April 14th: Lakers surpass expectations. Trail Blazers give Jackson uneasy feeling. Lakers vs Portland Preview. LA Lakers 110, Portland 99

 
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Phil
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:09 am    Post subject: April 14th: Lakers surpass expectations. Trail Blazers give Jackson uneasy feeling. Lakers vs Portland Preview. LA Lakers 110, Portland 99

Lakers notes: Lakers surpass expectations
BY ROSS SILER, Staff Writer

EL SEGUNDO - With the Lakers possibly clinching a playoff berth as early as tonight, the time has come to revisit some of those preseason predictions about just how the second act for Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant would go.

Back in October, ESPN.com surveyed 12 former players, ex-coaches, reporters and stats experts as part of its season preview. Needless to say, it makes for interesting reading in April.

Four picked the Lakers to finish eighth in the Western Conference, the other eight not to make the playoffs at all. Out of those eight, five had the Lakers finishing 12th or worse.

Now the Lakers can wrap up a playoff spot with a victory tonight over Portland - just 3-24 since the All-Star break - and a loss by ninth-place Utah against the Hornets in Oklahoma City.

"It's a step in the right direction," Kobe Bryant said, "but it's not something that we're going to be celebrating."

It would make Jackson a perfect 15 for 15 in leading teams to the playoffs in all his years as an NBA coach and ensure that the Lakers won't miss the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for only the second time in franchise history.

"We'll be glad that there's that pressure off," Jackson said, "but we really haven't in any degree felt that there's not going to be pressure on us because we want to finish as high as we possibly can in the (standings).


Last edited by Phil on Fri Apr 14, 2006 10:04 pm; edited 2 times in total
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:10 am    Post subject:

Trail Blazers give Jackson uneasy feeling

By AL BALDERAS
The Orange County Register


Kobe Bryant and the Lakers will face Raja Bell, Boris Diaw and Phoenix on Sunday as well as facing Portland tonight.

KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

LOS ANGELES – The Lakers picked up momentum with their victory over Golden State on Tuesday. Now comes the tough task of keeping it.

The Lakers play Portland tonight, the team bringing up the rear in the Northwest Division. With only 21 victories in 78 games, the Trail Blazers might look like an easy target for the Lakers. That hasn't always been the case this season.

The Trail Blazers beat the Lakers on Jan.11 at the Rose Garden, but the Lakers returned the favor the next month at Staples Center. The last time they met, March 1, the Trail Blazers scored a 99-93 victory.

"The way they played last night (against the Clippers), we could lose three out of four (to Portland)," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Thursday. "They played well enough last night for us to be concerned about the game we have.

"It's difficult for our team to focus on them because they play 10 guys, they're spotting different people, they're a talented young team and they could come chicken salad or chicken. ... They can be two different teams in different nights, and they've certainly been chicken salad against us."
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:12 am    Post subject:

Hidden strength for Lakers coach

He is proof that regular guys doing the right things behind the scenes can help those in the spotlight do exceptional things.

KEVIN DING KEVIN DING
Register columnist
NBA
kding AT ocregister.com


Kobe Bryant gets help with his pregame stretching from Joe Carbone, the Lakers’ strength and conditioning coach.

KEVIN SULLIVAN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The final numbers from Game78 of this season said Kobe Bryant played 2,841 seconds and rested 39 seconds. That Lakers victory, over the Clippers, came by way of another fourth-quarter Bryant masterpiece. His single-season, greatest-hits album of fourth quarters transcends any previously recorded in NBA history. Bryant's body has held up for all of those late-game efforts and has not forced him to miss one game to injury in what will be one of the top 10 scoring seasons the league has seen.

And with the people's serenade of cheers and MVP chants still echoing in his ears Sunday night, the poster boy for individual achievement walked out of Staples Center and tried to explain how much somebody helped him get to this point.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:13 am    Post subject:

Jackson Doesn't Take Clinching for Granted
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
April 14, 2006

The Lakers can clinch a playoff spot tonight, an event they never came close to achieving last season and a possibility they downplayed Thursday, their eventual seeding in the Western Conference seemingly just as important to them.

The Lakers are in the playoffs if they beat Portland and Utah loses to New Orleans tonight, although they continue to keep an eye on eighth-place Sacramento, lingering one game behind them.

A playoff berth ensures they won't miss playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1975 and 1976, but …

"We'll be glad that there's that pressure off," Coach Phil Jackson said Thursday, "but we really haven't in any degree felt that there's not going to be pressure on us, because we want to finish as high as we possibly can in the rankings. We're certainly not going to relax because of that."

Kobe Bryant, who has won three championships and has played in four NBA Finals, seemed amused when asked if clinching a playoff spot was worth celebrating.

"No, not really," he said. "I think it's a great step for us, being that we didn't make the playoffs last year and were able to bounce back. It's a step in the right direction, but it's not something we're going to be celebrating."
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:15 am    Post subject:

No Need to Celebrate

Broderick Turner

10:00 PM PDT on Thursday, April 13, 2006

By BRODERICK TURNER
The Press-Enterprise

EL SEGUNDO - The NBA playoff door has been opened and all that's left for the Lakers to do is walk through.

All the Lakers have to do is keep winning and they will reach the postseason after missing the playoffs last year.

If the Lakers defeat the Portland Trail Blazers tonight at Staples Center and the Utah Jazz loses on the road against the New Orleans Hornets, the Lakers will clinch a playoff spot.

The Lakers, who have a 2½-game lead over the Jazz, would increase their lead to 3 ½ games in that scenario. The Lakers have two games left after tonight and the Jazz three games, which would make it impossible for Utah to catch the Lakers.

No banners will be raised if the Lakers make the postseason.

And, according to Kobe Bryant, there won't be a celebration.

"I think that it's a great step for us, being that we didn't make the playoffs last year. We were able to bounce back," Bryant, who continues to nurse a sore left shin, said. "It's a step in the right direction. But it's not something that we're going to celebrate over."

The Lakers were 34-48 last season, finished in fourth place in the Pacific Division and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1994. They are 42-37 this season and in third place.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 8:16 am    Post subject:

Barkley Won't Lay Off the Lakers or Playoffs
April 14, 2006

Maybe what the Lakers need is a little incentive as they play their final three regular-season games and head into the NBA playoffs seeded No. 7 or 8 in the Western Conference.

Maybe what they need is for someone of certain prominence to say they have no shot at going very far in the playoffs and give them a "we'll-show-you" attitude.

Who better to do that than TNT commentator and new Hall of Fame member Charles Barkley? He was more than happy to oblige in a phone conversation Thursday from Atlanta, where he was preparing for that night's "Inside the NBA" studio show.

The first question: If the Lakers somehow beat the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the playoffs, could they possibly go any further?

Barkley said it's possible for the Lakers to beat the Suns, but added, "That's as far as they could go. They'd [probably] be playing San Antonio or Dallas in the second round.

"And in the playoffs, you're going up against a good team for a week. Kobe [Bryant] would have to be spectacular every night, and I don't think he can do that in a seven-game series."

So what's wrong with the Lakers?

"They're lacking in a lot of areas, to be honest," Barkley said.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 5:39 pm    Post subject:


Portland (21-57) at LA Lakers (42-37)


Preview - Box Score - Recap

Game Info: 10:30 pm EDT Fri Apr 14, 2006
TV: KGW, FxW Add to Calendar
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The Los Angeles Lakers won't have homecourt advantage if they make the playoffs, but they look to benefit from their homecourt in their push for the postseason.

The Lakers continue their season-closing five-game homestand as they host the Portland Trail Blazers.

Los Angeles is in seventh place in the Western Conference, one game ahead of Sacramento, and can clinch a playoff spot with a win and a loss by Utah to New Orleans on Thursday.

The Lakers opened their final homestand with two straight wins, and have won seven of their last eight at the Staples Center. They have lost two of three games to the Trail Blazers this season, but have won eight of their last nine home meetings.

Portland, which has an NBA-low six road wins, has lost 14 straight away from home, its longest road losing streak since a 21-game skid during the 1973-74 season.

The Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors 111-100 on Tuesday behind Lamar Odom, who had 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists for his first triple-double with the Lakers and ninth of his career.

"I feel confident and comfortable right now, scoring, rebounding and making plays," Odom said. "We're a much better defensive team."

Odom also has averaged 18.3 points and 13.0 rebounds while posting three straight double-doubles. He also had a season-high 17 rebounds in a 99-82 win Feb. 21 over the Trail Blazers.

Kobe Bryant finished with 31 points on 10-of-22 shooting against the Warriors, scoring all but one of his points in the first half. Bryant -- who didn't play in the fourth quarter -- is averaging 41.3 points on 50.0 percent shooting in his last six games.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:00 pm    Post subject:

Banner year for Lakers' Bryant
Posted: Friday Apr 14, 2006 3:36 PM

One of Phil Jackson's goals upon returning to the Lakers was finding ways for Kobe Bryant to have a better season than he did in 2004-05.

Chalk up another success for Jackson.


Bryant is a leading MVP candidate, about to win his first scoring title, and enjoying the game much more than he did last season, when he was on the injured list with a sprained ankle and missed 16 games.

"He's reclaimed his position as the best guard in the NBA,'' Jackson said. "He hasn't been injured, last year he had injuries. This year has been more about scoring.''

Scoring is obviously Bryant's biggest strength. Highlighted by his 81-point game in January, he went into the last weekend of the season averaging a career-high 35.1 points, which would be the NBA's best mark since Michael Jordan scored 37.1 per game in 1986-87.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:01 pm    Post subject:

Lakers welcome Blazers to LA

(Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Lakers close in on returning to the playoffs, as they host the Portland Trail Blazers tonight at the Staples Center.

The Lakers, who finished just 34-48 last season and did not qualify for the postseason, are No. 7 in the Western Conference playoff race. They can clinch a playoff spot with a win and a loss by Utah, which plays at New Orleans/Oklahoma City this evening.

On Tuesday, All-Star Kobe Bryant poured in 31 points and dished out five assists to lead the Lakers past the disappointing Golden State Warriors, 111-100, at the Staples Center.

Smush Parker added 18 points and four steals in the win over Golden State for the Lakers, who have won two straight and eight of their last 11 games overall. Lamar Odom recorded his first triple-double for the Lakers with 15 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, while Kwame Brown also netted 15 and pulled down 15 boards in the victory.

The Lakers are 24-14 as the host this season. They have won three in a row at home.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:03 pm    Post subject:

Some picked Lakers way down in West
By Ross Siler, Staff writer

With the Lakers possibly clinching a playoff berth as early as tonight, the time has come to revisit some of those preseason predictions about just how the second act for Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant would go.
Back in October, ESPN.com surveyed 12 former players, ex-coaches, reporters and stats experts as part of its season preview. Needless to say, it makes for interesting reading in April.

Four picked the Lakers to finish eighth in the Western Conference, the other eight not to make the playoffs at all. Out of those eight, five had the Lakers finishing 12th or worse.

Now the Lakers can wrap up a playoff spot with a victory tonight over Portland just 3-24 since the All-Star break and a loss by ninth-place Utah against the Hornets in Oklahoma City.

"It's a step in the right direction," Bryant said, "but it's not something that we're going to be celebrating."
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:04 pm    Post subject:


Lakers not ready to celebrate yet

By Ross Siler Staff Writer



EL SEGUNDO - With the Lakers possibly clinching a playoff berth as early as tonight, the time has come to revisit some of those preseason predictions about just how the second act for Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant would go.

Back in October, ESPN.com surveyed 12 former players, ex-coaches, reporters and stats experts as part of its season preview. Needless to say, it makes for interesting reading in April.

Four picked the Lakers to finish eighth in the Western Conference, the other eight not to make the playoffs at all. Out of those eight, five had the Lakers finishing 12th or worse.

Now the Lakers can wrap up a playoff spot with a victory tonight over Portland - just 3-24 since the All-Star break - and a loss by ninth-place Utah against the Hornets in Oklahoma City.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 6:06 pm    Post subject:

Bryant's lifting of Lakers warrants MVP
Doug Krikorian
Staff columnist

OK, he still might on occasion take indiscreet shots and still might after 10 seasons in the NBA not comprehend all the nuances of teamwork and still might not win any popularity contests with sporting patrons outside the Los Angeles basin.
But, clearly, Kobe Bryant deserves to win his league's MVP award this season for a number of reasons, foremost of which his team, the Los Angeles Lakers, would be nothing more than an expansion entry without him.

Oh, I know the Eastern-dominated media figure to wind up giving it to their favorite son, the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, who's had a wonderful season himself, and I'm sure Phoenix's Steve Nash, Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki and San Antonio's Tim Duncan all will receive consideration, too.

But none of these gentlemen deserve the NBA's most prestigious honor more than Kobe Bryant, who not only is leading the league in scoring with his 35.1 average but also ranks in the top 10 in nine other categories---minutes, steals, field goals made, free throws made, player efficiency rating, etc.---and also has dispensed two of the most memorable performances of the season.

Indeed, his 81-point eruption on Jan. 22 against the Toronto Raptors inspired worldwide scrutiny as well as memories of Wilt Chamberlain, but even more impressive might have been his 62-point outburst a month earlier against Dallas that was accomplished in a mere 33 minutes with his sitting out the final quarter.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 10:03 pm    Post subject:

LA Lakers 110, Portland 99
LA Lakers 110, Portland 99


Preview - Box Score - Recap

April 15, 2006

AP - Apr 15, 12:19 am EDT
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LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant broke the Los Angeles Lakers' single-season scoring record with a flourish, getting 50 points to eclipse Elgin Baylor's long-standing total in a 110-99 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.

Bryant, closing in on his first NBA scoring title, reached the 50-point mark for the sixth time this season and 11th time in his career. The Lakers are 8-3 in those games.

He eclipsed two other franchise records this season that Baylor held -- most points in a game and most 40-point games in a season. Bryant, whose 81 points against Toronto on Jan. 22 were second-most ever in an NBA game, came in needing only 16 to pass Baylor's mark of 2,719 points in 1962-63. He surpassed that with 9:06 left in the third quarter, draining a 3-pointer after missing two free throws 44 seconds earlier.

Lamar Odom recorded his second straight triple-double finishing with 16 points and 12 rebounds and tied a career high with 12 assists, after going 15-13-10 against Golden State on Tuesday for his first triple-double with the Lakers. He is the first player on the team with consecutive triple-doubles since December 2004, when Bryant did it against Golden State and Phoenix.
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