The Los Angeles Clippers were the favorite team of Paul George when he was growing up in the area.

The Clippers could have selected George in the 2010 NBA Draft, but instead selected Al-Farouq Aminu.

“I’m happy where I’m at being here but (the Clippers) were one of the teams that did overlook me,” George said. “So I always have that in the back of my mind when I play them.”

Kobe Bryant practiced on Saturday and is getting closer to making his season debut.

Bryant has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers, but a return on Friday against the Sacramento Kings is possible.

Bryant is coming back from a torn Achilles.

Jeremy Lamb was expected to receive approximately 15 minutes per game this season, but he has played over 20 minutes in each of the past six games.

“My teammates trust me, my coach trusts me,” Lamb said. “I have no choice but to get more comfortable and get more confident.”

“He's getting better,” Kevin Durant said of Lamb. “Experience is the best teacher. He's going to take his bumps and bruises, but he's a smart, smart player.”

Lamb is averaging 10.8 points in 22.4 minutes on 55 percent shooting from the field over the past five games.

Tobias Harris has been limited to just one game this season due to a high ankle sprain. Harris suffered a setback and has undergone an MRI and received a second medical opinion.

“High-ankle sprains take time, and everybody’s healing timeline is different,” Magic general manager Rob Hennigan said Saturday. “And, right now, Tobias is working through that and trying to figure [that] out. When he feels his ankle is right, he’ll be ready to play. So, our stance right now is to be pre-cautious and make sure that we don’t rush him back.”

Harris has played well for the Orlando Magic since a trade last season.

George Karl believes Andre Iguodala was Mark Jackson's "mole" during last season's playoff series between the Denver Nuggets and Golden State Warriors.

"No question," said Karl when asked.

Jackson accused the Nuggets of playing dirty and intentionally attempting to cause an injury to Stephen Curry.

“I got inside information that some people don’t like that brand of basketball and they clearly didn’t co-sign it,” said Jackson to the media at the time.

"I thought Mark had a lot of tricks in that series that were bush- ..." said Karl. "I don’t know. I don’t know what they were. Almost high-schoolish. They were beneath the NBA level. And they might have worked. They might have motivated his young team in a good way. You know, he’d announce a starting lineup and start another guy. C’mon, man. You think we’re not ready for that?"

The Los Angeles Lakers have waived forward Elias Harris.

Harris appeared in two games for the Lakers this season, tallying a rebound, an assist and a steal in 11 minutes. The two-time All-West Coast Conference Team selection out of Gonzaga University started all five games for the Lakers’ 2013 Summer League team in Las Vegas, averaging 10.2 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals in 27.0 minutes.

Carmelo Anthony admitted on Friday that the New York Knicks need veteran players such as Jason Kidd, Kurt Thomas and Rasheed Wallace from the 50-win team of last season.

"I think now we do miss J-Kidd, Kurt and Rasheed," Anthony said.

The Knicks opted to go in another direction with the end of their bench depth, signing Cole Aldrich and Chris Smith.

Kidd and Wallace since retired and moved into coaching roles while Thomas suffered an injury late last season.

The Houston Rockets are seeking a trade of Omer Asik, but they have struggled in finding a package that merits his on-court value due to his $15 million salary for next season.

Asik will only count $8.4 million against the cap, but the salary is beyond his fair market value.

One rival general manager described the asking price of Daryl Morey and the Rockets as "delusional."

Asik requested a trade in the middle of November when it became clear that he would be unable to share floor time with Dwight Howard.

Rodney Stuckey has been the subject of trade rumors, but a league source claims he's not available.

The Pistons added to their backcourt in the offseason with Brandon Jennings and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Stuckey will be a free agent in July.

Jeremy Lin will be out two weeks with a grade one knee sprain.

The Houston Rockets will reevaluate Lin at that point to determine if he can return.

Lin collided with Paul Millsap on Wednesday.