Exhibition Games

Kobe Bryant continues to move forward in his rehabilitation from a torn Achilles' tendon, though the Lakers are unwilling to put an updated timetable on his exact return. "He's progressing well and has met all the targets and milestones of his rehab, and we expect him to make a full recovery," Lakers spokesman John Black told The Times on Monday. "One of the key issues is to make sure he builds up strength and endurance not only in his Achilles but also in his legs, knees, back and core.

PHOENIX  - The Angels and Milwaukee Brewers did not use instant replay in Saturday's exhibition game in Maryvale Park, but Joe Blanton did, which is not necessarily a good thing for the veteran right-hander. Blanton, in what may have been his last chance to win a spot on the Angels' pitching staff, was tagged for four earned runs and six hits, including a home run, in 41/3 innings, striking out three and walking four, a near carbon copy of many of his starts from 2013, when he went 2-14 with a 6.04 earned-run average.

The Loyola Marymount men's basketball team will play an exhibition game against the Amateur Athletic Union Lafayette Hustlers, a touring squad of former college standouts, at 5 p.m. today at Gersten Pavilion. Loyola is expected to start Tony Walker and Terrell Lowery at guard, Chris Knight and Brian McCloskey at forward and Christian Scott at center. Lowery and McCloskey had impressive games in the Lions' annual intrasquad game Nov. 2, won by the Gray team, 210-176, over the Crimson.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- It had been a calf injury that delayed Josh Hamilton's Cactus League debut until Monday. He singled for his first hit, then took off for second base. For the Angels, that was as good a sign as any. The swing might not be there yet, but the legs are back. "It felt good," Hamilton said. "I did all the things you're supposed to be able to do on the field. " On Monday he did, since the Angels limited him to designated hitter in a game against the San Francisco Giants.

Hank Stram has become a Raider announcer. Yes, the same Hank Stram who used to coach the Kansas City Chiefs, a team the Raiders despised. Stram has been hired by Channel 9 to work as a commentator on three exhibition telecasts, which is sort of like Tom Lasorda someday announcing for the San Francisco Giants. Stram, though, doesn't think it's so unusual.

Bad things happen in threes? That was the case for NFL offensive coordinators this week, as Kansas City's Chan Gailey, Tampa Bay's Jeff Jagodzinski and Buffalo's Turk Schonert were dismissed in rapid-fire succession this week, meaning those teams had to make significant adjustments less than two weeks before the season kicks off. What's more, each of those teams faces one of last season's top-10 defenses in its opener. The Chiefs play at Baltimore; the Buccaneers play host to Dallas; and the Bills play the first half of a Monday night doubleheader at New England.

Senior Chris Brown, the nation's top three-point shooter last season, and junior transfer Michael Tate, who has been getting rave preseason reviews from UC Irvine Coach Rod Baker, have been suspended from Anteater exhibition games. Brown, who averaged almost five three-pointers a game last season and led the team with a 17.4-point scoring average, will miss Irvine's game against Five Star Sports at 7:30 tonight in the Bren Center because he missed team study sessions.

The NBA Thursday canceled 24 exhibition games and postponed the start of training camps indefinitely as the lockout went through its 86th day with only the faintest of hope for a resolution soon. The likelihood grew that the league will be forced to cancel regular-season games because of a work stoppage for the first time in its history. "Nobody wants to miss the whole season, but there are 29 owners that are willing to do so if they have to," said Russ Granik, deputy commissioner.

The Mighty Ducks will play four exhibition games at The Pond of Anaheim, the team announced Tuesday. The Ducks will play a total of nine games, including two at neutral sites, before beginning their 1995-96 NHL regular season. The home dates are Sept. 20 (Washington Capitals), Sept. 22 (Boston Bruins), Sept 24 (New York Rangers) and Sept. 27 (Dallas Stars). The road games are at Dallas (Sept. 17), at Vancouver (Sept. 23), versus Calgary at Phoenix (Sept. 26), at the Kings (Sept.

Defenseman Kevin Haller will undergo arthroscopic surgery Wednesday to remove damaged cartilage in his right knee. Haller is expected to be sidelined about a month. An MRI exam Sunday revealed the extent of the injury. Haller suffered swelling in the knee while skating informally last week with teammates. "This is the time to get it done," Coach Craig Hartsburg said of the procedure. "He should be playing again within a month. We don't need him this month."

Angels 8, Chicago White Sox 6 AT THE PLATE: After scoring a combined 24 runs in split-squad wins Wednesday, the bats remained hot, the Angels bunching five hits in a six-run second inning that included Erick Aybar's two-run double to left field and Kole Calhoun's two-run triple to right-center. Howie Kendrick had two singles and is batting .435 (10 for 23). ON THE MOUND: Garrett Richards gave up two runs and seven hits in 42/3 innings, striking out two and walking none.

PHOENIX -- As Zack Greinke pitched in his first exhibition game in nearly two weeks, Matt Kemp made a breakthrough of his own Wednesday in a minor league intrasquad game on a nearby practice field. For the first time this year, Kemp played center field. Kemp is 41/2 months removed from surgery on one of the major weight-bearing bones in his left ankle. He was limited to hitting in the two previous minor league games in which he played. "I feel a little weird being out there, but I'm having a lot of fun," he said.

UCLA won its second straight men's basketball exhibition game Monday, beating Cal State San Marcos, 109-79, at Pauley Pavilion. Cal State San Marcos, ranked No. 22 in the preseason NAIA Coaches' Top 25 poll, is coached by Jim Saia and is in only its third year as a basketball program. Saia was once an interim coach at USC, going 10-15 after Henry Bibby was fired midway through the 2004-2005 season. UCLA will begin its regular season Friday against Drexel from Philadelphia at 9 p.m. PST. San Diego State beat Cal State San Marcos, 81-66, in an exhibition game last week.

UCLA defeated Cal State San Bernardino, 96-66, on Wednesday night at Pauley Pavilion in the first of its two exhibition basketball games. It was the UCLA coaching debut of Steve Alford, who came to Westwood from New Mexico after Ben Howland was fired after last season. After building a 31-18 lead, the Bruins were outscored by the Coyotes, 21-11, to close out the first half wth the Bruins holding only a three-point lead, 42-39. Khleem Perkins, a freshman guard from San Bernardino, had 15 points in the first half, making two of three from three-point range and six of nine from the field.

Shooting guard J.J. Redick said Tuesday an MRI exam this month revealed he had a partial tear of his left quadriceps and not just a bruise. But Redick said he now felt "great" enough to practice Monday and Tuesday and is available to play Wednesday night in his first exhibition game when the Clippers host the Utah Jazz at Staples Center. Redick said his injury occurred the first day of training camp in La Jolla. He said he tried to practice two days after the Clippers returned to Los Angeles but was "just dragging my leg. " So the Clippers shut down Redick.

Ryan Kelly finally made his exhibition season debut for the Lakers in the team's 100-95 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday in Beijing. The Lakers lost an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter, when the Warriors' starters were playing against  the Lakers' third string. Kelly sat out the team's first four exhibition games as he worked his way back from April foot surgery. In 12 minutes, Kelly made two of three three-point attempts and finished with six points. He missed two other shots.

For disenchanted Dodgers and Angels fans, this weekend is highlighted by, yes, the return of pro football. Exhibition games include the Raiders taking on the Green Bay Packers in the AFC-NFC Hall of Fame Game from Canton, Ohio, today at noon on ABC, Channels 7, 3, 10 and 42, and the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Francisco 49ers from Barcelona, Spain, on Sunday at 10 a.m. on NBC, Channels 4, 36 and 39.

BEIJING - If you missed it, you are forgiven. Entirely. The Lakers played Golden State in an exhibition game that started at 4:30 a.m. Pacific time Tuesday, ended a few ticks before 6:45 and took place 6,000 miles from L.A. Nick Young had 18 points, Pau Gasol had 15 and the chants for Kobe Bryant started in the first quarter of the Lakers' 100-95 loss. Bryant sat in a dark suit on the bench, still recovering from a torn Achilles' tendon, but it didn't stop the game-ops people from putting him on the scoreboard three or four times every quarter to the endless delight of Lakers fans.

It wasn't long after the Clippers had boarded their flight from Portland, Ore., to Los Angeles that Coach Doc Rivers began reviewing the tape from his team's first exhibition game against the Trail Blazers on Monday night. Even though his team won, 89-81, in Rivers' debut with the Clippers, a coach's work is never done. It was the way Rivers operated when he was the successful coach of Boston, helping to lead the Celtics to the 2008 NBA championship and the NBA Finals in 2010.