89 exhibition victory Sunday against Sacramento. He also offered up an intriguing interview beforehand. He had been on opposite poles of Coach Phil Jackson for weeks, publicly questioning him at the team's annual media day, but an olive branch was extended Sunday night.

"That was like my alter-ago talking," Odom said of last month's outburst. "Seriously. That's Odom. Not Lamar. I'm being dead serious. I'm a good locker-room dude. I don't want to be detrimental to the team, especially, like, how this is a championship-caliber team."

It's been an unusual block of time for a player considered one of the friendliest on the team, if not the league. A year ago, he shelled out about $40,000 during training camp to feed teammates every day in Honolulu -- morning, noon and night. Now, he feels he's getting shelled on all sides . . . in a contract year, no less...read full article

Lakers' Lamar Odom practices mainly with second unit

Coach Phil Jackson says the veteran forward'would really helps us' as a sixth man.

It was only one practice, with a slew of them still remaining before the regular season, but Lamar Odom was not on the starting unit for most of Saturday's session.

Odom played primarily with the second string before being shifted to the first unit toward the end of practice. "We're having Lamar come in and play off the bench so that he can start thinking about how he can help the team and what he can do when he does that," Coach Phil Jackson said. "But I don't know if I'll experiment with it in a game yet."

The answer could be gleaned as soon as tonight when the Lakers play Sacramento in Las Vegas.

Odom has not been sharp in the team's first two exhibitions, averaging 1.5 points, two assists, four rebounds and 2.5 turnovers.

Jackson recently said Odom appeared to be playing a game...read full article

Kobe Jersey #1 in Europe, Gasol #3

First it was China, now it’s Europe.

After being the top selling jersey in China for two years, Kobe Bryant can truly claim to be a global brand as it was announced that his #24 is also the best selling jersey in Europe.

Bryant’s global appeal was also on display throughout the 2008 Beijing Olympics as he garnered huge cheers during the opening ceremonies and was mobbed at every event he attended.

Fellow Lakers star Pau Gasol has the most popular jersey among players hailing from Europe and is third overall. Before coming to the Lakers Gasol’s jersey was the seventh most popular in his native continent.

The full list of popular jerseys is after the jump.

Top 10 Most Popular NBA Jerseys in Europe:
1. Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
2. Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics
3. Pau Gasol, Los Angeles Lakers
4. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
5. Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
6. Allen Iverson, Denver Nuggets
7. Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors
8. Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
9. Marco Belinelli, Golden State Warriors
10. Jose Calderon, Toronto Raptors

Lakers' Lamar Odom doesn't get points for performance

Phil Jackson says that the veteran 'looks like he's either curling or doing some other kind of sport. He's not playing basketball.

The Lamar Odom experiment trudges along, slowly and shakily.  The Lakers' most versatile player had more fouls (five) than points or assists as a primary ball-handler on offense and small forward on defense in Tuesday's exhibition game against Utah.  Odom was in the starting lineup, a point of contention for him because Coach Phil Jackson suggested he might come off the bench, but his stats were insignificant other than the fouls.  In 20 minutes, Odom had three points, five rebounds and three assists.  Assistant coach Kurt Rambis said Odom's game was "fair to middling, maybe poor," and that Odom "didn't seem focused out there."

Jackson took it a step further.  "I just got through telling him that this is really basketball now," Jackson said Wednesday. "He looks like he's either curling or doing some other kind of sport. He's not playing basketball.

"The first shot he took was a three-pointer in the middle of the third quarter? That was pretty interesting."

Jackson was non-committal when asked...read full article

Jazz 99, Lakers 90

The Lakers have plenty to work on after a disjointed, error-riddled 99-90 loss to the Jazz in their exhibition opener. The team committed 24 turnovers and allowed the Jazz to shoot 48.1 percent. 
The two players who drew the most criticism from Lakers fill-in coach Kurt Rambis were Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum, both of whom had up-and-down performances. 
The 6-foot-10 Odom didn't exactly thrive in his debut bringing the ball up the court for the Lakers, scoring three points, dishing out only three assists and struggling defensively against smaller quicker Utah wings. Rambis summed up Odom's performance as "fair to middling, maybe poor," suggesting that the veteran forward struggled guarding quicker Jazz wings off the dribble and "didn't seem focused out there."
Bynum came off the bench to score 15 points and grab 8 rebounds in 24 minutes, but Rambis was not impressed with Bynum's defense.  "It was basically what he showed...read full article

Lakers - Jazz Running Diary

Pregame Chatter:
Before we tip off, let’s begin our Lakers-Jazz running diary with the most important NBA question one could ask: “Who’s winning the title this season?”

And no, I’m not just asking myself, because my content wingman Ty Nowell - call him Ty, Tymon, Tyson or C-Wing - is sitting next to me just a row up from center court in between the benches. Anyway … Ty, who will it be?

“Did you see Sun Yue’s suit??? Look how shiny it is!”

He’s not wrong, but let’s get focused.

“The Lakers,” came his answer, implying that I’d be silly to think otherwise. Having just arrived from Minnesota, I’m waiting a week to watch the team in action before making that claim. However, I will say that the Spurs and Rockets scare me the most in terms of challenging the defending Western...read full article

It's (almost) all good for Lakers' Andrew Bynum

Center has 15 points, eight rebounds and a few mistakes in Lakers' exhibition opener, his first game since suffering a knee injury in January. L.A. loses to Utah, 99-90.

The theme from "Welcome Back, Kotter" came over the loudspeaker and a strong ovation followed.

Andrew Bynum was back.

It was only an exhibition, a 99-90 Lakers loss to Utah, but Bynum had more good moments than bad in a 15-point, eight-rebound effort Tuesday at the Honda Center.

In his first game since sustaining a knee injury in January, Bynum backed down Mehmet Okur for an easy turnaround, dunked off a feed from Derek Fisher and pinned Paul Millsap down low on the way to converting a three-point play.

On the other hand, two of his shots were blocked and he had four turnovers in 24 minutes.

"He's shown some really good things out there and then he's shown some things that he definitely needs to improve upon," said assistant coach Kurt Rambis. "We keep impressing upon him that he's got to do a much better job of running...read full article

Opening pre season tonight

The Utah Jazz brought some serious mettle to the 2008 Western Conference Semis.

After L.A. opened the series with two double-digit home wins, the Jazz responded by taking games three and four in Salt Lake City before dropping the fifth game back in Los Angeles. Ultimately, Kobe Bryant (34 points, six dimes) and Co. closed Utah’s playoff door with a 108-105 victory in Game Six in Utah, as the league MVP pushed L.A. past fellow Olympians Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko (don’t forget the Russians!).

On Tuesday night at the Honda Center – you know, the Pond – in Anaheim, the Lakers are sure to get an equally gritty, equally tough game.

Or … Not. It’s preseason game No. 1, after all.

The Lakers might just as easily be playing the Harlem Globetrotters, or better yet, the Washington Nationals. Wins and losses in the preseason – particularly in the early stages – mean approximately as much as staged arguments between Heidi and Spencer on “The Hills.” ...read full article

Woman charged with stalking Lakers' Luke Walton

Stacy Elizabeth Beshear is accused of following Walton to practice and his home.

An El Segundo woman has been charged with one misdemeanor count for stalking Los Angeles Lakers forward Luke Walton at the team's practice facility in El Segundo and at his Manhattan Beach home.

Stacy Elizabeth Beshear, 34, was arrested Sept. 18 and appeared in Torrance Superior Court on Sept. 22 for arraignment and was released, Sgt. Steve Tobias of the Manhattan Beach Police Dept. said today.

Walton told police last year that Beshear was harassing him in November and December.

"She had been following him to his practice site and following him home and repeatedly asking him to sign basketballs after he'd already done so," Tobias said. "At one point, she got upset and was taking a Sharpie pen to his vehicle after he refused to sign a soccer ball."

Manhattan Beach police then met with Beshear, and she stopped what she was doing...read full article

Fewer minutes are almost a guarantee for Lakers

The small forward position is particularly crowded, with Kobe Bryant moving over for now to join Trevor Ariza, Vladimir Radmanovic and Luke Walton.

It's not a bad problem, but, well, it's definitely lingering there for the Lakers -- too many players fighting for too few minutes.

There's a logjam at small forward, especially since Kobe Bryant shifted there from shooting guard to make room for Lamar Odom's move to the backcourt.

Even if Bryant played less than 38.9 minutes a game (his average last season), it would be hard to squeeze enough time out of the position for Trevor Ariza, Vladimir Radmanovic and Luke Walton.

"As far as I've heard from the coaches, everybody is going to be playing shorter minutes," Radmanovic said. "So, we have to prepare mentally."

Walton averaged 7.2 points in 23.4 minutes a game last season. Ariza averaged 6.5 points and 18 minutes a game, and Radmanovic averaged 8.4 points and 22.8 minutes.  Walton has been sidelined while recovering from off-season ankle surgery and Radmanovic hasn't shown...read full article

Lakers center Chris Mihm is back healthy

After three surgeries and countless frustrating moments because of right ankle problems, he says he’s fit and ‘playing above the rim again.

There was a time when Chris Mihm was the Lakers' starting center, when he was athletic and mobile.

That was three years, three surgeries and countless frustrating moments ago.
Mihm is back healthy, his surgically repaired right ankle no longer an issue.

"I've been running around with a smile on my face," Mihm said. "That hasn't happened in two years."

Mihm, 29, missed the 2006-07 season and has played in just 82 games the last three seasons.

He twice had surgery on his right ankle, one reconstructive. He had surgery on his right heel. He underwent three weekly sonar-wave treatments last season and still felt persistent...read full article

Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol get acquainted

Pau Gasol doesn't smile blissfully on the way to work every day. He swears it's true.

The veteran forward-center is experiencing his first training camp with the Lakers after six and a half seasons in Memphis.

Preseason predictions have the Grizzlies near the bottom of the Western Conference, again. The Lakers, on the other hand, are the popular choice to win the West, if not the NBA Finals.

Not that Gasol is celebrating.

"Probably I did last year for the first month or so [after the trade], but I'm a guy that I always look forward no matter what, no matter how good things are, no matter how bad things are," he said.

His midseason acquisition energized the Lakers and helped them get through the rough-and-rumble West in the playoffs. He never played with Andrew Bynum until now. He likes what he sees.

"We're starting to develop our relationship on the court," Gasol said. "He's a young, talented man with a lot of potential. Hopefully he'll be able to explode this year and be able to produce a lot and...read full article

Lakers' Trevor Ariza is staying out of the storm

He's sidestepping the controversy caused by Coach Phil Jackson's comment that the former Orlando player could start in place of Lamar Odom.  

Quietly, Trevor Ariza stayed away from the storm created when Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said last week that Ariza could start this season at small forward in place of Lamar Odom.

While Odom voiced his unhappiness during the first two days of training camp over the possibility of being a reserve player, Ariza has gone about his business of playing basketball, leaving the melodrama to Odom and Jackson.

Whether he's a starter, sixth man or the last player off the bench, Ariza just wants to contribute.

"I haven't had no conversation with Phil about that," Ariza said. "I really don't care. I'm here to play basketball. Whether I start, come off the bench, whatever role I play, that's what I'm going to do. I'm not going to stress over it. L.O. is a great player too."

Jackson suggested the starting lineup could change if the big frontline...read full story.

"It's time to go now." -Kobe Bryant

Several Lakers said today they are still bitter about losing the NBA championship in June to the Boston Celtics.

Kobe Bryant viewed it as lessons to be learned.

His team lost, 131-92, in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, which was close to being the most one-sided game in Finals history. His team also blew a 24-point lead in Game 4, which was the biggest comeback in Finals history since Elias Sports Bureau became the NBA's official keeper of statistics in the 1970-71 season.

"It was a bad taste," Bryant said. "But at the same time, it was like 'We got there.' Everybody knows that we had a lot of guys that missed a lot of games during the year. We shuffled lineups around the place. We missed our key guy to provide our defensive anchor. It is disappointing, but it was a great experience for my guys. It's time to go now."...read full story