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March 21st, 2013
 Is Dwight Howard ready to compete for a championship? Despite the loss to the Phoenix Suns, there’s barely a single Lakers fan that can be disappointed by the team’s performance turnaround after the NBA All-Star break. Apart from Kobe, who has been most consistent player of the team throughout this season, Dwight Howard has also managed to improve his game on both ends of the floor. He has been a huge factor that allowed the LA Lakers to save this season.
It’s no secret that both the fans and the team’s officials in the City of Angels were disappointed by the performance of D-12 during the first half of the season. You can blame his adjustment period or the fact that he was coming off a severe back injury. One thing is for sure: Howard was not the dominant player in the block the Lakers expected him to be.
However, he drastically changed his pace both on the defensive end and of offense. Especially on defense, the impact of the three-time Defensive Player of the Year has been big no matter the opponent. When he is not denying shots he is most likely to change them and that’s of course if the opponents find the courage to even attack the Lakers’ paint. This became more noticeable due to the constant and long lasting injuries of his teammate big man, Pau Gasol. D-12 had to step up and take more responsibilities on both ends of the court.
Offensively, Howard has also improved his performance. He is driving stronger to the basket after the pick-and-rolls and he is more efficient when he catches the ball close to the hoop. During the last 10 games, Howard is averaging 17.4 Points per Game on 48% shooting from the field and meantime grabbing a bit over 15 rebounds. He also has almost 3 blocks per game.
Howard’s performance boost comes along with a general improvement to the Lakers as a whole. LA is now showing that the original purpose of this team was to be successful in the post-season. Of course the Lakers didn’t target to finish 8th in the West when the season started. Nevertheless, when Steve Nash and Howard took their talents to LA to join Kobe and Gasol, there was just to one goal, to win another Championship. This team is in a win-now situation. This was the case even at the very beginning of the season and this continues to be their focus. Judging from the aging roster, one could say that this might actually be the last chance for this team to change a ring.
The Lakers have responded well to their first task, to pick up the pace, find ways to win and enter the Playoffs. Nothing’s 100% certain yet, but the fans can be optimistic. The next challenge for them is to put their names as an eligible Championship Contender. In a way they have achieved that, too. They went from a team scratched off the Championship puzzle, to a strong presence in the West. They will now have to fulfill the fans’ expectations.
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Tags: Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, Lakers playoffs, nba, Pau Gasol
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Chris Michaels
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January 14th, 2013
 Lakers Playoffs It may be a weird question for every Lakers fans, but it’s the reality we all have to face. We may be used to ask whether or not we are going to win the Pacific Division, the Western conference or even the championship. However this season, things have changed. What we’ll have to fight for is to secure the 8th spot in the conference and enter the playoffs. Can we do that? Of course we can. Will we manage to achieve that? Let’s hope so.
After 37 games the Lakers now are 16-21 and rank 11th in the Western Conference. The 8th seed is taken currently by the Portland Trailblazers, who have a 20-17 record. They are 4 games ahead of the Lakers. Houston is 7th with 21-7 and the Nuggets are now 6th with 23-16. So the first target for us at this point is to achieve as many wins as possible in order to secure at least the 8th seed. We might have a tough schedule up ahead, with lots of games against above 0.500 teams, like the Heat, Memphis and the Thunder, but with Howard back on the team after an unspecified injury and with Nash already back, we can be pretty confident that we can win any game. Gasol is also expected to return the next few days and that will allow us to see the full potential of our team finally. We have yet to see how the entire team can play all together since the very beginning of the season. Due to our misfortunes and the constant injuries of our best players, we are in a tough position right now. But in the end I think we will manage to get what we want and believe me, as soon as we enter the playoffs, things will change drastically. We are champions, we have the heart of a champion plus a bunch of superstars in our team and we will not be easy prey for any predator in our Conference.
If we manage to get our entire team back and keep them healthy so we can get some rhythm, I am sure wins will come. Perhaps some tweaks during till the transfer deadline could help in that direction. Chemistry is not built overnight and that has to be made clear to all of us. We can play like a contender and I am sure we will when we have everybody up and rolling once again. Not only can we enter the playoffs, but we can take over many of our playoff opponents.
By Chris Michaels
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Tags: Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers 2013 Playoffs, nba, Steve Nash
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Chris Michaels
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January 6th, 2013
 Pau Gasol to trade or not to trade Much buzz has been circling the former four-time all- star Pau Gasol about a possible trade this season. The Lakers have been thinking about trading him since the 2011-2012, when our team targeted Chris Paul, but the trade was called off. After that, he stated that this behavior from the team wouldn’t affect his way of play, after all it’s all professional. But he didn’t keep his promise. Where is the Gasol that would win us Championships? He is a 7 footer skilled big man with a firm jump shot and is, or rather was, almost unbeatable close to the rim. And now, he has become a role player that, ok, starts the game but then again he rarely finishes it. How can we have a player of that class not contributing for us? We can’t afford leaving such players at the bench in crunch time.
It may be wiser for teams’ officials to start thinking about trading him. Not only could we acquire one or two valuable members for Pau, but it may also be better for him to start over in a new uniform. What could we get back in a possible trade? Well, half of the teams in the NBA might be willing a lot to get a player like Gasol. Just imagine we get a player like Gasol in return, but this time he also plays like Gasol and not like Valanciunas. Because, unfortunately Pau is playing like him right now. For example imagine we get the young and promising Cousins plus 1-2 other role players. Or Millsap together with Marvin Williams and Raja. Or even Amare (ok this one might not work well neither). But really the possibilities are endless. Even Boston could make a deal with us or the Bulls with Boozer, anyone.
Maybe Pau himself is thinking about the way out, although his press statements moved in the opposite direction. “No, oh, that’s radical. I still believe. I still have faith in what we have. I still have faith that I can be a big part in helping this team succeed. Right now, I’m not being able to do that very often.” Those were his words after our loss against the Clips. I really want to believe in Gasol and even Kobe made comments about him, stating that the he should get more involved on offense. I mean, you can‘t go to Kobe or Dwight on almost every possession and wait for others to get open. Our opponents know that we always do and they lock us down on defense. But if distribute the ball more and more guys contribute on offense, that will not only boost their mentality, but will also break the defense apart, providing help and opening more lanes for Kobe. It’s really basketball fundamentals which coach D’Antoni should inhale to our offensive system.
Whether we trade Pau or not, this situation can’t continue any longer. We simply can’t continue to struggle and fight to sustain a 0.500 record. Either trade him or utilize him better. We have to make radical steps forward. Look towards the future dear Lakers’ managers.
By: Mike Rollings on the Lakers beat for Barrys Ticket Service.
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Tags: Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol, trade
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Chris Cabrera
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January 3rd, 2013
 Staples Center LA Lakers For the LA Lakers, it has been a frustrating and controversial season up to this point. They were the big story during the off-season past, after making the huge acquisitions of All-Star center Dwight Howard and also veteran point guard Steve Nash. They also added some great role players like Jodie Meeks and Antawn Jamison and even Jordan Hill while in the meantime they retained their core players, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Metta World Piece. Every media, newspaper and TV show stated that the Lakers looked unbeatable in paper. They were supposed to be one of the few teams in the entire NBA that could contend for a title against the Champions Miami Heat. They, together with the Oklahoma City Thunder looked to have all the pieces set to chase a ring. However, the reality was vastly different for the team.
The beginning of the season was disappointing and the Lakers lost 4 out of their 5 first games. That led to the immediate firing of Coach Mike Brown, who was to blame for the team’s ineffective way of play. On top of this, the injury of Steve Nash after appearing in just 2 games was devastating for the Lakers. In addition, Dwight Howard came back to action after a serious back injury. Things continued to go south for LA, as they lost also backup point guard who torn an abdominal muscle and had to undergo surgery. The sophomore Darius Morris suddenly stepped into the power rotation, but the difference between him and Nash or Blake was obvious in the game play. The team continued to struggle on both ends of the floor, committing many turnovers and not finding its offensive rhythm, even after the new Coach Mike D’Antoni took over. Despite the winning record being slightly improved, the Lakers continued to struggle and hover over and under 0.500. It is very unusual to see the LA Lakers lying under the 8th seed at the Conference Standings. Pau Gasol was injured with a tendonitis and remained sidelined for eight games. His performance this season did not match the great expectations every Lakers fan had, but that was just another drawback to the team’s general appearance.
The end of 2012 found the Lakers on the verge of 0.500 with a 15-15 record. Of course things got better for them after both Nash and Gasol got back from the injuries. The Lakers won a tough derby against the New York Knicks, at a game that marked Nash’s return. It was a momentum victory for them.
Of course it’s normal for a team with so many new roster acquisitions to be in a bonding stage for a short period of time. However, the Lakers have to rush this stage and balance their way of play as we approach the Playoffs. Steve Nash is almost 39 years old, Kobe turned 34 this summer and also Gasol is 32. With this aging roster and 1-2 years possibly this team stays together, the Lakers are in a win-now situation. That’s why in 2013 they have to fight their way back and re-enter their way of chasing a championship.
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Tags: 2012, Dwight Howard, Lakers Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Pau Gasol, staples center, Steve Nash
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Chris Cabrera
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December 25th, 2012
After a long period of difficulties the Lakers got back in the victories this last week. Finally resurrection time may have come for LA, who last Thursday was at a tough position with a 9-14 record. 10 days and four wins after, the team has finally broken out of the slump and is happy to welcome Steve Nash back.
Nash, who missed 24 games with a broken leg returned in the starting lineup at Saturday’s match against the surprising Warriors. It has been a really long wait for the two-time MPV but his impact on the team’s playing style was obvious right from the start. He finished with 12 points to go along with many assists. But the truth is that the numbers don’t tell the whole story. The whole style changes on offense with Nash on the floor who does what he knows best, creating plays for his teammates and the Lakers in fact do have some of the greatest finishers in the league in Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard.
The victories started even before Nash’s return. The Lakers survived in late game situations in most of their last wins. First one against the Wizards last Friday when they won 102-96 holding off a 27 point fourth quarter from their opponents. Lakers scored only 19 during the last 12 minutes. Next stop was Philadelphia against the Sixers, when LA broke out and won easily 111-98. Bryant finished had another high scoring game with 34 and Metta World Piece had a career high 16 rebounds to go along with 19 points, quite a performance for him. Then it was a comeback in the last quarter that saved the day for the Lakers, who took 101-100 the Bobcats at a game with a dramatic finale. The Bobcats had the chance to win the game but missed on 3 consecutive tries in the last 10 seconds thus throwing the victory to their opponents. Last game of the week came on Saturday night for the Lakers. It came down to the overtime but the Lakers escaped with a 118-115 win against the Warriors. It was another good game from Kobe Bryant who led all scorers with 34 points and of course noticeable for the night, Steve Nash’s return to the team.
The encouraging fact for Lakers fans is that things may actually get better for the team. Now, with Nash and also Gasol back from injuries, the team may show its real capabilities. Now it’s time for them to prove that the expectations during the off-season, when all the stars met in LA, were not too high. They are just one win behind the psychological border of 0.500 that could trigger a burst of momentum for the Lakers. They will surely need that going in 2013 and as playoff time is approaching. Of course there is a lot of work ahead and the road will not be easy for them.
Next up for the Lakers they play on Christmas day against the New York Knicks at home and then travel to Denver to face the Nuggets. Last game of the year is Friday night in front of the Staples Center crowd against the Portland Trailblazers.
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Tags: Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, staples center, Steve Nash
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By
Chris Cabrera
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December 19th, 2012
In a game that came down to the last second, the Lakers proved to be lucky and managed to survive and take the victory by one point. This was the third win in a row for LA and that tied their longest streak of the season, while for the Bobcats it was the 12th straight loss. No matter the opponent though, it was really important for the Lakers to return to wins and hope to gain momentum for the next games.
As usual, Kobe did his thing, scored 30 points on 11-24 shooting, including a couple of acrobatic plus-one layups in traffic. It was the seventh straight with 30 or more for him. . “We’re just moving the ball. I’m being aggressive and looking for opportunities to get a few guys involved.” ,Kobe commented. He lifted his team, which was down by 9 on the break and led it straight to the victory. In fact it was a 28-4 run by them that erased the 18 point deficit of the third quarter. But the Bobcats didn’t surrender and in fact tied the game at 97 with 2:17 left in the game. However, Kobe wouldn’t let this thing go out of his control. He answered with two back to back clutch shots. The former Laker Ramon Sessions completed a three point play in an effort to keep his team in the game but the Bobcats missed on 3 consecutive shots in the last 10”, including a desperation three from Gerald Henderson in the last second that could win the Bobcats the game.
Pau Gasol returned to the lineup after missing eight games finishing with 10 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. Coach Mike D’Antoni only used three of his reserves. Two of them, Metta World Piece who didn’t start this one and Joddie Meeks finished the game with 17 points. Dwight Howard added a smooth double double with 16 points and 18 rebounds and that pretty much was enough for the Lakers to get away with a win. “I’m trying to figure out what’s the best way to play the team. We will keep looking at film, keep revisiting. We have a couple practices and we’ll keep looking at different combinations.” ,said Coach Mike D’Antoni after the game.
For Charlotte, they got a great game out of Kemba Walker who scored 28 and dished 6 assists and also Ramon Sessions had 20 off the bench. The Lakers hit 21 free throws in 27 attempts, many of them in the third quarter and that got them back in the game.
The Lakers take three days off before playing against the Golden State Warriors at the Oracle Arena and that finishes their games for this week. A tough game against the NBA record leaders New York Knicks follows, Tuesday night. The Charlotte Bobcats will travel to Phoenix to play against the Suns on Wednesday.
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Tags: Los Angeles Lakers Vs Charlotte Bobcats
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By
Chris Cabrera
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January 26th, 2012
Standing tall outside on the Star Plaza are statues of Los Angeles sports heroes Magic Johnson, Wayne Gretzky, Oscar De La Hoya, Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn, and, most recently, Jerry West, the literal “icon” for the National Basketball Association. Today five major sports teams call the Staples Center home, including the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers of the NBA, the WNBA L.A. Sparks, the NHL’s L.A. Kings, and now the NBA D-League’s L.A. D-Fenders. Previously, before the team’s dissolution, the AFL’s L.A. Avengers played at the Staples Center as well. The Center was constructed in just under a year, from 1998-1999, by the Staples corporation. There was some controversy regarding its founding, as the Los Angeles Times Magazine devoted an entire issue in October of 1999 to the opening of the giant new sports arena. The Times were discovered to be a “founding partner” of the Center in exchange for a hefty profit-share, free advertising, and other goodies. The question was raised: what is the relationship between struggling print-media outlets and advertising sources that lead to “profit-sharing”? 300 workers from the Times itself signed a petition in protest later that year, but little was ever done about it and the issue has nearly been forgotten.
Aside of its controversial founding, the Center has gone on to easily recover the $375 million dollar cost of construction. It has also been discovered that the L.A. Times was one of 12 profit sharing companies involved in the founding. In fact, the Center makes so much money per event that it has been quite a boon for the local community. Almost nightly it can house up to 19,000 fans with an average ticket price of well over $60. The Center recently got exposure in the indie flick Drive starring Ryan Gosling, where, during a heist of some kind, uses traffic from the aftermath of a Clipper game to disguise his getaway. With over 250 events year-round and more than 4 million visitors, the Staples Center is a fixture for the Greater L.A. area.
More recently, the Center has become part of its parent company’s, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), L.A. Live complex. Located in downtown Los Angeles, the Live complex is nearly 6 million square feet of Los Angeles entertainment, including bars, theaters, restaurants, ballrooms, museums, and residences. A big secret to the rest of the country, L.A. Live is currently constructing Farmers Field, an NFL stadium set to bring professional football back to L.A. Since the Staples Center is home to both of Los Angeles’ professional basketball teams, the Lakers and the Clippers, whenever the two teams clash for hometown dominance (a clash that has more than naught ended in a Lakers victory), L.A. erupts. Bringing a competitive NFL team back to L.A. would only serve to stir up even more fanfare for professional sporting events. Combined with the recent promised ascension of the L.A. Clippers as “Lob City” starring Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, Los Angeles’ prized sporting Center will feature prominently on the minds of many sports fans throughout the nation for years to come.
Tags: Clippers, Concerts, Kings, Kobe Bryant, lakers, los angeles, Paul Gasol, staples center
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Chris Cabrera
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January 17th, 2012
The Lakers lost out on the Chris Paul sweepstakes due to David Stern’s infamous veto. However, the Lakers are a prime player in the Dwight Howard sweepstakes. As a matter of fact, ESPN’ s Ric Bucher has attributed Kobe’s recent barrage of 40 point games as a recruiting measure to convince Dwight Howard that he hasn’t lost his step. However, some questions remain: What will the Laker’s identity be under Mike Brown? Furthermore, can they compensate for the losses of Shannon Brown to free agency and Lamar Odom via trade?
Shannon Brown provided instant offense and depth in the Laker’s backcourt over the past few years. Considering that he did not see the floor when he was originally under Mike Brown in Cleveland,it probably made his decision to seek refuge elsewhere that much easier. Veteran point guard and NBA union representative Derek Fisher continue to share the backcourt with Kobe. Steve Blake is currently on the shelf for 3-4 weeks with an injury to his ribs. Thus, rookie Darius Morris will have a chance to earn his stripe as a fixture in the Lakers backcourt. As it stands, the Lakers have more questions than answers at the PG position.
The loss of Lamar Odom will be far more difficult for the Lakers to replace. Lamar Odom brought size, versatility and weak-side rebounding and could play both the small and power-forward position. There is some upside to the versatility of Josh Mcroberts. However, Jason Kapono and Troy Murphy certainly will not fill that void.
There is a shortage of World Peace. Metta World Peace, that is. Up to this point, Ron Artest has averaged less than 6 points and 2 rebounds. The former Dancing in the Stars contestant needs a pep talk from Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman and Bruno Tonioli.
The major strength of this team continues to be the imposing frontcourt duo of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. Of course, one has to wonder about the morale and the motivation of Andrew Bynum with the ongoing trade rumors concerning Dwight Howard. Dwight Howard is facing those same questions in Orlando. Considering that Andrew Bynum is injury-prone and that Pau Gasol isn’t getting any younger, I would trade Dwight Howard for both Bynum and Gasol. After all, one rarely hears Dwight Howard’s name on the injured list.
Finally, there’s head coach Mike Brown. Mike Brown is a great defensive mind, but is no offensive genius. In Cleveland, he was not able to set up a potent offensive system around Lebron James. To his defense, he was not given much help by Cavs GM Danny Ferry and Cavs owner Dan Gilbert. One can easily have doubts that the Lakers offense will operate with the same efficiency under his tutelage then it did under the Zen-Master.
The common denominator is Kobe Bryant. As long as he continues to play at a high-level and provides the leadership on and off the court, the Lakers will always be considered a contender. There is no question about that.
But there are many questions: The issues at the PG position, the motivation of Bynum, new pieces such as Kapono, Murphy, Mcroberts and new head coach Mike Brown and his effectiveness on the offensive end. I can safely assume he’ll shore up the Lakers D.
Of course, the biggest question is this.
Will Superman land in LA?
Tags: basketball, Kobe Bryant, los angeles, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Clippers Tickets, nba, Pau Gasol, Shannon Brown, staples center
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