***LOS ANGELES LAKERS -vs- Dallas Mavericks 10/30/2012 Game Thread***

[mugwump]

It's time.

[Talby]

If Kobe doesnt play does Meeks or Ebanks get the start?

[SilverBullet]

[Cqc_NastyN8]

Kobes gonna play. Cmon..it's Kobe. Also I expect an easy double from D12 and Gasol. Hell I expect all starting 5 to get in double figures. Nash with 10 ast..easy!. I can't wait. 1st win of the season will really get this teams confidence up and get us going.
_________________

"If you're absent during my struggle, don't expect to be present during my success"

[Kb24goldenChild]

Mavericks-Lakers Preview

Disappointing playoff outcomes led the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks to retool their rosters in hopes of again rising to the top of the Western Conference.

Each team, though, surrounded its long-standing -- yet ailing -- superstar in different manners.

Kobe Bryant's status is up in the air and Dirk Nowitzki won't play as these new-look squads open their seasons Tuesday night in Los Angeles.

The Lakers were bounced in five games in the second round of last season's playoffs by Oklahoma City, the eventual West champion that swept Dallas out of the postseason the previous round.

Bryant averaged 27.9 points in the regular season for the Lakers (41-25) -- finishing one-tenth of a point behind scoring leader Kevin Durant -- but he was critical of teammate Pau Gasol in the postseason and seemed to have the desire for more help.

General manager Mitch Kupchak made a pair of big offseason acquisitions, getting two-time MVP Steve Nash in a sign-and-trade deal with Phoenix before parting with Andrew Bynum -- among others -- in a blockbuster four-team trade to land Dwight Howard.

With Bryant, Gasol, Nash, Howard and Metta World Peace, the Lakers seemingly have one of the most formidable starting lineups in the NBA supported by a bench that includes acquisitions Chris Duhon and Antawn Jamison.

"Everybody on the starting five has led their own team and been the go-to guy, the best player on a team," World Peace said. "We've all been the man somewhere else, and now we're together. It's unbelievable. They're all rock stars, but everybody has a great attitude. It's a great time, great time for us."

Howard is recovering from offseason back surgery but is expected to play Tuesday, while Bryant's status is unclear after missing the final preseason game with a bruised and strained right foot.

"I know he's hurt and I don't know what exactly that means," coach Mike Brown said. "He's a tough guy and one of the toughest guys I've ever been around."

Bryant also is aware Los Angeles must develop some chemistry before being labeled as a serious contender, evidenced by the club's 0-8 preseason record. No team has ever reached the NBA finals after a winless preseason.

"We're going to be a really good team, but we've got a lot of work in front of us right now," Bryant said. "We're not close to a finished product, and the teams that we want to compete with have all had their main groups together longer.

"We've got to keep improving every day, every week, and learning how to play together."

Dallas may have a more difficult time adjusting with its eight newcomers, especially with Nowitzki missing at least the first 10 games after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

The Mavericks (36-30) courted Dallas native Deron Williams in the offseason and may also have inquired about Howard, who reportedly listed the Mavericks as one of his preferred destinations during his saga with Orlando.

Dallas, though, struck out on each and opted to acquire a multitude of players, including Chris Kaman, Elton Brand, O.J. Mayo, Darren Collison, Dahntay Jones and Eddy Curry.

"We had some big fish available and we didn't get them. So you can do either of two things -- blow the whole thing up and start over, or keep signing guys to short contracts to stay a player in the free agent market the following year," Nowitzki said. "For basically saying we still want to be a player next summer, we still put a decent product out there. We're going to compete and see what happens."

The start of the new season likely won't be easy, though, as Dallas also will have to contend with injuries other than Nowitzki's. Kaman is nursing a strained right calf and probably won't play in at least the opener, likely forcing Curry -- who has played 24 games over the last four years -- into a starting role.

The Mavericks waived point guard Delonte West on Monday after he was suspended twice in less than two weeks for conduct detrimental to the team, and Jason Terry also bolted for Boston in free agency.

"This is what we got. That's the way it is," forward Shawn Marion said. "We can't harp on it all day. We'll do what we gotta do."

The Lakers won all four meetings with the Mavericks last season.

Kobe Bryant Facebook :

Getting stronger. Not sure what it means for tomorrow night just yet but it’s much better than it was a week ago when I could barely walk. I hate not practicing. It drives me crazy! The training staff has been great. Mr. Laker, Gary Vitti, and the great Judy Seto (the first female trainer in the NBA) have been working their magic.

I will know more after shoot around tomorrow am. It's still painful to raise up on my toes but, it’s strong. The decision to be made is whether the injury can heal while playing on it or if it will make it worse. Either way, I'm excited about the start of the season. Hopefully we can win a game or two finally
Till tomorrow..
Mamba out

[Talby]

If he cant put pressure down with his toes..he defenitly cant play..atleast not at an adequate level. Rest up Kobe..let Howard handle this one and come back 100%

[Kb24goldenChild]

Game Day Conversation :

( The replies are in Bold )

[GP1_KB24]

Let's get itttttt.

[12]

Kb24GoldenChild... You are an LG superstar! Thanks.

[Kb24goldenChild]

[Kb24goldenChild]

GUARDS

Steve Nash

Steve Nash: In his 16th season, Nash played the fewest minutes since his fourth year in the league at 31.4 per contest. Despite this, he finished second in assists at 10.7 per game (behind Rajon Rondo's 11.7) while adding 12.5 ppg. It was Nash's third straight year – and seventh overall in his career – of at least 10 assists. He shot 39 percent from the 3-point line and matched a career high at 53.2 percent from the field.

42 – Number of games it will take Nash to surpass Mark Jackson for third on the NBA’s all-time assists list, if he averages 10 apg.

4 - Number of years Nash has shot at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from the 3-point line and 90 percent from the free-throw line, which he narrowly missed doing last year in Phoenix (53.2, 39, 89.4). The only other player in NBA history to do it even two times? Larry Bird.

Phil Handy: Steve's very, very efficient, first and foremost. He can get more done in a shorter amount of time than most, and he takes a sophisticated attention to detail to everything, from footwork and balance to ball-handling, shooting and passing. The biggest thing he's been working on so far is his spot up shooting, which he's never really had to do before, but of course he already looks terrific.

Steve Blake

Steve Blake: In his second year in Los Angeles, Blake averaged 5.2 points per contest and chipped in 3.3 assists, while hitting only 33.5 percent from the 3-point line, the second lowest mark of his ≠11-year career. Among the league's tougher guards, Blake has earned the respect of his teammates like Bryant and Gasol, key especially late in games, which is not to be discounted.

43 – 3-pointers Blake needs to reach 800 for his career.

4.3 – Drop-off in shooting percentage for Blake from the 3-point line from 37.8 percent in 2009-10 to 33.5 percent, though he rebounded to hit 41.9 percent in the playoffs and 45.5 percent in the preseason.

Handy: We spent the whole summer working on Steve's ballhandling, trying to improve his handle. We used a medicine ball quite often because it helps improve the hand speed and velocity of the dribble. With Steve it's been about keeping the ball closer to his body, because he has long arms for his size. He's a real worker, and he made some excellent progress.

Phil Handy: Steve's very, very efficient, first and foremost. He can get more done in a shorter amount of time than most, and he takes a sophisticated attention to detail to everything, from footwork and balance to ball-handling, shooting and passing. The biggest thing he's been working on so far is his spot up shooting, which he's never really had to do before, but of course he already looks terrific.

Chris Duhon

Chris Duhon: As the backup point guard to Jameer Nelson in Orlando, Duhon logged 19.5 minutes per game, chipping in 3.8 points and 2.4 assists. He shot at a 42 percent clip from the 3-point line, which marked a career high for the eight-year veteran.

123 – Wins during his four-year college career at Duke, which ranks second all-time in program and ACC history. He had some notable battles against Blake's Maryland Terps.

22 – Assists Duhon dished out against Golden State on November 29, 2008, a Knicks franchise-high.

Handy: Like Steve, Chris has also wanted to improve his ballhandling from day one, with the hand speed and dribble going with it. He also did a lot with the med ball. The other thing we've been working on is his footwork into his shots, helping him increase his speed and timing.

Darius Morris

Darius Morris: Playing time was sparse for the 6-foot-4 rookie out of Michigan, who averaged nine mpg in 19 games. Just 21 years of age, Morris has shown impressive flashes in practice a year removed from nearly leading the NCAA in assists.

15.4 – Points Morris averaged during the NBA Summer League, which led the Lakers.

10 – Pounds of muscle Morris added in the offseason while working with strength and conditioning coach Tim DiFrancesco.

Handy: Darius spent a lot of time shooting this summer and throughout camp. A lot of people know that he's fast and explosive, but 90 percent of his time was spent on shooting. He got a ton of shots up, and he's made great improvements; you ask him about where he was when he first came here last year, and it's night and day.

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant: Despite being in his 16th season, Bryant finished fourth in the NBA in minutes played at 38.5 per game and nearly led the NBA in scoring with 27.9 ppg (Kevin Durant caught him on the final day of the season), while carrying L.A. through a difficult, lockout-shortened regular season as the team adjusted to a new offense. He added 5.4 assists, 4.6 boards and 1.2 steals, plus 3.5 turnovers on 43 percent from the field and 30.3 percent from three while again earning All-NBA First Team honors.

51,018 – Combined regular season and playoff (8,641) minutes for Kobe Bryant, his 42,377 regular-season minutes ranking 17th in league history and his playoff burn second only to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (8,851) by 210 minutes. If Bryant averages 35 mpg in the playoffs, it'd take him only six games to surpass Kareem.

78 – Number of games it will take Kobe (29,484 career points) to surpass Wilt Chamberlain (31,419) for fourth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, if he averages 25 ppg.

Handy: Kobe's a perfectionist. Whatever he does, he wants it perfect, no matter how long it takes. He will do it over and over and over again, which is a rare trait in today's players. This year, we've spent the most time on his ballhandling. That's the area he wanted to focus on, so we put together a semi-routine with the handle as well as his hand speed. He sees so many defensive coverages that I think he feels that if he can improve the ballhandling even a little, it's going to make his life easier. He's by far the best player I've ever had a chance to work with. Maybe I've had better shooters or ballhandlers in one specific skill, but his overall game and the transference from workout to game is 100 percent the best. He will take skills directly from practice to the game better than anybody.

Jodie Meeks

Jodie Meeks: Starting in 50 of the 66 games he played for Philadelphia in the lockout-shortened 2011-12 campaign, Meeks averaged 8.4 ppg, while shooting 36.5 percent from the 3-point line. He also shot a career-high 90.6 percent from the free-throw line, fifth in the NBA among players attempting at least 85 free throws.

54 – Points Meeks notched against Tennessee while a junior at Kentucky, breaking Dan Issel’s single-game scoring record, while averaging 23.7 ppg on the season (6th in the country).

1 – NBA rank for Meeks in spot up shooting, as he hit 53.3 percent of his field goals, enough for 1.46 points per possession, according to Sports Illustrated and Synergy Sports. That beat out fellow gunners Steve Novak, Kyle Korver, Mario Chalmers and J.J. Redick. That's a big reason the Lakers signed Meeks in the offseason, with players like Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol and Steve Nash to draw attention before a kick out.

Handy: Jodie handles the ball better than people think and he's more athletic than people understand. I didn't realize he was as quick as he is. I knew he was a good shooter coming in, but I've stressed for him the ability to knock down mid-range jump shots off one- and two-dribble pull ups, in addition to being able to hit floaters off the dribble. Opponents are always going to run out at him because they respect his J, so we want to help him add that counter move, like Ray Allen has in his game.

Darius Johnson-Odom

Darius Johnson-Odom: The 6-2 combo guard out of Marquette averaged 15.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 105 games. As a senior, the North Carolina native averaged 18.3 ppg and earned First Team All-Big East honors. DJO played sparingly in the preseason, but the organization likes his explosive athleticism and hard-nosed nature.

15 – DJO's place on the roster, which isn't necessarily one the Lakers will keep throughout the season. Yet he was talented enough to beat out the well-liked Andrew Goudelock and Chris Douglas-Roberts to stay with the team.

2 – Dunks DJO favors hammering home in practice, with a classic windmill complimenting a reverse hammer jam where he drops the ball to his knees. Unofficially, Johnson-Odom led the Lakers in practice slams from the guard position.

Handy: DJO has progressed very well since the summer league. We spend time on his jump shot every day out to the three-point line and work often on ballhandling. We have also spent a good amount of time working on his pick and roll game, learning to make reads and how to make plays. He's a tremendously talented athlete and very hard working young man.

[Kb24goldenChild]

CENTERS


Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard: Voted to the All-Star team for the sixth team in his career, Howard played in 54 games before his season was cut short because of a back injury. Despite this, he averaged a double-double for the eighth straight year with 20.6 points and 14.5 rebounds (career-high). Howard finished as the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award for the first time in four years, although he averaged 2.1 blocks and 1.5 steals while anchoring Orlando’s defense.

1,344 – Blocked shots Howard has accumulated through his eight years in the league, with just 10 active players ahead of the big man.

5 – Howard’s rank in WARP (Wins Above Replacement Player), a stat adapted to basketball by Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus.

Handy: Since he's been here, the biggest thing we've worked on as a staff are his base in the post, and his footwork down low. We work on some attacking and counter moves, his hooks, his free throws and form on his jump shots. We've touched a lot of stuff and I think he's made some improvements already. What stands out to me is he's a smart basketball player who has some guard skills. He's not stiff at all, he's a pretty fluid player who moves well, and his ability to handle the ball impressed me.

Robert Sacre

Robert Sacre: Selected as the 60th overall pick out of Gonzaga, Sacre averaged 9.3 points, 5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks on 50.2 percent shooting during his four years as a Bulldog. During his senior season, Sacre was selected to the All-WCC first team and named WCC Defensive Player of the Year, leading a Gonzaga unit that led the conference in scoring defense (61.9 points allowed).

186 – Career blocked shots for Sacre at Gonzaga, which ranks second in program history.

3 – Gonzaga players to be drafted in the second round by the Lakers, with Sacre being the third. The other two are Paul Rogers in 1997 and Ronny Turiaf in 2005.

Handy: He's made huge progress since the summer league. He surprised me in the preseason with his toughness. He's had to practice against Dwight Howard every day, and he hasn't backed down. He got a look at some premier bigs in the league like LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMarcus Cousins and held up well. The biggest thing we're trying to work on are his motor, going hard every play, in addition to his roll game off picks. Surprisingly, he shoots the ball pretty well out to about 15 feet and he continues to work hard every day.

[Kb24goldenChild]

FORWARDS

Metta World Peace

Metta World Peace: World Peace struggled to get in shape while recovering from an offseason injury at the beginning of the 2011-12 season, which attributed to his low averages across the board. After the All-Star break, an in-shape MWP shot 43 percent from the field and 33.1 percent from three-point range towards 10.7 ppg … and he assumed his perch as L.A.'s defensive stopper on the perimeter that will again be required in 2012-13.

1,543 – Steals for World Peace in his career, which ranks 32nd all-time in NBA history, behind just four active players.

17 – Pounds World Peace lost during the offseason, a byproduct of his strict diet and workout habits in the summer.

Earl Clark

Earl Clark: Averaging a career-high 12.2 minutes per game, Clark chipped in 2.7 points and 2.8 rebounds off the bench for the Magic, serving primarily as the third power forward behind starter Ryan Anderson and backup Glen Davis.

1,004 – Career number of points scored at Louisville in just three years (became 60th player in program history to reach at least 1,000).

3 – Teams Clark has played for in just five seasons in the NBA (Phoenix, Orlando, L.A.).

Handy: I spent a lot of time with him in the preseason working on form shooting and mechanics, as well as footwork and ball-handling. Earl made a point to me that he wanted to improve his low post game, playing with his back to the basket, so Darvin Ham and I spent some time with him on the block. A lot of people don't realize that Earl was a point guard coming out of high school who grew late, and he has a lot of wing skills that he needs to keep sharp while also improving his big man game. And he works hard, his motor has been really good.

Handy: In my workouts with Metta, we've stressed ball-handling, footwork and his midrange game, with some additional work on finishing at the rim. We work a lot on balance with the ball, because Metta tends to get off balance with his shots. When he has his balance, he's a really good shooter and effective offensive player. That's all about paying attention to detail, and avoiding getting into bad habits when working out. Sometimes Metta will shoot with his feet too close together, and if you don't have a good base going up into your shot, it's going to be off-balance.

Antawn Jamison


Antawn Jamison: In his 15th year in the league, Jamison led the Cavaliers in minutes played at 33.1 per game, while switching roles between starting and coming off the bench as the team’s sixth man. Jamison still averaged 17.2 points (second behind rookie guard Kyrie Irving), 6.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists, though his 40.3 percent from the field marked a career low.

8 – Jamison’s rank among active players on the NBA’s all-time scoring list (19,246 points).

3 – Number of players in NBA history to average at least 19 points, 7 rebounds and one 3-pointer during their career, with Jamison as one, and the other two being LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki.

Handy: Antawn and I have worked the most with balance on jump shots, just like with Metta. He has a tendency to lean to his left when shooting, and we're trying to get him to be like a pole, straight up and down. He's got a really nice stroke, which is at its best when he's on balance. And that extends to the work he does in the post as well.

Devin Ebanks

Devin Ebanks: Consistent playing time was few and far between for Ebanks during his second year in L.A. He started the first four games of the year, while World Peace came off the bench, but his minutes declined shortly after. The second-year player out of West Virginia averaged 4.0 points and 2.3 rebounds on 41.6 percent from the field.

12 – Starts made last season by Ebanks, whether it was filling in for World Peace at small forward, or Bryant at shooting guard.

6 – 3-pointers Ebanks made during the preseason, after he hit just two during his first two years with the team and zero last season.

Handy: He's improved with his ballhandling and his ability to shoot from the perimeter, as we saw in the preseason. Last year, he didn't pay as close attention to the details of his shot, but he's improved in that aspect, shooting the same shot every time. The biggest area our coaches wanted more impact on was his D and rebounding, since he's so long and athletic.

Pau Gasol

Pau Gasol: Despite primarily playing away from the basket in Mike Brown’s new offensive system and dealing with frequent trade rumors, Gasol averaged a double-double for the third straight year in L.A. with 17.4 points and 10.4 rebounds. Per Hoopdata.com, his two-point attempts went up from 2.8 to 4.1 per game, yet he managed to shoot 50.1 from the field, while also chipping in 3.7 assists and 1.4 blocks.

50.1 – Gasol’s field goal percentage a year ago, making it the ninth straight time and 11th in his 12 seasons that he’s shot at least 50 percent.

5 – Triple-doubles recorded by Gasol in his career, the most recent coming against Golden State on April 18, 2012 (22 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists).

Handy: He's just so skilled … a great team player. He's terrific inside and out, and is going to make life for Dwight Howard really easy. I'd say Pau is one of the best, if not the best, passing big men in this league. He has a great hoops IQ and is good at most things, but he always works on his game. One area of focus this season is his pick and pop shooting game, since he knows he's going to get a lot of looks playing with Nash, and he's always working on the low block. We preach to him: get low and be quick. He'll play vertical at times, and we want him to sit down on the post to play off guys and hold his position. But no doubt he's the most skilled big I've ever worked with.

Jordan Hill

Jordan Hill: Coming over at the trade deadline from the Houston Rockets, Hill emerged late after recovering from a minor knee injury, his best performance (14 points, 15 rebounds) coming in L.A.’s double-OT win over OKC in the penultimate game. He appeared in just seven contests after the trade during the regular season, averaging 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds on a 46.7 shooting clip.

57.8 – Career field-goal percentage for Hill during his three years at Arizona, which ranks fifth all-time in program history.

9 – Double-doubles Hill has recorded in his short NBA career, with seven of them coming last year.

Handy: We had a good summer with Jordan Hill; I spent about a week with him in South Carolina working on his conditioning, his shooting, his footwork. He's a very quick, athletic big, and he's another guy I've tag-teamed with Darvin Ham to work with down low. He can be vertical like Gasol is, and doesn't use a lot of balance and technique at times because he's always been quicker than other bigs. So we work on that.

[JUST-MING]

Thanks, GoldenChild. 22 assists set a Knicks franchise record? Chris Duhon? I thought, for sure, Walt Frazier owned that record.

[Kb24goldenChild]

[TooCool]

When the hell did Dallas get OJ Mayo and Elton Brand? I must be a terrible basketball fan since I don't keep up with other teams besides the Lakers anymore...
_________________

[Doc JC]

[Doc JC]

Loved those write ups with the Handy comments, very insightful.

[Manny450r]

OMG I can't believe the season starts today. Hopefully we can start the season off with a win.

[LakerFansUnited]

The season is here it's time to bring back the title it belongs to us starting with Dallas there title run was short lived and mark cuban is talking smack about us it's time to shut him up !

[iwearvans]

Final score won't be close lakers by a lot

[George the Greek]

Nash + Dwight + Gasol? And we're talking about a close game? Cmon guys.
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[lounger]

I want to see Pau turn it on!!!

Go Lakeshow!

[Lakers95]

Road to #17 begins!!!!!!

[8>24]

This game will be closer than you guys think. Lakers always play down to their competition. This is Dallas' game 7 and they want to beat the lakers.