The Los Angeles Daily News (Elliot Teaford) reports: Lamar Odom’s sweet tooth is legendary in NBA locker rooms. He brings bags full of treats to games at home and away, a cause of only minor concern for Jackson and the Lakers’ coaching staff. “Well, Halloween is one of the worst nights of the year,” Jackson said. “I’ve gotten several calls and e-mails and texts from doctors who want to tell me that the sugar blues are one of the toughest things to fight, especially with kids. Lamar, as we know, is not a kid anymore. (But) he really doesn’t do that much sugar, he really doesn’t.”
Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog
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WNBA teams selling advertising on their uniforms
The New York Times reports: The Phoenix Mercury’s new uniform no longer has the words Phoenix or Mercury. Instead, the W.N.B.A.’s Mercury appears to have been renamed LifeLock, with the 10-inch-by-4-inch name of the identity-theft protection company stretching across the team’s jerseys. A small Mercury logo (the planet, with an M) appears like a badge on the upper left of the jersey. Taking a cue from international sports, where displaying corporate names on jerseys is standard, the Mercury on Monday will announce a three-year deal with Tempe, Ariz.-based LifeLock that is worth at least $1 million annually… During an off-season when one franchise, the Houston Comets, folded and the remaining 13 cut their rosters to 11 players from 13, the W.N.B.A. authorized its teams to let companies place their names on the players’ jerseys as part of broad sponsorship agreements. At least one other team is close to a similar deal.
InsideHoops.com editor says: There isn’t anything surprising or shocking about this, though it’ll still be interesting to see with my own eyes for the first time. Because, while viewing it, I’ll be pondering the obvious: Will NBA teams do this, eventually?
Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.
Guard Shannon Brown sued by woman in Denver
ESPN.com reports: Los Angeles Lakers point guard Shannon Brown is being sued in civil court for an alleged sex-related incident with a woman in Denver, Brown’s agent, Mark Bartelstein confirmed to ESPN’s Shelley Smith on Sunday. Bartelstein said the suit stems from an incident when Brown was playing for the Charlotte Bobcats, who played in Denver on Jan. 30. Brown was traded to the Lakers on Feb. 7. Bartelstein said that within 24-48 hours after the woman filed a police report, Denver police fully investigated her claims and “did not even pursue it. Prosecutors found nothing to pursue.”
InsideHoops.com editor says: Remember, folks, always assume these sort of claims are total nonsense, until really, truly proven otherwise. So, until there’s reason to think anything different, Brown didn’t do it.
Nene has broken arm
The Denver Post reports: With a cast covering his left forearm, Nene had a hard time getting dressed after the game. The Nuggets center fractured his arm late in the fourth quarter and left the game with 6:13 to play. Afterward, the Brazilian would not talk to the media about the injury or how it happened.
InsideHoops.com editor says: It obviously must be awful to get eliminated while also getting injured. After Nene has a few days to relax and cool off, I hope he realizes how proud of himself he should be, coming back from illness, rising up to improve as a basketball player, and having a terrific season.
Bryant leads Lakers past Nuggets, back to finals
The AP reports: Kobe Bryant had 35 points and 10 assists to lead the Los Angeles Lakers back to the NBA finals with a 119-92 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals on Friday night. Bryant got plenty of scoring help from Trevor Ariza, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom as the Lakers shot 57.3 percent from the field to avoid having to play a Game 7 back at the Staples Center.
InsideHoops.com notes: The Lakers outscored the Nuggets by 5 in the first quarter, 8 in the second, 3 in the third and 11 in the fourth. Los Angeles shot 57.3% for the game, Denver 43.8%. Both teams were hot from three-point range, but the Lakers were awesome, nailing 9-of-16 from outside the arc. Trevor Ariza had three of those 3-pointers.
For the Lakers, Bryant had 35 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists (just 1 turnover). Pau Gasol (8-of-12) had 20 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. Lamar Odom had 20 points and 8 rebounds. Trevor Ariza (awesome 7-of-9) scored 17. And Luke Walton (5-of-7) scored 10.
The Lakers hit a perfect 24-of-24 free throws, and outrebounded the Nuggets 38-27.
For the Nuggets, Carmelo Anthony (6-of-17, 12-of-15 free throws) had 25 points but little else. J.R. Smith (10-of-17, 4-of-9 threes) had 24 and little else. Kenyon Martin had a quiet 13 points and 5 rebounds. Chauncey Billups got shut down, shooting just 2-of-9 for 10 points and 9 assists (but 5 turnovers). Dahntay Jones, Nene and Chris Andersen did little, though the Birdman blocked 3 shots.
Conference Finals: History sides with Lakers, Magic
If history were grading Orlando’s chances of advancing to The Finals, it would give the Magic an A. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, all time in the postseason there have been 187 best-of-seven playoff series in which a team has taken 3-1 lead. That team has advanced to the next round 179 times or 96 percent. Orlando has won five games on the road during the playoffs, the most wins away from home during a single postseason in team history (previous high was four in 1995). The Magic clinched its first round series with a win at Philadelphia in Game 6, and advanced to the conference finals with a Game 7 victory in Boston, marking the fourth and fifth times that Orlando won a series-deciding game on the road. All time in the playoffs, however, Cleveland, is 42-25 (.627) at home, including winning of eight of its last nine playoff games at The Q. Orlando is responsible for the lone loss, besting the Cavaliers in Game 1. Since the 2006 postseason, the Cavaliers are 21-7 (.750) at home, which accounts for the second most home wins in the postseason over that span behind San Antonio (22-7).
The Los Angeles Lakers took another step towards advancing to their second straight Finals by defeating the Denver Nuggets 103-94 in Game 5 yesterday to take a 3-2 series lead. Teams with a 3-2 lead are 193-33 (.854) all time, with 122 of those series ending in six games. Of those 122 Game 6 wins, more than half (69) came on the road. The last team to win a series after trailing 3-2 was the San Antonio Spurs, which defeated the New Orleans Hornets in last year’s conference semifinals.
Notable: There have been 20 games this postseason decided by three or fewer points, surpassing the previous high of 19 (2006). Orlando has played in seven of those games, winning three.
–NBA News
Anonymous Nuggets player accuses Lakers of buying a win
The Denver Post (Mark Kiszla) reports after the Lakers beat the Nuggets in Game 5: In an accusation that goes straight to the heart of the sport’s integrity, one member of the Nuggets shook his head in disgust after the game, and could not believe how cheap it was for Los Angeles to buy a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals. “The Lakers paid $50,000 to win that game. They got their money’s worth,” said a Denver player, not wanting to be identified for fear of retribution from the league. Was the outcome rigged? I refuse to believe it was. The 16 field-goal attempts the Nuggets missed during the fourth quarter had much more to do with the defeat than any of the 30 personal fouls called against Denver by the referees.
InsideHoops.com editor says: There’s a 98% chance the player was just angry about how things went down, and was just lashing out, and absolutely doesn’t mean it. He probably thinks the refs made some lousy calls, was just venting some frustration, and shouldn’t be taken literally.
Odom rises, Lakers beat Nuggets 103-94 in Game 5
The AP reports: With Kobe Bryant luring double coverage then passing to his teammates, the Lakers owned the fourth quarter in a 103-94 victory Wednesday night that gave them a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference finals. Bryant scored 22 points—on just 13 shots—Lamar Odom had 19 points and 14 rebounds despite an aching lower back and Pau Gasol added 14 points and 10 rebounds… Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points, hitting 12 of 13 free throws, and Kenyon Martin and Chauncey Billups added 12 points each for the Nuggets. The teams were tied after the first, second and third quarters for just the fourth time in NBA playoff history… “I thought they got the benefit of the whistle,” George Karl said. “Every player in my locker room is frustrated, from guards to big guys. Gasol goes after at least 20 jump shots, 20 shots to the rim and gets one foul; our big guys have 16. Nene has six fouls, three or four of them don’t exist.”
Nuggets even Western finals against Lakers at 2-2
The AP reports: The Denver Nuggets are so much more than just Carmelo Anthony. A dominating effort on the boards and a great performance by the bench helped the Nuggets overcome a below-par effort from an ailing ‘Melo on Monday night, when they raced past the Los Angeles Lakers 120-101, evening the Western Conference finals at two games apiece… “Even before I twisted my ankle, with my stomach, I didn’t have my legs early in the game,” Carmelo Anthony said… Anthony finished with 15 hard-earned points on 3-of-16 shooting, but it hardly mattered because, unlike in Game 3 when his shot also wasn’t falling, his teammates came to the rescue. Six of them scored in double digits, led by Chauncey Billups and J.R. Smith with 24 apiece… “They whooped us, period,” said Kobe Bryant, who scored 34 points… Martin had 13 points and 15 boards, Nene pitched in 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Chris “Birdman” Andersen added 14 rebounds for the Nuggets, who outrebounded the Lakers 58-40.
Bryant scores 41, Lakers beat Nuggets 103-97
The AP reports: Trevor Ariza’s(notes) clutch steals are punching a dagger in Denver’s season just as much as Kobe Bryant’s(notes) big baskets. For the second time in three games, Ariza stole an inbounds pass in the final minute to help Los Angeles beat the Nuggets, this time 103-97 at the Pepsi Center for a 2-1 lead that restored the Lakers’ home-court advantage in the Western Conference finals. Ariza, whose steal of Anthony Carter’s(notes) lazy lob sealed the Lakers’ win in the series opener, sliced in front of Carmelo Anthony(notes) to swipe Kenyon Martin’s(notes) inbounds pass with the Lakers clinging to a two-point lead with 36 seconds left… “Trevor, he’s very crafty, he’s long, he’s fast, he’s quick and he’s a ball hog,” said Bryant, who scored 41 points… Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points but just three after halftime, and Denver lost at home for the first time since March 9.
InsideHoops.com notes: The Lakers shot 45.8%, the Nuggets 39.3%. Both teams struggled from three-point range, with the Lakers hitting 6-of-19, the Nuggets just 5-of-27. And the Lakers had 45 free throw attempts but only hit 31 of them, while the Nuggets connected on 26-of-51.
For the Lakers, Bryant (12-of-24, 15-of-17 free throws) had 41 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Pau Gasol (7-of-12) had 20 points and 11 rebounds. Trevor Ariza (5-of-8, 3-of-5 three-pointers) had 16 points. Derek Fisher had 3 steals.
For the Nuggets, Carmelo Anthony (just 4-of-13, but 12-of-14 free throws) had 21 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals, but more turnovers than assists. Chauncey Billups (just 5-of-15) had 18 points, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Chris Andersen (6-of-9) was great off the bench with 15 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks. Nene had 13 points. J.R. Smith (just 4-of-15) had 10 points and 6 assists. Dahntay Jones scored 10.