Buy N' Him

Bynum's development has closed the gap
between him and Howard.

The Los Angeles Lakers are committing to Andrew Bynum, at least for now.

After months of speculation and trade rumors, Bynum stayed put at this year’s trading deadline, and had his $16 million option for next season picked up Tuesday. It’s the fourth year of $58 million contract extension Los Angeles signed him to in October 2008, despite missing most of the season with a dislocated kneecap.

Los Angeles had until June 30 to pick up the option, otherwise Bynum would become a hot commodity this summer. He has played in 41 of the Laker’s 45 games this year, missing the first four not by injury surprisingly, but serving a suspension he was slapped with following the team’s Game 4 loss in Dallas a year ago.

But in his season debut against the Denver Nuggets, Bynum tallied 29 points and 13 rebounds, setting the stage for the year to come.

Bynum, who is just 24-years-old, but in his seventh NBA season, is enjoying a banner campaign. He is averaging career-highs in points (18.1) and rebounds (12.9).

Those numbers saw him be selected to his first All-Star team, starting for the Western Conference in Orlando. He’s posted 31 double-doubles this season, including ten straight and in 16 out of his last 17 games.

During that streak Bynum recorded his first career 20/20 game.

On Feb. 6, in the Laker’s 95-90 loss to the 76ers, and on the same night Kobe Bryant passed Shaquille O’Neal for fifth on the all-time scoring list in his hometown of Philadelphia, Bynum scored and grabbed 20 points and rebounds each.

Once urged by Bryant to be traded for Jason Kidd and six years of waiting, Bynum is developing into the player Los Angeles always thought he would be.

He was most recently named the Western Conference Player of the Week, averaging 27.5 points and 14.8 rebounds over a four-game span. And while Bynum is clearly the best center in his conference, he has a long way to go to be the best in the league.

That title belongs to the Magic’s Dwight Howard.

For the last eight years, Howard, who will stay in Orlando through the 2012-13 season after waiving his opt-out clause, has become the NBA’s next dominant center.

Throughout that time, he has averaged 18.4 points per game, along with 13 rebounds and two blocks. Not to mention his record three straight Defensive Player of the Year Awards.

This season has been no different.

Howard is totaling 21.1 PPG, 14.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks on a Magic team that is currently the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. But it’s not just Howard’s on the court presence that sets the two apart, but his ability to stay on the floor.

Since being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick in 2004, Howard has played in 616 of the possible 623 regular season games. He has started 615 of those and missed as many as four games in a season.

On the other hand, Bynum was drafted just a year later with the No. 10 pick in the draft. In the 540 games the Lakers have played since that time, Bynum has only played in 376 of them, mainly due to various knee injuries.

They have gone head-to-head 16 games in their careers, including the postseason with Howard showing almost every time why he is the best at his position.

Against Bynum, Howard has averaged 18.8 PPG, 13.4 rebounds and 2.9 blocks. Compare that to Bynum’s eight points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks.

However in those games, Howard has complied 18.6 more minutes and 4.3 shot attempts than Bynum, giving him the slight advantage. But Bynum has continued to work hard and improve, fairing better in their more recent matchups.

In Bynum’s last three games against Howard and the Magic, he has totaled 12.3 PPG, 13 rebounds and 2.3 -- a significant upgrade from his career totals versus Orlando. That could be attributed to the extra minutes (28) and shot attempts (10.3) he is receiving.

And despite what the numbers say, Bynum’s Lakers have won nine of the 16 games, including four in the 2009 NBA Finals.

If things stay they contractual are, Howard and Bynum will both become free agents following the 2012-13 season.

But I’d expect the Lakers to sign Bynum to a contract extension in the near future as they look to continue the tradition of the franchise's dominant big men with a spot open on their Mount Rushmore, joining Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal.

There's no disputing who the best center in the game is, but maybe a swap isn't as likely as it once was in Los Angeles.

Fishing In Houston

Fisher's Game 3 performance in the 2010
NBA Finals will forever live in Laker
lore.

In with the new, out with the old.

Not long after trading for Ramon Sessions, the Los Angeles Lakers and general manager Mitch Kupchak sent longtime point guard Derek Fisher to the Houston Rockets in exchange for center Jordan Hill. Houston also receives the first-round pick Los Angeles acquired when they sent reigning Sixth Man of the Year, Lamar Odom, to the Dallas Mavericks last December.

Sessions, 25, whose only started four games this season with the drafting and emergence of Kyrie Irving, was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers for forwards Luke Walton and Jason Kopono along with the team's 2012 first-round pick.

And while Sessions gives the Lakers the athleticism and quickness they have been searching for since nearly completed a deal to obtain Chris Paul moving forward, Fisher's veteran experience and leadership will be missed, especially come playoff time.

It's no secret Los Angeles' point guard combination of Fisher and Steve Blake were among the worst in the league production-wise.

Aside from Blake never adapting to the triangle offense last year and averaging 5.5 point per game this season, Fisher has struggled to play outside of basically the only offense he has known. The 37-year-old is averaging just 5.9 PPG, his lowest total since the 1998-99 season when he posted the same number.

Fisher has averaged 8.7 PPG throughout his 16-year playing career, 13 in which have come in the purple and gold.

He had played in all 43 of the Lakers games this season, logging 25.6 minutes per contest. But it has been Fisher's defense, or lack their of, that really was a cause for a concern.

Fisher's inability to guard elite point guards like Paul, Rajon Rondo, Deron Williams, etc. continued to stick out like a sore thumb. And while Sessions is anything, but an elite defender, his speed and playmaking ability add something Los Angeles needed desperately, especially if they are to compete with the Okalahoma City's and Miami's of the world.

But even with the team looking forward, Fisher's character, dedication and contributions will not soon be forgotten.

After missing most of the regular season with a foot injury, Fisher's postseason pedigree started in the 2001 playoffs, when he nailed numerous clutch, three-point baskets. He thrilled us all with his 0.4 shot against the San Antonino Spurs in Game 5 of the Western Conference Seimfinals.

How about in Game 4 of the 2009 NBA Finals, when Fisher hit two, crucial three-point baskets, one tying the game with 4.6 left in regulation, sending the game into overtime. The other came in that extra period, again in the closing minute, but this time giving Los Angeles the lead and for good.

In Game 3 of the Finals the following year against the hated Boston Celtics, in the TD Garden with the series tied at a game piece, Fisher rose above the rest.

After teammate Kobe Bryant started the fourth quarter, in an extremely close game, 0-for-4, Fisher took the keys to the Spalding Bryant had been driving for so many years along side him and drove it home. Fisher dominated the paint, finishing with 16 points.

Postgame, Fisher was emotional to say the least saying, "I love this game. Uh, I love this team. I love this guy (referring to Bryant). I love what I do and uh, nothing means more to me than helping my team win."

And he would do just that in Game 7.

With his team trailing by as many as 13 in the third quarter and Bryant, again not on his game, Fisher found the stomach once again to hit a game-tying three with 6:13 left in the season to bring Los Angeles all the way back and help them win their second consecutive NBA title, 16th overall and his fifth.

It was Bryant's rare, but unbreakable trust he had with Fisher that allowed him to shine on the game's biggest stage. A trust that Bryant might never exude to another player.

Fisher's career averages in the postseason exceed the totals he put up in the regular season, including rebounds (2.4), points (8.9), minutes (28.0), three-point (.402) and field goal percentage (.427).

Most recently, in his final game as a Laker, Fisher knocked down a go-ahead, 20-foot jumper in overtime against the New Orleans Hornets Wednesday, sealing Los Angeles' ninth road win of the season.

It's not as if the Lakers haven't been without Fisher before. He signed with the Golden State Warriors prior to the start of 2004-05 season and playing in Utah for a year before coming back to Staples for one last championship run.

Bryant's trust in Fisher was unlike
any other.

It is believed the Rockets will buyout Fisher's contract, making him a free agent. However, if you think a return to the Lakers this season is waiting in the wings just like when center Zydrunas Ilgauskas returned to the Cavaliers after being traded during the 2009-10 season, think again.

According to the new CBA, if a player is traded and then bought out they can re-sign with a their former employer in July.

Speaking of the CBA, Fisher was elected as the Player's Association President in 2006 and played a pivotal role in ending the 166-day NBA lockout.

Throughout his career, Fisher was a consummate professional and epitome of class. I speak for everyone when I say, thanks for everything you've done, Fish.

All I Do is Lin, Lin, Lin!

You can bet Bryant knows who Jeremy
Lin is now.

The global phenomenon that is 'Lin-sanity' continued Friday.

With the 16-time NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in town, Jeremy Lin upstaged Kobe Bryant, something the 33-year-old veteran in not accustom to.

Lin has electrified the Madison Square Garden crowd lately, energizing an underachieving New York Knick team. Without superstars Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, Lin led the Knicks to their fourth straight win, defeating Los Angeles, 92-85.

The 23-year-old Harvard graduate not only scored a career-high 38 points, but the most points scored by a New York player all season, that includes Anthony and Stoudemire.

Heading into Friday night's home game, Lin became the first player since LeBron James in 2003 to score 20-plus points and handout eight or more assists in his first two NBA starts. Despite falling an assist short of that against the Lakers, Lin is in elite company.

Lin's improbable run started less than a week ago in the team's 99-92 home victory over the New Jersey Nets. In that game, Lin played a then-career-high 36 minutes, sparking New York and scoring 25 points with seven assists.

Since that time Lin has started each of the team's next three games and scored a combined 89 points. That is the most by any NBA player in his three professional starts since the ABA-NBA Merger in 1976.

He is now averaging just 9.0 points and 3.5 assists per game this season, but has rejuvenated the Knicks in Anthony and Stoudemire's absence.

New York's improves to 12-15 on the year, bringing them within a half game of the Milwaukee Bucks, who behind Brand Jennings' 24 points defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime, for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference.

For Los Angeles, it was their 12th loss of the season and 10th away from Staples Center, ending their nine-game winning streak against the Knicks. After arguably the biggest road win of their season in Boston, the Lakers never got it going. A night after combining for 41 points and 31 rebounds, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, scored just 19 points with 23 rebounds against a relatively undersized New York front court.

However, Bryant, as he always does, showed up.

Bryant, who averages 30.5 PPG in 'The Garden', second only to Michael Jordan's 31.8, scored 34 points, despite missing 10 of his first 11 shots, but added 10 rebounds.

It was just three years ago that Bryant had the Garden faithful chanting his name after setting the storied arena's single-game point record with 61 on 19-of-31 shooting.

Bryant was upstaged by someone nobody say coming. Lin is only the fourth player in NBA history to play in the league as a Harvard graduate and his Asian ethnicity makes him the ultimate underdog.

'Lin-sanity' is alive and well in the world's biggest city.

A L.A. Story

In what could be the Lakers' biggest win of

the season, Gasol was on top of his game.

Boston Celtics. Los Angeles Lakers. It never gets old.

A night after Don Rivers watched his son Austin hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to lift his team in Chapel Hill, the 50-year-old Boston head coach had to watch his team and Paul Pierce's potential game-winning 18-foot jumper with 0.01 remaining, circle the rim only to fall short, losing to the Lakers, 88-87.

Ray Allen had a chance for a putback attempt, but Pau Gasol, who just hours before found out he wouldn't be making is fourth straight All-Star appearance, blocked Allen's shot, clinching both his fists and yelling in excitement after sealing his team's fourth road win of the season.

Gasol finished the game with 25 points and 14 rebounds -- his 15th double-double this season and fourth in as many games.

The win snaps Boston's five-game winning streak and extends Los Angeles' recent success at the TD Garden. The Lakers have now won four straight regular season games in Boston, including three being decided by just one point and two needing overtime to decide a winner.

However, Los Angeles failed to score 100-plus points fourth time in-a-row and 17th time in their last 19 games. The Lakers are averaging just 93.2 points per game this season -- their lowest total in the shot clock era. The 1953-54 season, when the Lakers were still in Minneapolis, is their lowest total ever, averaging just 81.7 PPG.

Although, the franchise won their fifth and final NBA championship in Minnesota that year.

The Celtics lead most of the game until Kobe Bryant and Gasol took over the third quarter. Bryant scored 10 of his 27 points in the third quarter with Gasol adding nine. The championship duo scored 19 of Los Angeles' 22 points in the quarter, outscoring the entire Celtics team, who were held to just 17.

It was Bryant's 19th 25-point game this season which leads the NBA. But it was Andrew Bynum's late tip-in that proved to be the eventual game-winning shot. He added 14 other points, 17 rebounds and three blocks.

As for the Boston big men, especially Kevin Garnett, would like to have this one back.

After hitting two straight shots early in the fourth quarter, Garnett missed his final nine shots of the game, including back-to-backs jumpers that could have given the Celtics the lead in the extra period.

With Garnett's 12, Allen's 22 and Pierce's 18, the Boston big three were out done by the Lakers' big three, 68-52.

Speaking of those three, Pierce was the only Celtic named to his year's All-Star team, ending Garnett's impressive 14 consecutive-year run.

These two teams will not meet again until March 11 in Los Angeles. Until then, they will continue the second of a back-to-back. Boston will travel to Toronto for only their ninth road game of the season thus far while the Lakers continue their Grammy road trip under the lights of New York City, taking on the suddenly surging and Jeremy Lin-led Knickerbockers.

But, on this night, the rivalry was renewed.

Shopping at K-Mart

Martin adds depth to an already deep
Clipper bench and team.

The Los Angeles Clippers have outdone the Los Angeles Lakers yet again -- a phrase that had never been muttered prior to this season.

Both vying for his services, it was the Clippers that have agreed to a deal with veteran Kenyon Martin, not the Lakers. It's the second time in as many months the usual second-rate Clippers have acquired a player the Lakers were interested in.

In December, the Lakers came to terms on a deal with the New Orleans Hornets that would have sent point guard Chris Paul to Los Angeles. Instead the league nixed the deal and less than a week later Paul would be playing his home games in Staples Center, just not for the Lakers.

Martin, 34, headed overseers to play in the Chinese Basketball Association during the would end of being a 161-day lockout. The former Denver Nugget had been playing for the Xinjiang Guanghui Flying Tigers, averaging 13.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, before reaching a buyout agreement with the team on Dec. 21.

He has also been cleared by the FIBA to return to the NBA two weeks before originally thought, making his now highly anticipated Clipper debut on Wednesday, Feb. 8 against the Cleveland Cavaliers very likely.

His former teammate in Denver, J.R. Smith, also played in China to start the 2011-12 season and will another hot commodity in his return to the NBA -- a commodity the Clippers might also be interested in adding to their already talented roster.

Since being named the Consensus 2000 NCAA Player of the Year and drafted with the No. 1 overall pick that same season by the New Jersey Nets, Martin has played 654 career NBA games.

The 6-foot-9 forward has averaged 13.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 blocks per game during his 11-year career.

Fresh of back-to-back NBA Finals appearances with the Nets, Martin's best season came during the 2003-04 campaign. He averaged a career-high 16.7 PPG and grabbed 9.5 rebounds, earning him his first and only All-Star appearance thus far.

Martin will primarily play this season in Los Angeles as Blake Griffin's backup, earning the mid-level exception of $2.5 million.

But after failing short in two straight NBA Finals in the early part of the century, Martin is still of search of first NBA championship. He has come to accomplish that goal in the City of Angels.

Just not with the franchise that possesses 16 of them.

Peace Corps

If the Lakers are to contend for a title this
season, they will need the same type of
 performance from World Peace moving
forward.

The Los Angeles Laker have ended their mini three-game losing streak, beating their intercity rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers, 96-91.

It was the Lakers 12th consecutive game without breaking the 100-point threshold, tying a franchise record in the shot-clock era set during the 2003-04 season .

In their second meeting is less than two weeks, both teams came out with something to prove.

Former Laker Caron Butler got his new team off to a fast start, scoring the Clippers first 11 points, nine of them from beyond the arch. For the Lakers, forward Pau Gasol, who has made it known publicly he wants more scoring opportunities, came out determined and aggressive, scoring nine of the team's 25 first quarter points.

Gasol finished the game with 23 points and 10 rebounds, putting together his 10th double-double of the season in just 19 games. But it was unusually strong contributions from the Laker bench that secured them their 11th win of the season.

The Lakers' bench ranks as the second worst production-wise in the NBA, averaging 16.8 points per game. Compare that to the most productive bench in the league, the Dallas Mavericks, who are averaging an astonishing 44.0 points from their reserves.

Leading that Laker bench Wednesday night was rookie guard Andrew Goundelock. Goudelock added a career-high 14 points in 20 minutes, also a career-high. Despite Metta World Peace recording only three points, his emotional energy fueled this struggling Laker team.

World Peace came away with two steals, five rebounds and a seven assists in a season-high 38 minutes.

The Lakers trailed at the end of every quarter except for the one that matters, giving way to Kobe Bryant in the fourth. The five-time NBA champion scored 12 of his team-high 24 points in the final quarter, including a three-point basket that gave his team a 79-78 advantage and their first lead of the game.

Clipper forward Blake Griffin recorded a game-high 26 points and narrowly missed his own double-double with nine boards.

Chris Paul was limited to just 27 minutes in his first game back after a six-game absence due to a hamstring injury. He and fellow backcourt running mate Chauncey Billups combined for just 13 points, but Paul did add 12 assists. Mo Williams' 16 points continued to provide be a spark off the bench for the Clippers, scoring in double-digits for the fourth consecutive game.

The game was chippy, gritty and hard-fought to say the least, as there were six technical fouls assessed, a flagrant foul and an ejection of the Lakers' Josh McRoberts.

Chris Paul didn't have the
same type of explosiveness
returning from his injury.

Both teams are now tied atop the Pacific Division standings. It was the Lakers 10th win at home this season and the Clippers fourth loss on the road. Although, it really isn't a road game for Clippers other than the fact the floor boards read "Los Angeles Lakers" in their traditional purple and gold. The two teams have shared the Staples Center since it opened in October of 1999.

The Lakers are just 1-6 on the road this season and embark on a lengthy road trip this weekend. The team will play eight of their next nine games away from Staples, starting Saturday in Milwaukee and includes stops in Utah, Boston and New York, all hostile environments.

It was revealed Thursday that Bucks' center Andrew Bogut suffered a broken ankle Wednesday night in Houston, leaving him out indefinitely and on the sidelines for their upcoming matchup with Los Angeles.

Looks like the Lakers caught a break, something this team needs.

Turning Up The Heat

28,000 & Counting

Despite reaching the 28,000 point plateau,
it was a rough night for Bryant and Co.

After one of the worst shooting nights of his career, Los Angeles Laker guard Kobe Bryant still managed to have a historic evening Sunday in Denver.

Bryant became the youngest player in NBA history to accumulate 28,000 when his first of two free throws found the bottom of the net with 10:43 remaining in the third quarter. The now-16-year veteran took that honor from another Laker legend. Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was 34 years, 363 days old when he became the youngest player to reach the 28,000 point plateau, nearly two years older than Bryant's 33 years, 131 days.

With his latest accomplishment, it what has been, to say the least, a magical career, Bryant finds himself sixth on the all-time scoring list and 584 away points of tying former teammate Shaquille O'Neal for a spot in the top five, a mark he should reach later this year.

While Bryant still has a ways to go to top Abdul-Jabbar's mark of 38,387 total career points, the 6-foot-6 guard is arguably the greatest scorer in NBA history.

Bryant became the leading scorer in Lakers history when he passed Jerry West's total (25,192) in February of 2010. He would also become the franchise's leader in postseason points that same season, a record also held by West.

In March of 2007, Bryant had a stretch of four consecutive games where he scored 50 or more points in a single game. That is second only to Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlain's seven game stretch during the 1961-62 season. Chamberlain accomplished that feat five times that season.

The 13-time All-Star has scored 50 points or more twenty-four times in his career, including five games of 60-plus points. The great Michael Jordan, who is the only other guard in NBA history to eclipse the 28,000-point total, also totaled five 60-point games in his career.

Most recently, Bryant saved his best for the bright lights of New York City, when he went off for 61 points on Feb. 2, 2009, in a game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Three years prior, on Jan. 22, 2006, Bryant put on a Chamberlain-esque performance, scoring 81 points at home against the Toronto Raptors. 55 of the points came in the second half.

As for Bryant's most recent game and first of the new year, it wasn't a thing of beauty.

Bryant missed his first five shots of the game and finished the half 1-for-10. Not to mention both of his first half offensive fouls as part of his six total turnovers on the game. Bryant finished the game with 16 points, shooting .214% (6-for-28) from the field.

Despite excellent play from Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, who combined for 38 points and 27 rebounds, Los Angeles came up short, 99-90. The loss coming at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers were playing their sixth game in eight days and Denver for the second time in as many nights.

This time Bryant's remarkable confidence stood in the way and his greatest strength became his greatest weakness.

Returning In A Big Way

The Italian Job

Bryant looks to be headed back to a place
he has very fond memories of.

It looks as if arguably the biggest superstar in the NBA the past decade will be talking his game over seas. Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant has reached a verbal agreement to play for the Virtus Bologna in Italy during the NBA lockout.

The deal is said to be worth $3 million over a 10-game span in 40 days, but would be allowed out of the contract when the NBA lockout were to end.

Although there seems to be a scheduling conflict, putting the agreement on hold. Virtus opens their season Sunday Oct. 9 against Roma and continue to speak with other resilient Italian clubs about rescheduling some of their home games so Bryant's 10-game tour is in the biggest and most popular Italian cities and venues.

It has also been reported that the now 33-year-old Bryant is waiting to see how the this weekend's NBA labor negotiations go in New York before making anything official.

New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams got all this started by agreeing to play in Turkey back in mid-July if there was in fact a lockout.

Bryant, who was born in Philadelphia in 1978, spent the majority of his childhood living in Italy while his father, Joe Bryant, played for four different clubs from 1984-91. During that time Bryant was able to learn the Italian language and is a fluent speaker. The eldest Bryant has since returned to the United States and is currently the head coach for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks.

As for the current Lakers star, if and when the NBA season gets underway, Bryant will be entering his 16th professional season in the NBA and have three-years and $83.5 million remaining on his contract with Los Angeles. Although that can be voided by his current employer if he is injured playing in Europe.

The five-time NBA champion is coming off a season that saw him average 25.3 point per game, the lowest total of his career since he averaged 24.0 PPG during the 2003-04 season.

Virtus and Bryant have until the end of next week to get a deal signed otherwise he'll have to look elsewhere. Bryant knows he has a lot more yesterdays than tomorrows in his career so he knows how important it is to get this deal done.

Bryant could be heading back to the place he calls "home". Arrivederci Kobe. See you soon.

Lakers Continue To Be Artest-ed

Artest close lined JJ Barea Wednesday night,
and it seemed intentional. 

The Los Angeles Lakers have been continually faced with challenges this postseason and will now need to overcome yet another.

On top of facing 2-0 series deficit to the Dallas Mavericks, the two-time defending champions will also be without forward Ron Artest in Game 3 Friday night at Dallas.

Artest has been suspended by the NBA for his flagrant foul on Mavericks point guard J.J. Barea in the closing minute of Game 2.

With Artest playing well offensively through the first eight Los Angeles playoff games and the bench struggling to produce, this could hurt the Lakers.

Artest is the fifth leading score on the Lakers this postseason, averaging 10.5 points a game, well exceeding his 8.5 in the regular season.

In the biggest game of his career last June, Artest played his best game of the postseason in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. Against the hated, rival Boson Celtics, Artest recorded 20 points in 46 minutes and made a game-sealing three-point basket late to extend the Laker lead.

The former St. John's standout has proved time and time again, even though he comes with a lot of baggage, he plays his best when it matters most, doing so again in the his team's most recent playoff run.

Artest, with, at times, suffocating defense, has been known to get under opposing players skin and caused them to make uncharacteristic like decisions. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year, winning the award back in 2004 as a member of the Indiana Pacers.

A year later, Artest would be involved in one of the messiest brawls in NBA history at the Palace of Auburn Hills. Artest flew into the the stands to confront a Pistons fan and was suspended by the NBA for the rest of the regular and postseason play, missing a total of 86 games.

So, this is not the first time Artest has been suspended and probably will not be the last, but this one might have come at the wrong time.

The bench has been inconsistent most of the season and even worse this postseason, totaling just 12 points in their Game 2 loss Wednesday and have been outscored in the series 70-31 by Dallas' reserves. Despite that, Los Angeles has controlled the series, leading in most major categories.

The Mavericks have turned the ball over 22 times in the first two games compared to the Lakers' 21. Los Angeles have also outscored Dallas in the paint, 88-72, and outrebounded the Dallas bigs 88-79. But it has been Dallas's ability to hit the outside shot that has allowed them to win the first two games.

The Lakers missed their first 16 three-point attempts in Game 2, finishing 2-for-20 from behind the arch with Dallas putting in eight-of-25. That can not continue, but at any rate, Los Angeles' long range shooting has been atrocious thus far. Lamar Odom has been reported to be the player chosen by Phil Jackson to replace Artest in the starting lineup, meaning more minutes for players like Matt Barnes and the ghostly Luke Walton, who has yet to appear in the series.

This Laker team has faced adversity all year and responded every time. Expect that not to change in Game 3, trying to avoid falling into an 0-3 series hole in this best of seven series. Teams that are faced with a three-game deficit are 0-98 in NBA history, a mountain Los Angeles does not want to climb.

Could the most recent Artest antics cost the Lakers a chance to head back to the NBA Finals for the fourth straight year and the right to defend their back-to-back titles?

Los Angeles and Dallas began their third hand of Texas Hold 'Em with the chips down and ALL IN Friday in Dallas.

Griffin Unanimous R.O.Y.

Griffin put on a dunking clinic
in his rookie season.

The Los Angeles Clippers have made seven playoff appearances in franchise history, their last coming in 2006 with back-to-back postseason appearances.

A postseason berth looks to be waiting in the wings with the future looking bright in the City of Angels and not just for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Clippers forward Blake Griffin was named the NBA's 2011 Rookie of the Year Wednesday afternoon after becoming a human highlight reel.

Griffin was the first unanimous rookie to win the award in 21 years since San Antonio's 'Admiral', David Robinson, earned the award in 1990.

After being drafted with the first overall pick by Los Angeles out of the University of Oklahoma in the 2009 draft, Griffin has lived up to the billing.

However, it hasn't been easy

After having a productive preseason, Griffin would suffer a non-displaced stress fracture on his left patella in their final preseason game, putting his regular season debut on hold.

Griffin would have successful knee surgery in January of 2010 and begin a grueling four to six month rehabilitation process, working relentlessly to be healthy and ready for the 2010-11 season and was he ever.

The 22-year-old came out with vengeance and a lot to prove this season and it showed in his play.

Griffin electrified the Staples Center crowd along with the entire NBA early on with his high-flying ability and freakish athleticism. His sometimes cartoonish dunks were a constant fixture on Sportcenter's Top 10 Plays throughout the week and the entire NBA season.

In his NBA debut, Griffin scored 20 points with 14 rebounds, nine of them coming on the offensive glass. His first NBA basket was a glimpse into the future with an alley-oop slam dunk from fourth-year guard, Randy Foye. Griffin averaged a double-double in his rookie season, scoring 22.5 points per game along with 12.1 rebounds.

His 214 dunks were good enough for second in the league, behind Orlando's center Dwight Howard, who has led the NBA the in that category the last couple of years.

Griffin was also the first rookie to appear in an All-Star Game, since China sensation, Yao Ming represented the Houston Rockets in 2003. Prior to the game in Los Angeles, Griffin would bring the crowd to their feet by winning the '11 Slam Dunk Contest, capping the night with a revolutionary leap over a Kia.

Griffin was everything the Clippers could have hoped for and more in his rookie season and the beginning of what may be a changing of the guard.

The Lakers dropped their second straight home game Wednesday night and face a 2-0 series deficit at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks. With the Lakers a veteran and aging team, the Clippers might be on the rise as the team in Los Angeles.

The Clippers have a long way to go before they can make that claim, but have all the right pieces in place.

Former Hoosiers star Eric Gordon is coming off a career year in his third season in the NBA, averaging 22.3 PPG, trailing only Griffin for the team lead. It also looks as if center DeAndre Jordan is coming into his own after making his presence felt in the paint in.

All the pieces are there for the Clippers to succeed moving forward with a lot riding on their highly-controversial and unpredictable owner, Donald Sterling.

Sterling has been known not to over spend when it comes to keeping his franchise players from hitting the open market. That was apparent when Sterling allowed former superstar Elton Brand to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers after the 2007-08 season.

Although the decision looks rather smart as Brand has been injury riddled during his time in Philadelphia and looks to be on the the back end of his career. They will need Sterling to open his pocket book once again to get this team where it wants to be.

If so, the future seems bright with Griffin and Co. looking for that Hollywood ending.

Going Fishing

Fisher's leadership as made him
a winner over the years.

Monday night marked let another disappointing loss for the Los Angeles Lakers in what has been a roller coaster season for the two-time defending champions.

Los Angeles blew a 16-point lead late in the third quarter and were upset in Game 1 of the conference semifinals at Staples Center by the Dallas Mavericks.

The good news for Los Angeles, it's only Game 1 and were able to overcome a Game 1 loss at the hands of the New Orleans Hornets in the first-round, but by no means is it a recipe for success.

Along the way, Derek Fisher is showing why the aging veteran was brought back to Los Angeles in the offseason with a new three-year contract.

Fisher has been heavily criticized this season for his shaky defense and inconsistent shooting. The fact is the Lakers brought Fisher back for his leadership ability and clutch performances in the postseason. This postseason has been much of the same for the 15-year veteran averaging 9.1 points per game and shooting 52 percent from the field in the team's first seven playoff games.

Those numbers are well above his regular season averages this season, where he only averaged 6.8 points per and shot 38 percent from the field.

Fisher has also shot well from beyond the arch to start the postseason at 54 percent compared to the 39 percent he shot in the regular season.

Even though Fisher, 36, has lost a step on defensive side of the ball, he had some extremely good sequences in the first-round series against the much younger 25-year-old Chris Paul. There is not too many point guards Fisher is going to run into at more of an advanced then him, but that is what he has exactly done.

Mavericks point guard Jason Kidd is still very productive at age 38 and finds himself in the middle of dog fight of two talented veterans. Fisher has the hardware, while Kidd has the Hall of Fame resume, it should be a relatively even matchup between the two point guards, who are no longer going to impress anyone with their speed and athleticism .

Fisher has been known as a gamer and always been willing to give up his body for his teammates.

Some consider Fisher one of the best in the NBA at selling offensive fouls, which is why he is always among the league leaders in charges drawn.

Los Angeles was 18-1 this season when their point guard scored in double-digits. Fisher scored only eight points on three of six shooting Monday night and the end result was a loss. There is no question if the Lakers and Fisher want to capture their third straight NBA championship and second three-peat under Phil Jackson, they will need him to live up to his playoff reputation once again.

Who can forget Fisher's game-winning shot in San Antonio in Game 5 of the 2004 Western Conference semifinals with 0.4 left on the clock. How about Fisher's two clutch three-point baskets in Game 4 of the 2009 NBA Finals that sealed the Orlando Magic's fate. Fisher hit the game-tying three with just under five seconds left in regulation to force overtime. In the overtime, Fisher would hit the eventual game-winner with about 30 seconds left in the extra period.

Most recently, Fisher continued his postseason magic, while single-handedly taking over Game 3 of the NBA Finals in Boston a year ago with 16 points in a 91-84 victory. Fisher would return in Game 7 of that series with a game-tying three-point bucket in the closing minutes of the decisive series-clincher, setting a new record for most three-pointers for a career in the Finals.

It couldn't have come at a better time.

It's not a question of if, but when will Fisher hit his next big playoff shot in this year's postseason. When he does it will be nothing but the bottom of the net and we will be waiting to say, "Told you so".

Can Durant Break Scoring Curse?

Durant averaged 27.7 PPG this season,
leading the NBA for the second
straight year.

If history stays true in recent years the Oklahoma City Thunder will not reach the Western Conference Finals in 2011.

Many believe, with the addition of center Kendrick Perkins from the Boston Celtics, the young Thunder have added the final piece to the puzzle and could legitimately challenge the Los Angeles Lakers for a spot in the NBA Finals.

In only his fourth season in the league after being drafted second overall in the 2007, Kevin Durant has led the NBA in scoring back-to-back years.

That might not be such a good thing for Oklahoma City heading into this year's postseason. Since the 2001-02 NBA season the NBA scoring leader has failed to lead his team to the conference finals. Former NBA point guard Allen Iverson was the last player to do so, averaging 31.4 points per game in the 2000-01 season.

That year Iverson led the Philadelphia 76ers to the Eastern Conference Finals in a thrilling seven-game series against the Milwaukee Bucks, eventually reaching the NBA Finals. The 76ers would lose to the Lakers in five games, paving the way for the NBA's next dynasty. Iverson would lead the league in scoring again the following season, but his team was bounced out in the first-round by the Celtics.

A trend was born.

Since that time, the NBA has seen some of the most elite players lead the league in scoring and not reach the conference finals. The list of players includes Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and now Durant.

A year after James led the the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first Finals appearance in franchise history, for the first time in his career, he led the NBA in scoring (30.0 PPG), but unable to get them back to the promise land, losing to the eventual NBA champion Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Durant and Co. are in for a hard-fought battle in this year's postseason, no longer playing the role of underdog after capturing the No. 4 seed in the West. The road does not start easy for the Thunder with them opening up a first-round matchup with one of the hottest teams in the NBA during the second half, the No. 5 seeded Denver Nuggets.

Not only will the young man out of Texas need to live up to the expectations this season has brought. but will need to break a scoring curse to reach them.

Does Kobe Deserve MVP?

Bryant's love for the game is what sets
him apart for the rest of the pack.

Los Angeles Laker guard Kobe Bryant has not been talked about much this season as the league's Most Valuable Player, something he seems to be in the thick of every season.

Chicago's Derrick Rose is the favorite to came home the honor in 2011 and rightfully so. Rose has taken a .500 Bulls team from a year ago and made them part of the Eastern Conference's elite. As for Bryant, he might be putting together one of his best season rather quietly.

Despite Bryant's numbers are not off the chart, averaging about 25 point per game along with 4.5 assists, he is playing some the best basketball of his career.

As a team the Lakers are surging since the break winning 15 of their first 16 games. Los Angeles currently sits comfortably as the No. 2 seed in the West, only trailing the NBA's best team, the San Antonio Spurs.

The Spurs were once up as many as nine games on the Lakers for the West's top spot.

During this recent run by the Lakers, they embarrassed the Spurs on their home floor back on the March 6, 99-83. Now, with only nine games left in the regular season for Los Angeles,  they find themselves only three games back of the Spurs in the loss column. A month ago if you would have said the Lakers had a chance to catch San Antonio for the best record, you would have been called crazy. That is no longer the case.

San Antonio has suddenly dropped five of their last eight games, including the one to Los Angeles. Bryant has been at the core of it all. His passion and will to win has enabled the Lakers to make this recent surge and possibly catch the Spurs.

If Bryant and the Lakers are able to catch them you can ensure Bryant will be a top candidate for the MVP Award. The Lakers have been heavily criticized all year with their sometimes lackadaisical play.

Now, led by their captain, Bryant has helped lead them to best record since the midway point in the season and is getting them positioned for June. The Lakers play San Antonio one last time this season in Los Angeles, coming the final week of the regular season, April 12. If things continue to way are they headed, that game could decide the fate of the best record not only in the Western Conference, but throughout the NBA.

Bryant and the Lakers will be ready and so will San Antonio trying to avoid yet another bite from 'The Black Mamba'.

Odom For Sixth Man

Odom's versatility makes him
a prime candidate for the
Sixth Man of the Year.

Los Angeles Laker forward Lamar Odom is enjoying the most consistent season of his 12-year playing career.

Over the last couple of seasons Odom has been widely considered the X-factor on the Lakers during their recent title runs and given the label of the most versatile big man in the game today. 

At 6'-10", Odom runs the floor like a point guard and poses the inside presence of a center. He was snubbed at this year's All-Star Game in Los Angeles after averaging 14.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per contest. The 14.3 points per game is the most since his first season in Los Angeles, were he averaged 14.2 points per.

Despite Odom starting 34 of the Lakers' 73 games this season, he has been the best player off the bench in the NBA. Odom has showed he can put his ego aside for the opportunity to win another NBA title. The southpaw could be a starter on any other NBA team including the Lakers, but as we have discovered the Los Angeles is a better team when he is coming off the bench. 

Dallas Maverick guard Jason Terry seems to be the one to give Odom the most trouble in capturing the Sixth Man of the Year Award. Terry is averaging 16. 4 point per game, but does not give the same value to Dallas as Odom does to the two-time defending champions.

If Terry were to win the award it would be his second in three years, after taking home the honor in back in 2009.

It would be the first time Odom has won the award and a huge honor at that, knowing he would have done his job to put Los Angeles in a position to win their third NBA title in as many years.

Bynum Rising to the Elite

A healthy Bynum could almost assure a
Laker three-peat.

The Los Angeles Lakers have gone an NBA best 10-1 since the All-Star break and Andrew Bynum has been right in the center of it all.

Los Angeles went into the break losing three straight at the hands of two sub .500 teams and the Orlando Magic. A lot has changed since then with the 'Lake Show' cruising in the second half.

And Bynum rising to be one of the most elite centers in the NBA.

There is no argument that Orlando's Dwight Howard is the best at his position in the NBA, but Bynum creeped a little closer to his status Monday night.

Bynum and the Lakers outplayed the Magic, coming away with a 97-84 victory on their home floor. In 28 minutes, Bynum outplayed Howard grabbing 18 rebounds while Howard was able to track down 15 in almost 43 minutes of play. The former first-round pick also blocked four shots, three of them coming against Howard. What a difference a month makes for Bynum and the two-time defending NBA champions.

Bynum has been the difference for the Lakers since the break with his defense and enegry on both sides on the floor. In the eleven games since the break, Bynum has averaged 13 boards and brought his season average up 1.9 blocks per contest.

Still only 23, Bynum seems to be reaching his full potential that the Lakers thought he would when they drafted him with the 10th overall pick in 2005. Despite Bynum says his knee is not fully healthy from his offseason surgery, he sure is playing like it. With Bynum playing at an elite level, the Lakers look even better than their previous title runs each of the last two years.

The size and length the Lakers now bring to the table increase their chances even more to three-peat. Bynum showed his heart last June, playing the entire postseason on a bad knee and now seems to have taken his game to the next level.

If Bynum plays this way rest of the way and can stay healthy, you can almost bet on Los Angeles this postseason.

Heat Off in Miami

Hugs all around in Miami after
stopping a five-game skid.

After being a topic of conversation much of the past week and a half, the Miami Heat have ended their five-game losing streak.

The win comes at the hands of the two-time defending NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers. The Heat have now improved to 2-0 against the champs this year, their first coming with a 16-point win on Christmas Day.

This was an almost must-win for the Heat given their recent stretch and record against the league's elite. With the game tied at 88, Miami went on a 6-0 run in the final two minutes of the game, giving them the 94-88 victory. Head coach Eric Spoelstra took a different strategy in the closing minutes, giving the ball to Dwayne Wade instead of LeBron James, something they should have done long ago.

Chris Bosh also stepped up and had a great game logging 24 points and nine rebounds in 38 minutes.

The Big Three for Miami scored a combined 63 points while using the three-point shooting of veteran Mike Bibby and Mario Chalmers. Kobe Bryant gave it his best effort with 24 points of his own, matching the number on his back, but at one point had missed seven straight shots.

With Miami outscoring the Lakers in the paint 46-30, it was something nobody saw coming. The Lakers biggest advantage against most of their opponents is their size and length, that was not the case Thursday night in South Beach.

The Heat, being relatively undersized to Los Angeles, were able to get easy lay-ups down the stretch securing their 23rd win at home this season. The win ended an eight-game winning for the Lakers since the All-Star break. In the bigger picture, the game really means nothing for either team other than Miami has ended their losing streak and can get back to playing good basketball.

One thing is for sure, if this was a potential preview of a NBA Finals matchup, it should be a fight to the finish.

Time to Panic in South Beach?

Miami lost their fifth in-a-row Tuesday
night. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

The Miami Heat lost their fifth straight game Tuesday and their sixth in eight games since the All-Star break.

Miami has had trouble closing games out all season against quality opponents, continuing the trend against the Portland Trailblazers.

When LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh all teamed up to make a so called 'Super Team' in Miami they knew what they were getting themselves into. South Beach has reason to be concerned with their inability to beat teams above .500. After tonight's loss at home against Portland, the Heat have dropped to 15-19 against teams with a winning record.

It has been well documented that Miami looks confused down the stretch in a tight ball game and unsure who will take the final shot. With three superstars on one team that each is used to having the ball in their hands in crunch time, it has become a problem along with their inability to knock the shot down. In the final 10 seconds of regulation, James, Wade and Bosh are a combined 1-for-16 from the field.

Now, with the addition of veteran Mike Bibby, it forces the Heat to incorporate a new point guard, a position that has been an issue all season long. Although, Bibby is shooting a career-high in three-point percentage which should help Miami spread the floor.

The Heat have seen themselves drop to the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and now four and a half games behind the conference leading Boston Celtics. There is no question with the talent Miami possesses that they will be a threat to be reckoned with in the postseason, they just might not be a legitimate NBA Finals contender this season. Miami has lost nine out of 10 against the top five teams in the NBA, that lone win coming against their opponent this Thursday night.

With the Heat taking on the Los Angeles Lakers in South Beach and Los Angeles on a current eight-game winning streak and Miami on their five-game skid, something has to give.

Lakers Hitting Stride for June

Barnes adds fresh legs to the Laker bench.
(Bahram Mark Sobhani / Associated Press)

The Los Angeles Lakers headed into Sunday's afternoon game in Texas losers of their previous two meeting with the San Antonio Spurs this season.

Most recently, at home on a buzzer beating tip in by veteran Antonio McDyess. Los Angeles jumped out to an early 34-13 first quarter lead and never looked back, handing the Spurs only their third loss at home this season. Before the loss San Antonio had won 22 straight games at the AT&T Center.

San Antonio has widely been considered the best team in the NBA most of the season and deservingly so with the best record (51-12) and playing the most consistent. The Lakers came out sending a message Sunday, that they are still the two-time defending champions and still the team to beat in the Western Conference despite what the standings say.

The Lakers have won seven straight since the break and have played solid defense, holding opponents under 90 points per contest during that stretch.

It seems as if the Lakers were waiting for the right time to hit the gas pedal and put themselves in a good position for the postseason. It is almost certain that this will be Phil Jackson's last season as a head coach in the NBA. Kobe Bryant and Co. know this and are focused on achieving their ultimate goal for their legendary coach.

Jackson would love nothing more than to finish his career with his fourth career three-peat, securing six NBA titles each with two of greatest players in NBA history.

Most of the season, Andrew Bynum and Ron Artest looked disinterested on the defensive side of the ball if they were not getting their share of touches on the offensive end. That seems to have changed in the second half with both playing superb defense as well as contributing on the other side of the floor. Forward Matt Barnes returned the lineup Sunday with five points and six rebounds in only 14 minutes.

Barnes should also add some depth and energy to a team that is hitting its stride at the right time. These two teams will not meet again until the final week of the season, with the Spurs holding a 2-1 season edge.

With Los Angeles healthy and slowly climbing up the standing, they look primed for their third parade in as many years down Figueroa.