Lakers VS Jazz

[Medvedenko]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=271104013

Feels pretty good beating a strong Jazz team. Kobe played awesome, but Bynum really set the tone while he was in the game.

[OldDirtMcGirt]

That Kobe block against AK was absolutely sick nasty.

[Medvedenko]

Yeah that block on Yao this season was just as sick....still he got up there and blocked that shit for sure. The lakers are playing good ball...can't wait until Odom comes back.

[ludda]

lakers 81-1?
The lakers are balling, hopefully they can sustain that.

[SpursIndonesia]

Nice win for your team, Medvedenko, congrats. If your team young guns can step up their game this season, Kobe might just have to shut up his mouth and play -and i'd say that would be great, no more unnecessary, agitating Kobe trade threads in this forum.

[Medvedenko]

Yeah, either trade Kobe now or wait until the offseason and play this year out.

[Sportcamper]

Nice link Med...Bynum is looking strong...

[LakeShow]

Lakers are stressed for success

Supposedly distracted by drama and strife, they take out another West contender, beating Utah, 119-109. Bryant gets 33. Maybe they're pretty good after all.

By Mike Bresnahan, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 5, 2007
It's almost becoming routine.

The Lakers are all stressed out, allegedly, and discombobulated beyond belief, reportedly, but they continue to take on probable playoff teams and win with ease.


Photo Gallery
Lakers 119, Jazz 109
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If Exhibit A was a scintillating 21-point stunner over Phoenix on Friday, Exhibit B was a caffeinated 119-109 victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday at Staples Center.

Kobe Bryant was efficient (33 points on 13-for-19 shooting), the young ones had fun (Andrew Bynum and Jordan Farmar combined for 18 fourth-quarter points), and the fans left early again, just as they did in the season opener, but this time it wasn't because of shoddy play. It was back to the usual beat-the-traffic excuse.

And to think the Lakers might be sitting at 3-0 right now if they had started their late rally against Houston a few minutes earlier.

Still, 2-1 is 2-1.

"It gives us some daylight that we're looking for, some good vibrations for the team," Coach Phil Jackson said.

Groovy.

Maybe the Lakers are lucky -- both Phoenix and Utah played the previous day before losing to the Lakers.

Or maybe they're actually pretty good.

If they wanted to make a stand with defense, they did, Bryant's highlight-reel rejection of Andrei Kirilenko's attempted dunk being the epitome of their bend-but-block defense.

If they wanted to show they could share the ball, they did. Luke Walton had six assists, Derek Fisher had five, Farmar had four and even Kwame Brown had three. Bryant had three as well.

Lamar Odom is still on the comeback trail (he might return to practice this week), Bynum and Farmar are still only 20 years old, and even the Staples Center crowd demonstrated a forgive-and-forget concept, letting up on Bryant after booing him during introductions before the opener.

The fans didn't boo Bryant during introductions Sunday and instead stuck it to the referees when Bryant was called for palming the ball midway through the first quarter.

They cheered appreciatively when Bryant blocked Kirilenko's shot as the 6-foot-9 forward moved in for a fastbreak dunk midway through the fourth quarter.

"I saw him coming down on the wing and I just tried to time it up, get up there and see if I can't catch him," Bryant said.

Kirilenko has three inches on Bryant. "But I've got a little hops," Bryant said, smiling.

Fisher had 19 points against his old team and set a career high by making 13 free throws, but the fourth quarter belonged to the kids.

Bynum had 11 points in the quarter, Farmar had seven, and the play-by-play chart looked as if they were playing two-on-none: Bynum fastbreak dunk, Farmar running layup, Farmar three-point play on a driving layup and free throw, Bynum layup, Farmar 11-foot fadeaway, Bynum two free throws, Bynum three-point play on an alley-oop layup and free throw, Bynum reverse layup.

Bynum finished with 15 points and nine rebounds before fouling out in the final minute. Farmar had 12 points and four assists.

It was enough to catch Bryant's attention.

"Jordan's always had kind of that chip on his shoulder. I've liked him from day one because of that," he said. "Andrew's always been a little bit more reserved, a little bit more shy when he plays. It looks like he's starting to kind of come out of his shell a little bit.

"I think having games like this, particularly against a team like Utah, which is very physical, I think it helps out his confidence a lot. He understands that he can do this against one of the elite teams."

It seems pretty simple: Bynum turned 20 last week and is now apparently a monster, averaging 14.5 points and 11 rebounds in two games against two of the Western Conference's better teams.

"I wouldn't consider myself a monster yet," he said. "I've still got a ways to go."

Just the same, he was given a standing ovation. Then he was asked afterward if he had ever received one.

"I think that was the first one," he said, "for fouling out of the game."

Farmar also earned applause when he left with 4:49 to play, part of a job well done for a second-year player, and a two-victory team.

[Medvedenko]

Good game....just need to build on it....Odom should be back next week, so we can finally plant B-cook to the bench.....Keep Walton on the starting line up until Odom is ready.

[LakeShow]

Good game....just need to build on it....Odom should be back next week, so we can finally plant B-cook to the bench.....Keep Walton on the starting line up until Odom is ready.

That's going to be interesting. Walton is playing so well with Turiaf that I kind of want to see them starting together. Maybe we should bring Odom off the bench?

It's great to have these kind of problems again. :toast

[JamStone]

That's going to be interesting. Walton is playing so well with Turiaf that I kind of want to see them starting together. Maybe we should bring Odom off the bench?

It's great to have these kind of problems again. :toast


Don't think you can bring Odom off the bench. Walton is the logical choice to bring off the bench because he's proven that he can be a pretty consistent scorer if given enough opportunities. Night in and night out, he'll have some problems with some of the more athletic small forwards in the league. And, that's why he will likely be more valuable off the bench if he's matched up more against bench players. Turiaf starting has been very good for the Lakers. He brings that energy on defense and doesn't demand the ball on offense but is effective when he gets chances. He's a good compliment for the playmakers/scorers Kobe and Lamar and Fisher as the spot-up jump shooter.

[TheNextGen]

i'd do

Starters:
Fisher
Bryant
Walton
Turiaf
Browm

Bench:
Farmar
Sasha
Radmonvich
Odom
Bynum

Thats a pretty deep team imo.

[1Parker1]

Yea, I would like to see Odom off the bench too...seems like he has some chemistry issues on court with Kobe, I don't think they really go together. Him off the bench with the 2nd unit, especially Bynum works a lot better I would think.

[The Franchise]

Yea, I would like to see Odom off the bench too...seems like he has some chemistry issues on court with Kobe, I don't think they really go together. Him off the bench with the 2nd unit, especially Bynum works a lot better I would think.
Agreed.

[NBA Junkie]

This should quell the Kobe trade rumors...for now!

[LakeShow]

It does seem like walton works best with Kobe and Turiaf. Of course there will be situations where walton would have problems with the best of the SF's but the lakers would have to bring Odom in early. I would hate to break up the chemistry that the starters seem to have going for themselves. A couple of the posters made a very good point about Odom not really playing to his potential with Kobe. Just maybe it would work?

[boutons_]

Bynum is beginning to actualize his potential. looking pretty good

[Purple & Gold]

Great game against Utah. Kobe playing team basketball, nice to see. And the defense was SOLID.

Bynum and Farmar looked real good out there. Very happy with their development.

[LakeShow]

Great game against Utah. Kobe playing team basketball, nice to see. And the defense was SOLID.

Bynum and Farmar looked real good out there. Very happy with their development.

Farmar winning the confidence game

Second-year point guard has always believed in himself, and now he's earning the trust of his coaches and teammates.
By Steve Springer, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 6, 2007
Jordan Farmar never lacked confidence.

Not when people questioned his decision to enter the NBA draft after his sophomore season at UCLA.


Not when people questioned whether he was tall enough or big enough or fast enough to play in the pros.

Not when the Lakers were criticized for making him a first-round draft pick last year.

Not when he hit the wall as a rookie and saw his playing time drastically reduced.

Not when he was put in the almost embarrassing situation of being told to play in several Development League games prior to Laker games at Staples Center.

"Jordan's always had kind of that chip on his shoulder," said teammate Kobe Bryant. "I've liked him from day one because of that."

Never was the rationale for Farmar's confidence more evident than Sunday night at Staples Center where he came off the bench and triggered a surge in the second half that helped the Lakers overcome a five-point halftime deficit and beat the Utah Jazz, 119-109. Farmar had 12 points and four assists in 17 1/2 minutes and was clearly and firmly at the controls as the point guard. At one stage, he had a hand in seven Laker baskets in a row.

"That's my job now," Farmar said, "come off the bench and lead the second squad, bring some different energy to the table, try to spice things up a little bit.

"I was never lacking confidence," he admitted, "but now I have a better understanding of the game, of what is expected of me. The coaching staff has more confidence in me and that helps a lot. My teammates trust me."

And they get rewarded. The most memorable play by Farmar on Sunday night was a no-look pass over his right shoulder to teammate Andrew Bynum as the two raced downcourt, giving Bynum an easy two points.

"I see him running hard in transition," Farmar said, "I drop it back for him and he's going to finish it."

It may be easy to forget that Farmar is still only 20, considering he's been in the area for a long time: as a star at Taft High School in Woodland Hills, with a UCLA team that reached the NCAA championship game, and now with the Lakers.

"It's getting easier and easier," he said of playing in the NBA. "That just comes with experience. I'm happy. I'm excited for future. If this is only my second year, how is it going to be in five?"

[LakeShow]

Lakers' Odom practices, might play Friday

Forward says his timing's a bit off but thinks he'll 'get it back' soon.
By Mike Bresnahan, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
November 6, 2007
In case the Lakers were feeling they hadn't experienced enough good fortune over the last few days, the health gods finally smiled upon them after creating all sorts of havoc last season.

Forward Lamar Odom practiced Monday and could play Friday against Minnesota. He took part in some contact drills at practice, but, as he said, won't "rip it up" until practices later this week. He will not play tonight against New Orleans.

Odom averaged 15.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists a game last season and had been out since undergoing surgery on his left shoulder in May.

"It felt pretty good to practice, get up and down with the guys, get blocked a couple of times, make some shots, miss some shots, grab rebounds," Odom said. "My basketball timing's off a little bit, but hopefully in practice I'll get it back."

Odom's return means Ronny Turiaf or, more likely, Luke Walton returns to the bench.

If the Lakers want to go big, they'll keep Turiaf at power forward and let Odom play small forward, a move that would keep Odom, who has undergone two shoulder surgeries, from banging against power forwards every game.

It would also allow Walton's playmaking ability to benefit an already active second unit.

Odom thinks his shoulder is strong enough, although he still needs a doctor's clearance to play Friday. Conditioning also will be a question. Odom has tried to stay in shape by undergoing personal workouts on the sideline during practice.

From the bench during games, he has seen one of the keys to the Lakers' early-season success -- a lot of sharing.

"The ball has been moving really well," he said. "I just want to come in and contribute any way possible."

Odom missed 26 games last season, part of the reason the Lakers' surprising 26-13 start went awry. Kwame Brown also missed 41 games last season, Walton missed 22 and Chris Mihm missed the entire season because of injuries.

Kobe Bryant isn't overly excited about the Lakers' unexpectedly smooth start, although it speaks more to being a 12-year veteran than his unhappiness with the franchise.

He acknowledges the victories over Phoenix and Utah were noteworthy, saying they showed "a lot of will," but, at the same time, he'll point out the Lakers are only three games into the season.

Bryant has taken on a serious demeanor, saying he and Derek Fisher will continually remind teammates that a long season is still ahead. In other words, he's not doing cartwheels over a 2-1 record.

"I've seen too many games, I've been in too many wars -- Fish and I both," he said. "We understand that we've got to keep this team going. We keep the ice cold, let the young guys get excited. They should be excited, they've played extremely well.

"Myself and Fish, we keep our composure. We know it's a long season and we have to continue to kind of crack the whip and push these guys. He can do it from his end and I can do it from my end."

After games tonight against vastly improved New Orleans and Friday against rebuilt Minnesota, the Lakers travel to San Antonio and Houston next week.

"It doesn't end," Bryant said. "You've just got to stay the course. We've just got to continue to get better, especially in the Western Conference -- the hits just keep coming."