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Over the last week, Lakers headlines have been dominated by issues like Kobe Bryant's shin, otherworldly rebounding from Andrew Bynum, a string of quality performances from Metta World Peace, and the implications of a 20-point loss to Phoenix and a 14-point win over San Antonio, both with The Mamba wearing a well-tailored suit. Such talking points would always feel trenchant, and with the playoffs lurking, the urgency is magnified tenfold. In the meantime, another notable development has surfaced almost entirely absent of hype. Compared to the previously mentioned story lines, under-the-radar status for this trend is understandable, but it nonetheless shouldn't be mistaken as trivial.

Quietly and by any measuring stick, Steve Blake, who's suffered through a largely disappointing season, has played two very good games in a row.

From a statistical standpoint, his numbers are much improved. Over the last two games, he's averaged nine points (53.8 percent from the field/60 percent from deep), 3.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and .5 turnovers in 28.5 minutes. The stats aren't necessarily eye-popping, but they're perfectly fine from a backup point guard. And against the backdrop of his overall April splits (5.4 ppg, 41.4 FG, 41.2 3pt, 3.0 apg, 1.3 rpg, 1.1 TO), they're practically a revelation. While fellow reserve Matt Barnes has insisted the Lakers bench shouldn't be judged by scoring totals, this entire season has served as proof of how hamstrung the starters become without consistent support. In particular, Blake's cupboard has been bare. Nobody would reasonably expect a dude with a 6.9 ppg career-average to reinvent himself as a purple and gold James Harden, but some firepower off the pine is mandatory. For at least two games, Blake's brought a gun to a gunfight.

Blake's also managed to impact games beyond his numbers. In New Orleans, a pair of charges were drawn and he not only tracked down an otherwise certain turnover, but managed to huck the ball while airborne to Ramon Sessions. The possession ended with Barnes scoring at the rim, but Blake enabled the basket, even as the only principal who didn't enter the box score on the sequence. Against the Spurs, he prevented a fast break by hustling back on transition, squaring up Stephen Jackson and getting his mitts on the ball. Slowed by Blake, Jackson had to take the ball out, and the ensuing possession came up dry.

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As part of a continuing series, NBA players share how growing up in L.A. shaped their games.

For Arron Afflalo, competition is second nature. It's been on display ever since he was 8 years old, fighting on the court with everyone from opponents to teammates. This spirit was born in Compton. Afflalo moved there from Inglewood to live with his dad at age 11 and the experience shaped him as a player and a person. That he's been more successful at the NBA level than many expected is the result of a hard-nosed attitude developed right here in Los Angeles.

Andy Kamenetzky: Which parks were you a regular at when you first began playing?

Arron Afflalo: I played at Jesse Owens Park when I was about 6 years old. That's when I had my first Little League game. I would [also] play in the Compton area. I would play at Campanella Park. I would have games at Compton High and Centennial High and Dominguez.

And Victoria Park in Carson off Avalon. That's where I started playing with Slam N Jam, a familiar AAU program that was really big growing up. That's [also] where my father used to play at night in a men's league. I would go up there and play on the side courts as he played with the older guys. I would have my own little games there on the weekend.

AK: What was the atmosphere like?

Afflalo: I was young, so I was just competitive and energetic for the game of basketball. I didn't know how how much influence the environment itself was having on me or my game. But once I did get to the national AAU atmosphere, I realized playing in my neighborhood gave me a certain edge or way of playing and looking at the game. I started playing in Vegas and other areas in which the kids were just different.

AK: What kind of edge?

Afflalo: Just that competitive edge. I guess kids from that area were shaped different because of their upbringing, rather [than] kids from the Carson area, or the Compton area, or the L.A. area, or Inglewood area. I think the combination of my love for basketball combined with having to put forth that competitive spirit at such a young age shaped who I am and how I continue to progress to this day. I would say 8 years old is when I remember becoming that ultra-competitive and really striving to win.

AK: In Compton, you first lived at Rosecrans Blvd. and Central, and then Richland Farms, which is more, relatively speaking, rural. What were those experiences like?

Affalo: My initial move there was different, because even though I was [from] Inglewood, I was still very young, so I hadn't really been exposed to having to be on the streets or anything some kids deal with. When I moved to Compton, it was a humbling experience, but it kind of heightened my awareness of who I was as a person and how to function. I thought that was good for me going to Centennial, because some kids there don't have a choice but to grow up in the projects or be out on the streets and develop a certain toughness about them to survive.

That wasn't the case for me. Both my parents were around. I just so happened to grow up in that city. In respect to them, I had to adjust my ways of living life. Not being so competitive and fighting everybody I see. Becoming more of a humble person.

AK: I had no idea Richland Farms even existed until reading about your background.

Afflalo: Richland Farms is nothing out of the ordinary. It's just an area where there's more land to the houses. You have your inner-city area in Compton, where the houses are stacked. It's more of a city-type feel. You have your project areas. And you also have certain areas where the homes, maybe back in the 50's and the 60's, had ample land in the back. My dad bought a home over there. You'll see horses and chickens and things that you wouldn't expect. That you hear in rap videos. (laughs)

You literally go one block and you're back in the city. Literally. It's not like it's an isolated area. It's just a function of the land that comes with some of the houses over there. It's a lot of older people that have gardens and horses and things like that in the back yard. But you literally cross the street, you're in an area that's nothing like it. I used to run up and down my street dribbling the ball and a horse would come trotting by. Obviously, people were allowed to have chickens over there, so you'll see chickens just crossing the street. And it's only in that area.

AK: You and your dad were extremely close growing up. How did that relationship shape you as a player?

Afflalo: My dad has always been around. As has my mom, but especially my dad in terms of me enjoying the game of basketball and growing as a man. I don't believe raising me was a job at all. He loved basketball as much as I did, and because of that, it was easy to take me to practice. Watch games with me. He can kind of enjoy basketball and live it through me just as I would learn about life from him. It was just a good partnership.

AK: How good a player was he?

Afflalo: He was good. I mean, he didn't go to any D-I school or anything like that. He had a different type of upbringing. But he was good. He could shoot. He could jump. He was competitive and a lot of things [about my game], I get from him. Definitely my shot. He taught me how to shoot. I used to shoot with my elbow out, cocked it from the side when I was little. I was 11 or 12 when I got old enough to starting shooting above my head. He changed my form, so I feel like I have a pretty nice shooting stroke and touch. That definitely came from him.

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ESPNLA.com's Dave McMenamin has the news:

"...[Trey] Johnson, a late-season call-up by the Lakers from the D-League last year, signed a one-year deal with Teramo Basket of the Italian League on Wednesday. Johnson's agent, Mark Bartelstein, told ESPNLosAngeles.com that his client's contract does not include an opt-out clause to return to the NBA should the lockout be resolved in time for the league to hold all or part of the 2011-12 season..."

Johnson lit up the D-League last season, averaging 25.5 points and 4.5 assists a night, and impressed L.A.'s former coaching staff both in training camp and through his late season cup of coffee. He's a hard-working kid who probably deserves a shot to stick in the league. He's also incredibly smart to take a guaranteed deal with a solid team in an appealing location. It's one thing for Deron Williams to ink a deal with Besiktas in Turkey, or Jordan Farmar to sign in Isreal, both with opt-out clause. Johnson is a guy with absolutely no guarantee of making the Lakers or any other roster heading into an NBA season that, quite frankly, may not take place.

Waiting around does him no good, and an opt-out isn't a luxury he can necessarily demand. While we spend a lot of time (for obvious reasons) looking at where the big stars might go, it's the dudes at the other end of the food chain likely to jump at the first-and/or-best available opportunity abroad.

Player to player, the impact on the season, assuming it happens, is minimal. Still, if enough of the Trey Johnson/Sonny Weems/Sasha Vujacic's of the world head overseas, at least in theory it could drive up the demand, and therefore the price by a few bucks, on other players who might otherwise have been available for the league minimum. If so, that could be problematic for cap strapped teams like the Lakers, hoping to fill as many holes as possible with limited funds.

As part of a continuing series, NBA players share the various ways growing up in L.A. shaped their games.

Darren Collison grew up in Rancho Cucamonga, a suburb of the Inland Empire, which is about 35-40 miles from Los Angeles. However, it might as well have been 140 miles, considering the difference between these worlds. Whether socioeconomically or in the quality of basketball, Collison witnessed firsthand the dichotomy while regularly commuting to inner-city games. Nonetheless, he stepped up his game to match the competition and helped elevate Etiwanda High School and the entire Inland Empire as a legitimate roundball force. Collison eventually hit the larger stage of UCLA and Los Angeles in general, but at heart, remains a kid from the I.E. When deciding the location for his first camp, he naturally chose Etiwanda, his "basketball birthplace."

Andy Kamenetzky: Where did you grow up playing?

Darren Collison: Actually, when I started playing basketball, it was in the inner-city L.A. My mom used to drive me down to the L.A. inner-city to play with some of the guys in travel ball. So that's when my game first started to grow. I don't know specifically [where we played]. But all around Los Angeles. From Hawthorne to Leuzinger [High School] to Inglewood. Little kid tournaments. That came to seem like the place where I started playing because the competition at Rancho wasn't as good.

I remember meeting the coach at Rancho. He had a travel ball team and he would always take his kids down to L.A. to play in tournaments every weekend. And I mean, every weekend from Friday to Sunday, playing like, three games a day. We'd go down there to L.A. and showcase our skills against other kids in the inner city.

AK: I guess that's when you realized Rancho is a different world than L.A.

DC: Yeah, it was a completely different world. You're playing with kids that didn't necessarily have things you had. All they had was basketball. They would do whatever it takes to be successful on the court. Some of them didn't have good grades. Some of them was just playing to stay out of trouble. But for the most part, that competition helped me as a basketball player to get better.

AK: Did it take a while to adjust to those differences and become comfortable?

DC: I wouldn't say [I was] uncomfortable, because growing up playing and the reason my mom would take so much time for me to play down there, I knew how important it was. And it was fun. So it wasn't uncomfortable. It was fun playing down there. But it took a long time to adjust to the skill level. The guys from the inner-city were way better than the guys that weren't in the inner-city. I knew I had to work on my game to get better if I wanted to compete with guys like that.

AK: Was there an adjustment to physicality or anything?

DC: Part of it was physicality. The other part was just playing that hard. There's a difference between kids where everything is given to them and you don't really have to work hard and kids that have to work hard while they're young because nothing is given to them. When it comes to on the court, there's a big difference between that. I think a lot of those kids in the inner-city, they had a lot of family issues and the basketball was their way of getting away from all that. They had an extra motivation of playing hard and actually being better.

AK: Was there a specific moment when you realized you had to step up your game to compete?

DC: The thing about inner-city basketball, even when we were young kids, the gym would be packed like you were at the top high school games. There were tournaments and games where we'd play against inner-city teams. They'll score on these fancy moves and you got the crowd in the stands going crazy. We're like nine, 10 years old, little kids just trying to play the game. That's when I realized it's real up there. The competition is totally different. The atmosphere is totally different.

That's just how L.A. is. They enjoy watching basketball. No matter what the age is, they have respect for it. But I knew I had to get better at my game if I wanted to compete at that level and so to speak, not get dogged.

AK: On top of trying to make it in a place like Rancho, were there obstacles inherent with your size?

DC: The main obstacle was knowing the inner-city kids were the ones being looked at. Kids from my area, it wasn't known as a good basketball city. It just didn't have that recognition. They never had the opportunity, so once a couple of kids got put on the map as far as the Inland, more and more college coaches were going out there to do scouting. Now there's a lot [of players] from the Inland Empire. So I think that was the biggest obstacle right there.

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As part of a continuing series, NBA players share the various ways growing up in L.A. shaped their game.

For Washington Wizards guard Nick Young, who grew up in West L.A., the path to USC and eventually the NBA was anything but smooth. There were academic struggles. Failed SAT tests. Three different high schools (Hamilton, Dorsey, Cleveland). And at age 5, his brother Charles was murdered, a senseless tragedy that not only turned his family upside down, but later nearly derailed his high school basketball career before it got started. But due to Cleveland High School in Reseda, plus the help of concerned coaches (and, of all people, Jordan Farmar), Young got himself on track to eventually reach the NBA. This is the story of how L.A., in his words, "raised him" as a basketball player.

Andy Kamenetzky: Where did you grow up playing most of the time?

Nick Young: At Robertson Park. We would all get together, go up there. Cedric Ceballos played there. He grew up over there. Craig Smith. And also at Pan Pacific.

AK: What was the scene like? Atmosphere? Was there a lot of talking? Was it physical?

NY: It's a very small gym. It gets packed and it gets sweaty. A lot of trash talking. Mostly, there were a lot of guards. Back then, everyone wanted to be Iverson, man. But I was probably the tallest in my group, so I wanted to be like T-Mac and Kobe.

AK: Did that make you stand out, in terms of the way everyone else played?

NY: Yeah, but it also got my game better, going against littler people that could play defense and had handles and all that.

AK: Was there a particularly epic game or run at Robertson you'd describe as your "Robertson experience?"

NY: I'd say when I was about 14, I got a chance to really run with the older kids, the older guys. I got this one dunk and after that, I was playing with the older guys every day. That's when I started jumping more. My brother threw a lob and I caught it on somebody.

AK: Nobody expected you had those kind of hops?

NY: Nah. Back then I was just a goofy kid running around always talking trash, shooting while they were playing. The ball would get on the court, they'd get mad at me.

AK: What was it like going from playing with guys your age to mostly older players?

NY: That was fun. It was tougher. You couldn't call fouls as much, so everything you did, you just had to hold it in. That's when I got a chance to play with Craig (Smith) and all them. They had Trevor (Ariza) there. Evan Burns back then. (My brother) Terrell Young. A lot of different people.

AK: Were there any local guys you patterned your game after while growing up?

NY: I looked up to my brother Terrell. Everyone thought he was gonna go (to the NBA). That was my idol. Him and Evan Burns. My brother Terrell, everyone thought he was a park legend.

AK: How did the tragedy with your brother Charles' murder and the effect it had on your family shape basketball for you? Did it become an outlet? Or a mission? During the documentary "Second Chance Season," you mentioned feeling like the family savior.

NY: It started off as an outlet. I remember after the funeral and stuff, we went to go play at the YMCA. It was things like that. Just really stayed busy. Once I really got that season in high school, that's when I was like, "I could really do this. I'm gonna really take advantage of this right now."

AK: How much pressure was added by going in and out of high schools? Was there ever a point where basketball stopped feeling fun?

NY: No, not really. It's always been a game I liked. Even when I used to mess up in high school, every time I ditched, I went to the park. (laughs) Every time, for like two weeks straight, I'd just go to the park and reenact plays. Act like I'm this (specific) player. All the time. So I was having a vision, really.

I got caught when my mom rolled by on Robertson. I tried to hide and run back to school. I was already caught. There was a laundromat right up the street from the park. I guess she was doing some laundry. And on the way home she caught me.

AK: There was a period early in high school where your mom made you stop playing for a year. How tough was that?

NY: It was real tough. She had seen me ditching more consistently. She wanted me to do right in school, so that's when I transferred to Dorsey. I was gonna try out for that team, but the school, there was too much going on. There was too many gangs and all that up there. I just didn't feel comfortable. But I never told my mom that. I didn't want her to worry about me.

AK: These were gang members affiliated with the one involved with your brother's murder?

NY: Yeah. So, that's when I started going back to the park. She'd drop me off and I'd leave. The school, it just didn't sit right with me. Once they started realizing (the situation) and I started playing on this traveling team while I was ditching and stuff, it just happened that coach knew a coach in the valley. He said he'd get me on the team and they'd work to stay on me. And I was like, "All right." I just took a chance. So they checked me out of Dorsey and transferred me to Cleveland High.

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After reading Brian's postgame analysis, take in a few talkies...

Brook Lopez's 35 points obviously pop out in the box score, but from Lamar Odom's perspective, the center didn't "control" the game, which is why the Lakers were able to withstand his performance.



With the Clippers on deck for Sunday, Lamar Odom talked about Blake Griffin."Awesome player," gushed the southpaw. "Awesome entertainer. Awesome basketball player." The athletic freak has whipped the basketball community into a frenzy, but is he special enough to change the culture that is the Los Angeles Clippers? LO thinks the potential is there, but others beyond the likely Rookie of the Year will need to step up as well. Bottom line, without the requisite wins, this is mission impossible for Griffin regardless of how well he plays.

It's a familiar scenario for Lamar, drafted in 1999 by the Clippers with these same hopes. Punches weren't pulled about how "off the court" issues messed up his crack at the perennially impossible dream. But, as he noted, everything happens for a reason, and it's hard to criticize Lamar's career path.

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Before the Lakers can fast forward to Sunday's game against the suddenly hot Clippers or Monday's big game at home against the Thunder, there's the little matter of the New Jersey Nets. The 10-28 Nets, losers of eight of their last 10, and 18 of 21 road games overall.

They are not good, but are still at least somewhat interesting thanks to the presence of Sasha Vujacic and Jordan Farmar, both of whom make their first appearances at Staples since being traded earlier this season and signing with the Nets last summer, respectively. For the Lakers, winning the game involves repeating the things allowing them to win their last six games. Move the ball, use the bigs, play some defense, pay attention. For the Nets, it's a little more complicated.

To gain a little more insight, I hit up Mark Ginocchio, of TrueHoop's Nets Are Scorching to answer a few questions...

PODCAST
New Jersey Nets guard Sasha Vujacic talks about returning to Los Angeles along with Jordan Farmar, to face their former team, the Lakers, for the first time since being traded earlier in the season. " Podcast

1) Sasha Vujacic's career in L.A. was decidedly a mixed bag. In Jersey, he's getting playing time he never got here. How has he fit in with the team and with fans? How is Avery Johnson using him on the floor, and what impact does it have?

Sasha's quick ascent with the Nets has really been amazing and surprised a lot of people. A lot of Nets fans were bummed because of outside of the draft picks, Vujacic was the only tangible player the team received for Terrence Williams - a guy who's got boatloads of talent, but just can't seem to put it together (and hasn't yet in Houston). The Nets version of Sasha has been a tenacious defender, a very good long-ranger shooter (40 percent from three) and a clutch player with one game-winning shot already on his NJ resume. As our playbook specialist Justin DeFeo pointed out in December, Sasha has added a new element on offense as being really the only guy
on this team who can effectively curl off screens and drain a jump shot.

2) Jordan Farmar and Sasha weren't necessarily seen as best buddies in L.A., but obviously know each other's games well. Have you seen any evidence of constructive on-floor chemistry between the two?

Yeah, I've heard some buzz about the Farmar/Sasha issues when he arrived here, but I've honestly haven't seen or heard anything since the trade to suggest that anything has carried over. With that said, I can't really claim to see any great chemistry developing there, just because the Sasha trade also reignited a lot of the Carmelo Anthony trade rumors that really seem to be dragging this team down as a unit. I don't know if any of these guys are demonstrating chemistry right now, regardless of their histories.

PODCAST
New Jersey Nets head coach Avery Johnson talks about coaching a young team in the midst of a whirlwind of trade rumors and says that if Lakers forward Lamar Odom does not make the All Star team, then the selection process as we know it needs to be scrapped completely. " Podcast

3) The Nets gave the Lakers problems in New Jersey, but have been a hideous road team. What has to happen for them to win Friday?

Well, going back to my prior answer, I think the 'Melo stuff is really hitting a breaking point with this team, so I'm not terribly confident in the Nets executing enough to pull an upset. There are eight guys on this roster that could be told to pack their bags at any given minute and while the team looked relatively focused against Phoenix on Wednesday, they still blew a double digit fourth quarter lead and lost in OT. The last time the Nets won in LA, they had Kidd-Carter-Jefferson and the Lakers did not have Pau Gasol.

But for fun, I'll say if Devin Harris goes for a big night (say 30-plus points and 12 assists) and a combination of Stephen Graham and Sasha can hound Kobe into a poor shooting night, AND the Nets get a big game from someone in their frontcourt (either Travis Outlaw or Derrick Favors), they might make it close.

Thanks again to Mark for weighing in.

The holidays have come and gone, but it's finally beginning to look a lot like Christmas for Lakers fans. L.A. has won four straight, most recently Sunday's thrashing of the Knicks, and six of seven overall, and look like a different team than the one taking it on the chin at home last week against the Grizzlies. More aware, more committed to tasks at hand.

Not to say the Lakers have hit their championship stride yet, but it appears they've finally started running.

Still, while the Lakers are unquestionably playing better ball, the schedule maker has still been relatively kind during this winning stretch. Take away a legitimately dangerous Knicks team and you're left with home dates against the Sixers and Pistons, two against a New Orleans squad that isn't a pushover but is also 11-15 following an 11-1 start to the season, a game in sagging Phoenix. Not a run of pushovers, but hardly Murderer's Row, either.

Things will get tough fast, though, in the very near future, which is why this week's slate of games -- all against teams wallowing well under .500 -- is so important. The Lakers need to keep momentum heading into the teeth of their calendar, but also can't afford to give away any games against a shrinking pool of, to use Ron Artest's description of the Pistons, "under average" opponents. It's a busy week with four games, but by all rights the Lakers ought finish it with four wins.

Here's how it lays out:

GAME OF THE WEEK

Sunday at (as it were) the Clippers, 12:30 p.m. PT

Or, if you prefer, the L.A. Blake Griffins. With 23 points and 12 rebounds in the LAC's 105-91 win over Golden State Sunday afternoon, the top pick in last year's draft ran his streak of consecutive double-doubles to 23. On the season, Griffin is averaging almost 22 points and 13 rebounds, while shooting 52 percent from the floor and adding an impressive 3.3 assists. Forget "pretty good for a rookie," these are big numbers for anyone.

In the process, he's managed to do all sorts of amazing things:

1. Make anything Clipper-related relevant on a national level again. Usually cast in the Washington Generals role on the evening highlight shows, Griffin has single-handedly increased the number of positive LAC clips by a factor of about eleventy billion. He will be rookie of the year, he will almost surely win the slam dunk contest, and -- beyond the rookie/sophomore game, could very well make the All-Star team, too. People check in on the Clippers for reasons beyond lawsuits and draft lotteries.

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From the outset of this season, it's been obvious if the Lakers were going to trade anybody, it would be Sasha Vujacic. He's in the last year of a moderately priced contract. An injury or a severe slump from a Killer Bee would be required to crack the rotation. And the lack of future as a Laker beyond 2011 is plainly evident. The problem was finding a workable deal. The Lakers understandably have no desire to take on additional salary, which means facilitating a deal with a team under the cap or bringing in a third team, which can be complicated.

To paraphrase Han Solo as he's about to enter an asteroid field, never tell Mitch Kupchak the odds. He took the latter route, and managed to find the right formula. According to ESPN.com, Sasha will head to the New Jersey Nets along with a future first round pick in exchange for veteran big man Joe Smith. They'll also receive second round picks from Golden State (2011) and Chicago (2012), plus the rights to Ukrainian big man Sergei Lishouk, originally drafted by Memphis in 2004. (As part of the deal, the troubled Terence Williams heads from Jersey to Houston in exchange for another first round pick, fueling speculation the Nets are stockpiling draft assets to entice a trade for Carmelo Anthony. )

So how did the Lakers and Vujacic make out? In my mind, both parties come out ahead in the wash.

I'll start with the Laker haul. Smith makes the veteran's minimum and his arrival is as much -- more, really -- about saving approximately nine million bucks (counting the luxury tax hit). This cash off Dr. Buss' books can only enhance the odds of resigning Shannon Brown and/or Matt Barnes, should they opt out as anticipated if their strong seasons continue. Or make quality replacements more feasibly inked, should both bolt. Either way, money was a driving element.

From a basketball perspective, I pegged Smith during the summer as a sensible acquisition to play the D.J. Mbenga/Josh Powell role. Recent campaigns in New Jersey and Atlanta hint he's no longer the player he was a few seasons ago, much less the guy the Wolves risked their entire franchise to pay under the table. But assuming Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom stay healthy, Smith won't be asked to do much besides enhance practices and provide his famously good locker room presence. Should periodic frontcourt injuries surface, Smith will be asked to provide what Theo Ratliff offered before getting hurt: A breather for the bigs in the rotation, veteran smarts and a willingness to do what he's told.

If more is asked for over long stretches, the Lakers are likely in deep trouble, but that's more about the A-list talent lost than Smith's inadequacies. But in a pinch, he can probably get by and I doubt a better option would have been available within the same cost-effective parameters.

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For many Laker fans, Friday's loss to the Chicago Bulls was viewed as a missed opportunity for a statement win against an upper-echelon Eastern Conference team. A win against the 6-17 Nets, however, wouldn't constitute much in the way of bragging rights. Still, it would be reassuring for the Lakers to not just win this one, but forge a fourth quarter where the starters mostly sit with ice on their knees. If Devin Ebanks isn't presented a legitimate shot to establish career highs in several categories, something likely went wrong.

Here are a few items to keep an eye on once the ball is jumped:

Jordan Farmar playing against the Lakers for the first time
As I mentioned in our week in preview, I'm endlessly fascinated by games featuring players doing battle against a former team; particularly the first time around and especially when the new player is on his second team. Farmar -- who could end up starting for an injured Devin Harris -- fits the bill on every level, with a "didn't see eye-to-eye with his old coach or role" B-plot for good measure. I wouldn't characterize his offseason exit as "ugly," but it nonetheless felt impending since roughly 2008. Farmar sporadically attempted to play good soldier, but made no secret of an opinion the triangle and Phil Jackson were preventing his evolution as a player.

Being motivated at the chance to prove that opinion correct would be human nature, and I can't picture Farmar immune to this urge. Balling with a chip on ones shoulder, however, has a dangerous history when it comes to effectiveness. For every player focused properly by the circumstances, you have many others too jacked up to shine.

I have no idea whether Jordan will listen to the angel on his left or right shoulder, but should he choose the devilish version, Laker fans have seen how this movie ends. The inconsistency of last season's bench isn't entirely on the Bruin's shoulders, but a greater share of fingers will (and should) point in the direction of the quarterback and his proclivity for ignoring the playbook. If Farmar's too fixated on "lighting up" the Lakers, as opposed to executing the game plan, not only will his performance likely suffer, but I imagine those on the court with him will follow suit. It's not a particularly impressive crew to begin with, much less talented enough to offset a point guard going off the grid.

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After a four game skid of massive proportions (by the defending champ's standards), the Lakers got back on the winning side of things with an unbridled beatdown at the Sacramento Kings' expense. Does that thrashing equal a righted ship? This week provides four bodies of evidence one way or the other. As always, the results will be interesting.

GAME OF THE WEEK

Wednesday @Clippers, 7:30
My first gander at Blake Griffin up close and in the flesh during a game officially counted towards an NBA regular season? You better believe I'm stoked! There are better players in the NBA than the Clipper rookie, but graded on the scale of excitement potential, he may very well be the reigning big kahuna for The Assocation.

Covering the Lakers day in and day out often leaves me with disappointingly little time to just kick back and watch other teams play on a regular basis. Even a local team like the Clippers can be a viewing challenge. Thanks to the power of Twitter, however, I never miss a Griffin highlight. Every move by the kid sends the Tweetosphere into "bananas" overdrive. Particularly his dunks, so powerful and elevated the descriptions feel cartoonish. (Think if people had more than 140 characters at their disposal.) If I didn't know for a fact Griffin was a real person, he could very well be written off as an urban legend. A Sidd Finch or Lochness monster for the 21st century Internet age. It's just impossible to thrill at such a high rate, right?

Seeing is believing, and I can't wait to believe from inside the building.

In the meantime, the Clippers as a team offer some interesting wrinkles. For starters, their improved play over the last couple of weeks. Upon snapping a nightmarish nine-game losing streak, the Clips have played .500 ball, highlighted by wins over the Hornets and Spurs. They're also playing with more fire and solidarity, evidenced by the ejections for Brian Cook and Craig Smith (among other dustups) during Sunday's loss in Portland.

There are also lineup considerations. Will a tweaked ankle prevent Chris Kaman from suiting up? Will Baron Davis usurp rookie Eric Bledsoe as the starting point? (I hope so. "The Beard" may the A-Lister, but I think Derek Fisher matches up considerably better against Baron than the fleet-footed rook.) And if recent pairings against the Xavier Henry's of the world have left Kobe Bryant, shall we say, uninspired to exert his full defensive attention, a date with Eric Gordon -- assuming the assignment doesn't fall to Ron Artest -- should provide the polar opposite effect. Between his staggering improvement and the injury bug's vendetta with Brandon Roy, an argument can be made Gordon is the best two-guard in the western conference without an ankle insurance endorsement deal. I can't imagine Kobe won't attempt to pull out all the stops on both sides of the ball.

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Courtesy of Dave "McTen" McMenamin, we learned Wednesday Andrew Bynum, upon his eventual return, will immediately join the starting lineup, a move that slides Pau Gasol back to power forward and Lamar Odom back to second unit kingpin. During yesterday's chat, several readers asked how we felt Phil would handle this eventual scenario, given Gasol's and LO's chemistry and Odom's through-the-roof production. Dude's averaging 16.6/11.4/3.6, plus gaudy percentages from the field (70.8) and behind the arc (80). Throw in Lamar's typically underrated defense and the success experienced with him as a triangular conduit, and it's understandable fans and media alike have wondered if Jackson might opt to flip the presumed script.

As I predicted, he won't. And as I stated, he's making the right decision.

For starters, starting is easier on Andrew from a physical standpoint. Knee injuries have a way of stiffening if idle on the bench too long. Upon warming up before a game, it's important to get him on the court ASAP and keep everything loose. McMenamin noted how Jackson's general use of Bynum will bear this in mind, so health interests alone could arguably trump everything on the court.

But that's even not the case. From an on-court perspective, the logic is also sound.

As a pure force, Bynum and Gasol form an unmatchable frontcourt. I can't think of any two players with more collective skills and -- especially -- size playing side by side. Beyond whatever stats and the ability to compliment each other, Drew and Pau are flat out overwhelming. No doubt, Odom's value as a starter can't be questioned, and the early returns are hardly chopped liver. But there are inherent limits, because he and Gasol are similarly built. Bynum brings a different, larger dimension to the starting five, which should ramp up the basket protection and defensive rebounds snatched.

Equally as important, Lamar brings more to the second unit table than Drew.

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It's the last PodKast of the preseason, people! From here on out, every time we yammer, it will about games officially counted towards the Three-peat quest. We're giddy with excitement, and rounded up ESPNLA.com's Dave McMenamin to partake in our studio time.

PODCAST
Andy, Brian and ESPNLA.com's Dave McMenamin talk about everything we learned in the preseason, why the Lakers will Threepeat, and if that makes this era the greatest in Lakers history. Podcast

After chiding McMenamin as a man who "doesn't wear the ribbon," it's down to business. With the preseason officially in the books, we take a stroll down Very Recent Memory Lane and recount what we learned.

For starters, Kobe's health, and how concerned we are about the time needed to round into form. At the moment, none of us are losing sleep, despite our agreement the upcoming November (and possibly a little beyond) won't rank among the best periods of Bryant's career.

From there, the potential impact of Steve Blake, recognized by General Managers across the NBA as a sweet offseason pickup. Beyond on-court pluses (shooting, play-making, more triangular obedience than Jordan Farmar, the ability to run a proper break), we wonder about the dynamic between him and Derek Fisher. We're not anticipating a huge sea change and don't think Fish will lose his starting spot, save a massively awful performance. His skill set fits better with the starters, and Blake is more valuable as a sub. But what if Blake starts getting late-fourth quarter minutes typically reserved for Fish? Would become an "issue" of sorts?

I recently examined whether a Three-peat could potentially make this current Laker era (2008-present) the best in franchise history. At the very least, could a rational argument be made, whether you agree or not? Opinions are thrown in the air and waved around like we just don't care.

With the season about to kick off, we explain why the Lakers could Three-peat this year -- all three of us believe another title is coming, FYI -- and what could possibly stand in the way.

And finally, because you can't talk about the NBA without talking about the Heat (I'm pretty sure the league put an official bylaw into place), we discuss the impact of Mike Miller's thumb injury and the importance of home court advantage against Miami or Boston. I don't think it's nearly as important as Brian does.

That's all, people. And as long as you're online, make sure to order your McTen II's! All the cool kids are wearing them.

With training camp around the corner, we asked a group of local and national roundball experts to weigh in on some of the big Lakers questions heading into the 2010-2011 season. Call it a preseason prognosticationpallooza.

Our panel: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky (ESPNLA.com Land O'Lakers Blog), Elliott Teaford (L.A. Daily News), Kevin Ding (O.C. Register), Kevin Arnovitz (ESPN TrueHoop), Eric Pincus (Hoopsworld), Chris Clark (Silver Screen and Roll), J.A. Adande (ESPN.com), Darius Soriano (Forum Blue and Gold), Kurt Helin (ProBasketballTalk.com), Mark Medina (L.A. Times.com), Arash Markazi (ESPNLA.com), and Dave McMenamin (ESPNLA.com):

Today's question:
What is the Lakers' greatest weakness?

The Results:
Outside shooting: 5
Complacency: 3
Health: 2
Lack of athleticism: 1
Point guard: 1
New pieces not fitting: 1

My take: The Lakers have won consecutive titles without consistent outside shooting. Three-peating means overcoming the same issue. Steve Blake will help, but the Lakers still aren't rich with reliable three-point shooters. (But fear not. This won't prevent these little scamps from continually ignoring Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum down low in favor of bombing from downtown, bless their little hearts!)

Other responses:

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ESPN.com's Chad Ford released his offseason grades for Western Conference teams this afternoon (insider required), giving the Lakers a B-. Writes Ford:

"The Lakers, fresh off their second consecutive NBA title, weren't going to reinvent the wheel this summer. The team had most of its key players in place once Phil Jackson decided to return and really needed to address one big issue -- point guard. The Lakers took care of business by bringing in free-agent guard [Steve] Blake and then re-signing [Derek] Fisher. Fisher is getting old and Blake won't light up the world, but together they're strong enough to lead the Lakers to a third straight title. The Lakers' front office also did a solid job in the draft. With two second-round picks it landed [Devin] Ebanks, a Trevor Ariza-like long, athletic wing, and [Derrick] Caracter, a low-post bruiser who can really score in the paint. Both players would've been potential lottery picks had their bad reputations not scared teams away. If Jackson, Kobe & Co. can keep them in line, the Lakers may have scored big in the second round."

A couple things: First, I don't know exactly on what criteria Ford issues his grades, and obviously that makes a difference. Second, he appears to be one of those uncool teachers who doesn't believe in grade-flation, because L.A's report card leaves them 6th among the 15 W.C. squads. He treats C as average, meaning the Lakers come in above it. It's not like Ford gave the front office a public flogging.

Still, it seems low to me (and no, I wasn't the type to haggle for grades).

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