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Well, I was happy to find that I was wrong about the preseason games not being televised. They all will be - at least locally here in the LA area (the final four will be televised on TNT and ESPN).

Here's a link to the 2008-2009 schedule:

Lakers Schedule 2008-2009

I have to figure out a better place to post this, though (at least for my own benefit).

Nice use of that emoticon, Sho.

PJ likes getting into their heads, obviously. Just like he enjoys mixing things up in the preseason, win column be damned.

I honestly couldn't continue watching tonight's sweep of the Lakers
Obviously with all the emphasis on who's gonna play what position, the one thing the coaching staff did not focus on was defense. That's been obvious from these last two games. Especially, tonight against the Clips. Giving up nearly 60 points before halftime is just ridiculous. Like I said, I didn't finish watching the game, but I switched back in order to see the final score. 107 to 80?!!! Good Lord!

Wake me when the preseason is over.

Nice win over, uh, Spain, last night.

I read this article in the Sunday LA Times this morning. I'm quoting parts of it, along with a link to the full story, because the LA Times website is notorious for making their articles disappear after a while.

Bynum Still Has Something To Prove

For Bynum, it's graduation year.

Which doesn't give him an excuse for senioritis.

This is not a time for him to be late for practice, which happened last week.

This is not a time for him to be tentative with his rehabilitated knee, which has happened during training camp, Bynum yet to show the Lakers the full-court energy they require.

More than anything, this is not a time for his agent to be publicly popping off about the Lakers giving him a new contract.

A new contract for what?

He might be the key to the Lakers' championship run, but in three seasons he has played only about a month's worth of important games for them.

Yet last week his agent David Lee squawked in this newspaper about the Lakers refusing to seriously negotiate a new deal worth $85 million before an Oct. 31 deadline.

"I just don't get it," Lee said to The Times' Mike Bresnahan. "I do not understand certain things that happen."

Understand this: The Lakers have no idea whether Bynum will fully recover from the knee injury that cost him two-thirds of last season.

"I think he's going through a re-acclimation process still," Coach Phil Jackson said Saturday before the Lakers' 108-104 exhibition victory over Regal FC Barcelona. "Some of it has to do with finding out how much he still has to physically recover to get back to that position where he was when he left the game last January."

Understand this: Even if they don't sign him by Oct. 31, they can match any other team's offer next summer when he is a restricted free agent, so if they want him they are guaranteed to have him for at least two more years.

Why should they do something now?

"Andrew has taken everything the Lakers have thrown at him, including criticism," Lee said. "He doesn't do anything to respond other than go on the court."

Except when he's missing 110 of the Lakers' 279 regular-season and postseason games since joining the club.

And what exactly have the Lakers thrown at him, except the best attention from trainer Gary Vitti's staff and extra work with every coach and everything else he needs to be the best?

OK, so Bryant wanted him to be traded. When Bynum proved himself last year, Bryant was the first guy on the bandwagon.

It's time for Bynum to prove himself again.

Allowing his agent to make such a stink about something so senseless is not the sign of someone who is focused only on his comeback.

Bynum reiterated Saturday that he approved those comments.

"I knew what he was going to say, I had no problem with it," Bynum said. "But I also know that as long as I play, then everything will be fine."

So play. And tell everyone in your circle to just watch.

He has already learned that, while Lakers management is used to hearing this sort of agent blather, the fans will pounce upon it, especially in a season when nothing less than a return to the NBA Finals will be enough.

When Bynum fumbled a pass Saturday at Staples Center, a fan stood and shouted one word.

"Contract!" he screamed.

When Bynum was beaten around the basket, another fan shouted out a challenge.

"Show me something!" When the Lakers were called for three seconds?

"That's on you, Bynum!" shouted a fan.

At times, moving under the basket, slicing through two defenders for a layup, Bynum looked good.

At other times, struggling to catch up with some dude who looked like he was 50, he looked winded.

He had his first alley-oop dunk in a game situation since camp began. But he also had some dumb fouls that came from being out of position.

The giant believes he will be in playing shape by opening day.

"I should be there," he said.

The coach believes that, despite Bynum's tardiness last week, he truly is working hard and not distracted by the contract stuff.

"I really think he's focused on basketball, I think he's doing fine," Jackson said.

Bynum is a good guy. He works hard, everyone likes him, his presence in this town could one day be as big as that new body.

But 85 million dollars?

How about 82 good games?

I tend to agree with Plaschke.

Gee, I hope somebody decides to come back and post something someday....

In the meantime, I'll just keep on keepin' on. Tonight was the final preseason game, and from the looks of it, the Lakers are gonna be one heck of a team this year! They won their last 6 games, and the last 2 without Kobe! That second unit is full of surprises, too. I think Farmar and Ariza are gonna win Couple of the Year ( that's the one they hand out after Rookie of the Year, isn't it?!). Those steals by Farmar, the fast break, then the nifty pass back to a streaking Ariza for the slam dunk are gonna be fun to watch all year. Hopefully.

And Bynum really got big since last January! I haven't heard how many pounds he put on, but he's definitely bulked up, which is - in my opinion - the one thing he still needed to be a dominate Center in this league. He's also learned how to stay focused when he gets the ball. A couple of times tonight, he did a great job of faking out his defenders when he was right under the basket, then jumping up for an easy dunk.

Also nice to see Sasha back in uniform. That 3 pointer he got in the final quarter - from a pass by Farmar - was sweet.

Yeah, I'm liking This Year's Model.

Bring on the regular season!

This is starting to look like a dynasty team again.

I couldn't agree with you more! Just as long as everybody stays healthy!

Game Two

Lakers 117
Clippers 79


from yahoo.com:

Kobe Bryant had 16 points and eight rebounds, Andrew Bynum added 12 points and nine rebounds, and the Lakers spoiled the Clippers season opener with a 117-79 rout Wednesday night.

The Lakers began their season with a similar blowout a night earlier, breezing to a 96-76 win at home against Portland on Tuesday.

As they did against the Trail Blazers, the Lakers got deep and balanced scoring and played scrappy defense. They held the Clippers to 38 percent shooting while shooting 51 percent themselves.

Derek Fisher scored 15 in the victory, including going 3-of-6 as the Lakers finished 10-of-19 from 3-point range. Pau Gasol added 13 points, Jordan Farmar 15, and Trevor Ariza had 11 points and six rebounds. Chris Mims scored most of his 10 points during mop-up time.

Bynum, back after a knee injury last January sidelined him for the rest of the season, went 4-of-7 from the floor and helped jam up the middle on defense, blocking three shots.

Down 33-32, the Lakers got some spark from the reserves and reeled off a 24-6 string beginning with Farmar's running jumper with 8:18 remaining in the second quarter. Ariza scored eight points during the run and Farmar had five points, three assists and a rebound.

That helped the Lakers open a 56-39 lead with 1:06 remaining and they were up 59-44 at halftime.

They outscored the Clippers 26-13 in the third quarter and were up 85-57 heading into the final 12 minutes.

Once again, the Lakers dominated this game, going up 20 points on the Clippers, just like last night against the Blazers. Only tonight, they took it a bit farther and went up 30+ points, I guess just to prove that they can. It does bother me a bit to see Farmar doing some of his crazy acrobatics late in the fourth quarter with the team already having a decent lead. Not that I don't like to see him put on a show, I just don't want to see him get injured. He's playing pretty fearlessly right now; I just hope he doesn't get reckless as well. But I'll say that second unit is sure putting on an impressive show.

I'm thinking it's going to be a very good year for Lakers fans.

Lakers record: 2-0