25 Greatest Los Angeles Lakers of the Jerry Buss Era

Buss led the Lakers to 10 NBA championships after buying the team in 1979.

Dr. Jerry Buss (Jan. 27, 1933 - Feb. 18, 2013) was the greatest owner in NBA history. In fact, the chemist and card player was arguably the best owner in sports history. The day after this year's All-Star Game in Houston, the NBA's brightest star faded away. With Buss's passing, David Stern's Association lost its most accomplished boss, savviest visionary and coolest 80-year-old.

COMMENTS

Shortened NBA Schedule Means Teams Need Youth and Depth

NBA teams will have to play 66 games in 123 days this year. With less rest in between games, a team's youth and depth have never been so important.

by Josh Kipnis

The Chris Paul madness is over. Finally. The NBA’s opening tipoff starts in 10 days, so what do you say we stop talking about free agency and start focusing on the actual game.

COMMENTS

NBA Vetos Chris Paul Trade; David Stern is Losing His Mind

David Stern vetoed the 3-team deal sending Paul to Lakers. Trades aren't even vetoed in my Fantasy Football League

by Josh Kipnis

The owners of the NBA are cry-babies. We saw them whine and tear during the lockout, and now they think that’s the only way they can get what they want. They crawl up to Daddy (Commissioner David Stern), scrunch up their chubby little cheeks, and let him fix the problem in his little princess’ life.

Pappa Stern was protecting his kin this past Thursday when he vetoed a three-team trade that would send Chris Paul to the Lakers; Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, and Lamar Odom to the Hornets, and Pau Gasol to the Rockets.

COMMENTS

Athlon Sports NBA Awards

Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin

Athlon Sports names its winners for the NBA's MVP, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year and Coach of the Year.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
He led Chicago to the league’s best record and the No. 1 seed in the East. On the way, he was the only player to finish top 10 in scoring (25.0, 7th) and assists (7.7, 10th), and he quieted all doubters about his 3-ball by hitting 128 after having made all of 32 his first two seasons.

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Blake Griffin, L.A. Clippers
Can you be a rookie in your second year? Sure, why not? Griffin is a slam-dunk choice for Rookie of the Year. The All-Star finished as the league’s 10th-best scorer (1,845), third-best rebounder (989), third-best in double-doubles (63) and fifth in minutes played (3,112).

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
He was tops in the league in defensive rating (94.0) for the third straight year, defensive win shares (7.7) for the fourth straight year, first in defensive boards (789), second in total rebounds (1,098), third in blocks (186). No one dictates the game on defense like Superman.

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Lamar Odom, L.A. Lakers
He’s Mr. Consistency for the Lakers. He shot a career-high 53 percent from the field and a career-high 38 percent from 3-point range to average 14.4 points per game. That goes along with 8.7 rebounds a game and 28 double-doubles this season.

COACH OF THE YEAR
Tom Thibodeau, Chicago Bulls
The first-year coach, without his full starting lineup for 57 games — winning 43 of them — guided Chicago to the NBA's best record, its second-best scoring defense (91.3) and were tops in field goal percentage allowed (.430). The Bulls never lost more than two in a row.

— Corby A. Yarbrough @AthlonCorby on Twitter