1st Quarter
8:05 – Kobe just makes a phenomenal highlight play. Runs through two defenders, avoids the double team with a spin move and throws it with major English off the backboard. The ball finds its way in.
7:01 – The Space Cadet tries his own version of the move and misses it. Kobe lets him know he’s got H-O-R.
6:16 – Just some thoughts right now, The Kings will probably give us trouble tonight but hopefully we’ll find the way to win. Pau has been having a tough time so far. Hawes is actually playing him pretty well. Showing some great hustle. Mikki Moore is playing too well. And The Lakers are turning the ball over too much.
5:34 – Timeout called and Lakers are down 12-16. That Metro PCS commercial with the defibrillator actually made me laugh. KCAL telecast shows an old west style town. I don’t think that’s Sac-town proper. Oh. Barry Bonds is in attendance. He’s got a ridiculous hat on it. It’s got some glitter on it. A man should not be wearing a hat with glitter. Period. You think that cross earring he wears is to remind him of his commitment to God or to compare himself to a crucified Jesus?
5:16 – DFish makes a great steal and makes a tough layup over two Kings defenders. Good job by the kings of hustling back to defend that. They want to win this game. We’ll see about the Lakers.
4:34 – The Space Cadet has some room on Kobe’s drive and kick. That was a beautiful lookin shot.
4:15 – ugh. Artest fumbles the ball driving the bucket and Lamar gets the foul called. That’s his second. On the replay, yeah, that was a bad call. Kevin Martin makes them pay. Really, he takes out his credit card machine and asks for some identification.
2:56 – A little sloppy. Lamar turns it over and then Kevin Martin throws it to a courtside patron in their half court offense. This will take us to a timeout. Thank goodness, We’re going to get enough bad basketball this weekend with the NCAA tournament going on.
Coming back from the timeout, someone named Doobie checks in for the Kings. I wonder if he’s got a brother
2:44 – Doobie steals a terrible pass by Farmar. Francisco gets the fast break layup. 17-22 Kings up.
2:03 – Speaking of salmon, John Salmons checks in.
1:56 – Ronny comes over on the secondary defense and kills the Ron Artest shot. If the ball were filled with hopes and dreams, Obama would have nothing to campaign on.
1:07 – I think the Lakers are just spotting the Kings some points. Kobe threw the ball away right to a kings player
0:51 – Ronny defends Artest and roofs his driving layup. Straight out of bounds. That’s two blocks by Ronny on Artest. Note to Ronny: Don’t throw a beer at Artest.
0:36 – Ira Newble sighting with Pau at the line. 18-25 Kings up after the free throws.
0:05 – finally something good. You know the end of quarter play the lakers usually run? Let kobe dribble for 17 seconds and then have him drive to the lane? Kobe dribbles for the 17 seconds but he gets a half step on his man and then throws it high into the middle of the paint for Gasol who somehow comes down with it and lays it in with 1 second on the 24 second clock. Gasol was like a video game version of Randy Moss. There’s no way he should have caught it but he did. Are the Lakers going to give up a good look?
0:02 – Oh. Sacramento showed its youth. Threw the ball away in the back court against an unspectacular full-court press by the Lakers. 2 seconds is plenty of time to get a shot off. If I’m Phil, I draw the play up for Newble here. Okay maybe not. It’s Kobe, Newble, Farmar, the Machine, and the Spaniard out there. I’d say, anyone but newble. Sasha will in bounds. Oh wait. Newble sits down. Radman in. The Space cadet gets it, turns and faces, MONEY! That was a great close to the quarter for the Lakers. They are only trailing by four now. 27-23.

2nd Quarter
Kings have been unable to capitalize on turnovers. 7 points off the lakers 6 turnovers whereas the lakers have 5 points off 3 kings’ turnovers. The camera shows some lakers fans looking goofy holding up signs. I think I know one of them.
11:32 – Great start to the quarter! Sasha blocks a Garcia jumper, lakers push it up. Sasha takes a 16 footer and misses but The Space Cadet is feeling pretty good. He taps out the rebound to Farmar who penetrates and gets the rack. Makes the layup and gets fouled. The Old-Fashioned three point play for a young man.
10:48 – Radman hits a shot with no time left on the shot clock. 28-28.
9:35 – HAHAHAHA. The refs are silly. They call a foul on a Kings missed shot. The ref signals that it’s Lamar’s foul, even though he didn’t really try to get to the rebound. Lamar just about has steam coming out of his ears. The other two refs save the one ref by telling him he should make the call on Ronny (who hit Hawes’s arm). The call ended up being right, but on replay the ref actually made the call that it was Lamar pushing in the back. I’m not sure I buy this whole sequence. The ref called a push in the back on one player but ends up calling a loose ball foul on another player? Can you just blow the whistle all willy nilly like this? It doesn’t really matter since it was a foul on Ronny and the call was right, it’s just a little shady is all I’m sayin. That’s Ronny’s third foul. He’ll probably get a breather.
8:55 – sasha gives the lakers their biggest lead 32 – 28. The sound goes silent, someone must have said a magic word.
8:32 – Luke decided to sit due to a strained hamstring. At least that’s the official reason. He’s wearing a dorky corduroy jacket. John Ireland says Ariza and bynum are also on the trip but not expected to play tonight or on Tuesday.
8:14 – Farmar vomits a shot that barely hits the backboard. Yikes. Kevin Martin takes the fast break and lays it in over Farmar. 32-32.
6:42 – If I weren’t a Lakers fan I would turn this game off despite the close score. It’s extremely sloppy. A lot of bricked shots and turnovers.
6:15 – Oh. Salmons seems to get a clean strip but the refs are not paying very close attention tonight and call a foul. Radman hits two free throws. 37-22. And radman gets the steal on the other end!
6:00 – This leads to an Ira Newble jumper. That was shorter than Ashley Simpson’s time in the spotlight. (Some might say that was still too long).
Dude. dude. Dude. That commercial isn’t funny dude.
5:53 – Starting Five back in there except it’s Newble instead of lamar.
5:25 – Newble keeps the possession alive grabbing an offensive rebound. The Space Cadet grabs a Derek fisher miss and gets the lakers another chance. Great point by Stu saying how Radman has figured out how to do other things besides just shooting. I agree. The past few weeks, with a couple of exceptions, Radman has really been trying to do more than just shoot.
5:03 – Artest looks for a foul driving to the line and throws it as hard as he can off the basket. It banks in. He looks like he’s about to punch someone near him since he didn’t get that call. I was actually a little bit scared there.
4:24 – Kobe travels in the lane with a step through move. Well I think he traveled. He misses the shot. Kobe somehow got to the rim and tipped it in though. He’s amazing. I would definitely have his babies.
4:03 – Artest is pretty frustrated. He missed an inside shot and fouled Pau on the rebound. That’s his third. He’ll stay in the game. Pau makes them. 43-37.
3:29 – It’s the Derek Fisher show. He gets a steal and then dominates the basketball for about 15 seconds probing and hits a step back barely jumper over Anthony Johnson. Sinks it.
3:05 – Lamar gets called for a foul on Kevin Martin. Martin pulled up for a 20 footer and Lamar sort of made him smell his armpit. After the shot, Kevin martin took a little a nap on the floor and the refs called a foul. That’s not a call the refs usually make. So much for that “handsome game.”
Wow. The Space cadet has 8 rebounds to lead all rebounders in the game. Nicely done sir.
2:16 – Radman makes a bad pass to newble who manages to catch it. Newble gets it back to radman. Realizing that that’s not his forte, the space cadet takes one dribble to find space and nails a jumper. 49-39.
1:27 – Kobe auditions for one of those As Seen on TV videos after he gets tripped up. He does a few dribbling drills while lying on his backside. I suppose we’re impressed Kobe.
0:52 – Apparently dribbling while sitting on your butt doesn’t translate into actual ball security. Kobe turns the ball over and it goes the other way. I’m not sure how you would describe The Space Cadet’s defense against Kevin Martin’s fast break layup. The best way I can describe it is to think of a Robin puffing its chest to show off it’s plumage. Vlad put his arms straight down and puffed out his chest as Martin blew around him for the layup. 51-43 Lakers.
0:30 – Spencer Hawes could use some grooming lessons. His beard looks more like a lesion on his face than something aesthetically pleasing.
So far this game is unsatisfying. Bad reffing, a lot of turnovers, and poor shooting.

3rd Quarter
11:12 – Gasol with the fast break slam! I was hoping for a windmill or a 360 or something there. Maybe next time.
10:48 – The Space cadet hits the shorter corner three from the right side of the floor. The Kings are sloppier than two 13 year olds kissing for the first time. 58-45. Timeout Kings.
9:48 – Kobe gets a steal and Kobe lets Spencer Hawes catch up to his fast break. I would have preferred Kobe just put on the afterburners and dunk it. Hawes obliges with the foul and Kobe goes to the line. Misses the first. Makes the second.
9:12 – That was just mean. Along the sideline kobe nutmegged hawes. If I’m hawes, I’m planning to punch kobe in the kidney the next time he comes anywhere near me. Kobe doesn’t care, he shoots the three and makes it.
8:15 – Wow. Lamar blasts past three Kings and lays it in. that was a big time move.
7:47 – Lakers offense workin now. Kobe drives and lays it off to Pau. Easy slam. 69-52.
7:08 – Kobe nails the three ball over artest. 72-54. Nothing but bottom. Lakers full court press and fisher picks up another foul. I wonder if anyone has ever fouled out with fouls in the back court. That’s his second foul more than 45 feet away from the basket.
6:31 – Lamar coast to coast and he also lays it off to pau inside. Pau with contested layup. 74-54. Timeout bad guys. This game is in the refrigerator
5:07 – Lakers aren’t playing a whole lot of defense right now. Hawes makes it inside. 76-60.
4:31 – Fisher runs the fast break, he has pau filling the lane and oh yikes. He throws the ball to where Tyson chandler could grab it. Pau has a lame ankle and won’t be able to get that one. He runs out of bounds with it.
4:18 – 76-62. After kings free throws the lead is down to 14.
3:53 – 79-62. radman hits the semi fast break side corner three. Lakers needed that one to stem the tide.
Kobe’s got 14 points so far in the 3rd quarter alone. 22 for the game.
2:54 – Facial lesions man gets goal tending called on him on a Lamar layup attempt.
2:34 – Garcia just socks the hell out of farmar’s pretty face. That was either really clumsy or out of frustration. John Ireland tells us Garcia twisted his ankle on the last play and wanted to give a foul so he could come out of the game. He just made a bad one. I’m not sure that excuses that but it turns to be no big deal.
0:07 – The Space cadet enters the game. Decoy?
0:02 – That could have been terrible. Kobe was at full speed and vaulted himself at the basket. Artest tried to draw a charge and the ball goes out of bounds. Kobe smiles cuz he thinks he was fouled. He doesn’t get the call.
0:01 – The Space Cadet gets the inbounds pass behind the left short corner three. Plenty of room to elevate and yes, he ray allen’s it home. Vlad Rad’s name was just added to the BALCO grand jury investigation tonight.
0:00 – In order to not deplete his terrible field goal percentage further, ron artests pump fakes before throwing his length of the court shot. He threw it up after time expired. That was weak sauce.
We want tacos!
4th Quarter
Lakers start up 87-69. Apparently they finished the quarter 15-15 on field goals. On fifteen assists. That’s pretty efficient basketball.
11:16 – Farmar shows his speed on the fast break off his steal. Doobie reaches from behind to earn a foul but farmar makes the layup. Barely even noticed the foul. And one. Too bad he missed the freebie
10:03 – Lamar glides in for the reverse layup. Nicely done. 93-73. He did well to get that offensive rebound away from Hawes. His facial hair is disgusting. I can’t get over it.
9:27 – Farmar and the Machine get a good bit of teamwork going. Farmar drives into the lane and finds vujacic sitting behind the three point arc. Wet. 96-73.
9:07 – lamar tries to make the unselfish play for the new guy. He tried to feed newble on the break but it was a tough pass to make and the ball ends up out of bounds. Turnover. I’ll live with that. He was trying to get newble some reward for his playing time today.
8:50 – Newble is faked out of his shoes by Salmons.
8:18 – lamar and Artest are standing arm in arm. Aww, that’s cute.
8:15 – Newble gets the hook. Kobe comes back into the game cuz the bench was letting the kings back into it. 8-0 run. Make that 10-0. 96-83.
7:24 – Ronny stems the tide with a tough layup.
6:03 – Pau does the check for blood on the side of his head move. Foul called on the kings as he went for the rebound. Lakers want a time out here. Phil creepily holds his finger on LO’s sternum as Lamar explains why the lakers are a little confused.
5:44 – That’s not fair. Kobe gets trapped near half court. Somehow splits it and finds pau for an alley-layup oop.
4:50 – Nice. After a missed bucket by The Space Cadet. Kobe makes salmons change directions and Lamar is able to knock it away from behind. Kobe strokes the three ball. 102-88.
3:59 – Kobe dribbles through his legs with his right hand and catches it with his right hand. He gained half a step on Johnson and took it to the hole. Johnson reaches and grabs kobe for the foul. Kobe makes the two free throws. 104-88.
3:20 – fisher adds the last nail in the coffin and hits a three from the left side.
3:05 – Radman gets his double double with his 10th rebound.
2:45 – Kobe walks into the front court and he’s had enough of that whole “go to the basket” thing. Drains the three. He waves to the fans with his fingers.. “goodbye/goodnight.” If you wonder why people hate him. It’s stuff like that. 110-88.
1:52 – The clumsiest fast break ever. Vujacic granny layups it in over two Kings. Farmar created that steal. Good job defensively by Farmar tonight. Lakers just went on a 12-0 run to slam the door. The bench mob owes the starters for saving their butts tonight.
0:35 – Reggie Theus doesn’t have these guys playing professionally. Sheldon Williams made the traveling hand motion while he was supposed to be guarding DJ who had the ball 8 feet from the basket. He actually stopped playing defense to turn himself into a fourth referee.
Game over. 114-92. Apologies this one wasn’t that great. This game was just one of those slogs the lakers did well to win. We also really benefitted from the absence of beno Udrih.

When healthy, he is already at a disadvantage on defense because of his speed – but it’s tolerable, and he more than makes up for it with his offensive skills.

When playing injured, as he has been, he is nothing but a liability on defense. He is not capable of staying in front of the opponent, and it seems he finally accepted that tonight by not suiting up.

He should not be playing injured, when such injury makes him a defensive liability.

I don’t know whose “fault” this is, be it the coaches, management, or Luke himself, but the facts remain the same.

Question: I know you haven’t played for a few years, but if you were in the NBA right now, which five current players would you most like to play with, and why?

Shabab
Lubbock, Texas

Kerr:

Shabab, love the question: short, succinct and intriguing. Steve Nash is No. 1. Everyone he plays with seems to put up career numbers, thanks to all the open looks Nash provides. Tim Duncan is on the list. He’s an incredible teammate – unselfish, hardworking, modest and a winner. Shaquille O’Neal, because he changes games with the double teams he commands. (And he’s also a fun guy to be around.) Luke Walton, who has as good a feel for the game as anyone in the league. He plays a beautiful game. And No. 5 would be Kobe Bryant. I played with Michael Jordan, and it was amazing to watch the show he put on night after night. Kobe is similar in that he provides amazing entertainment – for fans and players alike.

Hell of an endorsement ..you think?

The real Lakers finally showed up in the 2nd half. Excellent defensive effort by the entire Laker team. Awesome game from Vlad, reminds me why we paid this guy the mid-level. No Luke, strained hamstring.

You have to be careful what you say when you sit courtside. I yelled at Mbenga to get one and that’s when he threw up an airball (1:30 in the 4th). Unfortunately, I am not pictured in the telecast as I was sitting on the same side as the cameras .

Newble played subpar, but I know PJ wants him to get some game in. We all know he is capable of more.