Los Angeles Lakers Blog – Page 183 – NBA Blog

Kobe interview about his injury

Friday afternoon Kobe Bryant talked about his injury. Here’s a bit of what he said:

Q: Kobe, can you tell us how your finger is and your injury?

Kobe Bryant: It’s sore. Just trying to rest it. Doing what we can to try to get it as healthy as we can for the second half of the season.

Q: So you were offered surgery as an option, and didn’t like it?

Bryant: Well, no, that’s bad timing. I’ve been playing with it, so it’s kind of routine to do that. But we have a great medical staff and we’ll stay on top of it.

Q: Can you protect it more than you did at Minnesota?

Bryant: You’ve just got to be careful. It’s tough though. Especially when you’re rebounding, offensive rebounds. It’s always tough. But what more can I do? It’s torn anyway.

Read the full interview here.

Kobe hounded by ‘reporter’ at All-Star about voicemail

At Friday’s media avilability at 2008 NBA All-Star Weekend, a stack of reporters were interviewing Kobe Bryant, but one in particular who I won’t identify kept interrupting valid questions to try to ask Kobe if he would record a voicemail message for him. It was ridiculous, listening to real reporters ask Bryant about his injured finger and about All-Star in general, only to have one fringe reporter keep busting in asking Kobe things like “Will you record a voicemail message for me on my phone?”

Now, sure, that stuff could be entertaining, and there’s a time and a place for that, but people wanted to know the latest on if Kobe was definitely playing, and if the NBA world will be without him in the event he does decide to have surgery.

Anyway, Kobe said that as of today he does still plan on trying to play through the injury and avoid having surgery during the season.

Dirk replaces Kobe in 3-Point Shootout

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki will replace Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (dislocated pinkie finger, right hand) in the 2008 NBA Three-Point Shootout, to be held on NBA All-Star Saturday Night, Feb. 16, at New Orleans Arena.

Nowitzki, who won the Three-Point Shootout in 2006 at All-Star in Houston, will compete in the event for the fifth time. He also competed in 2000, 2001, and 2007.

Although he is unable to participate in the Three-Point Shootout with the injury, Bryant will play in Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game.

The Three-Point Shootout will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night, which will also feature the Shooting Stars, Slam Dunk and Skills Challenge. TNT and ESPN Radio’s national coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET from New Orleans Arena. The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 17, will air live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

Kobe hopes to delay finger surgery

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has been diagnosed with a complete tear of the radial collateral ligament, an avulsion fracture, and a volar plate injury at the MCP joint of the small finger of this right hand, it was announced today. The damage occurred when Bryant dislocated the finger in the Lakers’ game at New Jersey on February 5, and was aggravated in last night’s game at Minnesota.

Bryant was examined today in Los Angeles by Dr. Steven Shin, a hand specialist with the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Group.

Dr. Shin has recommended surgery to repair the ligament, which would cause Bryant to miss approximately six weeks.

“My current thinking is to give my finger some treatment and rest for a few days, and hope I can still continue to compete at a high level after that rest,” said Bryant. “I would prefer to delay any surgical procedure until after our Lakers season, and this summer’s Olympic Games. But, this is an injury that myself and the Lakers’ medical staff will just have to continue to monitor on a day-to-day basis.”

Lakers assign Coby Karl to D-League

The Los Angeles Lakers have assigned guard Coby Karl to the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Karl, who became the 11th NBA player assigned to a D-League affiliate this season on November 28, played 10 games with the D-Fenders, averaging 18.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 38.4 minutes while shooting .435 from three-point range and .492 from the field.

Karl is expected to play tonight at Tulsa, Sunday at Rio Grande Valley and Tuesday at home against Tulsa.

Signed by the Lakers as a free agent on July 30, 2007, Karl has appeared in 11 games this season, averaging 1.3 points and 0.9 rebounds in 3.7 minutes.

The 6’5” guard from Boise State averaged 14.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists as a senior and was named First Team All-WAC. Karl’s 1,698 career points ranks third on Boise State’s all-time scoring list while leaving Boise State as the all-time leader in games played (127) and three-pointers made (266).

Chris Mihm out 6 weeks after foot surgery

Los Angeles Lakers center Chris Mihm underwent successful surgery today to remove a screw from his right heel, it was announced today.

The 30 minute procedure was performed by Dr. Bert Mandelbaum of the Santa Monica Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Group. Mihm’s recovery time is expected to be approximately six weeks.

In 19 games this season, including five starts, Mihm has averaged 4.1 points and 3.7 rebounds in 13.3 minutes. During the 2005-06 season, Mihm played in 59 games (56 starts), averaging a career-best 10.2 points on 50.1 percent shooting from the field, while averaging 6.3 rebounds and 1.24 blocks in a career-high 26.1 minutes.

Currently in his fourth season with the Lakers, Mihm has averaged 9.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.25 blocks in 153 games.

Lakers sign DJ Mbenga for rest of season

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent center Didier “DJ” Ilunga-Mbenga for the remainder of the season, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Mbenga, a 7-foot, 220 pound native of the Congo, signed a second 10-day contract with the Lakers on February 1st after signing his first 10-day contract with the Lakers on January 21st. In 8 games with the Lakers, Mbenga has averaged 2.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.75 blocks in 7.1 minutes. Earlier in the season, Mbenga signed with the Golden State Warriors November 17 after spending three seasons with the Dallas Mavericks prior to their request for waivers on him October 30. In 16 games with the Warriors prior to his release January 6, Mbenga averaged 1.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.63 blocked shots in 8.1 minutes.

After signing with Dallas as a rookie free agent in 2004, Mbenga, 27, played 79 games over three seasons with the Mavericks, totaling 106 points, 75 rebounds and 35 blocked shots in 374 minutes. In his rookie year of 2004-05, he averaged 4.10 blocks per 48 minutes played while improving to 5.00 blocks per 48 minutes in 2005-06. In 2006-07 he was limited to just 21 games after missing the first 16 games of the year with a left foot tendon strain and suffering a torn right ACL 2/7/07 vs. Memphis.

In 103 career games including two starts, Mbenga is averaging 1.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.50 blocked shots in 5.4 minutes.

Rumor: Heat, Suns talking Shaq trade

The Miami Herald (Barry Jackson) reports: The Heat has told center Shaquille O’Neal’s representation that it is talking about trading him and he should be prepared for the possibility of a deal, according to two officials close to the situation. Phoenix has discussed sending forward Shawn Marion and point guard Marcus Banks to the Heat in return for O’Neal. Asked for confirmation, one of O’Neal’s representatives said O’Neal has been made aware that discussions with Phoenix are serious and ongoing, but that a deal was not definite. Dallas also has been mentioned as a potential destination, though the Heat had not immediately informed O’Neal of that possibility. O’Neal, 35, was shocked by the turn of events, an associate said.

The East Valley Tribune (Scott Burdow) writes: The Miami Herald is reporting that the Suns are trying to acquire center Shaquille O’Neal from the Miami Heat for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. I know this is the time for rumors, what with the NBA trading deadline on Feb. 21, but I can’t believe this is true. O’Neal is old and broken down. He would fit into Mike D’Antoni’s system about as well as a tank on the Autobahn. Plus, he’s owed $40 million over the next two years, which would put owner Robert Sarver into luxury tax territory.

Wizards-Lakers team connections

Wizards forward Caron Butler was a Laker for one season in 2004-05…Butler averaged 15.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in 77 games for Los Angeles, but was dealt to Washington with Chucky Atkins for Kwame Brown and Laron Profit prior to the 2005-06 season…Butler and Lamar Odom were teammates in Miami and were dealt together from the Heat to the Lakers in the trade that brought Shaquille O’Neal to Miami…Wizards guard DeShawn Stevenson and Lakers guard Trevor Ariza were teammates in Orlando in 2005-06…Antonio Daniels and Lakers forward Vladimir Radmanovic were teammates in Seattle from 2003-05…Lakers forward Luke Walton and Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas were collegiate teammates at the University of Arizona.

Lakers sign DJ Mbenga to another 10-day contract

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent center Didier “DJ” Ilunga-Mbenga to a second 10-day contract, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

Mbenga, a 7-foot, 220 pound native of the Congo, signed his first 10-day contract with the Lakers on January 21st averaging 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 6.8 minutes in 4 games. Earlier in the season, Mbenga signed with the Golden State Warriors November 17 after spending three seasons with the Dallas Mavericks prior to their request for waivers on him October 30. In 16 games with the Warriors prior to his release January 6, Mbenga averaged 1.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.63 blocked shots in 8.1 minutes.

In 99 career games including two starts, Mbenga is averaging 1.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.48 blocked shots in 5.4 minutes.