Los Angeles Lakers Blog – Page 127 – NBA Blog

Troy Jackson died: Troy Escalade Jackson dies

Troy “Escalade” Jackson, the brother of former NBA point guard Mark Jackson and a beloved member of the streetball and general basketball community, died this weekend.

Mere days earlier here in Los Angeles myself and many others were happy to catch up with Escalade at parties during NBA All-Star weekend. With close friend and fellow streetballer “The Professor” by his side, Escalade, given that nickname due to his large size, seemed his usual happy self. I only hung out with him briefly as we caught up with each other after not being face-to-face for many months. It’s shocking to be with someone one night and have them be gone the next.

Escalade dying is beyond sad. I can honestly say that everyone in basketball who knew him, loved him. In a sport and world filled with huge egos, Escalade was genuinely nice, and impossible to dislike. He’ll truly be missed.

More on Troy “Escalade” Jackson’s death:

“Our hearts are heavy today and we are deeply saddened by the passing of a teammate, friend, and inspiration. Today, the world of streetball lost its ambassador, and the world of basketball lost a great entertainer. Escalade led both his life and our team with a joy that can never be replaced. Our deepest condolences go out to his family. We ask his fans around the world to keep all those dear to him in their prayers,” said Demetrius Spencer, CEO and Commissioner of Ball Up.

Troy “Escalade” Jackson has been a big brother and member of the Murray family since we were kids. He was always the most positive, giving, and caring person you could be around. He never forgot a face. And, anyone who met him never forgot him. His mother was his biggest fan and support system, and his brother Mark was the most supportive big brother, always proud to tell everyone about his little BIG brother!!! If you did not get the opportunity to meet Troy “Escalade” Jackson, you truly missed out on meeting one of the GREATEST “Wonders” of the World!!! Troy, you have left us sad and full of hurt. But HEAVEN already has won with the arrival of such a BEAUTIFUL person, with a HEART and SOUL that will live with me and others around the world!! You changed my life ONCE, and you just changed my life AGAIN!!! I LOVE YOU BIG BRO!!! Cameron Murray Partner of BallUp and Friend

Brother to NBA Veteran Mark Jackson, Troy “Escalade” Jackson, named one of the 50 greatest playground legends by Slam Magazine, stood at an impressive largeness in person of 6’10” tall, and weighed just under 400 pounds, was just as big in personality and heart. Troy Jackson was born in Queens NY and attended University of Louisville on a basketball scholarship. In addition to playing in 3 NCAA tournaments, among Es’s accomplishments are being recognized as one of the 20 most popular athletes in Louisville history. Troy was a former Harlem Globe Trotter, Current Ball Up Player and Ambassador to the world of Streeball.

Dwyane Wade hurt in All-Star Game

Michael Wallace of ESPN reports:

Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade injured his right ankle in the third quarter of Sunday’s All-Star Game and did not return.

Wade sustained the injury midway through the quarter when he landed awkwardly on guard Deron Williams’ foot. Wade, a starting guard for the Eastern Conference team, had scored 14 points in the game before he limped off the court after East coach Doc Rivers called a timeout with 5:04 left in the quarter. He also had four rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes of the East’s 148-143 loss to the West.

Broadway plans play on Magic Johnson, Larry Bird

Mark Kennedy, an AP Drama writer, reports:

The playwright behind the Broadway play “Lombardi” is moving from the gridiron to the hard court.

Eric Simonson is working on “Magic/Bird,” a new play that will chronicle the lives of basketball Hall of Famers Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson…

The story will trace the two basketball stars’ rivalry and friendship from their days as rookies in the NBA to their appearance on the Olympic Dream Team in 1992. Johnson and Bird were key parts in the storied struggle between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1980s.

“Here are these two, amazing at their craft, inspiring to watch, and yet they couldn’t be more different people,” said Kirmser. “There was a fierce competitiveness between them and yet such a great love and respect.”

The six-character play is scheduled to debut on Broadway in 2012.

Cavaliers upset Lakers, 104-99

Before tonight, the Cleveland Cavaliers have shown life about twice over the past couple of months. It’s been a tough ride fo the Cavs and anytime they kept a game even remotely close, it’s been something of a moral victory.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the league’s best teams, but lately they’ve struggled and have dropped some games they shouldn’t have lost. Still, you’d think the Cavs would be no match for the defending champs.

Apparently not! With Cavs reseve guard Ramon Sessions coming off the bench to shoot 9-of-16 for 32 points, eight assists and three steals, the underdogs won, toppling the Lakers 104-99 even with starting point guard Mo Williams only playing a bit more than three minutes.

The Cavs got 19 points and 10 rebounds from Antawn Jamison, 18 points and nine assists from Anthony Parker, and 13 points with 15 rebounds from center J.J. Hickson. As a team they shot 47.1 percent.

The Lakers as a team shot just 42.5% and committed 19 turnovers. Kobe Bryant was the main problem here, shooting just 8-of-24 for 17 points and 12 rebounds, but just two assists with seven turnovers. The team did get 30 points and 20 rebounds from Pau Gasol. Derek Fisher stepped up to score 19 on just 12 shots. But no one else was particularly good.

Count this as a high point in an incredibly tough Cavaliers season.

First arrival in L.A. for 2011 All-Star weekend

By Jeff Lenchiner

I arrived Tuesday night in Los Angeles for 2011 NBA All-Star weekend. (Yeah. I’m a bit early. If you experienced New York City’s extra cold winter these last two months, you’d leave early for California, too.)

Nothing crazy here, but I figured I’d capture the first All Star-related store display I saw in the airport. You always remember your first. Here it is:

Also, the outdoor support beams that keep Los Angeles airport (LAX) from falling onto people’s heads have been customized to promote the big weekend. This is from right outside the airport near the baggage claim area:

There’s at least one huge long row of these things. Here’s the other side of that same beam:

Bobcats continue mastery of Lakers, 109-89

The AP reports:

Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson was so upset he spoke to reporters for 5 seconds and then walked away. Kobe Bryant sneaked out of the locker room before addressing the press at all.

A once promising road trip has quickly turned sour for the two-time defending champions, although they probably should have seen their most lopsided loss of the season coming.

The Charlotte Bobcats somehow own them.

Gerald Wallace had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Gerald Henderson added 18 points and helped slow Bryant, and the Bobcats cruised to a 109-89 victory on Monday night to extend one of the more unusual one-sided matchups in the NBA.

The Bobcats have won eight of the past 10 meetings. The Lakers, 5-8 all-time against the NBA’s newest team, hold a losing record against only one other club — the Boston Celtics.

This latest loss, full of missed shots and poor defense and coming on the heels of an ugly defeat in Orlando, left Jackson steamed.

“I’m embarrassed about what we did and that’s it,” Jackson said as he began to stroll away. “Thank you.”

Lakers sign 20-year TV deal with Time Warner Cable

Time Warner Cable and the Los Angeles Lakers today entered into a 20-year, wide-ranging agreement for rights to distribute all locally available pre-season, regular season, and post-season Lakers games, beginning with the 2012-2013 season.

To showcase the games, Time Warner Cable will launch two regional sports networks in HD, including the nation’s first Spanish-language regional sports network, with new state-of-the-art facilities in Los Angeles, to bring fans the most compelling Lakers content using the latest technology. The networks will be available to all satellite, cable and telco distributors in the Lakers’ territory, which includes all of Southern California, Nevada and Hawaii.

The networks will include a number of elements custom-designed for Lakers fans, including:

– A single destination where Lakers fans can find all locally-televised home and away games and a variety of new and original Lakers’ content featuring behind-the-scenes, personality and classic programming.

* All Lakers games will be produced in high definition, with state-of-the-art technology and high production values in English & Spanish. The Spanish-language channel is a stand alone RSN with its own dedicated production of game telecasts and other unique content tailored to Spanish speaking Lakers fans – not a SAP feed.

* All games will feature pre and post-game shows produced separately in both English and Spanish.

* A Lakers news and magazine show throughout the season.

* Joint community relations initiatives.

* New online and on demand multi-platform content featuring the Lakers.

“This long-term agreement represents a huge win for all Lakers fans, providing destination channels, more content and more platforms for the Lakers, one of the premier brands in professional sports today,” said Glenn Britt, Time Warner Cable’s Chairman & CEO. “It allows us to secure great ‘must-have’ content for our customers in an advantageous arrangement that affords us greater control over our own economic destiny for decades to come. We’ll be able to fully leverage our experience in local and regional programming; we have been at the forefront of the industry with 24-hour regional news and 24-hour regional news in Spanish, and now we’re breaking ground with the nation’s first Spanish-language regional sports network, something that’s tailor made for Southern California.”

“The Buss family is thrilled to join forces with Time Warner Cable in building the TV home for Lakers fans,” said Dr. Jerry Buss, Lakers Owner. “Time Warner Cable has been producing quality sports programming for over a decade and the Lakers have been producing championship seasons for even longer. I am particularly proud of being part of the first ever Spanish-language RSN in the country. Together I’m confident we will delight our fans.”

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Pistons in talks with Calif investor on purchase

The AP reports:

The owner of the Detroit Pistons on Friday confirmed she is in negotiations with a California billionaire interested in buying the struggling NBA franchise.

Michael Layne, a spokesman for owner Karen Davidson, confirmed the two-week “exclusivity” window and that the owner was working with investor Tom Gores.

“The parties are continuing to work in a cooperative manner,” Layne said.

It was a rare public statement from Davidson, who has stayed mostly silent about the potential sale. About three hours later, a spokesman for Gores also broke his silence on the matter.

“We look forward to continued discussions with Karen Davidson and her team,” said Mark Barnhill, a principal at Platinum Equity, the investment group founded by Gores in 1995. “We are making progress, and both sides are working hard in hopes of reaching an agreement.”

Barnhill said reports that a deal was in place were “incorrect.”

No HORSE event at 2011 All-Star weekend

By Jeff Lenchiner

There will be no H-O-R-S-E shooting competition at 2011 NBA All-Star weekend.

TNT, who organized the event — an unofficial addition to the weekend’s festivities — confirmed to InsideHoops.com that they are not bringing it back this year.

H-O-R-S-E got it’s All-Star weekend start in 2009. Kevin Durant won it both years it existed. The event will be missed, but only a little. The problem is, if the players aren’t hitting their shots (or they’re never missing) then H-O-R-S-E can drag on, and on, and on. Sort of like Chris Andersen in the slam dunk contest when his throw-downs aren’t being thrown down.

Read fan reaction and share your own opinion in this forum topic.

Kobe Bryant to receive Grauman’s Chinese Theater honor

Legendary Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant is set to become the first athlete to have a hand and footprint ceremony at the world renowned Grauman’s Chinese Theater on February 19, 2011. The ceremony will take place during the City of Los Angeles’ hosting of the NBA All Star Weekend festivities and will be followed later that evening with a lavish star studded gala event for Bryant, 1,200 VIP guests and select members of the public.

“To be a part of such elite company is a tremendous honor. I’m proud to be the first athlete to be recognized,” stated Bryant.

Jeru Tillman of Southfield Village Entertainment stated, “Today’s athletes are among the best known and most talented entertainers in the world. We are pleased Kobe will be honored for the many years of enjoyment he has given us on the basketball court.”

Mr. Bryant has been named Most Valuable Player of the NBA finals for the past two years, and has won five NBA championships in his career. He has twice been the NBA scoring champion and was part of the gold medal winning U.S.A. Basketball Men’s National Team at the 2008 Olympics.Throughout his 14‐year career, Mr. Bryant has become a pillar in the world wide philanthropic community specifically dealing with children’s charities. He has enjoyed a long relationship with St. Jude’s Hospital, After School All Stars, The Boys & Girls Club of America and has granted more wishes than any other NBA athlete to children with life threatening medical conditions via the Make–A‐Wish Foundation. Through his Kobe Bryant Family Foundation and the Kobe China Fund, he has sponsored Hispanic and African American children with scholarships, leadership grants and cultural exchanges allowing them to learn Mandarin and martial arts as well as donated for the relief efforts of victims of the Schezuan earthquake.

Mr. Bryant will join over 200 stars including Marilyn Monroe, Brad Pitt, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Will Smith, Harrison Ford and John Wayne who have had their hand and footprint ceremonies.