Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog

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Lakers trade Vladimir Radmanovic to Bobcats for Adam Morrison, Shannon Brown

Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has acquired forward Vladimir Radmanovic from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for forward Adam Morrison and guard Shannon Brown.

“Vladimir is a versatile forward who has the ability to play multiple positions in this league,” Higgins said. “We saw this as an opportunity to add another experienced player whose skill set is interchangeable with a variety of different lineups.”

The 6-10, 235-pound Radmanovic has appeared in 516 career NBA games spread between Seattle, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Lakers. He has career averages of 9.2 points and 4.1 rebounds, while shooting .420 from the field and .386 from the three-point line. In 46 games (28 starts) with the Lakers this season he averaged 5.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 16.8 minutes. He currently ranks ninth in the league in three-point field goal percentage (.411), connecting on 60-136 attempts.

Originally drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft, Radmanovic had three consecutive seasons with the Sonics where he averaged double-figure scoring. His best statistical season in the NBA came during the 2003-04 season when he appeared in 77 games (38 starts) with averages of 12.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.0 steals in 30.1 minutes. During that season, he scored 20-plus points 13 times and recorded six double-doubles. He has also appeared in 44 career playoff games with averages of 7.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in 21.9 minutes.

Morrison was selected by Charlotte with the third overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft after declaring early following his junior season at Gonzaga. He has career averages of 9.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 24.5 minutes in 122 games (28 starts). Morrison missed the entire 2007-08 season after suffering a torn ACL in his left knee in an Oct. 20 preseason game against the Lakers. As a rookie in 2006-07, he appeared in 78 games with 23 starts and averaged 11.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 29.8 minutes. He was also named to the All-Rookie Second Team that year after finishing second among all NBA Rookies in scoring and minutes played. This season, he appeared in 44 games (five starts) with averages of 4.5 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 15.2 minutes.

Brown is in his third NBA season and averaged 4.8 points and 1.0 assist in 30 games played for Charlotte this season. In 74 career games, Brown has averaged 4.4 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 10.5 minutes split between Cleveland, Chicago and Charlotte. Brown was originally drafted by the Cavaliers with the 25th overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.

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Lakers show pride, beat Celtics in OT 110-109

The AP reports: “I wish we would have come here last year with this kind of attitude,” said Pau Gasol, who scored 24 points with 14 rebounds Thursday night to lead the Lakers to a 110-109 overtime victory over Boston… Kobe Bryant scored 26 points with 10 rebounds to help the Lakers take a five-game winning streak into Sunday’s game against Cleveland. L.A. also snapped Boston’s 19-game winning streak on Christmas Day and sent the Celtics into a 2-7 skid that is the worst stretch of the New Big Three era… Paul Pierce scored 21, and Allen had 22, but they both missed off-balance shots in the final seconds. Allen was knocked to the court at the buzzer while Boston fans clamored for a foul call, but none came. Rajon Rondo scored 16 with 12 assists.

Kobe scores 36, Lakers beat Raptors 115-107

The AP reports: Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers warmed up for their showdown in Boston with a victory over Toronto. Kobe Bryant scored 36 points, Pau Gasol added 31 points and 15 rebounds and the Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 115-107 on Wednesday night for their fourth straight victory and eighth in nine games… Toronto lost its fourth straight, but didn’t go quietly. Joey Graham had a career-high 24 points, and Jermaine O’Neal added 22 points and nine blocks. Andrea Bargnani scored 21 points, and Anthony Parker had 18 for the Raptors, 5-21 overall against the Lakers.

Kobe Bryant 61 points

Kobe Bryant scored 61 points in Madison Square Garden Tuesday night as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the New York Knicks 126-117.

I was there to witness what was the most fun performance I ever remember seeing in person at an NBA game.

It was magical. And what made it even more awesome was the amount of Laker fans in NY for the game. Chants of MVP erupted repeatedly all throughout the game. And Kobe’s 61 points were created in ways every young basketball player dreams of. He unleashed crazy, absurd  moves, and was tossing jumpers in the faces of any Knicks defender who came near him.

Kobe Bryant’s 61 points in MSG is an instant hoops classic.

Below is a video of every shot Kobe made to score his 61 points. Watch and enjoy:

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Bryant scores 61, Lakers beat Knicks 126-117

The AP reports: Kobe Bryant broke the current arena record with 61 points, and the Los Angeles Lakers looked plenty potent without Bynum in a 126-117 victory over the New York Knicks on Monday night… Bryant teased and pleased a sold-out crowd that took turns booing him and saluting him with “MVP!” chants during an electrifying performance. He passed Michael Jordan’s opponent record of 55 points at the present building, known as “Garden IV,” when he hit three free throws with 3:56 remaining, then bettered Bernard King’s mark of 60, set on Christmas Day 1984, with two more foul shots with 2:33 to play… Pau Gasol added 31 points and 14 rebounds in the Lakers’ first game since losing Bynum, their starting center, for eight to 12 weeks with a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

Andrew Bynum out 8-12 weeks

Results of an MRI on Andrew Bynum’s right knee showed a tear of the medial collateral ligament, it was announced today.

Bynum, who suffered the injury early in the first quarter of Saturday’s victory over Memphis after having scored seven of the Lakers’ first 13 points, will be out approximately 8-12 weeks.

The MRI was performed Sunday at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and Bynum was examined this afternoon by Dr. David Altchek.

Bynum, who prior to the game against Memphis had averaged 26.2 points on 65.3 percent shooting, 13.8 rebounds and 3.20 blocked shots over his previous five games, ranks among league leaders in rebounds (19th/8.2), field goal percentage (8th/.558), blocked shots (6th /1.87) and double-doubles (17th/16).

Named Western Conference Player of the Week for games played Monday, January 19 through Sunday, January 25, Bynum is averaging 14.0 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.87 blocked shots in 46 games this season.

Bryant, Gasol help Lakers cruise past Grizzlies

The AP reports: Kobe Bryant scored 25 points, Gasol had 24 points and eight rebounds and the Lakers beat Memphis 115-98 on Saturday night, extending the Grizzlies’ losing streak to 12 games. The win was tempered by the uncertain status of Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who left the game in the first quarter with a sprained right knee. X-rays were negative and further tests will be done Sunday in New York where the Lakers face the Knicks the following day… Rudy Gay had 23 points, while O.J. Mayo scored 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the field for the Grizzlies, losers of 20 of their last 22. Mike Conley finished with 13 points and seven assists, and Marc Gasol also scored 13 points.

Bynum, Lakers too big for T-wolves in 132-119 win

The AP reports: Andrew Bynum bulled his way inside to 27 points and 15 rebounds, providing the perfect complement to Kobe Bryant and his 30 points, and the Lakers started a six-game road trip with a 132-119 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night… Minnesota’s recent resurgence has been fueled by rebounding and reliable inside play, but L.A. was simply too deep and too tall. Al Jefferson finished with 34 points and 13 rebounds, but Bynum proved to be just a bit stronger inside. The Lakers have another 7-footer, Pau Gasol, who backed up his All-Star selection with 21 points and nine rebounds… Randy Foye scored 27 points for the Wolves, who rallied from a 20-point hole with an 18-7 run in the fourth quarter but couldn’t get any closer.

Diaw, Brown lead Bobcats past Lakers 117-110

The AP reports: Boris Diaw had 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists, reserve Shannon Brown scored five of his 14 points in the second overtime, and the Bobcats continued their surprising recent domination of the Lakers by beating them 117-110 on Tuesday night… Gerald Wallace scored 15 points before leaving with 2:08 left in the fourth quarter after a flagrant foul by Andrew Bynum knocked him to the floor… Raymond Felton had 22 points, a career-high 11 rebounds and nine assists, Emeka Okafor had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Raja Bell added 17 points for the Bobcats. Bryant had eight rebounds and five assists to go with his 38 points. Bynum added 24 points and 14 rebounds and Derek Fisher scored 14 for the Lakers (35-9), who lost for just the fourth time in 27 home games.