ESPN’s Chris Broussard is reporting that Ron Artest and the Lakers have agreed on a three-year, $18 million deal. The first thing that comes to mind when I think of this signing, is that the Lakers now, at least on paper, have one of the most-imposing foursomes ever to step on NBA hardwood together. Think about it in these terms (as Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith often did last season)…
Kobe Bryant is the best No. 1 option in the NBA. Sorry, King, but where’s the bling?
Pau Gasol is arguably the best No. 2 option in the NBA, or at the [...]

Yesterday, Phil Jackson took the Lakers on one of his famous playoff “field trips.” When I heard about it, nobody had any clue what that field trip was going to be. Now, we all know. The Zen Master took the team to the movies. From the O.C. Register:
Sensing something even more oppressive than the humidity in the air, Phil Jackson told his players upon returning to the hotel after practice that everyone would reconvene downstairs to catch the team bus again at 7:30 p.m. Attendance was mandatory.
And come nightfall, Jackson lifted his team out of this foxhole, freed them from [...]

You know how sometimes kids inherit a new stepbrother who stays under the same roof? Well, now imagine if that stepbrother was a worthless bastard, the new laughingstock of the family. That, Lakers fans, is the situation when it comes to our NBA stepbrother — the Los Angeles Clippers. And now, our parent network, the FanSided.com Sports Network, has added a Clippers blog — Fully Clips.
With the Clippers winning the No. 1 pick in this month’s draft, they will be the most relevant L.A. sports franchise for about 30 days after our Lakers win the title. After that, it’ll probably [...]

10 Things That Need to Happen for the Lakers to Win Tonight:
10. No Sasha Vujacic.
9. Less Luke Walton.
8. More Shannon Brown.
7. Did I mention less Sasha Vujacic?
6. Derek Fisher must play less, shoot less.
5. Lamar Odom must play more, handle the ball more, be more aggressive.
4. L.O. and Trevor Ariza must continue to make the Nuggets pay for putting Carmelo Anthony on Kobe Bryant.
3. No more uncontested Kenyon Martin and Nene dunks. That’s mainly on Pau Gasol. On the other end, Pau must make them and the Birdman pay by hitting his free throws.
2. No Socialist Kobe. No spreading the [...]

I haven’t had this much fun watching dialogue about rings since Frodo was kicking it with Sam and that other Sam — Sam Cassell. Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, or at least the puppet versions, do it again…

(hat tip: NESW Sports, the spot for sports videos)

Haters beware: today is going to be Kobe Bryant day on LSL. Hell, it’s the last day of the season, and a perfect time to honor the game’s best player. He won’t win MVP. LeBron James can have that. Kobe has his eyes on Finals MVP. Anyway, check out these three clips for the Spike Lee documentary Kobe Doin’ Work, which will debut on ESPN on May 16.

(hat tip: True Hoop