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Fisher returns to Utah a year after dramatic entrance (AP)

Fri, 09 May 2008 18:42:09 PDT

One year after one of the most memorable moments in Jazz history, Utah fans treated Derek Fisher like any other member of the Los Angeles Lakers. They booed him. Fisher started for the Lakers in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals Friday night, exactly one year after his cross country flight and dramatic entrance in the third quarter of Utah's overtime win over Golden State.

Ask Sam Smith: Hornets-Spurs could indicate of shift in power in West (SportingNews.com)

Fri, 09 May 2008 11:06:27 PDT

Veteran NBA writer Sam Smith, a frequent contributor to SportingNews.com, answers e-mails about the playoffs,...

Lakers Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)

Fri, 09 May 2008 03:11:40 PDT

The Lakers will have to be on guard for a sharper Utah Jazz performance Friday night in Game 3. The Jazz not only went 37-4 at home during the regular season, but the Jazz band leader—point guard Deron Williams—started heating up in the second half of Game 2 Wednesday night.

Williams had 22 of his 25 points in the second half, although it wasn't enough to make up the 14-point deficit Utah faced. Williams finished with 10 assists and made all five of his three-point shots, so perhaps he can put together a big game Friday night against Derek Fisher as happened Nov. 30 in Utah's 120-96 victory. Williams had 35 points in that game.

That was Utah's only victory now in six tries this season against the Lakers.

Thursday's NBA Playoff Capsules (AP)

Thu, 08 May 2008 21:46:02 PDT

Paul Pierce scored 19 points, Kevin Garnett added 13 with 12 rebounds, and Ray Allen broke out of a seven-quarter scoring drought with 16 points to help Boston beat Cleveland 89-73 on Thursday night. The Celtics took a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Game 3 is Saturday night in Cleveland.

Jazz down 2-0 to Lakers as series comes to Utah (AP)

Thu, 08 May 2008 15:28:29 PDT

The Utah Jazz are hoping home court really is an advantage. Right now, they'll take any edge they can get. The Los Angeles Lakers lead the Jazz 2-0 in the Western Conference semifinals and are coming to Utah with thoughts of a second straight sweep in the playoffs. The Jazz had hoped to come out of Los Angeles with a split, but were back home Thursday trying to figure out new ways to slow down...

Bryant headlines All-NBA team (PA SportsTicker)

Thu, 08 May 2008 13:29:54 PDT

Fresh off winning his first career MVP award, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant headlined the All-NBA Team announced Thursday.

Fisher's steady hand helps guide Lakers (Yahoo! Sports)

Thu, 08 May 2008 04:45:00 PDT

Derek Fisher left the Jazz to return to the Lakers. Kobe Bryant has benefited the most from their reunion.

MVP Bryant leads Lakers past Jazz (AP)

Wed, 07 May 2008 23:41:21 PDT

Kobe Bryant couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate his first MVP award. He had 34 points, eight rebounds and six assists Wednesday night, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Utah Jazz 120-110 to take a 2-0 lead in the Western Conference semifinals and remain the NBA's only unbeaten team in the postseason.

Report: Lakers C Bynum might have surgery (PA SportsTicker)

Wed, 07 May 2008 20:41:32 PDT

Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum's injured left knee might require arthroscopic surgery if there's no improvement within the next three or four weekends, according to a report in Wednesday's Los Angeles Times.

Bryant receives MVP trophy from David Stern (AP)

Wed, 07 May 2008 20:08:54 PDT

Lakers star Kobe Bryant received his MVP trophy from NBA commissioner David Stern in a brief ceremony before Los Angeles faced Utah in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals Wednesday night. "I'm at a loss for words, I don't know what to say," Bryant said as the Staples Center crowd of 18,997 roared its approval and chanted M-V-P.

Surgery possible for Andrew Bynum (AP)

Wed, 07 May 2008 18:53:19 PDT

Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum might undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his injured left knee if there is no significant improvement in the next three to four weeks. Lakers spokesman John Black said Bynum was examined Wednesday by Dr. Steven Gecha in Princeton, N.J. Black said the team was told there had been some improvement in the 20-year-old center's knee, but Gecha's...

Bryant runaway winner of MVP award (AP)

Wed, 07 May 2008 01:00:24 PDT

Kobe Bryant kept saying he couldn't have won his first Most Valuable Player award without the many contributions of his teammates. "This is not an individual award," he said Tuesday. "The special thing about this award is we have done it together." Finally, Luke Walton was moved to raise his hand and ask what seemed like a fair question: "Are you going to be getting your teammates any sort of...

Jazz hope to ruin Kobe's celebration (AP)

Tue, 06 May 2008 17:27:36 PDT

Carlos Boozer and the Utah Jazz hope to spoil Kobe Bryant's MVP celebration. More important, the Jazz hope to even the Western Conference semifinals with the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night before the series moves to Salt Lake City for Games 3 and 4. "If we can go out there and ruin their party a little bit by getting a victory, that helps us a lot," Boozer said.

Bryant named MVP (PA SportsTicker)

Tue, 06 May 2008 16:35:50 PDT

Long considered the NBA's most talented player, Kobe Bryant has been recognized as its Most Valuable Player.

The Internets are alive: Spurs at Hornets, Game 2 (Yahoo! Sports)

Tue, 06 May 2008 07:50:18 PDT

Scanning the blogs and beats following the Hornets' 102-84 win over the Spurs in Game 2 of the Western...

The Week That Will Be: One LeBron equals more than one of the Big Three (SportingNews.com)

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:46:52 PDT

The pressure is on several players as the second round of the NBA playoffs kicks into high gear. Not so for LeBron James, who could wreak havoc in the role of underdog.

The Internets are alive: Jazz at Lakers, Game 1 (Yahoo! Sports)

Mon, 05 May 2008 07:50:00 PDT

Scanning the blogs and beats following the Lakers' 109-98 win over the Jazz in Game 1 of the Western Conference...

Utah couldn't buy a bucket in the clutch (Yahoo! Sports)

Mon, 05 May 2008 05:27:46 PDT

The basketball was stuck impossibly atop the rim like some kind of Hollywood visual effect, before finally...

Bryant's heroics serve as MVP victory speech (Yahoo! Sports)

Mon, 05 May 2008 00:13:00 PDT

There's a reason Kobe Bryant is called "Kobe-Wan Kenobi." And there's a reason why he's this season's MVP.

Bryant continues to prove his worth as MVP (Yahoo! Sports)

Sun, 04 May 2008 23:47:00 PDT

Kobe Bryant will receive his first MVP award on Wednesday and his teammates deserve more than a little credit for the honor.

Bryant scores 38 as Lakers beat Jazz in Game 1 (AP)

Sun, 04 May 2008 17:02:39 PDT

Kobe Bryant made most of the shots that mattered, which he didn't view as any great accomplishment. That's because there was nary a hand in his face when he took them. Bryant, celebrating what's expected to be his first NBA MVP award, converted six of his franchise playoff-record 21 foul shots in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers held off the Utah Jazz 109-98 Sunday to begin the second...

Spicing it up: Magic and Pistons trade barbs before Game 2 (AP)

Sun, 04 May 2008 15:51:31 PDT

The Detroit-Orlando series is not as intriguing as the other three matchups in the NBA playoffs. The Pistons and Magic are trying to change that. A day after Detroit beat Orlando 91-72 in Game 1 of their second-round series, players on both teams took verbal swipes at each other. Magic forward Rashard Lewis took down Theo Ratliff with a physical foul midway through the fourth quarter, and Jason...

Capsule preview of the Jazz-Lakers series (AP)

Sat, 03 May 2008 09:08:54 PDT

A look at the matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz in the second round of the NBA playoffs, which begins Sunday (with regular-season record, first-round series mark in parentheses): ^No. 1 LOS ANGELES LAKERS (57-25, 4-0) vs. No. 4 UTAH JAZZ (54-28, 4-2). Season Series: Lakers, 3-1, with three of the meetings coming back in late 2007.

Celtics stand on brink of greatest choke ever (Yahoo! Sports)

Sat, 03 May 2008 04:02:00 PDT

The Hawks have pushed the Celtics to a Game 7 – and to the edge of the most stunning fall in NBA history.

Lakers planned to watch Rockets-Jazz game together (AP)

Fri, 02 May 2008 16:24:38 PDT

The Los Angeles Lakers planned a players-only gathering Friday night to have dinner and watch Game 6 of the Houston-Utah first-round playoff series. They had more than a passing interest, since the Jazz or Rockets will be their opponent in the second round. But they figured to have a good time no matter who won.

NBA playoffs: East is where surreal happens (SportingNews.com)

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 06:46:42 PDT

The Western Conference playoffs were supposed to provide all the drama, but so far, the Eastern Conference playoffs have been far more compelling, if bizarre.

The Lakers: The little, gold jersey-wearing team that could (Yahoo! Sports)

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:17:01 PDT

Big bristly brooms were everywhere in these NBA playoffs, giant kitchen cleaners such as Tim Duncan and Kevin...

Lakers sweep Nuggets (AP)

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:32:22 PDT

The Denver Nuggets finally gave the Los Angeles Lakers a good fight. No surrender on this night. No frustration fouls filling up the fourth quarter of another blowout. No matter. The Lakers dispatched the tempestuous Nuggets anyway. Kobe Bryant scored 14 of his 31 points over the final 5 1/2 minutes Monday night, leading the Lakers to a 107-101 victory and a sweep of their first-round series.

In Denver, it's almost football season (Yahoo! Sports)

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 05:51:19 PDT

OK, boys and girls, what time is it? Baseball season! With the Denver Nuggets trailing the Los Angeles Lakers ,...

Dejected Nuggets try to keep chins up (AP)

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 16:25:48 PDT

Every chance he gets, Los Angeles Lakers guard Coby Karl razzes his dad, Denver Nuggets coach George Karl, suggesting he'll win an NBA title before his father ever does. But the rookie reserve thought better than to rib his father on Sunday. "Today is not a day for trash-talking," Coby said as he prepared for the Lakers' practice at the Pepsi Center, followed by dinner with dad.