Pau Gasol News

Is there a place for Sasha Vujacic in the Lakers' rotation? So far, there seems to be only a limited one as a backup guard.

Kobe Bryant's behind-the-backboard shot highlighted a 26-point performance Sunday at Staples Center as the Lakers routed the Oklahoma City Thunder, 101-85. Fox Sports Video: From behind the backboard The NBA champions are 10-3 after beating the Thunder for an 11th consecutive time.

The death of a marine leads the team to a government think tank that uses child prodigies, and one of the young participants could be the killer's next target.

You can feast on both parts and still have puh-lenty of room for tomorrow's turkey! Doesn't get any better than that! Part I: As Thanksgiving looms, BK and I count our Laker-centric blessings: That Pau Gasol is back, looking good, and creating a positive ripple effect throughout the roster.

And it's no coincidence that it happens with the return of Pau Gasol to the lineup.

The last segment of this series featured the Cleveland Cavaliers, the first Eastern Conference team that the Los Angeles Lakers might face in the NBA Finals in their quest for a repeat.

Kobe Bryant scored 34 points, Pau Gasol added 11 points and 16 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Lakers exploited a major size advantage in their fourth straight victory, 100-90 over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night.

The moment that Los Angeles Lakers fans have been waiting for has finally arrived.

So far, judging by the numbers, Pau Gasol's game is back in form. Two games into his season and the 7-foot power forward/center is averaging 19.5 points on 50 percent shooting, 10.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 32 minutes.

Yes the Lakers won, but they really need Pau Gasol back. Kobe playing extra minutes on a strained groin isn't a way to keep him healthy.

You think that the Lakers are glad to have Pau Gasol back?A Though the Bearded One was only OK tonight, the Lakers once again put a serious hurting on the opposition.A That's two games now for Pau and two blowout victory for the Lakers.A That can't be a coincidence.

Don't get it twisted. Believe what you want about Kobe's infamous "Parking Lot Video" from 2007 but Kobe never really wanted Andrew Bynum traded.

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, left, puts up a shot as Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jeff Green defends on Sunday.

If the Los Angeles Lakers can manage to escape San Antonio and Denver, who I see as their biggest challenges in the West, their journey will lead them to the NBA Finals where they will face one of three potential opponents from the Eastern Conference.

Phil Jackson might want to rethink this thing. Before Friday's game, long before the Denver Nuggets thumped the Lakers, pounding them in practically every category in front of an amped-up crowd, Jackson said he didn't consider Denver to be a Western Conference rival.

Twelve games aren't much of a measuring stick, even for a veteran team. Twenty-five games would be a better indicator of how things are going.

The forward/center, who made his season debut Thursday night against the Bulls, makes the Lakers contenders again.

Today's practice centered mostly around learning injury statuses for various players, a task that later received a surprise goosing with news that Luke Walton is expected to miss a minimum of six weeks with a pinched nerve in his back.

The former Galu tribe members try not to let Russell out of their sights so he can't find another hidden immunity idol.

As the Lakers landed at LAX sometime around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, Phil Jackson took stock of his team, considered its up-and-down two-day basketball binge, and canceled the practice that was scheduled later in the day.