LAst Night's Action: Lakers Scratch out a Win

LA Lakers defeat Milwaukee Bucks 104-98. The Lakers played another awful half of basketball but came back with effort in the second half to close out their seven game road trip with a win. They got stops on defense in the fourth quarter, but the Bucks made a late burst to come within three points with less than a minute remaining. Kobe Bryant scored 30 points while Pau Gasol had 15 points and Lamar Odom had a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Lakers have seven games remaining with road games at Sacramento and Portland - both teams they have troubles with on the road.

New Orleans Hornets defeat LA Clippers 104-98. The Clippers played a very close game throughout but just came up short. Hm. That's a familiar refrain. What more needs to be said?

Notable Notes

• Tim Floyd will be leaving the USC basketball team to be the head coach for the Arizona Wildcats. Floyd led the Trojans to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time in USC history including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2007 and a Pac-10 Conference Tournament Championship this year. He had a 85-50 record and will take over a floundering Arizona program that somehow made the Sweet Sixteen this year. Matt "Money" Smith during Lakers Line on AM 570 KLAC said Ben Howland protege and current Pittsburgh head coach Jamie Dixon is rumored to replace Floyd. More on this in the coming days.

• Cleveland Browns wide receive Donte' Stallworth was charged with DUI manslaughter for killing pedestrian Mario Reyes in Miami last month. Stallworth's blood-alcohol level was .126 and if found guilty could face 15 years in prison. He will turn himself in later today. St. Louis Rams defensive end Leonard Little crashed and killed a single mom in 1998 while having a blood-alcohol level of .19. He pleaded guilty and received 90 days in a city workhouse, four years probation and 1,000 hours of community service.
• This is why I absolutely love Dodger Stadium. The New York Times did a piece on how shitty new stadiums are with their obstructed seats. Apparently the new Yankee Stadium has about 1,000 bleacher seats that are obstructed by the bar in the batter's eye. Thanks for looking out for the little guy Steinbrenner! True it might not be as bad as having to straddle a foul pole at Shea (scroll down), but it's still pretty shitty. Give me Dodger Stadium anytime. I've sat nearly every place at the Stadium and have never had a bad view.
• Does anyone care about Jay Cutler and the Denver Broncos?

Tonight's Action

LA Angels of Anaheim at LA Dodgers. At Dodger Stadium. w00t! 7:10 pm KCAL9, AM 790 KABC (Dodgers Radio), AM 830 KLAA (Angels Radio tape delayed 10:30pm).

LA Kings at Phoenix Coyotes. 7:00 pm FSWest, AM 1150 KTLK.

Anaheim Ducks at Vancouver Canucks. 7:00 pm KDOC, AM 830 KLAA.

AP Photo/Darren Hauck