All that glitters is not purple and gold
as we all sat and watched our favored
team lose both to Sacramento last Friday
and then on Sunday afternoon to the
Boston Celtics. Granted we did win
against Utah Tuesday evening and
by a large margin too after their 3
day break and the Jazz seemed
to be sleepy out on the court.
Kobe Bryant, Shannon Brown, Steve
Blake and Lamar Odom were jumping
'with vigor and our team was well on
their way toward a commanding lead
by halftime. So what on earth happened
then with Sacramento we ask? Sacramento
made final points at 100 while our Lakers
only came up with 95. Kobe Bryant, however,
swept past Hakeem Olajuwon on the NBA's
all time scoring list Friday night. In fact, he
got it done in the very first quarter of play.
Bryant went into the game needing 13 points
to pass Hakeem for 8th. place. Playing the
Kings, there was a sell out crowd too of 18,997
at Staples Center. We even trailed by 20 points
late in the 3rd. quarter. Bryants' dunk, however,
which accounted for his 26,946th. & 26,947th
points of his career, was one of the few highlights
for the Lakers during this game in the first 3 quarters.
Sunday's game was disappointing to say the very
least as we were ahead by 4 points at half time.
Our defense crumbled in the second half and
Boston Celtics won on our own court with score
of 109-96. A tough call. Ron Artest, the hero of
the Lakers' victory over the Boston Celtics in
game 7 of the finals last June, seemed power-
less to stop Bostons' sharpshooters. Kobe either.
Potential Champions next spring? We wonder.
Tuesday at home, we play Houston and also
at home on Thursday night so maybe we can
win a couple for redemption on these games?
Babs Wells

Boy, winning sure is fun

Yes, our Laker team has won their last two games!
Sometimes we worry over the thinner air in Denver.
Guess it made no difference this time however.
We got a victory over the Denver Nuggets by
a show of force for a 107-97 winning game.
It was the Lakers second road win over a team
with a .500 record or better this season & it gave
them a 2-2 record in what has been their toughest
week of the season. Lakers won over Oklahoma
City Thunder but lost to the Clippers & the Dallas
Mavericks. Ron Artest & Pau Gasol led 5 Lakers
in double figures with 19 points apiece. Kobe
Bryant & Lamar Odom each scored 18 & Andrew
Bynum added 17.Now the Lakers will play a stretch
of 17 games from February & into March in which
they will be playing 14 of them on the road. Phil
Jackson (coach) said " I think we are coming into
our own as a team....we're playing better overall
from one to 12. I think we are playing better basket-
ball right now in the last two or three weeks. I think
we are capable of being a very good team."
Granted there are a number of guys on the team
that are over 30 but they know how to play & control
the pace.Seems what was learned in Chicago was
how to control the game on the offensive end. A
defensive team seemed to not be able to stand
up or stop our players. And certainly, that did
seem to be the case Tuesday when the Lakers
looked as though they could score at will against
the lifeless Jazz who were playing the final game
of a 5 game cross-country trip. They had, by the
way, lost the first four games. We led by as many
as 28 points in the first half, outscoring Utah by
22-12 in the paint. We shot 72.2 % in the first
quarter and 55 % in the second. We had 20 assists
to only 12 for Utah in the first half. We won 120-91.
Now we play Sacramento Friday & Boston Sunday.
Both games are going to be played here at home.
We have all lost a fitness guru and icon this week.
Jack La Lane lost his life's battle but lived from 1914-2011.
A very fit fellow and eager to share his accomplishments
with all who would listen. It was but a very short bit part
former Laker star Rick Fox played on T.V.'s "Big Bang Theory".
We are eager to see both upcoming games so keep tuned.
Babs Wells

Yes, we did win over Oklahoma City and then went

on to Dallas. Not quite so fortunate there. First 3

quarters it really did look as if we would win again.

During the fourth quarter, things began to fall

apart and Dallas won. It was sort of a bitter way to

lose actually as Dallas had just lost 6 consecutive

games so losing for our team seemed almost un-heard

of but we did. Score? Dallas 109, Lakers 100.

Lamar Odom and coach Phil Jackson even had

some heated discussion it seems at the end of

the third quarter when a time out was called for.

Inside the Lakers huddle, these kinds of discourse

are not often done as Phil usually lets things cool

off on the bench while he meets with his assistants

several paces away. The Lakers lack of defensive

intensity when it mattered most cost them during

their first game this season against the Mavericks.

They had given up 100 points or more only twice

in their past 15 games. Kobe Bryant said "we

were late. We fell asleep on the weak side. Just

did not do a good job." Another Laker (former one)

Rick Fox will guest star tonight, Thursday on CBS

at 8:00 on the "Big Bang Theory"

So now the Lakers will still be away from home

to play against Denver on Friday night.

"Where the breeze is cold and the air is thin

Do you suppose our Lakers on Friday, can win?"

Let's hope so.

Babs Wells

Midpoint

Midpoint of the season with being half way there.
A great reunion last Friday night in Staples
with the New Jersey Nets playing
against us and Jordan Farmar along with Sasha
Vujacic (former Lakers players) coming in with
the Nets. They brought cheers from the stands and
a glowing happiness prevailed as those two
were also presented with their gold Championship
rings. Smiles and good feelings were shown all
around. Sasha had played with the Lakers for 6 years.
Jordan (from Taft High School and UCLA) was ever
so pleased with the welcoming reception they got.
We beat the Nets though that night. Score: Lakers 100
and Nets 88. It was a good game. Then on Sunday we
played the Clippers...also at Staples Center. The Clippers
have a new coach, Vinny Del Negro and ever since he
came in as coach the Clippers became a whole new
ball team winning their games rather than taking losses.
During the game it really did look as if the Lakers had
it sewed up in the 3rd. quarter when we were 10 points
ahead..that is until the Clippers sunk their teeth in and
came out the victors winning over the Lakers: 99-92.
There was a small altercation right at the very ending
of the game with four players being escorted off to the
Locker rooms just seconds before game ended.
Not actually called for but when the ref's. decide..well..
then they have no recourse but to abide by the decision.
So now Tonight we play Oklahoma City at Staples and
perhaps bring our tall players and long limbed ones
into the competition. Good luck!
Babs Wells

OMG

55 points higher than the Cavaliers
for Tuesday nights game with final
score reading 112 Lakers and
Cleveland only 57. Unreal!! What
a game that one was to see!
It was sort of sad, actually, to watch.
Evan our bench got to play and allow
our starters to sit down and rest up.
Therefore the leagues worst team was
so outplayed it was all too predictable
the way that they took the thrashing.
Bryant, Fisher and Ron Artest departed
the game for good to a standing ovation
with 1:49 left in the third, with the Lakers
ahead 86-35. It was the Lakers biggest
lead since they led Atlanta by 53 points
late on January 9, 2004.
Matt Barnes is to be sidelined for approximately
eight weeks. He will be undergoing arthroscopic
surgery to mend the torn miniscus in his right
knee. He sat out his second game Tuesday
night, when the Lakers faced the Cleveland Cavaliers
at Staples Center. He was injured while pursuing
a rebound during the Lakers' victory Friday over the
New Orleans Hornets.
Wednesday night at Oracle Arena the Lakers faced
the Golden State Warriors. It really did look as if they
were threatened in this game for the first half. In fact
they trailed after the first, second and third quarters
before rallying in to win 115-110 during the fourth
quarter for their sixth win in a row. Our Lakers Kobe
Bryant made 39 points in Wednesdays' victory.
The Lakers seemed poised for a big finish.
Now on Friday we play New Jersey at Staples
Center and on Sunday we play the Clippers,
who by the way have been winning games like
mad lately. It will be a"home game" but with
the Clippers hosting so still played in Staples
Center although it will be a back to back game
with the following eve. on Monday at Staples
playing Oklahoma City. Yes, we have our
work cut out for us in these upcoming games.
Babs Wells

Injuries!

Injuries seem to occur in spite of
wearing the power balance bracelets!
Lamar Odom is bothered by a sore shoulder
but is playing on the courts all the same. Kobe Bryant
has his bad knees - in fact almost bone on bone.
Coach Phil Jackson says that they have been
monitoring Kobe's knees since way before the
the last spring's flareup that resulted in fluid
being drained during the first round play-
off series. Again the subject was brought up too
before the Lakers faced the New Orleans Hornets
last Friday. That was due to the fact Kobe had
revealed the extent of his knee troubles but declined
to talk specifics when asked by local reporters.
And the Lakers began their second day without
Matt Barnes. Instead they called Devin Ebanks
(rookie forward) in from the Bakersfield Jam of the
D-League in hopes he could give us a few quality
minutes. Barnes tore the cartilage in his right knee
during the Lakers' victory at last Fridays' game.
Whether he is sidelined for a few weeks or for
a longer duration, the Lakers will try to make do
by giving more minutes to Ron Artest, their starting
small forward, backup Luke Walton & probably
Ebanks too. Ebanks averaged 16.5 points,
7.7 rebounds,1.7 assists and 1.5 steals in 27.7
minutes over six games after he joined
Bakersfield on Dec. 27th. He had averaged
2.9 points, 1.5 rebounds in 6.4 minutes over
12 games with the Lakers.
Having won the last four games with Sundays'
game playing the N.Y. Knicks and winning it
with score of 109-87 we are feeling a bit
more confident now and play in Staples Center
with Cleveland on Tuesday with a back to back
game on Wednesday playing away from home
with Golden State but again back home on Friday
playing against New Jersey so...yes, we do have
our work cut out for us..hopeful players injuries
will not start showing that we cannot pull these
upcoming games off..because I do think we can.
Babs Wells

Power balance bracelets

Power balance bracelets in the New Year? Well, many swear by them and even our Laker star, Kobe Bryant is wearing one. No, it is no gimmick and the wearer believes that their strength, flexibility and balance is enhanced by wearing one of these. Shaquille O'Neal wears one. Soccer pro David Beckham wears one. Even Laker Lamar Odom is sporting one on his wrist too. Athletic trainers are skeptical but think that if a person believes enough, just their belief alone ought to help them. Having declared all of this, maybe it is working since we now have won the last two games played. Losing 4 out of 6 past games, winning over Detroit 108-83 was the boost the fans and our team really needed.Playing with the Detroit Pistons seemed like a new beginning in this brand new year. Our players showed renewed vigor and an offensive flow. After taking a 45-42 lead at halftime they opened up leads of 18 points twice in the third quarter behind Pau Gasol's (21) points. Kobe Bryant had 17 points even with some of his fingers bandaged still. Coach Phil Jackson and player Ron Artest had a very 'special conversation that led the media to begin asking questions that Ron decided did not need addressing and told them as much. It was a private conversation and one that has taken place at other times often with other players too when practice days seem bent to need some advice given or to bring out a point or 2 to drive home with the team. Phoenix was the host for our players this last Wednesday and we once again showed our power on the courts. There in the desert we won 99-95. It was a very good game to watch with tie scores even at times and at seasons midway point drawing near, Lakers do want their games elevated sooner rather than later. A victory over the Suns wouldn't have exactly heralded a new beginning for the two time defending Lakers, but it very well may be a step in the right direction..having perhaps spent far too much time meandering on their quest for a three-peat. All in all however Wednesday's game was perhaps their sharpest start to a game in recent memory. And an interesting side note is regarding Lamar Odom. His wife, Khloe Kardashian (star in T.V. show "Keeping up") and Lamar will be together on the air with an eight episode series tentatively titled "Khloe and Lamar" for E! This show will focus solely on their life together having been married to each other since September 2009. When the Lakers did not object, Lamar decided to go ahead and do it. And so with this to look forward to as well as two home games coming up, (one this Friday with New Orleans and one on Sunday with New York), New Years' best is wished one and all. Babs Wells