The AP reports: Several Denver Nuggets players were stranded on the highway for about a half hour Sunday when the team bus broke down on the way to Staples Center for a playoff opener against the Los Angeles Lakers. The bus left the team’s hotel about 2 1/2 hours before tipoff as scheduled, but experienced problems about 15 minutes into the trip, club spokesman Eric Sebastian said. Players and staff had to wait on the Santa Monica Freeway.
Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog
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Lakers win top spot in West
The Los Angeles Daily News (Elliot Teaford) reports: Purple-and-gold streamers and confetti fell on a roaring sellout crowd after the Lakers clinched the top spot in the Western Conference and secured home-court advantage for the first three rounds of the playoffs with a 124-101 victory over the Sacramento Kings. “Now we’re in the No. 1 spot, but it doesn’t mean anything unless we move forward and take care of business,” guard Derek Fisher said. Added forward Lamar Odom: “It feels great. We’ll get something to eat and talk about it a little bit and then we’ll move on. We really came together at the end of the season, and we found ourselves in first place.”
Chris Paul making big MVP noise
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Jan Hubbard) reports: Chris Paul has been a nightmare for the entire league, because if opponents try to double-team him to limit his scoring, he is such a great passer that he will find the open man. “He’s really a mature player for his age, and he can do it all, ” Mavericks coach Avery Johnson said. “He can shoot the 3, he can penetrate, he gets steals, he’s very, very confident. “He’s very heady, very knowledgeable of the game, can beat you in between, at the basket, he gets to the free-throw line, just causes havoc. And if you have to play against him in a seven-game series, I don’t think the opposing head coach is going to get much sleep.”
The Star-Telegram continues: Much was expected from Paul, who goes by the nickname “CP3,” which is the first letter of his first and last name and his uniform number and has nothing to do with Star Wars. Paul was the fourth player taken in the 2005 draft behind Andrew Bogut, Marvin Williams and Deron Williams. But he has exceeded even high expectations, which is why he is getting considerable support for the Most Valuable Player award this season. Kobe Bryant is the favorite, but Paul has gained momentum. If he doesn’t win it, he’s likely to finish second, ahead of Boston’s Kevin Garnett and Cleveland’s LeBron James.
Apr. 15: Lakers 124, Kings 101
The AP reports: Pau Gasol had 22 points, leading MVP candidate Kobe Bryant added 20, and the Lakers beat the short-handed Sacramento Kings 124-101 Tuesday night to clinch the No. 1 seed in the West and home-court advantage throughout the conference playoffs… Lamar Odom added 15 points and 12 rebounds, Vladimir Radmanovic scored 14, Jordan Farmar added 13 points, and Ronny Turiaf had 10 points and six assists for the Lakers, who went strictly with reserves in the fourth quarter. Quincy Douby led the Kings (38-44) with a career-high 32 points. Beno Udrih scored 22 points, Francisco Garcia added 15 and Sheldon Williams had 12 points and a season-high 11 rebounds… The Kings played their final game of the season without their top three scorers: Kevin Martin, Ron Artest and Brad Miller.
Apr. 13: Lakers 106, Spurs 85
The AP reports: MVP candidate Kobe Bryant had 20 points, five rebounds and five assists before sitting out the fourth quarter, and the Lakers routed the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs 106-85 for their seventh win in eight games… Lamar Odom, the only Los Angeles starter to play in the final period, added 17 points and 14 rebounds before coming out for good with 4:26 remaining. Pau Gasol had 14 points and 11 rebounds, Derek Fisher also scored 14, Jordan Farmar added 11 points and Ronny Turiaf scored 10 for the Lakers, who outscored the Spurs 53-32 in the second half… Tony Parker had 20 points, seven rebounds and five assists, but was held to two points after halftime. Tim Duncan added 16 points and 12 rebounds and Ime Udoka scored 14 for the Spurs (54-26), who lost for just the third time in 13 games.
Apr. 10: Lakers 106, Clippers 78
The AP reports: Luke Walton scored 13 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the short-handed Clippers 106-78 Thursday night for their fifth win in six games… Kobe Bryant scored 16 points, Lamar Odom had 14 points and 13 rebounds and Pau Gasol added 13 points for the Lakers, who blew the game open by outscoring the Clippers 32-11 to finish the third quarter and start the fourth for a 94-67 lead with 6 1/2 minutes left… Elton Brand, playing his fifth game after missing the season’s first 74 while recovering from surgery on his torn left Achilles’ tendon, led the Clippers (23-56) with 23 points and seven rebounds. Rookie Al Thornton added 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Andrew Bynum not returning yet
Lakers center Andrew Bynum was examined yesterday in New York by knee specialist Dr. David Altchek and has not been cleared to progress to full practices or contact drills, it was announced today.
“This should not be seen as a setback in any way,” said Altchek. “Andrew will continue with his therapy program and workouts with the Lakers’ training staff and will continue to be monitored until he can return to playing status.”
There is no target date for Bynum’s return.
Kobe likes idea of altering playoff format
The Los Angeles Daily News (Elliot Teaford) reports: Kobe Bryant then suggested it might be time to alter the playoff format in order to reward the Western Conference, which has proved again this season to be deeper and more competitive than the Eastern Conference. Bryant likes the idea of taking the top 16 teams regardless of their conference affiliation, although he admitted the travel might be difficult if the Lakers had to face the Atlanta Hawks or the New Jersey Nets in the first round. “It would make for a more exciting playoff matchup,” he said. “I just think there’s been such a power shift to the Western Conference, with these great teams. The Eastern Conference has a lot of catching up to do.”
Apr. 8: Blazers 112, Lakers 103
The AP reports: Brandon Roy scored 23 points and matched his career high with 12 assists for Portland, which snapped a five-game losing streak. LaMarcus Aldridge added 22 points and 11 rebounds. Channing Frye, starting in place of injured center Joel Przybilla, had a season-high 22 points and 11 rebounds… Kobe Bryant finished with 34 points, while Pau Gasol had 21 points and 13 rebounds. It was the Lakers’ sixth straight loss at the Rose Garden.
Boozer says Kobe is MVP favorite
The Deseret Morning News (Tim Buckley) reports: Carlos Boozer was asked Monday about the NBA MVP candidacy of New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul, whom the Jazz will see tonight. The Jazz’s All-Star power forward opted instead to endorse another Western Conference guard, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. “For what (Paul) does for that team, and the way he affects it, I think (he’s a deserving candidate),” Boozer said. “I think Kobe’s the favorite. If I had to give it to somebody I’d give it to Kobe, or Kevin Garnett because of what he did for Boston. “But I’m not taking anything away from Chris Paul,” he added. “Those are my two. Maybe even (Cleveland’s) LeBron (James) may be ahead of (Paul) a little bit, even though (James’) team has lost a little (too much) for me. Great player, though.”