The Credits

• L.A. Lakers 2009-10 Schedule Breakdown
  (Thanks Timbo for posting a pdf. for everyone to download the schedule.  We appreciate the work you went through.  Lakers.com offers one as well, and a wall paper.)
• NBA.com: Lakers face a long road trip to defend crown ... eventually
• Forum Blue And Gold:  Predicting 82 Games
  (FB & G didn't here, but I know there will be a lot of talk of 70+ wins.  Last year, I predicted a 70+ win season, but injuries and reality cut that short.  My prediction this season is 69 games.  Which would still be a hell of a feat, especially given the 2nd half road frenzy the NBA scheduled for us.  Given our talent level, 70+ is possible, but will the Championship swagger help or hurt?  And can the freak injury stay away from Socks )
  

• Cavs Earn Most National TV Appearances -- NBA FanHouse
  (So what?  One more game.  Not only do we get The Chosen One and his Serfs stuffed down our throats once more than the Lakers, but now the Big Attention Seeker comes with him too!  Ugh.  Gotta hand it to the NBA, they are persistent.  They make sure LBJ gets his face time.  Fact is, people would rather watch Kobe and the Lakers, but they know that. Nothing to sell there.  At least the National appearances in the last 2 months are even.  It will matter come MVP time.  The Cavs had more down the stretch last year.  LBJ earned it anyway, but this year very well belong to Kobe.  LBJ has taken some PR hits this summer, while Kobe improved his.  The MVP is like college football rankings, and last year, it was like LBJ was #1 atop Preseason polls and didn't lose a game.)
  

• Circling Dates - CelticsBlog
  (I can't wait to beat Team AARP again.  I hope they remain injury free and have a great season, so there will be no excuses when when we show them what real Championship swagger is.  Another team is the Spurs.  I'm getting tired of this notion that the Spurs are close to the Lakers now.  As volatile as Ron Ron can be, last time I checked, he was still better than Richard Jefferson, so our upgrade was better, AND we've OWNED the Spurs the past 2 1/2years.  I bet you we [maybe] play a full Spurs team once this season.  Pop likes to keep his full team from getting beatdown by us.  Keep their spirits up.)
  

• Ten Summer Stories to Watch - TrueHoop By Henry Abbott - ESPN

Click on through for more links after the Jump....

(P.S.  Sorry about the bold font. There's an error with SBN I can't fix right now. Fixed.)

• Twitter Takes A Hit - Sports Biz with Darren Rovell - CNBC.com

• JMar09 to Sports World: Cease Tweeting -- FanHouse - Jay Mariotti
  (Wondahbap to Jay Mariotti:  Cease Writing, Cease Being on Television.  Yes, I only linked him to make this crack.  Bobble, bobble...)

• Owners, players begin talks to head off lockout - ESPN
  (This is going to be an interesting season with the Summer of LeBron looming.  We will hear about the impending negotiations a lot.)

• David Aldridge - NBA.com: Several issues will come to head during the NBA labor talks
  (Man in the Know, David Aldridge will help you out.  Read this.)

• What to expect from young stars in 2009-10 - NBA News - FOX Sports on MSN

• Hall of Fame opens Jordan exhibit - ROOT News - FOX Sports on MSN

• Olympiakos Takes A Run At Allen Iverson - The Baseline - The Baseline - Sporting News
  (The humbling of Allen Iverson continues.  Zach Randolph still finds a team to trade for him, but Allen Iverson, one of the greatest players of our generation might go to Europe?  It's politics, and AI didn't read between the lines last year. )

• Nate Robinson Still Unsure of Future -- NBA FanHouse

• New York Knicks work out Jason Williams; no offer to PG - ESPN

• Report: Brandon Roy, Portland Trail Blazers close to long-term contract - ESPN

• Bouncin' Around: Grgurich's Camp Going on Quietly in Las Vegas -- NBA FanHouse

• What's in store for NBA West - San Francisco Chronicle