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Bryant delivered a minute-long speech Wednesday about Jerry Buss, the longtime Lakers owner who died Monday. He delivered the speech before the Lakers played the Boston Celtics, a perfect moment in a rivalry Buss helped build. "On Monday we lost what we all know to be the greatest owner in sports, ever," Bryant said. "He was a brilliant, incredible owner, but he was even a better person with a great heart. His vision transcended the game, and we are all spoiled by his vision and by his drive to win year after year after year. "And through our years being here at Staples Center, the one thing we could always count on was the great Jerry Buss overlooking his franchise from his box. I'd like to ask all of you to please join us in a moment of silence to honor the great Dr. Jerry Buss." USA Today Sports

Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Jerry Buss, Staples Center 

On Buss increasing ticket prices and that leading to a stronger economic structure for the league: “It contributed to making it possible to change the economic model of the league. Because in 1987 or thereabouts, our entire arena infrastructure began to be rebuilt, starting I guess with the Palace at Auburn Hills. And then, in the last 30 years or so, every team has played in either a new, a rebuilt, or another new one. … And it would all be made possible by a change to the economics of the league. And really, the buildings became entertainment centers. They became entertainment palaces — video boards, enhanced lighting, restaurants and the like, suites. And the Forum of course was the precursor of most of that, and then Staples Center has taken it to the next level.” Sports Radio Interviews

Los Angeles Lakers, Jerry Buss, Staples Center 

A memorial service for Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss will be held Thursday across from Staples Center. The team says the service at Nokia Theatre is for invited guests only and isn't open to the public. NBA.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Jerry Buss, Staples Center 

These days, more and more hearty vegetarian meals are popping up at sports venues across the continent. So, after years of ranking the most vegetarian-friendly Major League Baseball parks and NFL stadiums, PETA has surveyed the top vegetarian-friendly NBA arenas, and the results are in: 1. STAPLES Center Because Lob City is playing its best basketball in years, thanks to Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, Clippers fans may have more to cheer about this year than Lakers fans do. But fans of both teams have reason to celebrate the STAPLES Center's awesome vegetarian fare. With vegan sloppy Joes, a veggie burger, vegan sushi, a grilled veggie sandwich, and a hummus-and-pita plate, the STAPLES Center's vegetarian concessions are a slam dunk for fans, no matter which team they're rooting for. Opposing Views

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Staples Center 

Will Ferrell was at last night’s Lakers – Suns game, dressed as one of the Staples Center security guards. On the front of his red coat there was a name tag that said, “Ted Vagina.” Late in the game, Ferrell “kicked out” Shaquille O’Neal who was sitting in the front row. Shaq and his bodyguard went peacefully. Why was Will Ferrell playing Lakers security guard? Probably because Will Ferrell was bored and this is the kind of thing that Will Ferrell does when he is bored. The Big Lead

Los Angeles Lakers, Staples Center, Will Ferrell 

Tuesday night at Staples Center the term "clock management" took on a whole new meaning when Swiss luxury watch brand Hublot was announced as the official timekeeper of the Los Angeles Lakers. The brief pre-game ceremony -- which involved the presentation of a wristwatch-shaped wall clock to Lakers Executive Vice President Jeanie Buss by Hublot Chief Executive Ricardo Guadalupe at center court -- marks the start of the brand's five-year sponsorship of the NBA team. Earlier that day, Guadalupe told All the Rage that the deal, which will eventually include some kind of brand presence at Staples Center, affords Hublot both exposure to an arena full of potential customers and the opportunity to provide Lakers-related perks (things like game seats and player access) to clients of its Beverly Hills boutique. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Jeanie Buss, Staples Center 

The Clippers agreed to a 10-year extension of their lease at Staples Center, which means they will continue to play in the arena until at least June 2024. The team moved from its outdated home at the Sports Arena, playing its first game Nov. 2, 1999 in Staples Center. "We're very excited about our present and our future at Staples Center," Clippers president Andy Roeser said in a statement. "It is indeed an honor to benefit from the sustained stability that accompanies being part of the greatest venue in the NBA, and we're glad to provide this state of the art backdrop to our deserving and loyal fan base." Long Beach Press-Telegram

Los Angeles Clippers, Staples Center, Andy Roeser 

Robert Horry laid into former teammate Kobe Bryant while speaking at the ninth Lakers All-Access event at Staples Center. "[When] Kobe is on the weak side, he needs to start paying attention to where the ball is and not be flying around, thinking he's some stealth bomber where he can get steals nonstop," said Horry. The Lakers (17-21) have struggled this season as a team to play defense, and Horry put a sizable share of the blame on Bryant. "That's the only reason you won two games, you solved the problem," continued Horry, speaking of Bryant's move to covering point guards Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Brandon Jennings of the Milwaukee Bucks. Los Angeles Times

Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Kobe Bryant, Brandon Jennings, Kyrie Irving, Robert Horry, Staples Center 

Mike Brown has been fired by the Los Angeles Lakers, according to his agent Warren Legarie. The Lakers are off to a 1-4 start and will play Golden State tonight at the Staples Center. USA Today

Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles, Mike Brown, Warren LeGarie, Golden State, Staples Center 

Cox Cable, with more than 1 million customers in Orange County, San Diego and Las Vegas, agreed to terms Sunday with Time Warner Cable for distribution of the new TWC SportsNet and Deportes, the two companies announced Sunday night during the Lakers-Detroit Pistons game at Staples Center. That locks in all the cable companies for the channel that has exclusive regional TV rights to the Lakers, leaving just the two major dish providers - DirecTV and Dish - as the holdouts. Los Angeles Daily News

Los Angeles Lakers, Media, Staples Center 

What it does is create a cushion in which a team like the Lakers that is getting somewhere between $2 and $4 billion over 20 years from Time Warner doesn't feel any financial pressure to go deep into the luxury tax to retain players. Let's put the estimate of what Time Warner is paying L.A. at the low end, $2 billion. That's $100 million per year the Lakers are getting from Time Warner. If TW is paying the Lakers $4 billion over 20 years, that's $200 million a year the Lakers get from local TV. That's before they get their cut of the national TV deals, or sell a ticket, or lease a suite, or sell signage inside Staples Center. That means the Lakers have no problems with a team salary that exceeds $90 million, or goes up to $100 million, with the resultant luxury taxes. It's already paid for. That's the edge the Lakers have over teams whose local TV deals pay them, say, $10 million a year. NBA.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Media, Jim Buss, Staples Center 

The Lakers never will go into the red even though they're paying tens of millions in luxury taxes, while other teams who don't even get to the tax threshold wind up losing millions. And even if the Lakers go into the red one year, they know there's another $100 million coming next year. NBA.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Media, Jim Buss, Staples Center 

You've been to every NBA arena and were at Brooklyn's preseason debut. Is the arena as cool/beautiful/swag as everyone says it is? KB: It's a cool place, in a cool place. Once you get past the oddly shaped and rust-covered exterior, the inside is truly spectacular. The highlights are the herring-bone floor and the way the lights shine on the court and leave the crowd in relative darkness -- a la Staples Center. Everything is shiny and new and smartly done. The deciding factor as far as how good an arena this is will be the crowd. The bar has been set pretty high six miles away at Madison Square Garden, which buzzes like no other place in the league when the Knicks are good and engaging a marquee opponent. Selfishly speaking, early indications are that the wifi signal made available to the media works and is super-fast. Based on how shaky/nonexistent wifi is in the majority of NBA arenas, this is the best thing about it, in my opinion. CBSSports.com

Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Media, Madison Square Garden, Ken Berger, Staples Center 

One night after being immortalized with a statue outside Staples Center, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be made fun of in a hotel ballroom. Voluntarily, of course. Hosted by comedian George Lopez, the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Celebrity Roast will take place Nov. 17 at a downtown Los Angeles hotel, featuring appearances by many of Abdul-Jabbar's former teammates with the Showtime Lakers, including Magic Johnson. The event also marks the beginning of the "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Experience," a multi-city tour featuring memorabilia from throughout his life and career. ESPN.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Staples Center 

AEG had barely put itself up for sale Tuesday evening when speculation began to mount that Los Angeles billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong may be in the running to buy all or part of the entertainment giant, according to a person familiar with the situation unauthorized to speak publicly on the matter. The Anschutz Co., run by Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz, said it is seeking a buyer for its AEG subsidiary, which has stakes in the L.A. Live entertainment venue in downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Kings professional hockey team and the Los Angeles Galaxy pro soccer team. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Staples Center 

The person told The Times that Soon-Shiong has already met with Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson. Soon-Shiong, who made a failed bid for the L.A. Dodgers this year, already owns a minority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Staples Center 

The company that owns the Staples Center and the Los Angeles Kings announced late Tuesday it is being put up for sale, sparking a potential billion-dollar bidding war for some of the sports and entertainment world's glitziest properties. The Anschutz Co., run by Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz, said it is seeking a buyer for its AEG subsidiary, which also has stakes in the L.A. Live entertainment venue in downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Kings professional hockey team and the Los Angeles Galaxy pro soccer team. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Lakers, Staples Center 

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was not so shocked, saying he had long known about the possible sale even as he publicly pushed for the building of the stadium. He insisted it would not derail the city as it pulls closer to the return of the NFL since the 1994 departure of the Rams and Raiders. Villaraigosa said both Denver billionaire Phillip Anschutz and AEG President Tim Leiweke have assured him the city's football future will remain the same. "I have worked with both Phil Anschutz and Tim Leiweke for years to bring a football team to Los Angeles. I speak to both of them on a regular basis, and I have known about this potential sale for some time," the mayor said in a statement Tuesday. "I have the commitment from both of them that this won't affect plans for an NFL team to return to Los Angeles in the near future and so will not affect my support for moving ahead with Farmers Field." MSNBC.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Staples Center 

The unusual number of on-court slips and spills by both the Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder during Saturday’s Game 4 was not because of the ice rink beneath the court, according to Staples Center officials. The ice has been there since September and there have not been any previous complaints about slipping. Several Oklahoma City players complained of slippery conditions after point guard Russell Westbrook slipped near the sideline at the end of the first half. He was not injured and returned to play the second half. Michael Roth, spokesman for Staples Center, said the referees deemed the court safe. “The referees didn’t have any complaints with the court,” Roth said. “And everything was done as usual in these circumstances.” Orange County Register

Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook, NHL, Staples Center, Michael Roth, Los Angeles Kings 

The nation's 29 NBA arenas and their workers are bracing for a loss of revenue and wages totaling tens of millions of dollars if the labor dispute between NBA owners and players leads to most or all of the 2011-12 season being canceled. The situation is particularly acute at Staples Center in Los Angeles, because it's home to two NBA teams, the Lakers and Clippers. While the other NBA arenas each host 41 regular-season home games a year, Staples Center has 82. "It's going to devastate these workers," said Mike Garcia, president of the SEIU-United Service Workers West union, with nearly 1,000 members working at the three NBA arenas in California: Staples Center, Oracle Arena in Oakland and Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento. "They have become very dependent on these jobs," he said. The workers include janitors, ushers and ticket-takers who earn about $11 an hour on average. Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Lockout, Staples Center