News has been slow for the Lakers recently. Free agency decisions won’t take place until July, a number of players are rehabilitating, and the playoffs are continuing without L.A. participating. But that doesn’t stop the opportunity to look at one of the greatest Lakers ever; Kobe Bryant. Gabriel Lee of Lakers Nation wrote a piece on understanding what fuels Kobe Bryant’s ‘Mamba Mentality’. In it, Gabriel channels what he called Kobe’s “opaqueness” and how fans learned about the Black Mamba “through tales told by trainers about his meticulous work ethic.” With the incline in social media, and Bryant’s willingness to finally enter the grid, Lee argues Kobe has “slowly shifted from the mythical Kobe Bryant to a relatable guy who just so happens to be extremely good at basketball.” Check out the rest of the article where Lee details the ways in which he, and many fans, find greatness in Mr. Bryant.
Lakers Nation polled our readers to see whether or not Dwight Howard would return this coming season. 56 percent or you believed that Dwight Howard is more likely to leave the Lakers this off-season, citing bad season stats and lack of confidence as the reasons why. This who thought he would return stated that last season was just an adjustment, and that Dwight’s potential is worth the investment.
Pau Gasol’s knee surgery took place right at the end of the season to aid his tendonitis, and today the big man tweeted us an update. Pau had a successful checkup and will remain on crutches for three weeks. He averaged only 13.7 points and 8.6 rebounds in only 49 games for the 2012-2013 season.
Trending is a popular term in social media these days. Ross Gasmer of Lakers Nation has put together a list of who is hot, and not, with the Lakers right now. Take a look at the players trending up, down and in the middle thus far in the off-season; you might be surprised.
In case you missed it yesterday, Lakers’ Flynn Robinson passed away. He was a member of the 1971-72 championship team, averaging 14 points, 2.5 rebounds, and three assists throughout his time in the league. Flynn earned the nickname ‘Mr. Instant Point,’ given to him by Chick Hearn.
Lakers Nation News
Kobe Bryant Posts Instagram Picture of Himself Getting New Tattoo
NBA Rumors: Phil Jackson To Replace Joe Dumars In Detroit?
Lakers News: Pau Gasol Gives Update On Knee Surgery Via Twitter
Video: NBA Features Kobe Bryant in New BIG Commercial
Lakers Nation Reacts: Will Dwight Howard Return To The Lakers?
Lakers Players In The News: Trending Up, Down And In The Middle
Kobe Bryant Hints At New Tattoo, Jokes That It’s On His Face
Understanding What Fuels Kobe Bryant’s ‘Mamba Mentality’
Lakers News: Dwight Howard Named to All-NBA Third Team
Lakers News: Former Laker Flynn Robinson Passes Away
Lakers News
Dallas Mavericks Trading 13th Overall Pick for Cap Space to Make Run at Howard? [Silver Screen and Roll]
Draft Primer: Searching for Contributors [Silver Screen and Roll]
To Rebound Into a Title Contender, Can the 2013-2014 Lakers Follow the Blueprint of the 2010-2011 Dallas Mavericks? [Silver Screen and Roll]
How Unlikely is a Dwight Howard/Chris Paul Future? [Silver Screen and Roll]
Kupchak: ‘Players Don’t Have to Like Coaches’ [Silver Screen and Roll]
Kobe Bryant “Forever is BIG” Playoff Ad [Silver Screen and Roll]
Dwight Howard is Unhappy, What Else is New? [Fox Sports West]
Phil Jackson’s Skepticism that Dwight Will Return to the Lakers [LA Times]
For Dwight and D’Antoni, Simpler is Better [Forum Blue and Gold]
Kupchak talks Howard, Lakers offseason – Video – SI.com
Dwight Howard Voiced Frustrations [ESPN]
Kobe Tweets He Wants Howard and Gasol Back With Lakers [ProBasketballTalk]
Podcast: Is L.A. What’s Best for Dwight Howard? Phil Jackson’s Book [Land O’Lakers]
Nonstop Dwight Howard Rumors Make Chris Paul Look Magical by Comparison [Point Forward]
Phil Jackson’s ‘Eleven Rings’ Is A Highlight After A Rough Season [Forum Blue and Gold]
Latest NBA Rumors: Warriors Interested in Dwight Howard [Fox Sports West]
Does Howard Understand Team Legacy? [ESPN]
Lakers GM Kupchak Denies He, Howard Talked About D’Antoni [ProBasketballTalk]
Earl Clark, Pau Gasol, and Asset Management [Land O’Lakers]
NBA News
Grizzlies’ Tony Allen Fined for Flop During Playoffs [Point Forward]
GameTime: Stopping Parker [NBA.com]
Analyzing Indiana Pacers-Miami Heat Game 1 Thriller [ESPN]
After LeBron James’ Last-Second Layup Beats Pacers, Roy Hibbert Vows Not to Sit Quietly Again [Yahoo! Sports]
Heat’s D Exposes Granger’s Absence [Hang Time Blog]
Grizzlies Coach Focused on Spurs, Not His Contract [Yahoo! Sports]
LeBron James, Kobe Bryant Voted to All-NBA First Team [ESPN]
Miami Heat Revealed Weaknesses in Game 1 vs. Indiana Pacers [SI.com]
Tony Parker to Have ‘Precautionary’ MRI on Calf [SI Wire]
Pacers’ Roy Hibbert Says Heat’s Shane Battier Guilty of Intentional Low Blow [Point Forward]
Heat, Pacers Say Game 2 Should Be Even Better [NBA.com]
Bosh’s Versatility Causes Dilemma for Indy [Heat Index Blog]
George vs. LeBron: NBA’s Next Great Rivalry [ESPN]
Phil Jackson Says He’d Take Bill Russell Over Michael Jordan to Start His Team [Ball Don’t Lie]
Small Markets Scrap For Success [NBA.com]
Competition for Team USA’s Point Guard Spots to Heat Up at Vegas Mini-Camp [Yahoo! Sports]
Are Grizzlies In Need of Lineup Change? [NBA.com]
Pacers’ Roy Hibbert Says Heat’s Shane Battier Guilty of Intentional Low Blow [SI.com]