Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 2:36 pm Post subject: Lakers in the News 12/31/12: Kobe: 'Best I've played in awhile'
Quote:
Jordan Hill works his way back into Lakers rotation
By Eric Pincus
December 31, 2012, 12:00 p.m.
Antawn Jamison has fallen out of the Lakers rotation, a source of frustration for the veteran, but one he says he's willing to endure for the opportunity to win a championship.
Certainly the Lakers haven't shown they're quite at that level, but the team has performed better with Jamison sitting out (although that may have more to do with the returns of Pau Gasol and Steve Nash than the absence of Jamison).
"He didn't do anything to get out of the rotation, I just went a little different way," said Coach Mike D'Antoni. "I thought Metta [World Peace] would give us a little toughness and defense."
D'Antoni moved World Peace to the bench but with heavy minutes, now both at small and power forward.
Recently Jordan Hill found himself in the same position, out of the rotation, but now Hill is a regular contributor (getting some of Jamison's minutes, no less).
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Lakers: Preview, Analysis and Prediction
BY MAXWELL OGDEN (FEATURED COLUMNIST) ON DECEMBER 31, 2012 229 reads 3
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USA TODAY Sports
For the second time in three weeks, the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers are set to go to battle.
During their first bout of the 2012-13 NBA regular season, L.A. emerged victorious by a score of 111-98. Playing his hometown of Philadelphia, Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 34 points.
This time around, it's the Sixers that are looking to earn a victory on an opponent's home court.
Since the two teams first played, the Lakers have won four of their past five games. The Sixers have lost five of their past seven.
With a chance to create momentum on the first day of 2013, who will seize the opportunity?
The Lakers won two of three in Week 8 with a big win against the New York Knicks on Christmas Day and a big loss to the Denver Nuggets the day after. With Steve Nash and Pau Gasol fully back in the flow, the Lakers look like a very different basketball team from the ugly stretch of just a few weeks ago.
At 15-15, the Lakers are closing in on a top-eight seed in the Western Conference although they start the week in 10th place. All told, the Lakers are still four losses behind the cumulative predictions for weeks 1-9.
The Lakers owe the Nuggets after the loss in Denver, the Philadelphia 76ers are struggling but the game of the week, by a large margin, is Lakers at Clippers.
Jan. 1 vs. Philadelphia 76ers
The Lakers were able to take out the Sixers in Philadelphia without Nash and Gasol on Dec. 16, 111-98. Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 34 points while five-other Lakers hit double figures including Metta World Peace, Dwight Howard, Chris Duhon, Jodie Meeks and Darius Morris.
The 76ers played without Jrue Holiday (foot sprain), and of course Andrew Bynum (knees) who has yet to play this season.
How Long Will It Take Healthy Lakers to Reach Peak Form?
BY LUKE PETKAC (FEATURED COLUMNIST) ON DECEMBER 31, 2012 180 reads 2
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It may be a while until these guys are playing their best ball.
Harry How/Getty Images
Now that Steve Nash and Pau Gasol have finally both returned to the Los Angeles Lakers, it's time to answer the question: How long will it take the healthy Lakers to reach peak form?
Now it's important to note that the Lakers aren't healthy quite yet. Dwight Howard's health has improved since the start of the season, but he's clearly still dealing with back issues. So for the sake of argument, we'll assume that Dwight recovers over the course of the season.
Strangely enough, exactly when the Lakers reach their peak form won't be measured with time, but with change.
The Lakers, even when healthy, have two serious flaws—a terribly constructed play style and an utter lack of team chemistry. They'll reach their top gear as soon as those two very fixable flaws are taken care of...and not a second sooner.
NBA Power Rankings: Western Conference dominates top spots
Kurt Helin Dec 31, 2012, 1:51 PM EST
13. Lakers (15-15, LW 16). Winners of six of their last seven, and the only loss in there was the second night of a back-to-back in Denver. Still, Dwight Howard’s play looks a step slow. Give Pau Gasol credit for trying to do what Mike D’Antoni wants and being more of a stretch four.
Owed draft picks, Suns have keen interest in Lakers' season
By Scott Howard-Cooper, NBA.com
Posted Dec 31, 2012 3:07 PM
The Suns may profit at the expense of the Lakers. Let that sink in for awhile.
Steve Nash made puppy eyes at owner Robert Sarver to get Phoenix management to change its mind on helping a dreaded rival, the Suns set aside gut instinct and did the deal, and Los Angeles had a point-guard solution without returning a single player. Nash went to the Lakers over the summer for first-round picks in 2013 and '15, second-round choices in 2013 and '14 and about $3 million. A whole lot of sleeping with the enemy went on.
Now it's months later. Nash is back after missing 24 games with a fractured left leg, the Lakers are building some momentum amid renewed hope that the worst may be over, finally. Yet they still need a bump from their current form to get away from the danger zone of potentially missing the playoffs.
That's a few years worth of gloating and belly-laughing for someone out there, all right. Nash and the Lakers stabbed the Suns in the heart and may not be able to make anything out of it.
If the Lakers miss the playoffs -- the Lakers, as always, are in win-now mode and entirely disinterested in which teen sensation will be ready to contribute in a couple seasons -- there is a slight chance that the Suns will be able to inflict even more pain on the Lakers via the June draft, though that's almost too slight to imagine.
Updated: December 31, 2012, 7:22 PM ET
By Dave McMenamin | ESPNLosAngeles.com
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Even though it's been a rocky start to the season for the 15-15 Los Angeles Lakers, the play of Kobe Bryant has been on point.
After shooting 50 percent or better from the field in each of the first four games to start the 2012-13 campaign, Bryant has proved the increased accuracy wasn't a fluke as his team is more than a third of the way through the season and his field-goal percentage is still a lofty 47.8 percent -- the highest mark of his 17-season career.
Just how good is the 34-year-old Bryant, the league's leading scorer at 30.1 points per game (his highest scoring average since 2006-07) playing?
"This is probably the best I've played in awhile," Bryant said after practice Monday. "I've had years the last few years where I've felt pretty good but we kept my minutes down so the numbers didn't look the same, but this year I feel pretty good."
Bryant This is probably the best I've played in awhile. I've had years the last few years where I've felt pretty good but we kept my minutes down so the numbers didn't look the same, but this year I feel pretty good.
The evidence is in the numbers. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the month of December Bryant just finished playing was historic for him, as he had never reached the averages of at least 33.79 or more points, 5.57 or more rebounds and 4.64 or more assists all at the same time for an entire month before in his career.
Joined: 26 Nov 2012 Posts: 860 Location: Monster Island Czars
Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2012 8:19 pm Post subject:
"Kobe is the real living legend, after 17 seasons he still plays better if not just as good as the rest of the league, closest player to MJ bar none"
_______________________________________________-Stephen A Smith
"Kobe is the most achieved player of this era"
_______________________________________________-Michael Jordan
Bynum will never play for the sixers organization, never...he's done he's always have the F you demeanor all he cares about is himself and the money/cars. Glad we traded this lame fool. _________________ All Hail The Mamba!
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Lakers' Kobe Bryant enjoys one of his most productive stretches
Bryant averaged 33.79 points, 5.57 rebounds and 4.64 assists in December. 'It's probably the best I've played in a while,' he says.
By Ben Bolch
December 31, 2012, 5:55 p.m.
Those who gripe that Kobe Bryant shoots too much must concede one point.
Actually, two or three, on nearly every Lakers possession.
The veteran guard has been scoring almost any time he wants thanks to a career rebirth that features the best shooting accuracy of his 17 seasons with the Lakers.
He also just concluded a December in which his averages of 33.79 points, 5.57 rebounds and 4.64 assists were the highest cumulative marks in those categories in any month in his career.
At 34, Bryant has essentially flipped the calendar backward heading into 2013.
"It's probably the best I've played in a while," Bryant said Monday, citing an improved diet and Coach Mike D'Antoni's offense, among other factors. "I've had years the last few years where I felt pretty good but we kept my minutes down, so the numbers didn't look the same."
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