It’s February 22, 2012 and the (19-13) Los Angeles Lakers are in the heart of Texas to put some off-the-court turmoil behind them and face the (21-12) defending champion Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers embark on a short, but very important two-game road trip that pits L.A. against the Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder on back-to-back nights.

The Lakers return to the American Airlines Arena, where their 2010-2011 season came to an abrupt end under an avalanche of three’s - an NBA record-tying 20 three- point shots, leading to a 36-point defeat nine months and 14 days ago that completed a four game sweep. The loss was an embarrassing exit for Head Coach Phil Jackson, arguably the best coach in NBA history.

The Lakers will have revenge on their minds and hopefully they took their ‘A’ game on this road trip. With a 5-11 record away from the Staples Center, they have not looked like the same team that plays at home.  The Lakers have won six of their last 10 games.

L.A. currently leads their season series with the Mavericks 1-0 after taking last season’s series 2-1. They have gone 4-6 in their last 10 regular season games at American Airlines Arena. In their first meeting, Lakers’ guard Derek Fisher knocked down a game winning three-pointer with 3.1 seconds remaining to give L.A. a 73-70 victory.

The Mavericks are playing good basketball and are winners of seven of their last eight games. They are a balanced scoring team with several weapons that does an excellent job of sharing the basketball and challenging opponents’ defensive rotations. At times, the Mavericks have frustrated the Lakers with their zone defense of the L.A. front line and specifically, Lakers’ center Andrew Bynum & forward/center Pau Gasol must be factors attacking the zone.

Gasol was not only non-existent in the post season, he was a non-factor in the Laker win over the Mavericks on January 16th, scoring eight points on 3-for-11 shooting. This Laker has played well of late, averaging 16.6 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. The first quarter of the Portland Trail Blazers game should be the blueprint the Lakers should use as a plan-of-attack on a nightly basis.

L.A. needs to do a good job of moving the basketball and moving bodies to find a high percentage shot. It is imperative that the Lakers establish both Gasol and Bynum in the post and give each enough touches to affect the outcome of the game.

Tonight’s game should have a playoff feel to it, seeing as how the Lakers rank as the sixth best in the NBA in points allowed and the Mavericks the fourth best. Surprisingly, these teams are separated by a mere 0.4 difference.

The Lakers need to communicate on defense, play better against the pick-and-roll play, stop the dribble penetration of the guards, control the tempo, control the boards, get back in transition and quickly rotate out to open shooters. Guard Steve Blake’s return has improved the production of the bench and the reserves need to score 35+ point. They must not allow the Mavericks’ reserves to out-score them. The Lakers need to out-hustle, out-rebound and simply out-work the Mavericks. And as the league’s top rebounding team, they need to own the glass on both ends of the court.

Lakers: D. Fisher, K. Bryant, M. Peace, P. Gasol, A. Bynum
Mavericks: J. Kidd, D. West, S. Marion, D. Nowitzki, B. Haywood  

Tip-off: 6:30 PM PST

Television -

• Los Angeles: KCAL 9 (Bill Macdonald & Stu Lantz) & ESPN
• Dallas: FS SW (Mark Followill & Brad Davis) & ESPN

Radio -

• Los Angeles: 710 ESPN (John Ireland & Mychal Thompson)
• Dallas: ESPN 103.3 (Chuck Cooperstein)

Injuries -

Lakers:

• Steve Blake (Costochaondral fracture) Probable

      Mavericks:

• Jason Terry (Quadriceps) Probable
• Delonte West (Right Ring Finger Surgery) Ou
• Lamar Odom (Family Matter) Out

It’s February 20, 2012 and the (18-13) Los Angeles Lakers return to the Staples Center to face the (17-15) Portland Trailblazers. The Lakers had a disappointing and forgettable performance against the Suns in Phoenix. It appears that the team that beat the Suns easily on Friday at the Staples Center was not the same team that showed up in purple and gold jerseys the following Sunday in the valley of the sun.

The Lakers are a poor road team and what ails them appears to be mental. They can overcome this issue by playing better defense, playing with more focus, more intensity, a higher energy level, better execution on offense and more of a sense of urgency.

What was surprising was the fact that the Suns won the game without a phenomenal shooting percentage. Phoenix did not knock down a high percentage of three point shots and the Lakers’ bench outscored the Suns’ bench. The difference in the game was the Lakers’ defense – or lack thereof. L.A. did not get back in transition and the result was 21 fast-break points for the Suns.

The Lakers trail their season series against the Blazers 1-0 after winning last season’s series (3-1) against Portland for the first time since the 2005-2006. Overall, it was just the third time since 1989. At Staples Center, the Lakers are 7-5 all-time against the Blazers. L.A. has won seven of their last eight games in Los Angeles.

The key player that the Lakers need to slow down is Portland forward LaMarcus Aldridge who is coming off a career year. Aldridge is an elite low-post scorer and an unblockable turnaround jumper. He runs the floor well, possesses a good mid-range game and excels at spinning out of the post for lob passes at the rim.

Blazers’ forwards Gerald Wallace and Nicholas Batum both present tough match-up’s and always seem to have stellar performances against the Lakers. The Blazers are a long team, but they do not have anyone to match up with Laker Andrew Bynum’s width. Bynum is 285 lbs. and has a significant weight advantage over Portland’s 37-year-old center Marcus Camby who lists at 235 lbs. The Laker center has more in his back pocket than both Aldridge & veteran reserve center/forward Kurt Thomas.

The Lakers’ defense has had its moments, but there is a lot of room for improvement. It is imperative that they do a much better job of defending the pick-and-roll play, stopping the dribble penetration of the guards, getting back in transition, controlling the tempo and quickly rotating out to open shooters. L.A. has to use their size advantage to out-rebound, out-hustle and out-work the Blazers.

Andrew Bynum and teammate Pau Gasol have both been averaging 14 shots or less. That number needs to increase. The Lakers need to establish both Bynum and Gasol inside and allow them to go to work. The team must do a good job of moving the basketball and moving bodies to find high percentage shots going to the basket.

If the Lakers are aggressive and make it a point to use their size and attack the basket, their free throw attempts will increase.  Their reserves are producing points, but the second unit has to score 35+ points consistently to be effective.

Starters
Lakers: D. Fisher, K. Bryant, M. Peace, P.Gasol, A. Bynum
Blazers: R. Felton, N. Batum, G. Wallace, L. Aldridge, M. Camby

Tip-off: 7:30 PM PST

Television -

• Los Angeles: TNT
• Portland: TNT

Radio -

• Los Angeles: 710 ESPN (John Ireland & Mychal Thompson)
• Portland: 95.5 FM (Brian Wheeler & Antonio Harvey)

Injuries -

Lakers:

• Steve Blake (Costochaondral fracture) Probable

Suns:

• LaMarcus Aldridge (Sprained Ankle) Probable

It’s February 19, 2012 and the (18-12) Lakers have traveled to the valley of the sun to play the (12-19) Phoenix Suns. Two days after defeating the Suns at the Staples Center, round two will take place at the US Airways Arena.

Despite Friday’s much needed Laker win, there was a good dose of the good, the bad and the ugly.

The good: L.A. had four players score in double-digits including double-doubles by both Andrew Bynum (center) and Pau Gasol (power forward/center). There were 54 points in the paint, 52 rebounds and a triple double by the reserves (34-points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists).

The bad: L.A. had nine offensive rebounds, shot 75% from the free throw line and shooting guard Kobe Bryant logged 35 minutes.

The ugly: L.A. was careless with the basketball which lead to 19 turnovers and allowed the Suns’ bench to score 46 points.

Nothing has really changed in 48 hours. The Lakers are the better team and the only question is, can they prove it on the road? They lead their season series with the Suns 2-0 after winning last season’s series for the fourth consecutive year. LA. has gone 6-4 in their last 10 regular season games and 6-2 in the last eight trips to Phoenix.

The Lakers can come away with a win by communicating on defense, playing solid against the pick-and-roll play, stopping the dribble penetration of the guards and controlling the tempo. They’ll need to defend, get back in transition, control the boards, quickly rotate out to open shooters and extend their defense out to the three point line.

L.A. is doing a better job of moving the basketball and moving bodies to find high percentage shots. However, they need to work the ball inside more and are still settling for too many jump shots as opposed to attacking the basket. The Lakers need to start fast and play with good energy and a sense of urgency.

It would behoove the purple and gold to take better control of the basketball and make precise passes to eliminate their turnovers. They must play better defensively, challenge every shot and limit the Suns to one shot per possession. L.A. guard Steve Blake has solidified the bench and the second unit has been more productive. The task of increasing said production is necessary, but remains a work in progress.

Starters
Lakers: D. Fisher, K. Bryant, M. Peace, P.Gasol, A. Bynum
Suns: S. Nash, J. Dudley, G. Hill, C. Frye, M. Gortat

Tip-off: 5:00 PM PST

Television -

• Los Angeles: KCAL 9 (Bill Macdonald & Stu Lantz)
• Phoenix: FS AZ (Gary Bender & Eddie Johnson)

Radio -

• Los Angeles: 710 ESPN (John Ireland & Mychal Thompson)
• Phoenix: KTAR 620 AM (Al McCoy & Tim Kempton)

Injuries -

Lakers:

• Steve Blake (Costochaondral fracture) Probable

Suns:

None

It’s February 17, 2012 and the (17-12) Los Angeles Lakers host the (12-18) Phoenix Suns at the Staples Center. The Lakers easily dispatched the Hawks on Valentine’s Day and it is doubtful that the purple and gold will show the Suns any love.

Kobe Bryant has a strong aversion for the professional basketball team from Phoenix. Could it be that he is feeling slighted by Suns’ point guard Steve Nash winning two consecutive league MVP awards, knowing that at least one of those should have his name on it?

Could it be the Suns come-from-behind 4-3 series win in the 2005-2006 playoffs?

Kobe’s distaste for Phoenix is so strong at times that it appears it is the one team in the league that he wants to beat the most. This probably is not the news that the Suns want to hear knowing that tonight is the first of back-to-back games against ‘The Black Mamba’.

There are occasions where the real thing is just as impressive as the legend. The black mamba’s venom gets into its victim and disperses quickly, causing harm and death faster than any other snake.

In their last meeting, the Lakers beat the Suns 99-83 led by Kobe Bryant’s NBA season-high 48 points, his highest scoring outburst in any game in which he did not knock down a three-point shot. In 54 career games against the Suns – including 47 starts – Kobe Bryant is averaging 26.4 points. He is averaging a league-best 28.7 points per game and is four rebounds shy of becoming the ninth guard in NBA history to record 6,000 rebounds.

The Lakers currently lead their season series 1-0, after winning last season’s series with the Suns 3- 1 for the fourth consecutive season. An interesting fact is that Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Derek Fisher were all first-round picks in the 1996 NBA Draft, and three of six players from that draft are still playing. Lakers’ assistant coach Darvin Ham was an un-drafted player from the same draft class.

Laker Nation will have another opportunity to watch former Laker Shannon Brown return to the Staples Center. L.A. still has to deal with the lack of speed issue and athleticism defensively on the perimeter, which has led to huge numbers for several point guards this season. Steve Nash might be 38-years old, but he is still an excellent point guard, highly effective at being a floor general and getting his teammates involved and scoring when necessary.

The Suns have dropped five of their last 10 games and are currently on a three-game losing streak, allowing an average of 104 points. L.A. is 18-7 all-time against Phoenix at the Staples Center during the regular season and the purple and gold are 7-3 in their last 10 regular season games against Phoenix.

The way for the Lakers to continue their dominance over the Suns is to communicate on defense and play better against the pick-and-roll play, stop the dribble penetration of the guards, get back in transition, control the tempo, control the glass and quickly rotate out to open shooters.

They need to start their offense on the inside and establish Andrew Bynum & Pau Gasol in the painted area as well as allow them to go to work. The inside game could set the table for the rest of the team. The return of Steve Blake has solidified the bench, but they are still in need of a bigger contribution from their reserves. L.A.’s defense has been adequate and has kept them in several games this season, but there is room for improvement. This team needs to start fast, play with a sense of urgency, establish a lead on the Suns and not be satisfied with said lead while they continuously attempt to increase it.

Starters
Lakers: D. Fisher, K. Bryant, M. Peace, P.Gasol, A. Bynum
Suns: S. Nash, J. Dudley, G. Hill, C. Frye, M. Gortat

Tip-off: 7:30 PM PST

Television -

• Los Angeles: FS West (Bill Macdonald & Stu Lantz)
• Phoenix: FS AZ (Gary Bender & Eddie Johnson)

Radio -

• Los Angeles: 710 ESPN (John Ireland & Mychal Thompson)
• Phoenix: KTAR 620 AM (Al McCoy & Tim Kempton)

Injuries -

Lakers:

• Steve Blake (Costochaondral fracture) Probable

Suns:

None

There is always uncertainty surrounding professional football teams during this part of the off-season and the Washington Redskins are no different. But one thing is a given: whatever the situation, there will be as many different opinions about it in this city as there are blades of grass on the White House lawn.

One of the prevailing opinions is that if Redskins’ head coach Mike Shanahan’s doesn’t lead his team to at least a .500 record this upcoming season, he will be gone before the following season arrives. Shanahan believes he will be here for a while. But there are those who feel Redskins’ owner Dan Snyder won’t stand for another losing season.

If one were to illustrate this thinking by an algebraic equation, and the variables were that “a” is the Redskins season record and “b” is an NFL owner, it would look something like this:

If a = <8 Wins and b = Dan Snyder, then a + b = Redskins – Shanahan

Before Mike Shanahan arrived, this equation would have held true. Dan Snyder was an impatient owner. For many years he regularly fired coaches that didn’t win. Think Norv Turner, Terry Robiskie, Marty Schottenheimer and Jim Zorn.

But Shanahan is a different story and Snyder trusts in the idea that building this team to win year-in and year-out will take time. By his actions – or lack thereof – the owner has indicated that he has finally learned something about consistency and stability. The year is 2012 and things have changed out at Redskins Park. Since Shanahan and general manager Bruce Allen’s arrival, Snyder has behaved in ways RedskinsNation would have never believed possible. According to Shanahan, Snyder has done everything the coach has asked of him. By all accounts, the owner has stayed out of the personnel office and has not orchestrated any huge free agent signings. Any changes have been facilitated by Shanahan or Allen. Dan Snyder has evolved into an owner that understands that football people – not business people – need to run football organizations. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out he is happy to give the responsibility of running the team to someone else. Firing Shanahan if the team has a less than .500 season in 2012 would smack of an owner not learning a thing from the past but Snyder appears to have changed his ways.

Shoot… Snyder even built the coach his practice bubble.

The post-2010 equation would have an additional variable so that “a” is the Redskins season record, “b” is an owner (who has learned from his mistakes) and “c” is offensive production. It would look something like this:

If a = <8 Wins and b = Dan Snyder and c = average of 20+ points per game, then (a + b) + c = Redskins + Shanahan

Snyder will refrain from firing Mike Shanahan even if the Redskins lose more games than they win this coming season… unless “c” is not part of the equation. The offense needs to score points and the defense must consistently stop their opponents.

This is true because of the various scenarios that could take place in 2012.

The Redskins could make a bid for Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning if he is released – although I sincerely hope they don’t. Current Green Bay Packers’ back-up quarterback Matt Flynn and Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Kyle Orton will both be free agents this year and either could be in Shanahan’s plans as well.

The dream scenario for Washington would be to acquire exciting Baylor product Robert Griffin, III but, without giving up huge amounts of current or future draft picks, that’s probably not going to happen. I waffle on whether or not it is a good idea to give up so much for him. The Redskins have gone so long without a franchise quarterback, that I’m tempted to mimic Nike (“Just DO it!”) regardless of the cost. But, in the future, when lamenting the fact that Shanahan did not have enough draft picks to get players like Kelechi Osemele (offensive tackle/guard out of Iowa State) or Alfonzo Dennard, (cornerback from Nebraska), I’ll wonder if it was worth it.

Whatever happens at quarterback, if Snyder sees progress in 2012 – regardless of the team’s record, I just don’t see him firing Shanahan.

I am of the less popular opinion that the Redskins’ wide receivers have talent. With the running backs the team has and guys like Terrence Austin, Santana Moss and 6’2” Leonard Hankerson catching balls; and with a smart, ball-protecting quarterback throwing to them, Washington has enough offensive talent to be competitive – given a defense that remains at least as good as it was in 2011.

Envision this: Orton is the Redskins’ quarterback who is being protected and is protecting the ball. He is recognizing defenses. A rookie QB is standing on the sidelines holding the clipboard and learning the system. The wide outs are catching balls and running backs are moving the chains successfully. The defense is continuing to gel and there is depth in the secondary through the draft and/or free agency.

Now, let’s say the starter gets hurt half-way through the season and goes on IR, or lets one-too-many big plays go by without taking a shot. He loses his job.  The rookie quarterback receives baptism-by-fire and improves as the season goes on. Offensive production continues. But the rookie is still a rookie making rookie mistakes. The team ends the season with a 7-9, maybe 8-8 record.

What is Snyder’s thought process here? Does he see and care about the improvement or just the record?

If he is really watching, he’s going to see the well-chosen rookie quarterback – and all of the youngsters on the team – continuing to get better with a few healthy veterans leading the charge. The 2010 and 2011 draft classes of Roy Helu, Evan Royster, Ryan Kerrigan, DeJon Gomes, Riley Perry and Jarvis Jenkins have been “raised” by Shanahan’s coaching staff and should be coming into their own in 2012.

Snyder is not going to fire Shanahan because he sees the potential that Shanahan has brought to his team.

The only way that I see Shanahan gone after the 2012 season is if he does nothing about the quarterback position. Keeping Rex Grossman and John Beck as his two quarterbacks would be akin to professional suicide. The most likely formula for 2012 then, where ”a” is the Redskins season record, “b” is an owner, “c” is team potential and “d” is the season’s outcome; would look something like this:

If a = <8W and b = Dan Snyder and c = 20+ points average per game, then, (a + b) + c = d where d = Redskins and Shanahan – and consistent winning

Hail.

After a surprising win at the Rose Garden in Portland, the Washington Wizards arrived at the Staples Center with some momentum against the favored Los Angeles Clippers. The Staples Center had 19,135 in attendance their 14th sellout of the season.

This game was very competitive and the contest was close late in the second quarter. Consecutive three’s by Chris Paul, Mo Williams and a follow dunk by Blake Griffin put the Clippers ahead. However, with 1:59 remaining in the first half the Wizards took a one-point lead. The Clippers held their own in spite of that, and had a 50-47 lead at halftime.

The Wizards were game. JaVale McGee had 18-points and five-rebounds, John Wall had an 18-point 11-assist night, Nick Young put up 12 points and the Wizards got 12-points off the bench from Jordan Crawford. Washington also had 40 points in the paint and put up 19 fast break points. The District of Columbia team had a nice start, but failed to finish the game. They were unable to handle the timely three-point shooting, the depth, the teamwork or the defense of the Los Angeles Clippers.

L.A. held Washington to 39.5 % shooting from the field and 22.7% from behind the arc. The Wizards did not help their cause by shooting a woeful 67.9 % from the free throw line. The Clippers’ timely three-point shooting allowed them to finish off their opponent. The competitive phase of the game was over at the 5:23 mark when Los Angeles took an 89-80 lead.

Caron Butler came out on fire, knocking down his first two three-point shots and finishing the game with another solid 20 point effort. Blake Griffin was the player of the game with a solid 23-point, 15-rebound performance highlighted by three signature dunks. The Clippers won this game going away, 102-84. The Wizards can claim that they played the Clippers close for three and a half quarters on their home floor. But the Clippers are lethal with Chris Paul as their floor general and, in command of lob city, this team will be a tough out for anyone. They still have to prove that they can win on the road, overcome the loss of a leader like Chauncey Billups, shoot better from the free throw line and get more consistent scoring from their bench.

Jeff Little Talk Host @Sportsjourney

Today’s show will feature Financial Guru Frank Purcell and Sports Talk Host Evapors

It’s February 14, 2012 – Valentine’s Day – and the (16-12) Los Angeles Lakers are hosting the (18-10) Atlanta Hawks. The Lakers return home after an average Grammy road trip, salvaging a split. The extended road trip left the Lakers with far more questions than answers.

The most disappointing event was watching the Lakers surrender an 18-point first-half lead against the Raptors, being forced to make a comeback to walk away with a much-needed win. Their bench was outscored 47-24 in Toronto – they’ve been consistently outscored by their opponents.

The Lakers, beaten in the second half of three of their six games, were a Pau Gasol block and a Kobe Bryant game-winning shot away from 1-5 record on their Grammy road trip. L.A. is a different team away as opposed to at home and the difference is their defense. Defensively, the purple and gold is allowing 85.2 points at Staples center but that number increases to 95.8 on the road.

The Hawks have been one of the surprises of the league so far this season, posting 18-wins. However, the Lakers are 11-2 at home. Atlanta has feasted on sub-.500 teams this season with 13 wins but they have dropped four of their last six games. This team has the NBA’s best road defense, surrendering only 89.3 points on 42% shooting from the field.

The Lakers are 7-3 in their last 10 games overall against the Hawks.  At the Staples Center, L.A. is 9-3 all-time. The Hawks have lost five straight road games to Los Angeles on the Lakers’ home court by an average of 17 points. Tonight is the first of a five-game road trip for Atlanta and there is a chance that former Laker Jannero Pargo will either start or play extended minutes.

The Lakers have got to play better defense. It is evident that a quick and crafty point guard can have success against the purple and gold. They need solid play against the pick-and-roll play, must stop the dribble penetration of the guards, control the tempo, defend, get back in transition, control the boards and quickly rotate out to open shooters.

The Lakers’ big three – Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol – continue to lead the team in scoring and are instrumental in the outcome of the game, but their purple and  gold teammates need to step up and contribute on a consistent basis.

Starters
Lakers: D. Fisher, K. Bryant, M. Peace, P.Gasol, A. Bynum
Hawks: J. Teague, J. Johnson, M. Williams, J. Smith, Z. Pachulia  

Tip-off: 7:30 PM PST

Television -

• Los Angeles: FS West (Bill Macdonald & Stu Lantz)
• Atlanta: FS South (Bob Rathbun & Dominique Wilkins)

Radio -

• Los Angeles: 710 ESPN (John Ireland & Mychal Thompson)
• Atlanta: 790 AM (Steve Holman)

Injuries -

Lakers:

• Josh McRoberts (Sprained Left Big Toe) Probable
• Kobe  Bryant (Torn Lunotriquetral Ligament, Right Wrist) Probable
• Steve Blake (Costochaondral fracture) Probable

Hawks:

• Al Horford (Shoulder) Out
• Jason Collins (Elbow) Out
• Jeff Teague (Sprained Ankle) Questionable

It’s February 12, 2012 and the (15-12) Los Angeles Lakers are in the provincial capital of Ontario and Canada’s largest city to face the (9-19) Toronto Raptors. This is their only appearance at the Air Canada Centre.

The Lakers will not have time to visit the CN Tower – the world’s tallest freestanding structure – or Toronto’s majestic castle, Casa Loma. This is still a business trip: the purple and gold have an opportunity to earn a much-needed win and finish off their extended road trip with a .500 record.

There are no excuses. The New York Knicks beat the Lakers earlier in the week, snapping their nine-game losing streak. This lead to many raised eyebrows although it was evident that L.A.’s emotional overtime win over the Boston Celtics took something out of the Los Angeles team. Today’s game will be the Lakers’ sixth in nine-and-a-half days and an early start has never been advantageous for the purple and gold.

Tonight L.A. faces another young team with a solid point guard that wants to get out in transition and run. Jose Calderon is a talented player who posted a 17-point, 14-rebound performance in their win over the Celtics. The Raptors have two L.A. area natives on their roster in starting shooting guard and former USC Trojan DeMar DeRozen – their leading scorer – who put up 21 points against Boston; and Westchester high school alumnus Amir Johnson. In order to win, the Lakers have to get off to a fast start and play with energy, focus, intensity and a sense of urgency.

The Lakers need to establish Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant in the post. It would behoove them to start their offense on the inside and provide Bynum and Gasol with 35+ shot attempts. The Lakers are settling for entirely too many jump shots and not getting the ball to their big players. L.A. must do a better job of moving the basketball and moving bodies to find the high percentage shot.

If the Lakers returned to running the triangle offense, their offensive production would increase. The core of the team is still familiar with the offense that has produced multiple championships.

This west coast team seems to play better defense at Staples Center than on the road. To come away with a win, the Lakers have to communicate on defense, do a solid job of defending the pick-and-roll play, stop the dribble penetration of the guards, control the tempo, get back in transition, win the rebounding battle and quickly rotate out to open shooters.

The Lakers’ bench has to become a factor and contribute, and the return of Steve Blake should increase their production. There must be more production out of Metta World Peace, Derek Fisher and all of the small forwards. The organization needs to get back to developing their younger players.

Starters
Lakers: D. Fisher, K. Bryant, M. Peace, P.Gasol, A. Bynum
Raptors: J. Calderon, D. DeRozen, J. Johnson, A. Johnson, A. Gray

Tip-off: 10:00 AM PST

Television -

• Los Angeles: KCAL 9 (Joel Myers & Stu Lantz)
• Toronto:  Score (Matt Devlin & Jack Armstrong)

Radio -

• Los Angeles: 710 ESPN (John Ireland & Mychal Thompson)
• Toronto: FAN590 AM (Paul Jones & Eric Smith)

Injuries -

Lakers:

• Josh McRoberts (Sprained Left Big Toe) Probable
• Kobe  Bryant (Torn Lunotriquetral Ligament, Right Wrist) Probable

Raptors:

• Andrea Bargnani (Calf) Out

It’s February 10, 2012 and the (15-11) Los Angeles Lakers are ready to take a bite out of the big apple in a back-to-back game against the (11-15) New York Knicks. The Lakers were able to outlast the Celtics in Boston, force them to deal with rejection, put an end to their five-game winning streak and snap their own two-game losing skid.

The Lakers’ big three of Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol came up huge, combining for 68 points and 36 rebounds. L.A.’s defense was solid and the game possessed playoff intensity. The Celtics went to the free throw line five times in the first half and did not get back to the line the remainder of the game.

A poor shooting performance plus eight bench players combining for 18-points was not enough to stop the Lakers from wrestling away their fourth straight win in Bean Town. After notching their fourth road win of the season, taking the 187-mile flight to New York City, the purple and gold will face a depleted Knicks team.

The Lakers lead the current season series (1-0 after a 99-82 win on 12/29/11) after sweeping last season’s series (2-0) for the fourth consecutive year. They have gone 9-1 against the Knicks in their last 10 games. The Lakers are 8-2 in their last 10 games at Madison Square Garden. In 29 games, (25 starts), Kobe Bryant has averaged 26.6 points per game against the Knicks. Kobe Bryant set the Madison Square Garden scoring record with a 61-point performance on 2/2/2009. The Knicks are riding a three-game winning streak.

Jeremy Lin has been a catalyst for the Knicks’ win streak and some have even asked the question: Has Jeremy Lin saved Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni? The fact of the matter is that D’Antoni’s offense is designed to flourish with solid point guard play – an entity that the Knicks have not had consistently. It is nice to see an undrafted player from Harvard who went to the D-league, spent a summer in Dallas and had a cup of coffee in Houston and Oakland do well. It is what dreams are made of.

Jeremy Lin had not scored more than 13 points prior to the game against the New Jersey Nets (on 2/4/12), but in three starts this season, he has averaged 25.3 points and 8.3 assists. Lin’s success is another indication of the importance of solid point guard play. It is one thing to dominate the ball without Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire and something entirely different to do it when both are back in the lineup.

Lin was able to dominate against the Nets, the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards, although none of those teams have a defense on the same level as the Lakers. The Lakers have the fourth ranked defense in the NBA in points allowed (90.8 points), and the best rebounding team in the league averaging 45.2 boards per game.

The Lakers have to communicate on defense, do a good job defending the pick-and-roll play, stop the dribble penetration of the guards, control the tempo, get back in transition, box out their men and then go after the rebound. They must play with the same effort and energy that they played with last night, turn up the intensity of their defense and quickly rotate out to open shooters.

L.A. also needs to control the glass and limit the Knicks to one shot per possession in addition to doing a good job of moving the ball and bodies to find high percentage shots. Starting the offense inside and providing Bynum & Gasol enough touches to affect the outcome of this game is important. Their bench has to step up their game and make an impact.

Starters
Lakers: D. Fisher, K. Bryant, M. Peace, P.Gasol, A. Bynum
Knicks: J. Lin, L. Fields, J. Jeffries, B. Walker, T. Chandler

Tip-off: 5:00 PM PST

Television -

• Los Angeles: KCAL 9 (Joel Myers & Stu Lantz)
• New York:  MSG Network (Kenny Albert, Mike Breen & Walt Frazier)

Radio -

• Los Angeles: 710 ESPN (John Ireland & Mychal Thompson)
• New York: ESPN 1050 AM (John Andariese & Mike Chispino)

Injuries -

Lakers:

• Josh McRoberts (Sprained Left Big Toe) Probable
• Kobe  Bryant (Torn Lunotriquetral Ligament, Right Wrist) Probable

Knicks:

• Baron Davis (Herniated Disc in his Back) Out
• Carmelo Anthony (Groin Injury) Out
• Amare Stoudemire (Personal) Out

It’s Thursday February 9, 2012 and the (14-11) Los Angeles Lakers have traveled to Boston to square off against the (14-10) Celtics in basketball’s best rivalry. Tonight’s match up is an historic rivalry renewed at the TD Banknorth Garden.

There is never a shortage of storylines when the Celtics and Lakers collide. These two storied franchises are synonymous with NBA history as both franchises have combined to win more than half of all the NBA championships.

However, tonight’s contest does not seem to possess its normal buzz. The Celtics stumbled out of the starting gate, posting a 5-9 mark but have righted the ship; Boston has gone 10-2 since their slow start. They currently rank as the best defensive team in the league, allowing 86.5 points per game.

The Lakers split their last two season series (1-1) after sweeping the 2008-2009 series. They are are 6-4 in their last 10 regular season games in Boston, have won their last three straight at TD Banknorth Garden and are 5-1 in their last six meetings in Boston. The Celtics are playing their best basketball of the season and have put together a five-game winning streak.

L.A. is close to a turnaround, but has not played a complete game and now has a 3-9 road record. The team is looking to snap a two-game losing skid.  Believe that this game will be an emotionally charged event.

Although the Lakers have to keep their emotions in check; they also must live in the moment, play smart basketball, get a solid contribution from everyone in a purple and gold jersey and execute. They should do a better job of moving the basketball and moving bodies to avoid scoring droughts like the one that occurred in the late-game collapse in Philadelphia when L.A. found a way to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory.

This is essentially a playoff game that will come down to half-court execution and defensive stops. The Celtics will try to be physical with the Lakers and take them out of their offense. Boston will force the big players to be jump shooters. The Lakers front line of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol have to play big, be physical, be aggressive,  attack the basket and finish whenever receiving the ball in the post.

L.A. will once again see a zone defense and will need to analyze it to decipher what type of zone it is. They must be patient and get the ball to one of their big players to break the zone. Taking the first open good-percentage shot is imperative. The Lakers still have to get the ball inside and attack said zone and then crash the offensive boards. Every shot must be treated as a miss and the team has to collectively attack the boards.

The Lakers have to avoid the temptation of shooting jump shots and continue to move the ball to find a high-percentage shots going to the basket. They must run their offense through the post. Don’t be surprised to see Kobe Bryant in the post tonight. Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol need multiple touches in the paint to affect the outcome of this game.

Bryant’s 29.3 points per game average is leading the NBA as well as leading the Lakers in scoring, assists and steals. But in tonight’s match up Bynum and Gasol need more than a combined 27 shots. Bryant will have to wear the facilitator hat early to get everyone involved and switch to the closer’s hat late.

The Lakers’ big-three of Kobe, Andrew and Pau are scoring the lion’s share of the points with the contribution of the rest of the team best described as slim-to-none. In the Lakers’ loss to the 76ers, the big-three combined for 64 points and the rest of the team scored a pedestrian 26 points. The Lakers need consistency and production from their reserves and the bench needs to produce 30+ points.

It is imperative that L.A. does a solid job defending the pick-and-roll play, stopping the dribble penetration of the guards (Rajon Rondo is second in the league in assists at 9.8 per game), controlling the tempo, getting back in transition, boxing out their men and then going after the rebound. The team must play solid defense in the post and force the Celtics to shoot over them. Quickly rotating out to open shooters and extending their defense to the three-point line is important. The purple and gold have to rise to the occasion and match the intensity of the Celtics.

Starters
Lakers: D. Fisher, K. Bryant, M. Peace, P.Gasol, A. Bynum
Celtics: R. Rondo, R. Allen, P. Pierce, K. Garnett, J.O’Neal   

Tip-off: 5:00 PM PST

Television -

• Los Angeles: TNT
• Boston: TNT

Radio -

• Los Angeles: 710 ESPN (John Ireland & Mychal Thompson)
• Boston: 850 WEEI (Sean Grande & Cedric Maxwell)

Injuries -

Lakers:

• Josh McRoberts (Sprained Left Big Toe) Probable
• Kobe  Bryant (Torn Lunotriquetral Ligament, Right Wrist) Probable
• Steve Blake (Bruised Ribs) Out

Celtics:

• Keyon Dooling (Right Hip Pointer) Day-to-Day
• Marques Daniels (Mild Right Ankle Sprain) Day-to-Day

Jeff Little Talk Host @Sportsjourney