The Los Angeles Times (Broderick Turner) reports: Kobe Bryant is an eight-time member of the all-defensive team, but Coach Phil Jackson wants him to take fewer risks on defense. Bryant has been trying to get extra steals, doing a little too much freelancing for Jackson’s taste. “We’re trying to work with Kobe in staying inside the team framework of how we play defense,” Jackson said. “Because he’s such a good defensive player with great anticipation, sometimes he might take a foray into the steal market and come away empty-handed, which compromises our defense.” Jackson didn’t seem enthused that Bryant, Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza and Jordan Farmar have a season-long bet on which one of them will have the most steals.
Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog
Lakers blog – Los Angeles Lakers blog
Lakers defense lacking lately
The Los Angeles Daily News (Elliot Teaford) reports: There are multiple reasons why the Lakers’ defense hasn’t been as effective as it was to start the season. No matter which you choose, the bottom line is that the Lakers aren’t dominating teams because they aren’t playing the same caliber of defense. The Lakers started their three-game trip by giving up a season-high 118 points in a one-point loss to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday. They continued by giving up 102 during a 12-point victory Wednesday over the Philadelphia 76ers. They played the first seven games of the season without giving up 100 points in a game. But they have surrendered 100 or more points in four of their past six games and are giving up an average of 95.9 points going into tonight’s against the Washington Wizards. “We’ve talked about the kind of intensity we want to play with defensively,” Bryant said. “We have a tendency to turn it up in spurts as of late as opposed to coming out and doing it from the top, and that’s something we’ve needed to address.”
Dec 3: Lakers 114, Sixers 102
The AP reports: Kobe Bryant tormented his hometown team again, scoring 32 points to help the Los Angeles Lakers rebound from a last-second loss with a 114-102 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night… Pau Gasol had 22 points and 13 rebounds, and Andrew Bynum scored 18 points for the Lakers. Los Angeles never let the middling Sixers get too close in this one. Philadelphia was within six in the third quarter when Derek Fisher and Bryant nailed 3-pointers that ballooned the lead to double digits… Andre Miller scored 26 points and Iguodala had 19 for the Sixers, who played the entire fourth quarter and the last 4:50 of the third without Elton Brand.
Dec 2: Pacers 118, Lakers 117
The AP reports: Troy Murphy and Danny Granger spent most of Tuesday night working to keep the Pacers close to the Lakers. They spent those final few seconds like everyone else in Conseco Fieldhouse — watching, waiting and wondering if Murphy’s tantalizing tip would actually drop through the net. It did—just as the buzzer sounded. Murphy’s game-winner completed an improbable comeback and gave the Pacers a desperately needed 118-117 victory after replay reviews confirmed the basket was good… Granger, who scored 32 points, and Murphy, who had 16 points and 17 rebounds, methodically led their teammates back by making big baskets and getting the ball to open teammates. The Pacers (7-10) also allowed just 16 points over the final 12 minutes… Kobe Bryant finished with 28 points, becoming the second-fastest player in league history to reach 22,000 career points. Wilt Chamberlain was one day younger than Bryant when he reached that milestone.
Nov 30: Lakers 112, Raptors 99
The AP reports: Pau Gasol had 24 points and nine rebounds, Kobe Bryant had 23 points and a season-high seven assists, and the Lakers beat the Toronto Raptors 112-99 on Sunday night for their seventh straight victory… Bynum scored seven of his 18 points during the pivotal rally, including an alley-oop dunk off a pass from Sasha Vujacic, and another alley-oop play in which he guided in Jordan Farmar’s lob above the rim. Bynum shot 8-for-13 and grabbed 10 rebounds despite a bone spur in his right foot, which he’s had since landing on Vince Carter’s foot during last Tuesday’s game against New Jersey… Anthony Parker led Toronto with 19 points and five teammates also scored in double figures. Jermaine O’Neal missed his third straight because of a sprained left ankle. The Lakers held leading scorer Chris Bosh to 12 points on 4-for-13 shooting.
Nov 28: Lakers 114, Mavs 107
The AP reports: Kobe Bryant scored a season-high 35 points, and the Lakers used a 17-0 run in the second half Friday night to beat the Dallas Mavericks 114-107 and improve the NBA’s best record to 13-1… Andrew Bynum, playing on a sore right foot, had 18 points and 10 rebounds in the Lakers’ sixth straight victory. Bryant was 14-for-26 from the field after going 5-for-17 with 12 points in Wednesday’s 120-93 win over New Jersey… Dirk Nowitzki had 19 points and 12 rebounds in a matchup of the leagues’ last two MVPs, but Dallas’ five-game winning streak was snapped… Jason Kidd, who had a triple-double in the Mavericks’ 106-99 loss to the Lakers on Nov. 11 in Dallas, had 12 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds… Josh Howard missed his fourth straight game because of an injured left ankle.
Nov 25: Lakers 120, Nets 93
The AP reports: When Pau Gasol made his Lakers debut back in February following his trade from the Memphis Grizzlies, he led Los Angeles to a 15-point victory at New Jersey on a night when Kobe Bryant had the lowest-scoring game of his MVP campaign. Things looked eerily similar against the Nets on Tuesday night in the rematch at Staples Center. Gasol had 26 points and eight rebounds before sitting out the fourth quarter, and the defending Western Conference champions overcame Bryant’s shooting woes in a 120-93 rout that improved the NBA’s best record to 12-1… Bryant had difficulty with Vince Carter’s defense, going 5-for-17 from the field in 28 minutes and finishing with 12 points in the Lakers’ fifth straight victory… Devin Harris had 21 points and six assists for the Nets, who again played without Stromile Swift (back), Josh Boone (bruised left ankle) and Chris Douglas-Roberts (right knee strain). Eduardo Najera, who has an injured back, did not make the trip. Yi Jianlian had 13 points and nine rebounds for the Nets, who shot only 34.5 percent and went 3-for-19 in the fourth quarter while getting outscored 30-17.
Nov 23: Lakers 118, Kings 108
The AP reports: The Lakers committed 18 turnovers Sunday night, which the Kings converted into 30 points. But Kobe Bryant was good when he had to be, scoring 24 points and dishing out six assists to help the defending Western Conference champs beat the Kings 118-108 and improve the NBA’s best record to 11-1… All five Lakers starters reached double figures in points by the third quarter, as they won for the fourth straight time since losing to Detroit at home. Andrew Bynum had 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Pau Gasol chipped in with 16 points… John Salmons led Sacramento with 24 points and reserve Bobby Brown added 21. Kevin Martin was sidelined for the eighth consecutive game with a sprained left ankle and Mikki Moore missed his fourth straight because of a sprained right ankle.
Nov 20: Lakers 105, Suns 92
The AP reports: Kobe Bryant scored 24 points and Vladimir Radmanovic made all five of his 3-pointers to lead the Los Angeles Lakers past the Phoenix Suns, 105-92 on Thursday night. Bryant shot only 8-of-23, but the Lakers overwhelmed Phoenix with their depth. Six players reached double figures as Los Angeles improved its record to a league-best 9-1. Radmanovic scored 15, Lamar Odom 13, Jordan Farmar 11, and Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza 10 apiece for Los Angeles. Amare Stoudemire scored 21 for Phoenix on 9-for-21 shooting. Shaquille O’Neal added 15 points and nine rebounds against the Lakers, a team he helped win three NBA titles. The Suns’ Steve Nash was scoreless in the first half and finished with eight points and 10 assists, leaving the court with back spasms with 4:38 to play.
Nov 18: Lakers 116, Bulls 109
The AP reports: Pau Gasol scored 24 of his season-high 34 points in the first half, Andrew Bynum added 18 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots, and the Lakers rebounded from their first loss of the season with a 116-109 victory over the Bulls on Tuesday night… The Lakers scored 64 points in the paint, with Gasol shooting 14-of-21 and Bynum going 5-of-10… Kobe Bryant added 21 points, five rebounds and six assists for the Lakers (8-1), who had three full days to contemplate a 106-95 loss to the Detroit Pistons… Jordan Farmar added 12 points for the Lakers and Lamar Odom had 10 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three blocks before fouling out with 8:30 remaining… Rookie Derrick Rose led Chicago (5-6) with 25 points and nine assists while committing just two turnovers. Ben Gordon added 23 points and Aaron Gray had 11 for the Bulls, who are winless in four road games.