Watching the Lakers over the last week or so has been somewhat anticlimactic. With the Houston Rockets winning 19 consecutive games to gain ground on the playoff hunt, the Lakers just seem to be dilly-dallying with the lesser teams as of late with a murderers row of away games coming up for the next week. After an inexcusable loss against the Sacramento Kings Sunday night where they gave up 71 first half points, the Lakers......

There was a strange look in Kobe Bryant’s face during Friday night’s game against the Phoenix Suns: It was a look of defeat. Kobe seemed tired and listless, playing only 17 points in their 93-85 loss. We shouldn’t waste too much sympathy on a multi-millionaire, but it’s been hard not to feel for Kobe, who has been playing some of the best basketball of his career without getting any consistent help from the rest......

This isn’t normally how the script goes. For the first 30 minutes, all signs were pointing to the Lakers reasserting themselves as the team in LA, clinching their playoff spot, with the Clippers laying an egg in their most important game of the season. Kobe was scoring from all over the court, getting to the line, and creating easy shots for his teammates. When Kobe drained a three-pointer from the wing for his 38th point......

Dallas 108, Lakers 72 - The last time the Lakers lost at home this bad, "home" was Minneapolis. Things got so ugly that LAist writers were wondering if Smush Parker's ejection (after a second technical) might help the team. But with three players sidelined with injuries, the it turns out a streamlined roster wasn't much of a solution. Dallas rolled to its 17th win in a row and held Los Angeles to within two points......

The trading deadline came and went Thursday with the Lakers' brass deciding to play the hand dealt them. Which has the fan base frustrated. Loudly frustrated. Angrily frustrated. Not so much that youngster Andrew Bynum wasn’t traded for Jason Kidd -- people seemed split on that and you could make a good argument either way -- but rather that nothing happened to give a team that has lost six in a row a swift kick......

There have been plenty of excuses: Luke Walton and Kwame Brown are out with injuries; Kobe Bryant had to miss a game because he can’t control his arms; Lamar Odom is not 100% from his knee problems; it was a long eight-game road trip to cold places; Mercury was retrograde so the stars were lined up against the Lakers. Maybe it’s because all the Laker players can do is “play video games and watch porn,”......

The Lakers are halfway through the “Coldest places in North America during the dead of winter” road trip to the Midwest and East. So far: four games, two wins. Not a stellar outcome, but not bad considering they have two starters (Luke Walton and Kwame Brown) watching games in street clothes, plus had to play one without Kobe Bryant (for an infraction far less serious than what LeBron James got away with without a suspension,......

Lakers 124, Heat 118, OT - Unlike the Golden Globe acceptance speeches, nobody was upset when this went a little long. Boasting a budding rivalry that didn't even need Shaq or Pat Riley, the Lakers survived the Heat in a game featuring plenty of lead changes and ties. Dwayne Wade had a game high 35, but it wasn't enough against a Lakers squad that spread the ball around (seven players scored in double digits).......

Lakers 109, Magic 106 - Smush Parker broke out of his shell and dropped 26 on Orlando at Staples in a squeaker where the Lakers came out on top. But as we were at the game all we kept thinking about was there's no way the Dodgers will be able to keep the right field pavilion all-you-can-eat all season. An average man is able to eat three Dodger Dogs, an order of nachos, a large......

Lakers 123, Nuggets 104 - What could have been a match up of superstars became a showcase of supporting casts as Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson combined for only 24 points. While 11 players scored in double digits, Kobe was not one of them. He tallied a season low 8 and spent the 4th quarter icing his knees on the bench. We wanted to put up this photo of him holding hands with Iverson and......

Like blockbuster movies, the NBA is marketed around its superstars — it was Magic and Bird more than the Lakers and Celtics 20 years ago. Then it was Jordan vs. the world. Kobe and Shaq. The LeBrons. Tonight two of the games superstars collide at Staples Center — Kobe Bryant and Alan Iverson (Fox Sports at 7:30). Kobe comes in off an overtime win last night in Sacramento where he didn’t score in the first......

Lakers 132, Kings 128, OT - Even though Sacramento came into the game a .500 team, this Norcal/Socal rivalry produced another exciting game. The Lakers held a commanding 21 point lead, but fell apart and needed last second shot by Smush Parker to send it into overtime. Despite going scoreless for the first 16 minutes, Kobe had 42 points, 5 of which came on free throws towards the end of the extra period. Both teams......

Most of us are making New Year’s resolutions. And most of us are not keeping them. If you and I can make and then abandon them, no reason we can’t come up with a few for the Lakers — and if they would actually keep a few of these they may get to play a few more games this spring. Get healthy. It’s one of your resolutions — to eat better, to drop a few......

Seminoles 44, Bruins 27 - UCLA came into the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco riding a three game winning streak and a giant upset against cross-town rival USC. They looked solid for three more quarters but collapsed in the fourth, giving up 21 points in under five minutes to Florida State. UCLA ends the season with a record of 7-6. Florida State improved to 7-6, giving coach Bobby Bowden 30 consecutive winning seasons. The Pac-10......

We're now about one quarter of the way through the insanely-long NBA season, a time fans can usually get a pretty good a read on what kind of team they are rooting for and if they should really focus more on a team that can win a title next spring. While this blogger knows the biggest tests lie ahead, what we’ve learned so far about the Lakers should have us excited — not just for......

While most of the city’s sports fans were either celebrating or mourning, a few looked up from their beers last night to watch another cross-town rivalry played out at Staples Center, albeit one with a lot less on the line (at least this time around). And the game — a 97-88 Laker win over the Clippers — was pretty indicative of how the two teams have progressed this young season. The Lakers have evolved from......

Dodgers: Nomar signs for two more years with the Blue Crew Lakers: Andrew Bynum had a double-double against Big Ben, Lamar Odom also had a double squared and the team cruised to an 82-72 win over Da Bulls and improved to 7-3. Clippers Even after playing pretty crappy for most of the game, the Clipshow went into OT versus the Chris Webber-less 76ers and pulled it out 103-97, and are now 6-2. Angels: Justin......

Laker fans can seem impatient. Sure, fans of lesser franchises would probably go with the word "spoiled", but in the past Laker fans simply ignored those comments as they were driving to parades through downtown. They even thought Mark Madsen's dancing was cute; winning will cloud your judgment that way. But after two whole seasons without a Finals appearance some fans this summer called for a BIG move. Fortunately, the more rational fans among them......

Wow... thats all you can say. Ok, scratch that. YES!!! is another word that comes to mind. Assassin, Kobra, Heart-taker... whatever you want to say, it will fit. In a game that truly exemplified the new team spirit that has swept the Lakers while also highlighting the killer instinct of the best player in the league. Kobe Bryant hit the game winning shot, in overtime, to give the Lakers a 99-98, come-from-behind game 4......

81… That number is going to have new meaning anytime it is brought up. Are you kidding? 81 points… 81 POINTS!!! Its already making waves across the country. How did it happen? Well, first off, the Lakers were losing (again). This time it was to the Toronto Raptors. Down by 18 points in the third. When asked by ESPN what Bryant said at that stage, Odom replied: "Nothing. That's when it's bad." Yeah, REAL......

The Lakers wanderlust search for a point guard this offseason took an interesting turn today as the Los Angeles Times is reporting that the team has expressed interest in Aaron McKie. Mark Heisler of the Times writes that the team's change in focus from Derek Anderson to McKie was at the request of Phil Jackson. If true, that tells you who is really calling the shots for the Lakers for these days. Frankly, we're......

Is anyone else concerned about the Lakers point guard situation? Sure, we were glad to see Chucky Atkins pack his bags, but we assumed another point guard would be taking his place. So far all the Lakers have done is sign Smush Parker. Now Smush Parker may be a fun player, and LAist thinks the second-year man from Fordham has a decent game, but when he's your best point guard you've got a problem.......