Lakers Mourn Owner’s Death – NBA Roundup For February 19th

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers are mourning the loss of their longtime owner.

Jerry Buss died Monday at the age of 80. Buss had been hospitalized for cancer, but the immediate cause of death was kidney failure, according to his assistant, Bob Steiner.

Buss bought the Lakers and Los Angeles Kings from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979 and transformed the NBA team into "Showtime." The Lakers won five championships during the 1980s Showtime dynasty and added five more in an 11-year span of Kobe Bryant's career. The Lakers made the NBA Finals 16 times during his nearly 34 years in charge.

Magic Johnson tweeted after learning of Buss' death, "He was a great man and incredible friend."

NBA commissioner David Stern called Buss a visionary owner whose influence on the league is "incalculable."

Lakers spokesman John Black says the Buss family will continue to run the NBA franchise.

DEERFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose participated in five-on-five drills Monday, the latest step in his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters after practice that Rose "did what everyone else did." Rose has been sidelined since he tore his ACL late in last season's playoff-opening win over Philadelphia.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Utah Jazz assistant coach Sidney Lowe has been arrested and charged with failing to file his North Carolina state income taxes for three years.

The state Department of Revenue says Lowe didn't file returns in 2009, 2010 and 2011, the last three years he was head coach at North Carolina State.

Authorities say Lowe kept his home in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, even after taking the job with the Jazz.