Lakers

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L.O. got the nomination for 6th man of the year because of all this: Kia Sixth Man Nominee: Lamar Odom | NBA.com

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Playoff schedule from Lakers.com

The second seeded Lakers take on the seventh seeded New Orleans Hornets in the first round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs. Here’s the entire schedule.

Game 1 – Sun April 17 New Orleans at L.A. Lakers 12:30PM ABC/R

Game 2 – Wed April 20 New Orleans at L.A. Lakers 7:30PM TNT

Game 3 – Fri April 22 L.A. Lakers at New Orleans 6:30PM ESPN

Game 4 – Sun April 24 L.A. Lakers at New Orleans 6:30PM TNT

Game 5 * Tue April 26 New Orleans at L.A. Lakers TBD TBD

Game 6 * Thu April 28 L.A. Lakers at New Orleans TBD TBD

Game 7 * Sat April 30 New Orleans at L.A. Lakers TBD TNT

(all times pacific, local broadcasts TBD)

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Los Angeles Lakers (57-25) vs. New Orleans Hornets (46-36)

I'll be watching to see if the Lakers are going to change back into the Lakers we saw right after the All-Star break now that the playoffs have begun. The team we saw in the final two weeks of the season was a discombobulated bunch that resembled the pre-All-Star break Lakers, the crew that looked exhausted by the chase for yet another title. If it's motivation they've been searching for, they'll have all they need with a loaded Western Conference field determined to keep them from making four straight trips to the conference finals and from completing their three-peat mission in Phil Jackson's farewell season.

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Most telling stat: The Hornets ranked seventh in the league defensively, allowing just 100.7 points per 100 possessions. But in four meetings with the Lakers, they allowed 116.2. No team was more efficient against the Hornets this season. Pau Gasol (31-for-44) and Andrew Bynum (25-for-39) combined to shoot 67 percent in four games against New Orleans.

How this (probably) should go: This won't end well for the Hornets, who are thin in all the wrong spots. Even with Chris Paul healthy and playing with a chip on his shoulder, the absence of David West makes it almost impossible for the Hornets to do anything but thumb wrestle with the Lakers before getting body slammed. "We know what we're capable of," Paul said after the Hornets finished the regular season on the wrong side in three straight brutal beatings. Lakers in four.

from NBA.com here: Western Conference preview: Door open for Thunder, Nuggets? | NBA.com

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More fines for Lakers, Phil Jackson

April 14, 2011

Phil Jackson's pocket is a bit lighter after getting fined by the league $75,000 for his comments regarding the collective bargaining agreement. (Getty Images)

The NBA fined the Lakers and Coach Phil Jackson $75,000 each for comments he made last week about the possibility of an NBA lockout next season, league spokesman Tim Frank said Thursday.

Team officials are forbidden from publicly discussing the collective bargaining agreement between the players and the league.

"Who knows what the NBA's going to look like after this year?" Jackson told a small group of reporters last Thursday. "I think there’s some people pretty convinced there's not going to be a year next year."

Jackson has been fined several times throughout his coaching career, often because he speaks his mind.

The collective-bargaining agreement expires June 30. Little, if any, progress has been made toward a resolution at this point.

- Mike Bresnahan

From LA Times

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Many still see Lakers/Heat favorites to win it all.

The Bulls and Spurs have wrapped up the East and West, but the two-time defending champion Lakers and superstar-laden Heat are the teams to beat in June, according to a host of NBA insiders.

NBA PLAYOFFS

• Playoff Central: Matchups, game times
• 10 burning questions for the playoffs
• Rosen: East first-round breakdown
• Rosen: West first-round breakdown
• Lawrence: NBA insiders' view
• Hill: These playoffs should be special
• Whitlock: Ranking the eight contenders
• Video: Analysis, interviews and more

For most of the coaches, general managers, TV analysts and players interviewed for this column, the Lakers showed what they’re all about when they went 17-1 after the All-Star Game. In their minds, Andrew Bynum’s latest knee injury isn’t serious enough to derail another run to the title.

"I look at the Lakers the same way I used to look at the Bulls when they were on their championship run in the '90s," Nets GM Billy King said. “I don’t know if anyone can beat them four times in a seven-game series. They know playoff basketball. All of their guys have been deep in the playoffs. They’ve been to the Finals. There’s nothing new to them.

"I think that goes a long way, plus I look at Kobe Bryant the same way I used to look at Michael Jordan," King added.

"Kobe doesn’t want to lose. A lot of guys say they don’t want to lose, but you see it in his competitiveness. Kobe has that one focus every year that Michael had: winning the championship."

But the Lakers aren’t unanimous picks to send Phil Jackson off with his fourth “three-peat.”

from here: Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers are still teams to beat in NBA playoffs - NBA News | FOX Sports on MSN

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Lakers-Hornets Preview found here: Western Conf. Preview: Lakers vs. Hornets | NBA.com

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The Lakers road to a 17th NBA Championship begins with the New Orleans Hornets. On paper, the Lakers enjoy several advantages against the Hornets, having completed a 4-0 season sweep, won 9-of-11 in the past three campaigns and 4-of-5 contests in the Crescent City.

From Lakers.com

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ANDREW BYNUM:

- The 7-foot center, who hyperextended his right knee, resulting in a bone bruise in the Lakers’ Tuesday win over San Antonio, missed the team’s final game at Sacramento but practiced fully on Friday. Assistant coach Brian Shaw and Kobe Bryant alternatively said that Bynum looked “normal” and “good,” while Phil Jackson said ‘Drew looked a bit loose at the start, but fine as practice continued.

Bynum weighed in himself, saying that he was “fine” and had “no limitations” but was merely excited to get the first game started. Good news for the Lakers, certainly, after what initially looked like a potentially serious injury.

IN SHORT: Bynum will start Game 1.

MATT BARNES:

- Barnes did not practice on Friday after sitting out the team’s final two regular season games. Barnes missed 26 games from Jan. 7 (incidentally against the Hornets) to March 4 while recovering from a surgical procedure to repair torn lateral meniscus in his right knee. Barnes has been experiencing soreness this week, but a Wednesday MRI revealed no structural damage.

IN SHORT: Barnes is listed as “probable” for Game 1 and is expected to play.

STEVE BLAKE:

- Blake came down with the chicken pox earlier in the week and continues to have the “indefinitely” tag upon him as far as when he might return. Jackson revealed that he drove over to Blake’s house to drop off some video shown to the rest of the team, and described his backup point guard as “speckled.”

IN SHORT: Blake is definitely out for Game 1.

Phil hinted that he might sit Bynum for the first game yesterday. We'll c tomorrow.

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We play our first postseason game vs. N.O. at 12:30! I hope we do not take them lightly. They have some great players. Paul obviously and I really like Ariza and was sad to get rid of him. Thankfully Ariza has not been playing as good as he's able. They have Landry, Okafor and good perimeter shoters too. Good thing (well not good) for us West is out. I hope he gets better soon. Go LAKERS!

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I just got back from church to find Lakes/Hornets 47-55 NO. I'm going to the pizza place to watch the second half and see what's going on!

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109-100. We dropped game one to the Hornets. I watched the second half and we trailed the whole time! Christ Paul is SO fast and good. I'll talk more about our loss later. I don't like to fall behind especially at home. Lakers in 5 I hope.

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In our 109-100 loss in game one Kobe scored 34 points at home Sunday, Ron Artest recorded 16 points and LO added 10 off the bench and Bynum started today and had 13 point and 9 boards. We will need to play better next game on Wednesday night. Lakers outscored the Hornets 25-18 in the 3rd to cut the lead to 73-72 heading into the 4th but we were still losing! We can snap out of this and move forward. Kobe was hurt today with a neck injury but came back to play.

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We compiled some of the more interesting numbers from L.A.’s Game 1 loss to the New Orleans Hornets, the Lakers trailing throughout most of the contest before ultimately falling 109-100.

Phil Jackson summed up the loss by saying that L.A. was simply “slow” all day, failing to match the intensity of the Hornets, who both came out and finished as the aggressor, as the numbers suggested:

3 Turnovers in the entire game from the Hornets, who maximized their possessions. L.A. committed 13 turnovers, five alone from Kobe Bryant.

8 Points for Pau Gasol, who killed the Hornets in the regular season, including a season-high 34 points on Feb. 5th. Gasol simply struggled throughout, hitting only 2-for-9 shots, along with six boards and six assists.

10 First half assists for Chris Paul, one more than L.A.’s entire team as the Lakers struggled with N.O.’s pick and roll. Paul finished with 14 assists to just two turnovers.

11 Season-high rebounds for Ron Artest, who added 16 points, second to Bryant. With all his boards, Gasol managed only six and Lamar Odom just one off the bench.

15 Personal fouls committed by the Lakers in the second half, allowing a Hornets parade to the foul line. N.O. made 19-of-23 foul shots, many of the fouls drawn by Paul.

22 Second half points for Paul, who finished with 33. He took 10 free throws in the fourth quarter alone after the Lakers got in early foul trouble.

34 Points for Bryant on 13-of-26 shooting to lead the Lakers. He added five assists and four boards.

42 Minutes played by Bryant, who averaged just 34 in the regular season. That, of course, was all so that he could play big minutes in the postseason, as he stated after Saturday’s practice.

51.9 Hornets shooting percentage in the game.

52 Points in the paint for the Hornets, to just 34 for the Lakers.

From Lakers.com

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Blake came back from chickenpox today. Practice focused on watching film and how many free throws we gave up. Go Lakers!

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In his best season as a pro, Lamar Odom played all 82 games while averaging 14.4 points on 53 percent shooting with 8.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 0.74 blocks per game and has been named the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year for the 2010-11 season.

From Lakers.com

WTG L.O.! This award is much deserved. L.O. is great and did not complain that he now comes off the bench. I know he always saw himself as a starter but his efforts really help us out!

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Kia Sixth Man Nominee: Lamar Odom | NBA.com

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Arena Link: Lamar Odom | NBA.com L.O. arena link

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We are down 0-1 in the first round playoff series against the New Orleans Hornets after dropping Game 1 Sunday afternoon. Tonight we have a chance to even up the series as we return to Staples center. I hope we show them we're ready to play ball!

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Bynum played great tonight in our 2nd game of the opening series. He had 17 points and 11 boards, while LO played tough scoring 16 points 7 rebounds with 2 assists and Artest was able to pick up his game to play like he did the first game of this series and had 15 points and 6 rebounds. Kobe was not playing too well today, got a flagrant foul by being trapped by Paul by diving in on him and did not score much. Pau had a poor overall game. He's not playing tough enough and he really needs to step that up! My Lakers evened their first-round playoff series with an 87-78 over the Hornets. We really picked up the D on N.O. and limited Chris Paul more than the first game. Thei pick and roll does damage. I had a good time watching but they were right there the whole game. I'm happy we took this one. I hope we can take the first one in New Oreans. Come on Lakers!

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We have game 3 in the first round tonight at 6:30 Pacific. We sit tied at 1-1 as we go to New Orleans. LA won both contests on the Hornets home court during the regular season but we know they are here to play. I hope we pull out at least one there. If it will be only one, I'd like it to be tonight. I'll be unable to watch so we can paint easter eggs. GO LAKERS!

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Friday night the Lakers took game 3 in New Orleans. Kobe had a game high 30 points as we took them down 100-86, taking a 2-1 series lead. Pau played better after having an upper respiratory infection to get 17 points and 10 boards. Bynum had 14 and 11 rebounds. L.O. had 10 and 9 rebounds. Fish added 10. We out played them 3 out of 4 quarters (all but 3rd). Bynum went down during the game and it looked like he hurt his knee again but he was ok. He didn't score again after he went down though. I hope he's ok. The Lakers and Hornets play Game 4 on Sunday in New Orleans. I'd like the Lakers to come out and play like we did tonight on Sunday. Good job Lakers!

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POSTGAME NUMBERS

1 Point scored by Andrew Bynum in the second half after he dominated New Orleans in the first half with 13 points and nine boards. In related news, Bynum tweaked his knee early in the third quarter, momentarily paralyzing Lakers fans, but he got up and played 15 more minutes, clogging the paint defensively despite losing the explosion he showed in the first half.

4 Consecutive wins for L.A. in the playoffs in Game 3′s they entered in a series tied at 1-1. First Houston in the Western Semi’s in 2009, then Denver in that year’s Western Finals, Boston in the 2010 NBA Finals and finally New Orleans on Friday.

7 Pau Gasol points in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter, including his first playoff three-pointer as a Lakers, to reach 17 in the game. He added ten boards, four assists and a block in a strong bounce-back game from two far below his standards in Games 1 and 2, much to L.A.’s delight.

13 Turnovers on the Lakers in the first three quarters, one of the factors allowing N.O. to stay in the game down seven points heading into the fourth.

48.6 L.A.’s shooting percentage in an efficient all-around effort on offense, led by Bryant’s 10-for-20, Gasol’s 7-for-13 and Derek Fisher’s 3-for-4.

80 Times in Kobe Bryant’s playoff career that he’s scored at least 30 points, a mark he reached on a baseline floater through traffic with 1:21 left in the game.

From Lakers.com

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In our loss last night, Kobe had 17 points and 8 assists but we fell 93-88 in N.O. Ron Artest had 16 and Pau had 16 points. We are locked at 2 each. We play again on Tuesday in L.A.

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Kobe sprained his ankle last game, didn't get an MRI and says he'll play tomorrow. Not sure if that's a good idea or a bad idea. Don't make it worse boy. Rest and heal but I want to win tomorrow so which is it?

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The Lakers first round playoff matchup against the Hornets has become a best of three series after the teams split the first four contests, each stealing a game on the other's home floor. Tonight they meet at STAPLES Center at 7:30pm PT

From Lakers.com