Lakers Scrimmage Before Regular Season
Lakers raise money for charity, Kobe is money for his team
BLACK: 16 – 13 – 16 – 5 – 50
WHITE: 15 – 15 – 10 – 16 – 56
ABOVE: Kobe Bryant’s white team
took care of Lamar Odom’s black team
30 Oct, Los Angeles – Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom put on a show for fans in the Lakers’ final open scrimmage where tickets were sold to raise money for AIDS and breast cancer. “Those are the two charities the Lakers will support this season,” GM Sit stated during pre-game festivities.
The Lakers practiced for fans before breaking into a three point shootout and dunk contest. Jumaine Jones won the impromptu dunk contest with the fans cheering loudest after his thunderous double pump, 360 jam. Devean George was a surprise winner in the three point shootout as he beat out Sasha Vujcic and Kobe Bryant.
The six minute quarters helped the game go quickly but it wasn’t missing any of the suspense or intensity usually displayed in an official NBA game. The spectators got their money’s worth as the two practice sides lead the game to a furious finish.
Bryant led his white team with 23 points and 4 assists. Chris Mihm played an outstanding match finishing with a double double of 10 and 11, including a huge block on Jumaine Jones late in the game. Slava Medvedenko continued his campaign for a starting spot with 13 points and 9 rebounds while Aaron Mckie dished out 6 dimes.
Lamar Odom led the black team with 14, 3 and 4 in 19 minutes, shortened only by injury. Jumaine Jones and Devean George both scored in double figures with 12 and 11 respectively while Kwame Brown added 8 and 9.
“Both teams played well today and it only makes it harder for us to select the final team and the starting lineup,” Michael Cooper said. Phil Jackson added, “We are really not sure who to pick out of Slava, Kwame and Chris to take the 5 and 4 spots.”
Punk rock band ‘Greenday’ performed live at halftime to a roaring STAPLES crowd who didn’t stop making noise since they entered the arena. Magic Johnson was given a standing ovation from the people in attendance after making a speech about AIDS to the crowd.
The match started with a 12-2 run by Odom’s team thanks to Jumaine Jones and Devean George. Suddenly, Bryant led his team back into the contest scoring 6 straight points late in the first period. After the break, the two teams kept playing at an even pace but Bryant’s white team making more mistakes with the rock allowing the black team to take a 4 point lead into the halftime break.
After intermission, the black team were down to business as Odom dominated on offence with 8 third quarter points and even made 3 of his 4 assists in that period. As Brian Cook noticed, “Lamar was the reason for every bucket we got in the third quarter.”
Bryant and his team missed 8 consecutive shots late in the third quarter but came out of the break to come back into the game by scoring two unanswered baskets in the beginning two minutes of the final quarter. The black team was held scoreless for half of the final 6 minutes of the game and their fortunes only got worse when Odom sustained an arm injury; sideling him for the final 4 minutes of the match.
The black team led for a little while sitting on 48-46 before Bryant gave his team its first lead in the game thanks to a trey at 2:25. Devean George’s mid range jumper put the black side ahead 50-49 with 1:53 remaining. Little did the two sides know that it would be the last time the black team scored; as they fumbled many attempts to get towards a win. Walton’s assist to Chris Mihm at the 1:10 mark put the white team up 50-51. Jumaine Jones missed a jumper and Medvedenko picked up a board before Mihm hit a hook shot with 44.2 left on the clock to make the score 50-53. George missed a desperate three point attempt before Medvendeko secured the rebound and gave the ball to Bryant who ran the clock down before going up for a shot. Bryant was fouled and made 2 free throws with 11.7 seconds left. Bryant then sealed the game with one of two free throws with just 3.7 seconds left in the game.
“It was a great pleasure to play for the fans tonight,” team captain Bryant said, “I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope we get this type of atmosphere every home game this season!”
Notes
F Lamar Odom’s injury concerns are heightening as team doctors are looking at X-rays of his arm… Phil Jackson coached the black team while Brian Shaw and Kurt Rambis took over the White side… The open scrimmage raised funds for AIDS and breast cancer awareness programs… SG Kobe Bryant did not take part in the impromptu slam dunk contest…
Team Stats
Black
Points: 50
Rebounds: 23
Assists: 8
Steals: 3
Blocks: 1
Fouls: 7
Turnovers: 9
FG: 21/53
3pt: 1/11
FT: 7/8
White
Points: 56
Rebounds: 28
Assists: 18
Steals: 4
Blocks: 1
Fouls: 7
Turnovers: 9
FG: 21/46
3pt: 2/6
FT: 12/13
Box Score
Game Images
Arron Mckie wearing the wrong number, going up for a lay up
Geroge kept his team in the game with a three and calls for the fans’ support
Mihm grabbed 11 boards last night
Jumaine Jones rose high to the occasion
Kwame Brown lays it up via an Odom assist
Bryant soars to the hoop to get his team back within single digits early in the game
Odom led his team well until he fell victim to injury
Laron Profit grabbed the offensive board to go past Jones for the easy bucket
Luke Walton showed that he is an important role player on this Lakers squad
Medvedenko is fouled for the ‘and 1’
Odom’s injury concerns are back as he aggravated his arm injury from the Bobcats game played 6 days ago