KOBE MATCHED WEST'S FREE THROWS!!!

What games we have been seeing these
last two games! Losing Saturday's game
to Milwaukee was no fun but enthusiasm
was high with games back to back playing
Minnesota on Sunday in the offing even then.
Score was: 100-89. Bryant made 27 points,
Andrew Bynum added another 15 points
and 9 rebounds with Pau Gasol coming
in at 12 points and 15 rebounds. A
rookie guard, Andrew Goudelock, had
13 points in a reserve role for the
Lakers but Bryant stated "On the road,
we must find a way to have far more energy".
Well, seems they found it for their game
against the Minnesota Timberwolves alright.
Not only did our Kobe match Jerry West,
but for field goals, he passed Kareem-
Abdul-Jabbar!. Free throws numbered 7,163
and the field goals? 9,935 ! What a number!
Applaud, applaud, applaud please?! Happy?
YES !
Bryant does not know the Minnesota playing
Rubio, but said he really liked the Spaniard's
game. Rubio and our Pau embraced at games
end. They had both, along with Pau's brother,
Mark, played for Spain during the summer.
Lakers were born in Minnesota and won 5
championships in Minnesota before coming
to L.A. in 1960. They have not lost in
Minnesota in almost 5 years. Sunday score:106-101.
Both Bryant and Gasol played the entire
second half with Bynum playing all but
3.08. Minnesota's Kevin Love said
that Bryant hit some pretty big shots
and that is why he is the best player
in the game. We heartily agree with that!
Babs Wells

I'LL BE HORN-SWOG-GLED

Staples Center score last evening
was: Lakers 96 and Clippers 91.
Both L.A. teams competed to win.
Both share the same home court
building and both walk the same
halls for their lockers.
There was fierce scrambling for
that basketball during the 48
minutes play time.
Kobe Bryant made 24 points with
Pau Gasol close on his heals scoring
23 points and 10 rebounds.
Andrew Bynum had 10 points.
Metta World Peace got into a
little scruffy few moments but
teammates came to the rescue.
No punches thrown and no technical
fouls were whistled. However, with
such fierce competition, around the
basket, it appeared slaps and shoves,
smacks in the back or chest, & each
team seemed to vie for any advantage.
McRoberts had 2 technical fouls and
was ejected. All during the game,
Coach Mike Brown made it very clear
that this was a "Must win" game.
The Lakers did get a real boost
from Goudelock in the first half
of the game. His contributions were
3 pointer baskets.
Our Lakers did claim one more award,
that being MVF. Seems we have gone
above and beyond the New York Knicks.
A value of $900 million was proclaimed,
with a 40% increase over last year
thanks in part to the new televised
20 year contract made with Time Warner.
In contrast, The Knicks were second
in value at $750 million, a 19% increase.
The Clippers, who led the Lakers in the
standings going into Wednesday's game
at Staples Center, were 20th in the
30-team league at $324 million, a
6% increase from last year. Overall,
the average value of NBA teams rose
to $393 million, up 6.5%.
Time Warner will be starting 2 new
channels for 2012-13. One carrying
the Lakers games in English and
one channel carrying it in Spanish.
The Lakers cable reach is the largest
in the NBA according to Time Warners'
source, Forbes, with 271,000 house-
holds tuning in to Fox Sports West
last season. Our challenge comes for
these next two games as we play back
to back away from home. We play
Milwaukee on Saturday and Minnesota
on Sunday. Both games will be played
earlier than our usual games on
local KCAL-TV channel 9.
Another tidbit: As Hillary Rodham
Clinton has now depicted Kareem-Abdul
Jabbar (former Laker) to become an
advocate for the young people, titled
"Global Cultural Ambassador", he will
travel the world to engage young people
to help promote diplomacy. It is with
this in mind, anybody may bring his
or her caption idea into play. Just
send it in to: captionthis@free press.com
and Sunday the best caption will be
printed in daily newspapers. Good luck!
Babs Wells

WAS IT JUST A BLUNDER?

Staying ahead last night playing
against Indiana seemed just fine
until toward games' end. Kobe missed
a three pointer with but seconds to spare.
Indiana found their niche and we did
not have time to balance the score.
We lost, even on home court, with
tabulation showing under 100. Score: 98 - 96.
Even with having been on the road
for awhile, our Kobe still was able
to make 33 points all the same.
Andrew Bynum made 16 points and
had 8 rebounds but it was really
a struggle when double-teamed.
Matt Barnes had 14 points and Metta
World Peace scored 11 points in a
reserve role. Pau Gasol had 8 points,
8 rebounds and 10 assists. It would
appear that the Lakers defense plus
their intensity were lacking. The
Lakers substitutes combined to score
15 points on 5 of 10 shooting in the first
half. For some reason, our boys just
could not seem to rid themselves of
the Pacers in the second half of the
game. Even having Bryant's fadeaway
jumper at the third-quarter buzzer
to give the team a lead. Disheartening
to be sure. But now onto two other
sports related topics. Joe Paterno,
age 85, died yesterday of lung cancer.
He had been Penn State's football coach
since 1965. Suddenly, cruelly, he lost
the battle against cancer. We mourn a
very admired man. He was a force for
good for most all of his life and for
what it is worth, that certainly out-
weighs what ever terrible events had
surrounded him in recent months.
Time will take care of any harsh
memories and his gallant life will
be the shining light to remember.
Another "Sport" is Gabby Giffords,
wife of famed Mark Kelly, retired
from the Space Shuttle program now
and with doctors and therapists, each
concentrating on helping Gabby recover
from her ordeal. She suffered from a horrible
gunshot head wound that left her so
vulnerable and hurt, that she has de-
cided to not run again for Congress so
in today's newspaper, we learn that she
will be stepping down and releasing her
post. We wish you Godspeed, Gabby and
please know that folks that you never
knew or will ever know, are pulling for you.
There are many aspects, aren't there?
When we all play by the rules in any sport.
Babs Wells

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

With losses on the road being 1-6 now
since last evenings heavy loss with
Orlando, we hung our heads going back
into the locker room and knew that our
offense needs to be worked on far more.
Orlando beat us 92-80 and even though
our attempts to make baskets seemed
tough, we head back home again to play
Indiana at Staples on Sunday. We have
a two day reprieve before playing the
Clippers (Also at Staples) on Wednesday.
Andrew Bynum made only 10 points last night
with 12 rebounds. A far cry from Dwight Howard's
21 points and 23 rebounds for the Orlando
team. For the record, the Lakers have not
been 1-6 away from home since they were
1-8 in 2002-03. The trouble seemed to be
almost from the start when coach Brown
began to substitute for his starters.
The Lakers offense stalled with the second
unit on the floor in the second quarter.
Troy Murphy made a 3 pointer. Meta World
Peace (AKA Ron Artest), was benched for
the second half. Kobe and Jason Kapono
both hit 3 pointers midway through the
fourth quarter, but it only seemed more
like a tease, when the Lakers fizzled out.
On a happier note, Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton has named a former Laker,
Kareem Abdul-Jaabbar, as a global cultural
Ambassador. And so we go forward, and hopefully
upward, as we look for tomorrow's game to
give us all a much needed win.
Babs Wells

WELL, IT IS ONLY A GAME.....RIGHT?

During last night's game in the fourthquarter, our boys came alive.
Seems there often is a downer feeling when playing on the road.
Even without Dywane Wade, the Miami Heat were fierce and had us
"off balance". At one point they were so far ahead, that it seemed unlikely
we would ever be able to play catch up but we did get some improvement
toward games' end. LeBron James was having flu like symptoms yet scored
31 by himself all the same. The score kept us watching in disbelief and ended
with it being Miami 98, Lakers 87. Pau Gasol scored a season high with making
26 points, Kobe Bryant made 24 and 14 of those in the 4th quarter.
Andrew Bynum made 15 points & 12 rebounds. Coach Mike Brown used to coach
in Cleveland when LeBron James was there too. Brown made the statement that
he owed a great deal for actually being where he is right now due to LeBron.
James nearly knocked a spectator down at one point though. It was Miami Marlins
owner sitting so close to the court that he collided with but no body did get hurt.
On a happier note, this writer is now a Great Grandma of two little girls.
The oldest one swallowed a tiny aluminum Christmas star and scared us all
with her labored breathing. Hospital stay and finally star removed finding this wee
tyke was alright once again but it put fright into her family, certainly.
The other tiny cherub moved down here to sunny California recently from Redding
and we are all so very happy having her nearer by us.
Did you see in the paper that you can enter into a contest? To register, simply go toLA.com/contest and then to receive other discounts and so forth, go to LA.com Deals.
The contest, if a winner, allows you to get 12 tickets to stay in a luxury suite at Staples Center and 4 parking passes. The Lakers game against the LA Clippers is also part of the deal.
Sounds like fun! Lakers play Orlando tonight so we will see just how this game is played now!
Babs Wells

A WIN IS A WIN IS A WIN

Lamar Odom, former Laker player, was emotional at the game between
our Lakers and the Dallas Mavs. He was sent to go play with Dallas
and this game was his first playing against his old team mates at Staples.
The crowds applauded him and gave Lamar a standing ovation.
Mighty proud I am today of fans & our gallant fella's. Derek Fisher helped us tie
with Dallas and we won the game 73-70. The Lakers scored a grand total of
7 points in the third quarter, their lowest total for a period since they dropped
6 on the Chicago Bulls on Nov. 20, 1977. Andrew Bynum led the Lakers
with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Kobe Bryants' huge numbers of points made
with 40+ points ended. He had only 14 points on 7 for 22 shooting. Kobe, however,
has been placed on the Olympic roster. He was named on Monday morning
to the 20 man roster for the 2012 London Olympics, which was not a shocker given his gold medal performance for Team USA in the 2008 Beijing games.
He does really want to be in London and so, depending on his injury to the right wrist, that will be the determining factor. So in this case, being informed of how he is coming along, the powers that be will be keeping very well posted on his health. No one wishes to put him in any jeopardy. The final Olympic rosters must be trimmed to 12 in June or before the U.S. begins training camp sometime after July 4. The games themselves will be held July 27-August 12. Joining Bryant on the preliminary roster were: Chauncey Billups, Blake Griffin, Chris Paul, LaMarcus Aldridge, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Tyson Chandler, Kevin Durant, Rudy Gay, Eric Gordon, Dwight Howard, Andrew Iguodala, LeBron James, Kevin Love, Lamar Odom, Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Russell Westbrook and Deron Williams. The NBA named Bryant the Western Conference player of the week for the second straight week after he averaged 43 points on 50.4 percent shooting while leading the Lakers toa 3-1 record last week. He also averaged 6.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists. And that, my reading friends, is a win in no matter which language one wishes to state it..a win all the way around.

Babs Wells

ARCH RIVALS

Well, some games to report on today
and am thinking that my first comments
will be about our last game with the
Clippers. Two L.A. Basketball NBA teams
competing with best of intentions.
Getting Chris Paul to be a team member
for the Clippers was a very shrewd move.
Between Blake Griffin and Chris Paul,
it soon was noted our fellas had to
shuffle quickly. And the final score
was most telling: Clippers 102 & Lakers 94.
Better luck next time around !
Ron Artest (AKA) Meta World Peace,
did not play for the Lakers when
the game was against the Cleveland
Cavaliers. He was suffering from
back spasms and an Achilles' heal
problem. Josh McRoberts returned to
the court from a 6-game absence
with a sprained big toe. Both F.
Troy Murphy and Jason Kapono were
also back on court to join in.
Coach Mike Brown had been fired
from his job position in 2010 in
Cleveland but wants to make it quite
clear that he harbors no hard feelings.
Our Kobe Bryant once again astonished
spectators by scoring 40 points or
over for yet another game.Pau Gasol
scored 19 points on 9 for 16 shooting.
Andrew Bynum had 15 points on 7-9
shooting and Matt Barnes added yet
another 15 points. Derek Fisher had
a season high 10 assists,& only the 15th.
time in his career he's had 10 or more
in one game. The Lakers held Cleveland
to 37.6 percent shooting. It is a shame
though that teammate Steve Blake is side
lined for 3 or 4 weeks due to a fractured
rib where the cartilage connects to the
sternum. We all wish you well Steve.
Listen to your doctors & come back to
play again as soon as you feel fit.
Next game is here at Staples tonight.
We'll be watching!
Babs Wells

GAVE THEM A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY !!

Both L.A. Basketball teams won
last night in overtime! Lakers
in Utah and Clippers at Staples.
Interesting evening for watching
our team with their clever plays.
Andrew Bynum blocked a crucial
shot with only 1.9 seconds on the
clock in overtime to lift the score
to a 90-87 victory over Utah.
First winning game on the road too.
This game was too close with Paul
Millsap's tip-in tying the game at
78 with 21 seconds left in regulation.
Millsap led Utah with 29 points.
Bryant sank a pair of free throws for
the final margin, then blocked a long
3-point attempt by Devin Harris as the
Jazz inbounded with 0.7 seconds
remaining in Overtime.
Also in overtime, Bynum came up big.
His tip-in gave the Lakers an 88-85
lead with 51 seconds left, then he
had the block.
Neither team shot the ball well in
the first half but Bryant kept the
Lakers on a true mission with 21
first-half points on 8 of 13 shooting.
Update: Lakers forward Jason Kapono
was not with the team Wednesday so he
could be with his wife, who gave birth
Tuesday to twin girls! And Josh McRoberts
sprained his toe so was incapacitated.
Troy Murphy seemed to still be having
a stomach ailment so did not suit up either.
At last nights' game, guard Steve Blake
suffered a rib contusion in the 4th. quarter.
The next 3 games will be played at Staples.
Good luck boys.
Babs Wells

KOBE, KOBE, KOBE !!!!

Even with a torn ligament in his right
wrist our Kobe stole the show last evening.
Playing against the Phoenix Suns, he made
48 points in the game.
It was incredible to watch. He made 23 points
in the first half and then ran away with the
scoring during the fourth quarter.
It was Bryant's 108th career game of 40 or
more points.
Not coincidentally, the Lakers have won three
in a row now and four of five games.
Last night was a sell out crowd of 18,997 too.
The Lakers started the game by making only
5 of their first 15 shots, but then sank 7 of
their next 11. Bryant was 18 of 31 from the floor
and made 12 of 13 free throws.
Pau Gasol added 16 points and 12 rebounds.
The Lakers had 15 turnovers after turning
the ball over 27 times in a 90-82
win against Memphis just 2 nights earlier..
Score for the Suns and Lakers game was 99-83.
This last game was the first of 18 back to
back sets the Lakers will play in this
lockout-shortened season. Three players
were not out on the courts due to some
ailments and a twin birth for Jason Kapono
and his wife. Shannon Brown (Former Laker)
played against our team this time with the
Phoenix Suns, so it was a bit emotional for him.
Our superstar Kobe came through for us
and we thank him for answering the call.
Babs Wells

LOSE ONE AND WIN TWO

Wonder just what it is about Portland anyway?
Cannot seem to trigger a win there. Stepping
inside the Rose Garden (AKA) "The Temple of Doom"
for Lakers to face the Portland Trail Blazers
it would seem. After all, new coach, new ideas,
and coach Brown making light of the fact that
he is unfamiliar with some of the intricacies
of the Lakers' many rivalries. As an example,
Lakers never ever wear green because the Boston
Celtics wear green and....well, enough said.
Now the history of Portland is indeed worthy
of creeping around a bit in sheer wonder at why
we seem to not be able to win when up there.
Our score this time was: Portland 107, Lakers 96.
And so now on to another trial on the courts.
L.A. outscored Golden State 32-19 in the third
quarter with Kobe Bryant making 39 points himself.
Kobe scored 17 of his season-high 39 points in the
pivotal third quarter. His scoring helped transform
a 39-35 halftime deficit into a 67-58 lead going into
the fourth quarter. For a time the Lakers were again
being outscored until that forgiving third quarter.
Bryant made 6 of 11 shots and also had 4 assists,
playing superbly despite having a torn ligament
in his right wrist. Center Andrew Bynum struggled
and fellow 7 footer Pau Gasol even missed the mark
in the paint early on when small forward Matt Barnes
gave all a lift coming in on the run. Barnes had 16
points too...a season high. Bynum finished with 9
points and 16 rebounds and Gasol had 17 points and 11
rebounds. Actually Barnes, Bryant, Bynum and Gasol
were the only ones to score in double figures however.
And yes, the Lakers scoring depth has been an issue
so far this season.Lakers won the game at 97,Golden
State 90. Last nights' game, too, had us all worried.
How on earth could they ever win a game in which they
committed an astounding 27 turnovers? Yes, it was
ugly right from the start. Clearly the compressed
66 game schedule is wreaking havoc with their ball
handling skills. Their more or less sloppy play
enabled the undersized Grizzlies from Memphis to
stick around far longer than anyone in Staples could
have expected. Memphis turned the Lakers' turnovers
into 24 points, many coming on fastbreak layups and
dunks. The Grizzlies scored 31 points on fastbreaks.
Luck certainly enters in here and Lakers won last
nights' game 90 with Memphis score at 82.
How much more luck do you suppose maybe we still have?
Babs Wells

A WINNER!!!

Well, back again to our own home court at the Staples Center
and Kobe Bryant switched larger wrist bandage for a much
smaller version to cover the injured wrist and he did quite
well with it too. He hurried the game along immediately
with 3 consecutive shots to start the game with Houston.
The end results were telling with score of 108-99.
The Rockets and Lakers faced a sell-out crowd of 18,997.
Bryant scored 37 points in all on 14 for 29 shooting.
Andrew Bynum and power forward Pau Gasol put forth their
combined efforts with ease. Bynum had a double-double
by halftime and finished with 21 points and 22 rebounds.
Pau added another 14 points and had 20 rebounds.
Lakers coach Mike Brown said yesterday he had watched
a DVD of Sunday's loss to the Nuggets. Kobe Bryant sat
right next to him on the flight back home from Denver.
They, therefore, had the opportunity for some one on one
time together and were able to get each others version
of the game played. With the Houston game hovering then,
it was most helpful to toss ideas back and forth and see
what methods may work better for the individual players
on the floor. The Lakers played their seventh game in
the season limited to two days (since they did take a
day off last week). Game day shoot-arounds also have been
mostly walk-arounds too in order to conserve energy.
With a fairly full week ahead, energies must be conserved.
We play tomorrow evening in Portland and come back home in
back to back play at Staples center, facing Golden State.
Great having our Lakers back on the courts for me to report on!
Babs Wells

TWO REALLY FUN GAMES TO WATCH

One on our own home court at Staples
against the Denver Nuggets which we
won and back to back the next game
was in the mile high city of Denver
on their own home court which they won.
Both games were nearly a neck to neck existence.
All players put their hearts into it and both were
keeping us sitting there most intensely.
In the L.A. game, Andrew Bynum scored
29 points on 13 for 18 shooting and grabbed
13 rebounds in his first game back on the courts
since his imposing suspension was fulfilled.
Bryant added 17 points on 6 for 18 shooting,
plus 10 rebounds and 9 assists with Pau Gasol scoring
17 points on 7 for 10 shooting. Lakers guard Steve Blake
arrived seemingly from nowhere and contested a Denver
shot and Coach Mike Brown confessed that:
"Sometimes these things are huge so we have to
find a way to continue doing that".
In the game away from home, it was a very similar game
all throughout the plays. Our players looked smart and
appeared unbeatable as the two 7 footers, Pau Gasol and
Andrew Bynum worked their magic in the low post.
They were, however, out of sync & out of luck when they
settled for jump shots from Kobe Bryant. He had only
16 points on 6 for 28 shooting. Bynum, however,
blamed himself for some of the Lakers' offensive misfortunes
and so it was that suddenly they couldn't score and could not
keep the Nuggets from scoring.
There was a light in this tunnel all the same. Our Laker Kobe Bryant
reached a milestone when he scored his 28,000th point,
sinking a free throw with 10.43 left in the third quarter.
At 33 years, 131 days, he is the youngest to score that many points.
Bryant's scoring statistics are staggering. Only 5 players in league
history have scored more points than Bryant.
He trails Shaquille O'Neal at 28,596,
Wilt Chamberlain at 31,419, Michael Jordan with 32,292,
Karl Malone scored 36,928 and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 38,387
on this all-time list. Jordan and Bryant are the only guards
in the top six, however. Jordan though, was almost age 35
before he reached 28,000 points. In terms of games,
Bryant is the fifth-fastest to get to the milestone at 1,109.
He is now closer to the end of his career than he is to the start
and might become more of a passer later on rather than a shooter -
possibly even within this season. All players realize that they are
still feeling their way right now with a new coach.
At any rate, with numbers this close for the last two games,
for the spectators, our players gave us fun games to watch!

Babs Wells