NBA Playoffs: Where Upsets Happen

As the Los Angeles Lakers waited for their playoff opener against Utah tomorrow, the NBA Playoffs started off with a bang. The Chicago Bulls defeated the Boston Celtics 105-103 in overtime, stunning the Kevin Garnett-less Irish. Derrick Rose of the Bulls tied the record for most points scored by a rookie in a playoff debut with 36 points. In Cleveland, the Cavaliers defeated the Detroit Pistons, taking a 1-0 advantage in that series. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Spurs 105-97 in San Antonio. Houston defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 108-81 in a series that can have serious concequences for the Lakers.

Manny & Ethier Power Dodgers Past Rox

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Colorado Rockies 9-5, their seventh win in a row. Manny Ramirez connected twice for his first two home runs of the day, both solo shots. Andre Ethier also had two bombs, one solo and the other 3-run, his second multi-homer game of the season. Chad Billingsley went six innings to get his third win of the season, allowing three runs on four hits, three walks, while striking out six. Matt Kemp extended his hitting streak to 12 games with an RBI-single, and Brad Ausmus scored a run in his second start of the season. Will Ohman, in a rare at-bat, had an RBI single. Ian Stewart had a solo-homer for the Rockies, and Brad Hawpe had a two-run triple.

Manny's home run off starter Aaron Cook was his 528th career home run. It also meant that he has homered against all 30 major league teams in his career.

Corey Wade was put on the 15-day disabled list due to shoulder bursitis. The move is retroactive to April 12. The Dodgers called up lefty Scott Elbert to take his place in the bullpen. Elbert can also act as a long-reliever in addition to being a lefty-specialist.

Ronald Belisario could act as a substitute closer in tomorrow's game, despite him pitching today. He would replace Broxton, who is being given extra time off after pitching a five-out save on Friday.

Dodgers Take Come-From-Behind to Extend Streak

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Colorado Rockies 4-3, their sixth straight win. The game was in jeopardy going into the bottom of the seventh with LA trailing 3-0, but the boys in blue scored four runs in the inning to secure the win. Randy Wolf gave up the three runs in the first inning, but pitched perfectly after that, allowing only one hit in the other five innings while striking out seven. Rafael Furcal, Orlando Hudson, Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier each reached base in the deciding seventh, and Mark Loretta had the game-winning RBI by driving in Ethier who reached second on a double. Kemp also had a double. Jonathan Broxton had a five-out save while striking out four to secure his fourth save of the season. Brad Hawpe had a two-run homer for the Rockies, and Garrett Atkins had a double, RBI, and run scored.

DeWitt Replaces Mientkiewicz

Doug Mientkiewicz was placed on the 15-day disabled list today after he dislocated his right shoulder sliding into second-base in the Dodgers' win over the Giants. Blake DeWitt will take his place in the roster after being called up from Triple-A Albuquerque. DeWitt beat out Xavier Paul for the spot, despite the fact that Paul is batting .571. Mientkiewicz will undergo surgery after an MRI revealed his shoulder was completely dislocated, with part of the labrum pulled off, according to Tony Jackson of the LA Daily News. The team trainer estimates it will be at least three months before Doug can return, while Joe Torre and Ned Colletti believe September is more likely.

Stults Gets Plenty of Support in Win

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants 7-2, completing the three-game sweep of their bitter rivals. Eric Stults pitched five innings, allowing just two runs on five hits and three walks to get the win. Rafael Furcal hit a leadoff home run on the third pitch of the first inning, and Matt Kemp hit an RBI-triple and scored two runs. Casey Blake drove in two runs, and Doug Mientkiewicz had a pinch-hit, two-run double. However, on his slide into second, Mientkiewicz dislocated his right shoulder, and he is most likely going to the disabled list. The Giants hit just 1-for-10 with runners in scoring-position. Emmanuel Burris had three hits for San Fran, including a double, and scored a run.

Clippers' Finale Sums Up Season

The Los Angeles Clippers ended a dreary season with a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder that seemed to sum up the entire season in one game. The Clips fell 126-85, their 63rd and final loss of the season. The Clips end with 19 wins. OKC shot .539 from the field, and collected 17 steals. LA turned the ball over 22 times, and were out-rebounded 49-32, out-assisted 36-16, and went to the charity stripe just 14 times, compared to the Thunders' 32 opportunities. Eric Gordon scored 22 points to lead the Clippers, and Mike Taylor added 15 points off the bench. Chris Kaman scored 13 points, and no other Clipper scored in double-figures. Kevin Durant led OKC with 26 points, Jeff Green scored 19 and UCLA-product Russell Westbrook added 13. Three players off the Thunder bench scored in double-digits.

Editor's Note: This One's for You, Jackie

The Dodgers' victory came on the same day as the now universally-known Jackie Robinson Day. The famed Brooklyn Dodger first played in the major leagues on April 15, 1947, breaking baseball's color barrier as the Dodgers' second-baseman. In his honor, every single player in the MLB wore his famed number 42. But no team played in his honor like the Dodgers. Orlando Hudson, James Loney, and Matt Kemp each played key roles in the victory, all of whom are African-American. Hudson scored a run in the first inning, and led off the deciding ninth-inning with a single. Matt Kemp had a game-tying single. James Loney drove in three runs, including the game-winner by walking with the bases loaded. While the game will go into the record books as just another win, it will live on in the hearts of many as the ultimate tribute to the great Jackie Robinson.

Dodgers' Win is Just a Walk in the Park

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Francisco Giants 5-4, their fourth straight win. The Dodgers won in the bottom of the ninth after James Loney walked with the bases loaded. The Dodgers initially led 2-1 going into the eighth, but Hong-Chih Kuo put two batters on base, and Ronald Belisario gave up a three-run bomb to Aaron Rowand. The Dodgers scored twice in the eighth to tie the game, then the walk in the ninth secured the victory. Jonathan Broxton had a perfect inning to get the win, and Clayton Kershaw pitched a gem, allowing one hit, one run, one walk, and racked up 13 K's. Orlando Hudson had three hits and a run, Casey Blake hit a home run, and Matt Kemp had a double and an RBI-single. Loney knocked in three runs, all without a hit, walking twice with the bases loaded and hitting a sacrifice fly. Bengie Molina hit a solo homer for the Giants, but the black-and-orange collected only four hits.

Editor's Note: Bynum Changes Playoff Complexion

Now that the regular season is over, the Lakers can really get ready for serious competition, starting with a tough Utah offense. Utah gave the Lakers their toughest competition out of the Western Conference, pushing the semi-final series to six games. But the outlook is completely different this time, not just against Utah, but against every team. And there are two players who contribute to that: Andrew Bynum (right) and Trevor Ariza (left). Bynum was out for the entire season last year after a knee injury, and suffered an eerily similar injury this season as well. The difference is he's back though, and appears to be very healthy. Bynum is a strong defensive presence, and can rebound, block, and create havoc along with Pau Gasol. The other difference-maker is the oft-forgotten Trevor Ariza. Ariza fractured his ankle last season, keeping him off the court until the Western Conference finals against San Antonio. Ariza came back, and after spending most of the season on the bench he's now in the starting five. Ariza's defense is bar none for Lakers as he led the team in steals. He's quick, agile, and has the length to be a power-forward in addition to being a small-forward. Both Ariza and Bynum bring more to the table than their substitutes last season, and that can easily translate into a lot of hardware.

Finale is Just the Beginning for Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz 125-112, their final game of the regular season. The Lakers' final record of 65-17 gives them the second best record in the NBA, the best record in the Western Conference, and will now face Utah in the first round of the playoffs. LA shot .558 from the field, including going 8-for-13 from 3-point range. The Lakers out-assisted the Jazz 39-27, while Utah took 47 free-throws. Andrew Bynum had 22 points and 3 blocked shots, and Pau Gasol added 20 points and 9 rebounds. Kobe Bryant added 16 points, and Lamar Odom scored 16 as well. Sasha Vujacic had 15 points off the bench. Deron Williams led the Jazz with 25 points and 13 assists, and Andrei Kirilenko added 20 points off the bench. Carlos Boozer chipped in 16 points and 9 rebounds.

Dodgers Trade Young

The Los Angeles Dodgers traded outfielder Delwyn Young to the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to Tony Jackson of the LA Daily News. The Dodgers will receive two players to be named later, most likely minor-leaguers. Young is a switch-hitter who was a victim of the Dodgers' crowded outfield. He was out of minor-league options, but a troubled elbow gave the Dodgers time to sort out the situation by putting him on the disabled list. Young was designated for assignment just yesterday.

Video: A Glimpse of the Dodgers' Opener

The Los Angeles Dodgers went all-out for their home-opener, including having each and every member of the 25-man roster enter the field through the stands. In this video, courtesy of Sons of Steve Garvey, you can see Brad Ausmus, Juan Castro, and a certain dog who hit for the cycle (hint: his first name is a city in Florida).

Clips Go Cold during Quest for 20 Wins

The Los Angeles Clippers fell to the Utah Jazz 106-85, dropping their record to 19-62. The Clips could not out-score Utah in each quarter, and were out-rebounded 50-36. Utah took 39 free-throws as they forced 26 Clipper fouls. Marcus Camby led LA with 17 points and 10 rebounds, and Eric Gordon added 16 points. DeAndre Jordan had 16 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Carlos Boozer led the Jazz with 20 points, and Paul Millsap scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Deron Williams added 17 points and 9 assists.

Lakers Lose Homecourt as Cavs Clinch

The Lakers' quest for homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs fell with a thud as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Indiana Pacers 117-109. The Lakers will have homecourt up until the NBA Finals, and will only be the road team if they were to face Cleveland.

Opening Day: Oh Dog! Hudson Leads Way as Dodgers Pound Giants

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the rival San Francisco Giants 11-1, their first game at Dodger Stadium this season. Orlando Hudson led the way as he hit for the cycle, the first Dodger to hit for the cycle since Wes Parker in 1970. First Hudson hit an infield-single in the first inning, then homered to put the Dodgers up 1-0 in the third. Later Hudson hit a one-run double in a six-run fourth, then tripled to get himself the rare cycle in the sixth inning. Hudson finished the game with four hits, 2 RBI's, and three runs scored. Andre Ethier did his best to catch up to the red-hot Hudson by hitting two home runs and collecting four RBI's. Russell Martin and Rafael Furcal both knocked in two runs, and Matt Kemp's single gives him an eight-game hitting streak. Manny Ramirez doubled and scored a run. Chad Billingsley pitched a gem to get the win, allowing just one run on five hits while fanning 11 with no walks. Travis Ishikawa had the Giants' only RBI, and veteran Randy Johnson was lit up, allowing seven runs in less than four innings of work.

Delwyn Young was designated for assignment in order to make room on the 40-man roster. The Dodgers have 10 days to release him, trade him, or place him on waivers. If Young can clear waivers, he can stay with the organization in the minor-leagues. However, if placed on waivers, another team claim and take him.

Blake DeWitt was sent to Triple-A Albuquerque in order to play regularly and get more at-bats. The Dodgers called up Juan Castro to take his place in the roster.

Lakers Return to Winning Ways

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 92-75, their 64th win of the season. Memphis could not outscore the Lakers in all four quarters, shooting just .366 from the field. LA forced 17 turnovers, and had more rebounds, assists, and steals. The Lakers spread the wealth throughout the bench, who scored 30 points. Andrew Bynum led the way with 18 points, and Pau Gasol had 12 points and 13 rebounds. Kobe Bryant added 16 points, and Trevor Ariza had 12. Former-Trojan O.J. Mayo led the Grizzlies with 20 points, and Pau's younger brother Marc had 14 points and 8 rebounds.

Dodger News: Rotation Shuffle, Young Has Interest

The Los Angeles Dodgers are just one week into the season and already they are shuffling their pitching rotation. Eric Stults is being put into the rotation as James McDonald is moved to the bullpen. Stults joined the team after Hiroki Kuroda hit the DL, pitching more than five innings of one-run ball yesterday against Arizona. McDonald had a disastrous outing, giving up five runs in less than three innings against the same D-Backs. The Dodgers don't need a fifth starter for a few days with the off-day Tuesday, but will need one on Sunday against Colorado. That game will be a "bullpen" game, in which McDonald will pitch 2-3 innings, with the rest of the bullpen pitching in relief. Manager Joe Torre can use the bullpen like that since the Monday after is an off-day.

Delwyn Young has interest from other clubs, and could be traded by the end of the week. Young is currently on the disabled list and is playing in Triple-A Albuquerque to rehab a troubled elbow. Young is out of minor-league options and lacks a solid glove and versatility, making the club reluctant to put him on the roster. He is a switch-hitter, and has become an adept pinch-hitter. While with the Isotopes, Young caught the attention of scouts from Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh.

Wolf Feasts As Dodgers Win

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1, taking the three-game series two games to one. Randy Wolf pitched brilliantly, giving up just one run on two hits and two walks while striking out five. Matt Kemp had an RBI double and James Loney had two hits and an RBI. Wolf created a confusing play by lining out with Juan Pierre at second and Andre Ethier at third with one out. Because Felipe Lopez tagged out Pierre at second rather than tagging the base, that allowed Ethier to score. Lopez had two of the D-Backs' three hits, including a double, and scored the only run for Arizona.