2012 NBA SEASON APPROACHES

Kobe Bryant injured his left foot so looking

more and more as if he very likely will be

out on the sidelines at opening NBA

season. Great bench this year to depend

on plus the fab four are noteworthy.

Namely: Pau Gasol, Steve Nash, Dwight

Howard and of course our Kobe Bryant.

The Clippers team are becoming actually

another L.A. team to notice now as well.

Good for competition we all feel.

One of our newer players on the Lakers

is Robert Sacre. A tall 7 ft. player that has

already proved his worth during the

exhibition games. Reserves could be

crucial to our seasons' successes.

Sacre is calling himself the Bruiser.

Jordan Hill and Antawn Jamison

are Lakers bench warmers also.

Both of these men can play minutes

for  Pau Gasol and Jamison can spell

Ron Artest (Metta World Peace) too.

Jamison took a significant pay cut

to move to the Lakers and try to help

us win a championship.

Steve Nash is 38 and a huge offseason

surprise gift for the Lakers. He knows

the importance of a good bench. Neither

Steve (or) Kobe can play ridiculously

long minutes any more either.

The bench is like the starters and therefore

all of the players are trying right now to

figure this all out. Yes, they are working

harder and trying to make it all work and

yes, they are getting better but it is "a work

in progress" Steve Nash remarked.

We are all hopeful our bench can compete

with any one, so as they are still quite

young but yet quite good if they remain

steady, confidence will reign. "Being benched"

is not a bad thing any longer but rather 

is a seemingly good place to be. At least

it feels to be right now at NBA beginning

season. They appear to have starring roles

and so we applaud their efforts and cheer

them on!

Babs Wells

SEASONS GAMES COMING UP

Right now though, it is still the games that are

almost practice games with the exhibition ones

being played. Seems Lakers so far have really

been making a lame showing for all of us fans

to see. Even the camera angles from Sportsnet

Time Warner have been geared to not allow us

the enjoyment of seeing faces and watch the

players expressions. Somebody ought to really

extend a helping hand to those operating the

cameras and take more floor pictures rather

than creeping up on the players from crows nest.

Dwight Howard did favor us with his broad

shoulders and playing abilities last game

but it appears that perhaps he really should

not have done so as tonight's Staple Center

game will very likely not be having him all

suited up to play. It also looks right now like

maybe Kobe Bryant will not be  playing tonight

either, having a sore foot. We play the Clippers

tomorrow night being played at Staples Center against

Sacramento. We are  hard pressed to win

right now as the actual NBA season begins soon

on October 30th..talks are in the mix too about

perhaps getting our Derek Fisher back into a

Lakers uniform. We should know results of these

talks by next year on March 15th. Would be nice.

Familiar faces out on the floor though.

Clippers Lamar Odom...6th. man, and others

that formerly graced the Lakers court, will be

donning Clippers uniforms so should prove

to be a most interesting game to see.

Know for certain I will be watching!

Babs Wells

MIGHTY POOR BEGINNINGS

Well, to start with, the complexion of the broadcasts

were not very bright nor were the camera angles good.

The players were out on the floor for an exhibition

game in Fresno, while our Kobe was halting a bit

since hurting his foot but willing to try playing and

the fans cheered each time he entered the court.

Dwight Howard remained seated fully dressed even

sporting a black bow tie and huge shoulder muscles.

His back surgery has lessened his availability to be

on the full roster so far. Steve Blake played well as

did our brand new star, Phoenix's former player: 

Steve Nash. Metta World Peace was in good form as was

Pau Gasol. Our coach, Mike Brown, stated even

prior to the game that it was not crucial for us to 

win during the exhibition games and it seems to

be the case because indeed we did not win this

one.....losing by quite a large margin, in fact.

End score? 110 - 83 OUCH!!!!!

Well anyway, at age 34 with 17 seasons under

his belt, Kobe will evidently not be handling the 

ball quite as often as before. With coach Brown's

low-post oriented offense and no triangle to have,

it is changing the game somewhat. Other guys will

be doing things differently at different times.

Coach Brown at this last game, substituted freely,

trying to limit his starters to no more than 20 minutes

apiece.  It was fun seeing Steve Nash with his brand

new haircut, making his Lakers debut last evening.

We will all be excited to watch Time Warner improve

on their handling of the games and to also see our

players improving on their playing techniques too.

Babs Wells