Los Angeles Lakers Blog – Page 88 – NBA Blog

Mark Cuban wishes the Lakers well (not really)

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban heard plenty about how the Lakers’ made a splash this offseason. He tried to act unimpressed. “I don’t care,” Cuban said before the Lakers’ season opener Tuesday against Dallas at Staples Center. “I just hope they suck.”

Few pundits believe that will happen. The Lakers acquired an elite center (Dwight Howard), elite passer (Steve Nash) and an improved bench (Antawn Jamison, Jodie Meeks). By the way, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace stay on the team…

“They’re like any other team,” Cuban said. “Obviously Nash is great.

Kobe’s phenomenal. But it takes a team. They have to come together and play as a team. Hopefully they don’t figure it out.”

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News

Kobe Bryant still dealing with hurt foot

As the Lakers went through new elements of their revamped offense Saturday, Kobe Bryant stayed on the sidelines. He watched his teammates play and also received treatment on his strained and bruised right foot.

It’s all the Lakers’ star really could do.

The Lakers still listed him as indefinite and it’s uncertain whether Bryant will play in the Lakers’ season opener Tuesday against the Dallas Mavericks.

Thus far, Bryant has missed three practices and two preseason games since injuring his foot in the Lakers’ exhibition loss last week to the Sacramento Kings.

“It would surprise me if he didn’t play just because of how tough he is,” Lakers coach Mike Brown said. “But that’s not coming from (Lakers trainer Gary Vitti) because I have not asked Gary.

“He’s a stud, mentally and physically.”

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News

Lakers waive guard Andrew Goudelock

The Los Angeles Lakers have waived Andrew Goudelock, it was announced today.

Selected by the Lakers in the second round (46th overall) of the 2011 NBA Draft, Goudelock appeared in 40 games last season for the Lakers averaging 4.4 points and 0.5 assists in 10.5 minutes. Most recently, Goudelock played in six preseason games for Los Angeles where he averaged 3.8 points and 0.8 assists in 7.7 minutes.

The 6-2 guard out of the College of Charleston played all four seasons for the Cougars, averaging 18.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 32.8 minutes. As a senior, Goudelock averaged 23.7 points, ranking him fourth nationally among NCAA Division I scoring leaders.

The Lakers training camp roster now stands at 15 players.

Lakers target extraordinary season with Howard and Nash

With 16 NBA Championship banners hanging proudly from the rafters at their Staples Center home, Los Angeles Lakers players and their fans have become well accustomed to glittering success and lofty expectations.

Going into their 2012-13 campaign, however, there is a much greater sense of excitement and anticipation than usual given the offseason acquisitions of six-time All-Star Dwight Howard and twice former Most Valuable Player Steve Nash.

Howard and Nash will join Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace in a potent starting five bristling with experience, talent and virtually every award and accolade available in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Add to that intoxicating mix the Lakers’ new Princeton offense which emphasizes constant motion, passing and back-door cuts and you have the recipe for what could well be an extraordinary season for the Los Angeles franchise.

— Reported by Mark Lamport-Stokes of Reuters

Andrew Bynum ailing, unable to practice with 76ers

On Monday, Bynum received a previously scheduled injection of Synvisc-One in both knees. It is a natural substance that lubricates and cushions the joints and is believed to provide up to six months of protection. It is not related to the platelet therapy. Bynum also plans to get another injection at the all-star break.

Bynum agreed with the team that he shouldn’t return until the pain is gone.

“The doctors and team are all cautious,” Bynum said. “We want to avoid any type of setback. I will be evaluated and am being reevaluated, and I will be all right.”

Bynum said his right knee doesn’t hurt when he walks, but it does when he takes part in stressful activity. Still, he is confident his knee will eventually be pain-free.

— Reported by Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer

Andrew Bynum still out with right knee pain

Philadelphia 76ers center Andrew Bynum remains sidelined with right knee pain and is a long shot to play in the Oct. 31 opener.

Bynum will continue to be held out of all basketball activity as he recovers from a bone bruise suffered during an offseason workout. The Sixers had pegged Wednesday as his potential return date. Instead, Bynum was on the sidelines while the rest of the Sixers practiced.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Kobe Bryant misses second consecutive practice

Lakers guard Kobe Bryant missed his second consecutive practice because of a bruised and sore right foot.

The Lakers are listing Bryant as day-to-day, making it unclear whether he will play in the team’s preseason game Wednesday against the Clippers. Bryant originally injured his foot during a collision in the third quarter of the Lakers’ 99-92 preseason loss Sunday to the Sacramento Kings.

— Reported by Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News (Blog)

Dwight Howard thought he deserved Defensive Player of Year award last season

Dwight Howard had a big smile on his face a day after making his debut for the Los Angeles Lakers, but he still feels the sting of how things ended in Orlando when he thinks about his trophy shelf.

Howard was recognized as the best defender in the league as well as the best interior defender when NBA.com announced the results of its annual survey of the league’s 30 general managers Monday, but Howard still wants to know why he isn’t the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

“I thought I should have won it last year, to be honest with you,” Howard told reporters after practice Monday. “I was a little bit upset about that.”

Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks was named the league’s DPOY last season, ending Howard’s three-year run as the award winner. Chandler earned 45 first place votes and 311 total points to take home the trophy.

— Reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles

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Dwight Howard makes good first impression for Lakers

Deconstructing Dwight, Part 1 of dozens of chapters to come, undoubtedly.

The Lakers center took the court Sunday for the first time with his new team and showed exactly why he was different from Andrew Bynum. Markedly.

Dwight Howard has instincts that his predecessor has rarely shown, scoring five times off alley-oop passes and teammates’ missed shots in an exhibition game against Sacramento. Unlike Bynum, Howard’s not a guy who needs the ball in the post, though he showed a left-handed hook shot against the Kings.

Howard is ambidextrous, the result of a childhood accident in which he broke the wrist of his dominant (left) hand and learned to shoot with his right. He passes with his right hand, shoots free throws right-handed and shoots from the post slightly more with his left hand. But only slightly.

“Dwight’s body is far more genetically gifted than Andrew. Andrew has had some issues obviously in his lower extremities in both knees,” said Lakers assistant coach Chuck Person, who worked with Bynum last season and now Howard.

— Reported by Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times

Kobe skips Lakers practice to rest ailing foot

Kobe Bryant has skipped the Los Angeles Lakers’ practice to rest his aching right foot.

The Lakers announced Monday that Bryant’s foot is sore and bruised.

Bryant was injured during the third quarter of the Lakers’ 99-92 preseason loss to Sacramento on Sunday night. He stayed in the game and scored 21 points.

Bryant has fought a handful of nagging injuries in training camp this month.

— Reported by the Associated Press