Bleacher Report - Articles by Ryan Ward

Los Angeles Lakers Clinch Western Conference Top Seed

Ryan Ward — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:47:00 -0400

It was a forgone conclusion, but now it is officially after their win over the New Jersey Nets on Friday night. The Los Angeles Lakers are the No. 1 seed in the Western conference for the second straight season!

I think we all knew this was going to happen after seeing how the Lakers have just cruised through this season with all sorts of injury problems including another major knee injury to Andrew Bynum. The biggest question coming into this season was if the Lakers could improve on the defensive end of the floor.

When the season began the Lakers were arguably the best offensive and defensive team in the league. They were blowout teams by 20 to 30 points night in and night out, but that kind of dominance on both ends of the floor is impossible to keep up for an entire season.

Even though the Lakers came back down to earth after about about a month or so, they have definitely improved their defense for the long run.

A big move to improve the D was adding Trevor Ariza to the starting lineup. Ariza struggled a bit in a starting role, but he has come into his own as of late.

So if the playoffs were to start today the Lakers would be matched up with the eighth seed Dallas Mavericks who the Lakers have just dominated this season beating them convincingly in the season series 3-0.

There are four other possibilities for first round match ups for LA. First there is the Phoenix Suns who are on the outside looking in at the nine spot, but they have been red hot lately winning five of their last six games.

The second possible opponent is the New Orleans Hornets who the Lakers don't want to play. I think the Lakers will still beat Chris Paul and company to advance to the second round, but they could give LA some trouble.

The third possibility is the Utah Jazz. Last season the Jazz weren't even a challenge for the Lakers, this time around it I believe it would be the same result, but much like Chris Paul, Deron Williams has always been a match up problem for Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar.

Finally there is the Portland Trailblazers who would only be the Lakers first opponent is they just collapse in the final games of the season. An unlikely first round match up for the Lakers, but a possibility.

This would cause problems for the Lakers as they just seem to play terrible at the Rose Garden. Yes, the Lakers would have home court advantage, but it could go seven games against the Blazers due to their problems to play well in Portland.

No matter who the Lakers play in the first round, they will almost certainly advance to the second round and be on their way to winning another NBA title. The only big question for the Lakers now is who effective Andrew Bynum will be when he gets back on the floor.

Andrew Bynum Injury Update: Will Not Return Until Playoffs

Ryan Ward — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:43:00 -0400

It is looking like the same old story with Andrew Bynum as the time table for the big man's return is once again uncertain, but Phil Jackson says Bynum will be back for the beginning of the playoffs.

Last season's injury to Bynum's knee was very similar to this year's injury with the timing, type of injury and now the uncertainty of his return to the floor. This time around though people are a lot more optimistic about his return to the Lakers lineup with talk of the big kid returning for the playoffs instead of eventually being out for the season last year.

The Lakers are playing great basketball right now! The team chemistry is clicking, Trevor Ariza's move to the starting lineup seems to be working out and Kobe Bryant at times doesn't even have to play in the fourth quarter. The problem is that the Lakers are much better all around team, especially on defense, when Bynum is in the paint. I do think that the Lakers can still make a run at a title without Bynum like they did last season, but with Andrew back in the lineup the Lakers get a much needed boost on defense.

Although in my opinion the Los Angeles Lakers are the best team in the league right now, they are not with out flaws in their game. The defense is improved from the defenseless team last season, but there are definitely still some problems on the defensive end.

Much like the defense, the bench play is good for the Lakers, but not great like it was last season. Two players that came up huge last year in Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic aren't having their best year. Both players have been dealing with injuries pretty much all season long.

Bottom line is that the Lakers need Andrew Bynum back in the lineup as soon as possible. With Bynum back on the floor the Lakers, in my opinion, have by far the best chance of winning an NBA title this season.

Check out Andrew Bynum's rehab training that he went through after last season's injury:
Andrew Bynum's Rehab

Lamar Odom Gets One Game Suspension for Leaving the Bench Against Blazers

Ryan Ward — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:26:00 -0400

You had to figure someone's head had to roll for the little altercation between the Lakers and the Blazers, but I really didn't think it was going to be Lamar Odom—who wasn't even in the game at the time.

Honestly, the foul on Rudy Fernandez wasn't that bad at all. I know that sounds incredibly bias with me being a huge Lakers fan, but if you actually look at the play a couple times over, you will notice that Trevor Ariza had absolutely no intention of hurting Fernandez. Ariza just went for the ball like any good defender does.

The only problem is that Rudy hit the floor very, very hard, and everyone on the Blazers went nuts.

The deeper issue is that these two teams obviously don't like each other. This isn't the first time these two teams have gone at it like this; just a year ago the same thing happen when Lamar Odom fouled Brandon Roy while he was going up for a layup. Now that was a hard foul, but Roy didn't end up on a stretcher like Rudy did.

Also, the Rose Garden is an extremely tough place to play for every team besides the Blazers. That place is as loud as it gets when the Blazers are on their game and that night Rudy went down the Blazers were destroying the Lakers.

One thing that has to be done when the losing team is getting hammered by the other team like what the Blazers were doing to the Lakers is to put someone on the floor like Ariza did to Fernandez. That is just common sense in the NBA, going all the way back to the days of the showtime Lakers and Larry Bird's Boston Celtics. The team obviously doesn't want to end a player's career or hand out a season ending injury, but foul just hard enough to get your point across.

Although Trevor Ariza is the one that put Rudy Fernandez on the floor that night, it was Lamar Odom who ultimately got suspended for one game because of the whole ordeal after the fact.

I knew someone was going to get some sort of punishment, but didn't expect it to be Odom. I figured if anything were going to happen it would be Ariza getting fined.

I am not going to lie; Odom is a hot head and seems to be getting in people's faces all the time lately, so I think the league may waiting to put him in his place, and they chose to make an example of him here.

Los Angeles Lakers Hand Cavs First Loss in Cleveland This Season

Ryan Ward — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 18:03:00 -0500

The 23 game win streak in Cleveland for the LeBron James and the Cavs is officially over. It was a good run, but the Lakers were just too good even with Kobe Bryant sick as a dog and no Andrew Bynum.

Coming into this game there were a few Lakers trade rumors flying around Lakerland with Lamar Odom at the core of all the trade talk, but after his unbelievable performance in Cleveland those trade rumors may have been silenced.

With 28 points on 13 of 18 shooting and 17 rebounds Lamar Odom was just unstoppable as he picked up the slack for an under the weather Kobe Bryant.

Unfortunately, both Kobe Bryant and LeBron James didn't have memorable performances with Kobe only scoring 19 and LeBron with 16 only hitting 5 of 20 from the floor. King James did have 12 assists and eight rebounds, but he never really got it going offensively.

The two best players on the Cavs in this game were Mo Williams and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Both these guys came ready to play with Ilgauskas playing great offensively by being the leading scorer on the Cavs with 22 points and Williams keeping the Lakers defense on their heels all game long.

Z surprised me how well can shoot from all over the floor and stretch the defense. Williams on the other hand has proved his worth as a starting point guard in this league and gives the Cavs great second scoring threat to LeBron James.

As for the rest of the Lakers, Pau Gasol played well against Z in the paint scoring 18 points, dishing out six assists and ripping down 12 rebounds, but it was definitely Lamar Odom that stole the show.

With this win the Lakers may have officially become the best team in the NBA. They have the best record in the league at 41-9 and continue to snap winning streaks like both the Boston Celtics 19 and 12 game streaks and now with the Cleveland Cavs 23 game winning streak at the Q.

The season is far from over, but the Lakers have proved time and time again that they can beat anyone this year. As long as they can stay healthy I really don't see any team beating the Lakers in a seven game series come playoff time.

NEXT LAKERS GAME: Oklahoma City Thunder @ Los Angeles Lakers Tues. Feb. 10th 7:30pm PST

LAKERS vs. CAVS HIGHLIGHTS

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Lakers Trade Rumors: Shaq Back to Lakers?

Ryan Ward — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:16:00 -0500

This trade would be one hell of a stretch, but anything is possible in professional sports these days.

It was a surprise enough to see the Lakers making a trade for small forward in Adam Morrison in exchange for sharp-shooting Vladimir Radmanovic, but it would be huge to see Shaq in a Lakers uniform again.

Then again, it could be a disaster.

About a month ago Shaq said he wouldn't mind going back to play for the Lakers under Phil Jackson and alongside Kobe Bryant.

He even said the whole Kobe/Shaq feud was due to the media building something out of nothing.

He probably finally came to the realization that the Phoenix Suns aren't going anywhere and the Lakers are the favorites to come out of the West for the next two, three, maybe five seasons.

Although Shaq said he was up for the idea of playing in LA, the possibility of it actually happening seemed nearly impossible, especially with Andrew Bynum becoming the dominant force in the paint.

After Bynum went down recently and with the constant trade rumors in Phoenix, Shaq coming back to LA might not be so farfetched as it once seemed to be.

The real question is what will the Lakers give up in return and will it be worth taking on Shaq and the baggage he might bring to a championship contender.

The trade buzz flying around in Phoenix right now is that no one, besides Steve Nash, is untouchable right now. The biggest barginning chip and trade bait the the Suns have to play with is All-Star Amare Stoudamire who could drastically improve any team he may go to.

Other players possibly packaged with Stoudamire are Leandro Barbosa, Matt Barnes and Shaq as an outside possibility due to his big contract. If Shaq does get traded again it will have to be in either in a huge blockbuster three way deal with Stoudamire involved or a separate deal altogether.

The Lakers trade rumor involving Shaq would include Lamar Odom, Chris Mihm and DJ Mbenga headed to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for the center that helped bring three championships to LA not all that long ago.

Will this trade go down?

Probably not. I really don't see the Lakers throwing Shaq into the mix and getting rid of Lamar Odom while he is playing so well.

Then again, Odom's value may not get any higher than right now and if they were to move him this would be the time with his contract up at the end of the season.

Should the Lakers make this trade?

Maybe.

Pau Gasol is obviously no center and waiting for Bynum to recover again may result in the same outcome when it comes to playoff time.

Shaq is a proven winner, playing better than he has in years and he knows Phil Jackson's triangle offense better than any center in the league, including Andrew Bynum.

The problem is losing Lamar Odom. Without Odom, the Lakers might be more exposed than they are without Bynum. Odom brings somewhat of an X-factor to the Lakers, where he can play any position and is as versatile as they come.

Lakers Trade Radmanovic to Bobcats for Adam Morrison

Ryan Ward — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 18:55:00 -0500

In somewhat of a surprise, the Lakers have turned out to be the first team to make a trade with only a couple weeks left until the NBA trade deadline on February 19th.

I was wondering why sharp shooting Vladimir Radmanovic didn't play a single minute against the Boston Celtics on Thursday, but now it seems clear that they were already set on shipping him up to the Charlotte Bobcats.

In return for sending Radmanovic to Charlotte the Lakers will get guard Shannon Brown, who had a great game against the LA a week ago, and small forward Adam Morrison.

Morrison, the Gonzaga scoring machine, was Michael Jordan's first draft pick as part of the Charlotte Bobcats franchise picking the forward third overall. With other players like Rudy Gay and Brandon Roy being picked after Morrison the decision to go after the high scoring small forward hasn't exactly turned out in the Bobcats favor.

Radmanovic may not be having a great season scoring only 5.9 points a game and 2.5 rebounds, but he is lights out from beyond the arc and is arguably one the best three point shooters in the NBA today.

Adam Morrison, on the other hand, hasn't really lived up to expectations and has fallen out of favor with Bobcats head coach Larry Brown.

Although the Lakers will miss Radmanovic shooting from deep, Morrison is not a bad replacement being younger, more athletic and a great shooter as well. Shannon Brown with also help with the Lakers depth on the bench at the guard position.

This also may not be the end to the Lakers making deals before the trade deadline as trade rumors have been swirling around the league with big names on the market like Amare Stoudamire, Shaq, and Lamar Odom.

Kobe Bryant Sets Madison Square Garden Scoring Record with 61 Points

Ryan Ward — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:43:00 -0500

Although ultimately this has been a dark day for the Los Angeles Lakers with the team learning that center Andrew Bynum has a torn MCL and will be out for two to three months, Kobe Bryant changed the mood in Lakerland and New York City by putting on a classic and historic scoring display at Madison Square Garden.

Back in 1995, Michael Jordan rejoined the Chicago Bulls after short retirement and showed the world that he was officially back to his old tricks by lighting up the New York Knicks in their house with a "double nickel" (55 points).

Over the years since Jordan's performance in '95 at Madison Square Garden some players have come close to besting Jordan's record with some impressive scoring nights of their own, but no one has been able to score more than 55.

LeBron James came close with 50, Richard Hamilton and Jamal Crawford came a little closer with 52, but Kobe Bryant beat them all, including Michael Jordan, with 61 points at the Garden on Monday, February 2, 2009.

The man was just unstoppable! The word "unstoppable" gets thrown around quite a bit when talking about athletes, but on Groundhog day, everyone in Knicks uniform was seeing Kobe Bryant's shadow as he flew by anyone in his path.

Kobe was all over the place on the offensive end of the floor. He was hitting jumpers, draining threes and driving to the basket at will. Not only did he hit 19 of the 31 shots he took, but he was also lights out at the free throw line hitting a perfect and impressive 20 for 20 at the charity stripe.

Although this was without a doubt Kobe's night in history, he wasn't the only Lakers to go off against the Knicks on Monday as Pau Gasol drop in 31 points of his own while ripping down 14 rebounds in the convincing win over the Knicks 126-117.

Lamar Odom also had a decent game in his new role as a starter due to Bynum's injury with 14 boards, six points, and three blocks. He didn't have a great game offensively, but with Pau and Kobe combining for 92 points he didn't have to.

NEXT LAKERS GAME: Los Angeles Lakers @ Toronto Raptors Weds, Jan. 4th, 4pm PST

Andrew Bynum Injury Update: Out 2 to 3 Months with Torn MCL

Ryan Ward — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:21:00 -0500

The results are in and they are not good for the Los Angeles Lakers.

It was pretty obvious if you saw the injury to Bynum's right knee that the injury was extremely painful and he will be out for awhile. The MRI test results are in, and he will not be out for the season, at least not yet, but he will be out at least two to three months which will be around the end of the NBA regular season due to a torn MCL.

Every Lakers fan probably took a sigh of relief today learning about Bynum not being out of the season with his knee injury, but you have to think this is the same thing we heard last season.

Bynum definitely seemed optimistic when interviewed after the game against the Memphis Grizzles in which he suffered the injury, but you have to think the kid has got to be frustrated after playing the best basketball of his career so far and going down again with yet another serious knee injury.

Even without Andrew Bynum I still believe the Lakers can win it all, but it will take a lot of effort from Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom who is back in the starting lineup. The Lakers have to keep playing well on the defensive end of the floor or they will end up getting pushed around like they did in the NBA finals against the Boston Celtics come playoff time.

ANDREW BYNUM INJURY UPDATE

Andrew Bynum Suffers Hyperextended Right Knee

Ryan Ward — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 01:40:00 -0500

This season has been pretty promising thus far for the Los Angeles Lakers. Each player on the Lakers' roster came into this year with a chip on his shoulder after the Boston Celtics handled them with relative ease in the NBA Finals.

This season they are on a mission!

In the beginning, the Lakers were smoking hot and early front runners to go back to the finals in the West. Their defense was much improved and finally we all got to see Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum on the floor at the same time.

Coming back from his knee injury wasn't as easy as most anticipated for the young Bynum. Since he showed so much promise before he went down last January, Lakers fans were anxious to see what he could do.

It took a while to get back to his old ways, but after a career-high 42 points against the Los Angeles Clippers, the big kid seemed to have gotten his game back on the offensive end by scoring at around 26 points per game.

Not only was he becoming a dominant force in the paint with newfound confidence scoring the basketball, but he also began to improve in the rebounding category by ripping down 14 boards a night at one point.

Needless to say, the Lakers were becoming a dominant force in the NBA with Kobe, Pau, and especially Bynum coming into their own at just the right time. The West have been competitive, but with the Lakers' big three playing the way they have, no team in the West looks able to touch them.

It was the Jan. 13, 2008 match against the Memphis Grizzles when Bynum went down with what turned out to be a season-ending injury, having dislocated his left knee cap. Ironically enough, just a little more than a year later Bynum hyperextended his right knee after colliding with Kobe Bryant under the basket against the exact same team in Memphis.

I thought this was kind of strange. Last season, Bynum injured his left knee on Jan. 13. This season he injures his opposite knee on the date reversed: Jan. 31. Probably just a coincidence, but for some reason that was the first thing to come to mind.

The Lakers came from behind and beat the Grizzles convincingly, 115-98. However, they definitely lost a key player on a team that seemed destined to become NBA champions. I'm not saying all hope is lost, but without Bynum patrolling the paint the Lakers might become vulnerable once again.

The X-ray results of Bynum's right knee did come back negative, so there are no bone breaks. However, he will undergo an MRI tomorrow in New York to evaluate the extent of the damage and to determine how long he may be out.

When you see a clip of the injury, it looks pretty serious and I wouldn't be surprised if he will be out for the season for the second year in a row. The way he was screaming in agony is painful to watch.

In an interview just after the game, Bynum said it didn't feel as bad as he did when he was injured last season and that he was able to put weight on his injured knee, which he couldn't do last year.

He feels he won't miss much time and seemed to be in good spirits, so that is a good sign. Still, he may be in for a surprise if the doc says he should pack it in for the rest of the season.

Trevor Ariza Injury Update: Return Unclear

Ryan Ward — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:52:00 -0500

Just when the Lakers seemed to be hitting their stride with the big three in Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum playing well all at the right time, and the bench finally healthy, the Lakers get hit with another big blow to the bench and the defense with a concussion suffered by Trevor Ariza.

This season, Ariza has cemented his defensive presence by smothering the opposing teams guards. He is a tireless defender, a good three-point shooter and an exciting high flyer that always seems to be on the end of Jordan Farmar's lobs.

In the second quarter of the Lakers disappointing and surprising loss to the lowly Charlotte Bobcats, the Lakers' defensive stopper Trevor Ariza sustained a concussion which kept him out the rest of the game.

At first the injury didn't seem all that bad, but Ariza still feels "slightly impaired" and it remains unclear when he will be able to return to the floor. Ariza will see a doctor on Thursday and results will determine whether or not he will go with the team on the their road trip.

Lakes-Bobcats: Bryant Fouls Out in Double OT Loss

Ryan Ward — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:25:00 -0500

This season has had its share of surprises, but the Lakers losing to the Charlotte Bobcats at the Staples Center?

I definitely didn't see that coming.

Over the next few years, the Bobcats will be a force in the Eastern Conference. They may not be anything like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic or the defending champion Boston Celtics, but the team has a promising future.

With Larry Brown calling the plays and players like Gerald Wallce, Emeka Okafor and Raymond Felton improving with every passing season, the Bobcats should break into the playoff chase sooner rather than later. Nonetheless, this season has definitely been a feeling out process for the struggling franchise.

The Lakers, on the other hand, have been as good as anybody and are arguably the best team in the league right now. Kobe Bryant is playing great basketball as usual and Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol are really starting to mesh well. Once in awhile, a team can stumble no matter how good they are.

Coming into their game against Charlotte, Los Angeles’ combination of Bryant, Pau and Bynum had proven to be deadly as they had dominated as of late. Bynum started to really get it going offensively first off by scoring a career high 42 points against the Clippers and never really cooled off as he kept it up with 20-plus point performances including this game in which he scored 24 points.

Even with the Lakers big three playing the best they have played together since the beginning of the season, it wasn't enough to hold off a Bobcats team looking to pull off the upset at the Staples Center.

Bryant had a great game, all the way up to fouling out in the last minute of the first overtime by scoring a game high 38 points and eight rebounds. Pau Gasol on the other hand had a terrible game, probably the worst game of the season for the Spaniard. He only hit four out of 16 shots from the floor.

As for the Bobcats, they kept the Lakers on their toes all night with all their starters scoring in double figures. A big spark for the team was off the bench by point guard Shannon Brown, who added 14 points in 22 minutes. Boris Diaw lead the way for the Bobcats with 23 points, nine assists and nine boards and was pretty much the X-factor in this unlikely win over the Lakers at home.

The Lakers may have stumbled a little bit against the Bobcats, but don't expect that to happen very often, especially on the road. Over their next three games, the Lakers will face the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzles and the New York Knicks. This is just a hunch, but I would expect to see some pretty amazing performances by Bryant on this road trip, especially in Madison Square Garden where he loves to put on a show!

NEXT LAKERS GAME: Los Angeles Lakers @ Minnesota Timberwolves

Fri., Jan. 30th at 5 p.m. PST

Kobe Leads Lakers Over Cavs Despite Injuring Finger

Ryan Ward — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:37:00 -0500

OK Lakers fans now you can breathe! After seeing Kobe Bryant holding his shooting hand in agony I felt sick to my stomach as I started to think, "There goes the season."

Usually when Kobe has gotten hurt he keeps playing with just the look of pain on his face, but right when he dislocated his ring finger in his shooting hand the pain was seemingly unbearable as he couldn't do anything besides signal to the bench to take him out.

When the game was finished and Kobe did his usual post game interview he said that the pain he was feeling during the game was the most he has ever had to deal with while playing.

Any basketball player knows that once you injured you shooting hand whether it be jamming your fingers or spraining your wrist you have to drastically change your game because shooting the basketball becomes very painful or damn near impossible. Kobe Bryant on the other hand sucked it up and stayed in the game which was amazing in my opinion.

Not only did Kobe stay in the game after his injury, but he put on show with some of the toughest shots I have ever seen him make. If anyone in the league can stick Kobe, it is LeBron James, but once Kobe got in a groove he started making incredible shots over King James. He only scored 20 points, so it wasn't like he was lighting LeBron up all night, but the three shots I saw him make over LBJ were what makes him the better player as of right now.

There is no doubt in my mind that one day in the near future Kobe will be passing the torch to LeBron, but after seeing the way he played through pain, leading his team to victory and kept LeBron relatively in check, King James still has some learning to do from the best player in the NBA.

Although Kobe dished out 12 assists and scored 20 points, it wasn't a one man show in the 105-88 win over the Cavs.

The supporting cast of the Lakers continues to impress me even being short handed without Luke Walton or leader of the Bench Mob Jordan Farmar due to injuries. This may be a long shot, but I think Trevor Ariza should be in consideration for some NBA awards this season. Sixth Man of the Year? Defensive Player of the Year? Ariza probably won't be in the running for these NBA awards at season's end, but he definitely is both the Lakers best sixth man and defensive player right now!

With 10 points (2 of 2 from deep), four steals and four boards, Ariza was a beast against the Cavs. Along with Ariza, Sasha "The Machine" Vujacic was also key in this win as he was on fire from beyond the arch hitting 4 of 5 from three point territory finishing the game with 14 points off the bench.

Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol also played a big role in against the Cavs as they both dominated the paint, Bynum still struggles with his rebounding only ripping down six boards, but he made up for it with 14 points. Gasol continues to effective scoring a team high 22 points and crashing the glass with 12 rebounds.

Even though the two losses to the San Antonio Spurs and the Orlando Magic were hard to bear, this win over LeBron's Cavs shows that the Lakers still got it and once they get healthy should be one of the best teams in the NBA.

NEXT LAKERS GAME: Los Angeles Lakers @ Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday Jan. 21 7:30pm PST

Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James 2009

Ryan Ward — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 18:10:00 -0500

The past two games for the Lakers have been great, but unfortunately ended in losses. The Spurs game in San Antonio was an instant classic, but the Lakers got screwed by a flop by Roger Mason (in my opinion) which ultimately cost the Lakers the win. Even though Mason won the game for the Spurs, Kobe Bryant hit one of the best clutch shots I think I have ever seen.

The Orlando Magic came to Los Angeles to face the Lakers and throughout the whole game Dwight Howard made Andrew Bynum seem non-existent by dominating the paint with 25 points and ripping down 20 boards.

Although Bynum was put in his place by arguably the best center in the game right now, Kobe had a great game with his 15th career triple double, but it wasn't enough to hold off Jameer Nelson who took over the game in the fourth quarter and hit a key three point which pretty much sealed the deal for the Magic.

Despite losing two straight to two great teams and the injuries to Jordan Farmar, Luke Walton, and Lamar Odom, the Lakers are still looking good and poised to be the best in the West when it is all said and done.

The biggest test for the Lakers thus far will be on Monday night when they take on LeBron James and company in LA. The win over the Boston Celtics on Christmas day was huge, but a win over Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday would give the Lakers a huge confidence boost after dropping two games that they should have won.

Even though I believe that Kobe Bryant is hands down the best player in the NBA right now (a little bias, I know), it would be hard to argue that LeBron James isn't the leading MVP candidate thus far. Kobe Bryant has played great and Dwyane Wade has played as if reborn, but LeBron has been unbelievable!

Not only has LeBron lead his Cavs past the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics as the best team in the East, but he has also totally redefined his game by improving his game on the defensive end of the floor. So far LeBron has got to be the front runner for the MVP, but I also believe he should be in the running for Defensive Player of the Year.

There is only one other player that comes to mind when I think of both the NBA MVP and the Defensive player of the year and that is Michael Jordan. The thing that made Jordan so dominant is not just the fact that he was unstoppable on offense, but that he was just as dominant on defense. Kobe Bryant is a great defender, don't get me wrong, but LeBron has seemed to improve his game to the next level. When I see this kid block shots he immediately reminds me of Jordan and that is something Kobe hasn't been able to do on defense.

With that being said this matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers will in my opinion show us who is the best player in the NBA as of right now. I still think Kobe is on top, but LeBron is not far behind. Last season, LeBron got the best of Kobe when they went head-to-head, but this time I think the match up between the two NBA greats and the two best teams in the NBA is closer than it has ever been.

Who will win? Honestly, it is too close to call, but I can guarantee it will be one of the best games of the season and quite possibly a game that will be another NBA classic!

KOBE BRYANT vs. LEBRON JAMES: Monday, Jan. 19th 7:30pm PST

Lamar Odom Injury Update: Bone Bruise in Right Knee

Ryan Ward — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:43:00 -0500

It is about that time in the NBA season where the injuries start to mount up and coaches have to start working the depth chart.

This seems to happen to the Lakers every season where key players get hurt and the bench has to step it up. So far the bench has proved that it is still the best in the league with players like Trevor Ariza and Sasha Vujacic coming in and getting it done, but with Jordan Farmar, Luke Walton, and Lamar Odom out of action the bench is wearing thin.

First it was Farmar, then it was Walton, and now it is Lamar Odom that will be missing some time. Although after an MRI on his right knee came the results came up favorable, the bone bruise that was diagnosed will keep him out of action.

Odom might be able to make it back for Friday's game against the Indiana Pacers in Los Angeles, but nothing is set in stone. The Pacers beat the Lakers with a buzzer beater tip in by Troy Murphy back on December 2nd.

Luke Walton Injury Update: Out 2 Weeks with Foot Injury

Ryan Ward — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:26:00 -0500

Just when Luke Walton started to get some significant playing time in the Lakers' lineup, again he goes down with yet another injury to his feet.

Over past few seasons Walton has been cursed with ankle injuries which have kept him out of action for quite sometime, but this season he has been relatively healthy, problem is the Lakers were trying something different by changing the depth chart which effected both Lamar Odom and Luke Walton.

The good news is the foot injury will not have Walton sitting on the sidelines in street clothes for that long. The sesamoiditis in his right foot will only keep him out of action for about two weeks, in the meantime defensive specialist will be filling in for the injured Walton.

Lakers-Warriors: Pau Gasol Dominates in Second Half in Lakers Win

Ryan Ward — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:38:00 -0500

Pau Gasol was the man on Wednesday for the Lakers against the Golden State Warriors in their rebound victory after the loss to New Orleans Hornets.

At times in his career, especially during the NBA finals last year, Pau has been considered soft and easy to push around in the paint, but on Wednesday he was possessed and on a mission to rebound from the bad game against the Hornets.

With game highs of 33 points and 18 rebounds, Gasol was just a monster in the paint for Los Angeles. While his point total was impressive his offensive rebounds in this game were even more impressive, with eight boards off the offensive glass.

The Lakers struggled for most of the game against the Warriors in Oakland at Oracle Arena. But once the fourth quarter came around the Lakers turned it on by scoring 37 points to take control of the game and beat the Warriors 114-106 for the second time in two weeks.

The Warriors did have their best player on the bench with Stephen Jackson in street clothes watching from the sidelines, but Jamal Crawford and Corey Maggette picked up the slack and combined for 44 points. Andris Biedrins also had a good game for Golden State by crashing the boards with 17 rebounds.

Kobe Bryant had a decent night with 21 points, but it was Andrew Bynum who had somewhat of a break out game with 18 points, 11 boards, and two blocks. Trevor Ariza continues to be the top performer off the bench as he scored 17 points and grabbed nine boards.

Even though the Warriors put up a good fight, it just wasn't enough to top a huge night by Pau Gasol and company.

NEXT LAKERS GAME: Indiana Pacers @ Los Angeles Lakers Friday, Jan. 9 7:30pm PST

Kobe Bryant Drops 40 on the Utah Jazz

Ryan Ward — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 05:22:00 -0500

Although Kobe Bryant's numbers are down, especially in the scoring category, that doesn't mean he can't drop 30, 35, or 40 on a good team on any given night.

The reason Kobe hasn't had huge scoring nights like he has been known to do in the past is because he now has the best team in the NBA and no longer has to carry the scoring load. Thing is, sometimes he just catches fire regardless if he needs to or not, and that is exactly what he did against the Utah Jazz.

Although Kobe will probably be the only player remembered for this game after scoring 40 points, it was Trevor Ariza that really stole the show by displaying the defensive ability that he has become known for. With a game high five steals, two of which came in the final two and half minutes, Ariza took all the wind out of the Jazz’s sails as they tried to rally back from behind, but they couldn't get it together as the Lakers took them down 113-100 for their fifth straight victory in a row.

This is starting to become a pleasant trend with Ariza, so much so that he might get some attention for defensive player of the year if he keeps coming through on defense. Ariza finished the game with some impressive stats for a bench player with 12 points, nine rebounds, and five steals.
Along with Kobe hitting 40, and Ariza ripping five steals from the Jazz, Pau Gasol hit a milestone by scoring 21 points and receiving the 10,000 point mark for his career (10,001 to be exact) he also lead the team in rebounds with 11, and assists with six.

As for the Jazz, Paul Millsap has done a great job filling in for Carlos Boozer, especially on the glass. Millsap had a game-high 17 boards to go along with 16 points, two blocks and two steals.

Deron Williams on the other hand had a night to forget, he did dish out 12 assists, but he couldn't hit a shot to save his life as he went 4-18 from the field. Besides Millsap, Mehmet Okur was the Jazz’s top scorer with 21 points, and he also managed to grab 13 boards.

Ever since getting a little revenge against the Boston Celtics on Christmas day, the Lakers have been smokin' hot looking seemingly untouchable, but they will be tested in January as they face some tough teams, three of which have already beaten the Lakers once this season (Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and Indiana Pacers).

NEXT LAKERS GAME: Portland Trailblazers @ Los Angeles Lakers Sunday, Jan. 4th 6:30pm PST

Lakers Still Red Hot Beating Warriors 130-113

Ryan Ward — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 01:37:00 -0500

It just doesn't look right. No matter how many times I see Ronny Turiaf in a Golden State Warriors' jersey I cringe and can't help but wonder if he has a Lakers' jersey underneath.

At least he didn't go to the San Antonio Spurs like Robert Horry, or the Dallas Mavericks like Devean George, or even the Phoenix Suns like Shaq. I really can't stand any of those teams, but I don't really have a problem with the Warriors, I actually was routing for them when they had that little run in the playoffs with Baron Davis a couple years ago.

I have a soft spot for Turiaf, not many players show the emotion and lust for life that he does and in my opinion he will always be a Laker4Life regardless of what he does during the rest of his career.

Back to the game, which was pure Lakers' domination from start to finish!

The Lakers put up 130 points against the Warriors on Sunday which is more like a score from the Showtime Lakers era. With that many points the Lakers are flying high with a new found confidence from their huge win over the Boston Celtics on Christmas day.

Ironically enough, the Warriors were coming off a huge win of their own after beating the Celtics just one day after the Lakers handed them their third loss, the Warriors gave them one more.

With both teams looking to prove that their win over the Celtics wasn't just a fluke they came out firing against one another on Sunday.

Kobe Bryant lead the way as usual with his 31 points, but he was only one of the six Lakers to score in double figures against the Warriors. Ex-Warriors' point guard Derek Fisher also got in on the scoring action with 19 points, followed by Sasha Vujacic's 17 who lit it up from deep hitting 4-7 from beyond the arc.

Every single Lakers' player that hit the floor on Sunday night scored including international import Sun Yue who only played 7 minutes, but did score 2 points. With Jordan Farmar out for a couple of months, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Chinese Magic Johnson (which he has been called) getting more playing time in his absence.

As for the Warriors, Jamal Crawford tried to shoulder the scoring load with 22 points on 7-12 shooting from the floor as usual shooting leader Stephen Jackson only scored nine points. Ronny Turiaf on the other hand had a terrible game offensively in the 20 minutes he was on the floor in his return to LA. The power forward didn't hit either of the two shots he put up, but he did block four shots, and stole the ball twice with the defensive intensity that all of us used to love to watch.

With this win the Lakers improve their winning streak to three, and are clicking on all cylinders at just the right time as they will face some pretty tough teams over the next three-game home stand (Utah Jazz, Portland Trailblazers, New Orleans Hornets) before going to play the Warriors again by the bay.

NEXT LAKERS GAME: Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Lakers Friday, Jan. 2nd 7:30pm PST

Lakers-Celtics: Boston Just Couldn't Hang with Improved Los Angeles Squad

Ryan Ward — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:52:00 -0500

Coming into the Christmas Day NBA Finals rematch between the Los Angeles Lakers and the hated Boston Celtics, I thought the Celtics were the best team in the East, the NBA and one of the best teams of all time.

But I was wrong.

The Celtics have been damn near unstoppable this season, as much as I hate to say it.

They have been playing with great team chemistry, and just as much heart and determination as they showed all last season.

With that being said, I was on the edge of my seat all game long. Every shot, every possession I was holding my breath while knocking back beer after beer to ease the tension and enjoy the day.

At the beginning of the game, both teams seemed like equals as they went back and forth, up and down the floor, trying to outdo one another and shake the nerves from all the hype and anticipation of this Christmas Day battle of the best teams in the NBA.

All I could think about the entire game—especially when the Celtics took the lead—were those the huge leads the Lakers blew in the Finals, almost like a nightmare you just can't forget.

But every time Boston went ahead, Los Angeles countered by taking it right back.

The biggest difference between this game and the forgettable NBA Finals last season was one player—and it wasn't Andrew Bynum. It was Pau Gasol.

During the Finals, everyone—and I mean everyone—was bashing the Lakers and Pau Gasol for the lack of toughness and defensive intensity. Gasol has never been an imposing force in the paint, he can score and he can rebound, but the word "soft" he has been called on more than one occasion.

In the first half, Pau looked like the same Pau we saw in the Finals. Soft and completely dominated by Kevin Garnett, Leon Powe and Kendrick Perkins, but once the fourth quarter came around Pau switched it into another gear and was key in giving the Celtics their third loss of the season.

With his 20 points, five assists, and three blocks Gasol showed that his poor performance and lack of toughness in the Finals is a distant memory.

Pau wasn't the only Laker to pick apart the Celtics on Christmas day, Kobe Bryant also had a big role in taking down the defending NBA champs.

During the Finals it seemed like the Celtics finally figured out how to guard Kobe by smothering him and forcing him to beat them with his jump shot, but that wasn't the case this time as he lit up Boston for 27 points, five assists, and nine boards while shooting better than 50 percent from the field 13 of 23.

Both KG and Paul Pierce didn't go down without a fight though as they constantly attacked the basket and crashed the boards. KG finished with 22 points and nine rebounds. Pierce added 20 points and 10 boards, but had five turnovers.

The Celtic who struggled the most against the Lakers defense was sharp-shooting Ray Allen, who only hit five of 14 from the field, missing eight out of the 11 shots he took from deep. Rajon Rondo was also had a pretty pitiful shooting performance, as he went three for 11 from the floor, but he did dish out a game-high 12 assists.

All and all, the Lakers were the better team on Christmas Day, beating the Celtics 92-83. But we are not even hlafway through the NBA season yet, and things can and will change. Injuries happen, trades get made and team chemistry always goes through ups and downs throughout the season.

So who knows what will happen come June? But one thing is for certain—this rivalry is here to stay.

Jordan Farmar Injury Update: Knee Surgery Successful

Ryan Ward — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 00:28:00 -0500

On December 19, the Lakers were hit with another big injury problem.

It wasn't as bad as Andrew Bynum going down last season, but bad enough to affect the team's spark off the bench.

In the loss against Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat a couple of Fridays ago, backup point guard Jordan Farmar, who could easily be a starter on more than half the league's teams with his play this season, suffered a knee injury which will keep him out of action for quite some time.

He isn't out for the season or anything—at least, I hope not—but he will miss out up to eight weeks.

Farmar was injured when he stole the ball in the fourth quarter which tore his lateral meniscus in his left knee.

On Christmas Eve Farmar underwent surgery on his left knee which only took about half an hour, but was successful in repairing the lateral meniscus.

Without Farmar bringing the Lakers a much needed offensive spark off the bench, not to mention his much improved offensive skills, the Lakers will definitely be looking to fill the void with a point guard free agent.

They might even try to make a trade to fill the open spot and get a much needed defensive presence.

Kevin McHale Still Winless as Minnesota T-Wolves Head Coach After Lakers Win

Ryan Ward — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 17:02:00 -0500

The Minnesota Timberwolves just seem to be an NBA franchise destined for failure. No matter what they do, draft picks they get or what trades they make, the T'Wolves haven't been able to get back to West dominance like they did with Sam Cassell, Latrell Sprewell and Kevin Garnett some years ago.

As if seeing KG winning the NBA championship last season with the Boston Celtics right after being traded from Minnesota wasn't bad enough, the Timberwolves have not been able to replace KG's presence or dominance on the court. Al Jefferson is definitely a star on the rise as he seems to improve with every game, but his supporting cast just can't help him enough to get it done.

This team could be a force to be reckoned with in the next five years or so with young talent like Randy Foye and Kevin Love, but as of right now they are a team struggling to discover their identity.

Coming into this game, Minnesota had just recently made a change at head coach by switching Kevin McHale's job title from general manager to coach of the TWolves, but he has failed to win any of the three games he has coached thus far, including this loss to the Lakers 98-86.

Even though the Timberwolves have only won four games this season and aren't a very good basketball team right now, they definitely gave the Lakers a run for their money by constantly challenging the Lakers defense which hasn't been as impressive as it once was early this season.

Kobe Bryant had a poor shooting night only hitting nine of 24 shots, but he came up big late in the game to lead the Lakers to victory with his 26 points. Pau Gasol was the player of the game in my opinion with 18 points, 11 boards, six assists, and three blocks on the defensive end.

Even though Al Jefferson had to deal with a packed painted area with Pau and Andrew Bynum he had a pretty good game for the TWolves scoring 20 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks of his own. Mike Miller and power forward Craig Smith also had notable games as Miller added 11 points and ripped down nine boards and Smith finished with 18 points and eight boards.

There were two other Lakers that deserve some credit for the win, both Trevor Ariza and Andrew Bynum came to play Sunday at home. Bynum scored 14 points to with nine rebounds, Ariza who continues to be one of the best bench players in the league, especially on the defensive end, added 14 points, five boards, and three steals.

Although the final score doesn't show it, this was a close game with the TWolves breathing down the Lakers necks all game long, but they just couldn't close them out down the stretch.

The Lakers showed earlier in the season that they figured out their defensive dilemma, but lately that defensive intensity has been missing and their opponents have taken notice.

Obviously when the defense is clicking, the Lakers are arguably the toughest team to beat in the NBA, but if they don't get that intensity back on defense that they had when they were blowing out teams by 20 or 30 points, then the Lakers could be in trouble when they face the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day.

NEXT LAKERS GAME: New York Knicks @ Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday, Nov. 16th 7:30pm PST

Kings-Lakers: Defense Keeping Rivalry Alive

Ryan Ward — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:00:00 -0500

Coming into this game, almost everyone counted out the Sacramento Kings against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Not only because the Lakers are arguably the best team in the West and quite possibly the NBA, but because there best player Kevin Martin would be watching from the sidelines due to injury.

Throughout the last decade or so, the Kings and Lakers have had a pretty-heated rivalry from battling as Western Conference powerhouses during the Lakers championship years, and continuing when both teams went through rebuilding years.

It seems no matter what players have come and gone, whether it be Mike Bibby, Chris Webber, Ron Artest, Shaq, or the Lakers' talented role players of old like Brian Shaw, Robert Horry, and Rick Fox this rivalry has not died and should stand the test of time.

It would be hard to argue that the Lakers have not improved considerably on defense since last season—but you definitely would not have thought that if you saw the Lakers defense break down the way it did against the Kings on Tuesday night in Sacramento.

The Kings basically kept the Lakers and Kobe Bryant in check all night long with their motivated defense. Kobe did end up with 28 points, but he could not throw a rock in the ocean with the way he was shooting. The Kings figured out how to play Kobe early by throwing two defenders at him all game, mostly Kobe struggled with John Salmons being in his face for most of the game.

Like I said, Kobe did end up scoring 28 points, but he only hit a pitiful nine of 25 shots. After not being able to finish at the rim because of the impressive Kings defense, Kobe resorted to jacking up threes. He hit a couple threes late, but it was just too little too late.

The only other Laker to complement Kobe's 28 was Pau Gasol, who finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds.

For resasons I don't really understand, Andrew Bynum was not in the game down the stretch in the fourth quarter. The Lakers were getting destroyed by the Kings' outside shooting late in the game, but with the Bynum being the defensive force and dominant rebounder in the paint, I really don't see why he wasn't in the game to limit the Kings second-chance scoring.

Lamar Odom had a decent game along with Pau and Kobe, scoring 11 points and ripping down eight rebounds, but the Lakers just couldn't compete with the Kings who just couldn't miss.

The Kings came into this game with only five wins, 16 losses, and their best player Kevin Martin in street clothes, but Francisco Garcia and John Salmons picked up the slack and lead their team to victory over a very good Lakers team.

Not only was John Salmons solid on offense with 21 points, but he played the best defense on Kobe Bryant that I have seen this season.

Francisco Garcia had probably one of his best performances of his career against the Lakers Tuesday night. He didn't have huge numbers with only 21 points, but he did all the small things that don't show up in the stat sheet.

Point guard Bobby Jackson was also big spark for the Kings off the bench, as he hit some big three pointers and finished with 15 points, hitting three of six from deep.

It is early in the season, but it is pretty obvious looking at the Kings' 6-16 record and the how competitive the West is again this season that the Sacramento is headed toward another disappointing season.

But for some reason they continue to have the Lakers number.

Even though this is a huge win for the Kings it may be short lived because they will face the Lakers again in Los Angeles on Friday and you better believe the Lakers will be looking to make a statement in that game.

NEXT LAKERS GAME: Phoenix Suns @ Los Angeles Lakers Friday, Dec. 12th 7:30pm PST

Lakers-Bucks: Milwaukee Just Another Victim of the Unstoppable LA

Ryan Ward — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:57:00 -0500

As we inch closer and closer to the NBA Finals rematch battle between the Lakers and the hated Boston Celtics on Christmas Day, Kobe Bryant and company have a relatively easy schedule ahead of them before they are truly tested.

The Milwaukee Bucks haven't exactly been a team to be feared over the last decade or so, but sometimes they show signs of promise with their young core of talented players like sharp shooting Michael Redd, high flying Richard Jefferson, and Aussie center Andrew Bogut.

Although the Bucks could be a force in the NBA sooner rather than later, the Lakers proved that Redd and his squad were no match for arguably the best team in the NBA when the Lakers won 105-92 on Sunday.

Not only did the Lakers' beat-down of the Bucks seem effortless, but almost all the Bucks' starters were out-played by their backups. Not one of the Bucks' starting five scored in double figures—in fact, they combined for a pitiful 18 points.

Without the impressive play of Bucks rookie Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (14 points, six rebounds, four steals) and Joe Alexander (15 points), this game would have been an absolute joke.

Once again, the Lakers had a great all-around team game with everyone pitching in.

Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher lead the way in the scoring column with 20 for Kobe (he had a season-high eight assists as well) and 19 for Fish.

It still trips me out to see Kobe scoring 20 to 25 points and the Lakers just destroying teams!

As for the rest of the Lakers, Andrew Bynum had a great performance with 14 points and 14 boards, Pau Gasol added 12 points, nine boards, and five assists, and Radmanovic kept up his impressive shooting going four for five and two for three from deep.

Not only did the Lakers tie a franchise best with a 17-2 record after beating the Bucks, but Chinese guard Sun Yue finally got into the action for the first time in a Lakers uniform Sunday night.

It was only five minutes on the floor, but he made the best of it, scoring four points on two of three shooting.

NEXT LAKERS GAME: Los Angeles Lakers @ Sacramento Kings Tues. Dec. 9 7:00 pm PST

Kobe and Lakers Dominate Shaq and the Suns

Ryan Ward — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 20:36:00 -0500

Only a couple of seasons ago, this match up between the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers was a one sided affair with the Suns consistently dominating the Lakers. However, now Kobe Bryant and his boys are just too much for Shaq O'Neil and the Suns.

Not only did this game seem like a joke for the Lakers as they beat down on the Suns pretty convincingly 105-92, but a lot of positive things came out of their ninth win of the season as well as another W.

Coming into this game, Vladimir Radmanovic's starting status was in question because lately he couldn't throw a rock in the ocean, but after his 15 points against the Suns all from three point land, he may have saved his starting role. Hitting five threes is awesome, but hitting five for five means Vlad finally got the message and is taking smarter shots.

The Lakers played perhaps the best basketball they have played all season against the Suns on Thursday night, as everyone that got on the floor for Los Angeles made an impact in one way or another. Kobe Bryant did what he normally does and out scored everyone with 24 points. It was the play of Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza, Jordan Farmar, and Andrew Bynum though, that really set the tone and kept the Suns from doing anything on offense.

The biggest adjustment the Lakers have made this season has definitely been on defense. In the finals against the Boston Celtics last season, the Lakers were just flat on defense. This carried over to the offense and resulted in one embarrassing performance after another, not to mention an NBA title for their arch rivals.

Well, that seems to be over now as the Lakers look like they have the best defense in the league to go along with the best all around player (Kobe) and the deepest bench.

The Suns did show some signs of life with an occasional three or a Shaq dunk, but it was painfully obvious that the Lakers were the better team by far.

Although Pau Gasol didn't hurt the Suns in the scoring column with only four points, he still contributed with an impressive nine assists and nine boards. Andrew Bynum against Shaq with 10 points and seven boards, Shaq still has the edge over the big kid as he scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

The Lakers bench played awesome once again lead by Odom's 13 points and 9 rebounds. Trevor Ariza continues to perform well off the bench too with 10 points and 3 boards. Jordan Farmar had another great game as well with 11 points in 22 minutes.

Besides the Detroit Pistons, the Lakers haven't really been tested this season. The Denver Nuggets took the Lakers down to the wire early in the season, which resulted in the only game that Kobe had to take over so far. However, I wouldn't consider it to be a true test.

NEXT MATCH UP: Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Lakers Friday, Nov. 21st 7:30pm PST

Is Vladimir Radmanovic Going Back to the Bench?

Ryan Ward — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:34:00 -0500

It has been pretty obvious this season that Vladimir Radmanovic has not lived up to expectations as a starter for the Lakers.

The Lakers are 8-1 so far and have been pretty solid all around this season, but Vlad's stats have been anything but good through nine games.

In preseason, Phil Jackson decided to have Lamar Odom come off the bench. Personally I thought it was a great idea, mostly because he isn't the best outside shooter like Vlad or Trevor Ariza. With Andrew Bynum back healthy and Pau Gasol now at power forward, there would be a lot more open looks for good outside shooters on the floor.

Derek Fisher has proven over the years that he can shoot from beyond the arc. Even his backup, Jordan Farmar, can shoot well from deep. Kobe Bryant still holds the record for most threes in an NBA game with 12 (tied with Donyell Marshall), so you know Kobe can shoot the long ball.

Sasha Vujacic was given a big contract in the off season just because he is a good outside shooter—and finally, Vlad shoots the three as good as anyone on the Lakers with his sweet-looking high arc threes.

The problem is that Lamar Odom just isn't the best shooter. He can hit a shot on occasion, but he is more of a playmaker in the paint, with his long wing span and quick post moves. So hitting the three isn't something he is used to doing like the rest of the Lakers—and for good reason. He definitely a bigger penetrating threat than he is with a spot-up shot.

That being said, while Phil Jackson's decision to put Vlad in the starting lineup instead of LO makes sense, Vlad has become increasingly inconsistent in shooting the basketball, and therefore might be sent to the bench in favor of Ariza or Odom.

Personally, I think it is too early to make the change. When you give a player more shots, regardless of whether he is a shooter, you can expect him to miss a lot of shots in the beginning before he adjusts to his new role on the squad.

Who knows what will happen? But I think you if give any professional time to work out the kinks in his game, you will see it pay off in the long run.

1st Game of the Regular Season Against Greg Oden's Portland Trailblazers

Ryan Ward — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:01:00 -0400

The Lakers will be tested right out of the gate as they will go up against a very talented and young Blazers team lead by center Greg Oden and Brandon Roy.

This will not be an easy win for the Lakers by any means, they may be favored to win this game and the West when it is all said and done, but I think the Blazers will be the surprise team in the NBA this season and could give Kobe and company a run for their money in the first game of the season.

Not only is Brandon Roy turning into one of the most explosive up and coming guards in the league, but he also has an entire whole roster filled with young players that could easily be NBA all stars like rookie Jared Bayless, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden.

There will be two key matchups in this game which will be very entertaining to watch when these two teams start their season on Tuesday. The first head to head matchup to watch will be the reigning NBA MVP Kobe Bryant going up against youngster Brandon Roy. These two guards will be going at each other all night long! Kobe may be a little banged up (knee), but as he has shown in years past, not even injury can stop number 24 from dominating his opponent. Brandon Roy on the other hand will be looking to prove that he is one of the best players in this league by taking it to Bryant in his house at the Staples Center.

The next matchup to keep your eye on Tuesday will be one that might turn into the next big man rivalry in NBA with Greg Oden battling Andrew Bynum in the paint. In the past there have been some awesome big men battles like the late great Wilt Chamberlain against Bill Russell, Shaq vs. Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon just to name a couple. The center position has kind of taken a back seat to guards like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James since Shaq's dominance earlier this decade, but talented big men are starting to make their way back into the lime light with centers like Dwight Howard in Orlando, Yao Ming in Houston and now Andrew Bynum with the Lakers and Greg Oden in Portland.

Having said that, I think NBA fans will be in for a treat this season as it could be one of the most competitive in recent memory. The Lakers should teach the youngsters a lesson in their first meeting of the season, but I would not be surprised to see a close game on Tuesday night.

Coby Karl Will Be Missed After Being Cut by Lakers

Ryan Ward — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:39:00 -0400

Over the years, there have been a few players to put on a Lakers jersey that the fans just fall in love with, from players like goofy Mark Madsen, sharp-shooting Mike Penberthy, crazy Ronny Turiaf, and just recently cut cancer survivor Coby Karl.

Problem is, it wasn't Karl's decision to leave the Lakers like it was for Turiaf (signed with Warriors) and Madsen (signed with T-Wolves), as the Lakers waived the former Boise State star Monday. Maybe the kid wasn't good enough to make the Lakers squad this season, but something tells me we haven't seen the last of him.

Being a son of an NBA coach in George Karl definitely puts extra pressure on you as a player to succeed in the NBA, but Coby has not had it easy by any means after battling with cancer and trying to convince the Lakers to add him to quite possibly the most talented team in the NBA.

Personally, I liked the guy. I thought he was a solid player, probably not a starter, but definitely a force off the bench with his playmaking ability and outside shooting.

Although it is unfortunate that the Lakers couldn't keep him, Coby will likely end up playing for another NBA team in the near future, if not immediately.

Best Dunk by Coby Karl as a Laker

Andrew Bynum Can Finally Buy a Drink After Turning 21

Ryan Ward — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:22:00 -0400

It is hard to believe this monster in the middle is only 21-years-old. Hopefully some maturity will follow, but after I saw this video of his birthday bash at Club Krave, I don't know so much.

Dollar, Dollar bills y'all! I guess I can't blame the kid for letting loose on his 21st birthday. I mean, who doesn't? But throwing all that money on the crowd seems a little reckless and irresponsible. I'm sure I wouldn't have complained if I were in the crowd though!

Happy 21st Birthday Bynum!

The Machine Gets Back on the Court: Sasha Vujacic Returns to Lakers Practice

Ryan Ward — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 23:01:00 -0400

Some good news for the Lakers Monday: Sasha "The Machine" Vujacic has made his way back onto the basketball court after injuring his ankle on the first day of training camp.

After the ankle injury, which was worse than first diagnosed, Vujacic was going to sit out the rest of the preseason to hopefully be healthy to start the regular season. Fortunately for the Lakers, Vujacic was back on the floor for practice on Monday.

"It feels good. There are just certain movements, certain things I can't do," Vujacic said Monday. "We'll see how it feels tomorrow and go from there."

Just this offseason, Vujacic was rewarded for a career year last season and received his first big payday by signing a three-year deal with the Los Angeles worth about $15 million.

The talented shooter said he plans to play at least one of the last three preseason games and should be ready for the Lakers first regular season game on Oct. 28, against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Lamar Odom Will Accept New Role as Lakers Sixth Man

Ryan Ward — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:14:00 -0400

I suppose it was just a matter of time before Lamar Odom would start to come off the bench for the Lakers, but he didn't see it that way as the former all star was furious with coach Phil Jackson decision to have him come off the bench.

It is hard to blame the guy for complaining, when he plays at the top of his game, Lamar is as good as anyone in the league at his position. The problem is his tends to be a very streaky and inconsistent. His biggest gripe about coming off the bench to start this season is that he is in a contract year and needs to make an impression to continue making the big money in the future.

Although Odom wasn't happy with his new role on the team to start the preseason, he realized soon after that it was all for the best and apologized for his little outburst.

"That was my alter-ego talking," he said. "That's Odom, not Lamar. Seriously, I'm being dead serious. Lamar's a good locker room dude. I don't want to be detrimental to the team, especially when it's a championship-caliber team."

Sounds a little crazy, but at least he isn't demanding a trade or creating anymore drama in Lakerland.

Hopefully, this will be exactly what Odom needs to keep him motivated and playing up to his potential this season. At first, it sounded like a bad idea to me, but after thinking about what it could do for Odom's game it seems like the right approach for Phil Jackson.