Superstar after superstar have paved the way for the Los Angeles Lakers to remain as one of the best teams in the league since the franchise originated in 1947.

The superstars who have led the Lakers to championships and late runs in the playoffs are in the Hall of Fame: George Mikan, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and as soon as they wait the required time after retirement, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Bryant, 33-years old, is slowing down after 16 NBA regular seasons and long playoff runs year in and year out. His 37 points, eight rebounds and six assists against the Houston Rockets in a 108-99 Lakers’ victory on Tuesday is a demonstration he isn’t done yet.

Unfortunately for Bryant and the Lakers, it’s only a matter of time before he is. Each season Bryant plays, his body breaks down a little more and he tore a ligament in his wrist during a preseason game.

The question of who is next has to be ringing in the ears of the Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss and the General Manager Mitch Kupchak.

If the current Lakers team is examined, there seems to be only one legit possibility: center Andrew Bynum.

Power forward Pau Gasol, 31 years old, is a great number two option but he proved he couldn’t be the best player on a team and win games when he was with the Memphis Grizzlies for the first seven seasons of his NBA career. In his time with the Grizzlies, he went to the playoffs in three consecutive seasons but never won a postseason game.

The rest of the Lakers’ roster consists of role players and aging personnel such as Metta World Peace.

Then there is the 24-year old center who has already been in the NBA for six seasons and has won two championships. He is young, he has experience and he has the ability to beast almost every other center in the league. The Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard is probably the only exception.

While Bryant scored 37 points against the Rockets, Bynum recorded a huge double-double with 21 points and 22 rebounds. When the big man was fed the ball in the paint, no one could stop him.

He is the only player the Lakers have that show signs of being a franchise player or the superstar to lead the team after Bryant is gone.

Bynum is already a star, but he’ll never reach the next level if he can’t stay healthy. He has only played in more than 65 games a season once in his career.

If he is going to be the face of the franchise, which usually means the face of the NBA, he absolutely has to stay healthy and put up 20 plus points and 20 plus rebounds on a nightly basis. A double-double here and there is impressive, but it doesn’t scream, “I’m a franchise player”.

I don’t think he is the right guy for Los Angeles to rely on to keep the team at an elite level. The Lakers should keep Gasol and Bynum together to package their team as a powerful one-two punch.

But, neither one of them can do it on their own. Honestly, without a young point guard, they might not be able to do it together.

The Lakers might have to make some trade negotiations.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Gotta run!.

Through three games, Andrew Bynum is playing like an NBA All-Star.

On Tuesday night against the Houston Rockets, he achieved a career milestone with his first 20-point, 20-rebound performance at Staples Center. Kobe Bryant said following the game, “There’s plenty more to come… the biggest challenge for him is staying healthy.”

Everyone in Los Angeles understands exactly what Kobe means.

For fans, this scenario is all too familiar. In years past, Bynum has suffered a catastrophic injury just as he hits his stride. If he plays in all 66 games this year, it will be his first full season since his sophomore campaign, the only one in which he played in all 82 games.

The NBA lockout as well as a four game suspension could both be blessings in disguise. The extra time off and shortened season could mitigate the risk of yet another injury. The Lakers will need him this season more than ever after losing a key component to their frontcourt in Lamar Odom.

The loss of Odom via trade this offseason will cause the Lakers to lean heavily on Bynum to get them into the playoffs, let alone make a deep run. Thus far in the 2011-2012 season, Bynum has played at an extremely high level and shown for three games that he can be the player has to be for the team to improve upon a disappointing finish in 2011.

When Bynum plays as well as he is capable of, it takes tremendous pressure off Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, opening up the floor for their respective games. Defensively, he alters opponents’ shots with regularity and contributes to easy baskets on the other end of the floor.

The task of maintaining his health and fitness will be a game-by-game process. Only time will tell whether or not Bynum will go the direction of Grant Hill and overcome significant injuries or Brandon Roy and be another young player who simply can’t stay on the court.

If he plays like he has so far all season, the Lakers will be a much stronger team and will remain among the league’s elite, despite the loss of a great player like Odom.This kind of start from Bynum is exactly what the team needs to get over the disappointment of a tumultuous offseason.

Michael C. Jones is a Yahoo! Featured Contributor in Sports and follows all news and developments of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Follow Michael on Twitter

Sources:

Basketball-Reference.com

Fox Sports West Television Network

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Read More: Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings, Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Lakers, Jan 3, 2012 7:30 PM PST

The Los Angeles Lakers will host the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night, in the midst of a busy time at Staples Center. The Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers along with the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL all have extended road trips at the beginning of February, dubbed the “Grammy road trip” as the venue prepares to host the annual music awards. That, coupled with an extra dense NBA schedule thanks to the lockout makes for many home games in January.

Tuesday is the sixth of 17 consecutive days with a sporting event at Staples Center:

• Thursday, December 29: Lakers beat the New York Knicks 99-82
• Friday, December 30: Clippers lost their home opener to the Chicago Bulls 114-101
• Saturday, December 31: Lakers beat the Nuggets in the afternoon 92-89, and the Kings beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 at night
• Sunday, January 1: Clippers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 93-88
• Monday, January 2: Kings lost in a shootout 2-1 to the Colorado Avalanche
• Tuesday, January 3: Lakers host the Rockets
• Wednesday, January 4: Clippers host the Rockets
• Thursday, January 5: Kings host the Phoenix Coyotes
• Friday, January 6: Lakers host the Golden State Warriors
• Saturday, January 7: Kings host the Columbus Blue Jackets
• Sunday, January 8: Lakers host the Memphis Grizzlies
• Monday, January 9: Kings host the Washington Capitals
• Tuesday, January 10: Lakers host the Phoenix Suns
• Wednesday, January 11: Clippers host the Miami Heat
• Thursday, January 12: Kings host the Dallas Stars
• Friday, January 13: Lakers host the Cleveland Cavaliers
• Saturday, January 14: Clippers host the Lakers

That’s quite a run of games at Staples Center for more than two weeks. And don’t worry, even though there isn’t a game on Sunday, January 15, the Lakers and Clippers each make up for it with home games on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Janaury 16. January is a busy sports month at Staples Center

Tuesday’s 7:30 p.m. PST game will be televised by Fox Sports West. For more Lakers basketball news and information, be sure to read Silver Screen and Roll.

Leave your comments on the news below.

NUGGETS-LAKERS

Bynum returns, leads Lakers over Nuggets

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Andrew Bynum had 29 points and 13 rebounds in his season debut following a 4-game suspension that carried over from the playoffs, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 92-89 Saturday.

Bynum shot 13 for 18, helping the Lakers win their third straight following the team’s first 0-2 start since 2002-03.

The 7-foot center was suspended without pay for the first four games of the season because of a flagrant foul against Dallas’ J.J. Barea in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. The original ban was five games, but was reduced on Dec. 23 as a result of a shortened schedule caused by the NBA lockout.

Kobe Bryant, bogged down by foul trouble, had 17 points along with nine assists and 10 rebounds. The Lakers overcame 2 for 24 shooting from 3-point range.

KNICKS-KINGS

Anthony, Chandler lead Knicks over Kings 114-92

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Carmelo Anthony scored 23 points, Tyson Chandler had 18 of his 22 in the second half, and the New York Knicks assumed control early in beating the Sacramento Kings 114-92 on Saturday night.

The Knicks didn’t miss starting forward Amare Stoudemire, their leading rebounder and second-leading scorer who sat out with a sprained left ankle.

New York (2-2) used a 15-0 run in the opening quarter to take a 35-20 lead. Toney Douglas scored nine points and had 3 of the Knicks’ six 3-pointers.

Landry Fields had 21 points and Chandler added seven rebounds for the Knicks, who had struggled offensively in losing their previous two games, but had a season-high point total against the Kings. Douglas had 17 points and eight assists.

76ERS-WARRIORS

76ers overcome slow start, roll past Warriors

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Andre Iguodala had 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, Lou Williams added 23 points off the bench and the Philadelphia 76ers overcame a sluggish start to beat the Golden State Warriors 107-79 on Saturday night.

One night after blowing a 13-point lead in a loss to Utah, Philadelphia fell behind by that same margin before outscoring the Warriors 69-41 over the second and third quarters.

Spencer Hawes had 14 points and 12 rebounds for the 76ers, who have one more stop left on their season-opening, 5-game road trip – the longest trip to start a season in franchise history.

Stephen Curry, back in the lineup after a 1-game absence due to a sprained ankle, scored 21 points for Golden State, which played without guard Monta Ellis.

AVALANCHE-DUCKS

Avs beat Ducks 4-2 in Giguere’s Anaheim return

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Jean-Sebastien Giguere made 18 saves in his first game in Anaheim since the Ducks traded him nearly two years ago, and Milan Hejduk scored two goals in the Colorado Avalanche’s 4-2 victory on Saturday night.

Kyle Quincey and Chuck Kobasew also scored for the Avalanche, who are surging into the new year with eight wins in their last 10 games.

Lubomir Visnovsky and Bobby Ryan scored for Anaheim, which is stuck in 29th place in the 30-team overall NHL standings. Saku Koivu had two assists in his return to the Ducks’ lineup after an 8-game absence with a strained groin.

The Anaheim crowd gave several standing ovations to Giguere, the popular goalie who backstopped the Ducks to two Stanley Cup finals and their only NHL title.

FIGHT HUNGER BOWL

Illinois beats UCLA 20-14 in Fight Hunger Bowl

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Terry Hawthorne returned an interception 39 yards for Illinois’ first touchdown late in the third quarter and the Illini snapped a 6-game losing streak by beating UCLA 20-14 in the Fight Hunger Bowl.

Nathan Scheelhaase added a 60-yard touchdown pass to A.J. Jenkins midway through the fourth quarter to seal the first victory for Illinois (7-6) since beating Indiana 12 weeks ago.

The game between two six-win teams who have already fired their head coaches matched the underwhelming expectations as there was little excitement before Hawthorne’s third-quarter touchdown that gave Illinois its first lead.

UCLA (6-8) was held to 18 yards rushing in its third straight loss. Kevin Prince threw two TD passes, including one in the closing minute to Nelson Rosario after the game had been decided.

UCLA-CALIFORNIA

Cal routs UCLA 85-69, moves to 11-0 at home

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) – Allen Crabbe scored 20 points, including four 3-pointers, and California beat UCLA 85-69 on Saturday to pull off its first home sweep of the Los Angeles schools in eight years and stay undefeated at home.

Jorge Gutierrez had 16 points and eight assists, freshman David Kravish scored a career-best 13 points and Justin Cobbs added 13 points and a career-high eight assists as Cal shot a season-high 65% from the field. Crabbe, who added six assists and five rebounds, had five points during a decisive run to start the second half as the Golden Bears (12-3, 2-0 Pac-12) pulled away.

Tyler Lamb scored a career-high 26 points and David Wear added 17 points and seven rebounds for the Bruins (7-7, 0-2), who couldn’t keep up once Cal got on a roll. It was the Bruins’ most lopsided defeat in the series since a 92-63 loss on Feb. 1, 2001.

SOUTHERN CAL-STANFORD

USC falls to Stanford 51-43

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) – Aaron Bright scored 7 of his game-high 16 points in the final 4:43 of play to help Stanford beat Southern California 51-43 Saturday.

Josh Owens added 12 points and eight rebounds for the Cardinal (12-2, 2-0), who ended a 3-game losing streak to the Trojans.

Alexis Moore scored 12 points to lead the Trojans (5-10, 0-2), who lost their third straight and 5 of 6 overall.

The Cardinal led by 11 with 14:25 remaining before the Trojans whittled it to a 3-point deficit nine minutes later. Bright hit a long 2-point jump shot and a 3-pointer within a 38-second period to give Stanford a 49-41 advantage with under four minutes to play.

After trailing by eight early, Stanford bounced back to take a 31-25 lead at halftime.

T25-STANFORD-UCLA

No. 4 Stanford women rout UCLA 77-50

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Nnemkadi Ogwumike and Chiney Ogwumike posted double-doubles for the second straight game to lead No. 4 Stanford past UCLA 77-50 Saturday, handing the Bruins their 12th consecutive loss against the perennial Pac-12 women’s powerhouse.

Nnemkadi Ogwumike had 18 points and 10 rebounds, her sister Chiney had 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Toni Kokenis added 11 points for the Cardinal (11-1, 2-0), which won their eighth in a row and extended their league winning streak to a record 59 games.

UCLA’s Rebekah Gardner scored 17 points and Markel Walker added 11 for the injury-riddled Bruins (6-7, 1-1). They were without leading scorer and rebounder Atonye Nyingifa, who tore her right ACL in a loss to Tennessee on Dec. 17 and is out for the season. They had already lost Jasmine Dixon, who ruptured her Achilles tendon in September.

CALIFORNIA-USC

USC women storm past California 74-54 in Pac-12

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Christina Marinacci and Cassie Harberts scored 23 points apiece to lead USC to a 74-54 victory over California on Saturday.

Ashley Corral added 13 points for the Trojans (6-6, 1-1 Pac-12), who outshot California 44.4% to 26.8%.

Marinacci made 9 of 14 shots, and Harberts went 13 of 16 from the free throw line.

Brittany Boyd’s 14 points paced the Bears (9-5, 0-2), who lost their second in a row. Layshia Clarendon scored 11 points and Reshanda Gray 10, while Gennifer Brandon grabbed 12 rebounds.

USC stormed to early leads of 7-0 and 15-2 before the Bears clawed back to trail only 32-29 at halftime.

Brandon’s basket tied it 35-35 with 17:21 left, but then the Trojans embarked on a 15-1 run keyed by nine points from Marinacci to forge a 50-36 edge with 11:24 left.

WHITE SOX-PADRES TRADE

Padres get Quentin from White Sox for 2 prospects

SAN DIEGO (AP) – The San Diego Padres have acquired 2-time All-Star outfielder Carlos Quentin from the Chicago White Sox in an attempt to bolster their anemic offense.

Quentin grew up in the San Diego area and was a 2-time All-Star with the White Sox. He has four consecutive 20-homer seasons, including 36 in 2008.

The White Sox will receive minor league pitchers Simon Castro, a right-hander, and Pedro Hernandez, a left-hander.

A shoulder injury limited Quentin to just one game in the final month of 2011, but Padres general manager Josh Byrnes says the outfielder is healthy.

The deal was announced on Saturday.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Comment Below!.

That’s all the news for today.

Not much else going on in the NBA world today.

CBSSports.com wire reports
Dec. 31, 2011

LOS ANGELES — Andrew Bynum provided the Los Angeles Lakers with a powerful performance in his season debut, following a four-game suspension that carried over from the playoffs.

It all would have been for naught, however, had it not been for some clutch shooting in the fourth quarter by Kobe Bryant and a couple of equally critical hustle plays by Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol in the final minutes.

Bynum scored 29 points on 13 for 18 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds, leading the Lakers to a 92-89 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. The 7-foot center played 31 ½ grueling minutes, helping the Lakers win their third straight following their first 0-2 start since 2002-03.

“They were looking for me a lot. I was a focal point early in the offense, so I knew the quicker I got down the court, the better it was,” said Bynum, who made four of his first five shots and finished the first quarter with 10 points. “I was winded like crazy. I couldn’t breathe in the first six minutes. Defensively, getting back and all those things require me to be in better condition. So it’s going to take a little while.”

Bynum was suspended without pay for the first four games because of a flagrant foul against Dallas’ J.J. Barea in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. The original ban was five games, but was reduced on Dec. 23 as a result of a shortened schedule caused by the lockout.

“I really didn’t have the highest expectations,” said the seven-year veteran, who totaled 41 points and 23 rebounds in two preseason games against the Clippers. “I just wanted to come out and be aggressive. I wanted to get it down low, and when I got it, I made shots.”

Bryant, bogged down by foul trouble, had 17 points along with nine assists and 10 rebounds. The Lakers overcame 2-for-24 shooting from 3-point range.

Reserve forward Al Harrington had 21 points for the Nuggets, who have lost 25 of their last 29 road games against the Lakers.

“The game of basketball treats you badly sometimes,” Denver coach George Karl said. “No one feels very good right now. They hurt us rebounding the ball and they hurt us with Bynum’s power underneath the basket. They’ve very good at playing an aggressive style of disrupting you, with guys coming at you on pick-and-rolls.”

The Lakers missed their first 12 shots from 3-point range — all in the first half — before Matt Barnes connected with 11:11 left in the third to put Los Angeles ahead 49-47. The Nuggets weren’t much better from behind the arc, missing nine of their first 10 before finishing up 7 for 26.

Trailing 71-69 after three quarters, the Lakers tied it four times before Harrington’s 3-pointer gave Denver an 85-80 lead with 5:29 to play. Bynum guided in a pass above the rim from Bryant and converted the ensuing free throw to narrow the gap to 89-87 with 3:23 left.

Fisher, who fouled out with six points in his 500th consecutive game, missed a 3-point shot trying to beat the 24-second clock — but hustled all the way to the other side of the court to fall on the loose ball and managed to get a timeout with 2:29 remaining and the Lakers still down by two.

“I haven’t seen it on tape yet, and I’m sure it doesn’t look very graceful. But I’m glad it helped us get a win,” the 37-year-old Fisher said with a chuckle. “You see a ball free and you go for it, especially at that time of the game. To make hustle plays and do the little things, that’s the team that we’re becoming – a team that can figure out a way to grind out wins.

“Once I saw the ball bounce long [Ty] Lawson and I were kind of bumping into each other shoulder-to-shoulder and I started to lose my balance,” Fisher explained. “So it was somewhat surprising that I was still able to figure out a way to find the basketball as I was stumbling and regain control before going out of bounds.”

Bryant tied it 89-all with a pair of free throws, and Bynum blocked a layup by Nene with 2 minutes left before converting a layup at the other end for a 91-89 lead with 1:50 to go.

The Nuggets had a few opportunities to pull it out. But Gasol blocked a layup by Lawson, who missed two free throws the next time the Nuggets had possession. Danilo Gallinari had a chance to tie it, but blew an easy fast-break layup with Steve Blake on his heels after Bryant missed a jumper at the other end.

“We get three layups and a couple of free throws in the last three minutes, and we miss all of them,” Karl lamented. “Our offensive confidence is a little short right now.”

Fisher’s consecutive-game streak is the longest among active NBA players. Former Lakers forward A.C. Green, a teammate of Fisher’s during the 1999-00 season, holds the league record with 1,192 in a row.

“That’s what’s so amazing about what he was able to accomplish — especially as a big guy out there banging with the best of them,” Fisher said. “For him to be able to have done what it took mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically to be prepared to go to work every single day for all those seasons was a big-time example for me.

“It’s not like I’m chasing any type of number, but I just try to bring the same mentality to work, whether it’s 500 or 1,000. I’m nowhere close to his streak, but I still take great pride in coming to work every day. Those experiences with him were great. We talked a lot and I learned a lot from him.”

Bryant, who averaged 27.8 points through the first four games despite playing with a torn ligament in his right wrist, missed his first three shots and played more than 14 scoreless minutes before ending the drought on a floater that put the Lakers ahead 38-36 with 3:40 left in the second quarter.

Notes

• The Lakers have played six times on New Year’s Eve since coming to Los Angeles — all at home (5-1). Their rematch with the Nuggets on Sunday night will mark the first time the Lakers have played on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in the same season since 1959-60, when the franchise was based in Minneapolis.
• Bryant needs four points to become the sixth player in history to reach 28,000.

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andrew Bynum had 29 points and 13 rebounds in his season debut following a four-game suspension that carried over from the playoffs, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 92-89 Saturday.

Gallery: Lakers-Nuggets

Bynum shot 13 for 18, helping the Lakers win their third straight following the team’s first 0-2 start since 2002-03.

The 7-foot center was suspended without pay for the first four games of the season because of a flagrant foul against Dallas’ J.J. Barea in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. The original ban was five games, but was reduced on Dec. 23 as a result of a shortened schedule caused by the NBA lockout.

Bynum totaled 41 points and 23 rebounds in two preseason games against the Clippers.

Kobe Bryant, bogged down by foul trouble, had 17 points along with nine assists and 10 rebounds. The Lakers overcame 2-for-24 shooting from 3-point range.

Reserve forward Al Harrington had 21 points for the Nuggets, who have lost 25 of their last 29 road games against the Lakers.

The Lakers missed their first 12 shots from 3-point range — all of them in the first half — before Matt Barnes connected with 11:11 left in the third to put Los Angeles ahead 49-47. The Nuggets weren’t much better from behind the arc, missing nine of their first 10 before finishing up 7 for 26.

Trailing 71-69 after three quarters, the Lakers tied it four times before Harrington’s 3-pointer gave Denver an 85-80 lead with 5:29 to play. Bynum guided in a pass above the rim from Bryant and converted the ensuing free throw to narrow the gap to 89-87 with 3:23 left.

Derek Fisher, who fouled out with six points in his 500th consecutive game, missed a 3-point shot trying to beat the 24-second clock — but hustled all the way to the other side of the court to fall on the loose ball and get a timeout with 2:29 remaining and the Lakers still down by two.

Bryant tied it 89-all with a pair of free throws and Bynum blocked a layup by Nene with 2 minutes left before converting a layup at the other end for a 91-89 lead with 1:50 to go.

The Nuggets had a few opportunities to pull it out. But Gasol blocked a layup by Ty Lawson, who then missed two free throws the next time the Nuggets had possession. Danilo Gallinari had a chance to tie it, but blew an easy fast-break layup after a missed jumper by Bryant at the other end.

Bynum made four of his first five shots and finished the first quarter with 10 points. Bryant, who averaged 27.8 points through the first four games despite playing with a torn ligament in his right wrist, missed his first three shots and played more than 14 scoreless minutes before ending the drought on a floater that put the Lakers ahead 38-36 with 3:40 left in the second quarter.

Notes: The Lakers have played six times on New Year’s Eve since coming to Los Angeles — all at home (5-1). Their rematch with the Nuggets on Sunday night will mark the first time the Lakers have played on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in the same season since 1959-60, when the franchise was based in Minneapolis. … Bryant needs four points to become the sixth player in history to surpass 28,000. … Fisher’s consecutive-game streak is the NBA’s longest active streak. Former Lakers forward A.C. Green, a teammate of Fisher’s during the 1999-00 season, holds the league record with 1,192 in a row. “That’s what’s so amazing about what he was able to accomplish — especially as a big guy out there banging with the best of them,” the 37-year-old Fisher said. “For him to be able to have done what it took mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically to be prepared to go to work every single day for all those seasons was a big-time example for me. It’s not like I’m chasing any type of number, but I just try to bring the same mentality to work, whether it’s 500 or 1,000.”

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Andrew Bynum provided the Los Angeles Lakers with a powerful performance in his season debut, following a four-game suspension that carried over from the playoffs.

It all would have been for naught, however, had it not been for some clutch shooting in the fourth quarter by Kobe Bryant and a couple of equally critical hustle plays by Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol in the final minutes.

Bynum scored 29 points on 13 for 18 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds, leading the Lakers to a 92-89 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. The 7-foot center played 31 1/2 grueling minutes, helping the Lakers win their third straight following their first 0-2 start since 2002-03.

“They were looking for me a lot. I was a focal point early in the offense, so I knew the quicker I got down the court, the better it was,” said Bynum, who made four of his first five shots and finished the first quarter with 10 points. “I was winded like crazy. I couldn’t breathe in the first six minutes. Defensively, getting back and all those things require me to be in better condition. So it’s going to take a little while.”

Bynum was suspended without pay for the first four games because of a flagrant foul against Dallas’ J.J. Barea in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. The original ban was five games, but was reduced on Dec. 23 as a result of a shortened schedule caused by the lockout.

“I really didn’t have the highest expectations,” said the seven-year veteran, who totaled 41 points and 23 rebounds in two preseason games against the Clippers. “I just wanted to come out and be aggressive. I wanted to get it down low, and when I got it, I made shots.”

Bryant, bogged down by foul trouble, had 17 points along with nine assists and 10 rebounds. The Lakers overcame 2-for-24 shooting from 3-point range.

Reserve forward Al Harrington had 21 points for the Nuggets, who have lost 25 of their last 29 road games against the Lakers.

“The game of basketball treats you badly sometimes,” Denver coach George Karl said. “No one feels very good right now. They hurt us rebounding the ball and they hurt us with Bynum’s power underneath the basket. They’ve very good at playing an aggressive style of disrupting you, with guys coming at you on pick-and-rolls.”

The Lakers missed their first 12 shots from 3-point range — all in the first half — before Matt Barnes connected with 11:11 left in the third to put Los Angeles ahead 49-47. The Nuggets weren’t much better from behind the arc, missing nine of their first 10 before finishing up 7 for 26.

Trailing 71-69 after three quarters, the Lakers tied it four times before Harrington’s 3-pointer gave Denver an 85-80 lead with 5:29 to play. Bynum guided in a pass above the rim from Bryant and converted the ensuing free throw to narrow the gap to 89-87 with 3:23 left.

Fisher, who fouled out with six points in his 500th consecutive game, missed a 3-point shot trying to beat the 24-second clock — but hustled all the way to the other side of the court to fall on the loose ball and managed to get a timeout with 2:29 remaining and the Lakers still down by two.

“I haven’t seen it on tape yet, and I’m sure it doesn’t look very graceful. But I’m glad it helped us get a win,” the 37-year-old Fisher said with a chuckle. “You see a ball free and you go for it, especially at that time of the game. To make hustle plays and do the little things, that’s the team that we’re becoming — a team that can figure out a way to grind out wins.

“Once I saw the ball bounce long (Ty) Lawson and I were kind of bumping into each other shoulder-to-shoulder and I started to lose my balance,” Fisher explained. “So it was somewhat surprising that I was still able to figure out a way to find the basketball as I was stumbling and regain control before going out of bounds.”

Bryant tied it 89-all with a pair of free throws, and Bynum blocked a layup by Nene with 2 minutes left before converting a layup at the other end for a 91-89 lead with 1:50 to go.

The Nuggets had a few opportunities to pull it out. But Gasol blocked a layup by Lawson, who missed two free throws the next time the Nuggets had possession. Danilo Gallinari had a chance to tie it, but blew an easy fast-break layup with Steve Blake on his heels after Bryant missed a jumper at the other end.

“We get three layups and a couple of free throws in the last three minutes, and we miss all of them,” Karl lamented. “Our offensive confidence is a little short right now.”

Fisher’s consecutive-game streak is the longest among active NBA players. Former Lakers forward A.C. Green, a teammate of Fisher’s during the 1999-00 season, holds the league record with 1,192 in a row.

‘That’s what’s so amazing about what he was able to accomplish — especially as a big guy out there banging with the best of them,” Fisher said. “For him to be able to have done what it took mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically to be prepared to go to work every single day for all those seasons was a big-time example for me.

“It’s not like I’m chasing any type of number, but I just try to bring the same mentality to work, whether it’s 500 or 1,000. I’m nowhere close to his streak, but I still take great pride in coming to work every day. Those experiences with him were great. We talked a lot and I learned a lot from him.”

Bryant, who averaged 27.8 points through the first four games despite playing with a torn ligament in his right wrist, missed his first three shots and played more than 14 scoreless minutes before ending the drought on a floater that put the Lakers ahead 38-36 with 3:40 left in the second quarter.

Notes: The Lakers have played six times on New Year’s Eve since coming to Los Angeles — all at home (5-1). Their rematch with the Nuggets on Sunday night will mark the first time the Lakers have played on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in the same season since 1959-60, when the franchise was based in Minneapolis. … Bryant needs four points to become the sixth player in history to reach 28,000.

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LOS ANGELES (AP)

Andrew Bynum provided the Los Angeles Lakers with a powerful performance in his season debut, following a four-game suspension that carried over from the playoffs.

It all would have been for naught, however, had it not been for some clutch shooting in the fourth quarter by Kobe Bryant and a couple of equally critical hustle plays by Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol in the final minutes.

Bynum scored 29 points on 13 for 18 shooting and grabbed 13 rebounds, leading the Lakers to a 92-89 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. The 7-foot center played 31 1/2 grueling minutes, helping the Lakers win their third straight following their first 0-2 start since 2002-03.

”They were looking for me a lot. I was a focal point early in the offense, so I knew the quicker I got down the court, the better it was,” said Bynum, who made four of his first five shots and finished the first quarter with 10 points. ”I was winded like crazy. I couldn’t breathe in the first six minutes. Defensively, getting back and all those things require me to be in better condition. So it’s going to take a little while.”

Bynum was suspended without pay for the first four games because of a flagrant foul against Dallas’ J.J. Barea in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. The original ban was five games, but was reduced on Dec. 23 as a result of a shortened schedule caused by the lockout.

”I really didn’t have the highest expectations,” said the seven-year veteran, who totaled 41 points and 23 rebounds in two preseason games against the Clippers. ”I just wanted to come out and be aggressive. I wanted to get it down low, and when I got it, I made shots.”

Bryant, bogged down by foul trouble, had 17 points along with nine assists and 10 rebounds. The Lakers overcame 2-for-24 shooting from 3-point range.

Reserve forward Al Harrington had 21 points for the Nuggets, who have lost 25 of their last 29 road games against the Lakers.

”The game of basketball treats you badly sometimes,” Denver coach George Karl said. ”No one feels very good right now. They hurt us rebounding the ball and they hurt us with Bynum’s power underneath the basket. They’ve very good at playing an aggressive style of disrupting you, with guys coming at you on pick-and-rolls.”

The Lakers missed their first 12 shots from 3-point range – all in the first half – before Matt Barnes connected with 11:11 left in the third to put Los Angeles ahead 49-47. The Nuggets weren’t much better from behind the arc, missing nine of their first 10 before finishing up 7 for 26.

Trailing 71-69 after three quarters, the Lakers tied it four times before Harrington’s 3-pointer gave Denver an 85-80 lead with 5:29 to play. Bynum guided in a pass above the rim from Bryant and converted the ensuing free throw to narrow the gap to 89-87 with 3:23 left.

Fisher, who fouled out with six points in his 500th consecutive game, missed a 3-point shot trying to beat the 24-second clock – but hustled all the way to the other side of the court to fall on the loose ball and managed to get a timeout with 2:29 remaining and the Lakers still down by two.

”I haven’t seen it on tape yet, and I’m sure it doesn’t look very graceful. But I’m glad it helped us get a win,” the 37-year-old Fisher said with a chuckle. ”You see a ball free and you go for it, especially at that time of the game. To make hustle plays and do the little things, that’s the team that we’re becoming – a team that can figure out a way to grind out wins.

”Once I saw the ball bounce long (Ty) Lawson and I were kind of bumping into each other shoulder-to-shoulder and I started to lose my balance,” Fisher explained. ”So it was somewhat surprising that I was still able to figure out a way to find the basketball as I was stumbling and regain control before going out of bounds.”

Bryant tied it 89-all with a pair of free throws, and Bynum blocked a layup by Nene with 2 minutes left before converting a layup at the other end for a 91-89 lead with 1:50 to go.

The Nuggets had a few opportunities to pull it out. But Gasol blocked a layup by Lawson, who missed two free throws the next time the Nuggets had possession. Danilo Gallinari had a chance to tie it, but blew an easy fast-break layup with Steve Blake on his heels after Bryant missed a jumper at the other end.

”We get three layups and a couple of free throws in the last three minutes, and we miss all of them,” Karl lamented. ”Our offensive confidence is a little short right now.”

Fisher’s consecutive-game streak is the longest among active NBA players. Former Lakers forward A.C. Green, a teammate of Fisher’s during the 1999-00 season, holds the league record with 1,192 in a row.

`That’s what’s so amazing about what he was able to accomplish – especially as a big guy out there banging with the best of them,” Fisher said. ”For him to be able to have done what it took mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically to be prepared to go to work every single day for all those seasons was a big-time example for me.

”It’s not like I’m chasing any type of number, but I just try to bring the same mentality to work, whether it’s 500 or 1,000. I’m nowhere close to his streak, but I still take great pride in coming to work every day. Those experiences with him were great. We talked a lot and I learned a lot from him.”

Bryant, who averaged 27.8 points through the first four games despite playing with a torn ligament in his right wrist, missed his first three shots and played more than 14 scoreless minutes before ending the drought on a floater that put the Lakers ahead 38-36 with 3:40 left in the second quarter.

Notes: The Lakers have played six times on New Year’s Eve since coming to Los Angeles – all at home (5-1). Their rematch with the Nuggets on Sunday night will mark the first time the Lakers have played on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in the same season since 1959-60, when the franchise was based in Minneapolis. … Bryant needs four points to become the sixth player in history to reach 28,000.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Andrew Bynum had 29 points and 13 rebounds in his season debut following a four-game suspension that carried over from the playoffs, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets 92-89 Saturday.

Bynum shot 13 for 18, helping the Lakers win their third straight following the team’s first 0-2 start since 2002-03.

The 7-foot center was suspended without pay for the first four games of the season because of a flagrant foul against Dallas’ J.J. Barea in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. The original ban was five games, but was reduced on Dec. 23 as a result of a shortened schedule caused by the NBA lockout.

Bynum totaled 41 points and 23 rebounds in two preseason games against the Clippers.

Kobe Bryant, bogged down by foul trouble, had 17 points along with nine assists and 10 rebounds. The Lakers overcame 2-for-24 shooting from 3-point range.

Reserve forward Al Harrington had 21 points for the Nuggets, who have lost 25 of their last 29 road games against the Lakers.

The Lakers missed their first 12 shots from 3-point range — all of them in the first half — before Matt Barnes connected with 11:11 left in the third to put Los Angeles ahead 49-47. The Nuggets weren’t much better from behind the arc, missing nine of their first 10 before finishing up 7 for 26.

Trailing 71-69 after three quarters, the Lakers tied it four times before Harrington’s 3-pointer gave Denver an 85-80 lead with 5:29 to play. Bynum guided in a pass above the rim from Bryant and converted the ensuing free throw to narrow the gap to 89-87 with 3:23 left.

Derek Fisher, who fouled out with six points in his 500th consecutive game, missed a 3-point shot trying to beat the 24-second clock — but hustled all the way to the other side of the court to fall on the loose ball and get a timeout with 2:29 remaining and the Lakers still down by two.

Bryant tied it 89-all with a pair of free throws and Bynum blocked a layup by Nene with 2 minutes left before converting a layup at the other end for a 91-89 lead with 1:50 to go.

The Nuggets had a few opportunities to pull it out. But Gasol blocked a layup by Ty Lawson, who then missed two free throws the next time the Nuggets had possession. Danilo Gallinari had a chance to tie it, but blew an easy fast-break layup after a missed jumper by Bryant at the other end.

Bynum made four of his first five shots and finished the first quarter with 10 points. Bryant, who averaged 27.8 points through the first four games despite playing with a torn ligament in his right wrist, missed his first three shots and played more than 14 scoreless minutes before ending the drought on a floater that put the Lakers ahead 38-36 with 3:40 left in the second quarter.

Notes: The Lakers have played six times on New Year’s Eve since coming to Los Angeles — all at home (5-1). Their rematch with the Nuggets on Sunday night will mark the first time the Lakers have played on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in the same season since 1959-60, when the franchise was based in Minneapolis. … Bryant needs four points to become the sixth player in history to surpass 28,000. … Fisher’s consecutive-game streak is the NBA’s longest active streak. Former Lakers forward A.C. Green, a teammate of Fisher’s during the 1999-00 season, holds the league record with 1,192 in a row. “That’s what’s so amazing about what he was able to accomplish — especially as a big guy out there banging with the best of them,” the 37-year-old Fisher said. “For him to be able to have done what it took mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically to be prepared to go to work every single day for all those seasons was a big-time example for me. It’s not like I’m chasing any type of number, but I just try to bring the same mentality to work, whether it’s 500 or 1,000.”

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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The Los Angeles Lakers enter the second weekend of the 2011-2012 season with a 2-2 record without center Andrew Bynum. Here’s a look at the team’s keys to victory for this Saturday’s game against the Denver Nuggets:

Who will guard Ty Lawson?

Ty Lawson has been outstanding thus far for the Nuggets while averaging 22.3 points per game. The Lakers don’t have a lot of team speed to guard him on the outside, especially if Derek Fisher starts the game. However, the Lakers have proven to be much more physical this year than in the past, and I wouldn’t be surprised if head coach Mike Brown works to slow him down rather than stop him.

On Christmas Day, the Lakers did an outstanding job against the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose for most of the game, and I think they’ll try to use a similar game plan against Lawson. The team didn’t have the back court speed to keep up with Rose for all four quarters, so I’m looking forward to seeing how the Lakers adjusts to another point guard who can score.

How will Andrew Bynum perform in the middle?

Andrew Bynum returns to the Lakers lineup this weekend after serving a four-game suspension for his actions during the 2011 NBA playoffs. He’ll move back to center while Pau Gasol returns to his familiar forward role. The Nuggets’ Nene Hilario is a solid forward/center, but if Bynum is on his game, I don’t think Hilario can guard him. In fact, I don’t think anyone on the Nuggets can defend Bynum if he comes in with his “A” game. However, Bynum hasn’t played in over a week, and I’m not sure what kind of shape he’s going to come in with. Hopefully, he’s ready to go.

What will the Lakers get from the bench?

The Nuggets aren’t afraid to use a three-guard lineup, and since the Lakers lack speed, I think that’s the game plan Denver will use on Saturday. The Lakers will need to off-set if they wish to contain Aron Affalo, Andre Miller and Lawson, but their options are limited.

I love Derek Fisher, but he can’t keep up with these guys, and that means the Lakers will need to trust the bench a bit more. Steve Blake has already received solid minutes this season, but Matt Barnes still isn’t seeing much time on the floor. That should change this weekend, but we’ll find out how effective he is. Oh and don’t forget about Metta World Peace. He’s quietly having a solid season in reserve, but I’m not sure how Brown will use him against a three-guard package.

Derek Ciapala has been a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers since childhood. His favorite Lakers’ moment is when they beat the Detroit Pistons 108-105 in Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals. You can follow him on Twitter @dciapala.

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Published: Dec. 30, 2011 at 1:29 AM

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The Los Angeles Lakers are chum in the ocean, and the 29 other NBA teams are sharks swimming around the proverbial waters of the Staples Center.

Now more vulnerable than ever, the Lakers find themselves with large targets on their backs as a myriad of questions surround the 2011-2012 team.

A new coach, new players, and aging veterans all leave observers wondering just what will become of this team. Given the Clippers new acquisitions, they now have worthy opponent in the competition for best team in Los Angeles.

The doubts and questions are many. Can the team implement a new system in the lockout-shortened season in time to contend for the title? Will Kobe Bryant and other players north of age 30 dodge the effects of injuries and Father Time? Finally and most importantly, does the team have the talent to compete among the elite teams in the Western Conference?

The time has come to address the uncertainty. In a shortened, 66-game season, the answers will come quickly. There is no time for the Lakers to turn the “switch” on and off to conserve energy and prepare for the playoffs.

This year, they need to focus in order to make the playoffs.

Against the Chicago Bulls on Christmas Day, they showed their age and ran out of gas in the late 4th quarter. The loss in Sacramento the following night was embarrassing and was cause for concern among Lakers faithful. The win against Utah on Tuesday night could help to ease the pain, but the long-term sustainability of any real success is what this team has to demonstrate.

The concerns are justified. Though NBA basketball has its ebbs and flows, the Lakers have a shorter margin for error given the difficult offseason they have had.

Losing Chris Paul for what appeared to be political reasons was devastating and ended up costing them valuable pieces to a team that was among the league ‘ s elite last season. Without the 2010-2011 Sixth Man of the Year, Lamar Odom, the Lakers have joined the masses of NBA mediocrity in terms of talent.

Will there be an intangible that gets them past the point of being just another good team?

It ‘ s getting to be too late in the career of Bryant to ask him to carry a team on his own, though if anyone can silence critics with his play, it is number 24.

How they respond this season will define the team in years to come and perhaps even Mike Brown ‘ s legacy as a head coach. It will take longer than just one short season to answer these questions. But there is a lot left to learn about which direction this team will ultimately go in 2012.

Michael C. Jones is a Yahoo! Featured Contributor in Sports and a southern California native, following all developments and news related to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Follow Michael on Twitter: @MJisyourhomeboy

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5 Keys to Los Angeles Lakers Success in 2012

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MANILA, Philippines — The Los Angeles Lakers earned their first win of the shortened 2011-2012 NBA regular season with a 96-71 rout of the Utah Jazz at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Lakers were playing their third game in three nights and coming off losses against the Chicago Bulls and the Sacramento Kings. With their victory, the Lakers avoided starting a season with 3 straight defeats for the first time in 33 years.

Kobe Bryant scored 26 points with 8 rebounds and 5 assists before sitting out most of the fourth quarter, while Pau Gasol added 22 points, 9 rebounds and 5 blocked shots.

Metta World Peace was the spark off the bench for the Lakers, tallying 14 points, two coming from a driving dunk in the 2nd quarter that capped a 13-0 run for Los Angeles.

The Jazz, meanwhile, could not get anything going as they shot only 32% from the field and made only 1 3-pointer the whole game. None of their starters scored in double figures, with big man Al Jefferson shooting 2-of-16 for 4 points.

Paul Millsap was the only Jazz player to have a positive impact, scoring 18 points on 7-of-15 shooting, but he had little help from his teammates.

It was the first victory for the Lakers since getting swept out of the second round of the playoffs last season by eventual champions Dallas Mavericks. They also lost both pre-season games to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Blazers rout Kings

The Portland Trail Blazers booked their second win of the season, routing the Sacramento Kings 101-79 at home. Gerald Wallace had 25 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists to lead the Blazers, who are now playing without retired All-Star guard Brandon Roy.

LaMarcus Aldridge added 24 points and 8 boards for Portland.

Sacramento was in control early, leading by as much as 10-points in the second half before the Blazers rallied to tie the game, 46-all, going into halftime.

The second half was all Portland as the Kings struggled offensively, only scoring 33 points in the 3rd and 4th quarters combined.

DeMarcus Cousins had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the Kings. But Sacramento’s ball movement was stagnant; the team had more turnovers (18) than assists (11).

Former Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans personified the Kings’ woes, as he had only 4 points on 2-of-8 shooting, with 3 assists and 5 turnovers in 30 minutes of play.

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