Bulls at Lakers
THE STORY: The Los Angeles Lakers swirled through the headlines during the compacted free agency/training camp period for all the wrong reasons. They were controversially stymied by the commissioner in their pursuit of Chris Paul and sent away Lamar Odom to a top rival for nothing more than a trade exception. But nothing has the potential to impact the Lakers’ season more than Kobe Bryant’s wrist injury. The superstar was hurt in the first preseason game and diagnosed with a torn ligament. Medical predictions have him out at least 2-3 weeks, but this is the same player who taught himself to shoot left-handed a few years ago so that he could stay in the lineup with a right shoulder injury. Bryant is considered day-to-day and has participated in practice. He should be ready for Christmas Day, when Los Angeles opens its season by hosting the Chicago Bulls. While the Lakers look like they are on the way down, the Bulls are trending upward. Reigning MVP Derrick Rose just signed a five-year contract extension and Chicago looms as the logical rival to the Miami Heat in the East for years to come.
TV: 5 p.m. ET, ABC, TSN2
ABOUT THE BULLS (2010-11: 62-20): Chicago posted the best record in the NBA during the 2010-11 regular season but ended up falling in the Eastern Conference finals to the Heat. Exposed in that series was the Bulls’ lack of a second perimeter scorer to take the pressure off Rose. In to fill that gap is former All-Star Richard Hamilton, who signed a three-year deal after being released by the Detroit Pistons.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (2010-11: 57-25): It was widely reported that Los Angeles had re-made its team with a trade for Paul a few weeks ago, sending out Pau Gasol and Odom in the proposed deal. When David Stern squashed the trade, the Lakers were left standing with an aging team that had been swept out of the playoffs by the Dallas Mavericks. Josh McRoberts is the only significant new piece added to the roster.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Bryant is averaging 24.7 points in 26 career games against the Bulls.
2. Rose collected 23 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists on Christmas Day last season but the Bulls fell at the New York Knicks, 103-95.
3. The Lakers are starting out under new coach Mike Brown, who took over for legendary boss Phil Jackson over the summer.