Lakers hire former player Madsen as coach

Original post @ http://www.nba.com/2013/news/07/19/lakers-hire-madsen-as-coach.ap/ 

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) -- It didn't take long for the Los Angeles Lakers to promote Mark Madsen.

The former Stanford player who was part of the Lakers' NBA champion teams in 2001 and '02 was hired as the team's player development coach, along with Larry Lewis.

In May, Madsen was hired to coach the Los Angeles D-Fenders this season. Instead, he will help Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni, who says Madsen "has endless energy and is a workaholic."

Madsen played nine seasons in the NBA and spent the last two years as a Stanford assistant

Lewis spent last season as an assistant with the D-Fenders and before that was head of player development for the team.

NBA's Howard makes decision, moves from LA - reports

The tug-of-war between five teams to sign Dwight Howard appeared to be over on Friday with multiple media outlets reporting that the seven-time All-Star center was heading to the Houston Rockets.

Howard, who joined the Los Angeles Lakers from the Orlando Magic in a blockbuster 12-player trade in August 2012, had been favouring a move to Houston, despite facing a substantial paycut by opting to leave the Lakers, reports said.

The 27-year-old, who had also been courted by the Dallas Mavericks, the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors, was eligible to sign for five years and $118 million with Los Angeles or four years and $88 million with any other team.

ESPN said on Friday that Howard had informed the Mavericks, the Hawks, the Warriors and the Lakers that he would not be signing with any of them, though the Lakers said they had not yet been given news about Howard's decision.

"He hasn't finalised his decision but we hope and expect him to make a decision today or tomorrow," Howard's agent, Dan Fegan, was quoted as saying by the Los Angeles Times.

Earlier in the day, Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted: "While we are excited & cautiously optimistic @DwightHoward might choose Houston, we have not yet heard about his decision."

Free agent Howard, a three-time NBA defensive player of the year who is popularly known as 'Superman' because of his athletic prowess, consulted all five teams earlier this week.

The Lakers met up with Howard on Tuesday and their pitch focused on the future -- on how they would be able to embellish Howard's brand off the court while returning on-court greatness to a franchise that has piled up 16 NBA championship titles.

Lakers All-Star Kobe Bryant, a five-time NBA champion, played a key role in trying to woo Howard, telling him: "You need to learn how it's done first, and I can teach you here.

"I know how to do it and I've learned from the best - players who have won multiple times over and over."

However, Bryant and Howard did not always see eye-to-eye last season under the guidance of coach Mike D'Antoni before the Lakers were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs.

The prospect of being the kingpin on an ambitious Rockets team which also includes James Harden, Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lin and promising center Omer Asik was always likely to be an alluring one for Howard.

His arrival in Houston would instantly make the Rockets genuine contenders for the Western Conference championship.

Original post @ http://tvnz.co.nz/basketball-news/nba-s-howard-makes-decision-moves-reports-5495997

Howard returns to Lakers' starting lineup

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Dwight Howard is back in the Los Angeles Lakers' starting lineup after missing three games with a right shoulder injury.

Howard started at center for the Lakers against Cleveland on Sunday night as Los Angeles attempted to end its six-game losing streak.

Howard apparently tore the labrum in his shoulder earlier this month during a game against the Clippers, and he aggravated the injury last Sunday while grabbing a career high-tying 26 rebounds against Denver. He sat out for the past week to rest the injury.

Howard is averaging 17.3 points and 12.4 rebounds per game in his first season with the struggling Lakers, who are on their worst skid in six years.

Pau Gasol missed his fourth straight game for Los Angeles with a concussion.

Source: NBA.com

Dwight Howard trade: Lakers show more commitment to winning

The moment he hung up the phone Thursday, Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak stared across the room at Coach Mike Brown.

Kupchak had just ended a conference call with officials of the Orlando Magic, Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers, the final chapter of what Kupchak described as a "frustrating" process in pursuing Dwight Howard.

After all, the Magic spent over a year weighing every trade proposal imaginable, while Howard gave mixed signals on his intentions. Once that phone conversation ended, though, Howard became a Laker. Kupchak recalled the conversation with Brown:

"We have a deal," Kupchak said.

"Who are we getting?" Brown asked.

"Dwight Howard," Kupchak answered.

"Who's going out?" Brown asked.

"Andrew," Kupchak answered, referring to center Andrew Bynum, who will now play with the 76ers.

"That's all?" Brown asked.

"That's all," said Kupchak, though the trade also involved sending reserve forwards Josh McRoberts and Christian Eyenga and protected first-round and second-round picks to Orlando for forward Earl Clark and guard Chris Duhon.

Brown still struggled processing the news.

"No Pau?" Brown asked, in reference to Lakers forward Pau Gasol. After all, reports first indicated these talks would also include Gasol going to the Magic, and he had been the subject of endless trade speculation ever since the NBA nixed the Chris Paul deal, which would've sent Gasol to the Houston Rockets.

"No Pau," Kupchak said.

Source: http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-la-dwight-howard-trade-lakers-value-winning-over-money-20120811,0,5648693.story

Lakers' Bryant, Gasol team up to buy horse

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are more than just teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers. The NBA stars have partnered in owning a racehorse.

Bryant and Gasol bid against each other for an ownership stake in a 4-year-old gelding named Siempre Mio as part of a Lakers Foundation fundraiser at Riviera Country Club on Tuesday night.

Santa Anita Park chief executive officer Mark Verge donated a 25 percent stake in the gelding along with a day at the races as part of a live auction.

"Pau Gasol bid first, but then he and Kobe got into a little bit of a bidding war. Kobe won the bidding at $8,000," Doug O'Neill, who trains the gelding, said Wednesday.

Verge then offered Gasol a chance to buy a 25 percent interest in the horse in exchange for a donation to the Lakers Foundation. Part of the deal was that the new owners pay no expenses in the horse's care and training.

O'Neill said he spoke to Jeanie Buss, the daughter of Lakers owner Jerry Buss, about having silks designed similar to the Lakers' jerseys.

"Pau was really excited," O'Neill said. "He told me he loves horses and it was just a matter of time before he bought a racehorse. Kobe can't wait to see him run, barring playoff conflicts."

Siempre Mio has two wins and a second in five career starts, including winning his most recent race on March 31 at Santa Anita. The gelding is also owned by Verge, who owns WestsideRentals.com and Chris Quinn, vice president of sales and marketing at Santa Anita.

Bryant and Gasol aren't the first among the Lakers organization to be involved in thoroughbred racing. Jerry Buss has co-owned horses over the years, while son and team executive Jim Buss was a licensed trainer for several years in California.

Source: http://www.nba.com/news/

NBA - World Peace banned for seven games

Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace has been suspended for seven games for delivering an elbow to the head of Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Harden.

Moments after his slam dunk in Sunday's game, World Peace was headed back upcourt when he ran into Harden. After pounding his chest in celebration, World Peace raised his left elbow and hit Harden flush, just behind his left ear toward the back of his skull.

Harden fell to the court and stayed down for about a minute and missed the rest of the game and World Peace was ejected.

"The concussion suffered by James Harden demonstrates the danger posed by violent acts of this kind, particularly when they are directed at the head area," NBA Commissioner David Stern said.

"We remain committed to taking necessary measures to protect the safety of NBA players, including the imposition of appropriate penalties for players with a history of on-court altercations."

World Peace, who changed his name from Ron Artest last September, has been suspended 13 times in his career for total of 111 games.

He will miss the Lakers' regular-season finale on Thursday and serve out the rest of his ban over the next six games he is eligible and physically able to play, including this season's playoffs.

The Lakers, who are 41-24 this season, said World Peace has for the most part been a model citizen both on and off the court since joining the Lakers in 2009 but that his behaviour on Sunday was not acceptable.

"His actions could have seriously injured another player, and his absence during this suspension will hurt our team as well," Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said.

"While we accept the league's decision, we will be supportive of Metta and try to help him be more professional on the court."

Reuters

NBA: Lakers beat Warriors 120-112 behind Kobe’s 40

Kobe Bryant scored 40 points and Pau Gasol added 26 as the Los Angeles Lakers found themselves rallying for the second straight game against one of the Western Conference’s worst teams, beating the Golden State Warriors 120-112 on Sunday night.

Ramon Sessions added 23 points in his best game since being traded to the Lakers two weeks ago. Gasol and reserve Troy Murphy had 11 rebounds each after All-Star center Andrew Bynum sprained his left ankle in the first quarter of the Lakers’ eighth consecutive home win against the Warriors.

David Lee led six Warriors in double figures with 27 points. Klay Thompson added 18, Nate Robinson 17 and Richard Jefferson 16 for Golden State, who lost their fifth in a row and 10th in their last 12.

THUNDER 92, BULLS 78 

In Oklahoma City, Russell Westbrook scored 27 points, while Kevin Durant added 26 points and 10 rebounds as the Oklahoma City Thunder used a dominating third quarter to beat Chicago.

The Thunder pulled away by outscoring Chicago 31-12 in the third quarter, allowing the Bulls to make only five of their 21 shots.

Oklahoma City clinched a playoff berth in the process, with the help of tiebreakers over the teams fighting for the Western Conference’s final spot in the postseason.

The Bulls played without All-Star point guard Derrick Rose for the 10th straight game, falling to 14-6 this season without the reigning MVP and 7-3 during his current absence with a groin injury.

CELTICS 91, HEAT 72 

In Boston, Rajon Rondo had a triple-double as Boston handed Miami their biggest loss of the season.

The Celtics outscored the Heat 31-12 in the third quarter, turning a five-point halftime lead into an 80-56 advantage. They stayed ahead by at least 19 the rest of the way for their fifth straight win.

Miami’s past three losses have been by at least 15 points and their previous worst defeat of the season came just one week earlier in a 103-87 setback in Oklahoma City.

Rondo finished with 16 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds for his fifth triple-double of the season.

The Celtics increased their Atlantic Division lead to one game over idle Philadelphia.

In other NBA action, it was: 

. Raptors 99, Wizards 92

‧ Nuggets 104, Magic 101

‧ Pacers 104, Rockets 102, OT

‧ Suns 92, Hornets 75

‧ Blazers 119, T-Wolves 106

Source: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/sport/archives/2012/04/03/2003529377

Bynum leaves Lakers game with sprained ankle

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Andrew Bynum has sprained his left ankle in the first quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Golden State Warriors.

The team says X-rays were negative, but Bynum won't return to Sunday night's game at Staples Center. He has a moderate sprain and will be re-evaluated on Monday. The starting center had no points and three rebounds when he left the game.

Bynum ended March averaging 22.2 points and 10.9 rebounds in 17 games during the month.

Source: http://www.nba.com/2012/news/04/01/lakers-bynum.ap/index.html

NBA Power Rankings: Carmelo Anthony has Knicks rebounding up list

Carmelo Anthony must be loving this.

Amar'e Stoudemire isn't around to challenge for shots because he's got a bulging disk in his back and is out for perhaps the final 15 games of the regular-season. Jeremy Lin has been on the shelf, taking care of an injured knee.

The Knicks now are 'Melo's team, and at least for the time being, they're in great shape. By going 8-1 under Mike Woodson and with everything being centered around Anthony in recent games, they've rocketed back up the charts in our weekly rankings. They were 20th two weeks ago, but now they're a solid No. 11.

The Heat, meanwhile, has had some slippage, even with their big home win over Dallas on Thursday. Miami has slipped from No. 2 to No. 4.

Here's how we see the NBA, from top to bottom:

1. Chicago Bulls (Last Week: 1) We know they've been rolling merrily along without Derrick Rose, but we're hoping he can play in Sunday's showdown against Russell Westbrook and the Thunder, the one and only time these two powerhouses meet in the regular-season.

2. Oklahoma City (Last Week: 3) The Thunder started off a key stretch of statement games, against the Lakers, Bulls and Heat, with a solid win over Kobe Bryant and L.A. on the road.

3. San Antonio Spurs (Last Week: 4) The Spurs have had Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker all take the court in the same game for only 17 games this season, but they're 13-4 in those contests.

4. Miami Heat (Last Week: 2) Things have been falling apart since the All-Star Game, with the Heat going only 9-6 and talk that the Big Three is not happy with Erik Spoelstra's offense. Sounds like they're bored with the regular-season.

5. Orlando Magic (Last Week: 5) From what we saw in the Garden with the Magic's disgraceful lack of effort, Dwight Howard will be making a coaching change at season's end and Stan Van Gundy will be looking for a new job.

6. Los Angeles Lakers (Last Week: 6) When the Lakers couldn't stay with the Thunder, and lost their third recent game on their home floor, the West officially became a two-team race between Oklahoma City and San Antonio.

7. Memphis Grizzlies (Last Week: 7 ) As they embark on a three-game swing over next four days vs. Houston, Milwaukee and Oklahoma City, Grizzlies are 4-4 in road games in March, including a win over the Lakers in L.A.

8. L.A. Clippers (Last Week: 9) Despite the Clips losing 12 of 19 games, owner Donald Sterling says he's fine with coach Vinny Del Negro. But let's not forget: Del Negro is on the final year of his contract

9. Indiana Pacers (Last Week: 8) When the Pacers pounded the Heat this week by 15 points, it was their first big victory since winning in Dallas on Feb. 3. Then they went out and lost to the Nets, which kind of took the luster right off that win over Miami.

10. Atlanta Hawks (Last Week: 11) The Hawks welcomed Knicks coach Mike Woodson back Friday night in his first game since he was sent packing by Atlanta after the 2009-10 season.

11. The Knicks (Last Week: 20) If Mike D'Antoni had stepped down earlier, they might be leading the Atlantic Division by now, instead of still being in a fight to move out of the No. 8 spot in the East.

12. Boston Celtics (Last Week: 12) Sunday's game vs. the Heat kicks off a brutal seven-game stretch over 11 days, with other matchups vs. San Antonio, at Chicago, at Indiana, Philly, at Miami and Atlanta. There's not an easy game in the bunch for Doc Rivers' team.

13. Philadelphia (Last Week: 10) It can't be good for Doug Collins that Andre Iguodala has been KO'd by tendinitis in his left knee.

14. Dallas Mavericks (Last Week: 14) They scored only 32 points after halftime in their blowout loss Thursday to Miami, but Delonte West is back and soon they're going to have Brendan Haywood back in the middle.

15. Utah Jazz (Last Week: 17) The Jazz has been on a mini-run, winning 8 of 10 and still with a shot to finish as high as fourth in the West, incredibly enough.

16. Houston Rockets (Last Week: 16) The Rockets are hanging tough despite not having their starting backcourt of Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin over the last two weeks due injuries and illness.

17. Denver Nuggets (Last Week: 13) They didn't exactly build off their surprisingly easy win in Chicago by losing up in Toronto. But they're still 13-2 against the East, with their only other loss by a point to Cleveland.

18. Phoenix Suns (Last Week: 19) The Suns have been one of the hottest teams in the Western Conference in March, winning 11 of 17. Now the bad news: Four of their losses were to the NBA's top teams.

19. Minnesota Timberwolves (Last Week: 15) Including their loss at Memphis _ their 10th in their last 11 games vs. the Grizzlies _ thee Timberwolves ended a stretch of 19 straight games against Western Conference teams with an 8-11 record.

20. Portland Trailblazers (Last Week: 21) As long as long-time owner Paul Allen puts business over basketball, it's going to be tough to get this thing turned around.

21. Milwaukee Bucks (Last Week: 18) The Bucks have only two wins since Feb. 1 against teams with winning records (the Sixers and Hawks). For the season, they're just 6-18 against teams that are .500 or better, which means that even if they make the playoffs, they're going nowhere.

22. Golden State Warriors (Last Week: 22) Old Warrior coach Don Nelson has made the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. So celebrate the way Nellie will: Pop a beer and light up a cigar.

23. Toronto Raptors (Last Week: 26) Dwane Casey's team has had two big wins lately, against the Knicks and Nuggets. But they'll really start to turn heads if they can upend the Heat Friday night in Toronto.

24. Detroit Pistons (Last Week: 23) The Pistons broke a five-game losing streak, but this is a rebuilding team that should tank the rest of the way to help improve their chances of landing a top pick in the draft lottery.

25. The Nets (Last Week: 25) During a recent home loss to his old team, the Jazz, Deron Williams heard a fan yell that Dirk Nowitzki was waiting for his arrival in Dallas. Which is the one thing Williams still has going for him.

26. Cleveland Cavaliers (Last Week: 24) Losers of five straight games, they should keep losing and make sure they come away from the season with some good draft picks to help rookie phenom Kyrie Irving.

27. Sacramento Kings (Last Week: 27) Time to shore up the D, fellas: The Kings can't stop anybody, giving up 109 ppg in their last nine games.

28. New Orleans (Last Week: 28) Eric Gordon _ remember him, the one-time Clipper who was the key to the Chris Paul deal? _ expects to finally return off knee surgery in the coming days. He hasn't played since Jan. 4. 29. Washington Wizards (Last Week: 29) The Wizards started cleaning house at the trading deadline, getting rid of two of their headaches, by sending off JaVale McGee and Nick Young. But the next major changes have to come off the court, in the front office.

30. Charlotte Hornets (Last Week: 30) Michael Jordan recently told his GM, Rich Cho, to follow the Oklahoma City model for building a winner. Sounds like a plan, but the trick is going to be to find the next Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/nba-power-rankings-carmelo-anthony-knicks-rebounding-list-article-1.1053400

NBA Capsules: Thunder win fouth straight, 109-95 over Trail Blazers

PORTLAND, Ore. - Russell Westbrook had 32 points and eight assists, Kevin Durant scored 25 points and the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder won their fourth straight with a 109-95 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.

Reserve James Harden added 21 points for the Thunder, who built a 65-47 lead by halftime and led by as many as 20 points.

LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points and eight rebounds as Portland fell to 3-4 under Kaleb Canales, who took over as interim coach when the Blazers fired Nate McMillan at the NBA trade deadline.

The Blazers, who were coming off a 90-87 victory over Golden State on Sunday, have not had back-to-back wins since Jan. 23-24 against Sacramento and Memphis.

LAKERS 104, WARRIORS 101

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Kobe Bryant, two days after getting benched late in a home loss to Memphis, made a pair of jumpers in the final 64 seconds and finished with 30 points to lead Los Angeles past short-handed Golden State.

Bryant missed his first two shots in the final period before twice rising over a pair of defenders for difficult fall-away jumpers from the corner.

Former Warriors forward Matt Barnes had 28 points and 10 rebounds, and Pau Gasol added 19 points and 17 rebounds to give Los Angeles its third win in four games.

David Lee had 23 points and nine rebounds for the Warriors.

SPURS 107, SUNS 100

PHOENIX (AP) — Tony Parker scored eight points in a 10-0 run early in the fourth quarter, helping San Antonio win its fifth straight and eighth in nine games with a victory over Phoenix.

Tim Duncan scored 17 of his 26 points in the first half and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Spurs, winners of 12 of their last 14 road games. Parker scored half of his 24 in the fourth quarter.

Shannon Brown, starting because Grant Hill was a late scratch with right knee inflammation, scored a career-high 32 points for the Suns. Marcin Gortat added 21 points and 14 rebounds in just the second home loss for the Suns in 10 games since the All-Star break.

MAVERICKS 90, ROCKETS 81

DALLAS (AP) — Jason Terry scored seven consecutive points in a minute to start a game-turning run for Dallas, finishing with 12 points and four assists in a win over Houston.

Dirk Nowitzki had 21 points despite shooting 5 of 17, Rodrigue Beaubois had 14 points and Brandan Wright added 13.

The Mavericks won 101-99 in overtime on Saturday night in Houston, which played at home again Monday and needed overtime to beat Sacramento.

Luis Scola had 22 points and eight rebounds for the Rockets, while Goran Dragic scored 17 points. Chandler Parsons had 15 points and nine rebounds.

76ERS 103, CAVALIERS 85

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jodie Meeks scored a career-high 31 points and Jrue Holiday had 19 to lead Philadelphia over Cleveland.

Evan Turner scored 12 points for the Sixers, who moved a half-game ahead of Boston and back into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division. The Sixers have held the top spot in the Atlantic for all but a few days early in the season.

The Sixers romped without Andre Iguodala, who missed his second straight game because of left patella tendinitis. Meeks started in his place and was 7 of 10 from 3-point range.

Anthony Parker scored 14 points and Kyrie Irving had 12 for the Cavaliers.

BUCKS 108, HAWKS 101

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Monta Ellis scored 33 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter, and had eight assists to lead Milwaukee to a win over Atlanta.

Brandon Jennings added 18 points for the Bucks, who moved within two games of the idle New York Knicks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Ellis, who has struggled since coming over in a trade from Golden State on March 14, tied a season low with four points against the Knicks on Monday. On Tuesday, he made 15-of-24 shots, including 7-of-9 in the fourth quarter, sealing it with a 15-foot jumper with 1:27 left.

Josh Smith led the Hawks with 30 points and 18 rebounds.

GRIZZLIES 93, TIMBERWOLVES 86

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Rudy Gay scored 21 points, and Dante Cunningham added season highs of 13 points and 14 rebounds to lead Memphis over Minnesota.

Cunningham, inserted into the starting lineup after All-Star centre Marc Gasol sat out with a sprained right ankle, was 6 of 9 from the field as all five Memphis starters finished in double figures.

Marreese Speights had 18 points, Tony Allen finished with 13, and Mike Conley had 12 points and eight assists as the Grizzlies won their second straight.

Kevin Love led Minnesota with 28 points and 11 rebounds.

Source:http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/nba-capsules-144496695.html

L.A. Lakers: Are Gasol, Bynum, and Odom the NBA's Top Postseason Advantage?

Kobe Bryant may lead the Los Angeles Lakers to the 2010-11 NBA Finals, but if the team hopes to capture their 3rd consecutive title it will be because of the play of Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom.

Gasol, Odom, and Bynum give the Lakers one of the biggest, most talented, and productive front lines in the NBA, and it may be an advantage that no other team can match in the postseason.

The only other trio that even comes close to matching the production of Gasol, Bynum, and Odom is the Chicago Bulls' Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer, and Taj Gibson.

The Lakers' players average 44.8 points per game and 27 rebounds, while the Bulls' trio averages 37 points and 25.3 rebounds.

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Impressive Lakers roll past Orlando in 2nd half

LOS ANGELES – By the time Kobe Bryant talked himself into a little confidence in his swollen ankle in the second half, Andrew Bynum and the Los Angeles Lakers' reserves had already taken care of Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic.

Pau Gasol scored 23 points, Bryant added 16 while playing on a sprained left ankle, and the Lakers roared away in the second half for their 10th win in 11 games, 97-84 Monday night.

Bynum had 10 points, a career high-tying 18 rebounds and four blocks while hounding Howard into nine turnovers — four more than the entire Lakers squad — in another eye-catching low-post game for the Lakers' young center.

It all added up to a rather easy night of work for Bryant, who decided to play despite seriously rolling his ankle during the third quarter of Saturday's win at Dallas.

"It was more mental," said Bryant, who went 7 for 19 and missed eight shots in the first half. "It affected my bounce a little bit just because of the trust factor, just trusting it in the first half. Then at halftime, I just gave it a little pep talk."

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Bryant struggles and still leads Lakers over Mavs

DALLAS – Kobe Bryant overcame a sore ankle to score 16 points, helping the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Dallas Mavericks 96-91 on Saturday night.

Bryant shot just 6 of 20, but scored six points and assisted on the other basket in a 9-0 run by the Lakers late in the second quarter. That snapped a tie and put them ahead to stay.

After Bryant came down awkwardly on his left ankle late in the third quarter and left the game for a bit, the Lakers immediately scored eight consecutive points to stretch the lead to 10.

The Mavericks (47-19) are only a half-game ahead of Los Angeles (47-20) for second place in the Western Conference.

Celtics: How "The Big Shamrock" Will Help The Celtics

As a huge fan of Shaquille O'Neal, let me welcome the "Big Shamrock" to Boston. Ever since I started watching basketball, I’ve always loved watching the Diesel muscle his way through defenders and work the camera like no one in the history of the NBA. With that said, many people are a little skeptical of the signing because, let's face it, Shaquille O'Neal is 38 years old, clearly out of shape, and not nearly the player he once was. I look at the signing a bit differently...

We all watched the NBA Finals and saw the Boston Celtics get owned on the boards and just could not match up to the oversized team that was the Lakers. When Kendrick Perkins went down with a torn ACL and MCL in Game 6, all of Celtic Nation held their breath because we knew that we just lost one of the best defensive centers in the league at a time when we needed him most.

Even without Perk, the Boston Celtics were just a few minutes away from an 18th NBA Championship, but then that glaring hole at center really started to show. The likes of Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Kobe Bryant, and Andrew Bynum started getting all the rebounds that the Celtics could not get. Boston Celtics was just worn out and could not keep up with the Lakers who were able to keep their players fresh.

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LA Lakers: 30 Team Previews In 30 Days

2009-10 Statistics

Finished 57-25, first in Pacific Division, first in Western Conference

Postseason

1st Round: Defeated Oklahoma City Thunder 4-2

2nd Round: Defeated Utah Jazz 4-0

Conference Finals: Defeated Phoenix Suns 4-3

NBA Finals: Defeated Boston Celtics 4-3

Additions and Re-Signings

Matt Barnes via free agency, Steve Blake via free agency, Theo Ratliff via free agency, Shannon Brown via re-signing, Derek Caracter via draft, and Devin Ebanks via draft.

Losses

Jordan Farmar via free agency and Josh Powell via free agency.

Revenge has never felt so good for the LA Lakers. After being ousted in 6 games in the 2007 NBA Finals by the Boston Celtics, the LA Lakers made it back to the NBA Finals to gain redemption against the team that had embarrassed them 2 years prior.

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LA Lakers A Long Way From Repeating

Despite Miami Heat guard Dwayne Wade’s utterance that the Los Angeles Lakers are the favorites to repeat as NBA champions, Kobe Bryant’s team shouldn’t just be handed the trophy now. The road as a defending champion is always longer and more difficult than the previous one.

There are more expectations and thus more pressure. The mentality of fans is “If the Los Angeles Lakers won the title last year and kept every significant piece on their roster, why can’t they do it again?”

The answer is twofold. For one thing, a bullseye is inevitably placed on the back of each defending champion. It’s now squarely affixed between the numbers of the purple and gold jerseys. Especially on the back of Kobe Bryant’s 24.

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NBA : Who will win Boston Celtics or the Miami Heat?

NBA : Who will win Boston Celtics or the Miami Heat?

The Boston Celtics, defending Eastern Conference champions, are scheduled to play vs. the Miami Heat on 26th of October 2010; as if the Heat’s newly formed trio was not enough of a juncture.

This year was tough for the Boston Celtics as they lost the playoffs to the LA Lakers in the last 5 minutes followed by their star player Kevin Garnett getting injured and Paul Pierce’s contract ending. The Boston Celtics fans feared deeply that the team was on the verge of breaking but who thought the tables would turn once again.

Kevin Garnett reportedly had a successful knee surgery and plans on returning to the court soon while Paul Pierce extended his contract and the biggest news ever since the Miami Heat trio was formed is, Shaquille O’Neal announced on the Celtics official site that he is ecstatic to join the team.

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Los Angeles Lakers snap up NBA veteran Matt Barnes

The London-bound Los Angeles Lakers have added veteran small forward Matt Barnes to an already impressive roster.

Matt Barnes, a free agent after a season at fellow title-contenders the Orlando Magic, signed a two-year deal with the defending NBA champions.

The 30-year-old is a tough, talented defender and also shoots fine from beyond the three-point line. He averaged 8.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season in Orlando.

The former Los Angeles Clipper is the Lakers’ third signing of the summer after the team added veteran centre Theo Ratfliff and veteran point guard Steve Blake.

The LA Lakers head to London on October 4 to take on the Minnesota Timberwolves at the O2 Arena as part of NBA Europe Live.