Ted Green: Lakers need to rediscover their championship fire

Proselytizers of the Purple and Gold, please read this first paragraph very carefully: I have written so many column blogs championing the talent of the Lakers and the fact that they have the potential to be another mini-dynasty, rattling off another three-pete, I am now qualified to replace John Black as their PR director when he goes on vacation. 

That said, in the interest of emotionless, journalistic objectivity, I’ve now got one leg off the bandwagon and the other one’s hanging over the side. Why? It’s more like … why not? 

Not to Purple Reign on their parade, but here is the mathematical formula: Bad Regular Season Losses + Consistently Playing Down to the Level of the Competition + Lack of  Any True Sense of Urgency and Purpose + Fat Cat Syndrome From Winning Previous NBA Title + Thinking You Can Flip the Switch at Playoff Time often = A Disappointing Exit Sometime in May.

It’s not just the bad losses — by 26 at Denver Nov. 13, by 15 to Cleveland at home on Christmas, by 15 at Phoenix three days later, by 20 at San Antonio Jan. 12, by 13 to Denver (again) at home Feb. 5 and by 15 at Charlotte exactly a month later on March 5. All teams, even potential champions, suffer bad losses sporadically throughout the monotonous season. That’s the NBA. 

It’s not even that Kobe Bryant has had to bail them out six amazing times this season.  If he misses four or five of those, as he ordinarily might have in some past do-or-die, game-on-the-line moments, they’re tied with Dallas and Denver in the West now or even trailing.  But no, it’s not  just  that, either.
 
It’s a feeling, a powerful sense that the '09 title sated them, filled them with enough success so that even though they have the best record in the West, only a few wins off best in the league, their bellies nevertheless just aren’t burning anymore. Someone alert LAFD. The Lakers' fire is out!

Lakers' Phil Jackson takes another shot at city of San Antonio

Over the years, Lakers Coach Phil Jackson has made his share of disparaging comments about the city of San Antonio and one of its historical landmarks, the River Walk.

Before Tuesday night's game between the Lakers and Spurs, Jackson was asked if he had run out of things to do while visiting San Antonio.

"I took a walk on the beautiful River Walk last night. There’s just some puddles here and there," Jackson said. "This morning, the ducks were still out playing in the puddles, so it was kind of quaint. I understand they clean it up this time of the year, get in there and dredge it a little bit. There wasn’t much beauty in San Antonio this trip."

Indeed, the River Walk was drained and being cleaned up like it is once a year.

-- Broderick Turner

Photo: Phil Jackson smiles before the Lakers' game against the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 3. Credit: Stephen Dunn / Getty Images

Lakers vs. Clippers: In-game report

Clippers 102, Lakers 91 (final)

The last time the Lakers lost to the Clippers was April of 2007, a span of nine consecutive games.

For what was supposed to be a cross-down rivalry, a rivalry in which both teams share Staples Center, it had been lopsided in recent years, all in favor of the Lakers.

But the Lakers were unable to keep control of the Clippers, who built a 15-point lead and rolled in for their third straight win in their home game at Staples Center.

The Lakers tied the score twice, at 81-81 and 83-83, but never could get over the hump.

The Lakers began the game not playing with energy, with enough effort, and it cost them in the end in a back-to-back game.

They looked  liked a tired team, a team that is not sharp right now.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 33 points, but he was just 10-for-30 from the field. He also had eight assists.

The Clippers had five players score in double-figures, led by Baron Davis' 25 points and 10 assists.

The Lakers fell to 28-7, but they still have the best record in the NBA.

Next up for the Lakers are the Trail Blazers in Portland, a place where the Lakers have lost nine consecutive games.

Clippers 79, Lakers 73 (third quarter)

During one sretch in the third quarter, Kobe Bryant scored 14 consecutive points for the Lakers

The Lakers had fallen into a 15-point hole in the third and Bryant seemed bent on bringing the Lakers by all by himself.

He certainly did his part, scoring 17 points in the third.

When Shannon Brown made a three-pointer off a pass from a double-teamed Bryant, the Lakers had pulled to within 75-71.

Now it was a game.

Clippers 52, Lakers 43 (halftime)

The Lakers didn't share the basketball very much in the first half.

And as a result, the Lakers shot the ball poorly.

The Lakers had just eight assists in the first half. Clippers guard Baron Davis had seven, one less than the entire Lakers' team.

The Lakers shot just 34.1% from the field, which was another poor shooting night for them.

The Clippers made 46.8% of their shots.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 12 points, but he was only three of 13 from the field.

Late in the second quarter, Shannon Brown tried to go one-on-one against Baron Davis.

But Davis blocked Brown's shot, forcing the Lakers into a 24-second violation.

Now remember that Brown has tremendous leaping ability, but this time Davis got the best of him.

Both Davis and Brown laughed at the play.

 

Lakers 26, Clippers 25 (first quarter)

One of the more interesting matchups was between centers Andrew Bynum and Chris Kaman.

Bynum and Kaman have aspirations of making the All-Star team.

They went at each other in the first quarter.

Bynum had eight points on four-for-10 shooting and five rebounds in the quarter for the Lakers.

Kaman countered with six points on two-for-six shooting and five rebounds for the Clippers.

The Lakers have defeated the Clippers nine consecutive games, and if it's up to Coach Phil Jackson, that streak will extend to 10.

But Jackson knows that the Clippers have the talent to give them problems.

"I think we started out the season saying this is a team that has a shot at making the playoffs, for sure," Jackson said. "They're talented enough to do so."

With that in mind, Jackson wants his team to be ready for a tough game against the Clippers in their home game at Staples Center Wednesday night.

Jackson was hopeful that Ron Artest, who played his first game Tuesday night after missing the previous five with a concussion, has a better outing.

Jackson also said that Lamar Odom, who has been suffering from intestinal flu symptoms, still wasn't feeling that well on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Pau Gasol, who missed his second consecutive game with a strained left hamstring, had a workout that left the Lakers impressed.

"He worked pain-free," Jackson said. "So, that's nice to know."

-- Broderick Turner

Jackson sounds like he's on fence about his future

Phil Jackson said Saturday he would make his decision on whether he’ll return as Lakers coach sometime in June or July.

The criteria for Jackson's decision seemed to change with every question he was asked about his future.

Jackson, who’ll earn $12 million this season in the final year of his deal, said the Lakers' repeating as NBA champions could  help sway his decision to return, or it might not have any bearing at all.

Jackson smiled and seemed to joke when he said he wouldn’t take a pay cut to return.

When Jackson first was asked whether his chances of returning would improve if the Lakers won the NBA championship again, he was emphatic with his answer.

“Oh, sure,” Jackson said. “It really does, but it’s not a definite that I would continue if we repeat.”

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.

Lakers at 50 poll: Who is the best coach in L.A. Lakers history?

Today, you get a chance to do something our Hall of Fame basketball writer, Mark Heisler, couldn't do: Make a choice.

They both have won four titles for the Lakers, so the question is, who is the best coach in L.A. Lakers history, Phil Jackson or Pat Riley? We'll even give an option of "other" for you Del Harris and Randy Pfund fans out there.

Vote in today's poll and let your voice be heard, then leave a comment letting us know why you voted the way you did.

-- Houston Mitchell

Injured Lakers might not play in exhibition

Lakers forwards Pau Gasol and Luke Walton are doubtful for Thursday’s exhibition game against Sacramento, Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said today.

Gasol has been sidelined by a strained right hamstring, and Walton has been bothered by a sore back, though both will travel to Las Vegas with the team today.

Neither injury is considered serious. Walton said he was “feeling a lot better.” The Lakers are 1-1 in exhibition games, with six more to play before the regular season begins Oct. 27 against the Clippers.

-- Mike Bresnahan

Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant get up close with Jonah Hill

A report from Sports Business Daily today gives a little inside look at what life can be like along the sideline of a Lakers game when sports and Hollywood collide. Here's a report from the Daily off Wednesday night's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" involving actor Jonah Hill ("Superbad," "Knocked Up," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin") and Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant of the Lakers: 

Actor Jonah Hill appeared on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" last night, where Kimmel displayed a picture of Hill at a Lakers game sitting next to the Lakers bench.
The picture showed Hill sitting only a few feet away from Lakers G Kobe Bryant.

Kimmel asked, "Now you weren't on the Lakers, right?"

Hill: "My agent has these awesome seats that are right next to the bench and until my career goes down the toilet which it's headed – hopefully not – but I get to sit there like four or five times a year. It's the most amazing thing forever and I feel so fortunate because I'm a lifelong Lakers fan and I've never had awesome seats like that before."

Hill: "I think I got carried away a little bit because Kobe Bryant talked to me and he was like, 'I love your movies,' and he started quoting 'Superbad' and stuff. It was mind blowing for me."

Hill said while at a Lakers game, HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" was filming and "they're like, 'Can we use your seats and you take the two seats next to you while we shoot the thing?' Of course, I'm a huge fan. Anything, they're not even my seats. So I went to the seats right next to those ones and they shot their scene and then they were done....

"My friend and I were like, 'Let's switch back to the other seats,' but we didn't realize that's not good etiquette during the middle of the basketball game. So we switched and all of a sudden Phil Jackson who's never looked in our direction turns to us and says, 'Hey, this isn't musical chairs! Next time you move around during a play I'll kick you the (expletive) out of here!' It was the most terrible feeling because I look up to this guy so much."

-- Mike James

 

Coach K swears off the Lakers

Remove this name from the list of potential Lakers coaches in waiting:

Mike Krzyzewski.

The Duke coach said at his annual summer meeting with reporters that he would not be the coach of the Lakers.

Not next year if Lakers Coach Phil Jackson were to retire.

Not ever.

Krzyzewski, who was coach of the U.S. men's team that won gold at the Beijing Olympics, said he wouldn't leave Duke "until I leave coaching." The coach made about $3.6 million from Duke last year -- a $1.4 million raise from the previous year.

Kobe Bryant has talked often about how much he admires the Blue Devils' coach and the Lakers took a run at Krzyzewski at least once before, in 2004.

Krzyzewski's pronouncement, if he stays with it, is good news for hopefuls such as Kurt Rambis, Brian Shaw and Byron Scott.

-- Mike Hiserman

Photo: USA's head coach Mike Krzyzewski kisses the crowd after his team defeated Spain and won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Photo credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times.

What recession? Kobe's game-worn Finals jersey goes for $35k

Apparently some memorabilia collectors are unaffected by the economic recession.

A game-used jersey worn by Kobe Bryant in Game 1 of the NBA Finals was auctioned off today for over $35,000.

The auction -- through a partnership between the NBA and MeiGray Group Game-Worn Jersey Authentication Program -- ended Thursday at 6:22 p.m. after being available on the league's auction site since June 4.

Bryant's jersey started at $1,000 and finished 32 bids later at $35,270.90. The minimum bid increment was $20.

Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu's jersey, worn only in the first half of Game 1, sold for $1,770.

The buyer, whose screen name on the site is "jtnbafan," purchased both jerseys.

Imagine how much more it would have gone for had the jerseys been signed.

A much more attainable item: Phil Jackson's X-cap worn after Game 5 in Orlando and during the championship parade Wednesday. The cap is on sale for $25 (plus shipping and handling). Proceeds go to benefit the American Indian College Fund.

--Mario Aguirre

Ted Green: No rain on this parade

It was warm and sweet, loud and proud, and when the celebration ended no one wanted to go home. Not today and maybe not til next June or even the June after that.

In a parade and victory celebration that was better, more real, more heartfelt and less pretentious and oafish than previous championship parties, on a warm, wonderful Wednesday, the Lakers unified our city as only they can, bringing a sense of community and commonality to our diverse and disparate, sprawling metropolis.

This was so much better than real sports, dominated today by power, money and a lot of poor decision-making. Plus we didn't have to suffer through Pat Riley bragging, Shaquille O'Neal rapping or Mark Madsen dancing. Instead, Pau spoke real Castillian Spanish with elegance and class.

And those who questioned whether it was right or prudent to even hold a parade in today's difficult economic climate certainly have every right to a take-two do-over today. It was right and it was also prudent.

Fact is, there will be a lot written and said about how our city needed this parade and the good, happy, optimistic vibes the Lakers brought to it. Needed is not the right word. In real life, our city needs more jobs, better teachers and more money for schools a lot more than it needs 15 tall multimillionaires dancing in a circle to "I Love L.A." But the point is, the party didn't cost the city one red penny and the entire morning and afternoon of purple and gold couldn't have struck a more spot-on note to brighten a city that can use a little cheering up, a city that wants only to feel a little better about itself.