This just in from Clipper Nation, where the home team can take its pick among top coaching candidates Lionel Hollins, Jeff Van Gundy, Byron Scott and Brian Shaw. And the winner is … Let me get back to you on that. No decision may soon be forthcoming from owner Donald Sterling, as none was for weeks after his people recommended firing Vinny Del Negro, a no-brainer they had set up that way with Sterling’s help. It’s hard to to handicap the Clippers with officials
Chris Paul is being blamed for the dismissal of Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro and isn’t happy about it. Paul has spent the last two seasons with the Clippers, which not coincidentally have been the best back-to-back seasons in the history of the once-woebegone franchise. Now Paul is approaching free agency, the timing of which at the root of the blame. Is he ticked off enough to leave the Clippers over it? [Read more…]
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Now, after the winter of the Lakers’ discontent… a summer that doesn’t look like three months at the beach, either. It was grisly to the end, which was even worse than the beginning, when the lowly Mavs beat them opening night in Staples, then they lost Steve Nash the next night in a loss at Portland. How would you like to be Mike D’Antoni, taking over at 5-6, with his point guard out until Dec. 22 … only
Tonight at midnight, like I do every year at this time, I will face East, toward Springfield, Mass., and give a prayer of Thanksgiving. Thank heavens that’s over! I mean to tell you, it was a long season out here in the place I named Lakerdom – or actually stole from Lester Hayes, the great cornerback and quote machine who made up Raiderdom. Of course, Lakerdom now vies for its very existence with Clipper Nation, which used to put in rare appearances, like
April 14, 2013 Email To: Jacie Prieto, publicist for Kobe Bryant Subject: Kobe Jacie, Not that the situation is anything to celebrate, but after we arranged that one-on-one interview for a New York Times piece for today which they decided not to assign, I wound up writing about Kobe Bryant for them, after all. It’s right here. I actually think the last two weeks represent his high point, capped by a post-game interview after his Achilles injury with press people whom he held in contempt for
Magic Johnson believes the Lakers would defeat the Spurs in the first round. Mark Heisler’s opinion: “Spurs. Easy.” So what we have here is a difference of opinion, and Heisler goes on to explain why San Antonio would pick the Lakers apart with speed, precision and 3-point shooting. [Read more…]
The Lakers retired Shaquille O’Neal’s number last night at Staples Center before going out and clobbering the Dallas Mavericks, putting some separation between themselves and one of their pursuers in the Western Conference playoff race. It is a new era now at the Staples Center, nearly a decade removed from when Shaq was the alpha dog of the Lakers. [Read more…]
I know, I know. Something seems wrong if the Heat-Spurs rivalry turns into a contest to see which team can show the most disdain for the other by sitting the most stars. Or course, it was ever thus for visionaries ahead of their time. Not that theirs is a vision the NBA is happy to see get out, but there’s a method to the madness of Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and Heat president Pat Riley. If this is a shock to those forking