Lakers

The Lake Clifton boys basketball team had one of those special quarters when almost everything went right on Friday. It came against visiting Forest Park in the second quarter when the No. 11 Lakers were making the extra pass, converting the easy shots, causing turnovers and controlling the boards. They used a 15-0 run that covered most of the 8 minutes to comfortably separate themselves from the No. 14 Foresters, and the Lakers stayed on course in the second half to come away with a 58-35 win. Lake Clifton, which got a game-high 14 points from senior forward Cortell Henson, improved to 4-1 overall with the win. Forest Park (7-1)

It's too soon to tell Ira Winderman Sun Sentinel Who knows? We haven't seen the real Lakers yet. This is not LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh working through their growing pains during a 9-8 Heat start to the 2010-11 season. This is a Lakers team that has yet to play a single game intact under the D'Antoni system. For now there is nothing but chaos, chaos exacerbated by Pau Gasol's knee issues. Only when Kobe Brant, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard and Steve Nash are together on the court, playing in whatever style D'Antoni is supposed to be delivering, can we appreciate the level of desperation.

Yes, if they give him time Brian Schmitz Orlando Sentinel Yes, Mike Apostrophe certainly is —for two reasons. 1. D'Antoni is now the Lakers coach because Phil Jackson didn't want the job that badly; 2. Kobe Bryant likes him. Hard to believe Jackson wouldn't want to lead another loaded team. Then again, he wanted to coach and run the Lakers in his spare time, and at a high salary. When Jackson was flirting with the Magic, word was he wanted a piece of the franchise.

Roddy Peters, the four-star recruit from Suitland who committed to Maryland on Tuesday, had a pretty good coach to learn from this past spring and summer while playing for D.C. Assault. Former Wizards coach Eddie Jordan, a former point guard himself, helped coach Peters on the local AAU powerhouse and believes the Terps made out well for themselves. "He's a terrific passer, a willing passer, who's great in the open court," Jordan said Wednesday from Los Angeles, where he is now an assistant with the Lakers.

To title behind Howard Baxter Holmes Los Angeles Times The Lakers and Celtics have been knotted at 17 championships each, but Dwight Howard will lead the tiebreaking charge. Yes, Virginia, Kobe Bryant will have as many rings — six — as Michael Jordan. Oh, there's a season to be played? Semantics. Howard's back will be fine and the Lakers will roll through the West before meeting the Heat for it all. And there, you won't see LeBron James and company in the paint nearly as much as they are accustomed.

Tyler Steinhardt doesn't remember the last time he slept. Monday, maybe. When he's finally able to shut his eyes, after his world-record 24-hour lacrosse game to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project is finally over at 9 a.m., Friday, he'll have more than sheep to count. One thousand players. An estimated 5,000 spectators. Forty thousand dollars raised? Done. What about 50-, 60-, 100 thousand? And then this number: One. The first steps taken in public by Sgt. Ryan Major since he lost both legs and several fingers to an IED in Iraq.

There's not been a lot to cheer about for Maryland basketball fans the past couple of years -- most notably two seasons without a postseason invitation and Terrell Stoglin's misguided decision-making off the court that recently ended the college career of last season's top scorer in the ACC. Things are going to get better in College Park , but for those Terps fans trying to get their fix of hoops and happiness, Steve Blake is providing a...

All morning long, on every sports and news show on TV, they've been showing the clip. You know the one . The one that shows Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace viciously throwing the elbow that floored Oklahoma City Thunder guard James Hardenin the Lakers' 114-10 double overtime win Sunday. I've seen it at least 30 times. It's an absolutely brutal blow. And a classic cheap shot. It wasn't in the same league as the infamous haymaker Kermit Washington delivered to the face of Rudy Tomjanovich 35 years ago, but it was gutless and sneaky, behavior we've come to expect to expect from the hilariously-named World Peace.

Depending on your point of view, the much-anticipated opening of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference season was either well worth the wait or a major disappointment. There's little doubt which side No. 1 Calvert Hall (7-1, 1-0 league) came down on after the visiting Cardinals exploded in the second half to power past No. 4 Boys' Latin, 12-5, on Tuesday. Leading 5-4 at halftime, Calvert Hall went on a 7-0 run over the next 19 minutes to hand the Lakers (7-4, 0-1)

The Boys' Latin lacrosse team had a chance to see how it stacked up against the country's top-ranked team Tuesday when undefeated Conestoga (Pa.) visited. The No. 4 Lakers were able to match goal for goal through regulation, but the visiting Pioneers made quick work in overtime to leave with a 7-6 win. Conestoga senior long-pole defenseman Jamie Ikeda scooped up the overtime-opening draw at midfield and made a straight line to the goal, bouncing home the game-winner 11 seconds into sudden death for the win. Boys' Latin (7-2)