- Metta World Peace still “believes” the Lakers can go 72-10 this season, according to Mark Medina of L.A. Daily News: “He believed the Lakers would eclipse the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls team for most wins in a single season (72). With the Lakers entering Wednesday’s game against New Orleans with a 8-10 record, that ship already sailed. World Peace remains adamant the Lakers could tie the record by going undefeated. “If anybody can do it, this team can do it,” he said. “You need to believe in yourself or else you’ll never make it. “I’m never going to say we’re going to lose.” Really? “Why not?” World Peace said. “People like to go on roller coasters because of the excitement and adrenaline.”
- Chauncey Billups will miss some time due to ankle pain, from Broderick Turner of Los Angeles Times: “Billups and the Clippers said before the team played the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center that there was no timetable for his return. Billups said it’s an “inflamed tendon” on the inside joint of the foot and that it’s “not related” to the left Achilles’ tendon injury that required surgery in February and sidelined him through the first 14 regular-season games. Billups, 36, said he dealt with back, calf and foot problems while he was rehabilitating his Achilles’ injury. “I think this is just kind of part of the process,” Billups said. “Frustrating, of course, working that hard to come back and then kind of sit back and wait. But I know what it is. I respect the process. I’m not like down at all. Of course I want to be out there, but it is what it is and I know it’s all about the marathon for me.”
- Nicolas Batum says Greg Oden will look to make a comeback next season, from Chris Haynes of CSNNW:
Nicolas Batum says yesterday he had dinner w/former #Blazers Greg Oden. Batum says he looks good & is planning a return to NBA next season.
@ChrisBHaynes
Chris Haynes
The Lakers have decided to exercise patience with Pau Gasol, according to Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN: “The Los Angeles Lakers, largely at the behest of general manager Mitch Kupchak, have rebuffed trade inquiries from at least two teams for Pau Gasol, according to sources with knowledge of the Lakers’ thinking. The Toronto Raptors and Minnesota Timberwolves have both recently tried to engage the Lakers in trade discussions for Gasol, sources told ESPN.com, but the Lakers continue to tell teams that call that they will not consider dealing the Spaniard until L.A. can fully assess its roster after the return of injured point guard Steve Nash.”
Avery Bradley’s shoulders are feeling good enough for him to do more strenuous exercises, from Gary Washburn of Boston Globe: “Bradley’s rehabilitation consists of swimming, weightlighting, and hours of shooting. “Doc kind of stays out of [when I would return],” Bradley said. “It’s really up to the trainers and the strength and conditioning coaches and me, to see how I feel. It’s hard for him to determine because I’m such a tough guy and I want to get out there. They put me through a lot of tests because I lie to them sometimes because I want to be back. They’re just protecting me and I want to protect myself because when I come back I want to have no setbacks. “I feel a lot better. I’m doing pushups now. I try to do them every single day. I feel a lot stronger; it’s like night and day how I feel from two weeks ago.”