Heat 94, Lakers 88

The Lakers fell apart in the final minutes and the Miami Heat snapped a five-game losing streak Thursday at American Airlines Arena.

Kobe Bryant had two turnovers in the final two minutes, including one in which he lost the ball while going up for a shot down low with 40.9 seconds left and the Lakers down four. He finished with 24 points.

The Lakers had an eight-game winning streak snapped and fell to 2-1 on a four-game trip that ends Saturday in Dallas.

Andrew Bynum came alive after a forgettable first half, finishing with 13 points and 12 rebounds.

Chris Bosh had 24 points for Miami, Dwyane Wade had 20 and LeBron James had 19 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

RELATED:

Lakers-Heat photos

Lakers-Heat box score

Lakers 70, Heat 68 (end of third quarter)

Andrew Bynum is starting to heat up, but neither team can really break away.

Bynum had a much more productive third quarter, getting four points and seven rebounds after having only six and one at halftime.

Dwyane Wade is having a miserable shooting night, scoring 12 points on five-for-16 shooting. LeBron James has 14 points.

Kobe Bryant has 18 points and Pau Gasol has 16.

Heat 55, Lakers 53 (halftime)

Chris Bosh is getting his touches this time.

Woody Paige of the Denver Post theorizes that the Nuggets will finish sixth in the Western Conference this season, leading them to a first-round playoff matchup with the Lakers. And as Paige wrote:

"I think they're stuck in sixth place and will play the Lakers in the first round, which, oddly enough, may be their best matchup. There is no way they can beat the Spurs or the Mavericks, and probably no way they can beat the Lakers, but they should win a couple."

So not only does Paige think the Lakers have little, if any, chance of passing Dallas to finish second in the conference, he also thinks they are the most vulnerable of the big three in the West.

Thoughts?

-- Houston Mitchell

Three online gambling sites all have the Lakers a slight favorite on the road in Thursday's game against the Heat in Miami.

Usually, being the home team is worth two or three points in the setting of the betting line.

Beted.com and Betus.com both have the Lakers favored by one point over the Heat, who have lost five straight games, and both sites expect a tight defensive game with their total points over-and-under at 188 1/2.

Meanwhile, Bodog.com favors the Lakers by 1 1/2 points in the contest.

-Barry Stavro

The good news is that you can still get tickets to Thursday night's Lakers-Heat game without going bankrupt. The bad news is that if you want a seat where you don't need binoculars to see expressions on players' faces, you'll need a really big checking account or a credit card with five figures as the limit.

The Lakers-Heat game is the most coveted ticket for Miami this season. The average seat is going for $342, according to Ben Kessler of SeatGeek.com. That's a 161% increase over the season average. It's currently more than double the asking price of the average seat for next month's Celtics-Heat game, at $184.

Seating in the nose-bleed 400 section is going for $119 a ticket. A courtside seat is going for an average of $8,555. At least a round-trip plane ticket to Miami would be less.

-- Dan Loumena

Image: Seating chart for Miami's American Airlines Arena. Credit: SeatGeek.com

It's amazing what a night to reflect and relax can accomplish. It appears all is right with the Heat again. Yes, they all love each other, just in time for Thursday's matchup with the Lakers. At least, that is what Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra would have you believe.

“Today, it wasn’t about talk,” Spoelstra said after practice on Wednesday. “It was about working and practicing.”

All this comes on the heels of Tuesday's loss to Portland, with Chris Bosh whining, I mean, complaining about his undefined role on the team.

“Chris can always voice his opinion,” LeBron James said. “If Chris wants the ball then he can ask for it and he can get it. If Chris wants the ball and wants to be more aggressive and wants to be more inserted into the offense, all he has to do is ask for it. When’s he’s productive, we’re a better team.”

We shall see. Because the Lakers are playing as well as they have all season. And Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and the rest of the Lakers certainly seem ready for the hype that will accompany their second and final regular-season matchup against the Heat.

 This is quickly turning into a trap game for the Lakers. If they win, then it will be dismissed as defeating a Heat team that is in turmoil. If they win, all they did was defeat a team that is in the midst of some severe personality problems. That shouldn't matter to the Lakers however, but don't be surprised when the Lakers haters and LeBron faithful trot out that line of thinking depending on what happens Thursday.

-- Houston Mitchell

Photo: It looks like Chris Bosh could use a security blanket. Credit: Associated Press.

If the Lakers had their own Hall of Fame, which players would you select for induction? That is the basis for our next series of polls, in which we ask our readers to vote on who is most worthy of this honor. We will break down the history of the team by position, nominating those who spent at least three seasons with the team and played well in their tenure with the Lakers.

Only consider what they did with the Lakers. So, don't be upset that Karl Malone isn't a nominee: Obviously, Malone is a Hall of Famer, but he was only on the Lakers one season and would not be a Lakers Hall of Famer.

We now move on to forwards. To make the Hall of Fame, players must be named on 75% of the ballots. Before the ballot, there are links to each player's bio and stats on our new All Things Lakers database.

Last time, you voted for centers. Only two centers received 75% of the vote: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain. Amazingly, George Mikan did not make the cut, leaving me to wonder if those who didn't vote for him are actually Lakers fans. You can see the center results here. For the guards, you can see the full results here, but only three guards earned 75% of your vote: Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and Jerry West.

Candidates at forward, and remember, you can vote for as many as you want:

Dick Barnett, Elgin Baylor, Bill Bridges, Cedric Ceballos, Mel Counts, Keith Erickson, Don Ford, Larry Foust, Rick Fox, Pau Gasol, Devean George, A.C. Green, Happy Hairston, Tommy Hawkins, Lew Hitch, Robert Horry, Howie Joliff, Ed Kalafat, Mitch Kupchak, Rudy LaRusso, Clyde Lovelette, Bob McAdoo, Jim McMillian, Slava Medvedenko, Vern Mikkelsen, Lamar Odom, Sam Perkins, Vladimir Radmanovic, Kurt Rambis, Cazzie Russell, Dick Schnittker, Mychal Thompson, Luke Walton, Kermit Washington, Jamaal Wilkes, James Worthy

There were two smart stories in The Times on Tuesday about NBA players and money:
Mike Bresnahan’s piece on NBA Players' Assn. president Derek Fisher, and Jerry Crowe’s profile of former Trojans star Harold Miner.

Because of a possible lockout by NBA owners this summer during new labor negotiations, Fisher said he’s advised players all season to conserve their cash in case their paychecks stop coming.

Meanwhile, Crowe’s story pointed out that Miner, who played four seasons in the NBA and retired in 1996, has literally retired from the workforce. Miner has not worked since he stopped playing, thanks to some smart investments. He earned $5.3 million in player salary and $14 million from a Nike deal.

That got me wondering about a career stat rarely talked about: lifetime earnings as a player.

So I went through the Lakers current roster, and using stats from basketball-reference.com assembled the career salaries for each player through this season. The lesson? If you stay in the league long enough, you can build a real fortune.

I warn you, there are some are eye-popping numbers:

Player; NBA seasons; career salary.

--Ron Artest; 12; $58.4 million.
--Matt Barnes; 8; $9.4 million.
--Steve Blake; 8; $20.8 million.
--Shannon Brown; 5; $7.0 million.
--Kobe Bryant; 15; $196.2 million.
--Andrew Bynum; 6; $35.1 million.
--Derrick Caracter; 1; $473,604.
--Devin Ebanks, 1; $473,604.
--Derek Fisher; 15; $57.8 million.
--Pau Gasol; 10; $99.6 million.
--Lamar Odom; 12; $98.9 million.
--Theo Ratliff; 16; $102.4 million.
--Joe Smith; 16; $61.2 million.
--Luke Walton; 8; $22.1 million.

-- Barry Stavro

Photo: Lamar Odom, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol and Ron Artest catch a breath during against the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals last spring. Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

Lakers 101, Hawks 87 (final)

The Lakers equaled their longest winning streak of the season by dominating at both ends of the court Tuesday at Philips Arena.

Kobe Bryant had 26 points, Andrew Bynum had 16 points and 16 rebounds, and the Lakers held Atlanta to 39.8% shooting.

Bryant passed Moses Malone for sixth on the NBA's all-time scoring list. He now has 27,423 career points. Malone had 27,409. Shaquille O'Neal is fifth at 28,590.

The Lakers hadn't won in Atlanta since February 2007.

Lakers 81, Hawks 65 (end of third quarter)

The Lakers continued to score at will, with five players in double figures through three quarters.

Kobe Bryant had 20 points. Andrew Bynum had 12 points and 12 rebounds in 25 minutes.

The Lakers' defense also played well, holding the Hawks to 39.3% shooting.

Lakers 57, Hawks 49 (halftime)

Kobe Bryant had 15 first-half points, 11 in the second quarter, as the Lakers shot 58.1% in the first half.

Bryant passed passed Mose Malone for sixth on NBA's all-time scoring list. Bryant now has 27,412 points. Malone had 27,409.

Lamar Odom had 10 points and Pau Gasol had eight.

Al Horford, Josh Smith and Joe Johnson each had 11 points for the Hawks.

The Lakers have lost their last three games in Atlanta.

Lakers 29, Hawks 25 (end of first quarter)

The Lakers continued to score points with ease, making 63.6% of their shots in the first quarter Tuesday at Philips Arena.

Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum each had six points. The problem for the Lakers: the Hawks shot 60%. Al Horford had nine points and three rebounds in the quarter for Atlanta.

The Lakers (45-19) are going for their eighth consecutive victory.

Pregame

Kobe Bryant steps up to almost every challenge, fearless of nobody in the NBA.

But he's had some tough times against Atlanta Hawks shooting guard Joe Johnson, said Lakers Coach Phil Jackson, who doesn't want to see Bryant get lost in a one-on-one showdown against the Hawks' All-Star on Tuesday night.

"We have to be really careful about those kind of things tonight in this game tonight," Jackson said before Tuesday's game. "He is aware of it. I think it was two years ago, Kobe dribbled the ball off his knee and it was a backcourt violation down the stretch of the game. That was one of those situations where Joe's length and strength is very effective against Kobe."

The Lakers have lost their last three games in Atlanta.

--Mike Bresnahan, reporting from Atlanta

Win or lose come May or June, the Lakers will have two big decisions to make in a few months: Who replaces Coach Phil Jackson? And what offense will be run under him?

“Depends upon who that guy is and how much he’s interested in making changes," Jackson said Tuesday. "If it’s a veteran group of guys that are still here, they’re going to want to do things that they know how to do.”

The triangle offense will almost surely be employed next season because the Lakers' roster is tailored to run it. Kobe Bryant has spent more than a decade in the triangle, and Derek Fisher is right behind him.

“I would imagine that a coach would be amenable to using the information that Kobe and Fish and other guys on this team -- Pau [Gasol] -- have," Jackson said. "But you never can tell. That’s up to ownership. If ownership wants to do something entirely different they may shred this team and start over.”

Jackson, 65, said he would be willing to help out in the selection process before stepping down. Would he be a Lakers consultant once next season begins?

"No, not unless I’m paid very well," he said, pausing for effect. "That’s a joke. I’ll certainly be available."

-- Mike Bresnahan, reporting from Atlanta

Photo: Phil Jackson. Credit: Mark D Smith / US Presswire

The numbers suggest he is.

Steve Blake continues to be one of the glum spots in the Lakers otherwise splendid seven-game win streak. Then again, he’s been pretty much a dud all season.

Consider that Blake, now in his eighth season in the league and his first with the Lakers, is averaging one shot every five-plus minutes of playing time for the Lakers.

And when he does shoot, he’s probably going to miss.

Blake is shooting a dismal 35.4% from the field this season, second-worst of any season in his career, and averaging a career-low 4.1 points.

Things looked a lot different last summer when Mitch Kupchak signed Blake. At the time, it seemed to make great sense. Derek Fisher was about to turn 36 and Blake, a career 39.3% three-point shooter entering this season, rarely turned over the ball and he could split time at the point with Fisher and provide some extra offense.

Yet, during virtually every Lakers game I hear some fan cry out, “Blake just passed up another open shot."

You can’t make ‘em if you don’t shoot ‘em. And when Blake does shoot ‘em, he doesn’t make ‘em.

-Barry Stavro

Photo: Steve Blake on the bench during a Lakers-Grizzlies game at Staples Center in January. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / US Presswire. 

While the Lakers are rolling toward the playoffs on the strength of a seven-game winning streak since the NBA All-Star break, their opponent Tuesday night has been struggling as of late.

The Atlanta Hawks, a young and talented team that many thought would vie for a top-four playoff seeding in the Eastern Conference this season, have fallen into disarray recently, according to Coach Larry Drew. Then again, maybe the Hawks -- 4-8 since going a season-high 13 games above .500 on Feb. 5 -- need a challenge like the hottest team in the league invading their home court.

Here are some links in advance of the 4 p.m. PST contest (to be televised locally on KCAL, Channel 9).

Game previews

Land O' Lakers blogger Andy Kamenetzky gives his weekly preview, including the Hawks game.

Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Atlanta looking to regroup.

SilverScreenandRoll.com's Eric Stephen on the Lakers looking to end a three-game losing streak in Atlanta.

Columns and notebooks

The Times' Mike Bresnahan examines Derek Fisher's role as a union leader.

The Daily News' Elliott Teaford on Andrew Bynum becoming the team's defensive leader.

The Orange County Register's Kevin Ding breaks down some specifics of the Lakers' revamped defense.

The Times' Bresnahan writes about Pau Gasol reflecting on this season's low point.

ESPNLosAngeles.com's Dave McMenamin gives more insight into the Lakers' defense.

FoxSportsWest.com's Billy Witz on Bynum embracing his defensive role.

ForumBlueandGold's Darius Soriano revisits the Steve Blake signing.

-- Dan Loumena

Photo: Kobe Bryant goes for a reverse layup against Atlanta last month at Staples Center. Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

We all know there's no crying in baseball ... but apparently there is in basketball. Miami Coach Eric Spoelstra told reporters after the Heat's 87-86 loss (their fourth straight) to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, "This is painful for every single one of us going through this, there are a couple of guys crying in the locker room."

Not sure what that scene looked like. Could have been a couple of tears rolling down their cheeks, like Sinead O'Connor in the "Nothing Compares 2 U" music video, Or maybe it was an all-out sobfest like Ben Stiller at the end of "There's Something About Mary."

We all know that there's nothing like a good song to help cheer someone up. And being the compassionate bunch that they are, many Lakers blog readers have been sending out "heartfelt" songs to the Heat and their fans. Here's a video jukebox for anyone who wants to make a long-distance dedication to our sad friends in the Southeast (thanks to readers Regular Season Police for Ozzy and LRob for Fergie).

Or you can suggest a song of your own -- you know, to make those guys feel better. Feel free to leave suggestions in the comment section.

-- Chuck Schilken

Anyone looking ahead to a Lakers-Celtics rubber match in June should know that Shaquille O’Neal turned 39 on Sunday.

Yes, Shaq, is the NBA’s oldest player. When Celtics GM Danny Ainge traded Kendrick Perkins to the Thunder he also rolled the dice on Shaq standing up throughout the playoffs.

Granted, there are no back-to-backs scheduled in the playoffs, but it’s still a long slog to a title. Last spring the Lakers needed 23 playoff contests to win it, and they played 23 games in 2009. Other recent title runs: the Celtics’ 26 games in 2008, the Spurs’ 20 in 2007, and the Heat’s 21 in 2006.

Of the eight plausible title contenders, only the Heat lacks a meaningful center. For the other seven teams, most rely on centers who have carry medical concerns.

Let’s start with the Bulls: Joakim Noah, in his fourth season, looked like an All-Star till he went down and missed 30 games for thumb surgery. Last season he sat out 18 games.

Celtics: For the Shamrock’s, Shaq has laced them up for 36 games and missed 25 — and counting — with knee, hip and Achilles woes. This season Shaq’s PR for consecutive games played is 16.

Lakers: Andrew Bynum at 23 is the youngest of this group. He played in all 23 playoff games last spring, though mostly on one leg. He played limited minutes in their 2009 title run, and missed 21 playoff games in 2008.

Magic: Dwight Howard is Superman, missing three games in seven seasons.

Mavericks: Tyson Chandler, 28, has anchored the paint for Dallas and missed but three of their first 57 games. Now, he’s sat out the last two with a sprained right ankle. Chandler knows downtime: missing 31 games for Charlotte last season, and 36 games for New Orleans in 2008-09.

Spurs: Tim Duncan reaches the NBA’s antique threshold when he turns 35 in April. Wise Gregg Popovich has reduced Duncan’s court time to a career-low 29 minutes.

Thunder: Perkins has yet to play for OKC. He missed 43 games for Boston after reconstructive right knee surgery, then played 12 games and averaged 8.1 boards, bruised his left knee two weeks ago and was traded.

My wager is the last team standing in June is the one with a starting center still able to power up and down the court on two healthy legs.

--Barry Stavro

Photo: Shaquille O’Neal fouls Andrew Bynum in the Lakers-Celtics game at Staples Center in January. Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

News, notes and anecdotes following the Lakers' 99-83 dismantling of the San Antonio Spurs, who still have the NBA's best record but plenty of questions surrounding their effort Sunday.

Game stories

Mike Bresnahan of The Times on how the Lakers stood up and knocked down the Spurs.

The Daily News' Elliott Teaford on the Lakers making a statement with center Andrew Bynum

Kevin Ding of the OC Register reminds everyone who the cleanup hitter still is in the NBA.

Jan Hubbard of CBSSports.com on the Lakers regaining their championship form.

Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com's Land O' Lakers blog with his game breakdown.

Columns and sidebars

The Times' T.J. Simers (I know what you're thinking, but give it a try) on Andrew Bynum's impact in the middle.

The Times' Bresnahan on Derek Fisher and Matt Barnes shaking off injuries to play against the Spurs.

The Daily News' Teaford on Matt Barnes' happy return to the lineup.

Fox Sports' Billy Witz on how the Lakers showed little respect for San Antonio during their blowout win.

Mike Monroe of Spurs Nation explains how a familiar face helped shut down the Spurs.

Also from Monroe, on why Phil Jackson played his starters with the game decided.

Buck Henry of the San Antonio News-Express reviews the trade that never happened: Andrew Bynum for Carmelo Anthony.

--Dan Loumena

Photo: Nothing came easy for Manu Ginobili and the Spurs on Sunday, when the Lakers' defense held them to 36% shooting. Credit: Larry W. Smith / EPA

The Lakers came up with their biggest victory of the season, thumping the Spurs, 99-83, in front of a stunned, silent crowd at AT&T Center.

Kobe Bryant had 26 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Pau Gasol had 21 points and Andrew Bynum continued his strong run on the boards, taking 17 rebounds for a second consecutive game.

Lamar Odom had 15 points and Shannon Brown had 12. Matt Barnes had five points and six rebounds in his first action since missing 26 games because of cartilage damage in his right knee.

Derek Fisher had eight points and three assists, playing despite a sprained right elbow.

The Lakers (45-19) won their seventh consecutive game and were all over the Spurs, holding them to 36% shooting and leading by as many as 32. The Spurs fell to 51-12, 29-3 at home.

Tim Duncan was a total non-factor, scoring two points on one-for-seven shooting. Only one Spurs starter scored in double figures, Tony Parker finishing with 14 points.

RELATED:

Lakers-Spurs photos

Lakers-Spurs box score

 Lakers 81, Spurs 52 (end of third quarter)

The Lakers are 12 minutes away from their biggest victory of the season. Judging by the scoreboard, they'll get there without worry.

Kobe Bryant has 24 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Pau Gasol has 17 points, six rebounds and four assists. Andrew Bynum has four points and 15 rebounds.

The Lakers are thumping the Spurs in practically every category: rebounds (42-31), assists (19-11) and shooting percentage (48% to 34%) among others.

The Lakers are also getting production from their reserves, Lamar Odom scoring nine points and Shannon Brown adding eight.

Lakers 65, Spurs 37 (halftime)

The Lakers extended their stunningly large lead against the San Antonio Spurs, continuing to play their best game of the season against the team with the NBA's best record.

This is the tenth post of a weekly series that helps you get to know the Laker Girls (who, by the way, officially go by one name only)

Laker Girl name: Erin

Hometown: Bridgewater, NJ

Area of Residence: Downtown - Los Angeles, CA

College/High School: Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising

What prompted you to want to become a Laker Girl? I saw the Laker Girls at my very first Laker game vs. the Spurs a few years ago and I knew instantly I wanted to be in that position. I was inspired by their routines, uniforms and smiles they possessed.

What do you think stood out to the judging panel, about you, regarding your audition? Probably how I dance on my toes! I am, and have always been, criticized about not putting my heels on the ground when I dance! I feel my ballet background makes it very difficult for me to change my style. (but, I try!)

What do you think makes a good Laker Girl? Confidence and motivation to do your job well. Our schedule is always changing, as well as our uniforms, routines and places to be at! So, it is crucial to be organized. If you can accomplish that, not to mention, maintain a smile and positive attitude - you're on your way to being a good Laker Girl!

What is your dance experience? It seems I tried everything! I took classes in jazz, modern, lyrical, tap, even some salsa and merengue classes but focused on ballet. I've performed in The Nutcracker 6 times and trained at the Briansky School of Ballet in Saratoga Springs, New York. I was also part of the Towson University Dance Team during their 8th consecutive national championship title.

Favorite dance routine, while being a Laker Girl? Right now, Higher Ground is my favorite routine! The song is classic rock and it’s fun to rock out to - and that's how I feel when we're performing it.

Favorite uniform? Our purple “ruffle” uniform!! It is very girly, fun and flattering!

Favorite Lakers player? Lamar Odom! He seems to have a positive attitude and since I have been on the team, I have watched him grow as a player and teammate. It's been a pleasure to watch a great player in the making.

Favorite Laker Girl memory so far? Our trip to London and Barcelona was an experience I will never forget! While in Barcelona, me and my teammates/ best friends dipped our feet into the Mediterranean Sea…. I will forever remember that moment.

What do you like most about being involved, as a Laker Girl, at local charity/community events? I love participating in events that make a difference in people’s lives. To be able to say I was a part of these events is an honor. I feel our community is very thankful we, the Laker Girls, are at these events and that is very self gratifying.

What would you say is your beauty secret?A great facial cleanser/moisturizer and hair treatment!

What diet/workout tips do you have?Try making activities fun by getting a workout through playing sports with friends……it is a great way to not feel that your workout is a chore. I think people enjoy "working out" when they are doing something they love or feeling relieved from the crazy, Los Angeles on-the-go mentality.

What are your Hobbies?I love riding my bike and cooking delicious homemade meals when I have the time!

Career aspirations? I aspire to be a buyer in the fashion industry, particularly in shoes and accessories!

--Mark Medina

Twitter.com/latmedina

E-mail the Lakers blog at mgmedin@gmail.com

Injured Lakers Derek Fisher and Matt Barnes both got treatment Saturday during practice, but their status for Sunday's game at San Antonio remains uncertain.

Fisher suffered a sprained left elbow in the third quarter of Friday night's game against Charlotte at Staples Center. Fisher got treatment from Lakers trainer Gary Vitti and practiced with the team Saturday.

The Lakers said Fisher is listed as probable for the game against the Spurs.

Barnes, who has been out since Jan. 11 after having surgery on his right knee, irritated the knee during pregame warm-ups Friday night and was forced to shut it down, missing his 26th consecutive game.

Barnes also got treatment from Lakers trainers Sauturday, and he also practiced.

The Lakers listed the small forward as day-to-day.

-- Broderick Turner

Photo: Lakers point guard Derek Fisher writhes in pain after getting his left elbow injured in a rebounding battle with Bobcats center Kwame Brown in the second half Friday night at Staples Center. Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / US Presswire