Derek Fisher

Keegan Bradley had no thoughts about a course record, or the possibility of a 59, after consecutive bogeys in the middle of his opening round in the Byron Nelson Championship at Irving, Texas. Until his 136-yard wedge shot on his final hole Thursday. "It was going right at it. [A 59] crossed my mind for a second, and it would be unbelievable if I buried this," Bradley said. "But I had three feet to shoot 60. I was actually very nervous, uncomfortable over it and thank God I made it. " Bradley shot 10-under-par 60, completed by that short birdie at the 428-yard ninth hole, to break the TPC Four Seasons course record and match the best round ever at the Nelson.

Keegan Bradley had no thoughts about a course record, or the possibility of a 59, after consecutive bogeys in the middle of his opening round in the Byron Nelson Championship at Irving, Texas. Until his 136-yard wedge shot on his final hole Thursday. "It was going right at it. [A 59] crossed my mind for a second, and it would be unbelievable if I buried this," Bradley said. "But I had three feet to shoot 60. I was actually very nervous, uncomfortable over it and thank God I made it. " Bradley shot 10-under-par 60, completed by that short birdie at the 428-yard ninth hole, to break the TPC Four Seasons course record and match the best round ever at the Nelson.

The Lakers are left wondering how they'll fill the leadership gap that Derek Fisher provided in previous seasons. Meanwhile, Fisher is left wondering if an NBA team will pick him up. After the Lakers traded Fisher for Jordan Hill to the Houston Rockets, a Lakers spokesman said "our understanding is he took a buyout. " ESPN Los Angeles' Ramona Shelburne first reported that Fisher took the buyout, is expected to be waived Monady and hopes to sign with a contender. The report mentions Fisher could sign with any team except the Lakers if he clears waivers by Wednesday.

It was a simple basketball move, Kobe Bryant spinning toward the basket, dribbling hard to his left. Legendary careers are not supposed to finish this way, but when the Lakers guard collapsed on the floor, clutching his leg, fans may have witnessed the passing of an era. Or, at least, the beginning of the end for an athlete who has dominated professional basketball for almost two decades. "We're talking about a unique competitive spirit," said Jeff Van Gundy, a former NBA coach who is an ESPN analyst.

In 24 hours, Derek Fisher will begin finding out two things: Which NBA teams will find his championship experience and locker room leadership valuable enough to pursue, and which ones consider him a washed-up 37-year-old veteran with no ability to defend young guards or consistently hit shots. After long searching for an upgrade at point guard, the Lakers last week acquired Ramon Sessions from Cleveland for Luke Walton, Jason Kapono, a 2012 first-round pick and less than $1 million in cash.

The Lakers lost their composure. Andrew Bynum showed frustration with the officiating. Lakers Coach Mike Brown showed frustration with the team's defense. All the players showed frustration with yet another poor road performance where they squandered a double-digit lead. Derek Fisher wouldn't have solved the Lakers' on-court execution in their 107-104 loss Tuesday to the Houston Rockets. But he would've been there in the locker room to calm everyone down. He wasn't there, though.

-- ESPN Los Angeles' Arash Markazi reports the Lakers and Rockets mutually agreed to extend the deadline for Derek Fisher to report to Houston and get his physical to 72 hours. Fisher wasn't with the team during the Rockets-Clippers game on Saturday.  -- The Times' Ben Bolch highlights Ramon Sessions' first practice with the Lakers. -- The Morning Journal's Bob Finnan mentions the Cavaliers waived former Laker Jason Kapono and talks to Luke Walton, who indicates he and Lakers Coach Mike Brown "weren't on the same page.

Soon enough, the contact shut off. Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher stopped trading text messages. They stopped wishing each other luck in their respective playoff series. They stopped reminiscing about old times and catching up on new ones. No, there wasn't a falling-out between the two former longtime teammates who won five NBA championships together. This is just what happens as the two have suddenly become opponents. This happened previously when Fisher played for Golden State (2004-06)

Within a one-month span, Derek Fisher found out that both the Lakers' front office and the executive board of the National Basketball Players Assn. don't want him around. The Lakers traded Fisher last month to the Houston Rockets for Jordan Hill, partly to pave the way for Ramon Sessions' arrival as the team's starting point guard as well as to free up the payroll from Fisher's $3.4 million salary next season. This week, the executive board for the NBPA voted 8-0 that it had lost confidence in Fisher's ability to lead and asked for his resignation as the union president.

The Thunder sped past the Lakers, and they couldn't keep up. The Lakers' championship experience surpassed the Thunder, and Oklahoma City couldn't provide a rebuttal. Two years after battling each other in a six-game first-round playoff series, both teams have acquired chess pieces that could set up an epic Western Conference finals contest. In a deal with Cleveland, the Lakers acquired guard Ramon Sessions, whose speed, play-making and youth allow him to move like a knight across the board.

The Lakers retired Shaquille O'Neal's jersey Tuesday night as L.A. hosted the Dallas Mavericks. Knowing he wouldn't have the time or ability to thank everyone properly in the ceremony, O'Neal released a video on YouTube -- seemingly on the set of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" where he appeared Monday night. His message to Kobe Bryant stands out. PHOTOS: Lakers retire Shaquille O'Neal's No. 34 jersey "Kobe, we had a million great times and a thousand bad times," he said. "But as a doctor, I know that a million outweighs a thousand.

The Lakers continued their pursuit of a playoff berth, finishing Week 18 two games above .500 with a 33-31 record. The week started slowly as the Lakers on Tuesday lost to the Thunder in Oklahoma City, 122-105 , after their rally fell apart late. Prior to the game, Kobe Bryant sounded off on Serge Ibaka's flagrant foul to the groin of Clippers forward Blake Griffin, saying he'd follow that up with a smack to Ibaka's mouth . Former Lakers guard Derek Fisher, who recently rejoined the Thunder , justified the move after leaving the Dallas Mavericks earlier in the season to be with family.

OKLAHOMA CITY - Did Dwight Howard rush his way back into the Lakers' lineup? He had back surgery last April, was traded to the Lakers in August and started his comeback by playing two exhibition games last November. He tried not to second-guess his decision Tuesday a few hours before his 55th regular-season game. "Looking back on it, I could have sat out the whole season until now and starting playing now, but I just felt like we had such a great opportunity," he said. "Some of these guys, their windows for winning is very small and I just wanted to get back and try to do whatever I can to help this team, knowing that I wasn't in great shape.

Former Lakers guard Derek Fisher signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder last week, joining the team for another playoff run. Earlier in the season, Fisher had signed with the Dallas Mavericks but asked out of his contract to spend more time with his family. On hearing Fisher was re-signing with the Thunder, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban gave a snide remark to the Dallas Morning News . "Look, I understand completely," Cuban said sarcastically. "From the time Derek was here to his signing with OKC, his kids are older, they can deal with things better.  So I understand him having more comfort in being away from them.

The ring's the thing Kobe Bryant's disapproval brought a smile to the face of Derek Fisher on Friday when the newest member of the Oklahoma City Thunder was told his former teammate was miffed Fisher had become another impediment to a sixth championship ring. Fisher is also going for his sixth ring, so let the chase commence. "I think at this point that's what it's about," said Fisher, 38. "I think I heard him say it a couple of days ago and it's no different for me. That's why we play, to win. "For me personally and for this team, of course we want to win a championship.

And for his next trick, Kobe Bryant will throw a baseball in the air behind his back, catch it on a fingertip and spin it like a basketball. That actually was the scene Wednesday at Lakers practice, where Bryant donned a Dodgers cap and did the seemingly impossible in a promo for the baseball franchise across town. The ball hit the court when Bryant threw it skyward, with the catch and spin (presumably) to be added electronically later. But the symbolism remained: Nothing is out of reach for the Lakers guard.

The path the Oklahoma City Thunder has taken in the last three seasons convinces Coach Scott Brooks that they're putting down the necessary foundation for an NBA championship. They progressed from a first-round exit against the Lakers in the 2010 NBA playoffs to the Western Conference Finals the following year against the Dallas Mavericks. The Thunder then made its first NBA Finals appearance last season and fell to the Miami Heat. In an hourlong meeting Tuesday night at the Pelican Hill Golf Club with a handful of the news media, Brooks also expressed optimism about his team heading into the 2012-13 season.

In what marked his first return to Los Angeles since the Lakers traded him, Thunder guard Derek Fisher noticed how much time has flown by. "It's only been a couple of weeks," Fisher said, "but it seemed so much longer. " It sure has. After acquiring Ramon Sessions in a separate trade from Cleveland, the Lakers traded  Fisher and a first-round pick to the Houston Rockets for Jordan Hill. Fisher and Houston then negotiated a buyout, before he signed with the Oklahoma City for the rest of the season.

Derek Fisher will get another chance to win a sixth NBA championship. The longtime Laker signed with Oklahoma City on Monday, joining the Thunder for the stretch run a second straight year. The 38-year-old Fisher has spent more than 12 of his 17 pro seasons with the Lakers, winning five championships alongside Kobe Bryant. Last season, Fisher was traded by the Lakers to Houston. After buying out of his contract with the Rockets, Fisher signed with the Thunder and played in 20 regular-season games and all 20 of the team's playoff games.

Kobe Bryant's always so conservative with his views. So meek. Timid. "It's not a question of if we make the playoffs. We will," Bryant told Sports Illustrated. "And when we get there, I have no fear of anyone - Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Denver … whoever. I have zero nervousness about that. " He didn't mention the Clippers, but that's another story for another day. The most repetitive, boring question of the Lakers' season was raised again Thursday: Was their victory Wednesday the start of a trend or a momentary burst before a relapse into the same old stuff?