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| Earlier Monday, Dan Devine noted that Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul is now wearing a protective mask just like fellow Staples Center star Kobe Bryant. In L.A., protecting a broken nose with a clear plastic mask is the new black.
It's so popular, in fact, that little kids are also catching on. In fact, Paul's young son has asked to get in on the trend. As you can see in this photo , he had his father make him a special mask for his own basketball games.
Well, that is pretty much the most adorable thing in the world. Teammate DeAndre Jordan mocked CP3's arts-and-crafts skills , saying that the young Paul looked like Blankman , but that's nitpicking. Plus, it'd be pretty awesome if any player, let alone a superstar, wore a mask with this shape during a real game.
After the jump, check out CP3's original tweet on why his son needed the mask in the first place. |
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Minds could change, and Houston Rockets point man Kyle Lowry might become a Los Angeles Laker , if the two teams decide to sign off on revisiting last December's deal that could put Pau Gasol in a Houston Rocket uniform. The transaction would presumably also send big forward Luis Scola to Los Angeles. Boston Celtics All-Star Rajon Rondo could become a Los Angeles Laker , if the team decides to part with Gasol, as well. Both options would presumably work wonders for Los Angeles, gifting them a needed creator at a position that isn't ably being filled by Derek Fisher and Steve Blake at the moment. And though Gasol's all-around work would be missed, adding a player like Scola would ease in the transition.
Despite the nouveau Laker front office's desire to depart with Gasol, though, it wouldn't appear to make much of a difference. Because in spite of the team's newfound willingness to put the ball in Andrew Bynum's hands down the stretch of close games , this offense wouldn't appear to take to on-paper improvements. The ball is still going to be going to Kobe Bryant for long stretches, and the team would still need a lights-out shooter more than anything at the point guard position.
It's a lovely luxury to have, if Los Angeles would just own up and realize it.
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| The U.S. Women's soccer team will play in Japan against the host country and against Brazil in April. The games will be April 1 against the World Cup champion Japanese at Sendai, and April 3 against the Brazilians in Chiba in the new Women's Kirin Challenge Cup. Japan will face Brazil on April 5 in Kobe. |
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| De Rossi has a chance to build a lasting legacy at Roma similar to NBA veterans Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant, who have never switched teams. |
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| Japan defender Masahiko Inoha
joined J-League club Vissel Kobe on Friday after walking out on
Croatia's Hajduk Split following a miserable six months.
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Junya Tanaka scored a pair of first-half goals and Leandro added another in the second half Saturday as Kashiwa Reysol beat Vissel Kobe 3-0 to increase its lead at the top of the J-League standings. Tanaka struck twice within three minutes midway through the first half. Leandro put the game beyond any doubt with a right-foot shot from 10 meters in the 73rd.
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| Takayuki Yoshida scored a goal in each half as Vissel Kobe avoided relegation on the final day of the J-League season with an emphatic 4-0 win over Urawa Reds on Saturday. South Korean midfielder Park Kang-jo scored his fourth goal of the season for Kobe in the 58th minute and Keijiro Ogawa found the net in injury time to complete the scoring. |
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| Nagoya Grampus has claimed its first J-League championship with a 1-0 win over relegated Shonan Bellmare. Keiji Tamada's header in the 65th minute Saturday ensured that Dragan Stojkovic's side went 10 points clear of Kashima Antlers with three games left. Kashima, the three-time defending league champions, drew 0-0 draw at Vissel Kobe. |
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| Takuya Nozawa scored twice as Kashima Antlers defeated Vissel Kobe 3-0 to maintain top spot in the J-League on Saturday. Nozawa's header in the eighth minute gave Vissel a 1-0 lead and he doubled it with a left-footed drive from 14 meters in the 31st minute. Marquinhos sealed the win with his sixth goal of the season in the 76th minute. |
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The Americans were ousted by a Ghana team that had a playmaker at the right time. The U.S. needs someone like that. As Bryant said, “All it takes is one.”
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