April 10th: Bryant, Lakers surge in fourth to beat Clippers.

 
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Phil
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:30 am    Post subject: April 10th: Bryant, Lakers surge in fourth to beat Clippers.

Bryant, Lakers surge in fourth to beat Clippers

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- For the Los Angeles Lakers, it was a game of major importance.

To the Los Angeles Clippers, it was anything but crucial.

That's typical of late-season matchups between the crosstown rivals, but this was different than the norm since the Clippers are the ones with the playoff berth locked up and the Lakers are still battling to get there.

That's not how it usually goes.

Kobe Bryant scored 17 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter, Lamar Odom had 23 points and 15 rebounds, and the Lakers took a large step toward qualifying for the postseason by beating the Clippers 100-83 Sunday night.

"We are a physical team and we got after them a little bit," Bryant said. "We spaced the floor extremely well and executed our offense pretty well. Defensively we did a good job being active and getting our hands on loose balls."
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:33 am    Post subject:

Lakers Down Clippers In Battle For LA

POSTED: 11:32 pm CDT April 9, 2006

Los Angeles, CA -- (Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant poured in 38 points to lead the playoff-hopeful Lakers over the Clippers, 100-83, in the battle for Los Angeles at the Staples Center.

Lamar Odom had a huge game with 23 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers, who are tied with Sacramento for seventh in the Western Conference. However, with four games remaining for both teams it's likely the Kings and Lakers will be in the playoffs. They are each three games clear of the Jazz and Hornets, who both have six games left.

"We executed a lot better in the second quarter," Bryant said. "Defensively we did a great job. We played hard. Lamar had a great game."

Luke Walton tallied 13 points for the Lakers, who won for the seventh time in 10 games. Sunday marked the start of five consecutive home games to end the season for the Lakers, with upcoming contests against Golden State, Portland, Phoenix and New Orleans/Oklahoma City.

Sam Cassell and Elton Brand each posted 24 points for the Clippers, who have already secured a playoff berth and stand fifth in the conference, a half- game ahead of Memphis. Brand also had 10 rebounds and Chris Kaman tallied 11 boards for the Clippers, losers of two straight.

"The difference in the game was our careless turnovers that turned into easy points for them," Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy said. "Our turnovers and shot selection weren't very good. I credit their defense."

A dunk by Shaun Livingston had the Clippers within 72-71 early in the fourth, but Bryant converted a three-point play and Brian Cook added a jumper to give the Lakers some breathing room.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:44 am    Post subject:

Jackson takes blame for a 'few' defeats

Why haven't the Lakers clinched a playoff spot yet? Blame Coach Phil Jackson. He said so before sending his team out against the Clippers Sunday night at Staples Center.

Jackson was asked how he would rate his coaching performance this season, and after he said he wouldn't answer that question, he offered this:"I've cost my team a lot of games in this season," he said. "There have been a number of times that I've let things happen that drive home a point, than rather than just win a game. ... Well, not a number of times, a few times."

Jackson pointed to his famous habit of letting his team play through trouble rather than call a timeout, something he did with the Bulls in Chicago and while the Lakers were winning three straight titles.

"It's not about great teams, it's about the cohesiveness of a ballclub," Jackson said. "Some of the teams that you have that aren't even great, at least it makes them cohesive so they know how to work and organize themselves."
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:47 am    Post subject:

Clippers are humbled by the Lakers


Brand is not happy with his team's lack of grit in a loss to its intracity rivals, who are still fighting to make the playoffs.
By Phil Collin
DAILY BREEZE

It started before the game, when Lakers coach Phil Jackson threw out a couple of gentle tweaks at the Clippers.

It ended the same way, with Kobe Bryant sticking a 3-pointer in Sam Cassell's face, then giving him a slap on the rump before heading back down the court.


A day after the Clippers earned their first playoff appearance since 1995, they were humbled by a Lakers team that is still on shaky ground in the Western Conference playoff race.

Bryant scored 38 points and Lamar Odom had 23 points and 15 rebounds against his former team in the Lakers' 100-83 win before 18,997 at Staples Center Sunday night.

And the Clippers didn't like it one bit.

"We have to learn exactly what it takes to win ballgames,'' said Clippers forward Elton Brand, who had 24 points and 10 rebounds. "They are fighting for their playoff lives and they are playing like it.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:50 am    Post subject:

Lakers make case: They belong, too

Lakers 100, Clippers 83: They put it away in the fourth quarter to keep pace in the playoff race.

12:15 AM PDT on Monday, April 10, 2006

By BRODERICK TURNER
The Press-Enterprise

LOS ANGELES - For the Lakers and Clippers, Sunday night's game was more than just about an intercity rivalry or which team is LA's best. It was about two teams trying to improve as the playoffs approach.

For Lamar Odom, it was about playing a seamless game against the Clippers for a change and not letting outside forces affect his play against his former teammates.

Odom was a force against the Clippers, scoring 23 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and playing an inspired game to help the Lakers win, 100-83, before 18,997 at Staples Center.

After Odom made 9 of 17 shots from the field, after he did a good defensive job on former teammate Elton Brand, making the All-Star forward work for his 24 points and 10 rebounds, Odom claimed it was just another game.

"The Clippers weren't the focus tonight," Odom said. "It was the Lakers against the team we needed to beat."

The Lakers (41-37), who clinch a playoff berth by winning three of their final four games, kept pace with Sacramento in the Western Conference race. With identical records, the Lakers are in the eighth and final spot and the Kings the seventh because Sacramento owns the tiebreaker.

The Lakers tied the season series with the Clippers at 2 because Kobe Bryant was back in a better offensive groove, scoring 17 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter. Luke Walton was also solid as the starting small forward, scoring 13 points, grabbing seven rebounds and playing good defense on Vladimir Radmanovic, limiting him to five points on 2-for-9 shooting.

But this was mostly about Odom, who has come unglued at times when he faced the Clippers. As a Laker, this was the most points and rebounds Odom has produced in his eight games against the Clippers.

"It makes us very difficult to beat when he's aggressive, taking his shots," said Bryant, who played 47 minutes, 21 seconds with a sore left calf that was injured Friday night in Phoenix. "When guys are backing up off him, I tell him all the time to just shoot it."
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:52 am    Post subject:

Lakers make case: They belong, too

Lakers 100, Clippers 83: They put it away in the fourth quarter to keep pace in the playoff race.

12:15 AM PDT on Monday, April 10, 2006

By BRODERICK TURNER
The Press-Enterprise

LOS ANGELES - For the Lakers and Clippers, Sunday night's game was more than just about an intercity rivalry or which team is LA's best. It was about two teams trying to improve as the playoffs approach.

For Lamar Odom, it was about playing a seamless game against the Clippers for a change and not letting outside forces affect his play against his former teammates.

Odom was a force against the Clippers, scoring 23 points, grabbing 15 rebounds and playing an inspired game to help the Lakers win, 100-83, before 18,997 at Staples Center.

After Odom made 9 of 17 shots from the field, after he did a good defensive job on former teammate Elton Brand, making the All-Star forward work for his 24 points and 10 rebounds, Odom claimed it was just another game.

"The Clippers weren't the focus tonight," Odom said. "It was the Lakers against the team we needed to beat."

The Lakers (41-37), who clinch a playoff berth by winning three of their final four games, kept pace with Sacramento in the Western Conference race. With identical records, the Lakers are in the eighth and final spot and the Kings the seventh because Sacramento owns the tiebreaker.

The Lakers tied the season series with the Clippers at 2 because Kobe Bryant was back in a better offensive groove, scoring 17 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter. Luke Walton was also solid as the starting small forward, scoring 13 points, grabbing seven rebounds and playing good defense on Vladimir Radmanovic, limiting him to five points on 2-for-9 shooting.

But this was mostly about Odom, who has come unglued at times when he faced the Clippers. As a Laker, this was the most points and rebounds Odom has produced in his eight games against the Clippers.

"It makes us very difficult to beat when he's aggressive, taking his shots," said Bryant, who played 47 minutes, 21 seconds with a sore left calf that was injured Friday night in Phoenix. "When guys are backing up off him, I tell him all the time to just shoot it."
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:54 am    Post subject:

Jackson studies the late collapses
Ross Siler , Staff writer

The only time this season that Lakers coach Phil Jackson has second-guessed himself publicly came after a Feb. 7 loss to Dallas when he brought Luke Walton and Sasha Vujacic off the bench in the third quarter and watched his team give up a 12-2 run.

As quickly as the Lakers had taken their only lead of the game against the Mavericks, it vanished in a trail of turnovers, missed shots and fouls.

"Strategically, it was a bad move on my part," Jackson said after the game. "Guys who went in the ballgame didn't give us any help."

Fast forward to Sunday, and Jackson estimated that he had cost the Lakers possibly four games they could have won this season. The Lakers have lost 10 games this season in which they were winning or tied in the final minute of regulation.

"There's been a number of times that I've let things happen that drive home a point rather than just win a game," Jackson said.

But the first play Jackson cited in talking about his coaching was outside of his control. It came Thursday against Denver, when forward Lamar Odom dribbled out the shot clock before missing a 17-footer with 25.9 seconds left in regulation and the score tied.

"That's not right," Jackson said. "That's not going to happen in the playoffs. But he wanted to make a big shot. It might have cost us a game. But it's something I can go back to him on and say, `This is not what we're going to be doing when it comes playoff time."'
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 1:58 am    Post subject:

Jackson Sees Scoring as Bryant's Strength
By Mike Bresnahan and Jason Reid, Times Staff Writers
April 10, 2006

Kobe Bryant was hit hard by the postseason awards last season, finishing All-NBA third team after three seasons on the first team, and failing to make the all-defensive team.

A year later, Laker Coach Phil Jackson would restore Bryant to first-team All-NBA honors.

"He's reclaimed his position as the best guard in the NBA," Jackson said Sunday.

"He's always played with a fervor. I just think he's playing just a little bit elevated. Obviously, his season's gone better."

But Jackson was less committal on whether Bryant should return to the all-defensive team.

"I'm not going to comment on that," he said. "Kobe's had some issues — tendinitis in the knee — and that immediately says that you can't react sometimes defensively. But he still has a nose for the ball, he still has the ability to get to things, he can be an aggressive defender and do some things.

"This year's been more about scoring. There's been much more of an emphasis on scoring."
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:00 am    Post subject:

Wins Still Matter to Clippers, Lakers

10:00 PM PDT on Sunday, April 9, 2006

GREGG PATTON


Attention conspiracy theorists: The fix is not in.

For the record, Coach Mike Dunleavy insists, the Clippers won't be doing anything cutesy the last 10 days of the season to wiggle backward into a more favorable playoff spot in the NBA's Western Conference playoff picture.

"You're suggesting that we throw games," said Dunleavy, squaring up to the issue when his pregame chat with reporters Sunday night ventured to the uncomfortable but generally accepted notion that his team would be better off finishing in the No. 6 spot rather than its current No. 5 slot. "We're not in the business of throwing games."

Thank goodness.

That means the Clippers just got outhustled, outplayed and outsmarted down the stretch by the Lakers in their final meeting of the year at Staples Center.

The Lakers broke open a close game in the fourth quarter, won 100-83 and salvaged a 2-2 split in the season series against their cross-arena rivals.

Of course, there are other sinister conspiracies to consider, too. How about this one: The Lakers are trying really hard to win because of their own postseason possibilities.

It sure looked like it Sunday night. Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom took turns putting daggers in the Clippers, especially in the fourth quarter. It was one of those happy nights in Lakers Land when the two look like they play for the same team.

Bryant finished with 38 points, had five assists and three steals. Odom had 23 points and 15 rebounds.

"We just want to finish with the best record we can," Odom said afterward, dismissing the importance of city bragging rights, and looking down the road at the postseason. "We played good defense tonight. We played defense all the way through the game. That's what we'll need to do in the playoffs."
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:02 am    Post subject:

Tex Back, Talking Team Play

Broderick Turner

10:00 PM PDT on Sunday, April 9, 2006

LOS ANGELES - Tex Winter, a consultant to the Lakers, is back in town to see how he can help the team improve.

What Winter would like to see the most is the Lakers stop relying on Kobe Bryant so much.

"They are young and they are depending on one guy too much," Winter said. "It's a team game, and you can't win with one guy.

"Put it this way: Everybody has to touch the ball, no matter what they do with it. Kobe can do a lot with the ball and score a lot, but the other guys need to touch the ball also."

Phil: Kobe All-NBA Again

Bryant was voted on to the All-NBA third team last year after making the first team three straight seasons, and making the second team the previous two seasons.

Coach Phil Jackson doesn't think that'll be the case this season; Bryant should be a first-teamer.

"I think he's reclaimed his position as the best guard in the NBA," Jackson said.

Jackson, however, declined to comment about Bryant's defense.

Asked if he were disappointed in Bryant's defense, Jackson said, "Kobe's had some issues."

"He has tendinitis in the knee. That immediately says that he can't react sometimes defensively," Jackson said. "But he still has a nose for the ball. He still has the ability to get to things and be an aggressive defender. This year has been more about scoring."
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:04 am    Post subject:

Lakers Earn Their Share
They beat the Clippers, 100-83, for a split of the season series and bolster their playoff chances; Bryant scores 38, Odom 23. Dunleavy not happy.
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
April 10, 2006

The roles continue to change, the surprising present-day status on display Sunday with the Lakers scrapping for a playoff spot and the Clippers already there.

Indeed, the Clippers came in with the better record and the chance to take the season series for the first time in 13 years, but the Lakers wouldn't let them add more sweetener to their season, beating them, 100-83, at Staples Center.

Kobe Bryant had 38 points on 14-for-27 shooting and sat out all of 37 seconds despite a calf injury that had him hobbling at the morning shoot-around. Lamar Odom had one of his best games against his former team, scoring 23 points, taking 15 rebounds and skipping over a stumbling block of sorts.

Along the way, the Lakers remained tied with Sacramento for seventh in the Western Conference. The Clippers stayed a half-game ahead of Memphis for fifth.

Odom, set adrift by the Clippers three summers ago, cast away a string of off games against his former team, scoring on dunks (four), layups (two) and three-pointers (two) on the way to making nine of 17 shots.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:06 am    Post subject:

T.J. Simers:
Jackson Costs $10 Million and About Four Victories

April 10, 2006

Someone asked Laker Coach Phil Jackson before the game with the Clippers to evaluate the job he has done, and he tried to be humble, which shocked me too.

"I think I've cost our team a lot of games," and when he noticed me enthusiastically agreeing with him, he amended his remarks and said he cost the Lakers about four games.

He said there were times when he didn't call a timeout, "which would have meant standing up," I said, and he must have been in an unusually good mood, because he didn't walk away.

There were times, he repeated, when he allowed his players to "dangle a little bit" on their own to teach them a lesson rather than call a timeout, and maybe do some coaching. As a result, it cost the Lakers about four games.

For the record, I continue to have confidence in the guy, and still believe one day Jackson will be a really good coach, but I checked the standings to see where the Lakers would be had he been willing to stand up more often.

Four more wins and the Lakers would be 45-33, tied with the Clippers and separated by only percentage points, but putting them in position to possibly play Denver in the first round — and because of some crazy NBA rule, earning the home-court advantage.

That's certainly better than placing seventh, as it appears they will, beginning the playoffs in Phoenix and getting waxed, and so the next question was pretty obvious: "Do you think you earned the $10 million Jerry Buss gave you?"
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:08 am    Post subject:


NBA Game Summary - LA Clippers at LA Lakers




(Sunday, April 9th)

Final Score: LA Lakers 100, LA Clippers 83

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant poured in 38 points to lead the playoff-hopeful Lakers over the Clippers, 100-83, in the battle for Los Angeles at the Staples Center.

Lamar Odom had a huge game with 23 points and 15 rebounds for the Lakers, who are tied with Sacramento for seventh in the Western Conference. However, with four games remaining for both teams it's likely the Kings and Lakers will be in the playoffs. They are each three games clear of the Jazz and Hornets, who both have six games left.

"We executed a lot better in the second quarter," Bryant said. "Defensively we did a great job. We played hard. Lamar had a great game."

Luke Walton tallied 13 points for the Lakers, who won for the seventh time in 10 games. Sunday marked the start of five consecutive home games to end the season for the Lakers, with upcoming contests against Golden State, Portland, Phoenix and New Orleans/Oklahoma City.

Sam Cassell and Elton Brand each posted 24 points for the Clippers, who have already secured a playoff berth and stand fifth in the conference, a half- game ahead of Memphis. Brand also had 10 rebounds and Chris Kaman tallied 11 boards for the Clippers, losers of two straight.

"The difference in the game was our careless turnovers that turned into easy points for them," Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy said. "Our turnovers and shot selection weren't very good. I credit their defense."

A dunk by Shaun Livingston had the Clippers within 72-71 early in the fourth, but Bryant converted a three-point play and Brian Cook added a jumper to give the Lakers some breathing room.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 2:12 am    Post subject:

Lakers Blog

Ah, ah, ah, ah... Staying Alive!

We don't like to linger on the completely and totally obvious, so we'll instead just talk about the totally obvious. The Lakers really needed this win tonight. Not only did Sacto win theirs against Yao Ming (is their really a team playing with him?), but it would have been psychologically crappy to come up dry against their crosstown rivals who didn't even need the win. Woulda sucked big time. A 100-83 W just sits better.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:04 pm    Post subject:

Wow Phil. You put in a lot of work daily. That is an awesome amount of news reports you have collected.

Thank you for all the hard work.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:53 pm    Post subject:

psydesho wrote:
Wow Phil. You put in a lot of work daily. That is an awesome amount of news reports you have collected.

Thank you for all the hard work.


Thank you, and it is a labor of joy, most of the time anyway. It's nice to know it's appreciated and many have shared that with me.
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 4:54 pm    Post subject:

Kobe Makes The Lakers A Dangerous Squad
(Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Lakers are a very dangerous team to have to play in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. They are more than capable of sending one of the top seeds home early.

LA is tied with Sacramento for the seventh spot in the West. On Sunday, superstar Kobe Bryant poured in 38 points to lead the Lakers over the Clippers, 100-83, in the battle for Los Angeles at the Staples Center.

Lamar Odom finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds in the win over the Clippers for the Lakers, while Luke Walton ended with 13 points in the victory.

The Lakers play the second of a season-ending five-game homestand against the Kings, as they will also host Portland, Phoenix and New Orleans/Oklahoma City on the current stand. They are 23-14 as the host this season.

Bryant is not someone that a team is going to want to see in the opening round of a best-of-seven series. If the Lakers, who finished just 34-48 last season and did not qualify for the playoffs, can draw either the Denver Nuggets or Phoenix Suns in round one, they would have to like their chances of pulling off the upset.

The Lakers need to stay away from being No. 8 in the West, so they can avoid a first round matchup with the Dallas Mavericks or the defending world champion San Antonio Spurs.
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