May 2011 Archives

Mike Brown covered a lot of ground today in his first press conference as the Lakers' new coach. He said he met with Kobe Bryant after they talked on the phone and swapped text messages last week. Brown said he anticipated no conflict with Bryant.

"This is still his team," Brown said. "Kobe is Kobe. He has five titles and is one of the great ever. His role will not change. We'll make sure he'll have the ball in the sweet spots he likes to have it. He has a great understanding of my vision and he's on board."

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak also had no concerns about a clash.

"I think that it's incredibly important to have a really solid relationship with your best player," Kupchak said. "I think (Brown) is about winning and Kobe is about winning. If we win, I don't think there's going to be a problem."

Bryant was not consulted on Brown's hiring and had campaigned publicly for the Lakers to hire longtime assistant coach Brian Shaw as Phil Jackson's replacement. Brown was hired over Shaw and former Houston Rockets coach Rick Adelman.

Brown showed he had a firm grasp of the Lakers' culture when he said: "We don't play for second here, simple as that. I'm excited about this roster. I still believe this core group of guys can go get it done. Now it's up to us to go do it."

Bryant did not attend the press conference and has not commented publicly.

Mike Brown will be introduced as the Lakers' new coach today at 3 p.m. Fox Sports West and foxsportswest.com will carry it live from the team's HQ in beautiful downtown El Segundo.. Norm Nixon and Michael Eaves will do the post-press conference analysis. It's sure to be a lively session with Brown. You'll get all the details here this afternoon, too.

Trey Johnson, backup guard:
He played only one game for the Lakers, the regular-season finale against the Sacramento Kings, so it's hard to say what his contribution was beyond that one appearance. He definitely displayed some skills while averaging 25.5 points in 35 games with the Lakers' developmental league affiliate in Bakersfield, however. He also played seven games with the Toronto Raptors this season and had a limited impact.

Stats (Lakers and Raptors): 8 games, 4.3 points, 0.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists.

Grade: Incomplete.

Next: Lamar Odom.

Pau Gasol, power forward/center:
Eventually, everyone will forget about his lackluster play in the playoffs and remember that he is one of the best and most versatile big men in the league. Only a handful of players can shoot and pass and dribble and rebound as well as he can. Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks outplayed him in the playoffs. So what? He's outplayed a lot of dudes. The Lakers' ugly playoff exit overshadowed a All-Star season for Gasol, who has been remarkably consistent since his trade from Memphis in 2007-08. He has averaged 18-plus points in each of the last four seasons. He also led the Lakers in scoring 16 times and rebounding 35 times in 2010-11. With the possible exception of Kobe Bryant, no one looked as fatigued as Gasol during the final days of the regular seasons plus the playoffs. A summer of rest could be just what he needs to bounce back.

Stats: 82 games, 18.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists.

Grade: A.

Next: Trey Johnson.

Derek Fisher, point guard:
Everyone says he's too old, too slow and should be sent to the bench. Perhaps the Lakers would be better off with a younger, faster point guard to run whatever offense they run under their new coach next season. Fisher might be an ideal backup in the years to come, filling a role as a capable contributor who can keep things together while an aging first unit gets its rest. OK, that's the best-case scenario. It's also possible Fisher's career is all but dead with the Lakers. There's no discounting his leadership skills, durability and big-shot making abilities. He has played in 495 consecutive games, the league's longest active streak, but a new coach could decide he's too old and slow to keep up with the game as it's now played by younger and faster point guards. Fisher's scoring average has dipped in each of the last three seasons, a sign he doesn't have the impact he once did. The Lakers are likely to seek guard help in the offseason.

Stats: 82 games, 6.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists.

Grade: C.

Monday: Pau Gasol.

Derrick Caracter, backup forward:
Retiring Lakers coach Phil Jackson made it clear over his 20-year Hall of Fame career that rookies were "lower than whale" doo-doo. Caracter fit Jackson's stereotype to the letter, accomplishing little of note in his first season. The next move is up to him. Can he shed more weight and emerge as a useful player? Or was that all there was to see?

Stats: 41 games, 2.0 points, 1.0 rebounds, 0.2 assists

Grade: Incomplete.

Devin Ebanks, backup forward:
The rookie from West Virginia hardly made an impression during his first season with the Lakers. He does have some skills that could come in handy for the future. It will be interesting to see whether the Lakers keep him around and give him a chance to take the next steps in his career. He is extremely athletic and could be a player who fills a void that's been glaring since Trevor Ariza left as a free agent after the 2008-09 season.

Stats: 20 games, 3.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, 0.1 assists.

Grade: Incomplete

Next: Derek Fisher.

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak spent 10 minutes with Dan Patrick on his radio program this morning. Among the highlights, Kupchak revealed the choice of Mike Brown to replace Phil Jackson as the Lakers coach was a unanimous decision. Kupchak, team owner Jerry Buss and his son Jim Buss made the decision together. Kupchak also indicated the "right was not right" to give assistant coach Brian Shaw his first job as an NBA head coach. In addition, Kupchak said Jackson told him he might have made a mistake by returning to coach one final season in 2010-11. Here's more:

Why not promote assistant coach Brian Shaw?
Kupchak: "It's not so much that we chose not to hire Brian because he's not qualified. I think our feelings going into it were we felt we needed a new voice with this team. The old staff had been with us for almost 11 years. We didn't end the season as strongly as we hoped. We just felt it was time for a change. Brian is a very, very qualified individual. He'll be in the NBA for many, many years and he may end up being the Lakers coach one day. But we didn't feel it was the time right now."

Was there any discussion of Jackson coming back for 2011-12?
Kupchak: "Phil made it clear two years ago that he was at or near the end. He chose to come back one more year. After the season ended this year, he and I kind of looked at each other and he indicated to me, 'You know, I felt I had to come back. Three in a row was too much to pass on, but maybe I did the wrong thing.' I'm glad he came back, but it was clear he came back for one more year and only one more year. He has no desire to coach next year and I think he's very happy with his decision. Certainly, we all would have liked the season to end on a better note. We've been to the Finals seven or eight times with him in an 11-year period and won five championships. That's pretty good."

What was it you liked about Brown?
Kupchak: "A new voice was something we felt was important at this time for our team. He certainly has great experience at the NBA level. We feel we got somebody who has a great pedigree and is experienced at the head coaching level. The interview itself was very upbeat. You don't judge a candidate on an interview. You look at the whole body of work, but I will say in the interview he came across as a very energetic and enthusiastic person. I read some things in the last day or two that the triangle is gone. That's not true. A lot of stuff that Mike runs is a derivative of the triangle. Those are the things that jumped out at us."

Who had the final say on hiring Brown?
Kupchak: "Ownership always has the final say, and that's Dr. Jerry Buss. The three of us that make these decision regarding players and coaches, etc., obviously Dr. Jerry Buss, Jim Buss and myself, I wouldn't say wouldn't say one person. If there's a tie, they always defer to the basketball person. ... But all of us agree on any major decision. I wouldn't say one person has more input than the others. Having said that, obviously, at the end of the day, the owner would make the final decision."

Was hiring Mike Brown an unanimous decision?
Kupchak: "Yes, he was."

The Lakers just emailed the following statement about Mike Brown:

"In response to rampant speculation and reports about our head coaching position and Mike Brown, we've met with Mike and are very impressed with him. In addition, we have an outline for an agreement in place and hope to sign a contract within the next few days."

So, who is Mike Brown, who appears to be on the verge of replacing Phil Jackson as the Lakers coach? Well, this Mike Brown shouldn't be confused with the NFL owner of the same name. Or the NFL player. Or the MMA fighter. Or the astronomer. Or the motocross rider. Or the thousands of other Mike Browns. Mike Brown is a common name, and it remains to be seen whether he can stand out as the Lakers' next coach.

What we know about this Mike Brown is that he coached the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers for five seasons until he was fired in 2010. He is the man credited with turning the Cavaliers' franchise from laughingstock to league power. Many believe him to be the one who got James to focus on playing the sound defense you saw him play on Derrick Rose at the end of Game 4 of the Miami-Chicago playoff game Tuesday.

What's more, Brown, 41, is the coach who led the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals in 2007 and to the Eastern Conference finals in 2009 and '10. He was named the coach of the year in 2009 after the Cavs went 66-16. They went 61-21 the next season, but he was fired after they were knocked off in the conference finals for the second straight season.

Brown was 272-138 with the Cavs for a .663 winning percentage, best in team history.

"I have truly enjoyed working with Mike Brown," then-Cleveland general manager Danny Ferry said last year when Brown was fired. "Mike has played a huge role in turning around the Cavs organization. Over the past five years, Mike established a work ethic, defensive identity and culture of winning that was not here previously."

By all accounts, Brown swayed Lakers executive Jim Buss during his interview with his focus on defense, something that was sadly lacking at times this past season, especially during the playoffs. Brown's reputation as a defense-first coach lines up with what the Lakers want and need for the next few seasons. If he accepts their offer of three seasons plus a team option for a fourth at between $4 million and $4.5 million, then so much the better as far as the cost-conscious Buss family is concerned.

Team owner Jerry Buss said the Lakers are "very close" to finalizing a list of candidates to replace the retiring Phil Jackson as coach. Buss was short on providing specifics about when a new coach would be hired, but he said during an interview on Sirius/XM Radio, "I don't know exactly when, but a week is a long time. I should say that."

Buss and his son, Jim, met last week with GM Mitch Kupchak to compile a list of candidates, which is believed to include Rick Adelman, Mike Brown, Mike Dunleavy, Jeff Van Gundy and current Lakers assistant Brian Shaw.

Several players, including Kobe Bryant, have lobbied openly for Shaw.

"Obviously, we have to select somebody who has a reputation that the players would be happy with," Buss said. "But to ask a direct player to select a particular coach, that's general manager territory. That's out of the player domain."

The National Basketball Players Association filed a complaint today against the NBA with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging the league has "consistently engaged in unfair labor practices" during the current collective bargaining negotiations. It could result in an injunction preventing the owners from locking out the players when the collective bargaining agreement ends June 30.

In its filling with the NLRB, the players' union charged the league with failing to bargain in good faith, demanding financial givebacks from existing contracts, bypassing the union to deal directly with the players and threatening a lockout

The league responded in a statement: "There is no merit to the charge filed today by the Players Association with the National Labor Relations Board, as we have complied -- and will continue to comply -- with all of our obligations under the federal labor laws. It will not distract us from our efforts to negotiate in good faith a new collective bargaining agreement with the Players Association."

The league, in its most recent proposal for a new CBA, would like to impose a hard salary cap and a 40-percent rollback on contracts over the next three seasons, according to recent news reports. The players have not offered a counter-proposal. At present, players earn about 60 percent of all revenues in the NBA. The owners would like the ratio to reversed, with players receiving 40 percent.

Andrew Bynum, center:

Making it through the season without a major knee injury should be grounds for a celebration in Lakersland. He's had enough injury problems to last a career, and he's only 23. Don't imagine for a minute that the Lakers will give him up in a trade, even one for Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic. His forearm shiver to the chest of Dallas' J.J. Barea, his ejection, his five-game suspension for the flagrant foul and his $25,000 fine for yanking off his jersey and stalking off the court notwithstanding, 2010-11 was a step forward for the 7-footer. Getting stronger, increasing his rebounding and blocked shot totals and playing 82 games should be his goals for next season. There's no reason he can't do it. He sat out the season's first 24 games after having knee surgery last summer, but he goes into this summer healthy, with no surgeries or rehab needed.

Stats: 54 games, 11.3 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 2.0 blocks.

Grade: B.

Next: Derrick Caracter.

Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls was fined $50,000 today for yelling an anti-gay slur at a fan during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals Sunday in Miami. It was the same two-word phrase used by the Lakers' Kobe Bryant last month, when he was fined $100,000 for yelling it at referee Bennie Adams during a game against the San Antonio Spurs. Why the difference for the same ugly words? The NBA explained that Bryant's slur was directed toward a referee and Noah's was hurled at a fan. So, is the league saying that referees are worth twice as much as fans? I would say the opposite is true. Maybe the league should have said the salaries of the players (Bryant: $24 million; Noah: $3 million) were taken into account. That would probably be the wiser play from a public-relations standpoint. There's no need to disrespect the fans, the people who pay everyone's salaries.

Kobe Bryant, shooting guard:

At the end of the season, no one looked more worn out and in need of a vacation in the warm sun than the Lakers' best player. He wobbled down the stretch and into the playoffs on tired legs and it showed as the Lakers were bounced from the postseason in a four-game sweep at the hands of the older but less fatigued Dallas Mavericks in the second round. The Lakers' run of three straight trips to the Finals ended at just the right time, as far as Kobe-watchers should be concerned. A long summer could be just what Bryant needs to regain his fitness after he played an average of 99 games (regular season plus playoffs) over the last four seasons. The figure rises if you add his Team USA commitments in 2007 and '08 plus exhibition games.

Stats: 82 games, 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists.

Grade: A.

Next: Andrew Bynum.

Shannon Brown, backup guard:

He started the season as if he was going to be the impact player they hoped he could be off the bench. He made perimeter shots and forced teams to take not of him along the 3-point arc, but then he tailed off after Christmas and couldn't seem to buy a basket at times. He also struggled to keep opposing guards in front of him at the defensive end, which made him even less useful on an inconsistent second unit. His scoring average of 8.7 points was a career best, something of a consolation prize.

Stats: 82 games, 8.7 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.2 assists.

Grade: C.

Monday: Kobe Bryant.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar should be immortalized in the form of a statue in front of Staples Center, there's no doubt about it. But his media blitz over the course of the last two days is absolutely the wrong way to go about getting it done. Magic Johnson, Jerry West and Chick Hearn made it ahead of him, and he should wait his turn. The Lakers have told him he will be next, but his tone-deaf campaign is the exact reason the others (plus hockey great Wayne Gretzky and boxer Oscar de la Hoya) have gone before him.

Great as he was, Abdul-Jabbar never got it as a player. He gave new meaning to the word "aloof" during his 20 seasons in the NBA. He was always described as "shy" or "introverted" as a player, first with the Milwaukee Bucks and then with the Lakers, but that's being charitable. "Unpleasant" was another word for him.

Then, after he retired, he complained publicly about not getting a coaching gig in the NBA. The New York Knicks made him a scout and the Clippers hired him as an assistant to help tutor their big men. He didn't last long in either job. The Lakers then hired him to mentor young center Andrew Bynum, but that association ran its course, too.

Now this, an undignified complaint that the Lakers have somehow disrespected him by not having him set in bronze or gold or Play-doh or whatever in front of a downtown building that's overrun by skateboarders when there are no games being played. You have to wonder if these are his true feelings or whether he's been coached into saying these things by some half-wit publicist or business manager.

Either way, it's not the way.

Steve Blake, backup guard:

His signing last summer looked a lot better on paper than it did on the court in 2010-11. He was the ultimate pass-first guard, which wasn't a bad thing on a team with an abundance of shoot-first players. The Lakers hoped for more production with the ball in his hands, however. His 35.9 percent shooting was his lowest mark since he shot 32.8 percent in 2004-05, his second season in the league. They want more from him.

Stats: 79 games, 4.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists.

Grade: C.

Next: Shannon Brown.

Matt Barnes, backup forward:

Sometimes he seemed comfortable in the triangle offense and other times it seemed foreign to him. All things considered, it was a season of adjustment for a player who was playing for his fourth new team in as many seasons. The Lakers liked his aggressiveness defensively, but just when it seemed he was making an impact at both ends of the court, he tore cartilage in his right knee and missed 26 games after undergoing surgery. The way back was long and filled with missteps, but there's hope for the future.

Stats: 53 games, 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists.

Grade: C.

Next: Steve Blake.

Ron Artest, small forward:

Sometime around the middle of the season, he began to grasp the concepts of the Lakers' triangle offense and actually looked comfortable. His adjustment to the role of a supporting cast member remains a work in progress, however. The Lakers needed him to play lock-down defense more than anything, though, and he delivered. The next steps he takes could depend a great deal on the selection of the Lakers' next coach. He played exceptionally well for Rick Adelman in Houston, for instance. He didn't seem to mesh well with Phil Jackson, whose barbs got under his skin. The best might still be ahead of him, as far as adapting to his role and playing it with greater efficiency.

Stats: 82 games, 8.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists

Grade: B.

Next: Matt Barnes.

Kobe Bryant and Stephen Jackson were both born in 1978. Bryant began playing professionally for the Lakers in 1996-97 and Jackson the following season in the CBA. Bryant has played 21,186 minutes or seven 82-game seasons (averaging 40 minutes per game) more than Jackson if you add up all the playoff games, according to research done by Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. That helps to explain why Bryant looked slow and old during the Lakers' second-round playoff ouster at the hands of Dallas.

Here's Bryant's workload in the last four seasons:

He played in all 92 games this season (including 10 in the playoffs).
He played all but nine of 105 games last season (missing nine regular season games).
He played in all 105 games in 2008-09.
He also played in all 103 games in 2007-08.

That's not counting the Olympics in 2008 or All-Star games in each season or exhibition games.

Assistant coach Brian Shaw has received permission from the team to interview for head-coaching positions with the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets, which might move the Lakers' search for Phil Jackson's replacement along rather quickly. Shaw is thought to be the top in-house candidate to replace Jackson and there are plenty of reasons to believe the Lakers would like him to slide over one chair next season. Shaw's lack of NBA head-coaching experience might give team owner Jerry Buss pause, however. On the other hand, if the Lakers want him, they might be forced to move swiftly to hire him to keep him out of the hands of the Warriors or the Rockets. Rick Adelman, the Rockets' former coach, also is expected to draw interest from the Lakers. Adelman was born in Lynwood, attended Pius X High School in Downey and then Loyola Marymount.

Without a new collective bargaining agreement in place and the possibility of a lockout when the old one runs out June 30, there's a lot of uncertainty when it comes to free agency this summer. But the Lakers would be wise to pursue these three potential free agent guards: Aaron Brooks (Phoenix Suns), Jamal Crawford (Atlanta Hawks) and T.J. Ford (Indiana Pacers). And just for fun, they also should take a look at forward DeAndre Jordan of the Clippers, a strong interior defender and a good rebounder. Love his game.

Brooks, Crawford and Ford play with the sort of footspeed the Lakers are sadly lacking in their backcourt at the moment. Brooks would be my top choice because he's a blur with the ball and not a bad outside shooter. One way or another, I'd try to hook him with the mid-level exception, assuming there is such a thing when the new CBA is in place.

Of course, the Lakers don't have room under the salary cap in the current system to sign all of them, but one would do nicely. Brooks, Crawford or Ford would give the Lakers a dimension they lacked with a starting lineup that was so slow that it couldn't play anything but a halfcourt offense and rarely produced fast-break baskets.

Kobe Bryant was selected to the All-NBA first team for the sixth consecutive season and for the ninth time in his career, the league announced today. Bryant averaged 25.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists. He was fifth in the league in scoring. LeBron James of the Miami, Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls, Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic also were selected to the first team.

Pau Gasol was picked to the All-NBA second team, joining Dwyane Wade of the Heat, Russell Westbrook of the Thunder, Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks and Amare Stoudemire of the New York Knicks.

Just a suggestion, but here are three names who should receive interviews to replace Phil Jackson as the Lakers' coach next season: Brian Shaw, Rick Adelman and Mike Dunleavy. Shaw served for many years as one of Jackson's assistants. He also played for him early in the 2000s and knows the ins-and-outs of the triangle offense. Adelman has ties to Southern California and has the NBA coaching experience Shaw lacks. Dunleavy has coached the Lakers and the Clippers, among other stops in his career. He also has experience running the triangle. He is the rare coach who helped to guide the Clippers to the playoffs, when they reached the second round in 2005-06.

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said today there's not a timetable for hiring Phil Jackson's replacement as coach. Kupchak said he must first meet with owner Jerry Buss and his son, Jim, before making any moves toward hiring a new coach. Kupchak acknowledged there are probably "one or two" candidates already in house. He didn't mention names, but one of them has to be assistant coach Brian Shaw. Kobe Bryant, among others, has endorsed Shaw as the next coach. Kupchak said the impending lockout would not sway him one way or another when it comes to hiring a coach, but it's hard to believe he would move quickly. Slowly is probably more like it.

J.J. Barea told reporters in Dallas today that Andrew Bynum left a voice mail message for him apologizing for his midair takedown of the Mavericks guard in Game 4 on Sunday. Bareas also said he accepted Bynum's apology, telling reporters: "I believe him. He regrets fouling me. He regrets what he did. I think he means well and it's just a mistake that can happen to anybody." Bynum was suspended five games for cracking Barea and fined an additional $25,000 for taking off his jersey on his way to the locker room after his ejection.

The league down hard on Andrew Bynum this afternoon, suspending him without pay for the first five games of 2011-12 and fining him an additional $25,000 for taking off his jersey while leaving the court after knocking Dallas guard J.J. Barea to the floor in the fourth quarter of Game 4 on Sunday. The league said he was suspended for "making unnecessary and excessive contact" with Barea, who was driving to the basket. Earlier today, Bynum apologized for his actions and said he had tried to contact Barea.

Andrew Bynum apologized this morning for clobbering J.J. Barea of the Dallas Mavericks in Game 4 of the Lakers' second-round playoff series Sunday afternoon. Here's the full text:

"Number one, I want to apologize for my actions in the fourth quarter in Dallas. They don't represent me, my upbringing, this franchise, or any of the Lakers fans out there who watch us and want us to succeed. Furthermore, and more important, I want to apologize to J.J. Barea for doing that. I'm just glad he wasn't seriously injured. All I can say is that it's terrible and it definitely won't be happening again. I don't pay much attention to what other people say about me. All I can speak to is how I feel."

When asked why he changed his tune after his exit interview with GM Mitch Kupchak and coach Phil Jackson after sounding unapologetic after the game, Bynum said, "I saw it. I went and watched it and it was terrible. The whole sequence and the taking off of the T-shirt. Sometimes you have to man-up and own it. That's what happened."

Bynum went on to say he's tried to contact Barea to apologize personally, but hasn't reached him yet. "He's probably got bigger things to worry about."

DALLAS -- The Lakers' three-peat hopes died in a hail of 3-pointers from the Dallas Mavericks today in Game 4 of their second-round playoff series. The Mavericks advance to play the winner of the Memphis Grizzlies-Oklahoma City Thunder series in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers face an uncertain future after Phil Jackson coached his final game. There is a possibility the roster could be overhauled in the offseason. There is a probability of a lockout starting July 1, so the summer also could feature a lot of nothing. There will be no player movement if they are locked out and it's unlikely the Lakers will name a replacement for Jackson (Brian Shaw?) until after the labor issues are settled. The team has declined to offer contracts to its assistant coaches and other support staff, a sign that it believes the lockout could last a good long while.

DALLAS -- It's Game 6 in Boston in 2008 all over again.

DALLAS -- Coach Phil Jackson was fined by the NBA a cool $35,000 today for complaining Saturday about the lack of calls against the Dallas Mavericks in the low post against the Lakers' big men, particularly power forward Pau Gasol. Jackson said he objected to the Mavericks' use of their knees to move Gasol and fellow 7-footer Andrew Bynum out of the low post.

DALLAS -- Magic Johnson said today on ESPN that perhaps it was time for Lakers owner Jerry Buss to break up the team. "I think, you know, you can be together too long," Johnson said. "This group has been together too long. ... They're not in sync. They don't really believe in one another. What it means is Dr. Buss has got a lot of work to do. He's going to have to probably blow this team up after the season if the Lakers lose this series because now you've got to come back with some fresh faces.

"You've got to pick between the two big men, which one do you keep? And you trade the other one. I don't think anybody is (untouchable when it comes to a trade) but Kobe (Bryant). The Lakers have two problems. They're too slow and no athletes. This is an athletic league now. When you think about all the teams that are left in the playoffs right now, they can all run fast and jump high."

Johnson joined a roundtable conversation with other ESPN analysts about the possibility that the Lakers could trade Andrew Bynum to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard. Johnson likened the move to the Lakers' swap of Marc Gasol for Pau Gasol in 2008, saying the deal "could benefit both teams."

DALLAS -- Coach Phil Jackson said today he's been unhappy during the playoffs because the referees haven't called either the New Orleans Hornets or the Dallas Mavericks for kneeing the Lakers' big men out of the low post, especially Pau Gasol. Here's more:

"I've resisted this the whole playoffs, but the NBA used to call the knee up the (rear end), that's what they used to call it. You couldn't lift your knee off the floor to run a guy off the post. They're doing it every time. They're taking (Gasol) out of the post so he can't get a tight post spot. We did complain about it (to the league office) against New Orleans, but the Mavs are doing the same damn thing. Until the league goes back to the rules they have about playing post play, Pau has to move out and face the basket. We're kind of resigned if they're not going to change the rules, they're not going to go back to what they used to have, so he's going to have to go out and face the basket and play more of a pinch post and do more screen-and-rolls."

Jackson also said he wasn't displeased by Gasol's play during the series despite having a couple of animated conversations with him during Game 3 on Friday night.

"He's obviously frustrated he can't get anything accomplished in there," Jackson said. "His defense I thought was exceptional last night. Obviously, (Dirk) Nowitzki had 30 points (actually 32 points0, but we're not concerned about that aspect of it. The points don't seem to bother us. It's what else happens besides it."

DALLAS -- No team in NBA history has rallied from a 3-0 series deficit to win, which is what the Lakers are facing after tonight's loss to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 3 of their second-round playoff series. Three teams in the NHL have done it, most recently the Philadelphia Flyers overcoming a 3-0 deficit to the Boston Bruins last season. It's also been done once in Major League Baseball. So, even Kobe Bryant had to laugh when he said he didn't think the series was over. Said Bryant: "I don't know, I mean, I might be sick in the head or crazy something like that because I still think we're still going to win this series. I might be nuts. Win on Sunday and go back home and see if they can win in L.A."

Game 4 is Sunday in Dallas. Game 5, if necessary, is Tuesday at Staples Center.

DALLAS -- Andrew Bynum swiped an errant pass intended for Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks, dribbled the length of the court and dunked late in the first half of Game 3 tonight. It propelled the Lakers to a modest lead by halftime. Bynum scored a team-leading 14 points on 6-for-10 shooting and grabbed four rebounds. Lamar Odom, starting in place of the suspended Ron Artest, had 10 points on 5-for-9 shooting. Dirk Nowitzki had 18 for Dallas. All in all, the Lakers did not look like a team bent on an early vacation. Then again, crumbled mightily in the second half of each of the first two games.

DALLAS -- Lamar Odom said this morning he would replace Ron Artest, who was suspended for Game 3 tonight against the Dallas Mavericks. Lakers coach Phil Jackson would neither confirm nor deny Odom would be the one to fill in at small forward. Power forward Pau Gasol made a funny face when told by reporters that Odom would join him in the starting lineup. Odom said he last started as a small forward while with the Clippers in the early 2000s. Artest was suspended for a flagrant foul against J.J. Barea. The teaming of Odom with Gasol and Andrew Bynum gives the Lakers a really big front court, but makes them vulnerable to the Mavericks' speed in the back court. Let's see how it works.

Ron Artest was suspended one game by the NBA today for cracking backup guard J.J Barea of the Dallas Mavericks in the face in the final minute of Game 2 on Wednesday night. Artest will sit out of Game 3 on Friday at Dallas and will regain his eligibility for Game 4 on Sunday. The Lakers trail in the best-of-7 series 2-0. Asked for his reaction, Artest said, "No reaction. I'm getting ready to move forward and play basketball." Asked if the suspension was justified, he said, "I'm just ready to move forward and play basketball."

Artest used the phrase "moving on" eight times in a 2 1/2-minute session with reporters.

Andrew Bynum seldom has a filter when he talks to reporters, saying just what he feels. He was as direct as he's ever been in his career after the Lakers' loss to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 2 tonight at Staples Center put them in a 2-0 series hole. He said the Lakers have trust issues. He also said: "I don't even know the root of it at this point. Obviously, we have trust issues and unless we come out and discuss them nothing is going to change."

When asked about Bynum's comments, Kobe Bryant said: "I think the trust he's referring to is being able to help each other on the defensive end of the floor. You saw a lot of layups. He gets frustrated when he supports a guard coming off the screen-and-rool and nobody supports when a big (guy) is rolling to the basket."

The Lakers were beaten down in the second half of Game 2 tonight against the Dallas Mavericks, scoring only 32 points and falling into a 2-0 hole in the best-of-7 series. Games 3 and 4 are Friday and Sunday in Dallas and the Lakers have a lot of work to do if they hope to get back into the series and save their chances at a three-peat. They might have to play without Ron Artest, who could be suspended for whacking Jose Barea in the head in the final minute. Andrew Bynum said the Lakers have "trust issues." They sure seemed at the breaking point after Dallas pounded them into submission.

The Lakers were halfway to a series problem tonight in Game 2 of their second-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks. They did a good many things right in the first half, but they couldn't stop Dirk Nowitzki and they couldn't build any momentum. Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum each scored 14 points. Nowitzki had 15. Ron Artest began to guard Nowitzki late in the half and muscled him more than Pau Gasol or Lamar Odom.

Here's what Derek Fisher had to say today about the Lakers after they went ker-plunk in the closing minutes and seconds of Game 1 of their second-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night at Staples Center:

"I don't think there's ever a time where one game, one situation, one bad play, one bad decision creeps into your mind in terms of what your end goal is. Those have been successful and the best at anything have always proven and shown an ability to bounce back and respond from the most adverse situations. We've done it before. Obviously, we can't just sit back and rely on what we've done in the past. ... It's not supposed to be easy. We're not supposed to go through this thing according to plan."

The Lakers gave away another Game 1, surrendering a 16-point lead to the Dallas Mavericks tonight at Staples Center. It will sting every bit as much as their loss to the New Orleans Hornets in Game 1 in the opening round.

Dirk Nowitzki sank two free throws with 19.5 seconds remaining to complete the Mavericks comeback. Nowitzki scored 28 points for the Mavericks. Kobe Bryant had 36 points for the Lakers, but missed the game-winning 3-point attempt at the buzzer.

"We just didn't execute well," Bryant said.

Asked why the Lakers continue to make it tough on themselves in the playoffs, he said, "We don't do it purposely, I assure you. It is what it is. ... We blew a lot of coverage. We've got to shore up that part of our defense."

Asked about giving the Mavericks a confidence boost, he said, "I think they always had hope. They're in the second round. They're here to play. ... My concern is this team can beat us. It's clear. We've got to come in and be ready to play Game 2."

Game 2 is Wednesday at Staples Center.

The Lakers closed the first half of Game 1 of their second-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks with a 14-2 run tonight at Staples Center. They played well enough in the opening half, but the Mavericks helped them out with a couple of bone-headed plays inside the final second. First, Jason Terry smacked Lamar Odom on the arm as he attempted a desperation 3-pointer from near midcourt with 0.7 seconds left. After Odom sank three free throws, Dirk Nowitzki cracked Ron Artest with an elbow with 0.4 seconds left and was whistled for a technical. Kobe Bryant sank the free throw to give the Lakers a fourth freebie inside the final second. Bryant scored 15 points and Odom had 11. Terry had 13 points.

Two of the NBA's elder statesmen, Derek Fisher and Jason Kidd, will square off when the Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks meet in Game 1 of their second-round series Monday night at Staples Center. Here's what Fisher said of Kidd: "Jason makes them go. He impacts games without scoring. ... So, even though you don't strategize for him offensively, you still have to plan for him. You have to play him like an impact player because he still impacts the game." Fisher, 36, averaged 9.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists in the Lakers' first-round victory over the New Orleans Hornets. Kidd, 38, averaged 11.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 6.5 assists during the Mavericks' victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.