Lakers Beat Grizz, Kobe Extends Streak
The Los Angeles Lakers beat the Grizzlies last night 121-119 on the road in Memphis. The win ends the Lakers’ road losing streak, and extended Kobe Bryant’s scoring streak to 3 straight 50-plus games.
Of course, Kobe was happier that his points have been helping the Lakers get back on track before the playoffs begin. The Lakers now, officially, have a winning streak at 3 games.
Said Bryant, “It’s special because it’s coming off three straight wins. This is a stretch where we really need to make up some ground.”
Kobe scored 60 points in 45 minutes, going 20-37 from the field and sinking all but one of his 18 free throws. The streak puts Kobe in the same category as Michael Jordan, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain, all of whom have gone three consecutive games scoring over 50 points.
Lakers tickets to Sunday’s game versus the Warriors might get you another seat to watch history first hand. Check out StubHub.com to see if you can’t snag some tickets to see the Lakers in L.A. before the playoffs begin.
Lakers-Pippen Rumors Finally Dead
Scottie Pippen will not be coming to the Lakers after all. The former Chicago Bulls forward said that he no longer intends to play for the Lakers, who earlier had been reeling from several devastating injuries.
Now that Luke Walton and Lamar Odom have returned to the lineup, Phil Jackson no longer seems to require Pippen’s services. The 41-year old Pippen might play for another team in the NBA before the start of the playoffs, but he stated publicly that he has no intention of taking playing time from a Laker.
According to Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen said that he “didn’t want anybody to lose a job.”
That’s good news for Walton, but perhaps bad news for potential Lakers tickets buyers, who might have liked to see just what the old man could do out there. Still, StubHub.com will get you a seat at the next game featuring your standard, regular (not so) old Lakers roster.
Kobe-Durant Conversation “B.S.”
Kobe Bryant denied any contact with University of Texas Longhorns basketball star Kevin Durant. According to the Dallas Morning News, Bryant had called Durant to discuss a shoe deal with Nike. Any contact between a professional sports organization and an NCAA athlete, especially a high profile one like Durant, is strictly prohibited by NBA rules, and would have resulted in a large fine for the Lakers.
Danny Ainge and Don Nelson have already been punished for talking with Durant and his family. Amid much hubbub about fines that the Lakers incurred after disparaging remarks about the NBA league office, Bryant and the Lakers were eager to dismiss any allegations.
Said Kobe yesterday, “It’s complete B.S.”
Though Ainge’s Celtics and Nelson’s Warriors might have a shot at getting Durant in the next draft- assuming Durant is eligible- the Kobe conversation makes little sense. Is Nike now requiring that Kobe work from home and make cold calls? Seriously.
Though Durant will probably not be in yellow and purple next year, you can see the other Lakers by getting Lakers tickets at StubHub.com.
Cook Sits, Bynum Stews
The Lakers will go without Brian Cook for their mini road trip on Thursday and Friday. The Lakers forward will miss those next two games due to an ankle injury he has been trying to heal since last week.
Said Cook yesterday, “I’m going to try to get back as soon as possible but it’s not steady enough yet.”
There is no guarantee that fans getting Lakers tickets at StubHub.com will get to see Brian Cook in action on their Sunday game at the Staples Center.
In other news, Andrew Bynum, the Lakers’ rookie center, apologized to Phil Jackson yesterday for arguing with him in the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s game. After Bynum committed a turnover, Coach Phil Jackson and deputy Kobe Bryant chewed out Bynum during a timeout. According to Jackson, the issue is now closed.
Bryant Might Match Baylor’s Record
News reached Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant that if he is able to score at least 50 points in his next game, he would match a record setting performance by Lakers legend Elgin Baylor. Baylor was the last player in the franchise to score 50 points in three consecutive games, accomplishing the task in the 1962 season.
When Bryant was questioned about what he though of the potential to achieve this feat, he said, “I’m aware of that. Somebody brought that to my attention yesterday and to do something like that, like Elgin Baylor, is something special. He was a phenomenal basketball player; he was one of my heroes. So for me, it’s always been cool to be mentioned in the same breath as those guys.”
All eyes will be on Kobe tonight, who will try to lead his team against the West’s worst Memphis Grizzlies. Bryant has stated that he cares more about winning than the points, but as we have seen lately, those two are hardly mutually exclusive.
After the Lakers get back from a short, two game road trip Lakers tickets will be available at StubHub.com for their Sunday game at the Staples Center. Bryant might still be on a tear, and if so, the Lakers might be coming back with a little wining streak.
Lakers’ Kobe a Blue Devil?
What if Kobe had gone to college? Kevin Modesti of the Los Angeles Daily News wonders if it would have been better to see the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant go to college to play hoops after high school, instead of going straight into the NBA.
As we are find ourselves deep in March, a month synonymous with college hoops for most sports fans, one wonders if Kobe might have benefited from time spent in a college program. Of course, if Kobe had gone to Duke, as he was pondering in his senior year in high school, would he have matured more under Coach K? Would he not have had the same problems that have plagued him during his career (i.e.: selfishness, not getting along with teammates or coaches, irresponsible off-court relationships, etc.)
Even if Kobe had gone to college, it would be almost impossible for him to have stayed for more than a year. And do you really think that if Kobe couldn’t listen to the greatest professional coach in history, (Phil Jackson) and had the gall to butt heads with basketball’s most dominant player at the time (Shaq) that he would honestly give Coach K or some Duke senior nobody the time of day?
Hardly. A talent like Kobe and a head like Kobe’s are only big enough for the NBA.
For those who buy Lakers tickets, you can be thankful that Kobe didn’t waste his time maturing in college. If you like the way Kobe has matured or regressed, then check out StubHub.com for some great seats to the next Lakers game.
The State of the Lakers
Right now the Lakers stand at 35-32. They had been spiraling downward, and looked destined for a .500 crash, or worse, a drop to a No. 7 seed in the playoffs. Luckily Kobe pushed the rest of his crew aside and pulled up hard on the throttle. For now, the Lakers look like they might have the Lake-plane righted, that is, if Kobe can keep scoring around the mid century mark every game.
The Lakers play the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, at a time when they should really be focusing on their playoff positioning. The Grizz aren’t that great (12-22 at home this season), and it would be a great opportunity to make a winning streak of three games for the first time in well over a month.
Why not make it four? The Hornets are next after Memphis, on Thursday. These next two games could be a great test to see if the Lakers can win on the road with some players coming back from injury and, presumably, Kobe coming back down from orbit.
The Lakers return to Staples on Sunday to face Golden State. If you’d like to get some sweet Lakers tickets to that game, or any of the others remaining, then you should check out StubHub.com for some great deals.
Bryant on Streak, Lakers Win Another
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant scored 50 points in Sunday’s win over the Timberwolves. The Lakers have now won two straight games, and Bryant has scored 115 points in his last two games.
Before the game, Lakers coach Phil Jackson mentioned to his team that he wanted Kobe to get the ball earlier in the game. Said Jackson, “He had been playing the team role, feeling the game out and waiting ’til the second half to get going. But there’s just not enough time right now in the season to develop that.”
Kobe Bryant has once again put himself in elite company because of his performances over the weekend. Only Antawn Jamison and Allen Iverson have managed to put up two consecutive 50-point games in the past 10 years.
Lakers tickets buyers will probably be happier that Los Angeles is finally winning, albeit because of some incredible personal heroics by Kobe Bryant. If you’d like to see if Kobe and/or the Lakers can continue at this pace, then you might want to see if StubHub.com can get you a few good seats to see all the action.
Bryant Scores 65 as Lakers Losing Streak Ends
The Los Angeles Lakers broke out of their 7-game losing streak Friday night with a nail-biting 111-116 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Kobe Bryant scored 65 points in the game, including nine in overtime.
Said Bryant after the game, “We needed a breakout game. And it’s my job as a leader to kind of read what we need as a team. And sometimes, me taking over games like this instills confidence in us all.”
Lakers tickets buyers got quite a show out of Bryant, who not only scored more than half of the Lakers points, but also received a technical midway through the game. All eyes were on Bryant to start following through on some people in a rage, but instead, he took over for the Lakers and made pretty much every clutch shot he had to for the Lakers to win.
It’s hard to make any kind of argument against Kobe doing all of the work for the Lakers. The rest of the team has been completely awful the whole past month. Kobe must also be happy he’s making headlines for his selfishness/greatness and not for his elbowing/follow through.
If you would like a chance to see the Lakers after what might just be a turn-around game, you can check out StubHub.com for some great seats.
7th Straight Loss for Lakers
Last night’s loss to the Denver Nuggets puts the Los Angeles Lakers’ record at 33-32 at this point in the season. The Nuggets pulled away from the Lakers in the second half, handing them a 113-86 embarrassment.
This loss came after another 20-plus point flogging by the Dallas Mavericks on Monday at the Staples Center. The Lakers play tonight at home. They’ll be hoping that they can stop the hemorrhaging against the (26-38) Portland Trail Blazers.
If you thought the return of Luke Walton and Lamar Odom would help at all, think again. Neither provided anything worthwhile for the Lakers. A visibly winded Odom didn’t score at all in the second half. Walton managed 13 points and 7 rebounds in 26 minutes, but couldn’t stop the Nuggets from getting to the basket at will. Neither could anybody else.
Things look grim for the Lakers right now, but hopefully, if you get some sweet Lakers tickets at StubHub.com, you will get a chance to see the Lakers get back on track just before the playoffs.
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