Nba Finals

Kevin Durant, the Oklahoma City Thunder superstar, has led the NBA in scoring three times in his five-year career because of his silky smooth jumper and all-around offensive game. Now the 6-foot-9 forward can add a highlight-reel play that is reminiscent of 76ers great Julius Erving. Durant, a four-time All-Star who many think resembles legendary forward George "Iceman" Gervin with a better long-range jumper and a few more inches of length, beat two Denver Nuggets defenders along the baseline Friday night before flipping a reverse layup off the glass for a basket.

Wait till next year, long the mantra of sad-sack sports franchises, could have a different meaning for the Clippers and the Indiana Pacers. As in, by 2014 the NBA Finals could be theirs. They got next, if not sooner. Both teams feature a young and emerging core that plays a distinctive style. The Clippers live above the rim with Lob City. The Pacers lead the league in defense and rebounding, an approach that could be called Mob City. "That team is definitely a contender," Clippers guard Chauncey Billups said of the Pacers, "and they're here to stay for a while.

I'm going to gush here, the local columnist going homer on you again as I do so often. Obviously I won't be writing about the Lakers. Instead this is going to be an ode to a great friendship, and how two incredible players would rather praise each other than talk about themselves. So no way this could have anything to do with the Lakers. But as inviting, competitive and cool as I've been telling everyone that I find Chris Paul, I just spent time with his twin, Chauncey Billups.

The Clippers are in the championship conversation. Imagine saying that. But it's true. The Clippers have the third-best record in the Western Conference at 39-17, 4 1/2 games behind conference leader San Antonio (43-12) and one game behind Oklahoma City (39-15). The Clippers have the best point guard in the NBA in Chris Paul and a rising star in power forward Blake Griffin. They have the veteran presence of Chauncey Billups and the deepest team in the NBA, led by reserve guard Jamal Crawford.

The death of Lakers owner Jerry Buss on Monday sparked an outpouring of support and respect for the man credited with the invention of Showtime and who figured out a way to make more money from high-value seats. Buss, 80, died of complications from cancer. Buss won 10 NBA championships after purchasing the team in 1979. In his first season as owner, after drafting Magic Johnson, the Lakers won the NBA title. It was a sign of things to come. Among those helping Buss along the way was the legendary Jerry West.

With news that Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss is ill, Kobe Bryant said he and rest of the team are trying to "maintain a positive outlook. " Bryant had high praise for Buss. "He's extremely, extremely intelligent and extremely patient," Bryant said. "He has his goals. He knows exactly what he wants to do and how he wants to construct the ball club. " The Lakers have gone to seven NBA Finals with Bryant, winning five titles. Bryant said he's felt Buss' influence for nearly his entire life.

Tuesday night at Staples Center the term "clock management" took on a whole new meaning when Swiss luxury watch brand Hublot was announced as the official timekeeper of the Los Angeles Lakers. The brief pre-game ceremony -- which involved the presentation of a wristwatch-shaped wall clock to Lakers Executive Vice President Jeanie Buss by Hublot Chief Executive Ricardo Guadalupe at center court -- marks the start of the brand's five-year sponsorship of the NBA team. Earlier that day, Guadalupe told All the Rage that the deal, which will eventually include some kind of brand presence at Staples Center, affords Hublot both exposure to an arena full of potential customers and the opportunity to provide Lakers-related perks (things like game seats and player access)

Just another day at Lakers practice, where Kobe Bryant defended the franchise's reputation, Dwight Howard fought off the "he's-having-too-much-fun" criticism from Robert Horry and the Lakers continued to hope another statement victory was on the way. Last things first, they'll get another chance Thursday against Miami after accruing all of … two? ... three? ... declarative victories this season - at Golden State, home against New York (on Christmas), and maybe/perhaps/possibly at home against Brooklyn in November (even though the Nets fired their coach recently because of poor performance)

MIAMI AT LAKERS Thursday, 7:30 p.m. PST. TV: TNT, TWC SportsNet, TWC Deportes. Better get a look at this matchup now because it won't be reprising itself in June. What was expected to be a possible NBA Finals preview has devolved into nothing more than just another midseason game. Miami has struggled recently and the Lakers have hit one low after another, the latest coming Friday when productive backup forward Jordan Hill was lost for the season because of a hip injury.

The message popped up on Twitter near midnight, not long after the Lakers lost to the Clippers. "Thoughts of self doubt...Am I done? Is this how my career will end?? I REFUSE to give in to these thoughts. #strongwill #countonchallenges" It was from Kobe Bryant. He didn't step back from it 12 hours later while talking to reporters after Lakers practice. "Everybody has it. I'm human just like everybody else," he said. "I think the way I react to it is probably a little different than anybody else.