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Monday, April 30, 2012

Perkins on Dirk like Kidd on Kobe - ESPN (blog)

OKLAHOMA CITY â€" The Thunder’s crunch-time defense on Dirk Nowitzki might remind Mavericks fans of the way Dallas defended Kobe Bryant down the stretch of games in last season’s West semifinals.

The Thunder threw a fresh body/savvy veteran at Nowitzki for the final few minutes, much like the Mavs did against Bryant. In Oklahoma City’s case, it’s slimmed down center Kendrick Perkins taking over for Serge Ibaka. In the Mavs’ case, it was Jason Kidd taking over for Shawn Marion.

“It’s just a different look, and part of it is a fresh guy,” said Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks, who gives Perkins the freedom to decide when he wants to defend Nowitzki. “It’s not easy to guard that guy. That guy, not only does he take it out of you physically, but mentally he tortures you because he makes some of the shots that he makes. It’s like, ‘Are you kidding me?’”

The strategy worked for the Mavs against Bryant last season. It worked for the Thunder in Game 1, when Nowitzki had two points (on a pair of free throws) and two turnovers in the final two minutes.

Perkins played 26 minutes and had particularly fresh legs because his normal defensive assignment isn’t a taxing one. The Mavs’ centers aren’t scoring threats, so it isn’t as if Perkins spends a lot of energy batting for post position or playing on-the-ball defense until he switches onto Nowitzki.

Putting Perkins on Nowitzki also has another benefit to the Thunder. It allows Ibaka, the league’s leading shot blocker, to essentially play goalie with the game on the line.

Kobe Bryant Files: 'The Superman Edition'. - ThyBlackMan

April 30, 2012 by  
Filed under News, Opinion, Sports, Weekly Columns

(ThyBlackMan.com) The Kobe Bryant legacy continues this spring as the perennial All Star and part time Superhero leads his 3rd seeded Lakers into the 2012 NBA playoffs against the scrappy Denver Nuggets â€" a younger, hungrier team who‘s looking to thrash Kobe Bryant and  hopefully send him into playoff oblivion â€" once and for all.

Slim chance.  The final score displayed Lakers 103 to Denver Nuggets 88 in game one of the first round playoffs with Bryant leading all scorers with 31 points. No surprise considering Lakers playoff history with captain Kobe Bryant at the helm. The numbers speak for themselves. Five NBA titles, two time NBA finals MVP, fourteen All Star game appearances including four All  Star MVP’s and overall 25.4 ppg. Career playoff average. Few can match his track record. Only one shooting guard named Michael Jordan precedes him on the list in total playoff points. History may one day support my latest theory.

“Stopping Kobe Bryant in the playoffs is on par with stopping a ‘robbery in progress â€" yeah it happens, but rarely”. In fact, a couple of ‘rare things’ happened this season. For starters, Kobe Bryant was the third best selling jersey in the NBA behind younger players Derrick Rose and Jeremy Lin. Who could’ve predicted that one? Not me. Somehow the Western gunslinger slid under the radar due to pre season injuries, but statistically speaking, Kobe Bryant was in rare form all season. He averaged 27.9 points per game narrowly missing another scoring title by missing 7 games due to a minor shin injury.

Many relate his resurgence if you will to his Top secret, NBA approved, Unlawful in the US but LEGAL IN GERMANY, and experimental medical procedure called Regenokine.  No, I’m serious. It’s a brainchild of Dr. Peter Wehling of Dusseldorf Germany, who’s even treated other high profile American athletes, such as Alex Rodriguez and Tracy McGrady. The unorthodox procedure involved extracting blood from Kobe and spinning it in a centrifuge, somehow making a protein filled healing serum, which is then re-injected back into the ‘Kobester ‘. 

Truthfully called Molecular Orthopedics or Biologic Medicine, has been sparking medical debates between US doctors and doctors abroad over ‘successful results’ of the medical procedure. Dividing the Medical profession is one thing, winning another NBA title is another but both fields may very well look to Kobe Bryant as the ‘prototype’. No lie, his numbers speak for themselves.

After three knee operations since 2003, at age thirty three in a sixty six game season, good ole No. 24 still finds a way to master his craft. It could be the numbers. Or maybe he is Superman? Dressed as Kobe Bryant in a Lakers uniform. Be thankful we all get to witness such a phenomenal talent with super human highlights.  

Staff Writer; Deigo Mack

For more info on this talented young man feel free to check out; Mad Mack Smag.

 

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Mind Sight: Why Are We so Inspired by Upsets? - Yahoo! Sports

When Jeremy Lin seemed to come out of nowhere last winter to lead the New York Knicks of the NBA to six straight wins, and in the process scoring 38 points against big, bad Kobe Bryant and defeating the Los Angeles Lakers, our whole nation, indeed even much of the world, rose up in in a mass "hallelujah!"

Underdogs have risen up and smitten various top dogs throughout history, and inevitably they have been an inspiration to people. The question that has interested me as a psychoanalyst is why? Why do sports upsets thrill us so much?

In the beginning there was David and Goliath. Goliath was a huge Philistine who came out twice a day for 40 days and challenged the Israelites to send someone to fight him, so as to decide the battle between the Israelites and Philistines by single combat. David, a teenaged boy who would be the future king, came forward with a sling and five stones, hit Goliath in the forehead, toppled him, and cut off his head. Everyone was awed by this ancient "upset." The Philistines fled, the Israelites gloried in their triumph, and the story has lived to this day.

Three of the most heralded upsets of modern American history include the 1936 Olympics when Jesse Owens won four gold medals in track and field, something nobody else had ever accomplished, and in the process defeated the much-vaunted Nazi stars. Then there was the 1969 Super Bowl, when the underdog New York Jets from the fledgling American Football League, led by brash David-like quarterback Joe Namath, defeated the Baltimore Colts of the heavily favored National Football League. Finally, there was the 1980 "miracle on ice," when the goalie Jim Craig and the U.S.A. hockey team, comprised of college and amateur skaters, knocked off the heavily favored Russian team made up of professional players who had won the gold in 1976 and had dominated international hockey since 1964.

The "miracle on ice" became a moment of national glory hailed as, "The most transcending moment in the history of our sport in this country," by Dave Ogrean, a former executive director of USA Hockey. "For people who were born between 1945 and 1955, they know where they were when John Kennedy was shot, when man walked on the moon, and when the USA beat the Soviet Union in Lake Placid."

Sports upsets can galvanize and unite people as almost no other phenomenon. Looking at it from a sports psychology point of view, I would explain this as a kind of "identification with the aggressor." Down deep each of us knows what it is like to be an underdog. Each of us was an underdog when we were kids, and each of us has been an underdog at times as an adult. We have all known the frustration of being overpowered by some person or some group, and having to swallow our anger.

Anna Freud, Sigmund's daughter, came up with the term "identification with the aggressor," defining it as a child's identification with an abusive parent. However, I believe the identification with the aggressor may take a different form once we become adults. We still identify with the aggressor, but now we identify with the underdog (the child) who aggresses against the top dog (the frustrating parent or parent-figure).

When a Jeremy Lin or a Tim Tebow pops up and is surprisingly aggressive toward the powers that be, whether in the NBA or NFL, we identify with them. If they are victorious, they become the embodiment and expression of our own frustrated aggression. If they also have an innocence about them, this helps us to not only identify with them but also to idealize them. They become symbols of good against evil.

Jeremy Lin had that innocence and helped us to idealize him and to identify with his aggression. When he dunked, we all dunked. When he danced past Kobe Bryant to toss in a layup, we all slithered past Kobe Bryant to post a layup. When he threw up a 3-point shot to win a game, we were all throwing up that shot to win the game. When he chest-bumped Iman Shumpert and other teammates, we were all chest-bumping his teammates and each other in our heads. When he screamed out with the joy of victory, we all felt that joy of victory in our hearts.

When somebody like Lin or Tebow or Namath emerges from the ashes of defeat and takes arms against a sea of competitive forces, all of our own pent up aggression, which has been buried in the routine of day-to-day life, gets activated. For a moment in time we can all feel like winners. For a moment we can transcend the limitations of our own particular realities and sail into the clouds of anything-is-possible. If Lin or Tebow or Namath or Craig can win, we can all win.

By the way, you may have heard that Lin had surgery on a torn meniscus in his knee. And several million people are biding their time and their joy until he can play again.

Gerald Schoenewolf, Ph.D., is a licensed psychoanalyst, professor of psychology and author of 20 books. He is also an avid sports fan.

Pregame buzz: Perkins on Dirk like Kidd on Kobe - ESPN (blog)

OKLAHOMA CITY â€" The Thunder’s crunch-time defense on Dirk Nowitzki might remind Mavericks fans of the way Dallas defended Kobe Bryant down the stretch of games in last season’s West semifinals.

The Thunder threw a fresh body/savvy veteran at Nowitzki for the final few minutes, much like the Mavs did against Bryant. In Oklahoma City’s case, it’s slimmed down center Kendrick Perkins taking over for Serge Ibaka. In the Mavs’ case, it was Jason Kidd taking over for Shawn Marion.

“It’s just a different look, and part of it is a fresh guy,” said Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks, who gives Perkins the freedom to decide when he wants to defend Nowitzki. “It’s not easy to guard that guy. That guy, not only does he take it out of you physically, but mentally he tortures you because he makes some of the shots that he makes. It’s like, ‘Are you kidding me?’”

The strategy worked for the Mavs against Bryant last season. It worked for the Thunder in Game 1, when Nowitzki had two points (on a pair of free throws) and two turnovers in the final two minutes.

Perkins played 26 minutes and had particularly fresh legs because his normal defensive assignment isn’t a taxing one. The Mavs’ centers aren’t scoring threats, so it isn’t as if Perkins spends a lot of energy batting for post position or playing on-the-ball defense until he switches onto Nowitzki.

Putting Perkins on Nowitzki also has another benefit to the Thunder. It allows Ibaka, the league’s leading shot blocker, to essentially play goalie with the game on the line.

Girard-Perregaux Partners with Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation - Elite Traveler Website

Elite Traveler News


 

Jewelry and Watches
May 1st, 2012

Los Angeles, California � Reported by Elite Traveler, the private jet lifestyle magazine

Girard-Perregaux, iconic luxury Swiss watch brand, was proud to partner with basketball superstar Kobe Bryant to support the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation. On Sunday, April 22nd the foundation hosted an intimate fundraising event at the home of one of the foundation�s board members in Los Angeles to support the organization, which is dedicated to improving the lives of youth and families in need.

Over 60 guests including Cindy Crawford, Rande Gerber, Jo Champa, Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers and more attended and participated in a live auction with Andrea Fiuczynski from Christie�s. All proceeds will benefit the foundation. All six board members attended, including Kobe and Vanessa Bryant, Karyn Silver, Carol Cheng-Meyer, Aileen Getty and Patrick Soon-Shiong. Included in the auction was a custom Girard-Perregaux WW.TC Shadow timepiece, identical to the one worn by Bryant that evening. His timepiece is engraved with his initials and jersey number.

�I am very happy Girard-Perregaux supports the work we are doing to address youth homelessness in Los Angeles�, said Kobe Bryant. �Their contributions are helping us make a real impact on this critical issue.�

�We are very proud to work with Kobe and Vanessa on this event�, said Sowind Group CEO (Girard-Perregaux and JeanRichard), Michele Sofisti. �We understand the importance of giving back to the community and admire their efforts in doing so�.

The Girard-Perregaux WW.TC Shadow fly-back chronograph features a 43 mm black ceramic case diameter. This high-tech piece is the fruit of a long and meticulous manufacturing process. Ceramic gives it some appealing assets: extreme hardness (much higher than steel) and good wear resistance while being particularly light and wearable. It houses a Girard-Perregaux manufacture movement with fly-back chronograph, world time indicator, date, and day/night display.

www.girard-perregaux.com

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Lakers Playoff Schedule: Kobe Bryant Has Toughest Path to NBA Finals of Career - Bleacher Report

For Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers, only 15 wins separates them from another NBA championship after a dominating Game 1 performance against the Denver Nuggets.

However if Bryant and the Lakers can continue to roll over the Nuggets, which won't be easy by any stretch of the imagination, the road to the NBA Finals is a very difficult one for the Lakers.

In fact, this year's path to the finals could be the toughest one of Bryant's entire career.

Even if Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol are playing in the fashion they did on Sunday and even if Bryant takes over in the scoring department, it's going to be an uphill mountain to climb.

Having Kobe in the playoffs always gives the Lakers a chance, and the Lakers' length certainly presents matchup difficulties for any playoff opponent, but sometime during this postseason, their depth and perimeter shooting will be put to the test.

Who is the toughest matchup for the Lakers?

Who is the toughest matchup for the Lakers?

  • Nuggets

  • Thunder

  • Spurs

A potential second-round opponent in the Oklahoma City Thunder presents a huge challenge for the Lakers.

During the regular season, the Lakers only won one of three meetings against the Thunder, and that took a big comeback and a pair of overtimes to get the job done. 

The Russell Westbrook-Kevin Durant combination has been very difficult for the Lakers to stop, averaging a combined 52.7 PPG in the three meetings. Add to that that the Thunder have defensive presence's in the paint in Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins, who've blocked nearly 6.5 shots per game against the Lakers and it becomes a tough matchup.

The Thunder have better depth and better young talent, plus would have home-court advantage, where the Thunder are 26-7 on the season (Lakers are 15-18 on the road).

If they find a way to get past Oklahoma City, the No. 1 seed San Antonio Spurs could be awaiting.

108996225_crop_650x440Harry How/Getty Images

They are 28-5 at home and are the most unselfish team in the NBA.

Los Angeles also went 1-2 against the Spurs, but allowed a whopping 105.7 PPG in the process. While the Spurs have great depth and knock down shots, the biggest issue for the Lakers could be Spurs point guard Tony Parker, who has had an MVP-type season.

While the Lakers improved at the point guard spot with Ramon Sessions, he has struggled defensively against athletic point guards, and that's exactly what he will see in Westbrook and Parker.

Without a doubt, it's going to be a very tough test for Bryant and the Lakers to make a run to the NBA Finals. Both the Spurs and Thunder have the talent to expose their weaknesses in a long playoff series.

If Kobe can lead this team to the finals, it may be his best work to date of his lengthy Hall-of-Fame career.

Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum Play Word Association, Talk Coaches, Teammates - Bleacher Report

While the Lakers looked dominant against the Nuggets in an easy Game 1 victory, Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum spoke with Melissa Rohlin of the Los Angeles Times about some lighter topics.

During a practice session before the postseason kicked off, Rohlin played word association with Bryant and Bynum and also spoke with reserve Jordan Hill.

The results were enlightening.

We now know that Bryant listens to Beethoven, likens his game to "one of the songs that's in a lot of cartoons," that Bynum calls himself a beast and Bryant "amazing." When Rohlin says "LeBron James" Bynum stares into the camera while remaining silent, before breaking into a laugh.

When Rohlin names current Lakers head coach Mike Brown, Bryant says "great coach." When she says Phil Jackson, he says "the best coach." Hopefully someone will shoot a link of the video to Phil so he can enjoy it as well.

While Brown has taken a lot of criticism this season, we often dismiss how tough it must be to step into the shoes of a man that many feel is the greatest coach in NBA history. It's no secret that most of Jackson's former players consider him the best, but Brown has done a commendable job of navigating the waters in his first season on the sideline in Los Angeles.

Coaching a team with such great expectations is never easy. Coaching superstars like Bryant and Bynum make things exponentially easier when they're going right, but also tougher when they're not. Brown survived his first regular season as Jackson's successor and his team looked fantastic in their first postseason game. 

While there were up and downs this year, things are looking pretty okay in Los Angeles right now.

One-on-one with Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum [Video] - Los Angeles Times

Redirect Notice

Ebanks, Hill thrive in spotlight - ESPN

Commentary

The Lakers' role players join a long list of L.A.'s surprising playoff contributors

Updated: April 30, 2012, 11:00 AM ET

By Arash Markazi | ESPNLosAngeles.com

LOS ANGELES -- Earlier this season, Kobe Bryant was asked about the Lakers' roller-coaster season and laughed as though he were being asked about a movie we've all seen countless times and should know the ending to by now.

"The one thing I will say about the Lakers organization is that this is one of those franchises that always seems to land on its feet," he said. "Always seems to make the right choices, always seems to make the right decisions."

It is what has made the Lakers one of the most loved and also one of the most reviled teams in sports.

They're like the guy who walks into a casino and gets 21 when he hits on 18.

[+] EnlargeHill

Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty ImagesJordan Hill was on the court for 18 total minutes in 21 games before getting the call for Game 1 against the Nuggets.

It's not fair, but it has happened far too often in the past 65 years to be considered pure luck at this point. When it comes to gambling in this league, the Lakers have been playing with a house advantage for years.

This year's version of the Lakers hitting on 18 are Jordan Hill and Devin Ebanks.

To say that both players were afterthoughts before last week would assume that they were thoughts at all. They were so far down on the bench that Norm Pattiz, a gray-haired Lakers fan who bangs on his rolled-up program near the Lakers' bench during every game, had a better chance of getting in.

That all changed April 22, when Hill and Ebanks played critical roles in the Lakers' comeback win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in double overtime, and they were again key contributors on Sunday in the Lakers' 103-88 win over the Denver Nuggets to start the NBA playoffs.

Ebanks, who was the Lakers' leading scorer at halftime, finished the game with 12 points and five rebounds in his first playoff start. Ebanks was starting in place of Metta World Peace, who is suspended for the first six games of the playoffs. Hill was the first big man off the Lakers' bench and had 10 points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes.

"I think he surprised everybody a little bit," Bryant said of Hill. "But he just fits. He hasn't had to adjust to anything or change anything. He's just a piece that fits seamlessly into what we try to do."

Before the game against Oklahoma City, Hill had played a total of 18 minutes in 21 games since the Houston Rockets traded him to the Lakers for Derek Fisher on March 15. Hill didn't even play in 16 of those games. Meanwhile, Ebanks, after starting the season at small forward ahead of World Peace and Matt Barnes on the depth chart, didn't see the court in 42 games this season and was sent down to the NBA Developmental League for nearly a month. From Jan. 29 to April 6, he played just eight minutes in garbage time for a total of four points on four shots.

"The biggest thing with [Ebanks] was his inexperience, so there was a concern there," Lakers coach Mike Brown said. "We felt good enough about him that in the beginning of the season we started him. The tough part about it was as time went on early on, Matt stepped up and played well, and Metta is going to play. Even though he didn't play well, Metta was either going to start or come off the bench. So, I just didn't have enough minutes for Ebanks, so he kind of got lost in the shuffle. I thought his stint in the D-League was very important for his development mentally as well as physically and for us to be able to watch him."

Ebanks' and Hill's lockers are right next to each other in the Lakers' locker room, nestled into a corner between a framed sign that reads "Chemistry = TRUST." That phrase is written atop Brown's folded cardboard schedule every day and is a quote that both Ebanks and Hill had to learn to live by while they watched their teammates play from the sideline.

"I was definitely frustrated," Hill said. "I came from Houston, where I was actually playing, and came here and wasn't playing at all. They already had their chemistry down, and I just kept working until Coach called me and let me know I'd be playing."

Hill's call came at 2 a.m. after the team returned from San Antonio on April 20, when the Spurs blew out the Lakers 121-97. While he was driving back home, Brown called Hill and asked him how his knee was and whether he was ready to play.

"I told him my knee was good and I was ready," Hill said. "I told him to put me and he said, 'OK, be ready.'"

Ebanks didn't receive a similar late-night phone call from Brown, but the coach did tell Ebanks to be ready on April 7 after learning that Bryant's bruised shin would sideline him for seven games. Since then, Ebanks has averaged more than 21 minutes and seven points per game.

"I didn't get a call or anything, but Coach called me into his office a couple of weeks ago," Ebanks said. "He told me to 'Be ready to play down the stretch, because we're going to need you,' and I've been playing ever since."

The playoffs have a funny way of developing unlikely heroes, especially for the Lakers. There were Sasha Vujacic's 20-point game in the 2008 Finals and his game-winning free throws in the 2011 Finals. There were Trevor Ariza's 10 3-pointers in 2010 Finals after he was a 31 percent shooter from beyond the arc during the season. And, of course, there were Derek Fisher's timely baskets in the postseason year after year even though he had hit everything but the basket during the regular season.

Before Sunday's game, Nuggets coach George Karl worried that Ebanks and Hill were becoming the newest version of the Lakers' playoff wild cards this season. He had thought so little of Ebanks and Hill before the series, he'd had to ask reporters how Ebanks' last name was pronounced after calling him "Eubanks," and he'd totally forgotten what Hill's first name was.

"Playoffs have what I call wild cards," Karl said. "I think we got to be careful of giving the Lakers a wild card because they got three studs that most of our priorities and preparation is on [Andrew] Bynum, Kobe and [Pau] Gasol, but we can't give them a wild card. The Hill kid is now, all of the sudden, we're a little nervous on Hill. Is he going to give them an Oklahoma City game? I don't know if we can sustain that. We got to pull the wild cards. We have a lot of guys who can be wild cards. We want to win the wild-card game."

The Nuggets weren't able to win the wild-card game on Sunday, and if the Lakers' record in such gambles is any indication, it's a good bet they'll win a few more before the playoffs are over.

Arash Markazi

ESPNLosAngeles.com

"A big run" for Mike Brown - ESPN (blog)

Phil Jackson arrived in Los Angeles for the 1999-2000 season having already steered the Bulls to six NBA titles. You’d think heading into his first playoffs with the Lakers six rings would outweigh any skepticism over incense and engender a little blind faith from his players.

Not so, Kobe Bryant said last week as the Lakers prepared for the opening round of the playoffs.

“Obviously he had come in having won six championships from Chicago, but at the same time you’re still like, “Is this really going to work?”

“You don’t know until it actually works.”

Kirby Lee/US Presswire
This is an important postseason for Mike Brown, and Kobe Bryant is willing to help in any way he can.



Mike Brown is not Phil Jackson. His resume includes an impressive .659 winning percentage through six sixth seasons running NBA teams, but it includes multiple playoff disappointments and in his lone trip to the Finals, back in 2007, Brown’s Cavs were dropped by San Antonio in four straight. Supporters say he squeezed a lot of wins out of LeBron James and a perpetually limited supporting cast. Detractors say that his offensive playbook could be could be written out on a cocktail napkin, and whatever success Brown had belongs primarily to James.

In short, Brown is like the overwhelming majority of NBA coaches â€" constantly working to maintain his credibility, constrained by the limitations of his roster, and balancing his will against stars at least as, if not more powerful, than he.

Brown’s title as an assistant under Gregg Popovich in 2003 was enough to lend some weight with a young Cleveland team short on championship experience. In Los Angeles, balanced against multiple rings for Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum -- not to mention 16 for the franchise -- Brown’s hardware is more a sparkly party novelty passed around between hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour.

A dip in gravitas (between the old coach and the new one), as well as a change in offensive philosophy, has fueled a season-long question of whether Brown's players are buying in to his system and his leadership. With help from Bryant, Brown managed to keep the season on the rails, but it wasn't easy.

Just ask Kobe.

“We’re a temperamental bunch that want to win, and want to win now. We’re all very intelligent, which makes us very stubborn at the same time,” Bryant said. “You have to make sure your ducks are all in a row. You have to make sure if you’re going to make an argument for something or say something, you have to make sure you have a good reason for it and you explain it. You don’t say “Jump!” and we say “How high?”

Now, in the playoffs, the real test is underway, because it’s hard to believe Brown's stars, particularly Bryant, can fully buy in -- really, truly buy in -- until they see what he does in the postseason.

“There’s a lot of truth to that,” Bryant said.

Brown understands the significance of his first postseason as head coach of the Lakers. Sunday afternoon, he became only the second man to coach the Lakers in a playoff game at Staples Center -- you know the other guy -- and his playoff debut was a resounding success. The Lakers blew the doors off the Denver Nuggets, taking a 1-0 lead in their first round series.

Brown hopes what he’s done steering the team through 66 games under almost comically difficult circumstances this season has helped lay a foundation.

“Obviously it will [impact buy in], because [playoff performance] is part of it. But also part of it is the regular season, because if you can’t get guys to buy in during the regular season, you’re not going to make it to the playoffs,” he told me last week. “Going through some of the ups and downs that we’ve experienced during this regular season has hardened us to a certain degree to some of the outside distractions, so to where we can stand that bunker come playoff time and help us along the way. Obviously this is a new experience for all of us.”

Throughout the season, Brown has felt the eyes of his players on him, measuring and gauging him. All part of the natural feeling out process, Brown says. Obviously Brown has been heavily scrutinized outside the locker room, as well. If he was watched through 66 regular season games, he’ll be positively gawked at throughout these playoffs.

It's all part of the gig.

"Obviously, Phil Jackson was a guy that had a lot of success here, and every little thing that did not seem right, or any loss is going to be a big question mark on my forehead that everybody’s going to want to know. Can he handle it? Can he do it?” Brown says. “Whether it’s my relationship with this player or my relationship with the team, or how we play defense or how we play offense, or how I breathe, it’s all under a microscope because of the success that Phil Jackson has had prior to my arrival here. I understood that. I didn’t know it was going to be as magnified as it was, but [learning] that was a process.”

To his credit, Brown has stayed consistent in his beliefs, while showing flexibility as well. Over the course of the season, he’s changed his practice patterns to accommodate a more veteran team, loosened his grip on the offense, and gained a better understanding of how this group’s defensive performance is linked to what happens at the other end.

As for his rotation, a point of contention all year, Brown managed to find some consistency down the stretch while showing enough flexibility to get someone like Jordan Hill into the lineup, even at the eleventh hour.

Kirby Lee/US Presswire
Mike Brown's postseason debut with the Lakers couldn't have gone any better.


Now the stakes rise significantly. There are myriad reasons the Lakers could, and likely will, bow out of the postseason without winning a title. Most of them involve the team’s roster composition and talent level , not Brown.

But if they lose, and if he’s perceived to have been outcoached -- if adjustments come slowly or not at all, if he pulls the wrong strings, or goes with gut and the gut betrays him -- Brown’s ability to grow into the Lakers job next year and through his contract will be hampered, perhaps significantly. Brown isn’t simply coaching for this spring. How he performs this year lays the foundation for the ones that follow.

“This is a big run for him,” Bryant said.

Brown isn’t looking for sympathy, and Bryant isn’t offering -- “I’ve told him, I said “You signed up for this job. You know whose shoes you were filling.” -- but at the same time Kobe has no interest in stranding Brown on Coaching Island just to measure his survival skills.

Bryant's approach on the bench during the seven games he missed with inflammation in his left shin proved as much.

“You have to be in the ship together. You don’t separate the two [coaching from playing]. For me, personally, it doesn’t matter. If people say you were outcoached, we got outcoached, or whatever, at the end of the day I still lost a playoff series,” Bryant said. “So you have to make sure you’re all in this together, and if there’s something that he’s doing that I feel I can help him out with, then I’m going to help out with it. If there’s something that we can all pick each other up, that’s what we’re going to do."

Bryant notes this will be the most experienced roster Brown has ever led into the playoffs, affording him resources he didn’t have in Cleveland. Nonetheless, the fact remains this year’s team isn’t as well equipped to win a title as last year’s, and we know how that movie ended.

The uphill battle facing the Lakers this postseason, independent of coaching, ought to afford Brown a little more leeway. A strong showing should be enough to boost his stock, even if the Lakers' season ends without a parade. Enough to call his first go in L.A. a success, even.

Kobe shoots down the idea before the question is even fully asked.

“No, you’ve got to win. No, no, no. You’ve got to win. Here, you have to win. You know. You don’t make the Western Conference Finals here and be satisfied. You just don’t do it. That’s Del Harris Era. You get to the Western Conference Finals, and it’s not good enough,” he said.

“You’ve got to win the whole thing, here.”

Bynum's block party a downer for Nuggets - Philadelphia Inquirer

Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, Andrew Bynum posted the Lakers' first playoff triple-double in 21 years with an NBA postseason record-tying 10 blocked shots, and Los Angeles controlled the tempo in a playoff-opening 103-88 victory over the visiting Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

Bynum, the Lakers' all-star center coming off his best regular season, also had 10 points and 13 rebounds while blocking 11 percent of the Nuggets' 90 shots.

While Bynum had the Lakers' first playoff triple-double since Magic Johnson in the 1991 NBA Finals, fellow 7-footer Pau Gasol added 13 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists for the playoff-tested Lakers, who never trailed while forcing the NBA's highest-scoring team to play Los Angeles' preferred half-court style.

Hot Spurs blast Jazz

Tony Parker scored 28 points and the Spurs won their first playoff opener in four years, beating the Utah Jazz, 106-91, in Game 1 of their first-round series in San Antonio, Texas.

Tim Duncan added 17 points and 11 rebounds, helping the Spurs dodge another early playoff letdown. Despite holding the No. 1 seed again, San Antonio hadn't won a Game 1 in its last six postseason series - including the one that began a shocking first-round ouster last year.

Paul Millsap led Utah with 20 points. The Jazz hung close until the third, when the NBA's top three-point-shooting team began burying Utah with three in a two-minute burst to finish the quarter.

The Spurs have won 11 in a row.

Hawks soar, Celts crash

In Atlanta, Josh Smith scored 22 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, leading the Hawks to an 83-74 victory over Boston in the teams' playoff opener. The final minute turned ugly when Celtics star Rajon Rondo was ejected for bumping a referee.

The Hawks, who led by as many as 19 in the first half, were clinging to a four-point lead when Rondo lost his cool with 41 seconds remaining.

Brandon Bass was called for a foul against Smith while tussling for a loose ball. Rondo screamed at official Marc Davis, who quickly called a technical. Rondo then bumped Davis with his chest and was tossed out. A suspension also could be coming for the Celtics' floor leader.

Rondo finished with 20 points and dished out 11 assists.

Thunder steal opener

Kevin Durant was determined to not let the Oklahoma City Thunder lose another playoff game at home to Dallas.

He scored 25 points and hit the winning jumper from the foul line with 1.5 seconds remaining to give the Thunder a 99-98 victory over the Mavericks on Saturday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series - a rematch of last year's Western Conference finals.

The Thunder trailed by seven with 21/2 minutes left before rallying to take the first step toward avenging a four-games-to-one series loss a year ago.

Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki scored 11 of his 25 points in the final five minutes, going on a personal 7-1 run that made it 92-85 with 3 minutes, 23 seconds to go, but it wasn't enough.

- Associated Press

Leading Off: Bryant most deserves MVP award - Sacramento Bee

Bryant most deserves to be named MVP

It won't be much of a surprise when LeBron James is named the NBA's MVP for the 2011-12 regular season.

It will be James' third MVP award and first with the Miami Heat. With his ability to do most anything he wishes on the court â€" on offense and defense â€" James deserves the MVP trophy.

But Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers deserves it more.

In his 16th season, Bryant is still playing at a level most NBA players can only dream about. But possibly because he's viewed as a selfish player, Bryant often is overlooked for the MVP award he's won only once â€" in 2008.

This season, he averaged 27.9 points (the most since his MVP season) and 38.5 minutes â€" not bad for a 33-year-old veteran who lately has been labeled too old, too slow and too injury-prone.

Only Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant â€" who also deserves MVP consideration â€" topped Bryant in both categories.

Bryant could have tried to win the scoring title in the season finale against the Kings. Instead, he chose the Lakers over his personal agenda, sitting out the game and resting for the playoffs.

He easily could have sat out a game or two after suffering a broken nose and concussion from a hard foul by Miami's Dwyane Wade in the All-Star Game. But Bryant strapped on a plastic mask and averaged 31.3 points and 43.1 minutes in the next six games.

James, however, will join Larry Bird and Magic Johnson as three-time MVP award winners. If James stays healthy, he eventually will catch â€" and then pass â€" Michael Jordan at five.

Bryant, despite being fifth on the all-time scoring list and a 14-time All-Star, probably will not win a second MVP award if he can't win this season.

That's unjust, especially considering Steve Nash â€" really, Steve Nash? â€" has two MVP awards.

We're guessing Bryant's five NBA championships will have to do for now.

What to do

Baseball, River Cats vs. Colorado Springs, Raley Field, 7:05 p.m.: The Cats begin a four-game home series against the Sky Sox.

Today's poll

Who is the NBA's MVP?

• Kobe Bryant

• Kevin Durant

• LeBron James

• Other

Vote above or leave your comments in the comments field; or go to www.sacbee.com/sports

Weekend poll results

Which King is the most "untouchable" in an offseason trade?

• DeMarcus Cousins: 69%

• Tyreke Evans: 4%

• Isaiah Thomas: 9%

• Marcus Thornton: 2%

• None: 16%

Total votes: 547

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.


Follow The Bee's sports Facebook page: facebook.com/sacbeesports

• Read more articles by Victor Contreras


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Here are some rules of the road:

• Keep your comments civil. Don't insult one another or the subjects of our articles. If you think a comment violates our guidelines click the "Report Abuse" link to notify the moderators. Responding to the comment will only encourage bad behavior.

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You should also know that The Sacramento Bee does not screen comments before they are posted. You are more likely to see inappropriate comments before our staff does, so we ask that you click the "Report Abuse" link to submit those comments for moderator review. You also may notify us via email at feedback@sacbee.com. Note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us the profile name of the user who made the comment. Remember, comment moderation is subjective. You may find some material objectionable that we won't and vice versa.

If you submit a comment, the user name of your account will appear along with it. Users cannot remove their own comments once they have submitted them.

Leading Off: Bryant most deserves MVP award - Sacramento Bee

Bryant most deserves to be named MVP

It won't be much of a surprise when LeBron James is named the NBA's MVP for the 2011-12 regular season.

It will be James' third MVP award and first with the Miami Heat. With his ability to do most anything he wishes on the court â€" on offense and defense â€" James deserves the MVP trophy.

But Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers deserves it more.

In his 16th season, Bryant is still playing at a level most NBA players can only dream about. But possibly because he's viewed as a selfish player, Bryant often is overlooked for the MVP award he's won only once â€" in 2008.

This season, he averaged 27.9 points (the most since his MVP season) and 38.5 minutes â€" not bad for a 33-year-old veteran who lately has been labeled too old, too slow and too injury-prone.

Only Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant â€" who also deserves MVP consideration â€" topped Bryant in both categories.

Bryant could have tried to win the scoring title in the season finale against the Kings. Instead, he chose the Lakers over his personal agenda, sitting out the game and resting for the playoffs.

He easily could have sat out a game or two after suffering a broken nose and concussion from a hard foul by Miami's Dwyane Wade in the All-Star Game. But Bryant strapped on a plastic mask and averaged 31.3 points and 43.1 minutes in the next six games.

James, however, will join Larry Bird and Magic Johnson as three-time MVP award winners. If James stays healthy, he eventually will catch â€" and then pass â€" Michael Jordan at five.

Bryant, despite being fifth on the all-time scoring list and a 14-time All-Star, probably will not win a second MVP award if he can't win this season.

That's unjust, especially considering Steve Nash â€" really, Steve Nash? â€" has two MVP awards.

We're guessing Bryant's five NBA championships will have to do for now.

What to do

Baseball, River Cats vs. Colorado Springs, Raley Field, 7:05 p.m.: The Cats begin a four-game home series against the Sky Sox.

Today's poll

Who is the NBA's MVP?

• Kobe Bryant

• Kevin Durant

• LeBron James

• Other

Vote above or leave your comments in the comments field; or go to www.sacbee.com/sports

Weekend poll results

Which King is the most "untouchable" in an offseason trade?

• DeMarcus Cousins: 69%

• Tyreke Evans: 4%

• Isaiah Thomas: 9%

• Marcus Thornton: 2%

• None: 16%

Total votes: 547

© Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.


Follow The Bee's sports Facebook page: facebook.com/sacbeesports

• Read more articles by Victor Contreras


What You Should Know About Comments on Sacbee.com

Sacbee.com is happy to provide a forum for reader interaction, discussion, feedback and reaction to our stories. However, we reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments or ban users who can't play nice. (See our full terms of service here.)

Here are some rules of the road:

• Keep your comments civil. Don't insult one another or the subjects of our articles. If you think a comment violates our guidelines click the "Report Abuse" link to notify the moderators. Responding to the comment will only encourage bad behavior.

• Don't use profanities, vulgarities or hate speech. This is a general interest news site. Sometimes, there are children present. Don't say anything in a way you wouldn't want your own child to hear.

• Do not attack other users; focus your comments on issues, not individuals.

• Stay on topic. Only post comments relevant to the article at hand.

• Do not copy and paste outside material into the comment box.

• Don't repeat the same comment over and over. We heard you the first time.

• Do not use the commenting system for advertising. That's spam and it isn't allowed.

• Don't use all capital letters. That's akin to yelling and not appreciated by the audience.

• Don't flag other users' comments just because you don't agree with their point of view. Please only flag comments that violate these guidelines.

You should also know that The Sacramento Bee does not screen comments before they are posted. You are more likely to see inappropriate comments before our staff does, so we ask that you click the "Report Abuse" link to submit those comments for moderator review. You also may notify us via email at feedback@sacbee.com. Note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us the profile name of the user who made the comment. Remember, comment moderation is subjective. You may find some material objectionable that we won't and vice versa.

If you submit a comment, the user name of your account will appear along with it. Users cannot remove their own comments once they have submitted them.

Sunday, April 29, 2012

More than powering Lakers, Kobe Bryant empowers them - Los Angeles Times

He didn't hit the last shot. He didn't make the big steal. He summoned only a handful of oohs, a couple of aahs and a smattering of M-V-Ps.

Cued to enter his favorite stage Sunday, Kobe Bryant instead spent most of the first postseason game of his 16th season hovering in the wings.

He's never been quieter. He's rarely been better.

Just when we thought we'd seen every possible evolution of this town's most complicated athlete, a howling Staples Center sellout crowd was introduced to the Invisible Mamba.

He wasn't really seen until the fourth quarter. He was barely heard until after the game. But with an influence that flowed as brilliantly as his aching body once did, Bryant was felt through every inch of the Lakers' 103-88 victory over the Denver Nuggets in the playoff opener.

After spending much of the season openly pushing his teammates to be more assertive, Bryant contentedly stood aside for three quarters while watching them assertively smack the Nuggets upside the head.

Steve Blake's trio of three-point swishes that started it?

"Kobe is always saying things like, 'If something is there, you've got to take it,'" said Blake.

Jordan Hill's 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench?

"Kobe is always saying we have to rely on everyone on the floor," said Hill.

Ramon Sessions' calmly scoring 14 points with only two turnovers in nearly 30 minutes in his career postseason debut?

"Kobe told me, 'If you're going to go down, go down shooting," said Sessions, grinning. "Hey, if Kobe says it, I'm good to go."

If the Lakers spend the next few weeks elaborating on this impressive opening statement, they are good to go, like, really far.

"It's a championship-caliber team," Bryant said afterward with a sense of pride in his voice that one doesn't often hear even after he has just hit a buzzer-beater.

This being a game in which nearly half of his 31 points were scored in a garbage-time fourth quarter, could Bryant actually be as happy as if he had just hit a fade-away to win it?

"Even more so," he said with a smile, 33 years old and all grown up.

Andrew Bynum was the statistical star by recording the Lakers' first postseason triple-double in 21 years â€" including a Lakers postseason-record 10 blocks. But Bryant ended up with an impressive triple-double of his own, scoring big in unselfishness, perspective and leadership.

"Kobe has empowered his teammates, and it's fun to watch," said Coach Mike Brown.

Earlier this year, in what could be the most important realization of his waning career, Bryant finally understood that age and pains will prohibit him from winning a sixth championship on his own. For the first time, he actively pushed his teammates to win games themselves.

Kobe Bryant Allows Kevin Durant to Win 3rd Straight Scoring Title - Online Sportsbook Pro

Added April 29th, 2012 by Scott

Kobe Bryant Allows Kevin Durant to Win 3rd Straight Scoring Title

After leading the league in scoring throughout the majority of the NBA season this year, five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers has decided to sit out the final game of the regular season and concede the NBA scoring title to the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant. With Durant creeping up on Kobe while he was out with an injured shin, the Black Mamba hasn’t had the opportunity to keep in front.

Coming into tonight’s game against the rival Sacramento Kings, Kobe had a chance to pass Durant in the scoring column with a 38-point performance. If Kobe had managed to light up the scoreboard in Sacramento, the 16-year veteran would’ve been crowned scoring champion for the sixth time in his career.

Apparently, Kobe and the Lakers’ coaching staff thought it would be wise to sit this one out. As a result, Durant will win his 3rd straight scoring title and will continue to make strides as one of the most dominant scorers in NBA history. Whether or not Durant can keep up this pace remains to be seen, but at 23-years-old, the Thunder superstar has a lot left to offer.

With Michael Jordan having 10 NBA scoring titles in the bag, there is a good chance that Durant can surpass Kobe’s six titles and MJ’s 10 by the time he is 30. There’s no telling whether or not that small and skinny frame can hold up over time, but there seems to be no slowing this scoring machine as he continues to driving opposing defenses crazy with his range, shooting ability and knack for scoring in every way possible.

As for Kobe Bryant, this will most likely mark the end of his high-scoring ways or ability to top the charts in the NBA as one of the league’s most dominant scorers in league history. Even though it appears Kobe is done, there is still chance he might be able to have a repeat performance next season.

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More than powering Lakers, Kobe Bryant empowers them - Los Angeles Times

He didn't hit the last shot. He didn't make the big steal. He summoned only a handful of oohs, a couple of aahs and a smattering of M-V-Ps.

Cued to enter his favorite stage Sunday, Kobe Bryant instead spent most of the first postseason game of his 16th season hovering in the wings.

He's never been quieter. He's rarely been better.

Just when we thought we'd seen every possible evolution of this town's most complicated athlete, a howling Staples Center sellout crowd was introduced to the Invisible Mamba.

He wasn't really seen until the fourth quarter. He was barely heard until after the game. But with an influence that flowed as brilliantly as his aching body once did, Bryant was felt through every inch of the Lakers' 103-88 victory over the Denver Nuggets in the playoff opener.

After spending much of the season openly pushing his teammates to be more assertive, Bryant contentedly stood aside for three quarters while watching them assertively smack the Nuggets upside the head.

Steve Blake's trio of three-point swishes that started it?

"Kobe is always saying things like, 'If something is there, you've got to take it,'" said Blake.

Jordan Hill's 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench?

"Kobe is always saying we have to rely on everyone on the floor," said Hill.

Ramon Sessions' calmly scoring 14 points with only two turnovers in nearly 30 minutes in his career postseason debut?

"Kobe told me, 'If you're going to go down, go down shooting," said Sessions, grinning. "Hey, if Kobe says it, I'm good to go."

If the Lakers spend the next few weeks elaborating on this impressive opening statement, they are good to go, like, really far.

"It's a championship-caliber team," Bryant said afterward with a sense of pride in his voice that one doesn't often hear even after he has just hit a buzzer-beater.

This being a game in which nearly half of his 31 points were scored in a garbage-time fourth quarter, could Bryant actually be as happy as if he had just hit a fade-away to win it?

"Even more so," he said with a smile, 33 years old and all grown up.

Andrew Bynum was the statistical star by recording the Lakers' first postseason triple-double in 21 years â€" including a Lakers postseason-record 10 blocks. But Bryant ended up with an impressive triple-double of his own, scoring big in unselfishness, perspective and leadership.

"Kobe has empowered his teammates, and it's fun to watch," said Coach Mike Brown.

Earlier this year, in what could be the most important realization of his waning career, Bryant finally understood that age and pains will prohibit him from winning a sixth championship on his own. For the first time, he actively pushed his teammates to win games themselves.

More than powering Lakers, Kobe Bryant empowers them - Los Angeles Times

He didn't hit the last shot. He didn't make the big steal. He summoned only a handful of oohs, a couple of aahs and a smattering of M-V-Ps.

Cued to enter his favorite stage Sunday, Kobe Bryant instead spent most of the first postseason game of his 16th season hovering in the wings.

He's never been quieter. He's rarely been better.

Just when we thought we'd seen every possible evolution of this town's most complicated athlete, a howling Staples Center sellout crowd was introduced to the Invisible Mamba.

He wasn't really seen until the fourth quarter. He was barely heard until after the game. But with an influence that flowed as brilliantly as his aching body once did, Bryant was felt through every inch of the Lakers' 103-88 victory over the Denver Nuggets in the playoff opener.

After spending much of the season openly pushing his teammates to be more assertive, Bryant contentedly stood aside for three quarters while watching them assertively smack the Nuggets upside the head.

Steve Blake's trio of three-point swishes that started it?

"Kobe is always saying things like, 'If something is there, you've got to take it,'" said Blake.

Jordan Hill's 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench?

"Kobe is always saying we have to rely on everyone on the floor," said Hill.

Ramon Sessions' calmly scoring 14 points with only two turnovers in nearly 30 minutes in his career postseason debut?

"Kobe told me, 'If you're going to go down, go down shooting," said Sessions, grinning. "Hey, if Kobe says it, I'm good to go."

If the Lakers spend the next few weeks elaborating on this impressive opening statement, they are good to go, like, really far.

"It's a championship-caliber team," Bryant said afterward with a sense of pride in his voice that one doesn't often hear even after he has just hit a buzzer-beater.

This being a game in which nearly half of his 31 points were scored in a garbage-time fourth quarter, could Bryant actually be as happy as if he had just hit a fade-away to win it?

"Even more so," he said with a smile, 33 years old and all grown up.

Andrew Bynum was the statistical star by recording the Lakers' first postseason triple-double in 21 years â€" including a Lakers postseason-record 10 blocks. But Bryant ended up with an impressive triple-double of his own, scoring big in unselfishness, perspective and leadership.

"Kobe has empowered his teammates, and it's fun to watch," said Coach Mike Brown.

Earlier this year, in what could be the most important realization of his waning career, Bryant finally understood that age and pains will prohibit him from winning a sixth championship on his own. For the first time, he actively pushed his teammates to win games themselves.

Kobe, Bynum unstoppable; Lakers roll Denver - Sioux City Journal

LOS ANGELES -- Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, Andrew Bynum posted the Lakers' first playoff triple-double in 21 years with an NBA postseason record-tying 10 blocked shots, and Los Angeles thoroughly controlled the tempo in a playoff-opening 103-88 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

Bynum, the Lakers' All-Star center coming off his best regular season, also had 10 points and 13 rebounds while incredibly blocking 11 percent of the Nuggets' 90 shots.

Bynum had the Lakers' first playoff triple-double since Magic Johnson in the 1991 NBA finals. Fellow 7-footer Pau Gasol added 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as the playoff-tested Lakers never trailed.

Danilo Gallinari scored 19 points for the sixth-seeded Nuggets, but the NBA's second-youngest playoff roster struggled to run.

Game 2 is Tuesday night.

HAWKS 83, CELTICS 74

ATLANTA -- Josh Smith scored 22 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, leading Atlanta over Boston in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the final minute turning ugly when Celtics star Rajon Rondo was ejected for bumping an official.

The Hawks, who led by as many as 19 in the first half, were clinging to a four-point lead when Rondo lost his cool with 41 seconds remaining - and may have cost himself a chance to play Game 2 Tuesday night.

Brandon Bass was called for a foul on Smith tussling for a loose ball. Rondo screamed at official Marc Davis, who quickly called a technical. Rondo then bumped Davis with his chest and was tossed out. A suspension could be coming, too.

Rondo scored 20 points and dished out 11 assists, but none of it mattered when he lost his cool. Kevin Garnett bounced back from a miserable start to put up 20 points and 11 rebounds. Smith carried the Hawks on a night when Joe Johnson managed just 11 points on 3-of-15 shooting.

SPURS 106, JAZZ 91

SAN ANTONIO -- Tony Parker scored 28 points and San Antonio beat Utah to win its playoff opener for the first time in four years.

Tim Duncan added 17 points and 11 rebounds, helping the Spurs dodge another early playoff letdown. Despite boasting the No. 1 seed again, San Antonio hadn't won a Game 1 in its last six postseason series - including the one that began a shocking first-round ouster last year.

Paul Millsap led Utah with 20 points. The Jazz hung close until the third, when the NBA's top 3-point shooting team began burying Utah with three in a two-minute burst to finish the quarter.

The Spurs have won 11 in a row.

Game 2 is Wednesday in San Antonio.

LATE SATURDAY

THUNDER 99, MAVERICKS 98

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kevin Durant scored 25 points and hit the game-winning jumper from the foul line with 1.5 seconds left to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 99-98 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Durant maneuvered to the free throw line and got off a high-arcing shot that hit off the front of the rim and then off the backboard before falling through.

The defending NBA champion Mavericks, who were out of timeouts, could not get a shot off before the buzzer.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 11 of his 25 points in the final 5 minutes and hit two free throws with 9 seconds left to put Dallas ahead.

Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 28 points.

Kobe, Bynum unstoppable; Lakers roll Denver - Sioux City Journal

LOS ANGELES -- Kobe Bryant scored 31 points, Andrew Bynum posted the Lakers' first playoff triple-double in 21 years with an NBA postseason record-tying 10 blocked shots, and Los Angeles thoroughly controlled the tempo in a playoff-opening 103-88 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Sunday.

Bynum, the Lakers' All-Star center coming off his best regular season, also had 10 points and 13 rebounds while incredibly blocking 11 percent of the Nuggets' 90 shots.

Bynum had the Lakers' first playoff triple-double since Magic Johnson in the 1991 NBA finals. Fellow 7-footer Pau Gasol added 13 points, eight rebounds and eight assists as the playoff-tested Lakers never trailed.

Danilo Gallinari scored 19 points for the sixth-seeded Nuggets, but the NBA's second-youngest playoff roster struggled to run.

Game 2 is Tuesday night.

HAWKS 83, CELTICS 74

ATLANTA -- Josh Smith scored 22 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, leading Atlanta over Boston in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the final minute turning ugly when Celtics star Rajon Rondo was ejected for bumping an official.

The Hawks, who led by as many as 19 in the first half, were clinging to a four-point lead when Rondo lost his cool with 41 seconds remaining - and may have cost himself a chance to play Game 2 Tuesday night.

Brandon Bass was called for a foul on Smith tussling for a loose ball. Rondo screamed at official Marc Davis, who quickly called a technical. Rondo then bumped Davis with his chest and was tossed out. A suspension could be coming, too.

Rondo scored 20 points and dished out 11 assists, but none of it mattered when he lost his cool. Kevin Garnett bounced back from a miserable start to put up 20 points and 11 rebounds. Smith carried the Hawks on a night when Joe Johnson managed just 11 points on 3-of-15 shooting.

SPURS 106, JAZZ 91

SAN ANTONIO -- Tony Parker scored 28 points and San Antonio beat Utah to win its playoff opener for the first time in four years.

Tim Duncan added 17 points and 11 rebounds, helping the Spurs dodge another early playoff letdown. Despite boasting the No. 1 seed again, San Antonio hadn't won a Game 1 in its last six postseason series - including the one that began a shocking first-round ouster last year.

Paul Millsap led Utah with 20 points. The Jazz hung close until the third, when the NBA's top 3-point shooting team began burying Utah with three in a two-minute burst to finish the quarter.

The Spurs have won 11 in a row.

Game 2 is Wednesday in San Antonio.

LATE SATURDAY

THUNDER 99, MAVERICKS 98

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kevin Durant scored 25 points and hit the game-winning jumper from the foul line with 1.5 seconds left to lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 99-98 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Durant maneuvered to the free throw line and got off a high-arcing shot that hit off the front of the rim and then off the backboard before falling through.

The defending NBA champion Mavericks, who were out of timeouts, could not get a shot off before the buzzer.

Dirk Nowitzki scored 11 of his 25 points in the final 5 minutes and hit two free throws with 9 seconds left to put Dallas ahead.

Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 28 points.

Bulls' Derrick Rose Tops Kobe Bryant and Jeremy Lin in NBA Jersey Sales - Online Sportsbook Pro

Added April 29th, 2012 by Ryan

Bulls’ Derrick Rose Tops Kobe Bryant and Jeremy Lin in NBA Jersey Sales

This NBA season has been an interesting one to say the least in terms of jersey sales. Coming into the year, Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James of the Miami Heat were the top dogs in league with jerseys flying off the shelves on both the east and west coast along with around the world. Both players have gotten so popular over the past few years that there superstardom has spread like wildfire across the globe much like Michael Jordan in the ‘90s.

Ironically enough, despite Kobe and LeBron being arguably the most popular NBA players in the world today, neither one of them topped the charts in terms of jersey sales with the NBA season coming to a close. After the Linsanity craze during the middle of the season, New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin had the highest selling jersey with everyone in this country and overseas jumping on the bandwagon. Now that the craze has died down with Lin sidelined with injury, a new top-selling jersey has emerged.

Despite being on and off the injured throughout the entire season this year, reigning NBA MVP Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls has claimed the top spot with the best-selling NBA jersey. This is interesting to say the least as Rose has taken a backseat in the league this season. Even though the up-and-comer has been sidelined for the majority of the year, it just didn’t seem to matter with the rising star’s popularity going through the roof with the resurgence of the Bulls.

So as of right now, Rose is the most popular player in the league with fans buying up all his jerseys, but that will almost certainly change this summer with the league’s best and brightest heading to London, England for the 2012 Olympic Games in which Kobe, LeBron or Dwyane Wade might reclaim the top spot.

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Streaking Spurs, Lakers romp in playoff openers - ABS CBN News

Kobe Bryant had a game-high 31 points for the Los Angeles Lakers while the San Antonio Spurs relied on a potent offense as each team earned playoff-opening wins in their respective Western Conference quarter-final series.

Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant (C) drives on Denver Nuggets Danilo Gallinari of Italy (L) and Timofey Mozgov of Russia during Game 1 of their first round NBA Western Conference basketball playoff game in Los Angeles, California, April 29, 2012. Photo by Lucy Nicholson, Reuters.

Bryant, who sat out eight of the final 10 regular-season games to rest, got off to a slow start but found his rhythm in the second half of the Lakers' 103-88 romp over the visiting Denver Nuggets.

In San Antonio, Tony Parker scored a game-high 28 points and the red-hot Spurs silenced the Utah Jazz 106-91 - the highest offensive output by any National Basketball Association team in this year's playoffs - for their 11th consecutive win.

The West's third-seeded Lakers doubled the score on the Nuggets before the first quarter ended and Denver never came closer than four points the rest of the way.

Lakers All-Star center Andrew Bynum tied a playoff record with 10 blocked shots to go along with the team's first triple double since 1991.

Danilo Gallinari paced Denver with 19 points.

The Lakers host Game Two on Tuesday.

For the West's top-seeded Spurs, who were upset in the opening round last year despite also being the No. 1 seed, the triumph continued an impressive April. They had closed out the regular season with a 10-0 run.

"I think everybody knows what happened last year," Parker told reporters. "I made sure I set the table in Game One by being aggressive."

After the Jazz held the regular season's second-highest scoring team to just two points in the game's first two minutes, the Spurs went on an 8-0 run late in the first quarter to grab control and broke open the contest with 31 points in the third.

Tim Duncan added 17 points and 11 rebounds while Stephen Jackson came off the bench to score 14 points for the Spurs, who at 50-16 shared the league's best regular season record with the Eastern Conference's Chicago Bulls.

Eighth-seeded Utah, which used a five-game winning streak to squeeze into the playoffs, was led by Paul Millsap's 20 points.

Game Two is Wednesday in San Antonio.

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Salvo North Carolina; Editing by Frank Pingue)

Streaking Spurs, Lakers romp in playoff openers - ABS CBN News

Kobe Bryant had a game-high 31 points for the Los Angeles Lakers while the San Antonio Spurs relied on a potent offense as each team earned playoff-opening wins in their respective Western Conference quarter-final series.

Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant (C) drives on Denver Nuggets Danilo Gallinari of Italy (L) and Timofey Mozgov of Russia during Game 1 of their first round NBA Western Conference basketball playoff game in Los Angeles, California, April 29, 2012. Photo by Lucy Nicholson, Reuters.

Bryant, who sat out eight of the final 10 regular-season games to rest, got off to a slow start but found his rhythm in the second half of the Lakers' 103-88 romp over the visiting Denver Nuggets.

In San Antonio, Tony Parker scored a game-high 28 points and the red-hot Spurs silenced the Utah Jazz 106-91 - the highest offensive output by any National Basketball Association team in this year's playoffs - for their 11th consecutive win.

The West's third-seeded Lakers doubled the score on the Nuggets before the first quarter ended and Denver never came closer than four points the rest of the way.

Lakers All-Star center Andrew Bynum tied a playoff record with 10 blocked shots to go along with the team's first triple double since 1991.

Danilo Gallinari paced Denver with 19 points.

The Lakers host Game Two on Tuesday.

For the West's top-seeded Spurs, who were upset in the opening round last year despite also being the No. 1 seed, the triumph continued an impressive April. They had closed out the regular season with a 10-0 run.

"I think everybody knows what happened last year," Parker told reporters. "I made sure I set the table in Game One by being aggressive."

After the Jazz held the regular season's second-highest scoring team to just two points in the game's first two minutes, the Spurs went on an 8-0 run late in the first quarter to grab control and broke open the contest with 31 points in the third.

Tim Duncan added 17 points and 11 rebounds while Stephen Jackson came off the bench to score 14 points for the Spurs, who at 50-16 shared the league's best regular season record with the Eastern Conference's Chicago Bulls.

Eighth-seeded Utah, which used a five-game winning streak to squeeze into the playoffs, was led by Paul Millsap's 20 points.

Game Two is Wednesday in San Antonio.

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Salvo North Carolina; Editing by Frank Pingue)

Nuggets-Lakers Game Review - USA TODAY

Nuggets-Lakers Game Review

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Andrew Bynum matched Hakeem Olajuwon and Mark Eaton for the most blocks in an NBA playoff game and posted the first Lakers triple-double in 21 years as Los Angeles thumped the Denver Nuggets, 103-88, in the opener of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.

Bynum netted 10 points to go with 13 rebounds and 10 blocks, becoming the first Laker to register a postseason triple-double since Magic Johnson accomplished the feat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls.

"The difference in the game was Andrew Bynum. He was phenomenal tonight, he was an absolute beast," Lakers head coach Mike Brown said.

Kobe Bryant scored 23 of his 31 points in the second half on 11-of-24 shooting, while Brown made his Lakers playoff coaching debut.

Devin Ebanks filled in admirably for the suspended Metta World Peace, scoring 12 points to go with five boards. World Peace will miss the first six games of the series for a violent elbow to the head of Thunder top reserve James Harden last Sunday.

"Guys came out and played a 48-minute game, very few breakdowns in our gameplan. Our guys stepped up and played a solid game at both ends of the floor," Brown said.

Danilo Gallinari poured in 19 points to lead the Nuggets, who won six of their last seven games to close the regular season. Denver's leading scorer, Ty Lawson, was limited to just seven points.

"They took a good punch at us, we have to learn from it and come back," Denver head coach George Karl said.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will take place on Tuesday at Staples Center.

These two teams are meeting for the third time in the past five years (2008, 2009), but like their two previous playoff matchups, this contest was one- sided right from the opening tip.

The Lakers nearly doubled up the Nuggets in the opening frame. Steve Blake nailed three three-pointers and two Bryant free throws with 1.3 seconds remaining gave Los Angeles a 27-14 advantage after a quarter of play.

After Gallinari's reverse dunk cut the deficit to 39-34 with just under four minutes left in the second, Los Angeles closed the half on an 11-6 surge to take a 50-40 lead into the locker room.

"In the first half our offense was building no confidence. They had too much control with a lot of aspects of the game," Karl said.

A 7-2 spurt at the midpoint of the third helped the Lakers build a 19-point bulge. Ramon Sessions received a fortuitous bounce on a left-corner triple and Bryant sliced and diced through the Nuggets defense before getting his short shot to fall, giving Los Angeles a commanding 71-52 advantage.

Los Angeles took a 77-64 edge into the final period and led by as many as 21 in fourth.

Denver, which led the NBA in scoring with 104.1 points per game, shot just 35.6 percent from the field.

Nuggets-Lakers Game Review - USA TODAY

Nuggets-Lakers Game Review

Los Angeles, CA (Sports Network) - Andrew Bynum matched Hakeem Olajuwon and Mark Eaton for the most blocks in an NBA playoff game and posted the first Lakers triple-double in 21 years as Los Angeles thumped the Denver Nuggets, 103-88, in the opener of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.

Bynum netted 10 points to go with 13 rebounds and 10 blocks, becoming the first Laker to register a postseason triple-double since Magic Johnson accomplished the feat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Chicago Bulls.

"The difference in the game was Andrew Bynum. He was phenomenal tonight, he was an absolute beast," Lakers head coach Mike Brown said.

Kobe Bryant scored 23 of his 31 points in the second half on 11-of-24 shooting, while Brown made his Lakers playoff coaching debut.

Devin Ebanks filled in admirably for the suspended Metta World Peace, scoring 12 points to go with five boards. World Peace will miss the first six games of the series for a violent elbow to the head of Thunder top reserve James Harden last Sunday.

"Guys came out and played a 48-minute game, very few breakdowns in our gameplan. Our guys stepped up and played a solid game at both ends of the floor," Brown said.

Danilo Gallinari poured in 19 points to lead the Nuggets, who won six of their last seven games to close the regular season. Denver's leading scorer, Ty Lawson, was limited to just seven points.

"They took a good punch at us, we have to learn from it and come back," Denver head coach George Karl said.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will take place on Tuesday at Staples Center.

These two teams are meeting for the third time in the past five years (2008, 2009), but like their two previous playoff matchups, this contest was one- sided right from the opening tip.

The Lakers nearly doubled up the Nuggets in the opening frame. Steve Blake nailed three three-pointers and two Bryant free throws with 1.3 seconds remaining gave Los Angeles a 27-14 advantage after a quarter of play.

After Gallinari's reverse dunk cut the deficit to 39-34 with just under four minutes left in the second, Los Angeles closed the half on an 11-6 surge to take a 50-40 lead into the locker room.

"In the first half our offense was building no confidence. They had too much control with a lot of aspects of the game," Karl said.

A 7-2 spurt at the midpoint of the third helped the Lakers build a 19-point bulge. Ramon Sessions received a fortuitous bounce on a left-corner triple and Bryant sliced and diced through the Nuggets defense before getting his short shot to fall, giving Los Angeles a commanding 71-52 advantage.

Los Angeles took a 77-64 edge into the final period and led by as many as 21 in fourth.

Denver, which led the NBA in scoring with 104.1 points per game, shot just 35.6 percent from the field.