LAKERS NOTEBOOK: PLAN FOR BRYANT ISN'T CUTTING IT.Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer CLEVELAND - Only 10 days ago in San Antonio San Antonio (săn ăntō`nēō, əntōn`), city (1990 pop. 935,933), seat of Bexar co., S central Tex., at the source of the San Antonio River; inc. 1837. , Lakers See Lake poets coach Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson (born September 17, 1945 in Deer Lodge, Montana) is the current coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, an American professional basketball team. talked about his desire to cut Kobe Bryant's minutes to about 36 per game to keep his superstar guard from burning out before the playoffs even begin. Suffice it to say, things haven't worked out quite as Jackson intended. Bryant has averaged 43.8 minutes in the five games since and has played the entire second half of the Lakers' past three games. It has become a concern as Bryant has struggled with his shot, and Jackson has conceded that Bryant is battling tired legs. ``You've got to do what you've got to do,'' said Bryant, who is shooting 38.5 percent the past five games. ``We've talked about shoring it up, our execution a little bit, as far as how I'm used out there on the floor. ``Certain spots on the floor. Not working too hard to have to put the ball in the basket, go through two guys or something like that. It's more about moving without the basketball, catch and shoot, that sort of thing.'' When the Lakers play the Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (also known as the Cavs) are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a 1970 expansion team and won their first Eastern Conference Championship in 2007. today in a game televised on ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. , the featured attraction will be Bryant vs. LeBron James LeBron James (born December 30 1984) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). . But Jackson has no intention of having Bryant defend James, as he did when the two teams played in January. Forward Lamar Odom Lamar Joseph Odom (born November 6 1979, in South Jamaica, Queens, New York) is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward (also plays both forward spots and is a "point-forward") for the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Lakers. will draw the assignment and Bryant will match up against Flip Murray. It is one way for the Lakers to help Bryant conserve energy, especially with the second game of a back-to-back set Monday at Boston. The Lakers will get a break as forward Devean George Devean Jamar George (born August 29 1977 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA. He typically plays small forward but because of his athleticism and defensive activity, can defend many shooting guards as well. is expected to return this afternoon after missing six games with a cracked right wrist. George can come off the bench and give Bryant a breather at the start of the second and fourth quarters. ``I just told (Jackson) I'm ready I'm Ready is the double platinum second release from R&B singer Tevin Campbell. I'm Ready yielded the biggest R&B hit of his career the #1 R&B smash "Can We Talk", and produce 3 more successful hits in "I'm Ready", "Always In My Heart" and "Don't Say Goodbye Girl". ,'' said George, who went through shooting drills Saturday and had a full range of motion. ``I don't think I'll hurt the team with my injury and I think I can do some things to help the team. I just want to get out there.'' --Look out below: For all their struggles, the Lakers still went into Saturday with some breathing room in the Western Conference standings. They held onto the eighth and final playoff position by a game over the Hornets, who had lost seven in a row. ``We're dodging bullets in the sense that the teams that need to win for their own sake are losing,'' Bryant said. ``We can't rely on that. We've got to come out and take care of business at some point.'' Jackson, meanwhile, said he can understand the frustration that fans feel watching the Lakers battle inconsistency every night. ``I know the friends I have that are still Laker fans,'' Jackson said, ``and friends that are still friends have to turn it off and go to bed sometimes because they see the ending as being a painful event.'' Ross Siler, (818) 713-3610 ross.siler(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): box Box: LAKERS at CLEVELAND - Ross Siler |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion