Walker Leaves UCLA

UCLA defensive-coordinator DeWayne Walker is leaving the Bruins for the head-coaching position at New Mexico State. Walker will become the seventh African-American coach in NCAA Div-I football. Walker tried out for the Bruins' coaching position after Karl Dorrell was fired, but lost to Rick Neuheisal. Walker did coach for the Bruins, however, in the Las Vegas Bowl, losing to BYU 17-16.

Kings Trade LaBarbera

The Los Angeles Kings traded goalie Jason LaBarbera (left) to the Vancouver Canucks. In return, the Kings will receive a 2009 seventh-round draft pick. LaBarbera fell behind upon Erik Ersberg's performance, and with the emergence of Jonathan Quick, LaBarbera became expendable. The goalie will become a free-agent this summer.

Clippers Face Shortcomings

The Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the Sacramento Kings 92-90, their 22nd loss of the season. The Kings scored just 2 points in the final 4:28, while the Clippers went scoreless during the last 3 minutes. Rookie Eric Gordan scored 24 points to lead the Clips, while Paul Davis made his first start of the season with 18 points. Marcus Camby came up with 15 points and 27 rebounds. Kevin Martin scored 20 points to lead the Kings. The Clippers will be without Zach Randolph for a couple of weeks with a bruised left knee, as well as Ricky Davis who, upon his return from his own injury, must sit out 5 games for a drug violation.

Editor's Note: USC Has High Expectations

While people will be uncorking the Dom Perignon at midnight tonight, celebrating the end of 2008 and the coming of 2009, the students of USC and Penn State will be thinking of roses. The roses of the parade, and the roses of Pasadena's Granddaddy of Them All. With a fourth consecutive Rose Bowl berth and the highest rated defense in the nation, the Trojans have high expectations to defeat the Nittany Lions. It's especially hard on the defense itself, as it will be the last time the entire squad, including Brian Cushing and Rey Maualuga, will be out on the field together. With the experience and depth of USC, it should win easily. Only they won't. Penn State is tough. Their only loss came at the hands of a last-second Iowa field-goal. They defeated Oregon State, the same Oregon State that nearly destroyed USC's hopes at a Pasadena berth (not that anyone was complaining). This game will be no cakewalk. Don't let the Trojan's 9-point spread deceive you. This will be the most challenging foe the Trojans have seen in years.

Manny's Agent Restarts Talks, LA Signs Vargas

Agent Scott Boras has decided to resume talks with the Dodgers and GM Ned Colletti, according to the Los Angeles Times, after three weeks of no contact. They will discuss a contract for Manny Ramirez, the slugger who carried the Dodgers through September and the Postseason. No market has materialized for Ramirez, with his lone offer coming from the Dodgers at the beginning of free-agency. Boras's decision comes a day after the Dodgers expressed interest in Adam Dunn and Bobby Abreu if Manny is not signed, with Ramirez still Colletti's #1 choice. The Dodgers made a move for pitcher Claudio Vargas (above), signing him to a contract. Vargas has pitched two double-figure win seasons, while last season he bounced from Milwaukee to New York to free-agency, all before the season ended.

League Suspends Davis

The NBA has suspended the Clippers' Ricky Davis (right) for 5 games for a drug violation. Davis, who is already out with a sore knee, must begin his suspension upon his return. Davis has only played in 13 games with the Clippers, during which he averaged 4.3 points.

Kings Get Stung in Shutout

The Los Angeles Kings were defeated by the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0, their 16th loss of the season. Rookie-goalie Steve Mason made 24 saves for Columbus, and Kris Russell scored a power-play goal to give the Blue Jackets the win. Goalie Jonathan Quick made another start for the Kings, making 23 saves in 24 opportunities.

Dodgers Look At Dunn, Abreu

The Los Angeles Dodgers are interested in Adam Dunn (left) and Bobby Abreu should they fail to sign Manny Ramirez, says ESPN.com and MLB.com. Both outfielders are big run-producers, each having at least 100 RBI last year. Abreu hit 20 homers, while Dunn hit 40. Dunn is more of a defensive liability and is prone to strike-outs, while Abreu lacks his power but is more defensively capable. The Dodgers are also interested in trading Andruw Jones to the Mets, as long as they eat up the majority of his contract. It is unclear who the Dodgers would want in return for Jones.

NFL Gets More Interesting

The NFL regular season has come to a conclusion, and the playoffs have been determined. They are as followed:
AFC
1st Seed: Tennessee
2nd Seed: Pittsburgh
3rd Seed: Miami
4th Seed: San Diego
Wild Card #1: Indianapolis
Wild Card #2: Baltimore

NFC
1st Seed: New York (Giants)
2nd Seed: Carolina
3rd Seed: Minnesota
4th Seed: Arizona
Wild Card #1: Atlanta Falcons
Wild Card #2: Philadelphia Eagles

This season was incredibly unique, seeing things that have never come together in any other season. Star receiver Plaxico Burres (below) shot himself, Detroit went 0-16, St. Louis defeated the Cowboys, but ended at 2-14, Drew Brees threw for more than 5,000 yards but failed to make the playoffs in a tough NFC South, and Brett Favre returned to football with the New York Jets, only to lose a playoff spot to the guy he kicked out: Chad Pennington and the Miami Dolphins (who vastly improved after going 1-15 last season). Things will be sure to stay interesting as the playoffs progress.

College Basketball Roundup

UCLA - Josh Shipp returned to help the Bruins defeat Louisiana Tech 78-55, improving to 10-2. UCLA forced 21 turnovers and limited the Bulldogs to no fast-break points. Shipp scored 16 points, and Jrue Holiday had his first career double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Magnum Rolle led La. Tech with 17 points.

USC - The Trojans defeated Oral Roberts 66-56, despite 18 turnovers, to improve to 9-3. DeMar DeRozan led with 18 points, and Taj Gibson had 16 points, 8 rebounds and 5 blocked shots. Marcus Lewis led O. Roberts with 11 points.

Clippers Helpless Without Zach-Attack

The Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the Dallas Mavericks 98-76, their 21st loss of the season. The Clips were without star forward Zach Randolph, while the Mavs were without star Dirk Nowitzki. LA shot a meek 38% with only one 3-pointer, while Dallas shot .417. Marcus Camby and Al Thornton both scored 16 points to lead the Clips. Camby also snagged 12 rebounds and 5 blocked shots. Baron Davis had 10 points and 9 assists. Josh Howard led the Mavs with 29 points and 9 rebounds.

Lakers Look Golden in Victory

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors 130-113, improving to 25-5. The Lakers forced 17 turnovers, scoring 31 points off of them. LA had a cool .516 shooting percentage, with 10 3-pointers as well. The Warriors, however, shot .494 while going 9-for-18 from beyond the arc. Kobe Bryant led LA with 31 points, and Derek Fisher scored 19. Sasha Vujacic had a season-high 17 points, and both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol scored 13, Bynum also with 10 rebounds and Gasol with 9. Jamal Crawford led the Warriors with 22 points, and Ronny Turiaf made his return to LA after leaving via free-agency, with one assist but no points.

Kings Get Quick Revenge

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Phoenix Coyotes 4-0, a day after Phoenix had defeated the Kings 2-1. 3 goals came in the first period. Jonathan Quick made 30 saves for his second shutout in 3 games, and Alexander Frolov scored 2 goals. Ilya Bryzgalov made 26 saves for the Coyotes.

Editor's Note: Lakers Make Big Statement, Little Progress

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day, avenging the brutal loss suffered in June during the NBA Finals. It proved that LA is ready to move on, and has grown a considerable amount after that time, especially with the return of Andrew Bynum. Too bad that the Lakers still have troubles with defense and inconsistencies in shooting. Yes, there appeared to be no problems in the big game. Unfortunately, the Lakers don't take Golden State as seriously as Boston. Everyone knew what the Celtics could do. They were 27-2 with definite All-Stars Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and even Rajon Rondo. Indiana has nothing like that, yet they defeated both LA and Beantown. Unless Indiana only plays for real against the best of the best, the Lakers and Celtics seriously underestimated the Pacers. The Lakers have what it takes to shut down strong teams. It's just that they never expect strong teams. The Pacers, Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards and New York Knicks all either beat or came close to beating LA, yet they are all under .500. LA needs to play every game like it's the Celtics playing them, and success is sure to follow.

Kings Struggle to Play

The Los Angeles Kings were defeated by the Phoenix Coyotes 2-1, their fifth loss in six games. Shane Doan scored a power-play goal to win the game for Phoenix, and Ilya Bryzgalov made 24 stops for the Coyotes. Jonathan Quick made his sixth career start, stopping 24 shots.

'Tis More Than a Season Game

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the rival Boston Celtics 92-83, avenging their defeat at the hands of Boston in the NBA Finals. In what was the most hyped-about game of the season, the Lakers held Beantown to only 8 free-throw attempts, and 28% shooting from the 3-pointer area. LA forced 17 turnovers and 9 blocked shots, and snapped the Celtics' 19 game winning-streak, a franchise record. Coach Phil Jackson also achieved his 1000th career win, the fastest any coach has accomplished this feat. Kobe Bryant scored 27 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists for LA, and Pau Gasol had 20 points with 3 blocks. Luke Walton had another start, with 8 points, 5 assists and 2 blocks. Lamar Odom and Sasha Vujacic both came off the bench with 10 points, including Odom's two 3-pointers. Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 22 points, and Paul Pierce scored 20 points and 10 rebounds, but committed 5 turnovers.

Kings Make Quick Win

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0, returning to .500. The win was a first for goalie Jonathan Quick, as well as the shutout, who made 24 saves. Patrick O'Sullivan scored a goal and provided an assist, and Peter Harold and Raitis Ivanans scored their first goals of the season.

Editor's Note: Manny Market Crumbles

The New York Yankees signed 1B Mark Teixeira to an 8-year, $180 million contract, effectively destroying any market that was available for Manny Ramirez. Both Angels GM Tony Reagins and Yankee GM Brian Cashman have said that Manny is not an option for their respective clubs. And while NY head-honchos Hal and Hank Steinbrenner have said Manny would be a great fit for the Bronx Bombers, signing him would create a huge breach of trust between them and Cashman, without having the benefit of the team as an excuse. With no suitors for the left-fielder, Manny's only option may very well be the Boys in Blue, just the kind of thing GM Ned Colletti planned out. He preached patience on this issue, and now it's almost as if Manny has fallen into his lap. Other teams considering Man-Ram have folded: Toronto is playing it safe due to the weak Canadian Dollar, while Boston has a better chance of signing Lou Gehrig than the guy who was "dogging it" every day. Everything has fallen into place for Colletti. All he has to do is wait for agent Scott Boras to come crawling back for that $45 million contract Boras scoffed at earlier.

Bruins Roll Through Wyoming

The UCLA men's basketball team defeated Wyoming 113-62, improving to 9-2. Michael Roll scored a career-high 25 points as a substitute for Josh Shipp. Darren Collison added 19 points and 7 assists, and freshman Malcolm Lee scored 16. Alfred Aboya snagged 12 points, and Drew Gordon contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds. Sean Ogirri led Wyoming with 14 points.

Lakers Sting N'awlins

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New Orleans Hornets 100-87, closing the roadtrip by going 2-and-2. The Lakers returned to defensive form in one of their best games of the season, just in time for the big X-mas day game against hated rival Boston Celtics. News also came that Jordan Farmar has opted to undergo surgery to repair a tear in his knee, keeping him sidelined for at least 6-8 weeks. LA commited only 7 turnovers after having 5 in the first five minutes, and turned 16 New Orleans turnovers into 28 points. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 26 points, and Pau Gasol had 20 points with 7 rebounds. Chris Paul led the Hornets with 17 points and 10 assists.

Farmar Needs Surgery

Doctors recommend that guard Jordan Farmar undergo knee surgery for the torn lateral meniscus in his left knee. The surgery would require at least 8 weeks of recovery time. Meanwhile, coach Phil Jackson is contemplating making a roster move to add another point guard so that Sasha Vujacic and Derek Fisher will see decreases in their playing time. Currently Fisher and Vujacic are spending more time on the court to fill in for Farmar.

Trojans Close Out Georgia Tech

The USC men's basketball team defeated Georgia Tech 76-57, improving to 8-3. The Trojans went on a 14-2 run to start the second half. Dwight Lewis led USC with 19 points, then DeMar DeRozan with 17, and followed by Daniel Hackett and Taj Gibson with 15 points. Gibson also snagged 14 rebounds. The Yellow Jackets shot only 29% in the second half.

Clippers Fall to Toronto

The Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the Toronto Raptors 97-75, their 20th loss of the season. The loss was also devastating as the sizzling Zach Randolph left the game in the fourth quarter after injuring his knee. The Clips shot a meek 33% for field goals, and committed 17 turnovers. Randolph scored 19 points and snagged 8 rebounds, and rookie Eric Gordon scored 19 points as well. Chris Bosh scored 31 points for the struggling Raptors, who are in last place in the Atlantic division.

Lakers Wake Up for Memphis

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 105-96, ending their two-game losing streak. LA had to rally in the fourth quarter after trailing by 8 at halftime. The Lakers shot 54% from inside the arc and were 6 for 15 from the 3-point line, while Memphis was 9-for-21 for 3-pointers. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 36 points, and Pau Gasol enjoyed his return to the team that traded him to LA with 15 points and 7 rebounds. Former USC-star O.J. Mayo scored 22 points and 6 assists for the Grizzlies, and Rudy Gay led Memphis with 23 points.

College Basketball Roundup

UCLA - The Bruins defeated Mercer 76-59 to improve to 8-2. Michael Roll scored 16 points while replacing Josh Shipp, Darren Collison led UCLA with 20 points, and Alfred Aboya scored 14. Calvin Henry led the Mercer Bears with 14 points.

USC - The Trojans defeated North Dakota State 61-57, after trailing by five points at halftime. Taj Bibson snagged 18 rebounds and 3 blocked shots, while Leonard Washington and DeMar DeRozan had the best games of their careers: Washington scored 14 points with 2 steals, and DeRozan scored 18 points to go with 6 rebounds. Ben Woodside scored 14 points for the Bison.

Kings Give It Up In the End

The Los Angeles Kings were defeated by the reigning Stanley Cup champions Detroit Red Wings 6-4. LA gave up 3 goals in the third period to lose the game. Dan Cleary scored the game winning goal for Detroit after Jiri Hudler tied the game. Dustin Brown, Kyle Calder, Trevor Lewis and Alexander Frolov each scored a goal for the Kings.

The Bucks Stop Clippers

The Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks 119-85, ending their road-trip with a 2-2 record. The Clips trailed at one point in the game by 43 points, and suffered their worst defeat of the season. Zach Randolph cooled off in the Wisconsin snow, scoring only 4 points, while Al Thornton led LA with 20. Richard Jefferson led the Bucks with 22 points, and Luke Ridnour scored 18, as 8 Bucks scored in double-digits.

Kobe Can't Do It All For Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers were defeated by the Orlando Magic 106-103, the first time the Lakers have lost back-to-back games, and only the team's fifth loss. The game hinged on a 3-point attempt by Sasha Vujacic for the lead that went in and out, mirroring Kobe Bryant's clunker from Friday. Kobe scored 41 points with 8 rebounds, and Derek Fisher had a season high 27 points. However, Pau Gasol was the only other Laker to score double-figures with 11 points, and Jordan Farmar sat out with a tear in his left knee. Kobe's Team USA partner Dwight Howard scored 18 points with 12 rebounds, and Jameer Nelson led the Magic with 27 points.

Sabres Shut Down Kings

The Los Angeles Kings were defeated by the Buffalo Sabres 5-0, LA's third straight loss. The Kings took 40 shots, but none went into the net on goalie Ryan Miller. Jason LaBabera made only 10 saves on 14 shots. Each of Buffalo's five goals were scored by five different players.

Clippers Keep Pace

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Indiana Pacers 117-109 in double-OT, their 4th win in five games. LA outscored Indiana 12-4 in the second round of overtime to get the win. Zach Randolph continues to sizzle after leaving New York, scoring 35 points and 16 rebounds. Al Thornton scored 25, and Marcus Camby had a double-double with 2o points and 12 rebounds. Baron Davis had 18 points with 11 assists. Four of Indiana's starters were out with infections, and Jarrett Jack led the Pacers with 27 points and 7 assists.

Lakers Get Burned by Wade

The Los Angeles Lakers were defeated by the Miami Heat 89-87, only the Lakers' 4th loss of the season. LA commited 21 turnovers, and shot 52.6% from the free-throw line. Kobe Bryant went for a quick 2 at the buzzer for overtime, but the shot went in and out. NBA's top scorer Dwyane Wade led the game with 35 points, his 11th 30-point game of the season. Kobe scored 28 points, and Pau Gasol returned after recovering from strep throat to score 13 points and snag 11 rebounds.

Kings Fall to NY

The Los Angeles Kings were defeated by the New York Rangers 3-2 in overtime. Michal Rozsival scored a second period and OT goal to give the Rangers the win. New York goalie Steve Valiquette, originally drafted by LA, made 39 saves, while Kings goalie Jason LaBarbera, who was drafted by New York, made 27 saves.

Bruins Rout LMU

The UCLA men's basketball team defeated Loyala Marymount 75-44, improving to 7-2. The Bruins attempted 33 three-pointers, while only making 11. LMU shot just 25% from the field. Michael Roll led UCLA with 12 points, and LaRon Armstead led the Lions with 18 points.

Clippers Get the Horns in OT

The Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the Chicago Bulls 115-109 in overtime, ending LA's three-game win streak. The Clips were done in by a 4-point play while up by 4 points, in which Chicago's Ben Gordon was fouled by Eric Gordon while in the process of shooting a 3-pointer. Gordon hit the 3 and the free-throw to tie the game up, and Chicago outscored LA 9-3 in the OT. Zach Randolph led the Clips with 30 points, and had 8 rebounds and 6 assists, while Marcus Camby had 19 points with 27 rebounds. Ben Gordon gave the Bulls 22 points, and Andres Nocioni had 22 as well.

AP: Furcal Returns to LA

The Associated Press is reporting that the Los Angeles Dodgers and SS Rafael Furcal have agreed on a three-year contract with a 4th-year option. Furcal had come to an agreement with his former team, the Atlanta Braves, however his agent explains nothing was official, not even a verbal agreement. Now that the infield is solved, GM Ned Colletti will look to add pitching and possibly Manny Ramirez.

Lakers Pull One Out in the Knick of Time

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New York Knicks 116-114, their 21st victory of the season. LA trailed by 15 at halftime, but came back to win by scoring 66 points in the second half. The Lakers were missing Pau Gasol, who is out with strep throat, meaning Lamar Odom made his first start of the season, even though he too was sick. All five starters scored double-digits, including Luke Walton with 14 points. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 28 points, then Odom with 17 points and 11 rebounds, followed by Derek Fisher with 15 points and a team high 7 assists. Andrew Bynum scored 13 with 11 rebounds and 4 blocks, and Trevor Ariza came off the bench with 13 points. Nate Robinson led New York with 33 points, and 5 other Knicks scored in double-digits.

Clippers Prove They're Not the Worst

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 98-88, the Clippers' 7th win of the season. LA handed OKC its 24th loss of the season, and with a 2-24 record, the Thunder has the worst record in the NBA. The Clips forced 20 turnovers and shot 46% from inside the arch. Zach Randolph had a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds for LA, and rookie Eric Gordon also scored 22. Baron Davis notched 19 points along with a team-leading 5 steals. Kevin Durant led OKC with 25 points.

Kings Get Bitten in SO

The Los Angeles Kings were defeated by the NHL leading San Jose Sharks 3-2 in a shootout. The Kings took the lead early with two first period goals, but the Sharks caught up with one goal in the first and one in the second. No one scored in overtime, so the game went to a shootout, in which San Jose won 2-1.

Trojans Stiffle Pepperdine Comeback

The USC men's basketball team defeated Pepperdine 91-77, the Trojans 6th win of the season. USC went into halftime with a 23 point lead, but it crumbled away to mere 6 point lead. The Trojans pulled away, however, and held out long enough. Taj Gibson led USC with 25 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks, and Dwight Lewis added 17 points. Keion Bell led the Waves with 18 points.

Hold the Phone: Furcal Still Up in Air

Reports are swirling that the "agreement" between Rafael Furcal and the Atlanta Braves is premature, and Furcal is still negotiating with the Dodgers. Calls were sent to Dodger GM Ned Colletti about the issue, and he responded saying negotiations were still in progress between the two sides.

Furcal Chooses Braves

Rafael Furcal has apparently made up his mind, according to MLB.com, and has agreed to a 3-year deal with the Atlanta Braves, the team he played for before signing with the Dodgers. Teams like LA, Oakland, and Toronto are now shifting their attention to Orlando Cabrera, the now-top shortstop on the market.

Lakers Sleep Through Win

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-86, their 20th win of the season. The Lakers continue to play sloppy basketball, with the score at one point being tied 57 all. It was the 8th straight opponent for LA with a losing record, a span in which the Lakers have gone 7-1, but have been incapable of dominating each time. Kobe Bryant led LA with 26 points, and Pau Gasol scored 18 points with 11 rebounds. Trevor Ariza came off the bench with 14 points. Al Jefferson led the T-Wolves with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Kings Go Wild in Win

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Minnesota Wild 3-1, moving above .500 with a record of 13-12-4. LA took 43 shots, and goalie Erik Ersberg made 33 saves. Anze Kopitar and Michal Handzus both scored power-play goals to give the Kings the win.

Clippers Have No Problem Against Houston

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Houston Rockets 95-82, their first time snagging back-to-back wins, and have won 3 of their last 4. The Clippers held Houston to just .356 shooting, with only 34 points in the second half. Zach Randolph led the Clips with 30 points and 13 rebounds, and Al Thornton scored 26 points. Baron Davis contributed with 13 points and 9 assists, as well as Marcus Camby, whose double-double gave LA 12 points and 13 boards. Yao Ming led the Rockets with 24 points and 13 rebounds.

Bruins' Win is a Classic

The UCLA men's basketball team defeated DePaul 72-54 in the annual John Wooden Classic, with Wooden in attendance to watch the game. It was also Bruin coach Ben Howland's 300th career win, combining his totals from UCLA, Pittsburgh, and Northern Arizona. The Bruins had 18 total assists, and held the Blue Demons to just 19 field goals. Both Jrue Holiday and Josh Shipp scored 14 points for the Bruins. Mac Koshwal led DePaul with 12 points and 8 rebounds.

Clippers Double-Down Portland

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Portland Trail-Blazers 120-112 in double OT, only the Clippers 5th win of the season. Baron Davis hit a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to tie the game up at the end of regulation, forcing overtime. Zach Randolph dominated his former team, scoring 38 points with 11 rebounds for the Clips, and Davis had 27 points and 6 assists. Brandon Roy was also on fire for Portland, leading the Blazers with 38 points and 9 assists.

Lakers Avenge Upset

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Sacramento Kings 112-103, gaining redemption from their upset loss to the Kings on Tuesday. The Lakers still played very sloppy basketball, and gave Sacramento too many chances to get back in the game, with the lead at one point being cut to just 3 points. Luke Walton had a rare start, replacing Vladimir Radmanovic, and scored 4 points with a season-high 8 assists. Kobe Bryant sizzled with 32 points and 7 rebounds, and Pau Gasol contributed with 18 points and 11 boards. John Salmons led the Kings with 26 points.

Kings Find What Brown Can Do For Them

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the St. Louis Blues 6-2, improving their record now to 12-12-4. 3 goals came courtesy of team captain Dustin Brown, with the other three coming from Alexander Frolov and Anze Kopitar (Kopitar had 2 goals). St. Louis took only 7 shots, 5 of which were blocked by goalie Erik Ersberg.

Lakers Barely Set Suns

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns 115-110, rebounding from their upset loss in Sacramento. Phoenix, however, was shorthanded with Shaquille O'Neal being injured and a trade that sent Raja Bell and Boris Diaw to Charlotte for Jason Richardson. Pau Gasol took over for Kobe Bryant, leading the Lakers with 28 points, while Kobe had 18 with 7 rebounds. Sasha Vujacic had 15 points off the bench, and Andrew Bynum had a double-double, scoring 17 and rebounding 11. Matt Barnes led the Suns with 23 points, and Amare Stoudemire had 21 points with 11 boards.

Sabathia Signs With Yankees

The New York Yankees and CC Sabathia have reached an agreement over a $161 million 7-year contract. Sabathia was one of the most coveted free-agents, but had only received offers from New York and Milwaukee. Other teams were reported to have interests in him, including the Dodgers, but no actions were ever made.

Kings Get Avalanched

The Los Angeles Kings were defeated by the Colorado Avalanche 6-1, handing the Kings their 12th loss of the season. Colorado scored 3 goals in both the first and second period. Cody McLeod scored two goals for the Avalanche.

Lakers Stumble Against Kings

The Los Angeles Lakers were defeated by the Sacramento Kings, 113-101, only their third loss of the season. The Lakers played sloppy basketball for all 48 minutes, shooting a mere 35.7% in the second half, whereas Sacramento shot 52.5%. Kobe Bryant led LA with 28 points, and Pau Gasol followed with 25 points and 12 rebounds. Francisco Garcia and John Salmons both had 21 points for the Kings.

Winter Meetings - Day 2

The Dodgers had a quiet Day Two at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, though they did finalize deals with Casey Blake and Mark Loretta. GM Ned Colletti has made inquiries about numerous players, including Manny Ramirez, CC Sabathia, and trade options for Andruw Jones, according to MLB.com. Talks are limited on the option on Jones, however, as LA will be stuck with paying the majority of his salary. A new spot has opened on the Dodgers radar, as closer Takashi Saito's condition is shaky and uncertain. Trevor Hoffman's name has come up as a possible replacement if Jonathan Broxton is kept in the setup role.

Clippers Can't Feel the Magic

The Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the Orlando Magic, 95-88, falling to a paltry 4-17. The Clips shot only .385 from inside the arch, and gave up 17 points off of turnovers, compared to just 10 for Orlando. Zach Randolph has quickly made a niche for himself with LA, scoring 21 points with 12 rebounds. Baron Davis led the Clippers with 27 points and 7 assists. Dwight Howard had a monster game, scoring 23 points and snagging 22 rebounds.

Greg Maddux Retires

Pitcher Greg Maddux has officially retired from the game of baseball, making the announcement from the home of the Winter Meetings, Las Vegas. Maddux is one of the most accomplished pitchers in the game, with 355 career wins, a 3.16 ERA, 3371 strikeouts, 4 Cy Young awards, and 18 Gold Glove awards for fielding, the most any player has ever received. Maddux pitched for Atlanta, Chicago, San Diego, and has ended his career with the Dodgers.

Dodgers Sign Loretta

MLB.com has reported that the Dodgers have come to terms with veteran utility infielder Mark Loretta (above), and will sign him pending a physical. The signing, reported at 1 year and $1.4 million, is meant to replace Nomar Garciaparra, who is considering retirement due to consistent health problems.

Dodgers Already Make Things Interesting

Yahoo Sports is reporting that 3B Casey Blake has accepted the Dodgers' tentative 3-year offer. Blake, a mid-season trade acquisition from Cleveland, filled third-base for LA in the second half, a position that has created much chaos for the Dodgers since Adrian Beltre's departure in 2004. This report comes on the heels of news that CC Sabathia told Dodger GM Ned Colletti that he would like to play for Los Angeles come next season. CC's interest has created an opportunity for the Dodgers to make an open offer to the lefty, rather than just remaining in the "interested" category. News also came that Manny Ramirez, Derek Lowe and Blake have all rejected the Dodgers' offer of arbitration. Arbitration is usually seen as a formality, in which the main goal is to get draft pick compensation if the free-agents sign with other teams.

UCLA Avenges Old Upset

The UCLA men's basketball team defeated Cal State Northridge 85-67 to avenge their previous defeat at the hands of the Matadors in 2000. The Bruins improved to 5-2, while CSUN fell to 1-6. Darren Collison had 13 points, and Josh Shipp and Jrue Holiday both scored 14 points. Tremaine Townsend led CSUN with 23 points.

Lakers Find There's No Place Like Home

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 105-92, returning to Los Angeles after a 3-game road trip that saw the Lakers nearly lose each game in the 4th quarter. LA held the Bucks to just 38% shooting, while all of the Milwaukee starters failed to achieve double-digits in any category, a direct contrast to the Lakers' five starters. Kobe Bryant had 20 points with 8 assists, and Derek Fisher scored 19 points. Sun Yue, the young phenom from China, made his Laker debut with 4 points. Rookie Joe Alexander led the Bucks off the bench with a meek 15 points.

USC's Outlook is Rosey

The USC Trojans have made it official: They are going to the Rose Bowl. On FOX's BCS selection show, it was announced that the Trojans will play Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions in the "Granddaddy of them All". USC finished at #5 in the official BCS rankings, which selected Oklahoma and Florida as the two teams that will compete in the Championship Game. Controversy surrounds this selection, as all top 5 teams had just one loss, plus the complex Big-12 "Texas Tech beat Texas who beat Oklahoma who beat Texas Tech" vicious circle. The selection came just as it was announced that USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian has accepted the head coaching position at Washington.

Colletti Has His Hands Full in Vegas

The MLB Winter Meetings in Las Vegas are approaching, meaning all 30 GMs and too many agents to count will be talking in the Bellagio Hotel, negotiating and settling on deals for various players. This is where Dodgers GM Ned Colletti will make many key decisions, having to fill 14 empty roster spots created by free agency. Derek Lowe and Brad Penny are both essentially lost, meaning there could be as many as 3 empty spots in the rotation, coupling with Greg Maddux's retirement. Talks continue with Manny Ramirez and 3B Casey Blake, both of which look optimistic considering no offers have been made to Manny, and the Twins and Indians are both reported to have dropped out of talks with Blake. The situation with Rafael Furcal is the most confusing, as both he and LA have shown little interest in one another, but shortstop holes are being filled up quickly, not to mention his rejection of Oakland's initial offer. The Dodgers have shown a varying degree of interest in free-agent pitchers CC Sabathia, Andy Pettitte, Randy Johnson, and Trevor Hoffman, as well as trades with the Pirates concerning SS Jack Wilson. Colletti himself has made just two offers all postseason: the 2-year contract to Manny Ramirez, and the 3 offers of arbitration to Manny, Blake, and Lowe. The arbitration, however, was done solely to get draft picks from teams who would sign the three if they all reject the Dodgers' offers. Trade talks with the Padres concerning Jake Peavy have ceased apparently, not just with Los Angeles, but nearly every other team that has shown interest in him, other than the Cubs.

Kings Shutdown Columbus

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-0, snapping a 3-game losing streak. Jason LaBarbera had his fourth career shutout, making 23 saves. The Jackets actually out-shot LA 23-18, but 3 of those 18 went into the net, making all the difference. Anze Kopitar, Wayne Simmonds and Kyle Calder each scored a goal for the Kings.

Clippers Find Worthy Foe in T-Wolves

The Los Angeles Clippers ended their three-game losing streak by defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-84. The Clips blocked 11 of Minnesota's shots, and were .469 from inside the arch. Baron Davis had 27 points and 9 assists, while Zach Randolph scored 21 for LA, and Marcus Camby added 12 points, 19 boards, and 7 blocks. Former Bruin Kevin Love had 13 points and 15 rebounds for the T-Wolves.

USC Sees Double (Er...Quadruple)

The USC Trojans defeated the UCLA Bruins 28-7, achieving their 7th straight Pac-10 championship, and 4th straight Rose Bowl berth, meaning the Trojans will stay at Pasadena a little while longer. Trojan QB Mark Sanchez threw for 268 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Joe McKnight ran for 99 yards with 1 TD. Kalihl Bell scored the Bruins only touchdown, coming off an early USC turnover deep in UCLA territory. Many in USC were satisfied with the win, despite not covering the 33-point spread. For Trojan seniors like Rey Maualuga and Patrick Turner, the win not only put a nice feather in their caps, it also avenged the 13-9 Bruin victory two years ago that knocked USC out of the BCS title game.

Kings' Rally Comes Up Short

The Los Angeles Kings were defeated by the Edmonton Oilers 5-4 on a shootout. Edmonton scored 3 first period goals on goalie Erik Ersberg, but the Kings came back with 4 goals in the second, each one from a different player (Frolov, Handzus, Stoll, and Kopitar). Jason LaBarbera came in for Ersberg in the second, and had 30 saves. However, Dustin Penner got one past LaBarbera for a goal in the third, forcing the game into overtime, and eventually a shootout. The Oilers won the SO 2 to 1.

LA Prepares For Biggest Game of Season

The USC and UCLA fans are all sitting on pins and needles waiting for the big game Saturday, one of college football's most celebrated and storied rivalries. From Reggie Bush to Troy Aikman, many of the greatest players in both NCAA and NFL history took part in the annual battle for LA. USC is a 33 point favorite, and a win for the Trojans means another trip to the Rose Bowl. Coach Rick Neuheisal still remains optimistic when it comes to the Bruins' chances against the Trojans.

Clippers Can't Get Past Grizzlies

The Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the Memphis Grizzlies 93-81, dropping their third in a row. Rudy Gay led Memphis with 25 points, and USC product O.J. Mayo had 20 points with 2 steals. Baron Davis had 23 points with 8 assists, and Zach Randolph provided 21 points and 2 blocked shots. Marcus Camby had a spectacular game, providing 15 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocked shots.

Lakers Edge Out Wizards

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Washington Wizards 106-104, after giving up a 19 point 4th-quarter lead. Washington had a chance to win the game after Kobe Bryant made only one of two free-throws, but Coron Butler's three-pointer hit off the rim, and Andray Blatche's tip-in failed. The Laker's second unit couldn't handle the Wizards, giving up 32 points in the 4th. Kobe did his thing with 23 points and 7 rebounds, and Andrew Bynum had 19 points with 10 boards. Butler had 26 points and 3 steals for the Wizards, and Blatche had 18 points with 10 rebounds.

USC Can't Handle Sooners

The USC men's basketball team lost to #6 Oklahoma 73-72, their third loss of the season. Dwight Lewis led the Trojans with 25 points, and Taj Gibson had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Blake Griffin gave the Sooners 25 points.

Bruins Lose Deep in the Heart of Texas

The UCLA men's basketball team was defeated by #8 Texas 68-64. The #12 Bruins suffered from poor perimeter running, and failed to break the 65 point mark for the 3rd straight game. Darren Collison led UCLA with 22 points and Josh Shipp added 15. Damion James had a double-double for the Longhorns with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Clippers Have Problem Vs. Houston

The Los Angeles Clippers suffered their seventh straight loss, this time to the Houston Rockets 103-96. LA made just 5 three-pointers, and had 11 turnovers that resulted in 12 points for Houston. Al Thornton led the Clips with 24 points, and Zach Randolph and Marcus Camby both had double-doubles, Randolph with 23 points and 11 rebounds, and Camby with 11 points and 11 boards. Yao Ming gave the Rockets 24 points and 10 rebounds, shooting 12-for-13, and Ron Artest had 19 points.

Lakers Hit Rebound Against Sixers

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Philidelphia 76ers 114-102 after having lost to Indiana the night before. LA shot .581 from inside the arch, and had 7 steals. Kobe Bryant had 33 impresive points in his homecoming, and Pau Gasol had 22 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks. Vladimir Radmanovic had 11 points in the first half. Andre Miller led Philly with 26 points and 5 assists.

Kings Score, Lose, Repeat

The Los Angeles Kings lost to the Phoenix Coyotes 4-2, their second defeat in as many nights. However, just like the last game, the Kings had a 3rd period lead that slipped away. This time, Alexander Frolov and Oscar Moller scored for the Kings, who had a 2-1 lead in the 3rd. Enver Lisin quickly destroyed that lead with two goals, giving Phoenix the lead for good.

Clippers Collapse Against Dallas

The Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the Dallas Mavericks 100-98, falling to 3-14. The Clips had a 12 point lead with 5 minutes to go, but lost most of it with just 1:15 left. J.J. Barea hit the winning 3-pointer, giving the Mavs their only lead of the game. Zach Randolph had 27 points with 10 rebounds for LA, and Al Thornton had 23 points with 9 boards. Baron Davis had 23 points with 6 assists and 2 steals. Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 29 points and 10 rebounds.

Lakers Stunned by Indiana

The Los Angeles Lakers were defeated by the Indiana Pacers 118-117, losing on a buzzer-beater tip-in by Troy Murphy. The Lakers defense suffered throughout the entire game, blowing a fourth-quarter 15 point lead. Kobe Bryant became the second-youngest player ever to score 22, 000 points, and led LA with 28 points. Pau Gasol had 20 points with 9 rebounds, and and Trevor Ariza had 13 points, 5 boards, and 3 steals. Danny Granger led the Pacers with 32 points and Murphy had 16 points and 17 rebounds.

Trojans Just a Bunch of Jersey Boys

The USC Trojans have elected to wear their home jerseys for Saturday's game against UCLA, despite the fact that the game is at the Rose Bowl. The Trojans decided to be penalized two timeouts (one for each half) in order to wear the cardinal and gold. This is the first time UCLA and USC will both wear home jerseys since 1982.

Kings Blow Game in Seconds

The Los Angeles Kings were defeated by the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1, with the two winning goals being scored within 81 seconds. Alexander Frolov scored the Kings' only goal after just 57 seconds went by in the game, but two late penalties created a 5-on3 power play that was too much for LA. Matt Stajan and Mikhail Grobovski scored the two late goals for the Leafs.

USC Leaves a Victory in San Fran.

The USC men's basketball team defeated San Francisco 74-69 to improve to 5-2. The Trojans kept the Dons from making a big comeback with their turnovers, and held on for the win. Dwight Lewis led USC with 26 points, and Taj Gibson had 9 points, 7 from the free-throw line. Dior Lowhorn led USF with 23 points.

Lakers' Lucky # is 14

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Toronto Raptors 112-99 to improve to 14-1, the best record in the NBA. The Lakers shot .511 from inside the arch, and had 10 steals. Pau Gasol nearly had a double-double with 24 points and 9 rebounds, while Kobe had 23 points with 7 assists. DJ Mbenga made his season debut, getting two blocks in just 3:04 playing time. Andrew Bynum accomplished his own D-D with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Chris Bosh gave the Raptors 12 points and 6 boards, while Anthony Parker led Toronto with 19 points.

USC Stays Idle, But Oultlook Seems Rosey

The USC football team failed to move ahead in the BSC rankings, remaining at #5. However, the Oregon State Beavers were defeated by Oregon, and USC now has the opportunity to clinch the Pac-10 championship and a Rose Bowl berth against Penn State with a win next week against crosstown rival UCLA.

UCLA Goes on Holiday

The UCLA men's basketball team defeated Florida International 89-54. Jrue Holiday had a career-high 20 points, and Darren Collison had 11 points and 7 assists. The Panthers scored only 13 points in the first half, and the Bruins shot 65%. UCLA (#13) looks to gain more ground in the standings with their next game against 6th-ranked Texas.

Clippers Stand Heat

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Miami Heat 97-96 for their third win of the season. LA staved off a late Miami surge to get the victory, their first against an east coast team. Ex-Knick Zach Randolph had his best Clipper game with 27 points and 13 rebounds, a drastic improvement from his last game where he scored only 7. Al Thornton also had 27, and Baron Davis had 15 with 9 assists. Chris Kaman had to sit out with a strained arch. Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 26 points and 11 assists.

Kings Live Strong With Armstrong

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2. Goalie Erik Ersberg had 22 saves, and Derek Armstrong had his first goal since February. Kyle Quincey and Michal Handzus both had 2 assists, and Alexander Frolov celebrated his 400th game with a goal and assist. Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane both had an assist and a goal for Chicago.

USC Puts the Hurt on Notre Dame, Weis's Job

The USC football team defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 38-3, extending the men of Troy's winning streak over their famous rivals to 7 straight games. The game between the Trojans and Irish was seen as ND coach Charlie Weis's last opportunity to salvage the team's season and his coaching position. Heavy speculation surrounded whether Weis would be let go if the Irish failed to win. The USC defense was once again solid, and Mark Sanchez threw for 267 yards with two touchdowns, but two picks as well. Jimmy Clausen, on the other hand, gave Notre Dame just 41 yards (with the longest pass being 11) and two interceptions.

Trojans Blow Through Skyhawks

The USC men's basketball team defeated Tennessee-Martin 70-43 to improve their record to 4-2. In their first game back from Puerto Rico, Taj Gibson had 15 points and DeMar DeRosa had 12. USC used a 23-2 run to put away the Skyhawks, who were led by Lester Hudson with 20 points.

UCLA: U-C-No Bowl Game

The UCLA football team lost to Arizona State 34-9. The Sun Devils used four turnovers - all from QB Kevin Craft - to score touchdowns (3 picks, 1 fumble). The ASU defense kept the Bruins out of the end zone, holding them to just 3 field goals. Craft threw for 204 yards, and has amassed 19 interceptions in the season, a school record. ASU's offense wasn't exciting either, as QB Rudy Carpenter threw for only 101 yards, and rusher Keegan Herring ran for only 32. The loss knocked UCLA out of a bowl game, as their record is now 4-7.

Lakers A-Rize Over Dallas

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Dallas Mavericks 114-107 to improve to 13-1, their best start since the 01-02 season. After having trailed by 11 points at one time to the Mavs, LA used a 23-4 run to put the game away in the fourth quarter. The Lakers played a messy 2-and-1/2 quarters before jump-starting near the end of the third, shooting in the low .400's at one point. Kobe had his best game of the season with 35 points, as well as 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Derek Fisher gave 19 points, Andrew Bynum had 18 with 10 boards, and Pau Gasol contributed 14 points. Trevor Ariza had his best game in a Lakers uniform with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, one steal and one blocked shot. Jason Terry led Dallas with 29 points, and Dirk Nowitzki had 19.

Kings Get Slick Win

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Edmonton Oilers 2-1 on the road. Jason LaBarbera had a rare start, and made it pay off with 22 saves. Anze Kopitar and Patrick O'Sullivan each had goals for LA.

Clippers Can't Pull Out Win

The Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the Denver Nuggets 106-105 to fall to 2-13. The Clips at one point trailed by 13 points, but came from behind and had a chance to win, but Marcus Camby's buzzer-beater 3-pointer came up short. Eric Gordon led the Clippers with 24 points in his second career start, and Camby had a double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Newly acquired Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins combined for only 7 points and 5 rebounds in their first games for LA. Carmelo Anthony led Denver with 30 points and 11 rebounds.

Kings Flame Out

The Los Angeles Kings were defeated by the Calgary Flames 6-2. Miikka Kiprusoff made 24 saves for Calgary, while Erik Ersberg only had 14. Rene Bourqe scored two of the Flames' six goals.

New Jersey and Lakers Go Perfect Together

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New Jersey Nets 120-97, with 34 points coming in the third for LA, and 17 in the fourth for Jersey. The Lakers went into halftime with only a slim 2-point lead, but outscored the Nets 64-39 in the second half. Pau Gasol led LA with 26 points, and Jordan Farmar had 18 points. Vince Carter gave New Jersey 14 points, and Devin Harris led the Nets with 24 points.

Clippers Shorthanded in Loss

The Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the New Orleans Hornets 99-87. The Clips were without Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins after the Knicks learned about Cuttino Mobley's heart condition, putting the trade's effects on hold. New York could have voided the deal if they felt Mobley's condition would be too uncomfortable. However, the trade went through as planned, and Randolph and Collins will be available for LA's next game. However, the trade's problems caused problems in the Clipper's game against the Hornets, who outscored LA 50-41 in the second half. David West lead New Orleans with 27 points, and Chris Paul had a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 17 assists. Rookie Eric Gordon had his first NBA start with the Clips, scoring 25 points. Baron Davis also helped LA with 19 points and 8 assists.

Trojans Get Bitten By Tigers in Puerto Rico

The USC men's basketball team was defeated by Missouri 83-72 to fall to 3-2. The Trojans had a 10 point lead with 15:31 left, but the Tigers used two 12-2 runs to put away the men of Troy. J.T. Tiller had 14 points for Mizzou, and Dwight Lewis gave USC 15 points.

Lakers Deliver Royal Pounding

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated their rival Sacramento Kings 118-108 for LA's 11th win. All five of the Lakers starters had double digits: Kobe Bryant led with 24 points and 6 assists, followed by Pau Gasol with 16 points and 7 rebounds, Andrew Bynum with 15 points and 10 boards, Vladimir Radmanovic with 12 points (all from 3-pointers), and Derek Fisher gave 10 points. Lamar Odom had 14 points and 7 rebounds off the bench. John Salmons led the Kings with 24 points.

USC Says Bye to 6th Place

The USC Trojans moved up in the BSC standings, from #6 to #5, after Texas Tech's blowout loss to Oklahoma, which dropped the Red Raiders to #7. USC, who had a bye-week before they play Notre Dame, still needs an Oregon State loss to go to the Rose Bowl to face Joe Paterno's Penn State Nittany Lions.

Kings Get Avalanched in SO Loss

The Los Angeles Kings were defeated by the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in a shootout. Dustin Brown's goal in the third period put the Kings up 3-2, but Paul Stastny scored the tying goal for Colorado. With no one scoring in overtime, the game went to a shootout in which the Avalanche won 2-0.

Clippers Face Net Loss

The Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the New Jersey Nets 112-95 to drop to 2-11. The Clips, who were without newly acquired Zach Randolph and Mardy Collins, gave up 31 points in the first quarter, and could not hang on. Yi Jianlian had his best game as a Net with 27 points and Vince Carter added 26. Baron Davis and Marcus Camby had their best games with LA, Davis with 30 points and 10 assists, and Camby with 18 points and 13 boards. Al Thornton added 20 points for the Clips.

Trojans, Bruins Get Back on the Rebound

Both the USC and UCLA men's basketball teams got a win after suffering devastating losses previously. UCLA defeated Southern Illinois 77-60, and USC defeated Chattanooga 73-46. The Bruins and Trojans now have 3-1 records.

Clippers Lose to Brand-New Elton

The Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the Philadelphia 76ers 89-88 to drop to 2-10. LA had a six-point lead with 2:50 left, but former Clipper star Elton Brand did his old team in with a 15-footer with 57 seconds left, which ended up becoming the game winner. Brand's departure is still seen as a shock to some, who left LA immediately after they signed his friend, Baron Davis. Al Thornton led the Clips with 22 points, and Davis added 18. Brand finished with 17 points for Philly.

Clippers Trade Forward

The Los Angeles Clippers traded Cuttino Mobley and Tim Thomas for the New York Knicks' forward Zach Randolph and guard Mardy Collins. Randolph has averaged 16.4 points in his NBA career, and looks to provide more of a low-post scoring threat for the Clips.

Lakers Breeze Through Denver

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Denver Nuggets 104-90 to achieve their 10th win of the season. LA, who at one point led by 27, shot .488 from inside the arch. Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 29 points, while Andrew Bynum had 13 points and 13 rebounds. Trevor Ariza had a good game with 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals. Chauncey Billups gave Denver 15 points and 9 assists, and J.R. Smith had 18 points.

Kings Make Capital Gains

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Washington Capitals 5-2. LA scored two goals in the last 40 seconds to secure a win, one from Michal Handzus and the other from Anze Kopitar. The Kings managed to hold down reigning MVP Alexander Ovechkin to no goals on just five shots, snapping his five-game streak.

For Trojans, Hall Hath No Furry

The USC men's basketball team lost to Seton Hall 63-61. The Trojans had a steller first half, but the second was no where near that. Taj Gibson gave USC 19 points, and John Garcia led the Pirates with 11 points and 18 boards.

UCLA Misteps against Michigan

The UCLA men's basketball team was defeated by Michigan in Madison Square Garden 55-52 to suffer their first defeat of the season. Alfred Aboya and Jrue Holiday made miscues that ultimately led to the Bruins' defeat. Holiday had 13 points, and DeShawn Sims gave the Wolverines 18.

Lakers Eclipse Suns

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Phoenix Suns 105-92, making a statement over their division rivals. Kobe Bryant led LA with 24 points, but Vladimir Radmanovic stole the show with 15 points, all coming on 5 three-pointers. Lamar Odom gave the Lakers 13 points, and Pau Gasol had a quiet night with only 4 points, but 9 rebounds and 9 assists. Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 21 points. The Lakers, with a 9-1 record, play Denver next.

Dodgers Get in on Sabathia

The Los Angeles Dodgers are prepared to offer CC Sabathia a $100-120 million 6-year contract, reports MLB.com. The former CyYoung pitcher is seen as the best pitching free agent, and is being courted by the Yankees, Angels, Brewers, and Giants. CC is a California native who prefers the NL so he can bat.

Clippers Thunder Past OKC

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-88. The Clips had 14 steals. 7 from Cuttino Mobley, to take the win from the former Seattle Supersonics. LA trailed at one point in the second half by 15 points. Mobley gave the Clippers 23 points, Chris Kaman had 25 points and 14 rebounds, Al Thornton scored 20, and Baron Davis and Marcus Camby both gave 14 points. Kevin Durant, last season's rookie of the year, had 17 points for OKC.

USC Stays Focused

The USC men's basketball team defeated New Mexico State 73-60. The Trojans improved to a 2-0 record. Taj Gibson gave USC 22 points and 10 boards, and Dwight Lewis added 16 points. Jahmar Young gave the Aggies 16 points, but too many turnovers late in the game led to New Mexico's defeat.

Bulls Mess with Lakers, Then Get the Horns

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls 116-109. While it was not a blowout, it is seen as a nice rebound after LA's loss to the Pistons. Kobe Bryant took a back seat to Pau Gasol, who scored 34 points with 6 rebounds. Kobe had 21 points, and Andrew Bynum nearly had a double-double with 18 points and 9 boards. Derick Rose and Ben Gordon led the Bulls, Rose with 25 points with 9 assists and Gordon gave 23 points. The Lakers look to keep things going against Shaq and the rival Suns tomorrow.

Clippers Fall Late to Spurs

The Los Angeles Clippers lost to the San Antonio Spurs 86-83. The Clips were down by as much as 11 in the fourth quarter, but managed to come from behind to tie the game with 1:04 left on Cuttino Mobley's three-pointer. However, the Spurs came right back and had their own 3 point play from Roger Mason to put the game out of reach. Mobley led the Clippers with 18 points, and Chris Kaman had a double-double with 17 points and 13 boards. Mason led San Antonio with 21 points and Tim Duncan had 20 points with 15 rebounds. The Clips are 1-9, the worst record for any team other than the OKC Thunder.

Kings Go into Free(way) Fall

The Los Angeles Kings were defeated by the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday, 2-0. Backup Jonas Hiller had his first career shutout for the Ducks, while Erik Ersberg had 24 saves for the Kings.

USC Stays in Neutral

The USC Trojans failed to advance in the BCS rankings, but did not fall behind either, remaining at #6. USC has a bye week before playing against rival Notre Dame.

Kings Become Prey for Nashville

The Los Angeles Kings were defeated by the Nashville Predators 3-1 to end the Kings' 4-game win streak. LA had 34 shots, but only one went into the net. Michael Handzus scored the Kings' only goal after Kyle Quincey's shot hit off of his right skate.

Clippers Less Than Golden

The Los Angeles Clippers lost to the Golden State Warriors 121-103. In Baron Davis's first game against his former team, the Clips shot just .368 from inside the arch. Anthony Morrow stole the show with 37 points, going 15-for-20. Corey Maggette, in his first game against his former team, gave Golden State 17. Davis led the Clippers with 25 points and 11 assists, and Chris Kaman had a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

UCLA Dubbed Winner

The UCLA Bruins defeated the winless Washington Huskies 27-7. Kahlil Bell had 2 TDs on 97 yards carrying, but QB Kevin Craft was still inconsistent with just 135 yards passing and 3 picks. Husky QB Ronnie Fouch had only 39 yards passing while throwing 2 interceptions.

USC Roundup

FOOTBALL - The USC Trojans defeated the Stanford Cardinal 45-23 in Palo Alto. The running plays were key in the Trojan's victory, as QB Mark Sanchez struggled in the first half. The game was tied going into the second half when UCS pulled away to avenge their loss last year to the Cardinal. C.J. Gable had 85 rushing yards with a 93-yd TD kickoff return, and Stafon Johnson had 2 TDs and 115 yards.

BASKETBALL - The USC men's basketball team defeated UC Irvine 78-55. Freshman DeMar DeRozan 14 points with 3 rebounds, 2 steals and an assist. Dwight Lewis led USC with 18 points. Darren Moore led UCI with 16 points.

Lakers Stall Against Motor City

The Los Angeles Lakers were defeated by the Detroit Pistons 106-95, suffering their first loss of the season. LA shot only .421 and were too inconsistent to defeat Detroit. Kobe Bryant had 29 points, putting him at 22nd on the all time scoring list, ahead of Larry Bird and Gary Payton. Allen Iverson and Rasheed Wallace both led the Pistons with 25 points, and former Laker Kwame Brown had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The Lakers look to rebound against the Bulls on Tuesday.

Dodgers Pull Offer From Manny, Look at Big Unit

MLB.com reports that the Los Angeles Dodgers have pulled their offer to OF Manny Ramirez of $45 million over two years with a third year option. GM Ned Colletti will still pursue Ramirez during the offseason, but any offer will be based on offers from other clubs. The Dodgers are also interested in lefty Randy Johnson, who left the Arizona Diamondbacks after an 11 win season. The Dodgers need a veteran presence in the rotation with the departures of Brad Penny and Derek Lowe.

Kings Keep Going with Win

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Dallas Stars for their fourth victory in a row. Erik Ersberg had 24 saves, and Michal Handzus and Kyle Quincey scored power-play goals to give the Kings the win.

Bruins Stay Focused

The UCLA men's basketball team defeated Miami of Ohio 64-59 in their second game of the season. Darren Collison and Josh Shipp both had 16 points for the Bruins, and Michael Bramos had 22 points for the Redhawks.

UCLA Has Good View in First Game

The UCLA Bruins men's basketball team defeated Prairie View A&M 82-58 in the two teams' first game of the season. The Bruins committed 24 turnovers, but the offense helped make up for it. Jrue Holiday had 11 points in his debut, and All-American Darren Collison led UCLA with 19 points. Darnell Hugee led Prairie View with 22 points.

Clips Get Dethroned

The Los Angeles Clippers lost to the Sacramento Kings to go 1-7. The Kings led for the entire game, shooting .525 from inside the arch, while the Clips shot only .442. Beno Udrih gave the Kings 30 points and 7 assists, and Al Thornton led LA with 20 points. Baron Davis had the best game of his Clipper career with 16 points, 12 of which coming from the 3-pointer.

Lakers Survive Hornets' Nest

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New Orleans Hornets 93-86 to go 7-0. The Lakers held the Hornets to just 30 points in the first half, but gave up 34 in the fourth quarter that let New Orleans get back into the game. Both Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher had 20 points, while D-Fish sank four 3-pointers. Chris Paul, Kobe's Team USA teammate, scored 30 points, 16 of which came in the fourth quarter, with 13 assists. Andrew Bynum had 14 points with 8 rebounds and 4 blocked shots, and Pau Gasol contributed 14 as well. Kobe hit a late 3-pointer with 1:08 left in the game to stifle a late New Orleans comeback.

Kings Shootout for the Stars

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Dallas Stars in a shootout. Alexander Frolov scored the winning goal in the shootout against Stars goalie Marty Turco, and Kings goalie Erik Ersberg blocked a shot from Mike Modano in the fifth round to get the win. The Kings scored two goals in the first round, and won the shootout 2-1.

Lakers Come From Behind, Go 6-0

The Los Angeles Lakers did what Barack Obama did exactly a week ago: defeat Mavericks. In the Lakers' case, that would be the Dallas Mavericks. LA defeated Dallas 106-99 after trailing for a majority of the game. Dallas scored 35 points in the first quarter, 60 in the entire first half, but just 39 in the second half. Jason Kidd had a triple-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Kobe Bryant scored 27 points, and the Lakers used a 30-9 run during the third and fourth quarters to take the lead. Pau Gasol contributed with 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Andrew Bynum had 11 points and 10 re's. Trevor Ariza scored 13 points, while Lamar Odom finished with 12. The Lakers go to New Orleans tomorrow to play the Hornets.

USC Moves On Up

The USC Trojans moved up to #6 in the BCS Rankings after defeating #21 Cal on Saturday. BCS officials will be faced with a tough challenge as what to do with USC and Oregon State, as the Beavers (tied with USC in conference standings) lead the Pac-10 by default, but the Trojans are higher in the rankings. Oregon State would most likely go to the Rose Bowl, while USC would go to one of the other three major bowl games (Fiesta, Sugar, Orange) if this trend continues.

Clippers Believe, Achieve

The Los Angeles Clippers attained their first win of the season, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 103-92. Dallas tied the score in the fourth, but the Clips went on a 13-0 run to knock off the Mavs. Al Thornton gave LA 17 points, 14 of which were scored in the second half, while Baron Davis had one of his best games with 22 points and 10 assists. Dirk Nowitzki gave the Mavs 33 points.

Lakers Rocket Past Houston

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets 111-82, the team's first real test of the season. Houston was held to just 34 points in the second half after having led 32-16 in the first quarter. Kobe Bryant had 23 points, while Pau Gasol had 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks. For the Rockets, Aaron Brooks led the team with 20 points, while Yao Ming had 12 with 8 rebounds.

Dodgers Still in Hunt for Peavy

The Los Angeles Dodgers are still a possible trade destination for Jake Peavy, says ESPN. They are however a long shot behind the Cubs and Braves, as an interdivisional trade would require the Dodgers to give up much more compared to Chicago or Atlanta.

Kings Beat Strong Case of Blues

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the St. Louis Blues 5-3 in LA. The Kings scored three goals on power-plays and now are ahead of Dallas in the standings with 12 points.

Bruins Offense Just Offensive

The UCLA Bruins lost to the Oregon State Beavers 34-6 in Pasadena. The game was tied 3-3 at halftime, and from their things fell apart for the blue and gold. Kevin Craft threw two picks, while counterpart Sean Canfield threw two TDs. Oregon St. still leads the Pac-10 by default due to a victory over USC.

Nowhere to Go But Up for Trojans

The USC Trojans defeated the #21 Cal Bears 17-3, and look to move up in the BCS rankings after # 3 Penn State's loss to Iowa. QB Mark Sanchez had two TD passes with 238 yards.

Clips go 0 and 6

The Los Angeles Clippers lost to the Houston Rockets on Friday 92-83. Ron Artest led the Rockets with 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. Chris Kaman led the Clips with his best game of the season, with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 blocks. LA is still trying to achieve their first win, a direct contrast with the Lakers who still have not suffered a loss.

Kings Beat Equally Struggling Florida

The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Florida Panthers 3-2, scoring two goals in the first period. Florida has only 9 points in the standings, while the Kings have 10. Three different players scored a goal for LA: Brian Boyle, Tom Preissing, and Dustin Brown. The Kings play the St. Louis Blues next, who they previously defeated as part of the "curse of Sarah Palin."

Clips, Lakers Make It a Game (for 3)

The Lakers beat the Clippers in part two of the Hallway Series, 106-88. The game was close until mid-fourth quarter, when the Clips led by one. However, the Lakers went on a 22-0 run to put the game out of reach. Kobe went 8 for 21 with 27 points, and Lamar Odom contributed 15 points with 9 rebounds. Andrew Bynum tied a career-high 17 rebounds. Al Thornton led the Clips with 22 points, while Marcus Camby played for only 16 minutes. Both teams play the Houston Rockets next.

Ducks Down Kings in OT

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Kings 1-0 in overtime on Chris Pronger's goal. Erik Ersberg, the Kings goalie, was solid for all three periods with 19 saves in the first two periods.

Clippers Fall Into 0-4 Hole

The Los Angeles Clippers failed to get their first win of the season again, losing to the Utah Jazz 89-73. For the first time, both Baron Davis and Marcus Camby played on the court. Camby had 5 points, while Chris Kaman was the star with 19 points and 10 rebounds. For the Jazz, Paul Millsap scored 24 points while Carlos Boozer had 13 with 8 rebounds. The Clips look to achieve their first win against the LA Lakers tomorrow, but don't expect to see a 1-4 record in the standings on Thursday.

Weekend Roundup

LAKERS - LA defeated the Nuggets in Denver 104-97. The game was a lot closer than the previous two. Kobe scored 33, while Bynum ejoyed his new extension with 8 rebounds.

CLIPPERS - The Clips lost to Utah 101-79. The Jazz commited only 5 turnovers, while Carlos Boozer had 26 points. Cuttino Mobley had 20 points with 3 rebounds for LA.

USC - The Trojans defeated the Washington Huskies 56-0, their third shutout in 4 games. However, their huge victory earned them a negative 2 in the rankings. They dropped from 5 to 7 in the BCS rankings. USC goes up against the #21 Cal Bears on Saturday.

KINGS - LA lost to the Clagary Flames 3-2. Calgary goalie Miika Kiprusoff had 36 saves, and King skater Oscar Moller made two goals.

Denver Clips LA's Hopes in Overtime

Baron and the Clippers couldn't pull out any magic going into the fifth quarter, losing to the Denver Nuggets 113-103. Not only did the OT loss sting, it also led to team captain Baron Davis being injured. LA had a 72-55 lead late in the third, but lost most of it to a Denver 13-3 run. The Clips had a two point lead with 10 seconds left in regulation, which disappeared in a flash with two Linus Kleiza free-throws. Marcus Camby still is waiting for his debut, hoping it can be Monday's game against the Utah Jazz.

Kings Can(t)nuck 'Em Out

The Kings got shutout in LA by the Vancouver Canucks yesterday, losing 4-0. Daniel Sedin and Kyle Wellwood contributed two power-play goals, while Roberto Luongo recorded his 40th shutout. The Kings look to rebound against the Calgary Flame tomorrow, but consistency remains a problem.

Gentlemen, Start Your Bidding

Now that the Phillies have triumphed in the World Series, free agency begins today. Several key players for the Dodgers will be free to choose a new team: Manny Ramirez, Derek Lowe, Casey Blake, and Rafael Furcal. A two week grace period starts the offseason in which players can only make deals with the teams they are leaving. After that, everyone's up for grabs. Don't expect the Dodgers to make big moves during this period, as most of the players mentioned want to test the market. Stay with this blog to get all offseason info on the Dodger dealings.

LA vs. LA, Who Will Win?

The Lakers and the Clippers did battle yesterday, or it was more like the Lakers did battle while the Clippers hid under their seats. Kobe and co. beat the Baron of LA 117-79. The aforementioned Mr. Bryant scored 16 points with 8 rebounds, and Andrew Bynum contributed with 12 points. 7 guys scored double digits, including Farmar, Ariza, and Chris Mihm off of the bench. The Clippers opener seemed to be a good game after the first quarter, with the Laker lead only at 3. However, that was as close as they could get. Baron Davis had 11 points and 7 assists in his Clipper debut, and Al Thornton had 16. The Clips look to rebound against Denver, who coincidentally will play the Lakers the next day.

Blazing Saddles

Welcome to the home for Los Angeles sports. Let's get things started on the right foot with the Lakers win last night over the Trailblazers. Kobe and the guys got things done on both sides of the ball, with a superb offense and strong defense. LA outscored Portland in all four quarters, and shot .468 from inside the arch, .700 from outside. As always, Kobe was hot with 24 points, as well as the Pau-erful Gasol with 15. Bynum was impressive in his first real game since being injured, with 8 points, 5 blocked shots, and 3 rebounds. Jordan Farmar stood out, scoring 9 points with 6 assists. Tonight, they take on LA's other team, the Clippers.