We’ll take a look at a number of factors that go into making a great point guard: shooting, passing/playmaking, defense, durability and leadership. Before I go any further, I have to point out that steals are the most overrated defensive statistic. I’ve watched too many players labeled as “good defenders” (because of their steals) attempt a risky steal, fail, and then leave their man open for an easy bucket. A great defender will get steals, don’t get me wrong. They will also play solid man on man defense and make the team better defensively.

Passing/playmaking will look at assists, turnovers, and a few subjective fields. It’s not as cut and dry because you could look at Baron Davis’ 8 assists per game and nearly a 3:1 assist/turnover ratio and believe that he’s a great point guard. You would then be hit in the face by all the members of the Clippers for thinking that because sometimes stats are overrated.

In shooting, in addition to other factors, we’ll look at True Shooting Percentage (TS%) which takes into consideration how well you shoot from short and long range. It’s compounded by your Free Throw % and accuracy from beyond the 3 point line with attempts factored in. The league average is about 54%.

Leadership is admittedly more subjective but it’s impact isn’t less important. Case in point: Chauncey Billups compared to Allen Iverson. Under the reins of Iverson, Denver couldn’t squeeze out of the 1st round and the team did not mature. Making the trade for Billups instantly promoted the Nuggets to contenders in the Western Conference because of the leadership that Billups brought.

Durability is obviously a huge factor because you can’t say that Grant Hill was one of the best NBA players ever just because he had a few great seasons and was incredibly talented. He’s had more injury-plagued seasons than healthy ones which is a shame, but it also brings down his overall stock.

Rajon Rondo

During the 2010 NBA Playoffs, we’ve watched Rondo tear up the Heat and Cavaliers. He seemed to be hit with a couple of minor injuries that brought him down from “superhuman” status while playing the Magic but no one can doubt he has special talent after watching him play.

As a shooter, Rondo struggles…mightily. His TS% is 54% (which is average) but it’s deceiving. He converts at well above the league average right around the rim and out to about 15 foot shots. Why does that make him a bad shooter? It doesn’t actually, he’s deadly when he’s close to the rim. However, if he’s facing a long 2 pointer or a 3, you can put down a lawn chair and grab a drink while he shoots because he’s not a threat from there.

For many guards, fouling them while driving to the rim or on short shots is painful because of their high FT% (aka, Billups & Nash shoot over 90% from the line). However, fouling Rondo doesn’t seem like the worst idea in the world since he converts a horrid 61% of his free throws.

As a passer & playmaker, Rondo has special talent. He averaged nearly 10 assists this year with a respectable 3.23:1 assist/turnover ratio. He’s so quick and athletic that he can penetrate the lane, draw defenders to him, and see the open man for easy layups/dunks. That’s a dream come true for most teams.

Rondo led the NBA in steals (2.3/game) this year. His effort in steals occasion has lead to easy points for the offense but Rondo has also brought great defensive intensity all around the floor. His quickness means he won’t frequently get beat off the dribble but his weakness is his size. Rondo measures 6’1 and maybe 170 pounds. PGs like Deron Williams, Russell Westbrook, and even Jason Kidd or Andre Miller can overpower Rondo and take it to him.

Rondo has played in at least 77 games in all of his 4 seasons and given his athleticism, he appears to be able to withstand minor injuries and be a durable player.

There have been rumors of locker room issues in regards to Rondo during the past 2 post-seasons which can hardly make for a good leader. The Celtics are lucky to already have players serving as good leaders but you have to wonder if Rondo were on a different team would his baggage be a detriment to the team.

Steve Nash

He is the most ridiculous man in the world. He also wins the award for the most beatings taken in the playoffs without missing significant game time. Did I mention he’s 36 years old? Nash set an NBA record this year for the most assists (892) in a season for a 36 year old. He’s only gotten better with age…but it’ll be interesting to see when time starts taking it’s toll. Sadly, it will be much sooner, rather than later.

As a shooter, there is no better. In fact, John Hollinger of ESPN.com outlined the greatest shooters of all time in the NBA and Steve Nash was atop that list. Nash has posted a record 4 seasons (and nearly 2 more seasons missing by only hundredths of a percentage) of 50/40/90. Over 50% from the field, 40% from 3P, and 90% from the free throw line. He shoots well from short and long, can convert from pick and roll, or as a spot-up shooter. His size and athleticism do not give him many chances to beat opponents off the dribble but he makes up for it in basketball IQ.

As a passer/playmaker he is incredibly proficient. Because of his playmaking abilities he frequently creates open shots for his teammates. He has regularly averaged over 11 assist/game and his assist/turnover ratio is nearly always around 3:1. His skill at running pick and roll has always been deadly at creating offense for himself and his team. His turnover rate is high though, and it’s one area that has worsened with time.

Steve Nash’s biggest weakness is on defense. He has always been labeled a defensive liability and it’s well-deserved. His size (6’3, 178 lbs) has him skinny and unable to defend bigger stronger guards. His offensive quickness has not translated on the defensive end and generally loses steps to quicker, smaller guards. Against bigger guards, they simply can post up on him and get easy inside shots. Nash has only averaged better than 1 steal/game twice in a 13 year career and one year went 60 games without blocking a shot. Ok, I made up that last stat but in the ’07-08 season he only blocked 5 shots…total.

The early years of Steve Nash’s career were laden with injury but he has become more durable as he’s gotten older…which is rare. Over the past 10 years he generally misses only about 5 games a year.

He has received 2 MVP awards combined with good team play, a veteran mentality with a deceptively young style of play makes him a great leader. His teammates look up to him. If he were better defensively, I’d be clamoring for him to be lauded as the Best Point Guard Ever.

Chris Paul

Up until the 2009-2010 season, the world had declared Chris Paul to be the best point guard in the league..and perhaps for good reason. In 2009 Chris Paul finished 2nd in voting for MVP and nearly lead the league in PER. Some remained skeptical as there are a lot of uncertainties when it comes to CP3.

It’s hard to look at the 2009-2010 season as a sample because Paul suffered several injuries for nearly the entire season and saw his statistics drop in virtually all categories as a result. However, this was not his first season dealing with injuries and it seems like we might see a trend from Chris Paul in this regard. He missed a chunk of his rookie season with injuries as well. Given his small stature and strength (6’0, 175 lbs) I have a hard time believing he can play a dozen years at his pace without facing a number of trying injuries.

Overall, Chris Paul’s offensive skills are superb. He’s quick and athletic which allows for stop-and-go dribbling and penetration into the paint. He’s proficient at the running teardrop floater in the lane. He has the ability to wear down his defender with his skills in handling the ball and from there can create plays for himself and his team.

New Orleans’ offense is based solely around Chris Paul. Nearly half of all points scored in any given Hornets’ game are either scored by or assisted by Chris Paul. It’s difficult to believe that an offensive such as this wouldn’t pad CP3′s stats. Before this year New Orleans could barely afford to keep CP3 off the court as no one seemed to be able to score without him on the court. This offensive padding seemed hard to prove w/ Chris Paul continually playing. This changed, however, in the 2009 draft when the Hornets drafted Darren Collison out of UCLA.

Collison is built almost exactly like Chris Paul and plays a very similar game. While he projects to be a solid point guard in the league it appears that his run this past season was also inflated by New Orleans’ offensive style. While Paul was out with injuries Collison averaged 22 points and 9 assists per game which would have lead all rookies in both categories had he started all season. Those numbers are markedly similar to Chris Paul’s so the question is are they a result of the style of offense or individual ability?

Chris Paul has developed into a good shooter over the past couple seasons…but was not always such a threat. His TS% has been close to 60% over the past few seasons and has improved his range considerably. For standing only 6 feet tall he finds his shot blocked at a remarkably low rate: only 3-4%. The league average is nearly 6%.

CP3 has been at the top of the assists leaderboard in the NBA for 3 seasons now. His floor vision and passing ability are among the best in the NBA. What’s more incredible is that his turnover rate is incredibly low for a point guard and his assist/turnover ratio generally hovers near 4:1. Chris Paul’s greatest skill is his ability to take care of the ball and deliver it to his teammates.

Chris Paul lead the league in steals for 2 seasons in a row which gave him All-Defense team honors. That being said, he’s not a great defender. He has quick hands and feet which nets him steals but he takes a lot of risks when attempting steals and sometimes it hurts his team as a result. I’d much rather see him play tight defense force a bad shot taken than watch him make a play for a steal and draw a foul or give up an easy play.

I think Chris Paul’s approach to defense is a lazy one: if he can get the steal then great! If not, he hopes that someone else can pick up his slack when his guy loses him. In addition, his size makes him unable to guard the bigger guards in the league which is why Deron Williams has always dominated the matchup between the two. Teams with a larger backcourt give the Hornets a lot of issues because the Hornets give up a lot of size and basketball is all about exploiting mis-matches. The Oklahoma City Thunder have 2 bigger guards as their starting backcourt (Russell Westbrook at 6’3 and Thabo Sefalosha at 6’7) and I can’t see the Hornets backcourt able to contain that size.

I’m not sure how Chris Paul’s defensive mentality affects his teammates but he does seem like a good leader. He definitely has the killer instinct you need to truly be a great NBA player. Nevertheless, his team has not been able to advance past the 2nd round of the playoffs and failed to make the playoffs this year.

Deron Williams

Deron Williams plays in one of the most structured offenses in the NBA with the Utah Jazz. It’s a far reach from the let-Chris-Paul-run-around offense that New Orleans employs. However, it would be incredibly interesting to see Chris Paul and Deron Williams switch teams and see what kind of numbers they would each put up in the other’s system.

That being said, offensively, Deron Williams is dangerous in any situation. His ability to lose defenders with his crossover is extraordinary. Just ask Jason Terry. Deron Williams can run the pick and roll with the best of them and is quick and strong enough to blow by defenders and drive to the rim. Or if his defenders so dare he can pull up for a jumper and get it done that way as well. He doesn’t quite have the raw athleticism that Derrick Rose has but Rose can’t hold a candle to Williams’ jumpshot.

While Steve Nash and Chauncey Billups might be better shooters Deron Williams is better than average from almost any range and has a TS% of around 57-59%.

DWill has that killer instinct and elevates his game when needed. He is soft-spoken which may come across as not being aggressive but he is definitely the leader of the Jazz and the players all respect him.

On defense, DWill has always been underrated. He is quite capable of playing lockdown defense and with his size he can defend even some of the bigger guards in the league (Kobe Bryant, Brandon Roy). He has good hands and has always averaged better than 1 steal/game. His omission to an All-Defense team is almost as unbelievable as only being selected to 1 All Star team.

He size and strength have made him more durable than many point guards. DWill has suffered only 1 injury in 2008 that caused him to miss more than a couple games. During the 2009-2010 season he weathered a number of minor injuries throughout the season and still managed to maintain good stats.

As a playmaker, he has phenomenal floor vision. The Jazz’ offense is directed around finding easy layups and dunks for players cutting to the basket. Time and time again Williams finds those players with ease. His strength and speed enables him to get into the lane where he punishes the other team with strong finishes or dishing to a cutting teammate.

DWill generally averages 10-11 assists/game with an assist/turnover ratio of just over 3:1 which is very good. Notwithstanding, he doesn’t take care of the ball as well as Chris Paul. In this category, he has the most room for improvement. But he’s only 25 years old, his best years are yet to come. While the same can be said about Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo, they are still behind Deron Williams in a very close race.

Deron Williams is the most complete point guard in the NBA. Does that mean the same as “best”? Most definitely. When you look at total package and abilities, no point guard can do everything Deron Williams can as competently. Some PGs are better at one thing or another, but no one is as complete.

Basketball is a multi-faceted sport. The best offensive players don’t make the best overall players because offense and defense are required from all players. If you wanted offense only, you might go with Steve Nash or Chris Paul as your #1 choice but then you lose out on the defensive end. No other point guard in the NBA can do everything as well as Deron Williams can. For this reason, Deron Williams is the best point guard on the planet.

Neil muses about the Utah Jazz for the UpperBowlJazzFan. If you disagree or want to debates sports follow him @UpperBowlJazzFan and for all else @iNeils.

Think about it for a second. Who lead the NBA in assists last season? Chris Paul. Who led the NBA in steals last season? Yep you got it. Chris Paul. In fact let’s take a deeper look into this. According to Hoopsstats.com Chris Paul led all Point Guards this past season in the following categories.

• Points per game = 22.5
• Assists per game = 11.0
• Steals per game = 2.7

These are the categories that make point guards tick. And if the Hornets organization can pull their head out of you know what, maybe they can start putting some decent players around CP3 to help him out. Here’s a video from NBA.com on Chris Paul’s top 10 plays of 2009.

Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AooQ_MtG1cA

Remember, this list is unbiased and is a true Top 10 list.

1. Kobe Bryant

Really who would be at the top of this list instead of the “Black Mamaba”? This year’s reigning MVP has his Lakers looking at a championship this season. His numbers are lower because of solid play from teammates, but his dominance is stronger than ever.

2. Lebron James

Lebron James continues to improve year in and year out, and looks to be the favorite for this year’s MVP award. The Cavs are playing like championship contenders mostly due to the merits of  “The King”. You really didn’t think there would be someone else in the #2 spot did you? If Kobe is #1, Lebron has to be #2.

3. Dwayne Wade

You can make the argument that when healthy, DWade is as dominant a player on both ends of the court as King James. Let’s not forget also that it’s DWade with  a championship ring on one of his fingers. People are quick to crown King James as the next “Best Player on the Planet”, but let’s wait and see if Dwayne Wade has something to say about that first.

4. Chris Paul

Very easily could have one the MVP award last season and still could win it this year. There’s no player in the league more important to his team than Chris Paul. And oh yeah, he’s even better this year than he was last year! Incredible! His competitive greatness has us thinking he could be the best point guard in the NBA since Magic Johnson!

5. Kevin Garnett

So much talk around the media goes to Paul Pierce and how great a player he is, but it’s Kevin Garnett who runs the show in Boston! His passion and intensity is second to nobody in the league, and just about any sport for that matter. He gets the job done on both defense and offense. And although he throws weird Dennis Rodman-like antics every once in a while, doesn’t deter from the fact that he’s the most dominating big man in the NBA right now!

6. Deron Williams

So much talk goes to Chris Paul, and rightfully so. But let’s not forget the leagues other dominating Point Guard Deron Williams! A combination of quickness and strength along with a beautiful jumper and amazing court vision this guy is moving up the list fast! He may not get as much media attention as other players being that he’s in Utah, but that has nothing to do with how great of a player this guy is!

7. Joe Johnson

By far the most underated and underappreciated basketball player in the NBA. But that will soon disapper as more and more people get to see the great talent that is Joe Johnson! Joe is leading his Atlanta Hawks to Eastern contention and causing those Boston Celtics fits! Joe Johnson always comes up big in important games and is deadly in the clutch!

8. Tim Duncan

He may be old, he may be ugly, and he may be on the most boring team in the NBA but he is still after all these years one of the leagues most dominating big man! Still averging “20 & 10″ every single night and keeping his San Antonio Spurs in contention and having teams all over the league worrying about those pesky spurs. The old man’s still got it!

9. Dwight Howard

Also in this year’s MVP talk, the self proclaimed “Superman” is an absolute beast and dominator in the paint! Not to mention one of the leagues best personalties and just an overall entertainment for all fans of the NBA. Howard may not win a championship this season, but he will continue to get better and better each year. Look for him to continue to work his way up this list!

10. Amare Stoudamire

Amare makes the end of this list because of his pure offensive dominance! He’s still not the greatest defensive player, but would be much better if he had any teammates that could defend! When Amare get’s going offensively, he’s as hard to stop as anybody! A great combination of an outside jumper along with great finishing ability around the rim!

Do you think we missed someone? Do you have a case for another player that should be in this list? Sound off by leaving a comment below. We’d all like to hear other’s opinion on the NBA’s Top 10 Players!

The Hornets avenged a 100-87 loss to the visiting Lakers, back on Dec. 23, at New Orleans Arena. The Hornets became only the second Western Conference team to beat the Lakers.

Previously, the Sacramento Kings were the only team outside the Eastern Conference that had been able to take the Lakers down.

But New Orleans was able to withstand Kobe Bryant’s 39-point scoring night because West poured in 40 points and Paul tallied 32 points, along with 15 assists.

“Everybody wants to talk about offense. Defense is where you win or lose games,” Bryant said.

The Lakers led 92-89, going into the fourth quarter. But the Hornets outscored them by 14 points in the final 12 minutes. Trailing 99-94, New Orleans went on a 15-0 run.

“I thought we burned a lot of energy in the third trying to catch up and stay ahead,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.

Bryant was able to give the Lakers a brief lead in the third quarter, when he had his hottest-shooting period of the season. Bryant made 8 of 9 field-goal attempts, including four 3-pointers. He was 6 of 7 from outside the 3-point arc overall.

The Lakers second home loss in 20 dates came with a costly tag line. Forward Lamar Odom suffered a hyper-extended right knee, with three minutes remaining in the second quarter and was lost for the remainder of the game.

The injury occurred when Odom landed awkwardly while going up for a rebound. He is scheduled to undergo a MRI exam Wednesday morning.

The Lakers sorely missed Odom because they had no one with the size and quickness to match up with West.

Odom’s injury is the second hit the Lakers’ forward corps has suffered. Luke Walton will miss at least two weeks because of an injured right foot.

With Walton out,  Jackson placed Vladi Radmanovic back in the starting lineup. Radmanovic had started the first 20 games, before being removed for Walton.

However, Radmanovic largely was ineffective. He missed six of his seven field-goal tries, including both of his 3-point attempts.

The Lakers ended the trip about the opposite it started.

The Lakers handed the Hornets only their eight loss of the season as they get ready to face the Celtics on Thursday.

The Lakers didn’t shoot particularly well, but got it done on defense as the Hornets were held to just 42% shooting. The Lakers also took care of the ball with only 11 turnovers. Kobe finally moved the ball in the offense as he took just 18 shots, had 4 assits, and 0 turnovers.

It had been awhile since the Lakers jumped out to a giant lead on a team and kept that lead double figures for the entire game.

Now, the bests of the night…

Top 3 Laker Performers -

1)  Pau was dominant. 20 points on 8-10 shooting including a three? 7 Boards and 3 assists.

2) Kobe was solid tonight with 26 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists.

3) Trevor did a little of everything tonight. 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals in 28 minutes.

Lakers Smush of the Day (Note: STD denotes the Laker that played the poorest): Luke — you suck.

Play of the Game: Kobe’s dunk — check ESPN’s Top Play of the Day if you missed it.

What to Look For Next Game: GAME OF THE YEAR! Lakers coming off a big win and the Celtics off 19 straight. If you are going — BE LOUD. Please, for once — make some noise Laker fans!

Ticket Info: For those of you want to go, hope the economy isn’t affecting you too much since the cheapest tickets are starting at $200 each for uppers. E-Mail me at Steve@AveryTickets.com or call 213-221-7681 and mention TLN.

Go Lakers!!

The Lakers rolled through the Hornets for the second time this season at New Orleans Arena, both times using great defense to throttle Chris Paul’s engine in the first half. The Lakers held Paul to 6-of-16 shooting, although he still finished with 17 points and 10 assists in 46 minutes.

Pau Gasol seemed to be more assured after getting the big personal game in Memphis behind him — and after he helped Kobe Bryant wrap up that victory down the stretch. Gasol hit 8 of 10 shots and finished with 20 points and seven rebounds.

Bryant had 26 points — 12 coming from the foul line with Bryant’s friend Byron Scott bringing very physical defense against him. Former Celtic James Posey drew a technical foul at one point for pushing Bryant to the floor.

Lakers notes: Just a couple quick thoughts out of last night:

Click here to read the entire article!

“True” Superstars:

Kobe Bryant: Kobe is the best player in the NBA, as he is dominant at both ends of the floor. He is without a doubt the most feared player in the league today. He has no weakness, as he is flawless offensively, one of the best perimeter defenders ever and one of the most clutch players of all time.

LeBron James: LeBron is the most athletically gifted player ever, as he is too strong, quick, and skilled for anyone to guard one on one. He is not just a great scorer, as he is also a fantastic rebounder and passer.

Tim Duncan: Duncan is just a winner. He is a dominant low post player, one of the best rebounders and one of the best interior defenders. He is also a great passer and most importantly a fantastic leader and teammate.

Deron Williams: Williams has proven in three short years that he is already a superstar, as he is one of the very few players who can score 20 and get 10 assists. He is also one of the best leaders in the game, a solid defensive player and one of the best playoff performers, as he has already led the Jazz to the West Finals.

Chris Paul: Paul is right up there with Williams as the two best point guards in the league. He is an exceptional scorer, passer, and rebounder, as well as a solid defensive player. Finally, he proved last year he could dominate in the playoffs.

Dwyane Wade: Wade is probably the best at getting and finishing at the rim in the league besides LeBron. He is also a very good passer, rebounder, and solid defensive player. Finally, he’s one of the most clutch players.

Paul Pierce: Pierce has always been a great offensive player, but last year he proved he is also a good defensive player and one of the most clutch players. He led the Celtics to a championship with great performances in game 7 vs. the Cavaliers and in the Finals.

“So-Called” Superstars:

Kevin Garnett: This one may shock you, but KG isn’t a superstar to me. While he has no weakness in terms of skill as he is great offensively, a very good rebounder, passer, and defender, he is not a winner or a clutch player. In his career with the Timberwolves, they only made it past the first round once, and the only reason the Celtics won it all was because of Pierce’s great play in the clutch. In last year’s finals, he shot a mere 42.8 percent from the field and never stepped up during clutch moments, as he settled for way too many jumpshots.

Allen Iverson: AI has consistently been one of the best offensive players during his career, but he isn’t a great team player. He also is a below average defensive player and hasn’t proven that he can make other players around him better, the most important trait of a superstar.

Dwight Howard: Dwight is beast in the middle at both ends of the floor, but he still isn’t skilled enough to be a superstar. He still hasn’t proven he can lead a team deep into the playoffs and is average at making his teammates better. He is a poor passer and decision maker, as he is at the top of the turnover leaders.

Carmelo Anthony: Carmelo is just a good scorer, and that is all he will ever be. He is a bad passer, decision maker, and defender. He is also a very bad playoff performer, as he has a career 4-20 record and hasn’t led his team past the first round.

Amare Stoudemire: Amare is a great fantasy player, but not a superstar in the NBA. He is a fantastic scorer, but he is helped a lot by the offense he plays in and with Nash’s great passing. He is an average rebounder for his size, a bad defender and doesn’t make his teammates better, as he is a below average passer.

Steve Nash: Nash has been one of the league’s best passers over the last few years, but that is all he is. He is an average scorer, one of the worst defensive players in the history of the league, and is a huge beneficiary of a great supporting cast and an extremely up-tempo offense.

Chris Bosh: Bosh is a fantastic offensive player and rebounder. He is also a solid passer, but he hasn’t proven he can lead a team deep into the postseason. He is also an average defensive player who has trouble defending bigger and more physical big men inside.

Dirk Nowitzki: Dirk has an MVP award, but isn’t a superstar, as he isn’t tough enough physically or mentally. He is a great scorer and solid passer, but he is a soft player defensively and a weak rebounder. Finally, he has proven he can’t lead a talented team all the way.

Vince Carter: Carter could have been a superstar, but he never had the desire and will to become one. Physically, there haven’t been many as gifted, as he is one of the most athletic. He has always been a great offensive player, but has also proven he can’t be the man of the contending team or a great defender.

Tracy McGrady: T Mac has always been able to put the ball in the basket a lot, but that is all he has been able to do. He is a bad defensive player, an average passer and has showed he can’t lead a team even past the first round of the playoffs because he isn’t mentally strong enough to execute when it matters most.

Read the Full Article at BleacherReport.com

Pretty much the opposite game as last night, but the same result.

Instead of a sluggish start and a strong finish, the Lakers decided to melt down in the fourth and get saved by a miraculous Kobe three pointer.

The Lakers shot the ball poorly tonight, only 41%, but made up for it with their 11 steals. They also took care of the ball with only 9 turnovers.

A good balanced attach with Kobe and Fish scoring 20 each, and 3 others with double figures.

Now, the bests of the night…

Top 3 Laker Performers -

1) Bynum was a monster with his 14 points, 8 boards, and 4 blocks. He dominated the inside.

2) Fisher’s hot shooting kept the Lakers ahead throughout the game. 20 points on 7-11 shooting.

3) Kobe saved the game with his three late in the fourth. Despite his 5-15 performance, that shot made it all okay.

Lakers Smush of the Day (Note: STD denotes the Laker that played the poorest): While Lamar shot 1-7, he did many other positive things. I’ll give it to Vlad Rad who was cold tonight, shooting 1-6 and didn’t do much else.

Play of the Game: Kobe’s three.

What to Look for Next Game: The Lakers have another test as A.I. comes to Staples Center with the Pistons Friday night.

Ticket Info: Pistons game tickets start at $60 each for uppers. Email me at Steve@AveryTickets.com or call 818-387-8224 and mention TLN.

Go Lakers!

That was Phil Jackson’s postgame quote about a game that L.A. thoroughly dominated for about 42 minutes before allowing the Hornets to get within three points at 83-80 before Kobe Bryant made a shot so tough that, realistically, few if any other players in the league would have even attempted.

With James Posey draped to him like stink on an NFL offensive lineman, the shot clock down to one and a glass circle seemingly covering L.A.’s rim, Bryant somehow got a flat, 26-foot, fading bomb to go down that restored normalcy to a furious Hornets’ comeback.

Though out of rhythm as he largely deferred early in the contest, Bryant managed 20 points (including nine free throws), the same total reached by a very solid Derek Fisher, who canned four threes in the first half that pushed L.A. to a 51-30 lead at the break. No misprint there … L.A.’s swarming defense (and some missed open Hornets looks, to be fair) held the Hornets to only 30 points in the entire first half. New Orleans managed to pull only two points back in the third quarter before scoring more points (34) in the fourth than in that first half, but it just wasn’t enough to beat the Lakers.

Phil Jackson shortened the rotation a bit to nine players (Odom, Ariza, Farmar and Vujacic off the bench), while New Orleans showed its lack of depth by giving minutes to Mike James, Hilton Armstrong, Rasual Butler and Devin Brown. A solid defensive game plan effectively trapped CP3 all over the court before that big N.O. run, keyed in part by Andrew Bynum’s defensive presence, which produced four blocks and changed several other shots. L.A.’s now the only undefeated team in the league with Detroit coming to town on Friday.

A few numbers: