After scoring 11 points against Golden State on Tuesday, Derek Fisher moved to within six points of 9,000 for his career.
With the Lakers, Fisher has scored 6,202 points to vault past Wilt Chamberlain (5,985) into 17th place in franchise history. Next up for Fish is Elden Campbell (16th, 6,408).
Kobe Bryant has nabbed the March cover of GQ for an extended feature story, detailed below by the magazine:
For fourteen grueling seasons, Kobe Bryant has cracked, fractured, strained, torn, cut, bruised, nicked, and risked every party of his finely tuned self. And he’s got the rings – and the scars – to show for it. In the March issue of GQ (on newsstands nationwide February 23), J.R. Moehringer sits down with the notoriously private, Lakers co-captain to discuss his many injuries, going to the Olympics, and his famously volatile relationship with Shaq.
Here’s the cover:
Regular season win No. 42 wasn’t exactly pretty.
Playing without Kobe Bryant for the fourth straight game due to his left ankle injury, the Lakers on Tuesday night were at times as sloppy as Phil Jackson had described after the team’s practice on Monday.
Yet thanks to a 15-5 run to close the fourth quarter, LA improved to 26-4 at STAPLES Center with a 104-94 victory that counts the same as impressive Kobe-less W’s against Portland, San Antonio and Utah.
“We weren’t very sharp tonight,” said Pau Gasol after the game. “But we fought and pulled it through in the end.”
“Oh boy,” added Phil Jackson. “It’s just one of those games, but we managed to play the best with the two teams in the last three-and-a-half minutes or so.”
The team’s lack of consistency didn’t affect Shannon Brown, however, who started in place of Bryant and scored a career-high 27 points – including 12 in the fourth quarter – plus a career-high 10 rebounds. His first ever double-double, which came on an efficient 11-of-19 shooting night, was particularly enjoyable for Brown after a disappointing performance at the Slam Dunk Contest.
“I did not know Kobe was out or that I was going to start until we had our pregame talk,” said Brown. “So I just had to come out and be aggressive. We know that coming back off of All-Star break it is usually one of those times when everything is not clicking right the way it was leading into the break, so we just had to come out and show skills on both ends of the court and we got a victory.”
His play certainly pleased his coach.
“Shannon had a real fine game and it was a real benefit to us,” said Jackson. “I just thought we needed the speed, the quickness and speed. Shannon gives us that and a little extra hustle all the time which helps our defense out and helps our total game.”
Joining Brown on Jackson’s individual list of praise was Andrew Bynum, starting for the first time in two games (bruised hip). The seven-footer joined Brown in making up for a poor offensive night from both Pau Gasol and Ron Artest by hitting his first seven shots and finishing with 21 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
With Bynum’s return to the starting lineup came Lamar Odom’s return to the bench, but that didn’t keep the lefty from grabbing a game-high 18 rebounds (vaulting his season average to 10.0 per game) and adding nine points. While Gasol (5-of-14 field goals) and Ron Artest (5-of-13) struggled to score, they did combine to toss 11 assists, and Artest matched Bynum’s three steals at the defensive end.
Early on, the game didn’t look like it would require a fourth quarter push for the Lakers, who quickly built a 36-24 lead after the first quarter thanks to Bynum’s 4-of-4 and Brown’s 5-of-7, but the Warriors pushed back with a 27-18 second quarter. Then LA, re-focused, opened a double-digit lead in the third quarter before once again conceding the lead early in the fourth quarter before the game settled to an 89-all tie.
From that point on, L.A. would concede only five points while scoring 15, including six straight from Gasol leading into the team’s final eight points, all from Brown, that shut the door.
Up next for the Lakers is a Thursday showdown with Boston, but until then, your numbers:
POSTGAME NUMBERS
27 Shannon Brown’s career-high point total, made better by his career-high rebounding total (10) in his first ever double-double.
19 Turnovers for the Lakers, resulting in 23 Warriors points, helping Golden State stay in the game.
18 Rebounds for Lamar Odom in 29 minutes off the bench, bringing his season average to 10.0, good for 12th in the NBA.
17 LA’s advantage on the glass (53-36).
15 Second chance points for the Lakers, compared to four by the Warriors, who managed just three offensive rebounds.
That information had yet to come in when we talked to assistant coach Brian Shaw about the matchup (above), detailing why Golden State can still be dangerous despite injuries of their own (most notably Monta Ellis), looking at rookie Stephen Curry and explaining what LA’s coaches would like to see at both ends of the court.
Kobe Bryant (left ankle), who has missed LA’s last three regular season games in addition to Sunday’s All-Star Game, is doubtful to play in Tuesday’s game against Golden State.
This comes as somewhat of a surprise considering that Bryant participated fully in Monday’s practice, leading to these comments from Phil Jackson.
“He said he didn’t have the normal strength he’d like to have, but it’ll come back,” Jackson said. “That is just getting back in the flow and getting some strength there again, reconditioning it. He hasn’t played in two weeks, so there’s a lot of things that he was trying out and trying to figure out … but he’ll come (around).”
At Tuesday morning’s shootaround, however, the team was disappointed with how Bryant’s ankle responded to Monday’s practice, according to Lakers spokesman John Black.
Bryant will continue to be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.
Lakers head coach Phil Jackson met with reporters for the first time after the All-Star break on Monday in L.A. after a full session that included participation from Kobe Bryant (ankle) and Andrew Bynum (hip), both of whom are expected to play against Golden State on Tuesday.
Thanks to 710 ESPN’s Beto Duran, who provided the audio as Lakers.com was en route from All-Star in Dallas, here is a synopsis of Jackson’s comments:
– For starters, here are Phil’s comments after a question about if he were satisfied with how Bryant moved around: “I think so. He hasn’t played in two weeks, so there (were) a lot of things that he was trying out, trying to figure out, passes that went awry and shots he was reluctant to shoot. But he’ll come (along). He’ll come.
– The head coach said that the Mavericks trade with the Wizards improved Dallas, giving them more depth in the front court through Brendan Haywood and another scorer in Butler. “I think they helped themselves in that trade” was the quote. However, as Jackson elaborated, the move doesn’t really affect the Lakers or the team’s potential activity or lack there of around the trade deadline.
– Overall, the practice didn’t please Jackson, who said that the players looked like they’d jut gotten out of school or knew that recess was coming. That’s natural, however, after a layoff, and he thinks the team will be fine to go against Golden State on Tuesday.
– Luke Walton’s back injury will keep him out for an indefinite amount of time, though Jackson hopes to have him back sometime later in the season. He mentioned more potential minute for players like Sasha Vujacic, who changed the game in Utah (said Phil), and Adam Morrison.
– The team’s focus: “I put four games up on the board (Golden State, Boston, Memphis and Dallas), and we want to stay focused on short term right now,” said Jackson. Of course, gaining home court advantage and staying healthy are always key areas of focus.
After his Western Conference team’s narrow 141-139 loss to the Eastern Conference in the 2010 All-Star Game in Dallas, Lakers forward Pau Gasol – who scored 13 points with six rebounds – joined respective media members for a Q&A session:
Q: On accomplishing his dual goals of having fun and staying healthy:
Gasol: We accomplished both goals. It was fun game, an unbelievable crowd, incredible stadium. Definitely a one-of-a-kind experience. I was tearing up. I couldn’t believe how many people came to the game and supported us and enjoyed the game. Really, really pleased that I had a chance to experience this. I look forward to continue to be apart of other All-Star weekends.
Q: On always playing to win:
Gasol: Sometimes I think about it, but it’s hard to get loose out there. You try not to make mistakes, even though it’s a game (where) you have to try and put on a good show. My goal is always to try and help the team win.
Q: On the crowd:
Gasol: It looked like a lot, a lot of people. It’s hard to get a feel for how many were there. We thought there were going to be 90,000-plus, but we didn’t know there were going to be over 100,000. It was great to feel the love.
Q: On playing 20 minutes and 18 seconds:
Gasol: You can always play more, you can always play less. I’m thankful that the coach put me out there for as long as he put me out there.
Q: On shooting in a different type of stadium:
Gasol: It’s a different feeling, but once you get over that … because the dimensions are so different and the crowd is so far away and the building is humongous, you get used to it and it’s still just basketball.
Q: On Kobe Bryant looking a bit antsy on the sideline:
Gasol: I’m sure he would have loved to have been apart of the game. He would have enjoyed it. I’m sorry that he missed it, especially in close games. I (thought), oh I hope it doesn’t get too close, because he loves those kinds of shots in those kinds of situations … You always miss one of the best players in the world.
Q: On the potential of playing the All-Star game in a European city one day:
Gasol: I’m sure there are a lot of (good venues). Obviously, personally I would love for it to be in Barcelona, so (the people) would get to enjoy this kind of environment and this party of basketball. Anywhere would be interesting, but it’s hard to do it in the middle of the season.
Q: On the whole weekend:
Gasol: There was a lot going on, a lot of media availability, a lot of commitments and appearances. They keep us pretty busy, but at the same time, it’s fun to be apart of it. I think it’s a great honor to be named an All-Star, and it’s a party of basketball. It’s a good break from the daily routine that we go through, and now it’s over and we have to get back to work.
Q: On L.A.’s momentum heading into the post-break stretch:
Gasol: The momentum is there. We finished with a nice three-game swing and we were playing really well. Now we want to continue to play well and build on it. We’re ready for those 28 regular season games that we have left, and then getting back a playoff mindset.
Q: On the stadium:
Gasol: Unbelievable, incredible. I’ve never been to a football stadium before, I’ve been to a couple of soccer stadiums. But never like this, a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us.
What a scene.
In the biggest indoor arena in the world, with the most people watching a basketball game in the history of the sport, we were obligated to take down some notes for you.
Of course we’ll follow every move of Pau Gasol, L.A.’s lone participant as Kobe Bryant (ankle) observed from the sidelines in street clothes (admittedly, that take, and keep an eye on the rest of the 2010 All-Star game’s highlights.
First, your starters, then a quarter-by-quarter synopsis:
Western Conference: Steve Nash, Carmelo Anthony, Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan and Amare Stoudemire
Eastern Conference: Joe Johnson, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard
First Quarter
12:00 There was a full running diary’s worth of action before the game even tipped, including Usher’s performance of “More” and “Yeah” as the East and West were respectively introduced. Perhaps more notable than his song choices were his clothing choices, which included a Dwight-Howard-like sleeveless, skin-tight vest that looked like body armor and black leather capri pants over boots (never seen that before). Both Pau and Kobe received hearty ovations from the 100,000 odd people in attendance.
One other note: ESPN.com’s John Hollinger had a funny tweet after the Canadian Tenors (who were very good) sang “Oh Canada:” – “Tough week to book A-list Canadian talent,” referring of course to the Olympics in Vancouver.
8:00 Remember the scowl on Stan Van Gundy’s face that occurred just a few times (OK … more than a few) during the NBA Finals last season? He brought it out for the first time when his center, Howard, jacked up a three. Of course, the triple swished through the net. Nice.
2:50 Before the game, Lakers.com webmaster Ty Nowell and I conducted an MVP podcast to make things a bit more interesting. After almost 10 minutes, one of Team Trudell’s picks, Carmelo Anthony, had put up 13 points on 6-of-11 from the field.
0:52.0 Gasol scored the final two buckets of the first quarter for the West, first off a pretty baseline spin move around Howard that Bosh goal-tended, and second with a righty touch shot off glass after up-faking Howard. Gasol had also blocked Howard at the other end, though he was called for a personal foul. The quarter itself ended with the East holding a 37-34 lead, with Carmelo Anthony’s 13 points leading all scorers.
Second Quarter
8:02 With West Head Coach George Karl giving him some extra run, Gasol showed off his typical efficiency, making 4-of-6 shots including a two-handed dunk that got him to nine points with three rebounds, a steal and a block.
5:07 With the West up 57-55, the players seemed a tad more interested in the Cowboys cheerleader dance than the dry-erase board during a time out. This shocks no one. Meanwhile, weird stat alert: 10 different Western stars had exactly one turnover, no one had two. David Lee took that early honor with three of his own.
0:15.8 The half’s leading scorer, Anthony, added a layup to reach 17 points for the West, which trailed 76-69. Gasol played a total of 10:17 for his aforementioned stats, about which Phil Jackson can’t complain. We also saw Magic Johnson get introduced with three other 1992 Dream Team members (Mullin, Pippen and Ewing), and Derek Fisher address the crowd about the NBA Cares program while flanked by Boys and Girls Club (Arlington) members. Up next … Alicia Keys and Shakira at halftime.
Third Quarter
12:00 Gasol, being the only fluent Spanish-speaking All-Star (to my knowledge, anyway), must have a nice edge in befriending Shakira, right? Oh wait … Al Horford’s from Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and is also fluent. Never mind.
5:40 The D-Wade – LeBron combo started to get loose in the third, pushing the East’s lead to 16 on a series of alley-oops, including LeBron’s two-handed reverse slam off Wade’s 10th assist. Of course, even a 30-point lead isn’t safe in the All-Star game. Moments later, Gasol returned for the West for his second set of minutes.
0:01.0 Kevin Durant’s deep three-pointer as time expired allowed the West to get within nine points heading into the fourth quarter. Gasol grabbed one rebound and missed two shots (fouled on both, obviously) in his short stint. After the quarter, Mavs Owner Mark Cuban and Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones announced the amazing attendance at 108,713, surpassing the already-high expectations and setting a Guinness World Record for the most people ever to watch a basketball game.
Fourth Quarter
7:25 Chauncey Billups, who nailed nine three-pointers on the Lakers last Friday, made his fourth of the game to get the West within a single point of the East, capping a nice run for a bench crew including Gasol, Deron Wiliams, Kevin Durant and Zach Randolph that was all around +10 for the game. Karl responded by keeping his reserves on the floor for an extended period.
3:52 Gasol checked out of the game, retiring with 13 points and six boards, and accomplishing his only goal of staying healthy (OK, having fun too). The West had begun to pull away as Wade’s slam made it 135-126.
1:46 Wade, who’d been fantastic all night (26 points on 12-of-16 and a game-high 11 assists), committed a mistake by reaching in on Dirk after a rebound to send the German to the foul line for two. Dirk made both, and since Billups had nailed his fifth three on the previous possession, brought the West two within two. Then after Bosh’s missed alley-oop finish, Billups sunk a jumper to tie the game with 1:05 to play.
0:12.7 Atonement, thy name was Dwyane Wade, who first stripped Williams on D as the West went for a go-ahead bucket, but then drew an unsolicited reach in foul from Williams (who must have thought that his team was still trailing). Wade made both, but Dirk then drew a foul when Howard jumped into him to tie it at 139.
And for the game winner? Well … it was more free throws, hit by Chris Bosh. ‘Melo had a chance to steal the game back with a buzzer-beating three, but missed as the East sealed the deal.
Wade won MVP honors (Ty had him … sigh). There’s always next year.
Watching the Super Bowl is always fun on its own … but if you’re like me, things are always a bit more interesting when you make a gentleman’s bet with your buddies about such unknowns as the MVP.
Sadly, I had Peyton Manning vs. (Lakers.com’s) Ty Nowell’s Drew Brees in the Saints victory over Indianapolis. Chalk one up for the webmaster. And while we tend to make selections on most everything (example: MTV RW-RR Challenges), my first chance at revenge comes during the NBA’s All-Star game on Sunday at the amazing Cowboy’s Stadium.
Last year in Phoenix, Ty had Kobe Bryant and I Shaquille O’Neal on respective rosters, and as the former teammates ended up sharing MVP honors, neither of us were pleased (who wants a push).
Earlier, we went through a snake style draft while sitting courtside and recording a podcast (click play below the picks) to explain our selections. Below are our Top 5 picks.
Ty: 1) Dirk Nowitzki: Home-town favorite.
Me: 2) LeBron James: Most likely to lead in FGA’s and minutes.
Me: 3) Kevin Durant: Upstart pick, mix of talent & excitement.
Ty: 4) Dwyane Wade: Handcuff for Dirk if East wins.
Ty: 5) Deron Williams: Hometown kid, something to prove.
Me: 6) Steve Nash: Teammates love him, maybe 20 dimes.
Me: 7) Dwight Howard: Sheer size combo w/excitement.
Ty: 8) Chris Bosh: Another home-towner, plus skills.
Ty: 9) Joe Johnson: Lots of minutes, raw scorer.
Me: 10) Pau Gasol: Homer pick.
Me: 11) Carmelo Anthony: Scores more easily than anyone.
Ty:12) Paul Pierce: Pierce loves his shot after 3-point win.
The Spaniard, like his fellow All-Stars, was very excited about playing in front of the biggest crowd in the history of basketball.
“I’m really looking forward to getting the game started soon,” he said. “This place is really amazing.”
Gasol did concede that he won’t allow the buzz in the arena to change the way he plays his game, as he said his primary concern is staying healthy for another Lakers championship run.
After months of build up keyed by the LetShannonDunk campaign, Shannon Brown’s entrance into the 2010 Slam Dunk Contest ended faster than most expected on All-Star Saturday night in Dallas.
He of the 44.5-inch vertical leap had put Lakers fans on their feet so often in his calendar-year stint with the team thanks to a bevy of crazy slams that anything but a victory seemed unlikely.
In fact, while 1986 Slam Dunk Champ and 2010 judge Spud Webb hadn’t seen much of Brown himself, he had certainly heard the word.
“Everybody I talk to says, ‘That’s my favorite, that’s my favorite, that’s my favorite,” Webb said.
The event’s second dunker, Brown opened by running in from just beyond midcourt and taking off from in front of the left elbow for a huge 360, but surprised even himself by clanking the attempt off the rim. Participants have two full minutes to make a dunk, however, and Brown responded by rising high with the ball in his right hand before switching over at the last second to his left for the jam.
“After I missed the 360 I thought about doing it again, but I wanted to take off from a little bit further,” he said afterwards. “I decided to switch hands in the air. I looked at (the replay), it looked good still, but the judges gave me the score they gave me.”
That score was a 37, the lowest of the four participants that included eventual champion Nate Robinson (44), DeMar DeRozan (42) and Gerald Wallace (38).
For his second dunk, Brown called upon the assistance of former dunk champion Kobe Bryant, who tossed an alley-oop high into the air that Brown caught before hammering home a left-handed flush. Brown had hoped to cradle the ball downwards before bringing it back up, but it didn’t work out that way. He got a 41 for a total of 78, tying him with Wallace.
“(Kobe) was going to throw it up and I was supposed to catch it and bring it down, but when he threw it, I was so high that I just tried to lean in with it,” Brown explained.
It certainly wasn’t the result Brown had hoped for, but he quickly put things in perspective.
“There’s disappointment, but like I’ve been saying the whole time, I’m definitely blessed and honored to be able to participate,” he said. “Hopefully there will be a next time.”
Brown hinted that had he advanced to the final round – where Robinson beat out DeRozan for his third straight title – he had planned to use both Kobe and D.J. Mbenga, who was also in his Lakers warmups on the sideline: “I was just basically going to jump over them.”
Oh well.
The good news for Brown is that he gets to return to the league’s defending champion Lakers (41-13), who hold a 5.5 game lead over Denver in the Western Conference. He knows he can try to get some dunking revenge on the court, just not until he watches teammate Pau Gasol in Sunday’s All-Star game.
“I’m going to finish out this weekend, watch the game tomorrow and go dream about that, and just have a good time,” he concluded.
In 1986, Spud Webb – all 5′7” of him – put on a ridiculous performance to win the Slam Dunk Contest.
Twenty-four years later, Spud will be judging the 2010 Slam Dunk Contest, featuring Lakers guard (and air traffic control violator) Shannon Brown.
“I haven’t gotten to see him all that much, but from what I hear, he jumps out of the gym,” said Spud. “Everybody I talk to says, ‘That’s my favorite, that’s my favorite, that’s my favorite.
“He gets up high and he’ll hopefully be creative in his dunks. I just want to see a new winner, so hopefully he can come up.”
Furthermore, on Friday at the All-Star media availability session, we talked to Brown, Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant and fellow Slam Dunk participants Nate Robinson and DeMar DeRozan for more on Brown’s freakish abilities.
To watch, CLICK HERE.
Coverage of All-Star Saturday night in Dallas, featuring Brown’s participation in the Slam Dunk Contest, begins at 5:30 PM on TNT.
As mentioned in the “Kobe Bryant Media Session” post, we’ll have video of L.A.’s All-Star players’ respective media sessions on the ver at All-Star Central page later today. In the meantime, here are a few comments from Pau Gasol:
Q: On Shannon Brown’s chances at the Slam Dunk Contest:
Gasol: I think he’s impressive enough to take the whole thing. The way he jumps, the way he palms the ball so much … I think it will be shocking for him not to (win).
Q: On if Brown dunks on D.J. Mbenga the most in practice:
Gasol: Probably. But most of Shannon’s dunks are on the break. He takes off, and you know how he dunks. But (yes), D.J. is definitely the guy who gets dunked on the most, because he goes after everything no matter (what).
On if he’s ready for the “Shooting Stars” competition:
Gasol: Not yet. I still have to figure out what the spots are. I think we still have to assign them. It will be interesting, but I hope I can make my spots and help the team. In this case it would have helped me to take some halfcourt shots (like Sasha Vujacic).
On Kobe Bryant’s absence from the game and health:
Gasol: It’s a pity that Kobe can’t play, but I know that he needs that ankle to heal, and that’s for the best of the team. It’s a good thing. He brings so much excitement and hype to the (All-Star) game … (but) I’ll do my best in the game and try to stay out of trouble, out of danger and try to have fun.
Over at All-Star Central later today, we’ll have video of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Shannon Brown’s media sessions from Friday afternoon in Dallas.
To whet your appetite, here’s some Kobe:
On his ankle:
Bryant: It’s doing OK. It’s still sore, obviously. Just gotta treat it and get it ready.
On missing the All-Star Game:
Bryant: Weird. Especially here. This is a historical All-Star Game being played at Cowboy Stadium, so it’s a shame that I have to miss this one.
On Shannon Brown keeping it “Old School” in the Dunk Contest:
Bryant: What I mean by that is to kind of take it back to the way the Dunk Contest used to be and just showcase your god-given ability, just go up there and fly. Like he can. Not get too fancy, just get up there and do what he does.
On his rehabilitation:
Bryant: I’m doing therapy non-stop, around the clock until it’s ready to go. Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later … The back’s fine, the finger I can’t do anything about – it’s broken. It is what it is. The finger is going to have to be taped probably as long as I continue to play.
On how he thinks he will feel after the All-Star break, with 10 days of rest:
Bryant: I’ll definitely be healthier than I was the last (month). That’s a plus. I won’t have to limp around, won’t have to take short cuts throughout the course of the game. I can play with a lot of energy in the that I was at the start of the season.
On if the Lakers are the team to beat:
Bryant: We’re the champions. Absolutely. I said the same thing about Boston the year before. Until somebody knocks you off, you’re the team to beat. But I feel confident with who we have. I like our depth, I like our size, I like our chemistry.
On if the Lakers need to do anything before the Feb. 18 trade deadline:
Bryant: I don’t think so. That’s (Lakers General Manager) Mitch’s (Kupchak) call.
Between 12-12:30 p.m. at the player’s hotel in Dallas, Shannon Brown will get his first taste of Slam Dunk mass attention during the All-Star Saturday Night participant media availability.
While Brown has previously pledged not to reveal any of his ideas (meaning he’ll be covering much of the same questions he’s gotten in L.A. for the past few weeks), we’ll be on hand to see what he has to offer (”I can fly” would be a good generic quote, right?).
Also going through the All-Star Saturday media tour will be Pau Gasol, who’s scheduled to participate in the “Shooting Stars” competition, so we’ll check in with the Spaniard as well.
Then between 12:30-1:15 p.m., the Western Conference All-Stars will address collected press members, meaning more Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant’s first session.
Stay tuned.
Prior to L.A.’s Wednesday evening tip off in Utah, Lakers guard Jordan Farmar had his three-point stroke rolling in pregame warmups.
Teamed with Adam Morrison, Farmar nailed triple after triple to beat assistant coach Brian Shaw and Sasha Vujacic six consecutive times in a two-on-two shooting drill that takes place before every game.
As it turned out, that stroke carried right into the actual game: Farmar hit 4-of-4 from distance, crucial shots as the rest of the Lakers were only 1-of-9 from three-point range.
“My stroke felt great before the game, but more than anything I’ve been trying to get to the basket,” said Farmar, who scored 18 points off the bench, including some finishes at the rim. “But Sasha hit me with a nice pass at the end of the first quarter, and when that one went in, I knew I was going to continue to feel that stroke.”
Farmar went on to swish three more three-pointers, two off screen and rolls between his teammates, with the final triple – which came from 25 feet with 6:50 left in the fourth quarter – serving as an early dagger, quickly turning Utah’s ‘can we still do this?’ 12-point deficit into a slammed door 15-point mountain.
With Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum out of the game, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol were massive for the Lakers as well, combining for 47 points, 30 rebounds, five assists, four steals and seven blocks. Paired with Farmar, the three were a modicum of efficiency, making 24-of-35 shots (69 percent). But as Farmar explained, the Lakers got something from everybody else as well in the 96-81 victory.
“Nobody wants Andrew or Kobe to be hurt, but it does give guys more opportunities to go out there and do what they can do,” said Farmar. “Most touches run through Kobe, and after Pau (Gasol), Andrew probably gets the next most opportunities. So the touches had to disperse somewhere, and that’s going to start with Pau, Lamar and Ron (Artest).
“But you saw Sasha making big plays, Shannon (Brown) doing his thing, myself being able to be aggressive. It just helps everyone play more in rhythm, and that’s what we had to do with (Bryant and Bynum) out.”
Even when Bryant and Bynum both likely return after the All-Star break, the Lakers can use a back up point guard who’s made nearly 42 percent of his three-pointers in January and February combined.
Click here for the Lakers Gameday Page
We took a look at the Lakers – Jazz contest in Salt Lake City while it was happening, entering a thought or three each quarter as the Lakers closed out their pre-All-Star-break schedule.
Inactives
Lakers: Andrew Bynum
Jazz: Kosta Koufos
Starters
Lakers: Fisher, Brown, Artest, Odom, and Gasol
Jazz: Deron Williams, Ronnie Brewer, Andrei Kirilenko, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur
Kobe Bryant Misses 3rd Straight Game, Fisher First to 1,000
When Kobe Bryant missed his first game since Dec. 8, 2006 in Portland on Saturday, he had played in 999 regular season games. Tonight in Utah, Derek Fisher had joined him with 999 games played after starting against the Blazers and Spurs on Monday. Thus, when Fisher started and Bryant stayed in the locker room rehabbing his ankle, Fisher beat Bryant – by a game – to 1,000 for their respective careers. For more, CLICK HERE.
First Quarter
7:39 Yesterday, Lamar Odom went to have an MRI on his sore left foot, but the results were negative and he said he’d play against the Jazz. That begs the question, what sore foot? Odom was everywhere early on, scoring consecutive and-1 buckets – the second a big driving dunk – to get to eight points in the first four minutes and earn a 15-10 lead for the Lakers.
6:19 Getting his second straight start in the absence of Kobe Bryant, Shannon Brown nailed his third shot in four attempts to get to seven points early. This was a nice sign for L.A., since Brown made only 3-of-13 attempts against San Antonio in a Monday start for eight points.
0:00.2 Jordan Farmar capped a terrific 12-0 Lakers run with a buzzer-beating three-pointer as the clock expired, the play a result of Pau Gasol’s third block of the quarter at the other end. The big run also included Odom’s third and-1 play (he finished the quarter with 11 points and six rebounds) and a gorgeous passing play from Odom to Brown on the wing and finally Gasol, who tapped in Brown’s errant alley-oop pass with one hand off glass. Pretty, pretty basketball from the Lakers to earn a 13-point lead after one.
Second Quarter
8:38 A lineup composed of Farmar, Brown, Sasha Vujacic, Josh Powell and D.J. Mbenga – usually the second team in practice when L.A. is healthy – ran off a quick 5-0 run to push L.A.’s lead to 16 points at 42-26. First came Farmar’s second three-pointer (eight points), then a pretty play in transition orchestrated by Vujacic, who stole the ball from C.J. Miles then dropped if off behind his back in transition for a one-handed Mbenga dunk.
5:26 The bench continued an impressive stretch with another Mbenga throwdown in transition – again courtesy of Vujacic’s steal – and another Farmar bucket at the rim. L.A.’s backup point guard thus reached 10 points in 10 minutes on 4-of-5 shooting, including two triples, allowing the Lakers to maintain its 16-point lead.
0:41.9 Gasol’s offensive rebound was L.A.’s eighth of the half, and his put-back layup gave him 12 points to go along with 12 rebounds, three assists and three blocks. The Jazz managed to hit two free throws after missing eight of their first 13 to pull two points back, but the Lakers still took a 56-41 lead into the tunnel. Odom finished with 13 points and seven boards in the half, while Farmar’s 10 points and Vujacic’s three steals and four assists were key off the bench.
Third Quarter
7:54 Gasol’s line started to look ridiculous again, swelling to 16 points, 15 boards, three blocks and three assists while the Lakers added a point to their halftime lead after four minutes.
5:12 After missing his previous five shots, Brown skied upwards from a standstill position under the rim to throw down a dunk that put the Lakers up 18, matching the largest deficit from which Utah had come back all season. Meanwhile, the loudest the Jazz fans got all game was when Ashton Kutcher (err, Kyle Korver) checked in for the first time.
2:02 On the same day he was selected for Team USA’s pool of players, Odom continued to shine by first converting his fourth and-1 layup, then drawing consecutive fouls while cutting to the hoop, making three of four free throws to reach 19 points and 10 rebounds. Sometimes it’s too easy to forget how good Odom – who usually comes off the bench – can be due to L.A.’s depth of talent. The quarter ended with the Lakers holding a 19-point lead, their final bucket coming on Farmar’s third triple in as many attempts.
Fourth Quarter
9:35 The Lakers, for the first time all game, had a poor two-minute stretch lowlighted by consecutive turnovers on offense. Utah capitalized with back-to-back buckets, but the lead remained at 16, much work to be done for the Jazz.
6:10 Scroll back up to see how many times we’ve mentioned Odom’s name tonight. Can’t help it. He almost literally couldn’t have played better, helping halt Utah’s comeback attempt with a deep jumper, his seventh make in eight attempts from the field. Add his nine free throw makes in 10 attempts, and Odom had 23 points to go with 11 rebounds and two blocks. Also key in that stretch was Farmar’s fourth three-pointer in as many attempts (the rest of the Lakers were just 1-of-9 from three).
3:20 Among a flurry of daggers was Fisher’s driving finger roll, pushing the lead back to 18 as the Salt Lake City crowd began its departure from EnergySolutions Arena. The final score wound up at 96-81 in L.A.’s third straight victory without Kobe Bryant. Odom was dominant with 25 points (a season high) and 11 boards, while Gasol added an equally impressive 22 and 19, plus five blocks and four assists.
Up next, the All-Star break, but until then, your numbers:
POSTGAME NUMBERS
100 L.A.’s winning percentage without Kobe Bryant after tough wins at Portland, vs. San Antonio and at Utah. Portland and Utah are arguably the two toughest places for the Lakers to get road wins, yet win they did in convincing fashion.
81 Total points for the Jazz, the fewest L.A. has ever allowed to the franchise.
30 Combined rebounds for Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. The Lakers as a team were +6 on the glass.
14 Point margin in L.A.’s dominant Game 4 win here in EnergySolutions Arena last spring in Round 1 of the playoffs. The primary difference between that win and tonight’s 15-point win was, of course, that Kobe Bryant had 38 points last year.
12 Free throws missed by the Jazz in the first three quarters alone. They finished by making just 13-of-25.
5 Straight turnovers for the Lakers to start the fourth quarter, allowing the Jazz to cut a 19-point lead down to 14.
The Lakers acquired Kobe Bryant, the 13th pick of the 1996 NBA Draft, by trading Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets. Eleven picks later, they selected Derek Fisher.
Fast forward to February 10, 2010, and both players entered a Wednesday evening game in Utah with 999 career games played.
How about that?
“I didn’t realize it until someone told me today,” said Fisher. “I probably won’t say anything to Kobe just yet … but at some point, I’m definitely going to give him a hard time about it.”
Bryant would have become the first to 1,000 had he played in Portland or against San Antonio, but a sprained ankle kept him out of both contests, the first he had missed since Dec. 8, 2006.
All Fisher had to do to catch up was play in literally every game since April 13 of the 2004-05 season, when he missed a game for the Golden State Warriors with knee inflammation. Since then, he’s appeared in 384 consecutive games, and finally Fisher has one up on Kobe.
“It’s one thing I can say I did before him,” said Fisher. “He’s been the fastest to everything else.”
Dedication
How has Fisher done it? Lakers Director of Athletic Performance Chip Schaefer needed just one word to describe it: “Dedication.”
Then he added a few more.
“He’s dedicated to a set of principals and a way to live his life that include proper rest and recovery, proper nutrition, hydration and a nutrient-based diet, training and preparing mentally,” said Schaefer. “For a trainer, he’s just the best. It’s all you can ask for.”
The injury list was longer than usual heading into Wednesday evening’s game in Salt Lake City, but after shootaround we learned from the Lakers PR staff that the following listings remain:
Lamar Odom (foot) – Probable
Kobe Bryant (ankle) – Questionable
Andrew Bynum (hip) – Doubtful
Phil Jackson suggested that Odom will start, Bryant is unlikely to play but remains a game-time decision, and Bynum will not go.