Laker News

Andrew has been hurt and hasn't played so we don't know how big of a surprise he would have been. Smush has played well scoring 10 PPG on 50% shooting. Many of us were unsure if Kwame was going to show up, but so far so good. He's averaging 13 PPG on a whopping 58% shooting with 5.5 RPG in limited minutes. My vote was for Devean George. In limited minutes he has scored 11 PPG, 2.5 RPG, with an unconscious 61% shooting. Wow!

We have talked about how the Lakers need some players to step up in order for them to make the playoffs, and so far these 3 guys are getting the job done.

The next poll is on who is going to get the 5th starting spot. Kwame is already in. Walton would have been a candidate but his injury is going to take him out for quite some time. The likely candidate are someone who could play guard. You would think it would be a point guard, but not necessarily with this coach and his triangle offence. But if they don't go point guard, who is going to chase around the opponent's point guard on defense.

Our candidates are Devean George, Smush Parker, Aaron Mckie, Devin Green, Von Wafer, Sasha Vujacic, or Tony Bobbitt. Your turn to Vote! JamFan

"I think it's going to be a really exciting year," Buss said late Tuesday night in his first public comments since last season. "I can't imagine a time where you're looking to see what's going to happen and being this excited as I am this year.

"I believe we'll make the playoffs. I have a lot of confidence in that. How well we go beyond that, there's a couple of key factors. Kwame. Can Smush hold his own as a starting guard with a premier franchise? It's hard to say.

"Kobe [Bryant], I think, is going to be sensational. This is the year I think that we've always wished for, and I think we'll see it. Overall I'm excited and I think we're going to do very well."

The Lakers finished 34-48 and tied for 11th in the West last season, a performance Buss doesn't want to repeat.

"I don't think I could take that," he said. "God forbid, injuries and everything, you have to allow for that like we did last year. I personally think if Vlade Divac had played, Kobe had not missed 20 games, Lamar hadn't lost 20 games, we hadn't lost a coach in the middle of the season, Devean George missed 80 games, I think we would have made the playoffs. I was still very disappointed and, regardless of what happens, if we don't make it this year, I will be disappointed."

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The Lakers were down most of the game and down 8 points in the 4th quarter. They rallied back to tie and take the game into overtime. From there they outscored the Wizards 12-9 for a 111-108 victory.

All Kwame contributed was 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. It was almost a career game for him. It was definitely a statement game, a statement made to the Wizards. Is this a pretext of things to come? One can only hope.

On the day Vlade chose to officially announce his retirement form the game, Kwame wasn't the only Laker to make a statement. Kobe went for 28 in his spare time. But yeah, we all get use to that. What we didn't expect was Devean George busting a move for 22 points coming off the bench, on an amazing 10 for 12 shooting. They didn't even announce what Mama put in his breakfast cereal this morning. What ever it was. Do it again.

This is a team that needs a couple of players to step up. And step up consistantly. Tonight it was Kwame and Devean. They need to do it again...and again. We know what to expect from Kobe and Lamar. Chris and Smush need to follow. Aaron needs to fill up his tank. Rev up the engines, let's go! JamFan

But because Kwame Brown was also picked up over the summer, there's added intrigue, between a player and his former team.

Drafted No. 1 overall by the Wizards in 2001, Brown was unloaded in August, sent west for Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins, who will both get quality time this season for the Wizards.

Brown will be a starter, and a story line, Tuesday in Bakersfield.

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In a session where the team performed conditioning drills after missed free throws, Coach Phil Jackson told the team to leave and return tomorrow after many players failed to finish their runs under the required time.

Instead, Odom rallied the team to return and practice free throws, with the exception of Kobe Bryant, who walked off the court after kicking a water bottle.

"I've always been vocal with my teammates," Odom said. "We couldn't hit our free throws and then we had to run. We didn't do what was asked of us."

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Kupcake subtracted 4 players that averaged 40 points per game last year and added 2 players, Brown and McKie, that averaged 9 points per game. Neither can be relied upon to consistantly shoot from the outside. The only other players Kupcake added were college and high school kids and free agents that nobody else wanted. Fuzzy Math!

So scouting reports on the Lakers now say that all you have to do is stop Kobe and maybe Lamar and nobody else can beat you. After last nights game, Warrior coaches said that they stepped up defensive efforts on the dynamic duo, and their scoring dropped from a combined 44 points in the first game to 15 points last night. Since nobody else can beat you, the Lakers lost by 31. Every coach in the NBA will now use that strategy until somebody else on the Lakers steps up. But who?

Kupcake and the Lakers still have some money to spend and with the imbalanced lineup their still is a possibility of a trade. But how many of you believe that Kupcake can pull anything of substance off at this point? It is still early yet and anything can happen. I sure hope it is not going to be a long season. JamFan

First off, they scored over 100 points. This is important becaise they removed 4 players from last years roster who scored an average of 40 points a game and it was worrisome who was going to make up that loss in scoring. Additions McKee and Kwame Brown only scored a combined 9 PPG last year. Secondly, they came back from early deficits of 14-2 and 24-8 to take the lead and hold it. Lastly, Smush Parker started at point guard. I have been a critic of the addition of Aaron McKee to the Lakers because I basically felt that after his performance last season that he was done. He mostly sat on the bench last season averaging 1.8 PPG. So what did he get last night, 2 points on 1 for 3 shooting. Meanwhile, with fewer minutes, Smush went 4 for 6 with 9 points.

Kobe, Lamar and Brian Cook all had productive games with good shooting percentages. Walton hit on 2 shots without a miss, but left after 7 minutes with a pulled hamstring. George was 2 of 5. Most everyone else shot poorly. Andrew Bynum did not play due to injury. Kwame was not much of a factor. But hey, it's preseason. It definitely will take at least a few more games to see what we have as a team and what we can expect out of each individual player. JamFan

"It's all my about my health," said Divac, 37. "I can probably play a year or two like this, but I won't be me out there. I don't want to cheat basketball. They asked me about my back and I told them honestly that it's not where I want it to be. Any time I try to work hard, it bothers me a little bit. When you feel that way, it's probably time to stop."

One of the first European players to have an NBA impact, the Yugoslavian-born Divac averaged 11.8 points over 16 seasons with the Lakers, Charlotte and Sacramento. He was replaced on the Laker roster by Adam Parada, a 7-foot center from UC Irvine.

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