Category: Los Angeles Lakers Blog

An unsuccessful homestand for the Los Angeles Lakers, as they settle into Staples Center for the next six games, would put the job of Lakers coach Mike Brown in immediate jeopardy, according to sources close to the situation.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Lakers, while having publicly expressed support for Brown in the wake of a 1-4 start, have privately grown sufficiently concerned about the state of the team to the point that management is prepared to look seriously at a coaching change at this early juncture if L.A. can’t take advantage of what looks to be multiple winnable games in the upcoming stretch.

The homestand begins Friday night against the banged-up Golden State Warriors, who’ll be without injured center Andrew Bogut and key reserve Brandon Rush, and continues through Nov. 20 with games against Sacramento, San Antonio, Phoenix, Houston and Brooklyn.

The Lakers have had a healthy Steve Nash in the lineup for only 1½ of their five games so far thanks to a leg injury, while fellow newcomer Dwight Howard has acknowledged that he’s still recovering from the back surgery that brought a premature end to his 2011-12 campaign and knocked him out of the London Olympics. Kobe Bryant has also been playing through a foot ailment.

Yet sources maintain that patience in the organization is starting to erode as the wait continues for signs of improvement in the Lakers’ play.

— Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com

Kobe Bryant didn’t waste any time leaving the court after the Los Angeles Lakers lost 95-86 to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Bryant made a beeline to the locker room with a scowl on his face as the Lakers fell to 1-4 to start a season for the first time in his 17-year career.

Dwight Howard, meanwhile, was the last Lakers player to make his way through the tunnel, lingering on the court to hug a fan and toss each of his arm sleeves, as well as his uniform, into the crowd.

Bryant’s frustration was apparent long before his final exit: He got into it with referee Ed Malloy after being called for a charge in the second quarter; he punched the ball inbounds rather than passed it when there was less than a second left in the third quarter; and he was caught on camera staring down coach Mike Brown when he was sitting on the bench during a timeout in the waning moments of the fourth.

Howard said after the game the Lakers would be better off bottling up those negative emotions.

“I think sometimes as a team we got to be able to not really show our frustrations that much,” Howard said after L.A. fell to 1-12 with their preseason record included.

— Reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles

Out of interest that he heals his strained right foot, Kobe Bryant sat out of practice Tuesday for the second consecutive time this week.

Out of interest to stop the Lakers’ sluggish start, Coach Mike Brown has kept Bryant on the floor longer than planned.

Bryant expressed optimism the past two days of treatment and rest will make his foot feel “90 percent” when the Lakers (1-3) play tonight at Utah (1-2). Brown expressed optimism he’ll reduce Bryant’s current playing time, which has hovered at an average of 37 minutes through four games.

“I want to try to really be conscious of Kobe’s minutes, Brown said. “What I can do is as we go on, is continue to be more conscious of not throwing him out there.”

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Daily Breeze

Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Blake has been fined $25,000 for directing inappropriate language toward a fan, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident occurred with 29.2 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ 105-95 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, November 2 at Staples Center.

According to the Los Angeles Times, ” Steve Blake has been punished by the league office for yelling at Lance Jackson, the adult son of Steve Jackson, a footwear mogul and longtime Lakers fan known for his block of eight courtside seats. Next thing you know, Laker Girls will be sprouting whiskers. Said Blake: “It’s one of those moments you’re not proud of.” Said Lance Jackson: “I’m just sorry it got to this point.” That’s not exactly what they were saying to each other during Friday night’s Lakers loss to the Clippers at Staples Center. While playing for the injured Steve Nash, Blake was struggling, hitting just two of his six shots while the Lakers were falling to 0-3.”

Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Nash was examined by team doctor Steve Lombardo and had an MRI exam. Results of the MRI showed a small non-displaced fracture in the head of his fibula (left leg).

The injury occurred in the second quarter of Wednesday night’s game in Portland against the Trail Blazers.  Nash is expected to be out a minimum of a week.  He will be re-examined and an update on his condition will be given at that time.

According to the Orange County Register, “Nash was hurt when he got tangled up with Portland point guard Damian Lillard on Wednesday night and got kneed in the side of the leg. He tried to return later in the game, but the leg gave out on him, and he sat out the loss to the Clippers on Friday night that dropped the Lakers to 0-3.”