2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers Thread

The Boston Celtics have held exploratory trade talks with the Memphis Grizzlies on Rudy Gay.

More than one team has speculated that a three-way trade that would send Pau Gasol to the Celtics, Paul Pierce to the Grizzlies and Rudy Gay to the Lakers makes "some sense".

Pierce's $15.3 million salary for next season is guaranteed for only $5 million, which would make his contract tradable.

Well, knowing the Lakers, only deals that are not rumored about happen so looks like we won't be getting Rudy Gay at the deadline, in other news...

Kobe Bryant has made it clear that the culture of the Los Angeles Lakers and his personal leadership style will not change despite the presence of Dwight Howard.

"It's a matter of learning (for Howard)," Bryant said. "What I try to tell him is that it's not necessarily about what you (want), how you are as a person, or what's comfortable for you. It's really about what's going to help elevate us.

"So for us to have a team that's confrontational and on edge brings out the competitive spirit of everybody else, you know what I'm saying? If everybody is just relaxed and happy go lucky and this that and the other, then that's the personality we'll have as a team. And then you run into a team that's a confrontational team, and it's like a bus."

Bryant was asked if he still believes he can win a title with Howard.

"Yeah, for sure."

"It's a process for him," Bryant said. "He wants to be one of the greats of all time, and to do that you have to learn from the greats of all time – be it Bill Russell, be it Shaq. I mean Shaq was a moody, temperamental dude. So if you watch all the big men who have come before, you start to see a common denominator.

"Wilt (Chamberlain), God bless him, was phenomenal, but he didn't have (the same edge). Russell and (those) guys win repetitive – (Michael) Jordan, Magic (Johnson), myself. You've got a little (expletive) in you. I want (Howard) to be great, so I'm trying to push him."

Bryant insists Howard remains part of the Lakers' future.

"I don' t know what the future holds," Bryant said. "I don't know if (Howard will be traded)…But I know that as long as he's here, I'm going to continue to help him, mentor him, help him be great. That's all I can do. I'm a problem solver. I try to figure things out, come hell or high water."

lol shaq was a moody, temperamental dude

f**k i hate it so much when world peace dribbles down the court. f**ker can't dribble for s**t and looks down and always turns it over

Originally posted by phatbutskinny:

f**k i hate it so much when world peace dribbles down the court. f**ker can't dribble for s**t and looks down and always turns it over

Bless his heart

solid win today hopefully this can be a start of something.

Originally posted by susweel:
solid win today hopefully this can be a start of something.

we will win out from here

Originally posted by phatbutskinny:

Originally posted by susweel:

solid win today hopefully this can be a start of something.

we will win out from here

Get the parade route set

Who knew that taking the ball out of Nash's hands would improve the offense so much?

Originally posted by LA9erFan:

Who knew that taking the ball out of Nash's hands would improve the offense so much?

And your boy Blake is about to return.

Kobe with double digit assists again

I hope today is a good sign. Defense and team chemistry looked very good!

Wow. What a fun game to watch. We definitely don't see that consistent effort very often. Well done, gentleman.

These MFers on LG crack me up!

Quote:

2012-13 Lakers is very much like The AVENGERS movie... (seriously for real)



So once upon a time there was this god named Thor (Kobe).

He was the most powerful being in Asgard (NBA), conquering all his battles (winning NBA Championships), and always beating Loki (Wade) as the supreme warrior of Asgard (Best shooting guard in the NBA).

One day, Loki decided to get some help by bringing in Thanos (LeBron) and that alien hooded guy with the raspy voice (Bosh), and they became a force to be reckoned with that even Thor knew he couldn't defeat them alone.

So after the summer of 2012, Nick Fury (Kupchack) decided it was time to form The Avengers (Lakers 2012-2013) by calling forth Iron Man (Dwight) and Captain America (Nash) from their own solo movies (Orlando and Phoenix) into joining together to make one gigantic superhero flick ever assembled (best NBA team on paper).

But not all was smooth sailing with the powerhouse team, in fact when they first came together, The Avengers struggled, and struggled a lot. They faltered and didn't play well together. Thor and Iron Man bickered and butted heads in the forest (Memphis) only to be pulled apart by Captain America. Even the Hulk had to be sidelined and was thrown out of SHIELD's Helicarrier (Gasol being benched by D'Antoni). To make matters worse, Loki even came back to their home base (January 17 @ Staples Centers) and whooped The Avengers' butts again!

The Avengers (Lakers) were still bickering among themselves halfway through the movie (41 games into the season), and all still seemed hopeless and lost, but it wasn't until Agent Coulson's death (D'Antoni's System) and Hawkeye eventually coming back to them (Kobe's Low Post Game) that The Avengers had now something to avenge for (make it back to the Play-offs), and gave them the purpose to unite as one (started playing team ball).

We all know how the movie ended with The Avengers saving the world.

Will the Lakers story end with the Lakers winning the NBA World Championship?

Guess we have to stay tuned for one of the most action packed movies (season) ever seen on film (television)!

4 games out of the 8th spot

Liked what I saw all around today. Just confirms what we already knew- Earl Clark is here to stay, loved the way he finished around the rim, and if you can play D on KD you can D up anyone.
Pau gets softer on D on the inside each and every day- and I think he needs to take 2-3 steps in when he is playing off Kobe. Those 19 foot jumpers are justtttt out of his range, hopefully coaching staff sees that.
Dwght Howard is a black hole down there on the block. He went 4 straight times to his left hand, and wound up 0-4. If it isnt a wide open dunk or alley oop, slimmm chance he is coming away with a basket.
MWP has 1 boenheaded transition play where he thinks hes John Stockton per game, luckily this one didn't cost us a game (spurs)

Overall great team play, Nash played great in his role, and Antawn showed up. Meeks/Tawn off the bench being productive is keyyyyy. Hopefully Blake returning pushes Duhon off the team. Haven't been this stoked for a Laker victory in a real long time