Tag: Los Angeles Lakers

Brown, Powell highlight camp additions

With the first practice of training camp looming next week, the Spurs’ training camp roster is beginning to take shape.

The team on Thursday formally announced four more additions, all of  them forwards, including two with NBA experience:

* Derrick Brown, 6-foot-8, spent most of his three NBA seasons with the Charlotte Bobcats. The 25-year-old started 17 of 65 games with Charlotte last season, averaging 8.1 points and 3.6 rebounds.

* Josh Powell, earned championship rings as a reserve with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2009 and 2010 and last played in the NBA in 2010-11 with Atlanta. The 29-year-old, who stands 6-foot-9, spent last season in China, Switzerland and Puerto Rico.

* Tyler Wilkerson, also 6-foot-8, is a veteran of  two Spurs Summer League squads. The 24-year-old spent the past two seasons playing professionally in Israel.

* Wesley Witherspoon , 6-foot-9, is an undrafted rookie out of Memphis, where he appeared in 121 games in four seasons, averaging 8.2 points and 3.7 rebounds. He was Conference USA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2008-09.

With the signings, the Spurs’ training camp roster stands at 18, two below the maximum. The roster must be trimmed to 15 before the start of the season.

The Spurs open camp Tuesday.

Vegas likes Lakers, Heat for NBA title

Las Vegas has spoken.

The Los Angeles Lakers, augmented by the additions of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, and the defending champion Miami Heat are the consensus favorites to lift the 2012-13 championship. The odds vary from book to book, but the — home to Sin City’s largest gambling operation — puts L.A.’s odds at 5-2 and Miami’s at 9-4, followed by Oklahoma City at 9-2.

The Spurs? Either a huge insult or a great value at a paltry 10-1. likes their chances even less, giving them 18-1 behind seven other teams. Take solace, Spurs fans. At least one had Dallas as a 15-1 underdog when it won the championship in 2010-11.

Torch is passed in the West

The Oklahoma City Thunder’s victory over the Spurs in the Western Conference finals represents a breakthrough for the up-and-coming club. Either the Spurs, Lakers or Mavericks had represented the West in the NBA Finals every season since 1998-99, and the Thunder beat all three to break that string. Here’s a closer look:

Year — Team — Opponent — Result

’11 — Mavericks — Heat — W 4-2

’10 — Lakers — Celtics — W 4-3

’09 — Lakers — Magic — W 4-1

’08 — Lakers — Celtics — L 4-2

’07 — Spurs — Caviliers — W 4-0

’06 — Mavericks — Heat — L 4-2

’05 — Spurs — Pistons — W 4-3

’04 — Lakers — Pistons — L 4-1

’03 — Spurs — Nets — W 4-2

’02 — Lakers — Nets — W 4-0

’01 — Lakers — 76ers — W 4-1

’00 — Lakers — Pacers — W 4-2

’99 — Spurs — Knicks — W 4-1

Source: Express-News research