LAKERS NOTEBOOK: TRIP HEADS TO COOLER CLIMATE.Byline: Elliott Teaford Staff Writer KEY BISCAYNE This article is about the island named Key Biscayne. For the village on the island of the same name, see Key Biscayne, Florida. For the tennis tournament sometimes referred to as Key Biscayne, see Miami Masters. , Fla. -- The barnstormers have arrived at the soft portion of their nine-game trip, starting with today's game against the last-place Miami Heat The Miami Heat (known as the HEAT [in all capital letters] on official team publications) are a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). . Then it's on to Charlotte to face the Bobcats on Monday, and to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves on Wednesday, two more struggling teams. 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. cringed when the combined records of the Lakers' next three opponents was mentioned to him by a reporter. The Lakers had just completed Saturday's practice at a recreation center, preparing to face the new-look Heat in a nationally televised game. A gaggle of screaming children waited just outside the gym, some seeking autographs. Jackson declined to admit the difficult part of the trip was over for the Lakers, who have won four of the first six on their trek. The fact that Miami has the league's worst record at 9-39 concerned Jackson. He also dismissed the fact that Charlotte is 18-32 and Minnesota is 10-38, suggesting they could be difficult challenges for the Lakers (32-17). "We have to be careful with what we do," he said. The Lakers have lost three in a row in Miami, but those Heat teams looked a good deal different from the one they will face today. Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal (pronounced "shak-KEEL") (born March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey), frequently referred to simply as Shaq, is an American professional basketball player, generally regarded as one of the most dominant in the National Basketball Association (NBA). is gone, having been traded last week to the Phoenix Suns for Shawn Marion Shawn Dwayne Marion (born May 7, 1978 in Waukegan, Illinois) is an American professional basketball player. He currently plays small forward for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, although he spent much of the 2004-05, 2005-06 and the 2006-07 seasons at power forward. and Marcus Banks Arthur Lemarcus Banks III, commonly known as Marcus Banks (born November 19 1981 in Las Vegas, Nevada), is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. Banks is 6'2" (188 cm) tall and 200 lb (90 kg). . Marion and Banks are expected to make their Heat debuts today. "I think they'll get up and down," Jackson said of the Heat, who relied on a half-court offense with O'Neal on their roster. "They'll try to run. ... I think it's a good deal for Miami. It may take them a few games, but it will be exciting for them." What's more, the Heat believes it has found a formidable one-two combination with Marion and Dwyane Wade. No hard feelings Jackson and Jordan Farmar had several testy tes·ty adj. tes·ti·er, tes·ti·est Irritated, impatient, or exasperated; peevish: a testy cab driver; a testy refusal to help. exchanges during the Lakers' victory Friday over the Orlando Magic. Jackson was unhappy with Farmar's lackluster defense. Jackson replaced Farmar with Derek Fisher for the game's final 7:39. Never one to hold a grudge, Jackson could be seen smiling and talking with Farmar as they walked from the floor together after the final buzzer sounded on the Lakers' 117-113 win. They spoke again after practice Saturday, with Jackson offering defensive pointers to Farmar. Jackson asked Farmar to tighten up defensively, particularly against 3- pointers from the corners. "I think he's gotten a little bit passive defensively," Jackson said of Farmar, a second-year guard from UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX . "As a consequence, he's a little bit behind the game. He's given us an infusion of energy, but we need that (better defense)." Bryant sits out Kobe Bryant did not practice, sitting out because of a dislocated dis·lo·cate tr.v. dis·lo·cat·ed, dis·lo·cat·ing, dis·lo·cates 1. To put out of usual or proper place, position, or relationship. 2. right pinkie. He's unlikely to miss any of the next three games, having played the past three with the injury. Jackson said Bryant should skip the All-Star Game on Feb. 17, however. elliott.teaford@dailybreeze.com LAKERS TODAY vs. Miami, 12:30 p.m., American Airlines Arena. TV: Ch. 7. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion