OFFICIAL LAKERS 2009/2010 (57-25) 2009-2010 CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!

[got shoes]

LA looking great. Odom needs to get it together real quick.

 

[notorious 858]

[h1]Family matters at top of Lakers' pyramid[/h1]

As the responsibilities get handed down from Lakers owner Jerry Buss to his son and daughter, more and more will be asked and demanded of Jim Buss.

Jeanie Buss has already been given the business side of the Lakers by her father, but Jim is now entrusted with about 90% of his father's decision-making processes on the basketball personnel side, according to Jerry Buss.

It's a sensible time for the shift, seeing as how the Lakers won the championship in June and are favored to win another one this season.

Weighty expectations often come with added stress, but not necessarily for the younger Buss, who recently turned 50 and said he felt "no pressure" with the ever-growing workload.

"If we win it again, I'll look to raise the bar even that much more. I'm not one that sits pat on a win," Jim Buss said. "You kind of want to improve because the other teams, that's all they're doing, is basically improving to beat you. If we can just stay one step ahead, and that's how we run the team, just stay one step ahead of the competition."

The Lakers have the league's highest payroll and are on pace this season to pay additional luxury taxes that would leave them with a total bill of $112.7 million.

Like his father, Jim Buss called the money "well spent" and called Ron Artest's five-year, $34-million Lakers contract "a bargain."

At the same time, the younger Buss also expressed a degree of discomfort with how much money was being doled out.

"We don't like that it's that high," he said before mentioning his father. "He yells at me every day, basically, for the payroll. Of course it would be great to spend $60 million instead of $90 million and have the same team, but to maintain that team, it's pretty difficult to do."

The Lakers are currently on pace to pay $91.3 million in salary and $21.4 million in taxes.

Jim Buss was directly involved in the signing of Artest, who replaced free agent Trevor Ariza, a popular and rapidly improving small forward who is now with Houston after negotiations with the Lakers quickly crumbled.

"I was maybe a little bit harder pushing toward Artest," Jim Buss said. "My dad likes him a lot, too. I think when Ariza kind of balked at our offer, that really kind of set the wheels in motion for Artest. 'You want to keep the team intact' is your first feeling, but I think Artest is an incredible defender and he's a perfect fit for this team.

"He was impressive to me when we sat down and talked to him. I know he's got that [bad] reputation. When you talk to him, you can't see that. He's been good for years. I think he's a good guy. I think he realizes what he really wants, and that's a ring."

Both Busses agreed that, to paraphrase Vince Lombardi, winning isn't everything -- it's the only acceptable thing this season. "It would be hard to say that we've been successful unless we won," Jerry Buss said. "I guess that's the mark of success, is if you win it. We're a mature team and our goal is to win it this year. And next . . . and next."

More Buss

There were other observations from a Sunday interview with Jerry Buss.

With contract extensions looming in the future for Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, the Lakers' high-spending ways could continue for years to come. Bryant, 31, and Gasol, 29, both have contracts that expire after next season.

"In a lot of ways, I think we may be frozen there for some time," Buss said of his bulging payroll.

Buss also had words of admiration for Derek Fisher, particularly when reflecting on Fisher's series-turning three-pointers in Game 4 of the NBA Finals last June.

"He's Mr. Clutch," Buss said. "Another one, just like Jerry West, Robert Horry. Those are the memorable shots."

Familiar face

Former Lakers assistant coach Kurt Rambis stopped by the Lakers' training facility after Monday's practice. Rambis, who now coaches the Minnesota Timberwolves, is still friends with Lakers Coach Phil Jackson. The Timberwolves were in town to play the Clippers on Monday night.

Link:

http://www.latimes.com/sp...009nov24,0,7282515.story

 

[notorious 858]

[h1]Lakers' Andrew Bynum making All-Star push[/h1]

Andrew Bynum, forgotten man?

Amid all the attention heaped upon the return of Pau Gasol, the Lakers' 22-year-old center served notice that, um, he's still playing too.

Bynum had 25 points on nine-for-11 shooting in the Lakers' 101-85 victory Sunday over the Oklahoma City Thunder. He also had nine rebounds and made all seven of his free throws in almost 29 minutes.

Toronto forward-center Chris Bosh is the only player in the league averaging more than 20 points and 10 rebounds a game, though Bynum is close to being there too.

He is now averaging 19.9 points and 11.2 rebounds.

Are the All-Star voters paying attention?

"I hope to make it," Bynum said. "That's really a goal I had coming into this season. I think I'm playing at the level I need to be playing. All I can do is get votes now. I've got to keep it up."

The All-Star game is Feb. 14 in Dallas.

Bynum didn't seem affected Sunday after sitting out two days of practice to rest a sore right ankle that he rolled Thursday against Chicago.

With Gasol often setting up in the high post, there's plenty of room for Bynum to operate down low.

"As the season goes on, both of us are going to do better together," Bynum said. "I think we'll be a stronger team because everybody will be scoring. We'll be able to get more assists. A lot less double-teaming [by opponents], and we'll be able to be more efficient."

Gasol is averaging 19.5 points, 10 rebounds and 4.5 assists in two games. He missed 11 games because of a strained right hamstring.

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson, who often bites his tongue when asked to positively assess Bynum's game, was no different Sunday.

He wants to see more from Bynum in the defensive end.

"Offensively, he did fine. I'll say that for sure," Jackson said. "Defensively, he wasn't at the [proper] rotation. He didn't run back on defense. Those are the type of things that I'm always pushing him to do a little bit more work on."

Opponents apparently see otherwise.

Oklahoma City Coach Scott Brooks said the combination of Bynum and Gasol on defense was "very difficult" to penetrate.

"They're long. They protect the rim, they protect the paint," Brooks said. "They're not playing with their hands down. They are a very talented defensive team that passes the ball very well."

Link:

http://www.latimes.com/sp...009nov24,0,4394450.story

 

[Los Angeles]

Happy belated kb8

 

[kb8sandiego]

^
Thank you fam!

 

[notorious 858]

 

[statis22]

Am I missing something? Why is Artest on Jimmy Kimmel in his boxers?

 

[2g00d4u]

Originally Posted by CP1708

The more I see Bynum play, the more I smile.

You don't trade 20 year old 7 footer for old point guards. You do not do it. Ever.

I did not ever think Bynum would be this good right now, I don't deny that, but I figured if he could get 20 and 10 at 25-26 as the leading man, sweet. Instead he's getting 20 and 10 as the 4th name on the marquee.

Keep workin young fella, keep workin.......



And don't get injured you soft @#$ pansy. Be a man damn it.

Yep. Right now I'd say hes an overall better player than D12. Sure, D12 gets the nod for his defense, but Bynum has all the tools to becomeone too.

Dudes offensive game is way ahead of Dwight. Better post moves, has a jumpshot, can hit the FT at a decent rate.

Ive watch a good amount of Laker and Magic games this season and comparing the two is easy.

Dwight still looks like a robot out there... all mechanical and %%%%. Pretty frustrating to watch. Teams are double teaming him though and he has become abetter passer.

Something I noticed is that teams dont double team Bynum much, which is good because if they do its over

 

[ryda421]

that would be dope if we have 4 lakers in the all-star game

 

[laker4lifeman]

I know I saw that commercial today and couldn't stop laughing. That's also the only time I've seen Magic not talk with a camera around.

 

[Truth]

dope commercial

 

[darth dnzy]

laker4lifeman wrote:
That's also the only time I've seen Magic not talk with a camera around.

--It worked so well with that commercial too.

 

[CP1708]

 

[westcoastsfinest]

i thought he was gonna bust out with candy instead of guacomole

artest is a straight fool though

 

[wings90]

I just saw the Kimmel clip on Youtube. Ron is a fool.

 

[notorious 858]

Ron Ron at it again

 

[notorious 858]

 

[CP1708]

Originally Posted by CP1708

 

[notorious 858]

Originally Posted by 2g00d4u

Originally Posted by CP1708

The more I see Bynum play, the more I smile.

You don't trade 20 year old 7 footer for old point guards. You do not do it. Ever.

I did not ever think Bynum would be this good right now, I don't deny that, but I figured if he could get 20 and 10 at 25-26 as the leading man, sweet. Instead he's getting 20 and 10 as the 4th name on the marquee.

Keep workin young fella, keep workin.......



And don't get injured you soft @#$ pansy. Be a man damn it.

Yep. Right now I'd say hes an overall better player than D12. Sure, D12 gets the nod for his defense, but Bynum has all the tools to become one too.

Dudes offensive game is way ahead of Dwight. Better post moves, has a jumpshot, can hit the FT at a decent rate.

Ive watch a good amount of Laker and Magic games this season and comparing the two is easy.

Dwight still looks like a robot out there... all mechanical and %%%%. Pretty frustrating to watch. Teams are double teaming him though and he has become a better passer.

Something I noticed is that teams dont double team Bynum much, which is good because if they do its over

Co sign but Drew needs to improve his shot blocking and rebounding before he can be in the same class with D12.

I started a post here on NT S&T 2 years ago about NBA centers currently in the league (Bynum, D12, and Oden) . I said if I if Bynum & D12 came in thedraft the same year I'd take Drew over D12. Everyone on here including a bunch of NT Laker fans thought I was crazy and started roasting me in the threadfor what I said.

 

[darthska]

Ryda421:

---

that would be dope if we have 4 lakers in the all-star game

Word2
Eddie&
Shaq&
Kobe&
Nick.

 

[CP1708]

I don't think Gasol makes it with the missed games he has.
And you are crazy, I would trade Bynum for D12 right now and laugh for the rest of mylife becasue of it. I like Bynum, but come on.

 

[frenchblue23]

Gasol only missed 11 games.

We still have 2 months of basketball left before the All-Star game, I see him making it as a reserve like last year.

 

[flowsomuch]

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

Ryda421:

---

that would be dope if we have 4 lakers in the all-star game

Word2
Eddie&
Shaq&
Kobe&
Nick.

 

[westcoastsfinest]

Originally Posted by 23ska909red02

Ryda421:

---

that would be dope if we have 4 lakers in the all-star game

Word2
Eddie&
Shaq&
Kobe&
Nick.
this...4 Lakers in the mecca of basketball how fitting

bynum is not on the same level as dwight...id take dwights defense over bynums awkward post moves any damn day!

pau still has a chance to make it regardless if hes missed 11 games

 

[CP1708]

Melo and Dirk are outright locks.

Then we have Durant, Stat, who should be in there.

Then we have Al Jeff, and Duncan.

Now Duncan and Jeff could be moved to center, but then that would also include Kaman and Marc Gasol, along with we assume Bynum. So ya see, someone getsbumped.


5 guards
5 forwards
2 centers.

We want Bynum in there at center, Kaman should be there as well. That would move Duncan and Stat to Forward. Along with Melo and Dirk and Durant = bye byeGasol.

Besides, Pau is gonna get about 15 and 8 tops with this roster. His brother would deserve to go more then he will.