Rihanna is currently on break from her world tour, and used some of that downtime to watch the Los Angeles Lakers take on the Memphis Grizzlies Sunday night (Jan 8) at the Staples Center in L.A.

The curly-haired singer, dressed in an American flag t-shirt, showed off her long, sexy legs in a pair of cut-off denim shorts, which were covered up by a plaid shirt that she had tied around her waist, as she enjoyed the game with a friend, sipping on a full cup of beer, from her courtside seats.

See more photos of RiRi at the Lakers game below:

Rappers Lil Wayne and Kanye West were spotted kicking it courtside on Christmas Day (Sun. Dec 25) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles as the Lakers took on the Chicago Bulls in their first home game of the season.

Yeezy spent the Holiday courtside with his father Ray West, while Weezy, a known sports enthusiast, brought along his girlfriend Dhea to watch the game with him.

Other celebs spotted at the game were rocker Adam Levine and his supermodel girflriend Anne Vyalitsyana, as well as comedian George Lopez and rapper Snoop Dogg (not pictured).

Check out 10+ pics below:

The Los Angeles Lakers officially announced today that they traded Lamar Odom, as well as a 2012 second-round draft pick to the Dallas Mavericks, in exchange for the Mavs’ 2012 first-round pick and a trade exception.

The Lakers originally wanted to trade Odom to the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for Chris Paul, but NBA commissioner David Stern blocked the hell out of that.

Once the original trade fell through, Lamar Odom felt “unwanted” by the Lakers and requested to still be traded to another team.

“You don’t want to go to no place you’re not wanted,” Odom told the L.A. Times when he found out about the Lakers’ plans to send him off to New Orleans Hornets for the season. “I’m just in total disbelief about all of this. They don’t want my services, for whatever reason. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I was proud to be a Laker, so I’ll try to help them in the process as much as possible.”

Odom was a no-show at the Lakers’ training camp Friday, and revealed to team manager Mitch Kupchak in a meeting that he wanted to be traded. Adhering to Odom’s wish, Kupchak and the Lakers secured a deal with the Dallas Mavericks.

“Lamar was a fine player for us in his seven years with the Lakers and was a key to helping us win two championships,” Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement released Sunday. “In addition, he always conducted himself with class and professionalism and we wish him well in the remainder of his career.”

Just one week after he was caught on camera calling a referee “the f-word,” Kobe Bryant and several of his teammates from the Los Angeles Lakers have released an anti-gay slur public service announcement video.

Peep the footage below:

See! Kobe is a nice guy after all!

Don’t hang up (or burn) your #2 Lakers jerseys just yet. Derek Fisher tells TMZ that he’s gonna stay with the Los Angeles Lakers! We reported yesterday that Fisher had been talking with Miami Heat officials about the possibility of him joining Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Chris Bosh and the rest of the Heat next season. Now Fisher has finally made up his mind about who he’s playing for next year. Check out what he told TMZ below:

“I have decided to continue with Kobe, continue with our teammates and the fans of Los Angeles. While this may not be the most lucrative contract I’ve been offered this off season, it is the most valuable. At the end of the day, there’s one person I could not turn away from. Kobe Bryant asked me to stay but supported whatever decision I made. He and I have played together for 11 seasons, came into the league together as kids, and has been loyal to me even when others had doubts.”

Do you think this was a good decision?

Last night, the the Los Angeles Lakers managed to take the Boston Celtics by storm to become the 2010 NBA Champions two years consecutively. In a post-game interview, Ron Artest, who has been known for his troubled past on and off the court, gave out a big thank you to his hood and family, but especially to his psychiatrist!

“I want to thank my psychiatrist she really helped me relax a lot.”

Congrats on the game Ron and the Lakers! We’re glad that psychiatrist could help your crazy a**.

Peep the video below:

Wow! We’d had to see if they’d lost…

Overzealous Lakers fans wrecked the city of Los Angeles last night after their team took the NBA Championship title from the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals. Supporters of the gold and purple team reportedly set cars on fire, threw rocks, bottles & other objects, and smashed in car windows and storefronts following the Lakers’ 83-79 victory over the Celtics.

Celebrations outside the Staples Center were initially friendly and posed no immediate threat, but within hours violence and chaos took over for a moment and police had to get to work immediately to diffuse the situation. Cops arrested dozens of people in several locations throughout the city as folks (who were most likely DRUNK outta their minds) got into fights, vandalized cars & buildings, and harassed innocent by-standers & people just driving through the city. A spokeswoman for the LAPD had this to say:

“As the crowds left the area, we had some groups that decided to celebrate irresponsibly. ‘It’s unfortunate, because you had a great game, and you had a great victory by the Lakers, and unfortunately some people decide that this is how they’re going to celebrate. We are doing everything we can, we are making multiple arrests, we have a number of people that have been arrested for vandalism, we have people that have been arrested for inciting to riot, and of course for public drunkenness.”

Police declared the scene an “unlawful assembly” as they made arrests last night in an effort to break up the unruly crowd. The LAPD had 5x the number of authorities on the scene compared to last year, when fans also rioted following the Lakers’ win, and the final game wasn’t even in LA that year! (It was in Orlando). So we’re sure they already know to beef up security next year if the Lakers make it to the Finals for the fourth time in a row.

The Los Angeles Lakers showed up prepared with a vengeance in the Staples Center Thursday night (Jun. 17) but almost suffered a defeat against the Boston Celtics in a tough seven game series in the 2010 NBA Finals! This also was the first seven game series in the Finals since 2005 and this season ended with a battle between NBA’s biggest rivals.

The Lakers prospered a victory by 4 points leaving the score 83-79. Although Kobe Bryant got 23 points and 2 assists, he was only 25% of successful field goals in Game 7 and it showed throughout the entire game. Bryant showed his gratitude for his teammates who performed to help the Lakers achieve it’s 16th championship title:

“This one is by far the sweetest, because it’s them,” Bryant said, “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.”

Kobe also expressed how it felt to win his 5th ring individually as a player:

“Just got one more than Shaq … so you can take that to be bank” he laughs and continues, “You guys know how I am, I don’t forget anything…”

Coach Phil Jackson added his 11th ring to his collection and marked his fifth championship with the Los Angeles Lakers. Although, he seems prepared for another season this may be his very last game with Lakers due to health concerns and a pay cut. Jackson rejoiced with happiness of his current victory while wearing a championship cap but still is hesitant about his return:

“I’ve got to take a deep breath. I’ve got to take some time to think about this,” Jackson said, “This was great. I’ll wait to make that decision in a week.”

Kobe added, “”He knows how bad I want him back,” Bryant said. “I’ve been openly blunt about how much I want him back.”

Laker Ron Artest, with 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals, performed with clutch-ness last night in Game 7 and literally shifted the game’s ending score by scoring a three-pointer in the final seconds of the game. This will be the first championship victory for Artest and he showed that enthusiasm in every interview all night:

“I always told people it’s about the total points, it’s about what we do as a team” he continued, “It’s not about what I did, although I had 20 points, I still think we accomplished that as a team.”

Pau Gasol scored 19 points and 18 rebounds with 4 assists. Boston Celtics’ coach Doc Rivers expressed his emotional distress this series has cause to himself and his team:

“We were the tightest, most emotional, crazy group I’ve ever been around in my life. 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.”

Rajon Rondo scored 14 points, 10 rebounds and 8 rebounds. Paul Pierce finished with 18 points, while Kevin Garnett had 17 points, 2 assists and 4 blocks. The Celtics played a great series but regardless the Lakers played better offensively and defensively. Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers for an amazing effort. Until next year, Go Lakers!

Despite the two games the Boston Celtics won in a row back at home, that didn’t stop the Los Angeles Lakers from showing them whose house they were playing in Tuesday night (Jun 15) during Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals!

The Lakers tied the series last night (3-3) and blew the Celtics out by 22 points (89-67) in the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Kobe Bryant, who scored 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists, had a conscious team Tuesday night and didn’t have to feel like he was competing alone. Bryant expressed his happiness in his teammates conscious change since Game 5:

“I was very happy,” Bryant said, “We did a great job defensively. We kept them out of the middle, kept them out of the paint, did a good job on the boards. It was a solid effort by us.” he continued “We’re used to being in must-win situations, The way we look at it, [Game 7] is just a game we’ve got to win. … I don’t mean to be a buzzkill. I know what’s at stake, but I’m not tripping.”

Pau Gasol scored 17 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists. Gasol indeed “manned up” and understands what has to be done in order to win ring number two:

“We want to carry everything we did tonight to [Game 7], and then I think we’ll be in a very good place to win,” Gasol said. “When you bring the intensity we did tonight, good things are going to happen.”

A whole new team showed up on the court in L.A. for both sides and it will cause some trouble for the Boston Celtics. Doc Rivers may have to re-assemble his starting line-up due to Kendrick Perkins injury in the first quarter Tuesday night and may not return Game 7 in L.A. Rajon Rondo achieved 10 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and says that he’s over Game 6 and is looking forward to Game 7:

“To me, the game is over,” Rondo said. “We have one game [left]. They have one game. All or nothing. [Game 6] is in the past.”

Ray Allen scored a total of 19 points, 3 assists, and 2 rebounds. Paul Pierce put up 18 points and 3 assists. Tune to ABC at 9PM/ET Thursday night (June 17) witness Game 7. In the meantime watch the video recap to see what happened Game 6 below!

With just two games left in the 2010 NBA Finals, this is not the time to be calling in sick. Especially when the standings (3-2) aren’t in your favor!

Los Angeles Laker Lamar Odom says he started feeling under the weather Saturday and his flu symptoms didn’t let up in time for Game 5 against the Boston Celtics Sunday night (Jun 13). But the 30-year-old NBA player says he isn’t letting a little sickness keep him from his A-Game:

“I haven’t been sick all season … now I’m sick in the Finals,” Odom said after the Lakers’ 92-86 loss to the Celtics. “Had to put my hard hat on just to get out of bed. It was tough. “I’m not feeling good, but I’m not making any excuses. I’ve just got to be ready to play.”

But despite his health, Lamar is ready for the Lakers to return home to Los Angeles Tuesday night (Jun 15) for Game 6.

“We get to go home and I’ll be in my own bed in my own house,” Odom said. “And get to see my wife.”

The Boston Celtics outplayed the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 5 Sunday night (Jun 13) on their home court in the TD Bank North Garden. Kobe Bryant was just not enough to win the last game in Boston alone and led them to a loss by 6 (92-86) and the series now stand in Boston’s favor (3-2). Bryant managed to score 90% of the points in the 3rd quarter and totaled 38 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. Kobe talked briefly about the performance from his teammates after the game:

“Just man up and play. What the hell is the big deal?” he said. “If I have to say something to them, then we don’t deserve to be champions. We’re down 3-2: Go home, win one game, go into the next one. Simple as that.”

The Celtics did just that. Paul Pierce obtained 27 points, Kevin Garnett scored 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo had 18 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds. With only one game closer to the championship Pierce explains his excitement to the media:

“It was our biggest game of the year,” Pierce said. “We’re in a good spot. We have two games in L.A.; now we have to get one.”

Games 6 and 7 will be played in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. Game 6 airs Tuesday, June 15th on ABC 9:00PM/ET. Check out the video recap of Game 5 below.

The Boston Celtics picked up a few four-leaf clovers from the TD Garden Thursday night (Jun 10) and luckily won Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers to tie the series (2-2). The Celtics’ bench managed to help them win by 7 (89-96). Glen “Big Baby” Davis scored 18 points which significantly led the Celtics to a victory they needed to win. There was no plan to come out to prosper in this game Davis explained:

“Just will, that’s all it is,” Davis said. “This is what legends are made of, this is where you grasp the moment. … Just play in the moment.”

“All I’m thinking about is, ‘Let’s win,’” Davis continued. “I’m not thinking about anything else. I’m not even thinking about Kobe making all these shots, worried about this or worried about that. I’m just worried about winning, whatever it takes to win, and just making sure that I give my teammates positive energy to finish out the game.”

Boston Celtic Paul Pierce scored 19 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Ray Allen managed to get 12 points in Game 4 slowly recovering from his missing streak in Game 3. Top performer of the game Kobe Bryant scored 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists. Bryant briefly talked about how the game turned from their favor to ending in a loss:

“They got all the energy points, the hustle points, second chance points, points in the paint, beat us to the loose balls,” Bryant said. “I mean, that’s how the game turned around.”

An injured starting center, Andrew Bynum was also a factor in the Lakers loss in Game 4. Hopefully, the worst has come and left. The Lakers’ vengeance is only fueling higher. Tune in to Game 5 Sunday night (Jun. 13) at 8PM/ET on ABC. Check out the slobbering “Big Baby” roar after scoring below

The Los Angeles Lakers redeemed themselves with a victory last night (Tues. Jun 8) at the TD Bank North Garden in Boston Game 3 and are now leading the series (2-1) against the Boston Celtics. The Lakers took Game 3 by 7 points, ending with 91-84. Derek Fisher was a key component to this win, knocking down difficult shots and making hard plays within the first ten minutes of the 4th quarter. Kobe Bryant, who scored a total of 29 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks, acknowledged the effort his teammate Fisher put up after he wasn’t attempting to score in the 4th quarter:

“Truthfully, he’s done it over and over and over again,” said Bryant, ”So it’s almost his responsibility to our team to do these things.”

Fisher spoke to the media afterwards and explained what fueled his energy in Game 3 Tuesday night:

“Our thoughts are really just still on how disappointed we are, or were, losing that second game on our home court. I think that had more of our attention and focus than what happened in ’08,” Fisher said. “We didn’t doubt our ability to win here. … We understand when you want to be the best, you have to win wherever, whenever.”

The Celtics’ Ray Allen almost broke another record in Game 3 after following his tremendous performance in Game 2, but this time not so great. Allen had a total of 2 points and missed all 13 field goal attempts he put up, excluding his free throws, one field goal attempt of the NBA finals futility record.  While Kevin Garnett improved from his Game 1 and Game 2 performances in Game 3 with 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists, he discussed his disappointment in the lack of offensive strategies that took place Tuesday night:

“It’s very frustrating, very frustrating when you don’t play well offensively,” Garnett said. “But defensively, you know, you sort of buckle down and get the stops and things that you want and you get back into the game only to come up short. he continued ”Yeah, that’s real disappointing.”

Both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol of the Lakers had a total of 10 rebounds helping the their team progress to victory in Game 3. Tune in to Game 4, Thursday night June 10th in Boston on ABC at 9:00PM/ET. Check out video footage of the recap courtesy of the NBA below!

Sunday night (June 6), the Boston Celtics showed up in Los Angeles at the Staples Center and tied the series (1-1) between the Los Angeles Lakers. Ray Allen (of the Celtics) pretty much carried the whole team on his back this game. Allen hit an NBA Finals record, eight 3-pointers, on Sunday night with 32 points and 2 assists, and led the Celtics to a victory by 9 points (103 – 94). LA Laker Kobe Bryant, who had 21 points, had something to say about his team’s loss:

“It’s the most important game. Game 1 was the most important, Game 2 was the most important, now it’s Game 3,” Bryant said. “It’s just the next game, simple as that.”

The Celtics’ Rajon Rondo achieved a triple double with a total of 19 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Rondo said:

“The best part about getting a triple-double is getting a win,” Rondo continued. “That’s pretty much it. It would be pointless to get a triple-double and lose the game.”

Game 3 will be in Boston Garden at the TD Banknorth Garden Tuesday June 8th on ABC at 9PM/ET!

James Valeri, the stylist who put together that hideous Kobe Bryant photoshoot for LA Times magazine is coming to the Lakers player’s defense saying that it’s “iconic” and they meant for you to question the look.

On the negative reactions:
The scarf picture and the hat picture were more to create an iconic image. When you do a portrait, you do think of the styling in how they’re going to be different and how they’re going to stand out. In 10 years time, or five years time, there has to be something particular or strange or different that will stand out. That image will stay in your mind. That’s how it’s going to become iconic. … A lot of people aren’t used to that, so when iconic pictures come out, they’re disturbing, insulting, fascinating, it has a strong feeling attached to it, good or bad.

SOURCE

Of course some of Kobe’s teammates clowned him in the locker room once they caught wind of the pictures.

“There were some other guys that have already addressed him about that particular situation,” Derek Fisher said after the practice session in El Segundo. Teammates were left with befuddled reactions, and fans and writers alike mostly had the same confused sentiment. Bryant suggested the photos were “a little doctored up. The photo-shoot stylist, James Valeri, told me Monday morning that the concept was all part of an effort “to do something modern.”

But even if Bryant suggested the photos weren’t exactly authentic, he acknowledged he “had a good time” during the shoot. And for the fans who aren’t exactly enthralled with Bryant’s new look? “I don’t give a ….,” he said. As you can tell in the video below, many of Bryant’s teammates initially appeared at a loss of words. They also hesitated to convey what their initial reactions suggested.

SOURCE

Basketball star Kobe Bryant (of the Los Angeles Lakers) has a new spread in LA Times Magazine and he’s wearing all white everything and looks VERY suspect (How YOU doin’ Kobe?) in the majority of these pictures. And is it just us or does his make-up (especially in the first shot above) look like the local funeral home did it? Check out a few pics (and excerpts from the interview) below and when you continue reading…

Tom Murray: I have to ask, When you’re in that chopper, do you ever look down on the city, pinch yourself and say—
Kobe Bryant: How the hell did this happen? Absolutely—every time. Like I’m sitting here right now. [Nods toward the two ladies primping him.] You know what I mean? This is dream s–t. Wardrobe that’s all white? This just doesn’t happen. Not for me. This is crazy.

You’re very relaxed. Of course, we’re talking as you’re getting a manicure and a facial before you have your makeup put on. Is this a side of your personality you’d like more people to see?
I think people, especially here in Los Angeles, are starting to understand me a lot more in terms of what I’m like personality-wise. I’m relaxed, laid back, pretty funny, smartass. I like having a good time.

But people don’t often see that.
When they turn on the TV or go to a game, that’s not the side of me they want anyway. They want to win a championship, and that ain’t gonna get it done. [Laughs.] Know what I’m saying? Most of the time when they see me, I’m in that golden armor. We all have different personalities. The competition and the nastiness part of it, that’s a part of my personality, too, you know? It just depends on what environment I’m in.

You take heat because of your demeanor in postgame interviews, especially if you lost.
Well, everybody gets upset. But if I’m being short, I’m being short. It’s not like I’m telling people to go F-off. It is what it is. At the end of the day, you play to win. I do whatever it takes to get my team in the best position of winning, and when it’s over, we’re celebrating again with another parade—then everybody is happy.

But wouldn’t it benefit you if the media in L.A. saw this side of your personality more?
It probably wouldn’t be helpful for them, because they have to write and sell stories. And you can’t have everybody saying positive things all the time. It’s just not going to work, even though this is, like, my city when it comes to sports, you know what I mean? You gotta have people on one side of the fence and people on the other. If not, the story’s not compelling. The people who truly know me know what I’m like. There have been people who try to say things that aren’t fair, and I check them. And then they don’t like me because I checked them.

When you say check them, what do you mean?
Call them out. I’m not going to be a pushover. If I’m going to talk to you, I’m going to talk to you respectfully. I’m comfortable in my own skin. If I’m upset, I’m upset—write about it. If I’m happy, I’m happy—write about it. I’m gonna just be me, and let them report what they’re gonna report.

Do you think about your basketball mortality at all—that one day you won’t be able to do everything you can now?
I feel invincible out there, but it’s a different kind of invincible than when I was younger. Can I jump over two or three guys like I used to? No. Am I as fast as I used to be? No, but I still have the fundamentals and smarts. That’s what enables me to still be a dominant player. As a kid growing up, I never skipped steps. I always worked on fundamentals because I know athleticism is fleeting.

Have you thought about what you’d do after your playing career that would get the juices flowing as much as basketball?
The game…there’s beauty in it. The motivation comes from wanting to do it the best way you can. So whatever endeavor or field I decide to go into after I play, I’m going to approach it with the same discipline.

Do you think it might be in the game?
Hmmm, never say never. But coaching, managing, stuff like that—I seriously, seriously doubt that. Heavily doubt it.

Why so emphatic?
I don’t really have any interest. Me going into that would definitely increase my frustrations. But part of my personality is I’m infinitely curious. And finding something else that could get my juices flowing—that’s a bigger challenge.

READ MORE @ LATIMESMAGAZINE.COM

Singer Chris Brown and his BFF, producer Polow Da Don, were spotted sitting courtside this past Friday night (Mar 19) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles as the Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves with a final score of 104 to 96.

Chris was also seen chopping it up with the likes of Tom Cruise, Interscope record exec. Jimmy Iovine and LA Laker Ron Artest. Check out the pics below…

Spending some quality time together on one of Jay-Z‘s off days, Beyonce and her rap star husband were spotted sitting in their VIP courtside seats Wednesday evening (Feb 24) as they watched the Dallas Mavericks take on the Los Angeles Lakers  in Dallas, TX at the American Airlines Center, where Jay performed just the night before. Judging by these pics, Jay and Bey had a lot of fun at the game! We’d love to know what they were laughing about. Check out the pics below…

R&B entertainers Chris Brown and Usher were spotted getting into some serious conversation last night (Thurs. Feb 18) in Los Angeles’ Staples Center at the LA Lakers vs. Boston Celtics basketball game.

Denzel Washington, Khloe Kardashian, Common and more were also in the building watching the game courtside as the Lakers were defeated by the Celtics on their own court, 87 to 86. Check out 15+ pictures of everyone enjoying the game below and after the cut…

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES / WIRE IMAGE

Monday (Jan 25), the Los Angeles Lakersspent some time at The White House to meet President Obama. Mr. Obama invited the team to the capital (Washington, D.C.) to commemorate their NBA title run last season. What interesting is that you will notice that the players brought along their families, which included Kobe Bryant‘s sexy wife Vanessa Bryant and Lamar Odom‘s wife Khloe Kardashian! Yup, a Kardashian has finally made their way into The White House. Who woulda thunk it? (LOL)

Check out some of the photos below…

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES / NBA

It looks as though all is well with Mary J. Blige and her husband, producer Martin Kendu Isaacs. The happily married couple were spotted courtside last night (Tues. Jan 5) at the Lakers/Rockets game in LA. The Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets with a final score of 88 to 79.

Mary and Kendu were recently at the center of a crazy story that made its way around the Internet. Rumors surfaced that Kendu was flirting with a waitress at Blige’s release party for her new album Stronger with Each Tear, and she had allegedly punched Isaacs in the face following an argument. A video was leaked shortly after the rumor started getting some attention, but it didn’t really show much. All we saw was Kendu and Mary arguing with each other and a little shoving (no punches or slaps though).

Mary J.’s publicist later put out a statement denying that the R&B singer/songwriter and her husband had gotten into an altercation. She was simply breaking up a fight between her husband and her brother who had gotten into an argument.

“Mary was not fighting with her husband,” said Blige spokeswoman Karynne Tencer. “Her husband and her brother got into an altercation that turned into a fight. Mary went to break up the fight.” Tencer didn’t immediately know the name of Blige’s brother or the reason for the row. Club security helped the Grammy Award winner pull the men apart, who also disputed reports that Isaacs’ lip was bleeding. “Nobody was bleeding,” Tencer said.

So if the statement didn’t debunk the rumors, these pictures of the two laughing it up and apparently enjoying themselves a helluva lot at the game should.

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Following the 2009 American Music Awards Sunday night (Nov 22) in Los Angeles, instead of going straight to the after parties, a few celebrities opted to walk across the street to see what was going on at the Staples Center as the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Lakers came out on top with a final score of 101 to 85 and folks like Jay-Z, Polow Da Don, Fergie, Alex Rodriguez and more were all there to witness it from their courtside seats. Continue reading for more pics!

R&B singer Toni Braxton is gearing up for the release of her sixth studio album, which is set to hit stores on February 2nd 2010. And a video for the currently untitled album’s debut single, “Yesterday,” was shot earlier this month in Los Angeles by filmmaker Bille Woodruff, who also directed a couple of Toni’s old videos (“Unbreak My Heart” and “He Wasn’t Man Enough“)

The music video for “Yesterday” will feature cameo appearances from NBA ballers Ron Artest (pictured above) and Shannon Brown, both from the Los Angeles Lakers. The video is set to premiere sometime in November, but enjoy these video stills from her official website for now.

The 2008 Finals was a great event in itself, but the final long awaited match-up between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics was nail biting, to say the least, until the final buzzer. The past rivalry between these two team is legendary. For the 11th time, they battled head to head for the championship title. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce were known as the ‘Big Three’ all up against a one man stampede, Kobe Byrant. The Los Angeles Lakers showed their teamwork in the 2008 Finals, but the Celtics lead the series victoriously.  Although the Boston Celtics took the 2008 Championship title, it was still very interesting watching every game they played against one another, making it the best moment in sports.

Southside Chicago native point guard, Derrick Rose, was chosen as the top draft pick of the NBA. Rose got recognition for his position by scouts who had watched him play for his college basketball team, University of Memphis Tigers. During his freshman year at the University of Memphis playing with the Tigers, he lead his team to 38 consecutive wins breaking a new NCAA record taking them to the NCAA Division Basketball Tournament.  He was selected first overall by hometown team, Chicago Bulls, in the 2008 NBA Draft. At 6-foot-3, Rose is now averaging 17.2 points per game.

The Women’s National Basketball Association is known for there charisma and strong athletic women, but until recently, they’ve never been known for “cat fights!” One of the most respected womens’ basketball team, the Los Angeles Sparks, was involved in a brawl against the Detroit Shock. Candace Parker and Lisa Leslie were ejected from the game in the final 90 seconds. It was wild seeing all that athleticism get thrown hand to hand between all those strong women…hahaha.

CONTINUE READING TO PAGE 2 FOR MORE!

The rematch we’ve all been waiting for is finally here and under our christmas tree. My wish has come true. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics at home in the Staples Center. It’s been a great Christmas in the NBA. The Lakers has ended the 19 straight game winning streak the Celtics once held, shattering their high record. The star of the game, Kobe Bryant finished with 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Lakers won by a 9 point lead (92-83).  Sasha Vujajcic, who scored 10 points, claims he doesn’t like the Celtics … period.

“We’ve been waiting for that opportunity for a long time, and we won,” Vujacic said, “I don’t like them at all. A lot of people called us softies or whatever. It doesn’t matter at all. We know what we can do.”

Lakers’ Coach Phil Jackson also celebrated this victory as the 1,000th game victory this Christmas.

“It’s amazing. I mean, he’s one of the greatest coaches of all time,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said, “I can guarantee you that I won’t win 1,000 games because I won’t be around that long. It’s just an amazing number. When you throw up 1,000 wins, that says a lot.”

To all those Celtics band-wagon fans, sorry to sour your Christmas Egg Nog but it’s okay. This year belongs to: Los Angeles Lakers!!!

PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES

Houston Rockets’ guard Tracy McGrady will not be returning to the court until his full recovery of his left knee has healed. After starting the first 15 games after his arthroscopic surgery he had on his knee and returned to the court almost to re-injure his knee. Before McGrady left his was averaging 15 points per game.

“Obviously, I came back a little bit too early, I’m just not ready.” McGrady continued. “Now I’ve got some sort of peace of mind, I don’t have to worry about whether it’s going to take the whole season for me to get healthy and what I’ve got to do for me to get back to 100 percent. I don’t have to have to go under the knife again. I’m relieved.”

Hopefully T-Mac will get back on the court healthy and revved up full throttle.

My favorite team, The Los Angeles Lakers‘ have been grinding and the proof here shows. The Lakers have played thier best 19-game start in their franchise in 61 years. It seems like the Lakers are on a non-stop flight to the Finals and this time the gold is theirs. Although they’ve been improving tremendously in the teamwork division coach Phil Jackson still thrives for the best. The record now sits at 17-2. The next game the Lakers’ will have to truck are the Sacramento Kings Tuesday night.

Look for the game on NBATV @ 10PM/ET.

The Boston Celtics have played and won their 12th game in a row. After going into an unexpected overtime with the Indiana Pacers, the Celtics took the victory and successfully grabbed the 12-0 wins to losses. Ray Allen scored a 35 point season high game. The Indiana Pacers may have lost this game but they still managed to defeat the Lakers’ during this season.

“I think the Pacers are a real good team,” Allen said. “I don’t look down on them as a team that can’t compete. Regardless of what their record is, they’re a good team.”

The Celtics won by 5 points (122-117). As the reigning champs they should definietly have a 12-win streak. Keep it Celtics cause I would love to see you back in the finals…

PLAXICO BURRESS MAY CUT HIMSELF FROM THE NEW YORK GIANTS » due to the recent self-inflicted injury that recently occurred over the weekend. After shooting himself Saturday he turned himself in for not having proper weapon possession papers. Not only is he facing years in prison, he also might be facing the fact that he’ll no longer be a player on the Giants. This has not been the only offense Burress has committed during his time with the Giants. The NFL policy on gun possession includes:

“And if you violate a public law covering weapons, for example possession of an unlicensed firearm, you are not only subject to discipline, including suspension from playing, but also subject to criminal prosecution.”

This may be the end for Burress but he has not been convicted of any charges as of yet. His career may be battered but could also still be intact. Only time will tell…

LOS ANGELES LAKERS HAVE BEEN ON A WINNING SPREE » and is showing no sign of slowing down. Kobe Bryant has also been considered a ‘team player’ and even sat out for a full 4th quarter during the last recent games. Despite the lucky tip-in basket made by the Indiana Pacers allowing them to win by 1 point (118-117) yesterday against the Indiana Pacers. That currently leave the winning statistics at wins to losses by the Lakers (14 – 2). I think I smell a shiny new championship ringing calling Kobe’s name for a rematch versus last year’s season.

STEPHON MARBURY’S DISPUTE WITH THE NEW YORK KNICKS  » is still an remaining and almost closing issue in the franchise about Marbury’s salary. After he was suspending for supposedly refusing to play Saturday because of the dispute of his 20.1 million dollar contract with the Knicks, which costed him an extra $400,000. Marbury denied that he had refused to play but it still cost him a large sum of cash. Team president, Donnie Walsh, had a comment on the recent benching:

“After meeting with Stephon and his representative this afternoon, we have directed Stephon not to participate in practice or attend games until further notice.” Said Walsh.

It’s time for Marbury to get it together, it’s not worth it.

NEW YORK // MONDAY, JUNE 30TH 2008 » The USA Basketball Team was in New York today on a media tour promoting the upcoming 2008 World Basketball Olympics. We have an amazing lineup team! Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets); Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz); Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors); Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic); LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers); Jason Kidd (Dallas Mavericks); Chris Paul (New Orleans Hornets); TayShaun Prince (Detroit Pistons); Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks); Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat); and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz) are all on USA Basketball Olympians this year. I’ve been waiting for this and I can’t wait til’ it starts! I hope we win it all this year! ESPN is even doing a five-part documentary series called “Road To Redemption presented by NIKE”. The first episode will air Wednesday, July 2 @ 7PM ET on ESPN2. View the trailer now!

Check out more photos after the cut!

(PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES / NBAE)

]]> http://gossiponthis.com/2008/06/30/usa-basketball-team-tours-york-city/feed/ 3 http://gossiponthis.com/2008/06/18/celtics-wins-2008-nba-finals-championship/ http://gossiponthis.com/2008/06/18/celtics-wins-2008-nba-finals-championship/#comments Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:35:18 +0000 Gossip On This! Staff http://gossiponthis.com/?p=9338

The Boston Celtics deserved the win they conquered last night after playing 6 games against the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s been 22 years since Boston won a a championship and it’ll be the first ring for all of the current players on the Celtics roster and the 17th championship the team has ever won. More »

The Boston Celtics deserved the win they conquered last night after playing 6 games against the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s been 22 years since Boston won a a championship and it’ll be the first ring for all of the current players on the Celtics roster and the 17th championship the team has ever won. I’m somewhat proud of the Celtics for beating the Lakers! That’s a huge accomplishment! The Celtics blew the Lakers out of the water in Game 6 with a win by 39 points (131-92). The Celtics lead the series (4-2). MVP of the Finals series came out to be Paul Pierce, who had 17 points, 10 assists and 3 rebounds. Kevin Garnett totaled 26 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists. Ray Allen scored 26 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. Paul Pierce said proudly after the game’s end:

“It means so much more because these are the guys, the Havliceks, the Bill Russells, the Cousys”, said Pierce “These guys started what’s going on with those banners. They don’t hang up any other banners but champitonship ones and now I’m a part of it.”

I’m not especially happy that the Celtics beat my favorite team, but there is always next year. The best team won last night and made history. They are also an all African-American team including the coach! Congratulations Celtics! Until next year … GO LAKERS!

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The Los Angeles Lakers took Game 5 last night against the Boston Celtics. The Lakers won by 5 and are now headed back to Boston (103-98). The series are in Boston’s favor (3-2). Kobe Bryant scored 25 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Pau Gasol totaled 19 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists. Lamar Odom put up 20 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists. The Lakers need to win 3 consecutive games in order to become champs, while on the other hand the Celtics only need one. Kobe Bryant spoke to reporters after Game 5 and he said:

“In training camp if you told us, ‘We’ll give you two games that you have to win to win a world championship,’ we would have taken it in a heartbeat,” Bryant said. “This is a great opportunity for us.”

Game 6 airs Tuesday (June 17) @ 9PM on ABC. Video reactions below.

The Boston Celtics won at the Staples Center against the Los Angeles Lakers last night and took the 3rd game of the series (3-1). I can’t even see how this was possible last night. The Lakers had a 24 point lead and lost it! The Celtics deserved to win last night. To comeback from a 20 point lead playing the Lakers, you definitely need a pat on the back! One of greatest comebacks in history! The Celtics won by 6 (97-91). Ray Allen scored 19 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists. Paul Pierce totaled 20 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds. Kevin Garnett had 16 points, 11 rebounds and 3 assists. Paul Pierce trying not get too excited after the 3rd win said last night:

“I don’t want to get overjoyed,” Pierce said. “I want to go out there to try and win Game 5 on Father’s Day and then I’ll be able to breathe. Right now, I’m waiting to exhale.”

This probably had to be one of the worst games Kobe Bryant played throughout the whole season. Kobe should’ve been in the game all 4 quarters. Bryant had 17 points, 10 assists and 4 rebounds. Lamar Odom scored 19 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. Pau Gasol totaled 17 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists. Kobe responded about the loss in Game 4:

“They were determined not to let me beat them tonight,” he said. “I saw three, four bodies every time I touched the ball.”

Check out video reactions below! Game 5 airs Sunday (June 15) @ 9PM on ABC!

(PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES)

Kobe Bryant lead the Los Angeles Lakers to their first victory against the Boston Celtics in Game 3. The Celtics weren’t happy at all. Did they really think they’ll sweep the Lakers? The Lakers won by 6 (87-81). Boston is still leading the series (2-1). The Lakers proved that they can come home and defend their court the same way the Celtics did in Boston. Kobe Bryant scored a total of 36 points and 7 rebounds. Pau Gasol had 9 points and 12 assists. Sasha Vujacic had to regain some recognition after the loss in Game 2 scoring 20 points and 4 rebounds last night. Kobe knew he had to guide his team last night and give them energy:

“What I tried to do with my teammates is just stay calm,” Kobe said. “It wasn’t the end of the world. They did a great job of defending home court. We knew we had to come here and do the same. They feed off of my confidence and I have all the confidence in the world that we can come here and win.”

Kevin Garnett totaled 13 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists. Ray Allen scored 25 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Paul Pierce put up 6 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Ray Allen took the positive route to looking at the loss by saying:

“As bad as we played, we still had opportunities,” Allen said. “That’s the positive. We can look at it, but I don’t think on either side of the floor we were good. We had so much more room for improvement.”

Game 4 airs Thursday (June 12) on ABC @ 9PM. Check out Game 3 video reactions below.

(Photos: Getty Images)

The Boston Celtics wins at home against the Los Angeles Lakers again in Game 2 by 6 (108-102). The Celtics definitely got some luck of the leprechauns and 4-leaf clovers last night. The Celtics are leading the series (2-0)! I expected the Celtics to win at The Garden but never did I think two in a row! The Lakers need to step their game up. I think it’ll definitely be better in Game 3. Paul Pierce totaled 28 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds. Kevin Garnett put up 17 points and 14 rebounds. Rajon Rondo contributed 16 assists and 6 rebounds. Pierce responded about the win last night:

“We’re happy because we won, but we definitely learned a lesson,” Pierce said.

Kobe Bryant scored 30 points, 8 assists and 4 rebounds. Pau Gasol had 17 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists. Lamar Odom totaled 10 points, 8 rebounds and 2 assists. After the game reporters told Kobe that the whistles today was one-sided, Kobe responded:

“I didn’t notice,” Bryant said, cracking a smile.

Game 3 airs Tuesday (June 10) @ 9PM on ABC. Click play on the video below for reactions after Game 2.

The Boston Celtics played at home last night and cheated their way to a victory against the Los Angeles Lakers. If you watched this game you’d know they did too. Uncalled fouls and backcourt violations. The series has just begun though it’s not over. The Celtics are currently leading the series (1-0). The final score of Game 1 was (98-88). Kobe Bryant rocked Paul Pierce in the 2nd half of the game leaving Pierce injured and off the court. He then dramatically returned back to the court. Was it fake? You be the judge. Kevin Garnett totaled 24 points and 13 rebounds. Ray Allen scored 19 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists. Paul Pierce had 22 points and 4 rebounds. Paul Pierce responded about his “injury” in Game 1:

“When I came down I thought I felt a pop, I thought I tore it,” Pierce said “When I got in the back I could put some weight on it, I knew needed to be out there for my team.”

Kobe Bryant scored 24 points, 6 assists and 3 rebounds. Pau Gasol had 15 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Derek Fisher put up 15 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds. The Lakers will play Boston at home again in Game 2. I’m pretty confident that they’ll be ready in Game 2.

Game 2 airs Sunday @ 9 on ABC. Check out the video below.

The NBA Finals start tomorrow night and I’m excited to see what’s in store for Game 1. The Boston Celtics will play at home against the Los Angeles Lakers. If you haven’t noticed it’s been a long playoffs for the Celtics and I don’t think that they have what it takes to defeat the Lakers and come out as champions. Although, the Celtics have 3 all stars, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce, it’s been rocky for them in the past few games within the playoffs. The Lakers has soared to the top of their game sweeping the Denver Nuggets in the first set of the playoffs! If any team deserve it right now it has to be the Los Angeles Lakers. They’ve really matured and they are now a better team than last year. I can’t wait to tune in to ABC for the NBA Finals

Game 1 airs Thursday (June 5th) @ 9 on ABC.

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Singer/dancer Chris Brown and actor/comedian Mike Myers opened up the 2008 MTV Movie Awards with a “dance-off” styled competition and got tons of laughs from the audience. If you didn’t get a chance to check out the show, which aired live last night, click here to check out a few performances. Other attendees to the show included: Will Smith, Paris Hilton, T.I., Diddy, Rihanna and more. Follow the break to check out more photos from the show.

(PHOTOS: WIRE IMAGE)

The Los Angeles Lakers won so gracefully tonight!!! I’m beyond ecstatic about this win by the Lakers! The San Antonio Spurs had a good run but it’s L.A.’s time to win some RINGS! The Lakers took 4 games out the series (4-1). The Lakers won by 7 (100-92) and became the WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS! I’m so proud of the Lakers. They’ve come so far in these series and show no signs of slowing down. MVP Kobe Bryant totaled 39 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. Pau Gasol racked 12 points, 19 rebounds and 5 assists. Lamar Odom put up 13 points and 8 rebounds. Kobe vented after last night’s victory and said:

“I think it is a tremendous accomplishment,” Bryant said. “I think the West is extremely tough. We’re all extremely excited and proud about it. Now, it’s time to go on and see if we can finish it off.”

I’m pretty sure that ya’ll will Kobe! The Spurs did well despite the loss to the CHAMPIONS. Tim Duncan scored 19 points and 15 rebounds. Manu Ginobili totaled 9 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Tony Parker put up 23 points and 4 assists. Duncan responded to the loss postively and said:

“Just got to gear it up again to go to next year,” Duncan said. “Love what we had this year. We just weren’t good enough through stretches.”

The Lakers will play the winning team of the Boston Celtics Vs. Detroit Pistons series. Check out video reactions below.

I must say it’s coming to an end with the San Antonio Spurs. The Los Angeles Lakers won the away game last night by two (93-91). The Lakers go home in Game 5. L.A. haven’t lost a home game in the series yet so it’s not looking too good for the Spurs. The Lakers are leading the series (3-1). Kobe Bryant totaled 28 points and 10 rebounds. Pau Gasol scored 10 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists. Lamar Odom put up 16 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Kobe stated at the end of the Game 4′s win:

“It is a big step for us,” Kobe said, “Tonight we came out and did a much, much better job to win in this building in this particular game. It’s big for us.”

Game 5 airs Thursday (May 29th) @ 9PM on TNT.

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The San Antonio Spurs finally win one at home against the Los Angeles Lakers! Hooray for them! Good Job! Nah, but the Spurs went hard and yeah I’m hating cause I wanted my boy Kobe to dominate last night. The Lakers still lead the series though (2-1). The Spurs won by a 19 points (103-84). Manu Ginobili scored 30 points and 2 rebounds. Tim Duncan put 22 points and 21 rebounds. Tony Parker scored 20 points and 5 assists.

Check out reactions after the cut!

Game 4 airs Tuesday (May 27) @ 9PM on TNT.

Was there any doubt the Lakers wouldn’t win?! The Los Angeles Lakers continues to show and prove they deserve to win the championship this year. The San Antonio Spurs got blew out by 30 (101-71)! The Lakers are currently and steadily leading the series (2-0). My boy, Kobe Byrant, scored 22 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Lamar Odom came out and scored 20 points and 12 rebounds. Pau Gasol put up 10 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists. Although, Kobe is basically unstoppable he still knows that he cannot underestimate his opponents:

“You have to take care of business,” Kobe said. “Get to practice [Saturday] and work on things that we want to adjust or get better at and get ready to rock ‘n roll on Sunday.”

Tony Parker scored 13 points and 4 assists. Tim Duncan scored 12 points and 16 rebounds. Manu Ginobili scored only 7 points, 2 assists and 2 rebounds. Ginobili didn’t make any excuses at the results of the ending of the game and the way he played last night. He responded:

“I blame myself for these two losses,” Ginobili said. “It should be 1-1. My mind is not fatigued. I need to step up. It will be different in Game 3.”

Check out reactions from Game 2:

Game 3 airs Sunday (May 25) @ 8:30PM on TNT.

The Los Angeles Lakers take another victory after being down by 20 points in the first half of the game against the San Antonio Spurs came back and won by 4 (89-85). Kobe Bryant, who only had 2 points in the 2nd quarter, scored his last 25 points in the second half of Game 1. Kobe totaled 27 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds. Pau Gasol scored 19 points and 7 rebounds. I’m so proud of K.B. and I hope he gets his ring this year! If anyone deserves it this year it can only go to Kobe Bryant. The Lakers are currently leading the series (1-0).

Check out video reactions after the cut!

Video Reactions After Game 1

Game 2 airs Friday (May 23) @ 9PM on TNT.

The San Antonio Spurs took the last game in the series between the New Orleans Hornets last night (4-3). The final scored was in the Spurs favor by 9 (91-82). The New Orleans Hornets’ depressed me last night. They played as if this was GAME 1 instead of  GAME 7. They acted as though they didn’t want it bad enough. Tony Parker dropped shots last night. He totaled 17 points and 5 assists. Tim Duncan put up 16 points and 14 rebounds. Manu Ginobili scored 26 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Robert Horry, who rarely touches the court, said at the end of game 7:

“People always talk about you being old because you don’t dunk anymore or slash as fast as you used to slash, but we’re one of the smartest teams in the league and we have a very good coaching staff,” said Horry, “We didn’t make stupid mistakes tonight.”

Chris Paul scored 18 points, 14 assists and 8 rebounds. David West had 20 points and 9 rebounds. Tyson Chandler scored 13 points and 15 rebounds. I guess it wasn’t enough Hornets’ I was rooting for you CP3! Maybe next year…

The Spurs will face the Lakers and best believe it won’t be easy as it was in Game 7 for you Spurs.

Game 1 (vs. Lakers) airs Wednesday (May 21) @ 9 on TNT.

Check out video reactions below.

]]> http://gossiponthis.com/2008/05/20/game-7-san-antonio-spurs-vs-orleans-hornets/feed/ 1 http://gossiponthis.com/2008/05/17/game-6-la-lakers-vs-utah-jazz/ http://gossiponthis.com/2008/05/17/game-6-la-lakers-vs-utah-jazz/#comments Sat, 17 May 2008 17:40:18 +0000 Gossip On This! Staff http://gossiponthis.com/?p=8937

Kobe Bryant pushed it to the limit last night as usual!!! The Los Angeles Lakers won the last game of the series between the Utah Jazz (4-2) by 3 (108-105). Kobe Bryant was injured a few games back but could that stop him from getting closer to his ring WITHOUT Shaq…NOT PERIOD! K.B. scored 34 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Pau Gasol totaled 17 points and 13 rebounds. Lamar Odom had 13 points, 9 rebounds and 3 assists. Kobe stated at the final game’s end:

“It’s a big step for us,” Kobe said. “It shows a lot of character on our part to come in here and come out of here with a victory. It’s been a great journey and we want to keep it rolling, it’s a great accomplishment to get to the conference finals, but we believe we can accomplish much more.”

The Lakers will play the team who wins the series of New Orleans Hornets Vs. San Antonio Spurs. I hope the Hornets’ win. I can’t wait to see Kobe and Chris on the same court!

Check out the video reaction from the Lakers’

(Photos: Getty Images) The Lakers win again! They can’t whoop Kobe at home on his worst night! The L.A. Lakers defeat the Utah Jazz by 7 points in the final score (111-104). Kobe Bryant scored 26 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds to lead the series (3-2). Kobe responded on the win last night and he said:

“I just had to pick my spots,” he said. “I knew I wasn’t 100 percent healthy, so I wanted to get us off to a good start, give us an emotional boost. Then in the third quarter, there were moments where I had to pick it up, and I was able to do that. And in the fourth quarter, Lamar [Odom] and Pau [Gasol] took it from there.”

Pau Gasol was on point last night scoring a total of 21 points, 8 assists and 6 rebounds. Lamar Odom put 22 points and 11 rebounds. The Jazz can kiss these last few game goodbye because the Lakers are not going to lose these series!

Check post reactions of Game 5.

Game 6 airs Friday (May 16) @ 10:30PM on TNT.

 

The Los Angeles Lakers unfortunately loss to the Utah Jazz yesterday by 8 after going to overtime (123-115) but the series is still tied (2-2). Deron Williams had 29 points and 14 assists. Kobe Bryant had 33 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds. The Lakers need to win Game 5! Check out the video for more details.

Game 5 airs Wednesday (May 14) @ 10:30PM (ET) on TNT.

The Utah Jazz won Game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers at home by 5 (104-99). The Lakers still lead the series for now (2-1). Top perfomers of the night were Carlos Boozer and Kobe Bryant. Boozer had a total of 27 points and 20 rebounds. Kobe had 34 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds. Click the on the pic above for a video recap for more details.

Game 4 is Sunday (May 11) @ 3:30PM on ABC.

{Video Courtesy of ESPN}

(Photos: Getty Images) The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz once again which is no surprise. Kobe Bryant still continues to dominate right after winning the MVP award the day before. Kobe lead L.A. to another victory (2-0) with a total of 34 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. The Lakers won by 10 points (120-110) last night. Lamar Odom racked up 19 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 assists. Pau Gasol had 20 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Kobe was pumped last night for Game 2. After the game he stated how he felt:

“It was an emotional night for all of us,” Bryant said after the game. “We haven’t seen Staples Center this electric. It gave me goose bumps. You want to ride the momentum, and we were able to do that.”

Prepare for Game 3 @ 9 on ESPN.

The best player in the league, Kobe Bryant, finally got what he deserves today and was crowned MVP of the year. Kobe Bryant should have received this award years ago but now he has to wait no longer. Kobe had some words in honor of him winning MVP:

“I really don’t know what to say to be honest with you. It’s a blessing and such an honor to be here. To recieve this award, I can go through a list of thank you’s. My family, they enabled me to be the best I can be.., training everyday and they give up so much to sacrifice for me to be able to train and prepare for games and I’m just very honored and blessed to be here.” Bryant said.

He also mentioned that his team [The Los Angeles Lakers] helped him out a great deal:

“I couldn’t have won without my players, my teammates. This is a team award. This is not an individual award. This is an award I couldn’ve won on my own. If that was the case I would’ve won when I was averaging 40,” He laughs and continues. “This gets done because we all do it as a union. I can’t thank these guys enough. These are my guys, these are my brothers. Let’s get ready for tomorrow.”

Game 2 airs Wednesday (May 7) @ 10:30PM on TNT

The Los Angeles Lakers win again! With Kobe on the court there’s no hope! The Lakers win against the Utah Jazz by 11 (109-98). Kobe Bryant dominates once again with 38 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists. Pau Gasol had 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Lamar Odom had 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists. Kobe Bryant had 23 foul shots and made 21-23 of them. Kobe know he had to bank them free throws:

“You’ve got to be able to knock those free throws down. They’re open looks,” said Bryant, “It’s my responsibility to knock them down.”

L.A. Lakers’ coach Phil Jackson was happy about the 1st win at home. Jackson responded at the ending fourth quarter:

“It’s an incredible night to have 23 foul shots,” Phil Jackson said, “I know that Utah’s not going to be happy about it. We’ll probably see about half that in the next game, if not less. So for him to do that, it was our biggest scoring threat of the night right there.”

The next game between Utah and L.A. is Wednesday (May 7) @ 10:30 on TNT

The L.A. Lakers climbed up the playoff ladder like it was as easy as taking candy from a baby. Kobe Bryant dominated last night’s game against the Denver Nuggets with a total of 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists, ultimately winning straight games against Denver (4-0). Last night’s final score resulted at (107-101). Pau Gasol had 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists last night. Lakers’ teammate Luke Walton tells how happy he is to have K.B. on his team:

“He is unbelievable,” Luke Walton said of Bryant, his teammates and one of the MVP favorites. “It’s always so comforting knowing you have the best closer in basketball. They were making huge plays down the stretch, but Kobe came right back to do whatever it took: huge plays, steals or an incredible shots like that fadeaway over Kenyon Martin from the top of the key. He wanted it badly tonight and we followed his lead.”

Continue reading for a video recap.

L.A. will play whomever wins the Utah Jazz Vs. Houston Rockets series. Utah is currently leading (3-1). The Rockets will have to win tonight’s game to proceed within the series.