The Lakers continue to be Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
After a day of rest at home, Denver, their only real competition for dominance in the West, comes into their house without the league’s leading scorer and just slaps the Lakers in the face like Shaq did to Ostertag.
The very next night, the Lakers go to Portland, where they haven’t won since Smush Parker was our starting point-guard, where even Phil Jackson assumes the Lakers will lose, without Kobe, and win.
A few days later, missing Kobe and Bynum, the Lakers handle the Spurs with Ginobli, Parker and Duncan all healthy.
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Rejuvenated. Energized. Poised. That is how the Lakers played tonight against a veteran San Antonio team.
For the second game in a row without Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum, the Lakers came in with no excuses. No missing teammates would derail them from winning. No loss in scoring and defensive options would stand in their way. The Spurs had beaten them by 20 points in the last meeting, but tonight was not about revenge. Tonight, like Saturday in Portland, the goal was just to win another game.
To win how they did tonight, however, was reminiscent of a style that has been lost on this team periodically this season — Championship-caliber basketball.
The Lakers, again, played excellent team ball, with Odom, Gasol and Artest leading the charge. Together they scored 55 points, seized 34 rebounds, and handed out 15 assists, not to mention Gasol’s 5 blocks.
The frontcourt’s mission to dominate was clear early on, and their aggressiveness on both ends of the court was undeniable.
Odom, in particular, punished San Antonio all evening, doing just about everything he wanted to do; curling around his defender for a lay up, splitting double teams for an emphatic dunk, passing to a running Gasol, and fighting for rebounds.
When asked what he planned to do with Odom in the 2nd quarter, Coach Popovich thought for a second and replied, “We just have to find somebody who can defend him.” Simple enough request, difficult to execute, especially when Odom is the primary ball handler on the floor.
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Kobe looks like he is enjoying his rest but his ankle has yet to say that.
O.C. Register: Bryant said he doesn’t have a problem missing a game because of an injury; that too much is made of his “warrior” mentality. He went so far as to say that if the ankle doesn’t respond to treatment, he would sit out the All-Star game.
“People make a little bit too much of that,” Bryant said. “I’m not an idiot. I’m not going to run through a wall just to run through a wall. Injury-wise, if I feel I can play through it, I will. If it can heal while I’m playing, I’ll play.
“But if it’s the type of injury that playing will make it worse, I won’t play.”
The Lakers have been playing great with the injuries, but still, no injuries would be GREAT!
L.A. Times: The injury bug stayed away from the Lakers a year ago, leaving them alone on their path to a 15th NBA championship.
Kobe Bryant played all 82 regular-season games, as did Derek Fisher and Trevor Ariza. Pau Gasol missed one game. Lamar Odom missed four.
Andrew Bynum’s knee was their only injury of note, keeping him out of 32 games, but it’s been a different story this season.
Gasol has already missed 17 games because of hamstring injuries. Ron Artest missed five games because of a concussion. Bynum has missed three games and Bryant has now missed two games because of a sprained left ankle.
The Lakers are getting nickel-and-dimed by injuries, a five-gamer here, a 10-gamer there.
“When it rains, it pours,” Odom said. “With all the games we play and how much we practice, it’s kind of bound to happen. It’s just when and who it happens to.”
Continue reading ‘Minor injuries add up to semi-major injuries’
The (39-13) Los Angeles Lakers are back at Staples Center to host the (29-20) San Antonio Spurs. The Purple and Gold hit the hardwood at home, after bouncing back from the loss to the Denver Nuggets.
The team made a definitive statement by beating the Trailblazers in Portland without Kobe Bryant. The Lakers assertion was loud and clear that we’re still here and the road to a Championship has to make a few stops at 1111 S. Figueroa Street.
Every Lakers fan knows that the team in general is banged up as well as Kobe Bryant in particular. The question has been out there for a while, “is he going to shut it down and rest for a game or two?” The answer had to be a yes, a road win was necessary, but really wasn’t expected.
To return to the Finals, the Lakers coaching staff knows that the team will have to overcome several uphill battles and challenges. They’re stuck in the role of the hunted as opposed to the hunter. They’re going to receive everyone’s best shot and have to respond.
Facing the Blazers without Kobe in Portland was a huge hurdle cleared, but what it did was prepare the team to play without their leader if necessary, allow Ron, Pau, and Lamar to lead the team. It forced the team to come together, get everyone involved, improved the confidence of the team, and force the players to run the offense to find solid high percentage shots and not look to Kobe to save them at the end of the game.
The Lakers lost to the Spurs 105-85 on January 12th, 2009. Andrew Bynum had a 23 point, eight rebound performance, although Kobe didn’t play in the fourth quarter due to back spasms. Both Andrew and Kobe are nursing injuries and in my opinion shouldn’t play in tonight’s game.
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Too bad injuries have plagued a lot of the All-Stars, though, Kobe HAS played hurt before in the All-Star game.
NESN: As Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game at Cowboys Stadium draws closer, the lineup is becoming more and more uncertain. Injuries have plagued the top players on the roster. Brandon Roy already has pulled out of the game, and Kobe Bryant, Paul Pierce and Carmelo Anthony remain question marks.
I’m glad he’s getting it checked rather than just playing through it. Either way, looks like we’ll most likely have another Kobe-less lineup.
Lakers BasketBlog: Kobe Bryant, who on Saturday in Portland missed his first game since Dec. 8, 2006, had an MRI exam on his sprained ankle Monday morning and is a game-time decision for the San Antonio game.Phil Jackson said after Monday’s shootaround that the results of the exam would not be available until later on in the evening. Jackson will likely address the issue during his pregame media session at STAPLES Center.
Looks like Lakers will be without 2 starters tonight.
ESPN: Kobe Bryant did not participate in the team’s shootaround and spent the time undergoing “diagnostic tests” on his sprained left ankle, according to Lakers coach Phil Jackson. Andrew Bynum, who suffered a bruised right hip that caused him to sit out the second half of Los Angeles’ win in Portland on Saturday, is probably not going to play, according to Jackson.
“He had some discomfort and can’t move very well,” Jackson said. Bynum is also dealing with a swollen left knee that he injured last week against the Bobcats when he collided knee-to-knee with Charlotte’s Stephen Jackson.
Tex’s value to the Lakers can’t be measured.
Before the game against Portland on Saturday, Tex Winter, wearing a black Lakers jersey, paid a visit to Phil’s office. He had some words with the coach and then asked to speak to the team, and his words to the team…
Twitter: There is no substitute for hustle, but if you don’t hustle there will be substitute
And as surprising as it sounds, it actually got to the Lakers with Lamar grabbing a career high 22 rebounds and the Lakers flying everywhere to get every loose ball possible. The man that brought the triangle offense to the Lakers brings much more to the team, the love for the franchise and years of dedication to help make this franchise what it is today, along with his vast knowledge of the game.
Here is a small injury update on Bryant and Bynum…
L.A. Times: The Lakers listed Bryant as questionable for Monday night’s game against the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center and Bynum as “more doubtful.”
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