NBA

The city of Los Angeles has made an official All-Star takeover. Today the starting five was announced for each conference. Let’s just say the Western Conference has a true West Coast flavor. Of the five starters for the West four play in the City of Angels. Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum are signifying the purple and gold while Chris Paul and Blake Griffin rep that other team in Los Angeles. For Kobe this will be his 14th trip to the All-Star game. For Bynum this marks his first and also sees one of his goals accomplished for the season. Drew [...]

Rumored for the last few days now, Mike Brown has confirmed that the Lakers have had contact with unemployed head-case Gilbert Arenas. Looking to land more scoring punch the Lakers seem highly desperate if Arenas is their best bet. The Van Nuys Grant alum was once an elite scorer in the NBA but has since fallen on hard times due to injury and off-court issues. Last season it was the Orlando Magic that took the Arenas challenge only to discover that all the rumors were true. Gil’s skill level has eroded while his ego only continues to grow. But that [...]

One man’s trash is another’s treasure. What’s true in life is equally truthful in the NBA. Currently the Cleveland Cavaliers see little value in having Ramon Sessions behind top pick Kyrie Irving. Just a few years ago Sessions, a former second round pick from Nevada, was good enough to earn a four-year deal valued at $16-million. Pretty good for a guy that entered the league with nothing more than the promise of getting an invite to camp. Two years into that deal and Sessions has played for two different teams. Originally he inked his contract with Minnesota but the Wolves [...]

When he’s not assaulting IHOP waitresses or riding the bench for the Los Angeles Lakers Derrick Caracter is rehabbing his surgically repaired knee. As part of that on-going process the Lakers shipped Caracter off to the L.A. D-Fenders so he can see some actual PT in the D-League. Having been out since the fourth day of training camp Caracter will see his first meaningful action of the season. Of course even if he were healthy chances are the second year pro would have seen little action behind the vets in front of him. Caracter’s rookie season provided few memorable moments [...]

It only took over a week but the league office is finally getting around to reviewing the non-call on Blake Griffin’s shove of Darius Morris. During the first installment of this season’s Battle of Los Angeles BG took offense to Morris continuing play after the whistle was blown. The All-Star forward gave Morris a very impolite shove to show his frustrations. When the refs failed to blow the whistle for Griffin’s strong reaction to the extended play of Morris, Mike Brown flipped his wig. Brown’s reaction, unlike Griffin’s, didn’t go unnoticed by the officials. Brown was hit with a T [...]

Apparently clutch moments on the big stage aren’t the only thing LeBron James shies away from. Having to take on a suddenly rejuvenated and dominant Kobe Bryant has a similar effect. At least that’s what this LeBron hater would like to believe. On the eve of the highly anticipated Lakers-Heat showdown in South Beach, the self-proclaimed King has been sent home sick with “flulike symptoms”. He’ll now be a game time decision. Maybe LeBron is just up to his usual unnecessary dramatics, trying to manufacture a larger than life moment for his incomplete legend. Even if he does shake off [...]

When David Stern denied the Lakers the services of Chris Paul most could read between the lines of Dan Gilbert’s e-mail as to why that moved didn’t go down. In the end the Hornets did deal Paul and it was to a big market. While Gilbert may have said he didn’t want to see another marquee name go off to the City to play hoops, the real reason (according to Stern) for denying the deal had to deal with “basketball related reasons”. After it was all said and done the Hornets got more youth in return for CP3. The thinking [...]

While we await Mitch Kupchak’s next blockbuster move (he’d better be working on one) the Lakers slowly are adding to their roster. Yesterday Troy Murphy became the newest Laker as the former Notre Dame big man inked a one-year contract with the Lake Show. Murphy is a vet known for his rebounding and nice mid range touch. Once upon a time Murphy averaged a double-double but has bounced around the league recently. With the recent signings of both Murphy and Josh McRoberts it is obvious that GM Mitch is trying to address depth on the low post in the wake [...]

Mitch Kupchak is making moves though they’re not of the blockbuster variety. Never mind blockbuster these hardly even qualify for the now defunct Hollywood Video. In keeping with our rental theme here it appears as if GM Mitch is just borrowing time until a good deal comes along. Today was the busiest day the Lakers have had in this young season. At least as far as actual roster moves go. Kupchak added three players to the Lake Show roster. The most notable of the new acquisitions is power forward Josh McRoberts who has apparently been inked to a two-year deal [...]

Just as quickly as the Lakers seemed to have landed Chris Paul they were denied his services and now seem unlikely to pursue any trade to acquire the point guard. After resubmitting a trade for league approval, the Lakers mysteriously backed out of the Paul sweepstakes. On the glass is half full front the hope is that the Lake Show will now set their sights on Dwight Howard. Andrew Bynum would likely be a part of any package to acquire Howard. From the glass is half empty perspective the Lakers were denied an opportunity improve and as a result have [...]