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Archive for October, 2007

Lakers Game Predictions Contest: A new feature on Fatty’s Game Preview

Published by Jim Murdoc on October 29, 2007 in Contest. Closed

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How good are you at predicting the outcome of Lakers Games?

Luck won’t win you this contest. To score well, you have to study game match ups, team trends, the injury reports, predict well, and do it for every game in November to stay ahead of the competition.

It officially Starts Friday with the Suns Game and ends November 30 (15 games in all).

We will do a ‘Trial Run’ on Tuesday against the Rockets. (So everyone will get the bugs out) Then it starts for real on Friday against the Suns.

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Lakers official on Kobe “trade rumors”

Published by Chris Manning on October 29, 2007 in Articles and Kobe Watch. 18 Comments

This should make you feel a bit more comfortable… ok, or not…

L.A. Times: It’s more business as unusual, always, for the Lakers, who begin the season Tuesday against Houston amid the usual trade rumors, this time an Internet report that the Lakers and Chicago were stepping up discussions about Bryant.

Lakers officials declined to comment on the record, although, as one said, “You can go to sleep tonight without worrying about a thing.”

Agent Zero for Mamba?

Published by Jim Murdoc on October 29, 2007 in Articles and Kobe Watch. 66 Comments

Mind you, this is all rumors. But this deal had us thinking. Is this a deal you would actually consider? Sound-off in the comments and tell us what you think!

zero1.jpgChicago Tribune: One general manager on the periphery of the Bryant talks says he believes the “dark horse” to make a deal with the Lakers is the Washington Wizards. The consensus is the Wizards have hit a plateau, but have the star power in Gilbert Arenas to make a deal.

Arenas is talking about opting out of his contract after this season. He’s from Los Angeles and has become a star, one of the league’s highest-scoring players and an engaging personality who would embrace the Hollywood scene. He would meet the Lakers’ demands for an All-Star player if they trade Bryant.

“Watch out for them,” the general manager said, meaning the Wizards.

The Lakers probably would want a power forward, which the Wizards don’t have. The biggest obstacle, though, may be Bryant’s no-trade clause, along with the fact he hasn’t indicated any interest in Washington. Still, with Bryant, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler, the Wizards would have a three-star set that could match up in the East.

Related:
‘LG.net: ESPN Stein Chat: Kobe / Wizards talk’

Defensive Woes All Too Familiar

Published by Jim Murdoc on October 27, 2007 in User's Take. 10 Comments

Special thanks to Justin Page for writing this take and giving us the privilege to add it to TheLakersNation.com. Again, if you guys see anything Lakers related that you think deserves to be put up, just e-mail us at articles@TheLakersNation.com.

The Los Angeles Lakers are less than a week away from setting out on an 82 game journey that most likely will be Kobe Bryant’s last in the purple and gold. For the majority of this past summer and pre-season, the Kobe stories have dominated the headlines, and for good reason. But there is a season to play, and barring any kind of last second deal that sends the Kobester packing, it looks like he will be suiting up for L.A.

This is the real “A Season on the Brink.” And it’s taking place in Hollywood, of course.

So what’s it going to take for this team to have a realistic chance in the competitive Western Conference? It’s going to take a lot more than what they have been displaying in the pre-season; particularly on Tuesday night when they were completely out-hustled and out-played by the Utah Jazz (I am almost positive I was more excited about watching that game than they were about playing it). Let’s all remember, it’s just pre-season basketball (and they played without Odom and Walton), but it’s frustrating as a fan to see the same mistakes are being made that occurred down the stretch of last season when the Lakers had a horrific collapse.

Kobe aside, the current make-up of the Lakers roster is a young and uninspired group that simply doesn’t put in the kind of effort on the defensive end that gives them a realistic chance to win in this league. Being young is one thing, but being uninspired is unacceptable. Playing good defense requires effort at all times, strong character, execution of fundamentals, and intelligence. This team doesn’t display any of those, not one.

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Jackson worried about Bryant’s commitment

Published by Jim Murdoc on October 27, 2007 in Articles and Kobe Watch. 22 Comments

Star guard refutes coach’s quote that he ‘hasn’t thrown his heart and soul’ into his effort in the preseason.

L.A. Times: Three days before the start of a season prefaced by a summer of discontent and a fall of uncertainty for Kobe Bryant, the Lakers guard is still not fully committed to the team in the opinion of his coach, Phil Jackson.

“Obviously he hasn’t thrown his heart and soul into performing on the floor,” Jackson said after practice Saturday at the team’s El Segundo training facility. “That hurts me a little bit. . . . He was going to work at this thing and [would] put his full being into this. Right now, he’s having a hard time doing that.”

Asked specifically what Bryant is struggling with, Jackson replied, “Mentally getting himself here and playing hard. . . . Is that a surprise to you guys? I mean I’m not breaking new news.”

It came as news to Bryant, who responded to Jackson’s remarks by denying any lack of commitment on his part.

“That [should be] the least of his concerns or anybody’s concerns,” Bryant said. “You don’t have to worry about that. . . . I’m ready to play. Period. You don’t have to worry about me.”

Bryant has sent tremors of concern through the organization since the end of last season. His frustration over a quick first-round exit from the postseason by the Lakers caused Bryant to criticize the front office, demand a trade, back off from that demand, then criticize a decision not to trade center Andrew Bynum.

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Related:
As team rests, Bryant trade talk lingers

Sources: Chicago still the most likely preference for Bryant

Published by Jim Murdoc on October 27, 2007 in Articles and Kobe Watch. 32 Comments

ESPN: The Kobe Bryant-to-Chicago trade talks are very real, and they’ve been real for a while.

ESPN.com has learned that the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls have been having daily discussions about Bryant trade possibilities for at least the past week, with Bryant’s no-trade clause throwing a unique wrench into the situation.

The Lakers are asking for a package built around Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah, which is more than Chicago is willing to surrender. Also, Bryant would not want to play in Chicago if the Bulls surrendered all four of those players, believing there would not be enough talent left to compete for a championship, and he would veto that trade even if the Bulls and Lakers were both in favor of it.

Further complicating matters is the division within the upper echelon of the Lakers front office, a house divided between the competing desires of owner Jerry Buss, his son, Jim, daughter Jeanie (and her boyfriend, coach Phil Jackson) and general manager Mitch Kupchak. One faction seems more determined than ever to part with Bryant, while others still are hanging onto the belief that Bryant can still be persuaded to stay in Los Angeles.

Bryant sat out the Lakers’ final exhibition game Friday night in Las Vegas after injuring his right wrist in the Lakers’ previous game. It has become an accepted fact around the Lakers that Bryant still wishes to be traded, and two sources with direct knowledge of the ongoing trade discussions said Bryant’s preferred — and most likely — destination remains Chicago.

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Related:
Video: Kobe Still Looking to Get Out of L.A.
Kobe trade remains possibility for Bulls

TLN’s Post-Game Thoughts: Lakers vs. Kings

Published by Steve Avery on October 27, 2007 in Avery's Postgame. 19 Comments

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Players of the day

1. Andrew Bynum – Bynum told the media that this will be his breakout year. The year that he silences the critics. This preseason he’s taken a big step toward the new and improved aggressive Andrew Bynum. He had 18 points tonight in only 23 minutes going 7/10 from the field, 4/5 from the line, along with 7 boards and a block. In addition, Andrew pulled out something that we’ve never seen before. I’ll leave that for our play of the game though…

2. Ronny Turiaf – Ronny continues to show shines of becoming a legitimate star in the NBA. He went 5/7 from the field tonight and had 8 boards, 3 assists, a steal and a block to go along with 18 points. He’s been consistently hitting that 10-15 ft. jumper, running the break beautifully, and finishing with authority. He’s making a strong case to start this season at the 4.

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10 Essential Laker Questions

Published by Davey Da on October 26, 2007 in Davey's Take. 17 Comments

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The Lakers are at a crossroads. One troublesome fork with three main paths. On the left is the path of trading Kobe Bryant, keeping Andrew Bynum and the rest of the Laker party intact. On the right is the path of dumping Bynum and his potential future for a chance to win and win now. The middle path is the path of continuing forward, maintaining the current high tension conditions, hoping individual growth or minor additions will significantly improve the team. Which of these roads will lead to Laker treasure? How can we gain the necessary vision to reattain Laker glory? The crossroads we have come to is not a simple one, but here are ten essential questions to break things down and give the Laker situation sight.

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