Community members are invited to participate in Los Angeles County’s “Brag About Your Bag” initiative. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, November 25, residents can bring five single use bags to the Albertson’s Grocery Store located at 27631 Bouquet Canyon Road to be entered to win great prizes and receive a free reusable bag.

Campaign spokesperson Luke Walton of the Los Angeles Lakers

Community members who bring five plastic bags to the participating Albertson’s Grocery Store will be eligible to win prizes, including lunch with NBA Champion Luke Walton, courtesy of 710ESPN. Two winners will also receive a trip to Miami, Fla., complete with hotel, airfare and $500 gift card, courtesy of Univision Radio’s KLOVE 107.5 FM and La Nueva 101.9 FM.

For more information about the event on Wednesday contact Mark Patti with the City’s Environmental Services Division, at (661) 286-4173 or visit bragaboutyourbag.com.

Quando seu tempo em quadra diminuiu, ambos Shannon Brown e Luke Walton não reclamaram, eles apenas começaram a treinar mais duro.

Os dois começaram a fazer treinamentos extras. Eles chegavam antes do horário para treinar arremesso e eles ficavam até depois do treino para treinar mais. Eles chegavam antes dos jogos para treinar mais arremesso.

Antes do jogo contra o Hornets, Brown estava com médias de 11.8 minutos por jogo enquanto Walton estava com média de 9.8 minutos, porém finalmente o esforço foi recompensado. Ambos jogaram 21 minutos no jogo contra o New Orleans.

Brown fez 15 pontos, sendo 13 deles no terceiro quarto. Ele acertou 6 de 8 arremessos enquanto Walton acertou 4 de 7 arremessos e fez 11 pontos. Os dois distribuíram 2 assistências cada.

“Eu apenas tento ficar no ginásio”, disse Brown. “Eu chego mais cedo, treino meus arremessos, pego ritmo. Quando se trata do treinamento eu levo a sério. É tudo sobre melhorar”.

Brown entrou cedo no terceiro período após o Fisher cometer sua quarta falta.

“Eu estou orgulhoso que o Brown conseguiu jogar muito bem no lugar de Fisher”, disse PJ.

Brown não ficou apenas parado esperando a bola, ele trabalhou duro se movimentando e abrindo espaço.

Teve duas jogadas na partida em que Walton deu um passe muito bom terminando numa enterrada de Brown. Fora os dois passes, Walton arremessou muito bem, mesmo da linha de 3 pontos. Ele acertou 3 de 5 arremessos de longa distância.

“Eu estou treinando muito, treinando arremessos todas as noites com o Jordan”, disse Walton. “Eu chego mais cedo nos jogos e treino arremessos com o Shaw e com os outros técnicos”.

Ao invés de sempre procurar por um companheiro, Walton vem também procurando abrir espaço para o seu próprio arremesso.

“Eu estou tentando ser agressivo”, disse Walton. “Mas mesmo assim eu não vou lá para arremessar várias vezes, eu prefiro dar uma assistência a arremessar”.

Fonte: LA Times

O L.A. Lakers venceu seu quinto jogo seguido ontem à noite contra o New Orleans Hornets. Foi um jogo muito fácil onde o time de CP3 nunca esteve na frente do placar.

O Lakers foi bem no ataque, distribuindo 27 assistências no total e cometendo apenas 12 erros. Na defesa o time foi melhor ainda. O Hornets não conseguiu fazer nada no ataque e teve um aproveitamento de 36% dos arremessos de quadra e 31% dos arremessos de 3 pontos.

Kobe Bryant foi o cestinha com 28 pontos, porém 26 desses pontos foram na primeira metade do jogo.

No terceiro quarto o Lakers já abriu uma vantagem de mais de 25 pontos. Isso deu espaço para os reservas jogarem mais no último quarto.

Shannon Brown fez 15 pontos e Luke Walton 11, ambos com um ótimo aproveitamento. Até Adam Morrison jogou bem nos poucos minutos em que esteve em quadra.

DJ Mbenga tomou conta do garrafão, dando 4 tocos e terminando com um duplo-duplo, 10 pontos e 12 rebotes.

Odom e Artest arremessaram pouco e mal. Odom acabou com 7 pontos e Artest com 5, porém ambos ajudaram bem nos rebotes, nas assistências e na defesa. Odom terminou com 9 rebotes, 6 assistências e 2 tocos enquanto Artest terminou com 8 rebotes e 7 assistências.

O próximo jogo será apenas quinta-feira, contra o Phoenix Suns. É um bom tempo para Gasol e Bynum melhorarem de suas contusões.

Melhores Momentos:

Fonte: The Lakers Nation

I got a chance (as we do every year) to get free tickets from our friend Jennifer to go to the Sports Arena in San Diego to see the Lakers play a pre-season game! This year it was against the Nuggets and the game got SO intense! There were 5 technical fouls called in less than 10 minutes and there was even a fight that broke out between Lamar Odom and Chris “Birdman” Anderson.  I DO NOT LIKE Birdman.  He was taunting the crowd and doing this flappy-arms things that was so lame.

Also, Luke (our dear friend) left us VIP Guest Passes so we got to stay after the game (as we always do) and see him and whoever else comes out to see family and friends! I got to meet and take a picture with the amazing assistant coach Byron Shaw and also saw Lamar Odom, Jordan Farmar and some other players I didn’t recognize.  When I saw Luke I had to show him a picture os his “biggest fan” who was sitting next to us during the game and whose entire section was cheering SO loud for Luke! It was awesome to see he has so many San Diego fans, but a little disturbing to see what fans he attracts.  When I showed him the picture, he said “oh geeeze… that’s SCARY!!!!”

The Lakers didn’t win, but the game was SUCH an amazing one to watch an be a part of!

Lamar Odom: O alá-pivô, que sofreu uma contusão durante o jogo contra o Sacramento, na quinta-feira, participou normalmente do treinamento de hoje (segunda-feira). Odom confirmou que está se sentindo muito melhor, e é esperado que ele jogue no próximo confronto do Lakers.

Pau Gasol: Gasol, que sofreu uma contusão na região de seu tendão, abaixo do joelho (isquiotibiais, segundo um membro da comunidade) teve uma participação limitada no treinamento e está listado como duvidoso para o próximo jogo.

Luke Walton: Luke também está listado como duvidoso, devido às dores nas costas.

O próximo jogo do Lakers será contra o Golden State Warriors, terça-feira. Os jogadores falaram que se fosse temporada regular eles teriam como jogar. Mas é pré-temporada e, segundo Phil Jackson, a prioridade é que os jogadores se preparem para a estréia, no dia 27.

Fonte: lakers.com

Luke Walton não participou do treinamento dessa terça-feira por causa de dores nas costas. Ele não foi capaz de comentar a respeito, pois estava com o médico, sendo examinado.

24 horas antes, Phil Jackson brincou quando questionado sobre o progresso do Walton, falando que o sucesso dele até o momento tinha sido porque ele não tinha sofrido nenhuma contusão.

Nos dois primeiros jogos nessa pré-temporada ele não jogou muitos minutos, estando com médias de 1 ponto e 1.5 assistências nesses dois confrontos. Não se sabe quanto tempo ele vai ficar afastado, mas se Walton ficar fora por um tempo considerável, Morrison pode ter a chance de jogar alguns minutos extras.

Fonte: Inside the Lakers

Walton sabe que o seu tempo em quadra pode cair agora que o Lakers contratou Ron Artest. Ele sabe que Artest gosta de jogar durante muitos minutos.

“Eu quero jogar”, disse Walton após o treinamento de sábado. “Não tem como dizer agora, antes da temporada começar, mas eu vou ter que trabalhar duro para conseguir ganhar meus minutos em quadra”.

Walton teve médias de 17.9 minutos na temporada passada, em 65 jogos, sendo 34 destes como titular. Artest, por sua vez, teve médias de 35.2 minutos por jogo com o Houston Rockets.

“Isto afeta a participação do Luke no time”, disse Phil Jackson. “Eu conversei um pouco com ele sobre isso reconhecendo que algumas coisas mudaram. Mas ele ainda pode jogar em algumas posições para nós”.

“Sabemos que o Ron gosta de jogar por volta de 30 minutos por jogo. Veremos como essa rotação vai ocorrer, porém o Ron vai ter noites em que realmente vai jogar muitos minutos”.

Como o Walton sabe carregar bem a bola, controlar o ataque e passar a bola muito bem, ele sabe que ele consegue jogar em qualquer posição, desde que ele entre em quadra.

“Eu vou jogar que nem o Magic Johnson”, disse Walton brincando.

Fonte: LA Times

Gossip Center

We wondered if Brody Jenner and Jayde Nicole would put on a brave face and attend Brody’s stepsister Khloe Kardashian’s wedding to Lamar Odom yesterday, despite Joe Francis being heavily involved with the wedding.  Brody and Jayde did not attend.  Weddings were not on their minds!

Jayde tweeted:

Nope, no wedding today. Brody is in NYC doing Press for The Hills premier this Tuesday at 10pm ! PS I missed the game, did the chargers win?about 14 hours ago from UberTwitter

Brody tweeted:

Just landed in NYC… Gonna be a busy few days!!about 13 hours ago from Tweetie

But it seems like everyone else in the reality TV and basketball worlds were there. Guests included Ryan Seacrest, Kelly Osbourne, Khadijah and Malika Haqq (Kardashian’s reality show), Chelsea Handler, Lara Spencer, Lala Vazquez, Brittny Gastineau, and Adrienne Bailon.  Laker head coach Phil Jackson, general manager Mitch Kupchak, teammates Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest, Luke Walton, and Sasha Vujacic also attended.

Courtesy of MissXpose

Let the sham begin!  Today is the day that Lamar Odom will say I do to giving away half of his small fortune to Khloe Kardashian in 7 months when they divorce…if the first season of their show has finished filming, that is.

Just a few bullet points to catch ya’ll up:

-  Joe “I hit women” Francis threw Lamar a bachelor party at STK, where he made his teammates wait over an hour for his late arrival.  Derek Fisher said fuck it and went home!  Luke “let’s go to Paris so I can talk some sense into you” Walton was not said to be in attendance.  He’s also not a groomsman.  (via TMZ)

- There is still no prenup.  Evidently, Khlomar’s attorney’s didn’t have adequate time to put together a document that will give Khloe enough money when they divorce that was suitable for both parties.  So they’re working on a postnup.  (via Perez)

-  Today’s wedding will not be a legal ceremony.  No marriage license will be signed until after the postnup is complete. (via Perez)

-  Lamar’s own children were not invited to the wedding!  Probably explains why his parents won’t be in attendance either.

-  The entire Lakers team was invited.  Kobe has not RSVPd yet!  (via Baller Alert)

-  Lamar’s baby mama said she did not have a meltdown.  She wants only happiness for him.  She also said that his family has shown her nothing but support.

-  Word is that Lamar is firing all of his “people”.  (via Baller Alert)

My thoughts (Hollywood’s too b/c we’ve talked about it)…since when does Lamar Odom hang around with trash like Joe Francis?  He’s already caught up in the machine and is too dumb to realize it.  Is getting your shine in 2009 that important?  This nigga one step away from selling his soul to the devil behind this bullshit.  Fire your people and let Kris manage your career…your ass will end up selling donuts on Canadian tv like Gary Coleman’s ass.

If it’s truly about love, then why won’t the bitch sign the prenup that was allegedly already presented to her?  Is Lamar color blind cuz we see all kinds of red flags being waved.

Speaking of true love, why the fuck aren’t your kids going to be there?  Wouldn’t you want them to see “daddy” marrying the love of his life?  Wouldn’t you want them to be there to celebrate and share the stinch love that will be in the air?

Kobe ain’t gonna be nowhere near the “intimate” celebration today!  He’s at home getting ready for practice to start…where yo ass need to be, nigga (in my Chris Tucker voice)!  I know Vanessa is mad about this shit.  She is the one who’s supposed to shine at games.  Ya’ll thought she was glittery and shit before.  We ain’t seen nothin yet!

Glad to hear that Lamar’s family is rollin’ with his baby moms!  They know scally wag tom foolery when they see it and won’t be a part of this mockery of marriage taking place today.  By the way, 250 fucking people should never be described as intimate!

UPDATE:  Kobe DID attend the wedding!  I expected more from him.

Donkey of the Year!!!

Thoughts?

…H & V…in a minute

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There was a great article in the New York Times September 1st by Gretchen Reynolds called “Does Ibuprofen Help or Hurt During Exercise?” that looked at what effect non-steroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs) have during and after exercise.  There are a surprising number of athletes, from professional to weekend warriors, who regularly use NSAIDs before, during and after exercise thinking it’s going to help kill the pain during activity and help them recover faster.  The article says:

“For a lot of athletes, taking painkillers has become a ritual,” says Stuart Warden, an assistant professor and director of physical therapy research at Indiana University, who has extensively studied the physiological impacts of the drugs.  “They put on their uniform” or pull on their running shoes and pop a few Advil.  “It’s like candy” or Vitamin I, as some athletes refer to ibuprofen.

Research has shown that popping all those pills is actually having the opposite effect as the one intended.  David Nieman, a well-regarded physiologist and director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the North Carolina Research Campus had this to say about his findings:

“There was no difference between the runners using ibuprofen and those who weren’t.  So the painkillers were not useful for reducing pain.”

And maybe even more important:

NSAIDs actually slowed the healing of injured muscles, tendons, ligament and bones.  “NSAIDs work by inhibiting the production of prostaglandins,” substances that are involved in pain and also in the creation of collagen, Warden says.  Collagen is the building block of most tissues.  So fewer prostaglandins mean less collagen, “which inhibits the healing of tissue and bone injuries.”

The article summed it up by saying:

In essence, the pills athletes take to reduce the chances that they’ll feel sore may increase the odds that they’ll wind up injured — and sore.

Now comes the big question…what should athletes do to reduce pain during workouts and competitions and help them recover faster?

They should do a pre-workout menu to align their bodies, which will decrease pain and the chance of injury.  They should also follow up all workouts with a post-workout menu to help their bodies recover faster.  Ask any athlete who has worked with Egoscue and done just this and they’ll tell you it makes a world of difference.  John Lynch, Junior Seau, Trevor Hoffman, Jack Nicklaus, Brian Urlacher, UCLA Volleyball, Chris Dudley, Dave Roberts, Akinori Otsuka, Mike Ditka, Tony Boselli, Luke Walton, Tom Dolan, Justin Armour, Steve Stenstrom, Alexandra Stevenson, Abdi Abdirahman, Jill Craybus and many others are clients of Egoscue and utilize pre- and post-workout menus to stay healthy and pain free.

John Lynch doing a hip-crossover stretch during a pre-workout menu.

“I believe a large part of my success in the NFL is directly related to the unique program of the Egoscue Method.”

Jack Nicklaus used Egoscue to alleviate chronic back pain so he could get back on the golf course and delay a hip replacement for many years.

“Never have I experienced such complete relief as I have by following the Egoscue Method.”

Junior Seau was featured in Sports Illustrated doing a Piggyback during a pre-workout menu.

Tom Dolan, Olympic Gold Medalist, Swimming 1996, 2000

“My therapist has helped to alleviate the pain by working on improving my posture and increasing my flexibility using the Egoscue Method.  I would highly recommend their expertise in pain relief and proper muscular function therapy.”

Those of you who follow Lamar Odom on Twitter might have already seen this. It sets a ludicrously high standard for children of basketball fans everywhere.

Follow the Sport Count on Twitter.

Posted by: Alex

Last year’s Los Angeles Lakers had the talent to go down as one of the greatest teams in NBA history. As a result of shoddy point guard play and another injury to starting center Andrew Bynum, they didn’t end up all over the record books (aside from coach Phil Jackson surpassing Red Auerbach’s mark with his 10th NBA title as a coach), but they were still good enough to win 65 regular season games and win the NBA championship. Not bad, methinks.

Heading into the offseason, the two big question marks around the champs were what would become of their two free agents, Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom. You likely already know what went down – Ariza’s agent was offended by the Lakers’ initial offer, so he signed in Houston and the Lakers replaced him with Ron Artest. Odom likewise balked at what the Lakers offered him at first, then the team then took its offer off of the table, and Odom flirted with the Miami Heat for awhile. Fortunately, the two sides came to their senses eventually and stopped the shenanigans, agreeing on a three-year contract with a team option on the fourth year, which could net Odom $33 million.

My views on the Ariza for Artest swapped mirror Kelly Dwyer’s. Artest is a good player, but he’s not at all the right person for the Lakers’ triangle offense. He shoots too often and too inefficiently, he breaks plays, and he doesn’t contribute enough when playing off the ball. Defensively, he’ll still be good, but Ariza is probably a bit better at this point. I’m not saying the swap means the Lakers can’t win a title this upcoming season, not by a long shot. Just saying that I would have rather seen both players stay with their respective teams.

You’ve got to applaud the Lakers for keeping Odom, though. I was terrified they were going to lose him and lose a huge part of their team. This guy was an absolute joy to watch last season. He’s perfect for the triangle and brilliant defensively. He’s an extremely versatile player whose impact is felt all over the court, in many aspects of the game. If he was gone, tremendous pressure would have been on Luke Walton to run the offense with the second unit and on Andrew Bynum to stay healthy for the entire year. Laker fans had to be extremely relieved when he finally re-signed.

Moving onwards to next season, I think these Lakers have to remain the favourites to win the chip. You don’t need me to tell you anything about Kobe Bryant’s game, but he’s turning 31 on Sunday and will still be in his prime this year. Pau Gasol’s in his prime too and he is the best power forward in the game. Same goes for Odom, who is without a doubt an elite player despite his inconsistency. Andrew Bynum, who will still be only 22 when the season starts, is one of the best young big men in the league and if he stays healthy he’ll make the Lakers an even stronger team than they were last season. That is scary.

This isn’t to say that the Lakers are entering the season without question marks. Ron Artest is obviously the biggest one. After that, it’s the point guard situation. Nothing has been done yet to address this weakness, so we have to assume the Lakers think that Jordan Farmar’s regression last year was a fluke. I’m not sure that I’d want to bank on him and Derek Fisher for another season if I was the Lakers, but they managed last year, I guess. The competition should be stiffer, as the Celtics, Cavs, Magic, and Spurs all look like legitimate threats now. I’m certainly not saying it’ll be easy for the Lakers to win it all again. Still, with Bynum returning to this ultra-stacked team, would you bet against this group? I wouldn’t.

The 2009 NBA free agency period won’t have nearly the splash that the 2010 free agency period will have.  Still, there’s some key moves to analyze.  Note that these moves will not become official until the actual signings begin this Wednesday, July 8.

Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon to the Pistons
Gordon has been best known in his pro career as a clutch shooter.  Meanwhile, that other Connecticut signee, Charlie Villanueva, has also had a rather steady career so far.  Gordon makes it now an all UConn-affair at shooting guard.  For Detroit, it would work best to have Richard Hamilton start and Gordon come bench the bench for Hamilton and the very promising point guard, Rodney Stuckey.  Question is if Gordon will be worth 55 to 60 million for five years.  As for Villanueva, he also go from a divisional team to Detroit (Gordon from Chicgo; Villanueva from Milwaukee).  Villanueva will replace Rasheed Wallace, which means that the Pistons get more upside, but less current effectiveness at the power forward position.  Obviously, this is no longer the team that made six consecutive conference finals, and Joe Dumars knew that, so he went with some very solid options to give this team a brighter future.  Grade: B

Hedo Turkoglu spurning the Blazers to play in Toronto
I consider this a very huge disappointment.  Turkoglu would’ve likely been the starting small forward for a team with a major upside as a title contender.  Honestly, the Turkoglu move could’ve been the one to put them over the top.  Instead, Turkoglu took three more million dollars and the better city for a Turkish-American basketball player.  The Raptors haven’t recently lived up to the bill as a possible Eastern Conference contender, but the Turkoglu signing could give Toronto some hope.  They do already have former-top-pick Andrea Bargnani at center, captain Chris Bosh at power forward (for at least another year), rookie DeMar DeRozan at shooting guard and the ever-so underrated Jose Calderon at the point.  Also, the Raptors could use Shawn Marion in a sign-and-trade.  If Toronto can somehow use Marion to get some depth (which is what Toronto really needs the most), the team could sneak in the playoffs as a road team in the first round.  Grade: B+

Rasheed Wallace signed for (more) veteran experience in Boston
Honestly, the Celtics would’ve been my favorite last year to win it all had Kevin Garnett been healthy for the playoffs.  Now, the addition of Wallace makes that Celtics that much more scary.  Wallace will probably replace Kendrick Perkins in the lineup, but Perkins will still be effective (and fresh) when he comes in to play.  Boston gets more experience in what should be another strong run for this season’s NBA Championship.  Boston already had a good infusion of veteran experience (and effectiveness) and young talent (and effectiveness).  This may have made the infusion a bit more tasty, and it could be the extra step needed to win the 2010 NBA Finals.  Grade: A-

A virtual trade between the Lakers and Rockets (Ron Artest for Trevor Ariza)
The Lakers’ toughest series en route to an NBA title was against the defensive masterminds out in Houston.  Well, the task for a repeat got easier now, as the Lakers get Ron Artest for Trevor Ariza in what more or less becomes a virtual trade with the Rockets.  Artest will be major upgrade from Luke Walton, and he’ll be a good step up from Ariza.  Even though made some key steals for the Lakers in the Denver series, he doesn’t provide the constant pressure and toughness that Artest does on defense.  The one complaint about the Lakers last year was their lack of toughness.  Now, that complaint should die with the Artest signing.  The signing also allows the Lakers to let go of Lamar Odom in necessary, but if L.A. resigns him, all bets are on to make a strong run towards a repeat.  Rockets grade: B-  Lakers grade: A

Jason Kidd stays in Big D
After a disappointing 2007-08 season, Jason Kidd honestly had a very strong 2008-09 season.  That’s why it makes some sense for the Dallas Mavericks to re-sign the 36-year-old point guard.  The deal is for three years and over 25 million, which was probably the best deal Kidd could get without the deal being absurd.  I think Kidd could last another three years, which should be enough time for the Mavs to find a new, young point guard.  Devin Harris still was the better option, but Kidd should keep Dallas in the playoffs.  Grade: B

Every playoff year, the Lakers produce someone who is young, performs well, and end up getting overpaid. We have seen player like Brian Cook, Slava Medvedenko, Sasha Vujacic, and Luke Walton all do this. Trevor Ariza was just the next in line. All were getting stars, shooting lights out, and not playing like themselves. Just take a look at where they are: Cook is on his 3rd team since the Lakers and at the end of a bench collecting a paycheck. Medvedenko is out of the league. Sasha is with the Lakers and was a non factor in the playoffs, players like Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown were getting minutes ahead of him. Luke Walton is player who doesnt score and is over paid, the only reason he got paid above the midlevel was because he is a Phil Jackson favorite.

Note: I am not a Laker fan. The sight of a Lakers flag makes me want to puke.

The Pacific Division, home to the NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers, was certainly the most lop-sided division in the league this past season. After the Lakers there was only disappointment, with none of the other teams in the division made the playoffs. In the NBA, standing pat is falling behind, so even the defending champs will not enter the 2009-2010 season looking exactly the same.

Los Angeles Lakers – 65-17, 1st in Pacific, NBA Champions
Lakers salaries at HoopsHype

There’s no rest for the champs as the NBA Draft is next Thursday and the free-agency period begins July 1st. The Lakers perceived issues seemed a lot smaller as the playoffs went on, and should be looking to keep the group largely in tact for next season. Their key free agents are Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariva, who are both unrestricted and can sign with any team they please. Both players have expressed a desire to stay put, but Odom may be due for a paycut from his roughly $11.4M salary, and Ariza can definitely look forward to an increase from the $3M he earned this year. If the team can manage to spend the same amount of cash on the same two players but distribute it differently, they can keep both players. Shannon Brown is also an unrestricted free agent, and keeping him would be worthwhile, even with Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar under contract. Doing all of these things could be an issue, with Andrew Bynum receiving a $10M increase next season. There’s also the issue of extending Kobe Bryant’s contract, but that should happen without too much pain. If anyone gets shipped out, look for a bad contract to move like Sasha Vujacic (2-yr, $10M left), or an expiring deal like Farmar or Adam Morrison (assuming his 2010-11 qualifying offer isn’t extended at almost $7M). Luke Walton also has a long deal, and I’m not sure he’s worth keeping at $5M+ a year after Ariza’s emergence as the definite starter. As for the draft, the Lakers possess the 29th, 42nd and 59th picks. I don’t expect a large impact from a rookie on this team, so look for them to add a shooter and perhaps stash a player overseas like PG Nick Calathes from Florida.

Phoenix Suns – 46-36, 2nd in Pacific, missed playoffs
Suns salaries at HoopsHype

The Phoenix Suns had a tumultuous season, with the firing of head coach Terry Porter, the hiring of Alvin Gentry, and the adjustments made between those two extremely different coaches. Retaining Alvin Gentry will assure that the team has fun running up the score, but hopefully for their sake, some defense will be mixed in and perhaps the Suns can add some more wins. General Manager Steve Kerr is currently negotiating with Steve Nash to keep him in town past 2010, and rumors are flying about potential trades of Shaquille O’Neal and Amar’e Stoudemire. To get things straight, the rumored deals of Shaq to Cleveland and Amar’e to Minnesota are completely false in my eyes. Yes, perhaps the Suns want to shed some salary, but they’re not going to take Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic to make it happen. Much more unlikely is the deal to Minnesota for Al Jefferson AND the #6 pick in the draft. Minnesota wouldn’t (or, they shouldn’t) do this deal in a million years. In my opinion, they’d give up the better player in Al Jefferson and a rookie stud for the cyclops that is Amar’e. The last I heard Amar’e still was laying on his side to drain the puss from his eye , an adverse side effect from the surgery to repair his partially detached retina. Both he and Shaq haven’t been shy about wanting to leave, so one move could determine where the rest of the dominoes fall. Grant Hill and Matt Barnes are both unrestricted free agents, making adding at least one serviceable SF a must this offseason. The 14th pick in the draft could offer some cheap relief at this position or others, with lots of good talent to be had late in the first round. Goran Dragic has been largely disappointing, so retaining Steve Nash is important. A potential PG steal in one-year international player Brandon Jennings, Jeff Teague (Wake Forest) or Jonny Flynn (Syracuse) could be there at 14, while physical SF Omri Casspi of Maccibi Tel Aviv has impressed (and bullied) people at his workouts.

Golden State Warriors – 29-53, 3rd in Pacific, missed playoffs
Warriors salaries at HoopsHype

Despite their record, the Golden State Warriors are a very talented squad. The only notable free agent they have to re-sign is CJ Watson, and he should be relatively cheap. There is also a team option for surprising undrafted rookie Anthony Morrow that should get picked up; $700K is a steal for the 2008-2009 league leader in 3pt%. Unfortunately, it seems that as a team the Warriors have no direction. They have a surplus of swingmen, and often play Corey Maggette and Stephen Jackson at the PF spot. SG Jamal Crawford is a great weapon, but management has gone on record to state that if Crawford did not opt out of his contract this offseason that they will attempt to trade him. A player clashing with coach Don Nelson is certainly not out of the question, but I question the reasoning behind it. Corey Maggette could be had in a trade, but the $10M/yr contract ending after the 2012-13 season they signed him to doesn’t make that easy. Guard Monta Ellis should be completely recovered from his injuries last season, and no doubt should avoid all mopeds this summer. Golden State seems uncertain if Ellis can handle the point guard duties, so they may be in the market for a point guard in the draft. Honestly, they have a lot of talent at all spots, but an additional big man to use minutes otherwise wasted on Brendan Wright certainly wouldn’t hurt. Although I have not heard much, I truly believe that the Warriors will try to trade one or more players, with Crawford the most likely player to be moved. He will demand a lot of attention from teams looking to add a piece for a title run. I’ve heard of the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks as potential destinations for Crawford, but one has to think that the Cleveland Cavaliers have to be eyeing Crawford as well. With their roster mostly still young and raw, I see the Warriors taking the best player available in the first round at pick that’s not a shooting guard or small forward. Look for PF Jordan Hill (USC), PG Tyreke Evans (Memphis), and PG Brandon Jennings to all get looks.

Los Angeles Clippers – 19-63, 4th in Pacific, missed playoffs
Clippers salaries at HoopsHype

The biggest win of the Clippers’ season was undoubtedly winning the 2009 NBA Draft lottery. The Clippers quickly ended all speculation and said they would take Oklahoma PF Blake Griffin with the top pick, the Clippers’ only draft choice. Blake Griffin is head and shoulders above the other draft prospects, and is the safest draft choice this year. I think that’s the right call, but now there’s a slight problem. The Clippers have $34 million in salary tied up in Marcus Camby, Zach Randolph, and Chris Kaman for next season. The Clippers would be smart to trade one of these big men to make room for the rook, but this is the Clippers we’re talking about. Of those players, Camby is definitely the most tradeable with his expiring deal. If Kaman proved to be healthy, some teams might show some interest in him. Zach Randolph’s remaining 2 years and $33M are probably too expensive to pawn off on someone. If a taker can be found, the Clippers should be interested in a backup PG to hold court when Baron Davis sits or is injured during the season. SG Eric Gordon showed some good flash last season, and should continue to improve, as well as SF Al Thornton.

Sacramento Kings – 17-65, 5th in Pacific, missed playoffs
Kings salaries at HoopsHype

The Kings finished with the worst record in the league this past season, and were really just playing for the sake of experience. Still, this is a young team with a lot of potential, and some valuable trade chips they can cash in if they decide they want to win now. The Kings have the contracts of Shareef Abdir-Rahim (retired), Kenny Thomas and Mikki Moore (released) all expiring after next season, freeing up about $17 million in salary. They don’t really need this room to re-sign players, with Kevin Martin locked up until the 2013-14 season. Martin, along with Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson, Andres Nocioni, and Beno Udrih start for this young team, with Francisco Garcia chipping in off the bench. Udrih is solid, but is far from the answer at PG. At #4, the Kings have a great opportunity to get a great young PG that will play without the pressure of winning immediately. Spanish sensation Ricky Rubio seems to like the Kings, and the Kings would love to select him with their pick, but he may not last that long. If the Memphis Grizzlies decide to bite on swingman James Harden (Arizona State) or C Hasheem Thabeet (UConn) instead of PG Rubio, the Oklahoma City Thunder could snag him in hopes of moving Russell Westbrook to the SG spot. If that’s the case, Jonny Flynn or another PG could be their choice. If they like Rubio enough, moving up a few spots might not be out of the question, especially with the expiring contracts and cap space they possess. The Kings’ 23rd and 31st picks can also be added to any draft-night deals.

Friday Funnies from THE ONION

ORLANDO, FL—With the Lakers’ 99-86 victory over the Magic in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, Kobe Bryant silenced critics by achieving what most had thought impossible: winning an NBA title with Luke Walton on his team.
“I was so sick of hearing people say how I couldn’t do it with Luke out there,” said Bryant, acknowledging that his teammate’s deficiencies have overshadowed the Lakers since Walton was drafted in 2003. “It gets annoying to hear that question over and over, but you can’t argue it. You can’t deny it. You have to show that you can prevail alongside one of the worst small forwards in the game.” “Now I just want to kick back and savor the moment,” Bryant added. “I feel like a huge 6-foot-8, 235-pound burden has been lifted from my back.”
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Pessoal continuo a lançar os pacotes de fotos que coletei durante duas temporadas.

Continuo agora com Lamar Odom, Luke Walton e Dj Mbenga

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Pacote de Fotos – Lamar Odom

Pacote de Fotos – Luke Walton

Pacote de Fotos – Dj Mbenga

Por Rafael Branco

A Letter to a Father
Jun 16, 2009

Dad,

I’m flying 35,000 feet above ground right now and I’m not even on a plane. Everything you told me about the specialness of being an NBA champion is coming true. I feel a sense of such accomplishment and contentment that I’ve never experienced before.

I’ve been on one championship team in my life and that was my senior year in high school when we won the California State title. You remember, you were there in San Diego. Except the fulfillment of winning an NBA title runs deeper, maybe because it’s on the professional level. Plus, the brotherhood, which has always been extremely tight on this team, is now cemented. I’ll share this championship bond and these memories with my teammates for the rest of my life.

It’s going to be similar to how you stay in close touch with your UCLA, Portland and Celtic teammates. Some guys you played with more than 30 years ago. Greg Lee is pretty much at the house every day. You and Andy Hill talk politics all the time plus Maurice, Lionel, Larry, Kevin, Chief – all great people who you introduced me to at a young age. It doesn’t get any cooler than having Maurice as my godfather and being named after him.

I know you wanted to be in Orlando covering the Finals for ESPN and sharing in this championship with me. I wish you were in the locker room celebrating Sunday night. I know you couldn’t be there physically because of your back problems but I know you were thinking of me. Adam and Chris made the trip and so did mom. Bre was also there. The Lakers chartered a plane for family members on Sunday morning and to be able to share this experience with them meant everything to me.

I couldn’t wait to call you Sunday night. I know how proud you are of me. I’m constantly reminded of that not only when we speak or by your voice mails but by people who will come up to me and say, “I spoke with your father and he wants you to know that he loves you and how proud he is of you.”

You have always told me, Adam, Nate and Chris that in life, you always want to be part of a special team. No matter what path each of us chose, you ultimately want to win in the game of life. Well, as you know, this team, this organization, is special in so many ways from ownership on down.

Some things you can’t plan for. On draft day, I had no idea where I was going to be drafted or if I was going to be drafted at all. When the Lakers selected me in the second round and we celebrated at the house in San Diego, I remember you telling me that Phil was the perfect coach for me to play for and that it was up to me to make the most of the opportunity. That was six years ago. Nothing is more perfect than playing in Southern California for the greatest NBA fans around.

Winning an NBA title also prevents you from throwing any smack my way. I’m in the club now. And I don’t want to hear anything about NCAA championships, let’s keep the conversation on NBA titles.

When things calm down (and will they ever after you win a championship?), I’m coming to San Diego to visit you. I want to see how you’re doing and just catch up. Plus, I want to see Grandma Glo.

I’m going to enjoy this championship but I also know that you’ll be there to remind me that while I’m basking in the team’s success this summer, guys around the league will be working on their game. I’m sure you’ll also remind me that defending an NBA title is twice as hard.

Right now, though, I want to keep it light and fun. Although, I’m sure we’ll jaw about whose team is better, this year’s Lakers team or the ’77 Blazers, your first NBA title team.

Lakers in six, Dad.

Who’s stopping Kobe?

Luke

A Letter to a Son: Bill Walton remembers

By Bill Walton
Posted Jun 16 2009 8:25PM

Luke,

Words cannot describe the pride, joy, elation, exhilaration and happiness that I feel for you, your brothers, your teammates and your friends right now.

It is truly fantastic that you finally get to experience just how unique and special it is to be an NBA champion. Many great players, Luke, never get to feel the level of satisfaction, accomplishment and resolution that only a champion experiences. Not to say that that diminishes their career in any way, but only a lucky few ever really get to the Promised Land.

Luke, you mentioned your California State Championship from your senior year in high school but you forgot to mention your winning multiple NBA 3 on 3 Hoop It Up competitions, you also failed to bring up the Summer League championships, the South Mission Beach titles and you seemingly have forgotten your domination on the backyard court.

This first of hopefully many NBA titles will change your life forever. And as close as you are to your teammates today, as the years go by, those friendships will grow ever stronger.

I cannot begin to tell you, Luke, the outpouring of congratulations, support and love that I’ve received on your behalf from all of my friends around the globe because of this incredible Laker accomplishment. My cell phone and e-mail have just lit up since the final buzzer sounded and your celebration began. Don’t ever let that celebration end. That’s what you live for. Build on it, use it to drive you to greater levels of achievement for the rest of your life.
0616_bill_luke_boat.jpg

What you have accomplished is the sport’s ultimate goal. You are on a truly special team with a brilliant and historical level coach, for a remarkable organization, playing in your home region, for easily argued the greatest owner in the history of professional sports. And now you’ve won the NBA title. What could be better?

Sorry I could not be there for you in Orlando for the championship closer. But believe me, I never missed a second all season long. From the opening tap on October 28 vs. the Trail Blazers to the celebration in the visiting locker room at Amway Arena, this magical mystery tour resonates like none other and rest assured we have everything on the DVR.

I’m thrilled for you that so many of your brothers and family members got to be there in Orlando to witness your historic achievement. And how gracious and classy of the Lakers to fly the family members out on a chartered plane for the championship celebration on the road. I’m sure that that was added inspiration for your great team to take care of business at the first opportunity.

Thanks so much for all of the returned phone calls. Sorry for pestering you with my endless voice mails, but as a dad, I just want what’s best for you, Luke. I want you to know how much I love you and how proud of and happy for you that I am.

One of the things that makes me extremely happy and proud is the relationship you have with your brothers and how supportive you all are of each other and the joy and genuine happiness you exhibit for each other’s successes.

I know it seems like forever since your last championship — 1998 . You came close at Arizona with Lute Olson and you had two earlier futile tries in the NBA Finals but now in your sixth year, it’s all come full circle.

I can remember so vividly your first night in the NBA, when you were drafted by the Lakers with the 32nd pick and to become a member of that truly special Laker franchise. The glorious celebration that night at our family home — with Richard Jefferson, David Abramowitz and John Roberts plus all of your other brothers — remains one of the most special, inspirational and proudest nights of my life.

Luke, you’ve been privileged in so many ways over the years. None more so than by the opportunity to play for coach Phil Jackson who is phenomenal in countless ways. Similar in style, touch and approach to the John Woodens, Jack Ramsays, K.C. Jones,’ Lenny Wilkens’ and Red Auerbachs of my life.

I really look forward to seeing you Luke, it’s been far too long. I know you are vividly aware of the impact that the Lakers have here on the Southern California community, including your grandmother (my mom), Gloria — who still lives in the same house we all grew up in for the last 56 years. And for every Laker game, she puts on her Laker and Luke NBA garb and cheers ever so loudly, always answering the phone, “Go Lakers, Go Luke!”

I can remember, Luke, in the mid-’80s when you were just the youngest of boys. In those days, the Lakers and the Celtics had the NBA’s fiercest rivalry and Chick Hearn, the Lakers broadcaster made a promotional audio tape of a Laker championship series. Chick spliced your name Luke Walton in as part of the promotion.

I played that tape one more time at the conclusion of Game 5 in Orlando. And Luke, yes indeed, Chick Hearn, prophetic as can be, had it all, probably 24 or 25 years ago, announcing to the world that Luke Walton of the Los Angeles Lakers teaming then with Kareem and Magic was now and forever, the champion of the NBA.

Luke, I’m the luckiest and proudest dad in the world. My love for you is endless and unconditional. Thanks for being the most wonderful of sons but remember this championship as Phil Jackson said. This about you players and what a special team it truly is. The Lakers are dazzling to watch, so interesting and intriguing to follow, such classy guys, such an intellectual style. It all seems so perfect and we’re just the fans. I can only imagine what it’s like to be one of the guys in the locker room.

You’re so lucky, Luke. You are the fortunate one. You now know how hard it is to reach this unparalleled milestone. Life will never be the same again.

The smile on your face at the conclusion of the game and throughout the locker room celebration is an image that is forever emblazoned on my spirit and soul. Thanks for making us all so happy and allowing us to share in your joy.

As a young boy growing up, Luke, you were always so embarrassed when I would write John Wooden’s maxims and Pyramid lessons on your lunch bags. From now on, I will proudly inscribe them all, “Luke Walton, NBA Champion.”

Luke, you mentioned the historical reference to your team’s abilities. When you get to be my age, trash talking is about all that’s left. I fully admit, Luke, that your team is really, really good. Kobe is supreme. Pau, Lamar and Andrew are all top of the line. And Phil Jackson is brilliant.

Right next to your smile on my spirit and soul are the immortal words of Jack Ramsay, who recently said on the 30th anniversary of the 1977 World Champion Blazers in putting that team’s abilities in historical context:

“I like our team. We’ll take our chances. Anywhere. Anytime. Against anybody.”

Blazers in four, Luke. Never forget why you are named after Maurice Lucas.

Love, Dad

i know i am a few days late, but congrulations to the los angeles Lakers. i stay in la la land and have been a laker fan for as long as i can remember. unfortunately i wasn’t able to watch the game live on sunday cause the tv was not working. but thank goodness for youtube.com. here is the fourth quarter and after the game. enjoy (p.s. kobe was on FIRE this season! especially during the finals. he was determined to not lose like last year to the celtics and walk in shame again. he was determined to get that trophy. the whole team worked very hard and was super great. proud of all of you guys, you deserve it)

The Banners, The Legends And Another NBA Finals For The LA Lakers. Photo by JB Brookman © HW Design Inc.

Procuring a ticket to Game One of the NBA Finals at Staples Center conjures up the excitement in your gut of being a kid in the 80’s and watching the Showtime Dynasty go toe to toe with the dreaded Boston Celtics.  You know you are about to experience a part of history.  This time, it’s the expansion Orlando Magic and instead of Bird, Parrish and McHale, it’s Howard, Lewis and Turkoglu.  It’s Staples Center instead of the Fabulous Forum and downtown instead of the Wood.  But, the rush of emotion remains the same.  The Los Angeles Lakers are the team and wherever they are is the place to be.

From the way the outside of Staples Center was powerfully adorned in Finals swag to the free yellow Lakers NBA Finals tshirts that were given away, everything at Staples Center was top shelf.  Almost 19,000 of the faithful packed the arena to experience what could only happen here…   Like running into Chris Tucker and his son at the hot dog stand and finding out first-hand why he is one of the nicest men in Hollywood…   Like Leonardo DiCaprio, showing up with his buddies-Entourage’s Kevin Connolly and Spiderman himself, Toby Maguire-  Leo having his cap pulled over his eyes to hide from the paparazzi…  Like seeing those stars whose light shines so bright that they are known by just one name… Denzel, Jack… and Magic.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey McGuire Attend The Laker Game. Photo by JB Brookman © HW Design Inc.

Kanye West At The NBA Finals Game 1 At Staples Center. Photo by JB Brookman © HW Design Inc.

The Lakers are run by the greatest owner in NBA history, possess the GM of the year and are directed on the floor by the best coach there has ever been.  Since 1979, when Jerry Buss purchased the Forum and the Lakers from Jack Kent Cooke, the team has won 8 titles and been the franchise that all others aspire to be. 

General Manager Mitch Kupchak has put up with an unbelievable amount of criticism and scrutiny.  But, he has patiently endured and built quite a team around Kobe.  The biggest trade in Laker history is finally paying off with Shaquille O’Neal going to Miami in exchange for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and a first-round draft pick.  Odom is now a major piece of the Laker puzzle.  The deals of Mitch Kupchak’s career and the ones that put LA over the top were the acquisition of defensive specialist (and underrated scorer and finisher) Trevor Ariza from the Magic for Maurice Evans and Brian Cook and the blockbuster Pau Gasol acquisition. 

Kobe Bryant Takes On The Orlando Magic. Photo by JB Brookman © HW Design Inc.

Derek Fisher was the miracle the Lakers needed.  He opted out of his contract with the Utah Jazz and returned to Los Angeles when his daughter became ill.  He has provided a stability and familiarity to Kobe’s backcourt that had been missing since he left.  Andrew Bynum was drafted with the 10th pick of the first round in 2005.  The 2006 late first round pick of UCLA’s Jordan Farmar (part of the Shaq trade) has given the Laker bench a solid boost- along with draft picks Sasha Vujajic and Luke Walton.

When you say coaching legend, you say Phil Jackson.  He is the modern day Red Auerbach.  He does nothing but bring home trophies.  On the verge of passing Auerbach for his 10th coaching title, Jackson exudes a class and confidence that is all his own.  It translates to poise in the squad he puts on the floor every night.

Former Laker players stick around the organization and give back.  It reads like an all-time all star team… Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Brian Shaw, Kurt Rambis (who just turned down the head coaching job with the Sacramento Kings to stay with his beloved Lakers and will most likely succeed Phil Jackson someday), Kupchak, Mychal Thompson (announcer), James Worthy… the list goes on and on and the organization is blessed by each legend. 

This storied franchise has recently weathered the Shaq trade, Kobe’s rape trial in Colorado and later, Kobe’s trade demands and his desire to have Bynum traded.  They have handled all of these trials with a touch of class and are now ready to possibly forge the third dynasty in this writer’s lifetime. 

Game 1 ended up being a 25 point Laker blowout, led by Bryant and Odom.  The stellar performance just added to the aura surrounding the team and the experience of being at the arena.  The Orlando Magic seemed to feel it too as they were out of sorts all night.  From the grandeur of the championship banners hung atop the arena to the small things like the free Jack In The Box Tacos (given away to all fans when the Lakers hold the other team under 100 points), you knew you were where the elite come to play.

Staples Center Has Replaced The Forum As The Place To Be In LA. Photo by JB Brookman © HW Design Inc.

As the clock wound down, you couldn’t help but hear the echo of the great one’s voice, putting the game in the refrigerator.  The Lakers were in the NBA Finals again and Chick Hearn was smiling in heaven.  It makes you feel like a kid again.

See photos and coverage of the Lakers Championship Parade here.

Note:  HW Design Inc. Twittered Live from Games 1 and 2.  Follow us at @hwdesign for updates on live events and the latest trends in design, media and public relations.