Clipper update: Notes from the Midwest

Auburn Hills, Mich. -- Game 2, for Eric Gordon, will hopefully go a bit better and more smoothly than Game 1 did Wednesday night at Indiana against the Pacers.

His homecoming at Indianapolis also happened to be his first game back after missing eight games because of a strained left groin. He went two for seven from the field and had six points in 27-plus minutes.

"The main thing is I'm just trying to get my legs back together," Gordon said here on Friday, shortly before the Clippers played the Pistons.

Said Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy: "He looked really good in that one practice last week. But then he didn't play. I was hoping we would have gotten 10 to 15 minutes out of him in the game before he got to Indiana. The other part of it is coming home, adrenaline, family and friends."

Did Gordon feel winded in the second half? He took only two shots from the field.

Lakers vs. Knicks: Lakers defeat New York

Final: Lakers 100, Knicks 90

It sounds strange to say and even write, but the Lakers had to hold on for the victory.

They once led by 25 points in the fourth, but the lead was cut to eight points late in the fourth before the Lakers won their fourth straight game.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 34 points, five rebounds and four assists.

---

Third quarter: Lakers 83, Knicks 62

The Lakers went on a 17-0 run to extend their lead to 24 points.

All five Laker starters had scored in double figures by the end of the third quarter.

Kobe Bryant led the way with 30 points on 13-for-30 shooting.

Clippers after deadline

For those who think this was the worst shooting performance by the Clippers' Baron Davis this season,  think again.

Davis, who went 1 for 10 from the field against Minnesota on Monday night, had a similar dud, in terms of numbers in the season opener, going 1 for 10 against the Lakers.

His shooting woes, for once, did not cost the Clippers, who defeated the Timberwolves, 91-87. This, most definitely, would not have been the case last season in which the drop-off in terms of backup point guards was way more dramatic. Davis was limited to 8:48 in the second half and eventually scored in the final seconds.

Finally, the Clippers have a credible second option when Davis is having a truly horrible shooting night.

There was Sebastian Telfair, the former Timberwolf, who stepped up with a season-high 17 points and no turnovers.

"It means a lot," Telfair said. "I was traded for them to go get some new guards. I wanted to show them I could play. I don't want to say anybody made a mistake ... those guys are great players. I'm confident enough to know I'm just as good as those guys."

Ralph Lawler, Michael Smith say they 'deeply regret' offending any fans

 

Ralph Lawler opened up the broadcast of the Clippers game Monday night by saying he and broadcast partner Michael Smith "deeply regret" offending any Clippers fans after their end-of-game riff on Memphis center Hamed Haddadi, who is the only Iranian-born player in the NBA, caused a Clippers season-ticket holder to publicly complain last week.

"I'm Ralph Lawler, along with Mike Smith," Lawler said. "I want to get something out of the way. Both of us deeply regret anything we might have said that may have offended any good Clipper fan or anybody else in that ball game against Memphis last Wednesday night. We're glad to put that behind us and we're glad to be back."

Lawler then noted that the Clippers had beaten Denver last Friday when Michael Eaves and Don MacLean handled the television duties. Smith said, "I guess we missed a darn good game."

During the Clippers' pregame show Lawler and Smith did their usual quick comments and Eaves said, "Ralph, Michael, it's always good to see you and I'm looking forward to hearing your call coming up at the bottom of the hour."

Lawler got in his first "bingo," his signature call of a three-pointer, with 6:11 left in the first quarter when Minnesota's Corey Brewer hit a three-pointer. It was a very good "bingo" to hear. Even if it wasn't a Clipper doing the shooting. Welcome back, Ralph.

-- Diane Pucin

Are you on Facebook? Become a fan of the Times' Sports Facebook page and have Clippers news and breaking news sent to your Facebook page.

Photo: Broadcasters Ralph Lawler and Michael Smith work a game between the Clippers and Grizzlies in 2006. Credit: Joe Murphy / NBAE / Getty Images

Lakers' Odom gives back to community

Lamar Odom, known among his teammates as a caring and giving person, reached out to the local community Monday after Lakers practice, visiting the City of Hope in Duarte.

Odom, along with his wife, reality TV star Khloe Kardashian, visited a children's cancer unit in Duarte and passed out toys and passed along the holiday spirit.

Odom did the event through his charity, Cathy's Kids Foundation, which he has dedicated to underprivileged youth and to cancer research.

Odom started the foundation in 2004 in memory of his mother, Cathy Mercer, who died from cancer when he was 12.

-- Broderick Turner

Photo: Lamar Odom and wife Khloe Kardashian arrive for a benefit in Los Angeles last month. Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Lakers prepare for high-scoring Knicks

The Lakers have won their last three games, by 13, 15 and 16 points.

The 16-point victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night looked easy.

But the Lakers aren't looking at every opponent that way.

Sure, their next opponent, the New York Knicks, are one of the worst teams in the NBA.

But the Lakers had a practice Monday in which they went hard.

"It's about peaks and valleys," Kobe Bryant said. "A couple of games we might struggle, then we pick it back up."

The Knicks are averaging 101.4 points per game, ninth best in the NBA.

But the Knicks are giving up 107.9 points, the second most in the NBA.

-- Broderick Turner

Lakers' Andrew Bynum misses another practice

For the second consecutive day, Lakers center Andrew Bynum was unable to practice because of an injured ankle.

Bynum, who rolled his right ankle during Thursday night's game against the Chicago Bulls, said after Friday's practice that he would play Sunday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center.

But Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said after practice Saturday that they weren't "sure" if Bynum would play.

Bynum will be a game-time decision.

-- Broderick Turner

Photo: Lakers center Andrew Bynum gets inside Chicago's defense for a layup on Thursday night. Credit: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy wants a chance to coach a complete lineup

With the Clippers sputtering to a 4-9 record and losing three of their last four games against teams not exactly among the NBA's elite, the chatter regarding the job security of Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy has been inevitable.

Though Dunleavy had maintained his team would be able to absorb injuries better this season because of the organization's off-season moves that included landing No. 1 draft pick Blake Griffin, Sebastian Telfair, Craig Smith and Rasual Butler, Dunleavy says the team's current injuries are too large to ignore.

Dunleavy's main argument for keeping his job entailed giving him a chance to coach a complete lineup, which is without Griffin (stress fracture in left knee), Eric Gordon (strained left groin), Kareem Rush (season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee) and Marcus Camby (lower-back bruise.

"When's the last time you ever saw an interim coach come in and the team be successful and make a playoff run?" Dunleavy said after Thursday's practice. "It's not happening. Nobody knows these guys better than I know them. Give a coach a chance to coach Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin. After that, fine. Let the chips fall where they may. Other than that, you just fall to pressure."

"I understand fans," Dunleavy continued. "I don't blame fans. They're not technically a lot of times savvy. They don't understand and they don't weigh issues the way that you weigh them. They know wins and losses. We've had an awful run with this, but my track record is I have not lost with my players. I have lost without my players, but I haven't lost with my players. From an ownership standpoint, I know there's always a lot of pressure. I'll live with whatever decision our owner makes. I'll live by it.

Lakers' Pau Gasol says he'll play Thursday against Bulls

Pau Gasol, who missed the first 11 regular-season games with a strained right hamstring, said after practice today that he will play Thursday night.

Gasol had a good practice and said he felt comfortable enough to play against the Chicago Bulls at Staples Center.

Gasol has missed a little over five weeks with the injury, which he sustained during training camp.

When asked if he was a go for Thursday night's game, Gasol responded:

"I really hope so. I really do. I think that I'll be able to go tomorrow. It felt great today."

Gasol said  he is concerned about his conditioning and wasn't sure how many minutes he would play.

"I'd be happy if he played 25," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said about the minutes he expects to play Gasol.

-- Broderick Turner

Do you have a Facebook page? Become a fan of the Times' Sports Facebook page and get Lakers news and other sports news delivered to your Facebook page.

Photo: Pau Gasol. : Credit: Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images

No surprise -- Cleveland Browns want LeBron James

It's good to know that, once the Lakers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA finals next June, LeBron James will have another career to fall back on.

Cleveland Browns Coach Eric Mangini told reporters today he'd welcome James to the team if he ever decided to trade in his headband for a helmet.

"I think he should come on down," Mangini told the Associated Press.

Of course he thinks that -- have you seen how bad the Browns are?

Even quarterback-turned-cheap-shot artist Brady Quinn thinks it's a good idea. "If he wants to try to play a little bit now, we'd be more than willing to pick him up."

However, Browns nose tackle Shaun Rogers isn't so convinced. As perhaps the only member of the team who actually knows something about football, Rogers has doubts about James adjusting to the game.

"I just don't think you can step off a basketball court after not going through this year in and year out and just play football," Rogers said. "From that standpoint, I don't think it's possible."

Maybe James could train by going on "Shaq Vs." and taking on Rogers and anyone else who doubts his gridiron abilities. Come on Shaq, it's time to start challenging football players via Twitter.

-- Austin Knoblauch

Photo: LeBron James flexes after drawing a foul against Golden State on Tuesday. Credit: Mark Duncan / Associated Press