May 2010 Archives

Andrew Bynum had fluid drained from his injured right knee today. He doesn't plan on practicing Tuesday with his teammates, but will give it a try Wednesday. "It was getting worse, the swelling wasn't leaving, so we had to do it," Bynum said. "I was doing the treatment, but it wasn't getting any better. I think it's supposed to be pretty much fine." Bynum suffered a small tear of the meniscus in his right knee during the Lakers' first-round playoff victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder, which has limited his mobility. He is averaging 9.1 points and 7.7 rebounds in 24 minutes during the playoffs, down from his regular-season totals of 15 points and 8.3 rebounds in 30 minutes.

PHOENIX -- The Lakers are only 4-4 on the road during the playoffs, but three of their four wins have been close-out victories. They eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round in Game 6 in Oklahoma City. Then they eliminated the Utah Jazz in the second round in Game 4 in Salt Lake City. They eliminated the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference finals in Game 6 tonight in Phoenix. Going back to last spring, the Lakers eliminated the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the NBA Finals in Orlando. They also eliminated the Denver Nuggets in Game 6 of the conference finals in Denver. Overall, they have clinched in their first chance to close out a series in nine of their last 10 opportunities.

PHOENIX -- The Lakers punched their ticket to the NBA Finals tonight with a victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals. Kobe Bryant wouldn't let the Lakers give up all of what had been an 18-point lead, scoring 37 points and prompting Lamar Odom to say, "Kobe is so good he makes incredible seem normal for us." The Lakers advanced to the Finals for the third consecutive season and for the 31st time in franchise history. They will meet the Boston Celtics for the second time in three years. The Celtics beat the Lakers, 4-2, in 2008. The Lakers beat Orlando, 4-1, last season. The Lakers have won 15 championships; the Celtics have won 17.

PHOENIX -- Ron Artest dismissed talk before Game 6 tonight about being a victory away from his first NBA Finals appearance. He didn't wish to even consider the closeness of the achievement. Then he went out and showed he had a firm grasp on the situation. He scored 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting in the first half and helped the Lakers to a double-digit lead. Pau Gasol didn't make a basket until there were 2 minutes, 5 seconds left in the half. Artest more than made up for Gasol's lack of production early in the game.

Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry tossed his cookies into a trash can while seated on the bench during the first half of Game 5 tonight. After the game he revealed that he ate something that "didn't sit well with me." He also said he had no intention of leaving the bench. "I told someone it's very similar to college," he said. "Once you get it out of the system, everything is OK. It's like a Friday night, you know, frat party, OK."

It was a fitting ending to a game that seemed to lack clarity. Ron Artest plucked Kobe Bryant's airball out of the hands of the Phoenix Suns and dropped the ball into the basket at the final buzzer, providing the Lakers with a jaw-dropping victory in Game 5 tonight. Artest scored only four points on 2-for-9 shooting to help the Lakers take a 3-2 series lead. Game 6 is in Phoenix on Saturday. The Lakers let an 18-point lead slip away. Jason Richardson tied the score at 101-all with a 3-point that banked in with 3.5 seconds left. Bryant missed a 3 at the other end, but Artest brushed past Richardson to get the rebound and put the ball back in the basket at the buzzer.

"Just gotta continue to play," Artest said. "I was kind of not playing my game from the beginning of the game. And it kind of carried over. So, in the second half, I was finding my way a little bit. I made some good passes and good steals and got some rebounds. So, I guess that aggressive play can carry over into that last possession."

It didn't look like the same game. The Lakers declined to allow the pace to be as fast as it had been in the first four games of the Western Conference finals. The Lakers played it a little slower tonight in Game 5 at Staples Center. It was a winning formula. They led by as many as 17 points in the first half. Kobe Bryant scored nine of his 15 points during a 3-point shooting frenzy over a 56-second span in the second quarter. Derek Fisher had 13 points and Lamar Odom added 12 as the Lakers attempted to take a 3-2 series lead.

PHOENIX -- Here's what Kobe Bryant said after the Lakers played some less-than-inspired defense while losing to the Phoenix Suns in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals tonight: "You know, coming up here, we lost a sense of urgency defensively. I think our concentration was focused on how to attack the zone. And I think it kind of flipped our attention to detail defensively. Our focus was on the other side of the floor, which doesn't win championships. So we need to get back to ground zero when it comes to that."

PHOENIX -- Well, they said going into the Western Conference finals that the Phoenix Suns had the better bench. Who knew their second unit could be so much better than the Lakers' starters? The Suns' backups went on an 18-3 run early in the fourth quarter and turned the game in Phoenix's favor. Channing Frye and Leandro Barbosa scored 14 points apiece to spark the Suns in the fourth and enable them to tie the best-of-7 series, 2-2. Kobe Bryant scored 31 of his 38 points in the first three quarters and was powerless to halt the Suns. Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 21 points, but was overshadowed by the backups.

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns scored 41 points on 74 percent shooting in the second quarter to build a modest lead tonight in Game 4. Incredibly, the Lakers trailed by only nine at halftime. The Suns also made 7 of 10 from behind the 3-point arc in the second. Channing Frye, who missed 17 consecutive shots going into the game led the Suns with 11 points on 3-for-5 shooting. Kobe Bryant had 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting for the Lakers.

PHOENIX -- Lakers coach Phil Jackson did his best to set the record straight tonight, contradicting two ESPN reports about his future. No, he has not been contacted through back channels or any other channels about his interest in coaching either the Chicago Bulls or the New Jersey Nets when his Lakers contract runs out at season's end. No, he has not made up his mind about coaching next season with the Lakers or any other team. No, nothing has changed since he said earlier this month it was 90 percent that he would either coach the Lakers next season or head home to retire.

Here's more of what he said before Game 4:

"Those channels have not reached me. I have no awareness of that at all. ... I'll leave it open and just say that as of now I have not made up my mind about coaching or not coaching next year. That's all I can say, really and truthfully. I'm not entertaining any conversations about that right now. I just can't imagine it (coaching elsewhere). Not to say it's beyond your wildest dreams that it would never happen. The strangest things do. It's just not part of my conscious thought right now. We're on this path (in the 2010 playoffs). Let's go down that path. No, they're not a distraction to me. Not to the players even. I have no desire, none at all, to go back to Chicago and coach the Bulls."

PHOENIX -- You can add this one to the list of dubious ESPN.com reports, but the site is reporting the Chicago Bulls have put out feelers about re-hiring Lakers coach Phil Jackson. No sources are named in the story, which isn't surprising since no one from Chicago would be caught dead putting a name to the report. Can you say tampering, boys and girls? Jackson is signed with the Lakers through the end of the season and he said recently he was almost certain he would either coach the team next season or retire. He wasn't interested in moving elsewhere. A decision will be made after a visit to his doctor.

PHOENIX -- Andrew Bynum said today he plans to play in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday night. Lakers coach Phil Jackson said the pair talked and agreed Bynum should play against the Phoenix Suns. Jackson said after Bynum scored two points and grabbed two rebounds in only 7 1/2 minutes in Game 3 that it might be best if the 7-footer sat out to rest his injured right knee. Bynum has torn meniscus.

Meanwhile, the Suns said guard Steve Nash suffered a broken nose when Derek Fisher gave him an accidental head-butt in Game 3. Technically, Nash was said to have a minimally displaced nasal fracture with displaced cartilage. Nash practiced with his teammates today and said he would play in Game 4.

PHOENIX -- The big post-Game 3 news tonight was that Lakers coach Phil Jackson indicated he might consider sitting Andrew Bynum down for a game to rest his injured right knee. Bynum had two points and two rebounds in only 7 1/2 minutes tonight, picking up fouls and looking painfully slow while trying to stop Amare Stoudemire of the Suns. Here's Bynum's response when told of Jackson's comments: "I was ineffective. That's obvious." Of sitting out, he said, "That's not going to do anything. The surgery will do something. It doesn't make sense. No, I don't feel like it would help."

PHOENIX -- The only numbers that really seemed to matter in the first half of Game 3 tonight were these: 20 and three. As in, the Phoenix Suns shot 20 free throws, making 18, and the Lakers shot three, making none. The disparity at the free throw line overshadowed a lot of other things, including Kobe Bryant's 19 points, five rebounds and five assists. The Lakers are in serious foul trouble going into the second half. Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom each have three and Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol have two apiece.

PHOENIX -- Lakers coach Phil Jackson wasn't too happy to hear Andrew Bynum say he was looking ahead to playing the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals next month. Said Jackson before Game 3 tonight: "It was a moment we'd call a brain (cramp) in our business,He wasn't thinking very clearly right then. ... We're not thinking ahead. If we do, we're going to end up coming back here (for Game 6)."

Andrew Bynum took a different route than many of his teammates today when he actually talked about the chance that the Lakers might meet the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals next month. Here's some of what he had to say: "It's going to be amazing to play against those guys again, especially having lost (in the 2008 Finals). There's going to be a lot of ammo to go after those guys. They're definitely a great team. They've got great veterans."

UPDATE: Bosh's agent denied any such list has been made.

Here is the story from ESPN.com:

"Chris Bosh's agent has told the Toronto Raptors that he's narrowed his list of preferred teams to five, two sources told ESPN.com's Chad Ford at the NBA draft camp (in Chicago).The list of five teams -- Toronto plus the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat and New York Knicks, sources said -- was given to Toronto management in case the Raptors want to construct a sign-and-trade deal (assuming Bosh doesn't re-sign with Toronto). Bosh likes that option, sources told Ford, because he'd get one more year on his contract and could make more money.

"Sources said the Raptors prefer a sign-and-trade if Bosh is intent on leaving as well. They likely would want a big man to replace the 6-10, 230-pound Bosh in the lineup. One source said Bosh's decision hinges on where LeBron James signs. 'If LeBron decides to go to either New York or Chicago, I think that's where you'll see Chris land," the source told Ford. "If LeBron stays in Cleveland, I think the process is more wide open.' Bosh, 26, is an unrestricted free agent. He averaged 24 points per game last season and has averaged 20.2 points per game for his career."

My two cents: Bosh's game is too much like Pau Gasol's to make this work for the Lakers on the floor. Gasol and Andrew Bynum mesh because Gasol can step out on the perimeter and open the paint for Bynum with his shooting and passing. Let me know what you think. Would you rather have Bosh than Bynum?

It's a long season and there are new people joining the circus that is the mob that covers the Lakers now that the team is deep into the playoffs, but can we please put an end to the Phil Jackson is taking a pay cut stories? Anyone who follows the team knows the beat writers have written repeatedly that Jerry Buss doesn't want to pay Jackson $12 million to coach the team next season. You guys do know that, right? It might take something around $5 or $6 million or maybe even less to get a deal done. Of course, that's assuming Jackson decides to come back after his current contract runs out after the season. That's another angle that's been covered to death, by the way.

So, to review:

First, Jackson won't be getting $12 million per season in his next deal.

Second, he will decide whether to coach next season when this one is done.

Got it? Good. Let's move on.

No practice today. More news, notes and quotes on Friday.

Let's turn this post over to Phoenix Suns coach Alvin Gentry, who said after Game 2 of the Western Conference finals tonight at Staples Center: "We're just having a hard time. We can't slow them down. I thought we played well offensively, but every time we tried to make an adjustment to slow them down, they'd go somewhere else. You do a great job on Kobe (Bryant) and, you know, I thought we did. Then they go to Pau (Gasol) and we double-team Pau and there's Lamar (Odom), and we get it out of Lamar's hands and Jordan Farmar makes shots. There's a good reason they're the world champs."

The Phoenix Suns' plan for Game 2 tonight was to try to contain the Lakers' supporting cast, allowing Kobe Bryant to run free. They didn't want Lamar Odom or Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum or anyone else lighting them up again. By halftime, it looked like the plan was to check Bryant and let the others go wild. The Suns paid attention to Bryant, who had 11 points on 4-for-11 shooting plus a team-leading nine assists. He found open teammates whenever the Suns came to double-team him. The Suns forgot about Artest and paid the price. Artest scored 15 points on 5-for-7 shooting, including 3 of 5 from behind the 3-point arc. Meanwhile, Channing Frye delivered another dud for Phoenix. He scored zero points, missing all three shots and picking up three fouls. He had 3 points on 1-for-8 shooting in Game 1.

Actually, there wasn't much news beyond Amare Stoudemire's statement that Lamar Odom had a "lucky game in Game 1," when Odom scored 19 points and grabbed 19 rebounds in the Lakers' rout of the Phoenix Suns. Odom responded with a shrug, refusing to fire back despite numerous chances to do so.

Pau Gasol showed off a nice shiner under his right eye, the result of a collision with Grant Hill during a scramble for a loose ball in the third quarter of Game 1. Gasol said it didn't hurt and didn't think it made him look tougher than Steve Nash, who also has a black eye.

Coach Phil Jackson said the expected the Suns to make a significant adjustment for Game 2, double-teaming Kobe Bryant earlier in an attempt to get the ball out of his hands. Bryant dropped 40 points on the Suns on Monday night, including 21 in the third quarter.

Bryant has scored 30 points or more in six consecutive games, the longest streak in the NBA playoffs since former Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal had seven straight games of 30 or more during a stretch of contests in 2002 and '03.

Jackson and Gasol continued to answer questions about Arizona's tough new immigration law. Yawn. Wait, that's not my true response. I do have some serious feelings about the law, but I'll keep them to myself since this is sports and not politics. I just wish come of my colleagues would give it a rest.

Oh, and Andrew Bynum (knee) did not practice. I guess that's not exactly news, is it?

Kobe Bryant scored 40 points in Game 1 against Phoenix and said he "felt fine" after sitting out of practice the last six days because of a sore right knee. Andrew Bynum scored only four points and took four rebounds said he came through the game without any problems in his injured right knee. Lamar Odom suffered the most of all the Lakers in Game 1. He sported a pretty hefty knot on his noggin, the result of a blow from Phoenix's Louis Amundson. "It was towards the end of the game," Odom explained. "Amundson caught me a little bit and gave me a nice little goodbye knot, but it'll be all right with a little ice."

All the other stuff, the chatter about injuries and layoffs and hot opponents, was quickly forgotten in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals tonight at Staples Center. The bottom line was that the Phoenix Suns couldn't stop Kobe Bryant. Grant Hill tried. Jason Richardson tried. Jared Dudley tried. Bryant still dropped 40 points on the Suns, making 13 of 23 shots and 11 of 12 free throws. By night's end, it was easy for forget he did not practice once with his teammates during the Lakers' six-day layoff. He sore right knee held up just fine and the Lakers won their seventh consecutive playoff game. Game 2 is Wednesday.

Concerns that the Lakers' bench would be run off the end of the floor by their Phoenix Suns counterparts proved unfounded in the first half of Game 1 of the Western Conference finals tonight at Staples Center. Lamar Odom erupted for 15 points and eight rebounds and the Lakers' backups outscored the Suns' reserves, 22-13. Odom couldn't be stopped on drives to the basket, making 7 of 9 shots. Jordan Farmar added five points and Josh Powell rebounded a Kobe Bryant miss just before halftime and dunked. The Lakers led most of the way after going on an 18-4 run to end the first quarter. Their biggest lead was 11 points.

Protests are scheduled tonight to draw attention to Arizona's tough new immigration law and to comments made about the law by Lakers coach Phil Jackson several weeks ago. Anyway, Jackson issued the following statement today:

"I've been involved in a number of progressive political issues over the years and I support those who stand up for their beliefs. It is what makes this country great. I have respect for those who oppose the new Arizona immigration law, but I am wary of putting entire sports organizations in the middle of political controversies. This was the message of my statement. I know others feel differently. In this regard, it is my wish that this statement not be used by either side to rally activists."

Neither guard Kobe Bryant nor center Andrew Bynum practiced with teammates this afternoon, the Lakers' final workout before playing Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against the Phoenix Suns on Monday at Staples Center. Nobody expects Bryant and Bynum to be anywhere but in the starting lineup when the ball is tossed into the air, however. Bryant and Bynum have been nursing sore knees. The rest of the Lakers are in fine form, according to Coach Phil Jackson. That's probably not exactly true, but all 13 players on the roster are fit enough to play in Game 1. Twelve will be on the active roster.

Here are the top few lines from a story on ESPN.com: The Phoenix Suns have reacted with a collective smirk to Phil Jackson's suggestion that Steve Nash travels with the basketball. Nash even had a subtle retort worthy of Jackson himself. "It's news to me. I'm fortunate. I don't know if I've been called for a carry yet," he said after the Suns practiced today, then he added straight-faced: "I've never heard anyone accuse me of carrying it. I mean, the best coach in the league Gregg Popovich (of San Antonio) didn't have a problem with it last week."

Andrew Bynum went through a full workout today with his teammates. He has been resting his wonky knee most of the week, but he went at it pretty good today, according to Lakers coach Phil Jackson. "He was running with some limitations, but he still looks good," Jackson said. "It was good to see him out there. We're monitoring it (the torn meniscus in his knee). We want to get some activity close to the game and not make it too close, so there is some recovery time." Game 1 of the Western Conference finals isn't until Monday.

Not much to report from today's practice. Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum laid low, getting an extra day away from the court to rest and recover for Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Monday against the Phoenix Suns. Sasha Vujacic said he's ready to play Game 1 after sitting out 10 games in the playoffs because of a sprained ankle. Pau Gasol was back on the court after sitting out Wednesday because of sinus trouble.

When someone asked Lakers coach Phil Jackson about the difficulty of trying to prepare for playing against Suns point guard Steve Nash, Jackson said without hesitation, "Yeah, because you can't carry the ball like he does in practice. You can't pick up the ball and run with it." Jackson has been a frequent critic of the tactic, which used to be called a discontinued dribble and now is called standard operating procedure.

So, if the Lakers take care of business (as many expect) and eliminate the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference finals (in five or six games), who would you prefer they play in the NBA Finals? The Boston Celtics or the Orlando Magic? I would guess many of you would rather see the hated Celtics get a serious beating as a payback for the 2008 Finals. I wouldn't take either the Celtics or Magic lightly, though. I also would be wary of the Suns.

Ah-ha, finally, the rest of the schedule for the Western Conference finals.

Game 1, Monday at Staples Center, 6 p.m., TNT.
Game 2, Wednesday at Staples Center, 6 p.m., TNT.
Game 3, May 23 at Phoenix, 5:30 p.m., TNT.
Game 4, May 25 at Phoenix, 6 p.m., TNT.
Game 5, May 27 at Staples Center, 6 p.m., TNT, if necessary.
Game 6, May 29 at Phoenix, 5:30 p.m., TNT, if necessary.
Game 7, May 31 at Staples Center, 6 p.m., TNT, if necessary.

P.S. No practice today. More news, notes and quotes Friday. Maybe even a prediction, too.

Pau Gasol got an excused absence from practice today. The team's medical staff sent Gasol home after he complained of sinus trouble. The Lakers aren't scheduled to practice Thursday, but they hope Gasol will rejoin them for Friday's workout. The team plans to increase the intensity of its practices from Friday through Sunday. Game 1 of the Western Conference finals isn't until Monday night at Staples Center, so there's plenty of down time.

Here is the schedule (so far) for the Western Conference finals:

Game 1, Monday at Staples Center, 6 p.m., TNT.
Game 2, May 19 at Staples Center, 6 p.m., TNT.

P.S. I heard one of the Lakers' team buses backed into Carlos Boozer's SUV while leaving the arena. Nice ending to Boozer's career with the Jazz. He'll be a free agent July 1.

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Lakers handled their business and eliminated the Utah Jazz in Game 4 tonight, advancing to the Western Conference finals for the third consecutive season. They will face the Phoenix Suns. Game 1 is set for Monday at Staples Center. The Lakers will have until then to rest, recover and prepare for the Suns, who are similar to the Jazz in many ways. Both teams are undersized up front, but both are driven by superb point guards. The Lakers counter with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol up front. Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom could be X-factors for the Lakers, who beat the Suns, 3-1, in the regular season. Jason Richardson could fill the same role for the Suns.

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Lakers almost let Game 4 get away from them in the third quarter tonight. they got in trouble as the Utah Jazz charged back from a 22-point deficit in the second quarter. The Lakers lost the period, 26-22, but managed to stay in front. Kobe Bryant scored 12 of his 24 points so far in the third quarter.

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Lakers outscored the Utah Jazz, 29-17, in the second quarter and threatened to turn Game 4 tonight into a runaway by halfway. OK, who's kidding who? It was a rout. The Jazz had no answer for Pau Gasol, who had 17 points and seven rebounds by halftime. Kobe Bryant added 12 points. The Lakers' bench responded, too. Lamar Odom scored seven points, Shannon Brown had six and Jordan Farmar added three. Carlos Boozer had a rough start, scoring only four points on 1-for-6 shooting. Deron Williams led the Jazz, who were trying to avoid being swept for the first time their history, by scoring 11 points.

SALT LAKE CITY -- If you haven't read today's piece on Pau Gasol, go read it right this instant. Everything written there is holding true again so far in Game 4. He has been peerless in the paint, scoring 10 points on 5-for-6 shooting and grabbing four rebounds. Shannon Brown punctuated the quarter with a dunk in the closing seconds.

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Lakers are (almost) whole again. Sasha Vujacic practiced today for the first time since spraining his left ankle during the Lakers' regular-season finale against the Clippers on April 14. He said he probably won't be ready to play in Game 4 against the Utah Jazz on Monday night, but he should be fit to start the Western Conference Finals when they begin next week. He was the last player with a debilitating injury. Almost everyone else on the roster is bruised in some way, shape or form.

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Lakers have had good success in close-out games recently. They are 1-0 so far during the 2010 playoffs, having eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder on their first try in Game 6 of their opening-round series last month. They were 3-1 last season en route to the NBA championship. They were 3-0 during their run to the Finals in 2008. The also were 1-1 when facing elimination, forcing the eventual champion Boston Celtics to a Game 6 with a victory in Game 5 at Staples Center. Their last blown chances were in 2006, when they squandered a 3-1 series lead and lost to the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers can eliminate the Utah Jazz with a victory Monday in Game 4.

UPDATE: After further research by the team's crack media relations dept., the fact is the Lakers squandered a chance to eliminate the Houston Rockets in the second round last spring. They lost Game 6 before taking the decisive Game 7. I messed that up in the original post by writing that the Lakers were 4-0 in close-out games last spring.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Some how, some way, the Lakers pulled out a victory in Game 3 tonight. They can eliminate the Utah Jazz in Game 4 on Monday night. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 35 points, hitting what proved to be the winning free throws with 7.8 seconds remaining. Ron Artest and Derek Fisher added 20 points and Pau Gasol had 14 points and 17 rebounds. Deron Williams had 28 for the Jazz, but missed the go-ahead jumper in the closing seconds.Wesley Matthews then missed a tip-in at the buzzer.

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Lakers big men didn't do enough to keep the Utah Jazz from feeding off the energy of their home crowd and charging to a double-digit lead early in the second quarter of Game 3 tonight. Pau Gasol had four points on 1-for-4 shooting, Andrew Bynum was scoreless and did not take a shot and Lamar Odom had two points. Gasol had seven rebounds, Bynum had three and Odom had four. The Lakers will need more from them in the second half and less from Kobe Bryant, who had 20 points in the first half. Andrei Kirilenko played for the first time since hurting his calf almost two months ago and had more of an emotional impact for the Jazz than anything else. He had six points.

SALT LAKE CITY -- After small forward Ron Artest expressed some public frustration with Lakers coach Phil Jackson via Twitter on Thursday, the small forward and the Hall of Fame coach talked face to face and cleared the air. Jackson said today he was sympathetic. "I had been a little animated the day before at practice," Jackson explained, referring to Thursday's workout in El Segundo. "I think I kind of stirred the mix a little bit, so to speak. I could understand why he might have some difficulty." Jackson revealed that Artest was late to practice after attending a funeral early Thursday. It threw the day's schedule off track and Jackson acknowledged having to re-arrange things in order to accommodate Artest's unexcused tardiness.

The Phoenix Suns celebrated Cinco de Mayo and protested Arizona's new immigration law by wearing Los Suns on their jerseys during their victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of their second-round series Wednesday in Phoenix. The Spurs said they would have worn their Los Spurs jerseys, but they couldn't get them to Arizona in time for the game. Which begs the question, would the Lakers wear their Los Lakers jerseys in solidarity with the Suns? Lamar Odom shared a few thoughts today.

"It's always a good thing to stand up for what you believe in, right? No matter what," he said. "It's always good to be able to express yourself. We wore the Los Lakers already this year. It's easier for teams than for individuals, because teams have more people backing them. As an individual, people come at you."

Asked if it was more difficult to take a stand and risk endorsement deals and the like as an individual rather than a member of a team, Odom said, "Of course. You know what type of world we live in. Even if you stand for something, you just can't. You could, but you might lose a lot. A lot of guys wouldn't have done what Muhammad Ali would have done (and refused to fight in Vietnam). It's too bad. It's a different time. If I felt strongly about something I would have said something."

Kobe Bryant was selected to the All-NBA First Team for the fifth consecutive season and the eighth time in his career today. Among active participants, only Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs has been named more times to the first team with nine selections. Bryant is tied with Shaquille O'Neal of the Cleveland Cavaliers with eight selections. Also, Pau Gasol was selected to the third team. Bryant was selected Wednesday to the league's All-Defensive First Team. Joining Bryant on the first team were LeBron James of the Cavs, Dwight Howard of the Orlandos, Kevin Durant of the OKCs and Dwyane Wade of the Miamis. Sportswriters and broadcasters picked the teams.

The second team: Carmelo Anthony of Denver, Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas, Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire of Los Suns and Deron Williams of Utah.

The third team: Gasol, Duncan, Andrew Bogut of Milwaukee, Joe Johnson of Atlanta and Brandon Roy of Portland.

The Lakers looked slow and injured and unable to keep up with the Oklahoma City Thunder in a 21-point loss in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. After two days of rest, the Lakers looked rejuvenated while hammering the Thunder in Game 5. After two more days of rest, the Lakers eliminated the Okies in Game 6. They only had a day to prepare for Game 1 of their second-round series with the Utah Jazz, but they won. They got only a day to get ready for Game 2, but won that one, too. Now they have three days to rest and recover for Game 3 on Saturday in Utah. Think they'll be ready to play Saturday?

Kobe Bryant joined Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic on the All-Defensive First Team, which was announced today. LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics and the Charlotte Bobcats' Gerald Wallace also were selected in voting by the league's 30 coaches. Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol also received votes.

In case you missed it, Phil Jackson revealed a little bit more about his plans after his contract to coach the Lakers ends after the season. Jackson said it was 90 percent that he would return to coach the Lakers if he returns to coaching next season. Here's more:

"No, I'm not (interested in coaching Chicago), and I think it's a wonderful job for whoever takes it." Asked if he could see himself coaching another team, he said, "No. I really couldn't. I can't see that as a prospect." When a reporter followed up by asking if it would be here (with the Lakers) or nowhere next season? Jackson said, "Probably. I would say there's a 90 percent chance that if I'm coaching it would be here."

The Lakers took a 2-0 series lead over the Utah Jazz with a sound performance tonight in Game 2 of their second-round series. Will we see a repeat of their first-round win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, when they coughed up the lead and found themselves having to answer loads of questions about their fitness? They rallied with victories in Games 5 and 6, but it was by no means the jog in the park many predicted. The difference in this series might be Kobe Bryant, who looks to be a good deal healthier than in the first round. Bryant scored 30 points, grabbed five rebounds and added eight assists tonight. There were no signs of the debilitating ankle and knee injuries that slowed him in the first round.

It didn't take long for Andrew Bynum to show he was as fit as possible under the circumstances. He scored 11 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the first half of Game 2 tonight against the Utah Jazz. Bynum will play the rest of the playoffs with a slight meniscus tear in his right knee. It might or might not require surgery at season's end. Bynum looked none the worse for wear, making five of his first seven shots in 16 minutes. Pau Gasol scored 13 points, Ron Artest had 12 and Kobe Bryant added eight points and seven assists. Utah backup Paul Millsap had a team-leading 16 points in the first half.

Utah's Andrei Kirilenko, sidelined since March 12 by a strained left calf, said today it's 50-50 that he could play in Game 2 on Tuesday. It's more likely that he'll play in Game 3 on Saturday in Salt Lake City. Asked how Kirilenko changes things, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said, "He brings a lot of energy." How effect Kirilenko can be after sitting out six weeks remains to be seen. The Jazz could use him after their loss to the Lakers in Game 1.

Andrew Bynum made a face today each and every time somebody asked about the slightly torn meniscus in his right knee. He said he was determined to play through it for as long as the Lakers' season goes. He said he will keep playing as long as it doesn't get worse. Asked how the Lakers know it won't get any worse, Lakers coach Phil Jackson shrugged and referred reporters to the team's "crack medical staff." Jackson then laughed when one veteran scribe responded by saying, "Umm, the same ones who don't like talking to us?" At any rate, you can expect Bynum to start Tuesday in Game 2.

Was there any doubt? Well, yeah, kind of, for a minute or two. Then the Lakers woke up from their slumber, snatched the game from the hands of the Utah Jazz and went on to win Game 1 of their second-round playoff series today at Staples Center. Kobe Bryant scored 31 points and Pau Gasol had 25 points and 12 rebounds. Lamar Odom added nine points, including a key putback, plus 12 rebounds. Deron Williams had 24 for the Jazz.

The Lakers sizzled in the first half, shooting 60.5 percent, in Game 1 today. They led the Utah Jazz by as many as 14 points and worked as they pleased. Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant scored 12 points apiece. Andrew Bynum scored two points, grabbed four rebounds and added two assists in the first half. Bynum started despite having a slight meniscus tear in his right knee. Deron Williams led the Jazz with 17 points in the half.

Andrew Bynum intends to play in Game 1 today against the Utah Jazz. What, you expected something different? He has a slight meniscus tear in his right knee and Lakers coach Phil Jackson will watch him closely. Bynum averaged 12 points and nine rebounds during the Lakers' victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round after sitting out the final 13 regular-season games because of a strained left Achilles tendon. Also, Jackson said Sasha Vujacic could begin running again soon and might be able to play in the series. Vujacic suffered a sprained left ankle in the regular-season finale against the Clippers.

The Lakers sent 7-foot center Andrew Bynum for an MRI exam today, which indicated he has a small meniscus tear in his right knee. Actually, they already knew about it. They found out last June. The tear went from very small to small after he injured it in the first half of Game 6 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday. Question is, can he play Sunday in Game 1 of the Lakers' second-round series against the Utah Jazz. If he can't, then you can expect Pau Gasol to move from power forward to center and Lamar Odom to shift from a reserve role to power forward. The Lakers are better with a healthy Bynum than without him. Any doubts? Watch a replay of Game 5, when he had 21 points and Gasol had 25.