Celtics Title Town

It's been a few days since I've posted anything about the Lakers. But they won tonight in LA against the Rockets, and their newly acquired coach has yet to hit the court with his new team. The latest word is this Tuesday against the Nets. What's the hold up? 

ESPN LA

Mike D'Antoni did not coach the Los Angeles Lakers' game Sunday against the Houston Rockets. D'Antoni delayed his debut as the 24th coach in Lakers franchise history because he is not fully recovered from recent knee replacement surgery.

"I'm a little disappointed, I wanted to be on the bench," D'Antoni told reporters before the game. "After talking with (Lakers trainer) Gary Vitti ... he convinced me a little bit not to do it."

Kobe Bryant had 22 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his 18th career triple-double, and the rolling  Los Angeles Lakers ran past the Houston Rockets 119-108 Sunday night for their fourth victory in five games.

Dwight Howard had 28 points and 13 rebounds, and  the Lakers returned to .500 by running away from their second straight opponent. The Lakers seem to be moving in the right direction. But their beating below .500 teams. But the Celtics are getting their asses kicked by the Pistons who were 1-9.

So does anyone smell foul with the Bynum-Howard deal? Bynum's playing a part in this, because Bynum always does something immature.

ESPN.COM

Bynum said Sunday that his left knee swelled after he went bowling last Saturday night. He told his doctors and last Tuesday had an MRI that revealed he'd done some new damage. It was a setback because Bynum had missed the entire training camp and preseason with a bone bruise in his right knee.

"I didn't twist it or fall or nothing," Bynum said before his team took on the Cleveland Cavaliers. "It kind of broke off cartilage and it made the bone bruise bigger. Obviously (how) is the question, it's relatively nothing, it's three steps (and roll). That's the most important thing and why everyone is being so cautious. I can't answer and (doctors) can't now either, we're trying to figure out what's going on."