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There was a lot of doubt about this all-star game played Sunday night at Staples Center. I was among the journalists who weren’t thrilled with the drastic change of choosing teams, letting LeBron James and Steff Curry make picks and ignoring the tradition of East playing West. But I must admit the teams played an interesting game that resulted in LeBron’s team winning 148-145. I’m happy to report that there was more defense than we normally see in an all-star game. OK let’s not carried away bu...
The all-star game is over and now it’s time for the 23-34 Lakers and 30-26 Clippers to go back to work. Both teams are hoping to make the playoffs but it still seems like a long shot for the Lakers who are in 11th place in the Western conference. The Clippers are tied for ninth position. Only eight teams from the East and West make the playoffs The next Laker game is at home on Friday at 7:30 p.m. against the Dallas Mavericks. Their next four games are on the road starting with their Saturday g...
The tension is building dramatically, just like the NBA knows how to do it: A week before the deadline, on February 8th, the Clippers announced the Blake Griffin trade to the Pistons. Let’s be reminded that just few months ago, Griffin himself signed a 5-year contract for $175 million with the Clippers, right after the Heart*Pulse of this team, Chris Paul, was traded to Houston. One thing for sure: we can sense that the Core of the Clippers is transforming: A New Seed is Born! I am now c...
Magic Johnson isn’t the kind of guy who’ll watch opportunities come around and sit idly. We all know from his playing days that competitive spirit is one of his greatest qualities. Now that he’s in charge of making the Lakers’ roster better he had a chance this week to do something bold and create $70 million in salary cap space within NBA limits, in an attempt to sign two elite free agents, even one this year and the other next year. If you’re a Laker fan you’re applauding. You’re happ...
Professional athletes are traded all the time but when it happens most of the time it’s a shock to the players, families and fans. Unfortunately that is one of the things professional athletes have to deal with. They make a lot of money but on any given day they might have to leave one area of the country and go to another. Two Laker players, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. had to leave sunny southern California and go to cold Cleveland. Former Clipper Blake Griffin was traded to Detroit s...
Magic Johnson isn’t the kind of guy who’ll watch opportunities come around and sit idly. We all know from his playing days that competitive spirit is one of his greatest qualities. Now that he’s in charge of making the Lakers’ roster better he had a chance this week to do something bold and create $70 million in salary cap space within NBA limits, in an attempt to sign two elite free agents, even one this year and the other next year. If you’re a Laker fan you’re applauding. You’re happ...
I expected the fan reaction after the Clippers traded Blake Griffin the other day. The people weren’t happy. They didn’t want to lose a popular player and big-time scorer. But after being around the NBA for nearly 50 years I’ve learned a lot about surprising trades. Factoring in everything I often realize that management had a good plan. This could really work. And let me tell you why. Griffin has missed 99 games in the last four years with injuries, as players get older and injuries occur...
Let’s get something straight. This is me thinking. It’s not inside information from anyone associated with the Lakers. But I see that DeMarcus Cousins, the guy nicknamed Boogie, is having an outstanding season with the New Orleans Pelicans and will be eligible to become a free agent after the season. He’s 6-11 and very talented. He’s played his NBA career mostly for the Sacramento Kings and lately with a New Orleans team that also has Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday, all making more than $20 mil...
I watch a lot of games. I see players come and go but now we have one here who deserves a lot of credit – deserves to be appreciated and not traded again and again. “ His name is Lou Williams and he plays for the Los Angeles Clippers. At least I think he does but I haven’t checked yet this morning. So it’s possible he’s been traded just like he has been more times than a player of his caliber should be. Williams’ story interests me a lot because he’s played well for the Lakers and once scored 44...
The Lakers, STAPLES Center and AEG announce the plans for a statue dedicated to Elgin Baylor at Star Plaza at STAPLES Center. The statue will be unveiled on April 6th during an outdoor ceremony prior to the Lakers vs. Minnesota game. "I am thrilled that 60 years after the Minneapolis Lakers drafted Elgin, we are able to celebrate and honor him with a statue," said Lakers CEO and Controlling Owner Jeanie Buss. "Not only is Elgin a part of the Lakers family, his contributions to the game of...
Imagine a gathering of 20,000 people, all coming together to celebrate their hero, Kobe Bryant, leaving the Lakers. They see both his jerseys, No. 8 & 24 hanging on the dais for display. This outstanding production was one of the best shows of teamwork, just like the Lakers Family knows how to do it. The atmosphere in Staples Center was intimate. The Spirit of Love & Gratitude was to the fullness & we were continually surrounded by High Appreciation. The Lakers shared many of their unique...
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This column by sports editor Mitch Chortkoff appeared two years ago in the Observer and is being run again due to recent requests from readers) It was 1996 and I was in Honolulu covering the Lakers’ training camp. It was an especially important one because General Manager Jerry West had made a spectacular move which resulted in the acquisition of rookie guard Kobe Bryant and center Shaquille O’Neal. In the first few days of the camp I found O’Neal to be outgoing, easy to intervi...
Some experts who follow high school and college basketball closer than I often share their opinions so I can write with intelligence. Lately they’ve shared the news that the NBA doesn’t consider middle Ball brother LeAngelo a first round draft prospect. That’s important news since father Lavar has pulled LeAngelo out of UCLA, blaming them for not handling the case properly when LeAngelo and two teammates were caught stealing at three stores when the Bruin basketball team recently played in Ch...
Last season the Lakers got off to a surprising start, going 10-10 and some loyal fans dared to believe the team’s recent playoff drought might be over. Then reality set in as the Lakers went on their first long trip of the season and slipped out of playoff contention. It seems to be happening again. The Lakers are going on a long trip after playing games against powerhouse Golden State and Houston this week at Staples Center. And lets’ not forget their Monday loss to the struggling Cli...
The biggest complaint I’ve heard from Laker fans in the last five years is the lack of improvement in the annual roster. Since the Lakers lost four straight first round playoff games to the San Antonio Spurs in 1912 and haven’t qualified since then I take these complaints seriously. Finally, owner Jeanie Buss replaced two front office leaders this season and brought in former Laker great Magic Johnson and respected player agent Rob Pelinka. Their job is to acquire players who upgrade the talent level. I’m not naïve enough to believe the Lakers...
The South Bay Lakers kicked off the 2017-18 season in thrilling fashion with a 138-135 overtime win over Santa Cruz. The Lakers (1-0) were down by as many as 19 points in the second half, but stormed back to win the game behind strong performances from reigning league MVP Vander Blue, Lakers assignment player Thomas Bryant and former Warrior Scott Machado. In the two-minute overtime period it was Machado who hit the first bucket against his former team to give the Lakers the lead for good. The Warriors (1-1) appeared to tie the game after a goa...
For the last five years the Clippers have won at least 50 games and made the playoffs. Now Chris Paul has left them and after winning their first four games they’ve lost four of five. Ordinarily I’d start this column by saying don’t worry. They still have Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan and they’ve added Patrick Beverly. But some major changes are being made throughout the NBA these days and I think Clipper fans should be concerned. The Clippers’ 120-107 loss at San Antonio Tuesday night ala...
The season is still early but the early returns looked familiar for the Clippers and Lakers. This season the teams looked like the same teams as last year. The Clippers are a good team but not a great team although they appear to be better than they were last year. The Lakers are still two or three super stars away from being a good or great team. Last Monday the Clippers gave up 74 points to the Warriors at halftime. The Clippers scored 57 points but when you give up that many points in the...
The South Bay Lakers have hired Metta World Peace as a player development coach, it was announced today by General Manager Nick Mazzella. World Peace comes to South Bay as a seasoned veteran of the Lakers organization, having spent six seasons as a player with the Los Angeles Lakers (2009-13, 2015-17). World Peace was a key player on the 2010 NBA Champion Lakers and ranks ninth all-time in three pointers made (420) in franchise history. The four-time All-Defensive team selection posted career averages of 13.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.7...
I went to Staples Center Tuesday night. It was just an exhibition game but I wanted to see how much improvement the Lakers have made since Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka took over the difficult task of bringing back to life a once great franchise. I thought a game against Utah, which has rebuilt to become a playoff team, would tell me a lot. And it did. The game was close, the Lakers had leads in the fourth quarter but they lost 105-99. The team with more stars often takes over a close game and t...
The most publicized new member of the Lakers is Lonzo Ball, a slick ball handler who was the second pick in the NBA draft. I think he’ll be a key member of the franchise that’s been in terrible shape for five years. But people close to the NBA for a lot of years, like me, are equally impressed with the addition of a big man who blocks shots, gets rebounds and doesn’t have to score to be happy.. Yes, I think the Lakers have been smart to sign 33-year-old 7-foot center Andrew Bogut this week....
Are the Dodgers great like they’ve been most of this season? Or are they the struggling team they’ve been lately? Can they regain their swagger or will they have an awful lot to explain to their troubled fans? If you’re reading this column to get the answers you’re in the wrong place. I’m as confused as you are. What I can supply today are my thoughts. I’ve been around Dodger Stadium for 45 years. First I’ll say I’ve never seen a Dodgers team look so good and so bad in the same season. How did...
When I heard the NBA was going to investigate the Indiana Pacers’ claim that the Lakers had tampered with one of their players, Paul George I thought it was a weak case. My reasoning was that George, who grew up in Southern California, has been telling everyone for the last year or two that he intended to sign with the Lakers when his contract expires in 2018. What could the Lakers add to that? But when the NBA announced last Thursday that they have fined the Lakers $500,000 I listened c...
In doing my job I attend a lot of games and talk to a lot of people. Sometimes I hear folks say professional athletes make too much money It’s true that some of them make a lot more than star players of the past. This many million, that many million. It seems like an awful, awful lot, But then something tragic happens and they pitch in. Consider the current flooding damage in Houston from Hurricane Harvey and contributions from the sports world. Leslie Alexander, owner of the Houston Rockets, p...
In an attempt to slow down the coaches’ new trend of frequently resting players the NBA will start this season a couple of weeks earlier. The NBA and many fans want less times when uninjured players are held out of games. The slightly longer time frame of the same 82 games could work in that direction. The opening night schedule on October 17 will include a game between defending champion Golden State and Houston, which has acquired star point guard Chris Paul from the Clippers. Two nights l...
