Los Angeles Lakers Blog – Page 158 – NBA Blog

Lakers rest starters in 107-89 blowout of Thunder

The AP reports: To Kobe Bryant, a little bit of rest is way overrated. Getting ready for the playoffs is what the last stretch of the season is all about. Bryant scored 19 points before taking the fourth quarter off, and the Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a 107-89 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night… Lamar Odom scored 18 points before fouling out and Pau Gasol had 14 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists for Los Angeles. Kevin Durant scored 24 points to lead Oklahoma City, which had all five starters reach double figures but never cut the Lakers’ lead to less than 17 points in the second half… Jeff Green scored 12 points, Nenad Krstic added 11 and Thabo Sefolosha, Russell Westbrook and Nick Collison each had 10 for Oklahoma City.

Phil Jackson to coach Lakers next season

Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson will keep coaching the team at least through 2009-2010. The Orange County Register (Kevin Ding) reports (via blog):

Jackson has usually backpedaled away from all questions about his future, citing a year-by-year policy and even dismissing his contract status as largely irrelevant. This time, he added: “I still have a year left on my contract.”

Nothing crazy here. Jackson is already signed to coach next season. He just seems OK with mentioning it, now.

Bryant leads Lakers over Bulls, 117-109

The AP reports: Kobe Bryant scored 28 points, Pau Gasol added 23 and the Lakers rallied for a 117-109 victory Saturday over the Chicago Bulls in the first of a season-high, seven-game trip. The Lakers trailed by 16 in the second quarter and 14 at the half, but came roaring back in the third, pulling within one… Despite the high point total, he shot just 10-for-25. Even so, the man who once said he wouldn’t mind playing in Chicago got serenaded with “MVP! MVP!” chants… Gasol grabbed 10 rebounds. Trevor Ariza scored 18 points, Lamar Odom added 16 and Jordan Farmar had eight of his 13 in the decisive run for the Lakers, who have won five of six… John Salmons scored 30 and Derrick Rose 25 for the Bulls, who had tied a season high with three straight wins, but their luck ended against the Western Conference leaders. So did their seven-game home win streak.

Kobe, Gasol help Lakers hold off Warriors, 114-106

The AP reports: After giving up leads of 15 points and 14 points in their previous two games, the Los Angeles Lakers came within a 3-point miss by Kelenna Azubuike of squandering an 18-point advantage to the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers held on for a 114-106 victory Thursday night as Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol each scored 21 points to help complete Los Angeles’ third four-game season sweep of the Warriors in four years… Thursday’s victory was the Lakers’ 31st at home, eclipsing last season’s total, and kept them a full game behind Cleveland for the NBA’s best record and homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs with 14 games remaining. Monta Ellis scored 27 points and Azubuike added 25 for the Warriors, who have lost 19 of their last 22 meetings with the Lakers and are 2-18 at Staples Center since the arena opened in 1999.

Lakers re-assign Sun Yue to D-League

The Los Angeles Lakers have assigned guard Sun Yue to the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League for the second time this season, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Sun, who became the 25th NBA player assigned to a D-League affiliate this season on March 6, played 4 games (4 starts), averaging 10.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.25 blocks in 36.0 minutes in his first stint with the D-Fenders.

Originally selected by the Lakers in the second round (40th overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft, Sun signed with the Lakers the following summer (August 25, 2008) shortly after representing China as a member of the Men’s Olympic Basketball Team in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Making his NBA debut on December 7 versus Milwaukee with four points on 2-of-3 shooting in five minutes, Sun has appeared in 10 games with the Lakers this season, totaling six points, two assists, a steal and a blocked shot in 28 minutes.

Iguodala’s 3 at buzzer gives Sixers win over Lakers

The AP reports: Andre Iguodala beat the final buzzer with a 3-pointer to finish with 25, and the 76ers overcame a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun the Los Angeles Lakers 94-93 on Tuesday night for their fourth straight victory. Fifteen of Philadelphia’s 34 wins have been decided by six points or fewer… Pau Gasol had 25 points for the defending Western Conference champion Lakers (53-14), who slipped a full game behind Cleveland for the NBA’s best record with 15 games remaining. Bryant failed to go to the free throw line for the fourth time this season, and this was the first time the Lakers lost when that happened.

Shaq says he has years of good ball left in him

The Arizona Republic (Paul Coro) reports: “I’m going to be putting up big numbers until I’m 40,” Shaquille O’Neal, 37, said. “I can play at any pace. It’s just that no one my age has done what I’ve done. Because of what went on last year (in Miami), they thought I was done. But I’m the type of player I don’t really harp on my injuries. I say it once, ‘I was injured,’ and that’s it. But people want to be the unauthorized author of my book. Last year, I was messed up. Then Nellie (Suns head athletic trainer Aaron Nelson) and them fixed me up. Now, I’m loose again and ready.” O’Neal continues to say he can deliver big games nightly if he gets enough shots. With the Suns’ increased pace, there are shots for everyone.

Lakers recall Sun Yue from D-League

The Los Angeles Lakers have recalled guard Sun Yue from the NBA Development League’s Los Angeles D-Fenders, it was announced today.

Sun, who became the 25th NBA player assigned to a D-League affiliate this season on March 6, played 4 games (4 starts) with the D-Fenders, averaging 10.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.25 blocks in 36.0 minutes.

Bryant, balanced Lakers beat Mavericks 107-100

The AP reports: Bryant scored 28 points and led a late 12-0 run that put Los Angeles back in control, but Trevor Ariza, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom all had a big hand in Sunday’s 107-100 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Ariza scored a career-high 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting. Gasol made his first 10 shots, finished 12-of-13 and scored 25. Odom had 10 points, 14 rebounds and four blocked shots… Jason Kidd, who had nine points, nine assists and seven rebounds, said, “Kobe picked his spots when they had to have a basket.” Dirk Nowitzki added 20 for the Mavericks, but missed 14 of his 20 shots. James Singleton had 16 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.

Lakers clinch playoff spot, beat Spurs 102-95

The AP reports: Scoring the last of his 23 points on a 3-pointer with 1:46 left, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers became the first team in the West to secure a playoff spot with a 102-95 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night… Tony Parker and Michael Finley had 25 points apiece for the Spurs, who trailed by as much as 18 points before mounting a furious fourth-quarter comeback… Pau Gasol had 23 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers. Lamar Odom had 12 points and 10 rebounds in his return from a one-game suspension for leaving the bench during an altercation in Monday’s loss to Portland. Tim Duncan had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Spurs, whose lead over the Rockets in the Southwest Division was cut to two games. San Antonio plays at Houston on Saturday, when the Rockets will becoming off a Friday night game at Charlotte.