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A Lakers Blog. Thoughts, reflections, and the odd rant on the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA (even the Clippers).

Preview and Chat: Lakers vs. Knicks

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First things first, neither Pau (vertigo) nor Steve Nash (hamstring/nerve root issue) are expected to play against the Knicks on Tuesday night. And while Xavier Henry will give it a go, he will surely be in pain after his MRI revealed a torn ligament in his wrist. In other words, same (expletive) different day for a Lakers’ team who has not been healthy all year.

They face a Knicks team who is healthy, but is trying to overcome what has been a terribly disappointing (and underachieving) season to date by making a final push to get into the post-season. They currently sit 2.5 games back of the Hawks for the 8th seed and would very much like to make it to the second season where they can test a suddenly shaky Pacers’ group or see if the Heat really are cut out to make another run to the Finals.

Who are we kidding, though? Tonight’s game won’t be about the Knicks’ playoff chase or the Lakers playing shorthanded while keeping an eye on their lottery odds. No, tonight’s game is about Phil Jackson! The Zen Master, in all his glory, is now a New York Knicks’ employee and will probably be in the building (or at least he was already) tonight. And considering this is a nationally televised game, if Phil actually does find his way into the building there will only be, oh, a hundred or so camera shots of him with plenty of back and forth from the announcers and chants from the crowd and…you get the point. There will be a game going on, but at the same time there won’t be.

In a way, that’s all okay. After all, the Lakers aren’t playing for much besides personal pride and draft positioning. And while the Knicks are trying to push for the playoffs, the odds of them pulling an upset are small and the odds we see this version of the Knicks again next year with Phil in charge are even smaller. So, take this game for what it is — a late season distraction from real life for two and a half hours with snarky comments about Jim Buss mixed in. Or, in the eyes of many Lakers’ fans, Tuesday.

Where you can watch: 7:30pm start time on TNT. Also listen at ESPN Radio 710AM.


Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ko says

    I resemble that “snarky” comment.

    Tomorrow is my birthday so I fully expect a surprise win tonight.

    Ok so why not? Kamen is starting you know he is clearly well rested. 25 and 14 yea.

  3. J C says

    Happy Bday Ko
    Mine was recent as well.

    Thanks for the mice David-
    For some reason the cheers at the end made me laugh.

  4. PurpleBlood says

    Hope we get the win tonight so Ko can celebrate in style mañana!
    (yeah, the mice are a nice touch david!)

    Go Lakers!!!!!!

  10. jerke says

    Mitch on kobe “we will take advisement from Kobe on some things but not everything”

  14. rr says

    How many 50-point quarters have there been in the NBA in the last 20 years? The Lakers outscored the Knicks 51-31 in the 3rd. The Lakers are shooting 61% from the floor and 67% from the arc.

  15. jerke says

    Hahahahaha lakers just scored 51 pts in the 3rd q most in franchise history ever. Gosh the irony lol.

  16. Baylor Fan says

    One can only hope that this will get all the scoring out of their system so the Lakers can go back to tank mode. Amazing how the Lakers can do well even with Kaman on the floor.

  17. Glove says

    WOW. This Lakers team just made history with a 51 point quarter, most in one quarter in franchise history.

  18. Shaun says

    51 pts in the 3rd the most ever in a quarter by a laker team

    Also check hoopshype – kaman quotes are awesome

    – he hasn’t spoken to dantoni in 3 weeks and only knew he was starting by the scoresheet

    – on the season – its been disapointing from the management, to the players to the guys doing the laundry

    On this – how do you go 3 weeks without talking to the coach? Thats some antwan jamison level quote right there

  20. rr says

    Yes, with this explosion coming against Phil and the Knicks, tonight is one of the few chances that MDA and his supporters will have to laugh at someone else. I am sure that this has been MDA’s favorite game this year.

  23. Craig W. says

    Rudy quit as coach, for medical reasons, after half a season, but the Lakers honored his contract. After that the Lakers have continued to employ him. They didn’t fire everybody back around the CBA negotiation. There is still evaluation talent left in the organization..

  24. Fern says

    As much as i love PJ im glad the Lakers craped all over the Knicks on his return to Staples. If the Knicks won we would never heard the end of it from the media.

  25. rr says

    Wiki:

    In 2004, Tomjanovich signed a five-year, $30 million contract to replace Phil Jackson as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.[8] He resigned after 41 games, citing mental and physical exhaustion unrelated to his past bout with bladder cancer. The Lakers paid him a $10 million settlement, leading to speculation that the Lakers had instead terminated his contract.[8][9] Tomjanovich stayed with the Lakers as a consultant.

    —

  26. Fern says

    Ko the Knicks werent that bad, MDA and Donnie Walsh rebuilt the mess that Zeke left and then Dolan traded half the team for Melo when they finally got a nice thing going,The rest its history. Happy Birthday btw how old is it? 67? Because your an ornery one lol. Congratulations!!!

  30. JohnnyP says

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY KO!!!

    Phil Jackson, How’s that ‘culture creation’ working for you, eh? EAT THAT!!!

    OH JOY JOY JOY JOY JOY!!!!!!!

    GOOOOoooooOOOOOOO LAKERS !!!

  32. PurpleBlood says

    Right on, Lakers!!
    The best thing about last night´s win over the Knicks is that today we all…well, almost all of us, are as happy as Ko is on his Bday!! That´s like a red hot craps table & everyone going nuts, enjoying the ride! Have a good one Ko –

  33. david h says

    if lakers continue this upsurge in productivity; picking from further down on the college lottery draft of prospective projects then lakers should draft based on need more so than best freshman/athlete available. of course, lakers have glaring needs at all positions; for that reason I always look to the position of point guard first.

    regardless whether ucla wins tomorrow versus florida in the round of 16; for those who have witnessed the progression to his game; kyle anderson reminds me of a poor man’s magic johnson with a much better outside shot coming out of college. picture in your mind: kyle anderson vs steve nash vs jordan farmar vs kendall marshall. this is not to say that kyle anderson should be lakers first selection; but to pass on a ucla bruin under former coach ben howland’s pick/watch has proven invaluable to other nba teams in recent past. it would be a tricky move on the part of the lakers to make that happen, but that is what a front office should be doing in an effort to improve their respective team for the present and future.

    Go lakers

  34. Robert says

    Game: Nice to see the Lakers enjoy a good win. I know this is not good for the tank, but it helps morale and prevents the overall franchise from getting too downtrodden. So we should just enjoy without worrying about draft position.
    Knicks: Wow – sad – However Phil has only one mission at this point and that is Melo. He needs to either retain him, sign and trade him, or have some plan. If Melo walks, like DH did, it will be the same thing for the Knicks as DH was for us – and that is not good.
    Shaun: With regard to Kaman: The three week thing is comical but not surprising. Your reference to Antawn is also funny. I sat directly behind the Laker bench a few times last year and a couple of times I was right behind Antawn. He was completely despondent. It was amazing how depressed he was (openly). I have only been to two games this year (I know – sad), my usual location, and Kaman looked like he was almost sleeping a couple of times. These type of relationships between player and coach are just amazing. On the positive side in this regard, as much issue as Pau has had, he always seems engaged and into things.

  35. Aaron says

    More wins and this becomes the worst season imaginable. We can forget bout that top 5 pic. If that happens this would be a wasted season setting us another year behind.

  37. Robert says

    Aaron: It is hard to stay at all positive when you come in with these doses of reality : ) I mean I think I am already pessimistic enough : ) “worst season imaginable” That is interesting, because it implies that simply “worst season” is already in the bag. We are now striving for worst “imaginable”.

  39. Ko says

    A little bird flew in my ear and tweeted if Lakers don’t get one of top 6 picks they will try to trade lower picks.

  40. Robert says

    Shaun: (sorry to those who have read some of this before – but hey I love thinking about this stuff) – Also you should talk to Lil Pau – he goes to way more games than I do. I have not been in a while – I am depressed over Kobe’s injuries. A few notes from previous games: Kobe is the most focused person on the planet, MD is very stressed, Phil was the coolest coach ever. He sits there, but when it was time to unload on someone he does it. I snapped a photo of him thoroughly explaining something to Ron Artest, and the look on Ron’s face is just amazing. I have recently spoken directly to Pau, Nash, Rambis and a couple others. All of these guys were very cool and down to Earth. The Laker bench has never been overly raucous, but in the past couple of years, with the exception of Sacre every now and then, it is very sedate. I have some killer photos where I am in the background of photographer shots and also where I have given my own camera to others. Have been there for a few of KB’s major scoring milestones. Was also there for 2 of his triple doubles. I have had good luck with that, although I missed his move into the #4 scoring spot by one game. Another time, I got in the background of a Kobe photo that was on the LA Times Sports cover. I am one of the few people cheering and that included the Laker bench. The ushers in Section 119 (that is behind the Laker bench) are pretty cool so they let people take photos in the aisles and stuff, although they have told me to sit down a couple of times when I get out of control (can you imagine?). The people in Sections 101 + 102 do not cheer enough. The whole 100 section is really terrible with regard to enthusiasm. The rowdy people sit up high. That is where I probably belong. I yelled at Phil once so loud once he actually looked at me for a moment (2011 against Kings and D Cousins was going nuts on us). People get annoyed when you stand up sometimes which is sad. The people “on the wood” are mostly there to be seen. They cheer if someone like Jack starts cheering. I have also sat behind the scorers table a couple of times (in LA and other cities), and I was able to hear myself on the broadcast video (again – imagine that). It is a good time !

  41. Mid-Wilshire says

    Ko,

    a belated Happy Birthday!

    So. You see. If you had a birthday every other day, the Lakers would probably go 82-0.

  42. Robert says

    Ko: Happy Birthday. However, I am giving you no credit for the game. That all goes to Phil. We have a great record when he is in the house at Staples.

  43. Stacy says

    Still buzzing from last night’s game! Love a little morale boost like that to ease the pain from this season…

  44. PurpleBlood says

    That all goes to Phil. We have a great record when he is in the house at Staples.
    ___
    lol !! & thanks for the anecdotes in that previous post. I hadn´t read `em before.