Steve Blake Agrees to 4 Year Deal with the Lakers

According to Sean Dornan and 710 ESPN Radio, free agent point guard Steve Blake has agreed to a 4-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.  No details of the agreement were available.  Blake would give the Lakers much needed help at the point and it does not hur that he is a good 3-point shooter.

Phil Jackson Decides to Coach Lakers for 2010 and 2011 Season

Phil Jackson increased the Los Angeles Lakers chances of three-peating as NBA champions next year more likely as he committed his return to coach next year.  After just one relaxing week in Montana, Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson decided he can handle another season of the NBA grind. The two-time defending champions locked up their most important free agent of the summer Thursday when Jackson announced he’ll return next season, putting off retirement for at least another year to chase his 12th NBA title.  Jackson said last week he was worn out and leaning toward retirement after the Lakers’ third straight long season culminating in the NBA finals. He changed his mind after a week of rest and health evaluation at his offseason home, signing up for the unprecedented chance to win three consecutive NBA championships for the fourth time in his career.  “Count me in,” Jackson said. “After a couple weeks of deliberation, it is time to get back to the challenge of putting together a team that can defend its title in the 2010-11 season. It’ll be the last stand for me, and I hope a grand one.”  Jackson, who will turn 65 later this year, is the winningest coach in playoff history and the most successful coach in NBA history by almost any measure.  He has a league-best .705 regular-season winning percentage, a record 225 postseason victories and two more titles than Boston’s Red Auerbach, winning five championships with Kobe Bryant’s(notes) Lakers and six with Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls. His 1,098 regular-season victories are fifth-most in league history.
The Lakers beat the Celtics in Game 7 of the NBA finals last month to claim their second straight title, wrapping up a season in which Jackson navigated Bryant, Pau Gasol(notes) and wild-card newcomer Ron Artest(notes) through numerous injuries to win the franchise’s 16th title.  Los Angeles has made the finals in seven of Jackson’s 10 seasons with the club, and they’ll be among the early favorites to win it all again in 2011. The Lakers have surrounded Bryant with a core in its prime and signed to long-term contracts.  “We’re extremely pleased that Phil has decided to return,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said. “He’s not only the best coach for this team, but quite simply the best coach in the history of the NBA.”  Jackson’s health has been a constant concern in recent years, but he apparently feels strong enough for at least another year. The former New York Knicks player sometimes has difficulty getting up and down from the bench while living with two replaced hips, a sore knee requiring a brace under his suit, and a previous heart problem.  The Lakers released no immediate details about Jackson’s new contract. Owner Jerry Buss was widely thought to want Jackson to take a pay cut from the $14 million he earned last season, including a $2 million bonus for winning the title, but Jackson always claimed money wouldn’t be an issue, even if his proclaimed interest in retirement last week could have been interpreted as a negotiating ploy.
Brian Shaw, the former Lakers guard and Jackson’s assistant coach, is thought to be Jackson’s preferred successor. Shaw nearly landed the top job in Cleveland earlier this week after an impressive two-day meeting with the Cavaliers’ brass, but the club abruptly hired former Lakers guard Byron Scott on Thursday—perhaps indicating Shaw is willing to wait in Los Angeles.  After last week’s parade through downtown Los Angeles without Jackson, who was getting medical tests, the Lakers uniformly said they wanted Jackson with them next season. Bryant said the team would be “drastically different” without Jackson’s steady, cerebral presence on the sideline.  Yet his players all had little idea what Jackson planned to do—no surprise, since the coach himself apparently wasn’t sure. Kupchak knew the difficulties of replacing a coach with Jackson’s singular accomplishments, saying he would be willing to wait until late July for Jackson to decide.
After winning two rings in a Knicks uniform and coaching in the CBA, Jackson won his first NBA title in his second season running the Bulls, who eventually won three straight titles from 1991-93 and again from 1996-98.  After a year off, he immediately led the underachieving Lakers to three straight championships from 2000-02, meshing the egos and talents of Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal(notes) to re-establish the team as an NBA power. Los Angeles also made the NBA finals in 2004, but lost to Detroit. Jackson then took another year off before returning to the Lakers’ bench.  The Lakers have reached the last three NBA finals, losing to Boston in 2008 before routing the Orlando Magic last year for their 15th title. Jackson also became the winningest coach in Lakers history in early February, surpassing Pat Riley with his 534th victory.  With Jackson back in the fold, the Lakers will work on supplementing their depth and sorting out their situation at point guard, where veteran and playoff star Derek Fisher(notes) is an unrestricted free agent.

Free Agency Options for Lakers

Fisher, 35, is their main free-agent concern after his sturdy playoff presence probably extended his pro career by at least one more season. The Lakers could sign him for the veteran’s minimum of $1.35 million for a player with his experience (14 seasons), but Fisher wants something closer to the $5 million he made this past season.
It does not look like an easy negotiation, with Fisher saying last week he has a “strong feeling about what my value is to a team,” but the Lakers hope talks do not stagnate after going through a laborious monthlong process last July before re-signing Lamar Odom.

After Brown opts out of a contract that would have paid him $2.15 million next season, the Lakers can give him a five-year deal worth up to an estimated $34 million, but he wasn’t much of a factor in the playoffs and will not get that big of a deal from his employers of the last 1 1/2 seasons.

The Lakers are contemplating offering Farmar a one-year, $3-million contract in order to avoid losing him as an unrestricted free agent. If they tender him the deal, known as a qualifying offer, he remains a restricted free agent and they have the right to match any offer sheet he signs with another team.  End-of-bench reserves Adam Morrison, DJ Mbenga and Josh Powell are not expected back. The Lakers will not heavily pursue any frontcourt players in free agency because they are cautiously optimistic about their second-round draft picks, small forward Devin Ebanks and power forward Derrick Caracter, and could employ them next season for $473,000 each.

One player who isn’t expected to leave is Andrew Bynum, whose name has been dropped in numerous trade rumors, all of which are “ridiculous” insinuations, according to a source familiar with the thinking of the Lakers’ front office.

At any rate, what can the Lakers spend this off-season?  Without including Brown, they have committed $81.6 million to only seven players on next season’s payroll and are already way over the salary cap for 2010-11, meaning their largest free-agent tool is the mid-level exception worth an annual average of about $6.5 million for up to five years.  The Lakers, however, do not want to spend their entire mid-level exception, which limits their purchasing power. They can sign a free agent for less than that, say two years and a total of $9 million, but are reluctant to dig too deep into the mid-level reservoir after having the league’s highest payroll last season ($91.3 million).
If the Lakers lose Brown and Farmar, they are interested in signing a point guard such as Steve Blake, Luke Ridnour or Earl Watson.   Blake is a pass-first point guard with a decent three-point touch, a 30-year-old veteran who made $4.25 million last season with the Clippers and Portland. He averaged 6.8 points and 6.1 assists in 29 games with the Clippers while shooting a commendable 43.7% from three-point range.  Ridnour, 29, made $6.5 million last season with Milwaukee and would have to take a steep pay cut to join the Lakers. He averaged 10.4 points and four assists last season.  Watson, 31 and formerly of UCLA, averaged 7.8 points and 5.1 assists last season for Indiana, but he has never been a great three-point shooter, averaging 33.1% in his career. Like Ridnour, he made $6.5 million last season and would have to take a sharp cut to return to Los Angeles.

Shooting guard Raja Bell, 33, is also a possibility despite playing only six games last season with Charlotte and Golden State. A steady outside shooter, decent defender and former nemesis of Kobe Bryant, Bell had his season cut short in November after undergoing surgery to repair a partially torn ligament in his left wrist. He made $5.25 million in 2009-10.

The Lakers are near the top of the list of smooth-shooting forward Mike Miller, but he is coming off a contract in which he made $9.8 million last season and would want more than they can offer.

Lakers Draft Devin Ebanks & Derrick Caracter

Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak on picking Devin Ebanks and Derrick Caracter in 2010 NBA Draft

Devin Ebanks

Lakers drafted smart in the second round yesterday by picking up University of West Virginia small forward, Devin Ebanks.  This kid plays very good man-on-man defense and was a solid rebounder.

• Birthday: 10/28/89
• NBA Position: Small Forward
• Class: Sophomore
• Ht: 6-8
• Wt: 208
• Hometown: Long Island City, NY
• High School: St. Thomas More

Strengths: Long and lean small forward possessing a ‘smooth’ game … His wingspan is incredible and he seemingly gets his paws on every ball … Prolific rebounder (8.5 RPG). Particularly innate offensive rebounder (3 per game) … Grabs boards outside of his area. Quick off his feet and anticipates caroms extremely well. Breaks for the ball before anyone else on the court … High percentage shooter, rarely takes a bad shot (47%) … Very soft touch around the basket. Crafty with a variety of release points … Knows how to get shots off in the paint … Exhibits excellent body control … Shows promise with his mid-range jumper … Gets good elevation and has picturesque shooting mechanics … Appears comfortable at the free throw stripe where he shoots 74% … Will occasionally take his game into the post and shoot over smaller defenders … Thrives in transition as he runs the floor very well and takes long, loping strides … Makes smart decisions with the ball in his hands … Good passer averaging 2.7 assists per game … Has the ability to see over the defense and find cutters … Versatile defender with the ability to guard multiple positions … Often matches up with the opponent’s top perimeter threat … Moves his feet pretty well for 6-9, and his length can bail him out if he’s beaten off the bounce … Long arms and quick hands net him a steal per contest … Has a fire in his eyes at the defensive side, something very rare.

Weakness:  Right now, he has no 3pt shooting.  There were games last year where he simply doesn’t look at the basket.

Derrick Caracter

While Caracter has shown flashes of development in other areas of his game, he is still incredibly reliant on his post game, as 80 of his 142 charted offensive possessions on Synergy were of the post-up variety. Looking to the NBA, he will need to diversify his game some to find a long-term niche in all likelihood, and should probably look at fellow under-the-rim banger Craig Smith as a player to model himself after. Improving on his ability to finish off cuts and pick-and-rolls by using his massive body to seal out defenders and create angles is something that could help him contribute in multiple ways in the pros.

Defensively, Caracter has an improved effort level and focus this season, though there are still many things holding him back from being an effective defender. In the post, he actually shows decent fundamental in man-to-man situations, getting into his opponent and using his strength to hold position well. That said, with very little lift and a weak standing reach, he’s very prone to being shot over, and can be outmaneuvered by quicker opponents as well.

Lakers Considering Adding Raja Bell

According to a team source, the Lakers are interested in signing free agent forward Raja Bell.   Bell, who played only six games in 2009-10 before undergoing season-ending surgery on his left wrist in December, is coveted for his defense and his ability to connect on corner 3-point shots that could fortify the Lakers inconsistent bench, according to the source.  The 10-year veteran, who turns 34 in September, averaged 13.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in 45 games with Charlotte in 2008-09, his last healthy stint before being traded to the Golden State Warriors in a deal for Stephen Jackson in November.  In the story first reported by Yahoo! Sports, Kobe Bryant was named as one of Bell’s strongest supporters, the pair having apparently buried the hatchet after a 2006 first round playoff series between the Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers when the two exchanged blows on the court and insults off of it.

The Lakers have $83.9 million committed to eight players for next season, nearly $16 million above the luxury tax threshold that comes with a dollar-for-dollar penalty for salary spent over that line. The Lakers will need to sign five more players (six if Shannon Brown opts out of his contract) and will have the mid level exception, valued at approximately $5.5 million, available to do so despite the team being so far over the $56.1 million salary cap.

ESPN Ranks Lakers as Greatest Basketball Franchise in History

In a recent article for ESPN, John Hollinger ranks the NBA Franchises.  To no one’s surprise, he ranks the Los Angeles Lakers first and the Boston Celtics second.

No. 1: Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are the greatest franchise ever because of their incredible collection of trademark stars.

1. LOS ANGELES LAKERS: 80.2 POINTS PER SEASON (1947-2010)

• Wins: 3,027
• Playoff wins: 426
• Series wins: 106
• Titles: 16
• All-Stars: 127
• Best player: Magic Johnson
• Best coach: Phil Jackson
• Best team: 1971-72 (69-13, won NBA title)
• Intangibles: +150. Endless stream of superstars — on the court and in the seats.

Magic. Kareem. Jerry West. Kobe. Shaq. When it comes to superstars, the Lakers are so far out in front of everybody else it’s not even funny — their all-time starting five would crush any other team’s; in fact, it might be better than that of the rest of the league’s put together. So star-studded is their legacy that I left Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and George Mikan off my five-man team that opened this paragraph, also neglecting the likes of James Worthy, Bob McAdoo and Gail Goodrich

And those big names won, too. Although the Celtics have more championships, the Lakers have more of everything else — wins, playoff wins, playoff series wins and conference titles. About the only thing that hurts L.A. in the all-time rankings is the penalty for relocating from Minnesota to Los Angeles in the 1950s.

The story begins with the Mikan years up north, where he led Minneapolis to five championships in six seasons in the formative years of the NBA. As the league’s first dominant big man, he established something of a tradition.

FRANCHISE HISTORY

Los Angeles Lakers (1960-Present)

Minneapolis Lakers (1948-60)

Since then, the Lakers have almost always had at least one monstrous big man — Mikan, Wilt, Kareem, Shaq, Pau Gasol — and one electrifying perimeter star to go with him (Magic, Jerry West, Baylor, Kobe).  About the only thing the Lakers haven’t been able to do is best the Celtics head-to-head. In 11 meetings against Boston in the Finals, L.A. has prevailed just three times. In that regard, Baylor’s Minneapolis team got the ball rolling in 1958-59 in the team’s last season before heading west, and in the ’60s, Chamberlain and West were foiled by the Celtics five times

Ultimately, those Lakers broke through with a 69-13 season in 1971-72 that featured a 33-game winning streak — still a record for North American pro team sports — to win the team’s first title in L.A.  After a brief lull in the late ’70s, they would get five more rings when Magic arrived to join forces with Kareem. Although there was one more painful loss to Boston interposed — a seven-game defeat in 1984 — L.A. avenged it by becoming the first team in nearly two decades to repeat as champs, winning in 1987 and 1988. A hamstring injury to Magic Johnson in the Finals the next year derailed the Lakers’ quest for a three-peat, but they would get one a decade and a half later after Phil Jackson came to Tinseltown to guide Shaq and Kobe.

That team provided plenty of last-second excitement — most notably the alley-oop from Kobe to Shaq that cemented a Game 7 conference finals comeback win over Portland in 2000 — and produced one of the most dominant playoff runs in history with a 15-1 romp through the field in 2001.  Amazingly, the franchise has missed the playoffs only five times in its 62 years. The Lakers, who have played in seven Finals in the new century, are now only one title behind the hated Celtics after defending their title in 2010 with a dramatic seven-game win over Boston.

Lakers Vs Celics Game 7 NBA Finals Highest Ratings in 12 Years

Game 7 drew the highest preliminary rating for an NBA finals game since 1998. The Lakers’ 83-79 win Thursday night on ABC earned an 18.2 overnight rating. That’s the highest for an NBA game since Michael Jordan won his last championship with the Bulls in Game 6 of the 1998 finals against the Jazz, which posted a 22.9.  The rating was 32 percent higher than the only other Game 7 of the last 16 years. Pistons-Spurs in 2005 drew a 13.8.  Ratings represent the percentage of all homes with televisions tuned into a program. Overnight ratings measure the country’s largest markets.  The game drew a 39.7 rating in Los Angeles and a 33.9 in Boston.

Paul Gasol Versus Kevin Garnett 2010 NBA Finals

As a Laker fan I have been sick of the Celtics players and Celtics fans calling Pau Gasol soft.  In 1998 he averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds a game, but the Celtics won the series.  So rather than just shout at my Celtics friends I thought we should compare the “Big Ticket”, Kevin Garnett to Pau Gasol in this 7 game series of 2010. 

Let’s break down the statistics between Garnett and Gasol for the series. 

• Gasol edges KG by averaged 18.5 points a game to Garnett’s 15.2. 
• Gasol wins over KG for blocked shots 18 to 9.
• Gasol Wins over KG for Assists 26 to 21
• Gasol Wins over KG the Rebounds 81 to 39
• Gasol Wins over KG Offensive Rebounds 35-8

KG is clearly on his way to the Hall of Fame, but for the “Big Ticket” to get less than half as many rebounds as Gasol underlines the dominance that Pau demonstrated over Garnett in the 2010 NBA Finals.  Let’s consider that this future Hall of Fame power forward for the Celtics came up with 3 rebounds in a Game 7 NBA Finals versus the Lakers when their starting center was out.  If ever there was a night that KG needed to come up with 15 boards it was last night’s game 7.  Kobe Bryant came up with 15 rebounds—But I forgot we were comparing Garnett to Gasol.  Oh yeah, Pau Gasol had 19 rebounds last night. 

Pau Gasol is NOT SOFT!  Gasol clearly dismissed the “Soft” tag and now it’s KG’s turn to wear the soft sign for the summer.  Gatorade is going to have to get pretty creative on their TV ads in the future.  I can’t wait to see how Gatorade spins  the soft play of “Big Ticket.”  KG pounding his chest with 3 rebounds…

Lakers Beat Celtics in Game 7 to Win 16th NBA Championship

A Game 7 classic and this time, it finally went the Lakers’ way. The Lakers came from behind to win 83-79 over the pesky Boston Celtics and become the 2010 NBA Champions.  Bryant, the finals MVP, scored 23 points despite 6-of-24 shooting, and the Lakers won their 16th NBA championship Thursday night, dramatically rallying from a fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Boston Celtics 83-79 in Game 7 of the NBA finals.  Bryant earned his fifth title with the Lakers, who repeated as NBA champions for the first time since winning three straight from 2000-02. Coach Phil Jackson added his 11th, matching Russell’s total and possibly putting a cap on his remarkable career if he decides to leave the Lakers.  “This one is by far the sweetest, because it’s them,” Bryant said after the Lakers beat Boston for the first time in a Game 7. “This was the hardest one by far. I wanted it so bad, and sometimes when you want it so bad, it slips away from you. My guys picked me up.”  Ron Artest added 20 points for the Lakers, who didn’t exactly show a champion’s poise while making just 21 shots in the first three quarters, even hovering around 50 percent at the free throw line.  Yet with Bryant driving the lane for eight free throws and Pau Gasol finally coming alive with nine of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, Los Angeles reclaimed the lead midway through and hung on with a few more big shots from Gasol, who had 18 rebounds, and Artest, a first-time champion as the only newcomer to last season’s roster.  “Well, first of all I want to thank everybody in my hood,” Artest said in an ABC interview right after the game. “I definitely want to thank my doctors … my psychiatrist, she really helped me relax a lot.”

Watch Game 7 Lakers Vs Celtics NBA Final

Jackson won his fifth ring in Los Angeles to go with his half-dozen from Chicago. And it might be the last: Weary of the regular-season grind and facing a likely pay cut with the Lakers, Jackson hasn’t determined his future, though he previously said another title would make him more likely to chase an unprecedented fourth threepeat next season, when he’ll be 65.  “I’ve got to take a deep breath. I’ve got to take some time to think about this,” Jackson said, wearing a satisfied grin underneath his championship hat. “This was great. I’ll wait to make that decision in a week.”  With his hands already full, maybe Jackson will follow Russell’s lead and put that 11th championship ring on a chain around his neck—and Bryant isn’t likely to settle for just one handful of rings.  He made that clear to his coach.  “He knows how bad I want him back,” Bryant said. “I’ve been openly blunt about how much I want him back.”  With their fifth title in 11 seasons, the Lakers moved one championship behind Boston’s 17 banners for the overall NBA lead.  Amid the confetti and streamers after the final buzzer, Magic Johnson rushed the court to congratulate Bryant, who now has the same number of titles, and to hug Artest.

Paul Pierce had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who just couldn’t finish the final quarter of a remarkable playoff run after a fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. Kevin Garnett(notes) added 17 points, but Boston flopped in two chances to clinch the series in Los Angeles after winning Game 5 back home. “Listen, give the Lakers credit,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “They were terrific.”  Rivers knows changes are coming, even saying afterward that the ’10-11 Celtics will be different than the ’09-10 team.  “We were the tightest, most emotional, crazy group I’ve ever been around in my life,” Rivers said, adding that he’ll wait a while before deciding on his oft-speculated future. He called this team “crazy close” and throughout the playoffs, the Celtics only got closer. Down by 14 in their first playoff game against Miami, they won that night and rode that instant burst of confidence not only past the Heat, but through Cleveland and Orlando in the next two rounds. The Celtics were a .500 team for the final two-thirds of the season, prompting many to wonder if they could turn it back on for the playoffs.  That question was answered long ago. Yes, they could—and one or two more stops on Thursday, they’d have won an 18th title.  “There’s a lot of crying in that locker room,” Rivers said. “A lot of people who care. I don’t think there was a dry eye. A lot of hugs, a lot of people feeling awful. That’s a good thing. Showed a lot of people cared.”

The Celtics had never lost a seventh game in the finals. Despite nursing a lead through most of the night while holding the Lakers to ridiculously low shooting percentages until the final minutes, Boston couldn’t close it out on the coast, becoming just the seventh team to blow a 3-2 finals lead after winning Game 5.  The Lakers tied it at 61 on Artest’s three-point play with 7:29 left, and Bryant’s free throws 90 seconds later gave the Lakers their first lead of the second half. The Lakers forged ahead by five points before Bryant and Sasha Vujacic(notes) hit free throws in the final seconds to keep Los Angeles ahead by at least two points on every possession.

Bryant said he had to downplay the magnitude of the rivalry during the series, but it was a gigantic part of his motivation for this title, without question.  Because it was Lakers-Celtics, the best rivalry in league history. And because it was against the team that denied him a title in 2008, the Celtics then blowing out the Lakers in Boston in Game 6 two years ago for their 17th championship. That loss drove Bryant all last season, and drove him again Thursday night. He was not at his best in Game 7, and acknowledged as much. Didn’t matter— he still captured the finals MVP award, after averaging 28.6 points in the series. He’s won three straight crowns before, and is already eyeing another three-peat try. “Let’s go for it again,” Bryant said, moments before hoisting the finals MVP trophy.

The Lakers will hold a parade Monday, with the team riding floats from Staples Center down Figueroa Street to the USC campus in downtown Los Angeles. A rally at the Coliseum last year attracted 95,000 fans, but the Lakers are skipping the arena in favor of a more interactive celebration, the team said.  The Lakers will relish this title because they took it from the Celtics, their greatest rivals, with fourth-quarter poise and defense. The teams have met in 12 NBA finals, but the Lakers won for just the third time.

Exactly two years to the day after Boston beat the Lakers by 39 points to clinch the 2008 title, Los Angeles got revenge for perhaps the most embarrassing loss of Bryant’s career—even if he did little more than grab 15 rebounds for most of the night.  The Celtics had much more poise from the opening tip in Game 7, playing vicious defense that forced Los Angeles to miss 21 of its first 27 shots. Bryant and Gasol were a combined 6 for 26 in the first half. But forget how it looked, because history will. Bryant even did something Jerry West and Magic Johnson never could: He beat the hated Celtics in Game 7 of the finals. The Lakers are the first team to rally from a 3-2 deficit to win a finals since Houston did it in 1994, beating the New York Knicks. Although Los Angeles stumbled to the brink of elimination for the first time in these playoffs last weekend in Boston, Bryant’s teams still are spectacular finishers: They’ve closed out their playoff opponents on the first try 10 times while winning three straight Western Conference titles over the last three years.

Home teams improved to 14-3 in Game 7 in the finals. No road team has won a title in Game 7 since 1978. … The Lakers are 14-1 in a seventh game at home, losing only the 1969 finale to Boston. … Garnett nearly flattened Jack Nicholson when he chased a loose ball into the front row in the second quarter, but the Lakers’ most famous fans got back up smiling. Other fans near courtside included Jake Gyllenhall, Kirsten Dunst, Ryan Seacrest, Timbaland, director Todd Phillips and George Lopez in purple-and-yellow plaid pants.

Kobe Bryant Hits Game Winner to Beat Grizzlies

Hitting a game-winning shot never gets old for Kobe Bryant.  “Every time it feels like the first time,” he said.  Bryant returned to lineup after missing five games with an ankle injury and made a 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds left to lift the Los Angeles Lakers to 99-98 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies Tuesday night. 

Watch Kobe Bryant Game Winner vs Grizzlies

Bryant led the Lakers with 32 points, including his team’s final nine points. His 3-pointer with 54 seconds left tied the game at 96-all. His game-winner came off an inbounds play 4 seconds after his layup attempt was blocked by Rudy Gay.  “He kept making plays at the end of the game,” Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said of Bryant. “Great players make great plays. You’ve got to give him his due (but) it hurts.”  Bryant’s late scoring spree came after the Lakers had missed five straight free throws and trailed, 95-90, with 2:59 left. He began his nine-point run with a jumper from the left wing with 2:23 to go to trim the Memphis lead to 95-92.

After Gay’s free throw, Bryant dropped in a technical free throw to make it 96-93. Gay scored again with 40 seconds left to up the Grizzlies lead to 98-93 before Bryant’s back-to-back 3-pointers won it for the Lakers.  “Only in Hollywood, I guess,” Bryant said. “It’s fun. It’s my responsibility to make plays down the stretch. I enjoy it.”  Pau Gasol added 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Lakers, who won for the seventh time in their last eight road games.  “Nobody in the world is shocked anymore by what Kobe Bryant does and what he brings to the team,” Gasol said. “He really stepped up at the end. It feels good to have him back.”

The Grizzlies, who lost their fifth straight home game, were led by O.J. Mayo’s 25 points. Zach Randolph(notes) scored 20 and grabbed 14 rebounds, his seventh straight double-double.  Mayo’s two missed free throws with 18.8 seconds allowed the Lakers an opportunity to complete a comeback from nine points down early in the fourth quarter. Had Mayo made his free throws, the Grizzlies would have led by four.  “I’d love to take those last two free throws again,” Mayo said. “I’d love to take them and make them.”

Mayo had a last-second opportunity to win it for the Grizzlies, but his long jumper bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded.  Absent from the Lakers lineup for his longest stretch in five years, Bryant scored nine points in the opening quarter, including a four-point play, and triggered a late first-quarter run with two breakaway dunks to increase the Lakers lead to 11.  Bryant last played Feb. 5 and Los Angeles went 4-1 without him.

The Grizzlies took their first lead early in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Mayo for a 59-56 advantage and didn’t trail again until Bryant’s game-winning shot.
Bryant, averaging 42.5 points against Memphis in two previous games this season, began his late nine-point run with a jumper from the left wing with 2:23 to go to trim the Memphis lead to 95-92.  With Bryant scoring 17 of his points in the first half, the Lakers built several 14-point leads before settling for a 53-48 halftime advantage.  “We gave ourselves an opportunity to win the game,” Hollins said. “But Kobe was better. That’s the bottom line.”