Lakers coach Jackson fined for comments
Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson was fined $25,000 on Wednesday for his comments following the Lakers 114-108 loss at Utah on Nov. 24. Jackson is legendary for how he works the officials but his post-game comments were fairly mild. He was attempting to protect his 19-year old center, Andrew Bynum.
He probably earned the fine for saying, “The league throws out some referee corps that you’re dubious about to start with.”
Jackson was fined $50,000 in March of 2004 when he said that referee Bob Delaney was prejudiced against then-Laker center Shaquille O’Neal. The Lakers organization was also fined $50,000 for those comments.
Jackson’s fines for comments go back to his days as coach of the Chicago Bulls. During the 1998 Eastern Conference finals, Jackson was docked $10,000 for ripping the officials.
So what does the Lakers most famous blogger have to say about this? Oddly, Flea hasn’t updated his blog since last year’s playoffs.
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Lakers rebound from loss to beat Nets
The Los Angeles Lakers returned home on Sunday night and defeated the New Jersey Nets, 99-93. The win was a nice turnaround after the Lakers traveled to Utah and fell to the Jazz on Friday, 114-108. That loss broke a four-game winning streak for Los Angeles.
The win over New Jersey was a team effort. Lamar Odom scored 21 points and Kobe Bryant added 19 but the two stars combined to shoot just 35 percent of their shots (14 of 40). The rest of the Lakers made 23 of their 42 shots for a phenomenal 55 percent.
It was especially sweet for Los Angeles to win in spite of Bryant being smothered by the Nets’ Jason Kidd and Vince Carter. Bryant made just eight of his 24 shots from the field.
The Lakers have so far taken full advantage of a stretch of 12 out of 14 games at home. And one of the road games is “at” the Clippers - also in the Staples Center. The Lakers have won the first five of that stretch at the Staples Center with Milwaukee up next on Tuesday. Then, Los Angeles hosts Utah in a rematch of last week’s game.
Andrew Bynum continued his solid play. The second-year player had six rebounds, three blocks and two assists although he scored just three points in his 19 minutes. He’s averaging 8.9 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game - numbers the Lakers need with the loss of Chris Mihm to ankle surgery.
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Lakers win cross-town rivalry, build lead
The Los Angeles Lakers continued their hot start on Tuesday, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 105-101 to open up a game and a half lead on their cross-town rivals in the NBA’s Pacific Division.
It was a familiar figure who led the Lakers to the win - Kobe Bryant scored 40 points, including 10 in the final five minutes, 38 seconds. The 40 points were a season-high for Bryant, who is recovering from off-season knee surgery.
The Lakers needed everything Bryant gave them on Tuesday. They led by 13 points before going scoreless over the first 6:22 of the fourth quarter.
The Lakers are now 8-3 on the young season and look to be playing well. They’ve now won four games in a row entering Friday’s game at Utah.
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Tragedy Drives Odom to Succeed
For those of you that have purchased Los Angeles Lakers tickets this season, you’ve had the good pleasure of watching a man whose game and attitude has been transformed. This transformation is the byproduct of an unfortunate tragedy that took the life of Lamar Odom’s son, Jayden. Tragedy has a strange way of making us appreciate our gifts and gives us a sense of urgency, realizing how fragile life can be. That same sense of urgency is why Lamar Odom is off to a blistering start to the NBA season.
Lamar Odom, an enigmatic player throughout his career; with MVP-type skills and a silky smooth game worthy of Lakers fan’s adulation, has always left coaches, fans, and pundits wanting and expecting more. During his seven-year NBA career, Odom has demonstrated moments of brilliance; at 6’9”, he has the ability to play every position on the floor. He effortlessly floats around the court and dominates when he wants to. However, too often Odom has failed to sustain this brilliance; his passive demeanor has been interpreted to mean he doesn’t care and he’s carried the soft label wherever he goes.
Odom’s life was turned upside down during a harrowing summer; not only did he lose his beloved son, but Odom also experienced the passing of his aunt, with whom he had a close relationship. And if those two events weren’t enough to make a man break, Odom was robbed during a visit to his hometown of New York City.
These tragedies have given Odom a determination and resolve that have been missing throughout his career. This season Odom has played with a sense of purpose that he’s channeled into aggressiveness on both ends of the basketball court. It’s too much of a coincidence to argue this summer’s events did not have a profound impact on Odom’s game. While he continues to mourn the sudden deaths of his son and aunt, Odom is taking his life-altering experiences and converting them into a passion for basketball. The game is his therapy; and will ultimately help heal his wounds. While these wounds heal, Odom will continue to take his pain and frustration out on opposing teams and leverage his immense talent to take the Lakers to the next level.
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Fast Start for Lakers to Begin Season
There is a buzz in LA swirling around the Lakers terrific start to the NBA season. The Los Angeles Lakers have gone from hot to scalding as fans clamor for the right to watch one of the league’s most exciting teams in action.
The terrific start for the Lakers gives fans optimism that is the year the Lakers return to prominence. The Lakers are off to a 4-2 start, despite Kobe Bryant’s absence during the first two games of the year; both wins for the Lakers.
Promising big man, Andrew Bynum, has come out of the blocks firing on all cylinders. Filling in for the injured Chris Mihm, Bynum has shown signs of becoming a dominant big man.
Bynum has split floor time with second-year player, Ronny Turiaf. Collectively, the two Centers have averaged 20 ppg and 11 rpg through the first week of the season. This level of contribution on offense is a pleasant surprise for the Lakers, who were hoping they could count on the two-headed monster to rebound the basketball and protect the middle. They have done both in impressive fashions.
The terrific start for the Lakers gives fans optimism that is the year the Lakers return to prominence. The Lakers are off to a 4-2 start, despite Kobe Bryant’s absence during the first two games of the year; both wins for the Lakers.Promising big man, Andrew Bynum, has come out of the blocks firing on all cylinders. Filling in for the injured Chris Mihm, Bynum has shown signs of becoming a dominant big man. Bynum has split floor time with second-year player, . Collectively, the two Centers have averaged 20 ppg and 11 rpg through the first week of the season. This level of contribution on offense is a pleasant surprise for the Lakers, who were hoping they could count on the two-headed monster to rebound the basketball and protect the middle. They have done both in impressive fashions. There are sure to be growing pains throughout the season for the Lakers as Bynum and Turiaf play their way through injuries and the inevitable slumps. The Lakers need both players to take the next step in their evolution as every-day players and become consistent and reliable contributors. If Bynum and Turiaf take this leap before the all-start break the Lakers could be looking at home-court advantage come play-off time.
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