Los Angeles Lakers

Minutes after the Los Angeles Lakers went down to the Denver Nuggets ... Metta World Peace's evening was just beginning ... at a fancy Hollywood nightclub.

MWP -- who's still suspended for elbowing OKC player James Harden -- rolled up to Avalon nightclub around 10:30 PM last night ... right around the same time the rest of his Lakers teammates were hitting the showers.

Mr. Peace was seen leaving the establishment shortly after midnight.

Metta -- formerly known as Ron Artest -- has been enjoying his time off. Earlier this week he appeared on "Conan" ... and admitted, "The elbow was too much and I deserved the suspension."

TMZ has obtained the mug shot for Los Angeles Lakers star Jordan Hill ... taken moments after the basketball player turned himself into authorities in Houston, Texas yesterday.

TMZ broke the story ... Hill is accused of choking his girlfriend during a nuclear argument back in February. Hill insists the allegations will not affect the Lakers' playoff run.

After Hill was taken into custody, he immediately posted the $5,000 bond and was released. The judge set no travel restrictions on his bond -- so the case shouldn't affect his playoff run.

L.A. Lakers star Jordan Hill turned himself in to authorities earlier today -- after allegedly choking out his girlfriend during a nuclear argument in Texas back in February.

Hill showed up to court today in Houston to face the felony domestic violence charge -- and the judge set bond at $5,000. Hill was briefly taken into custody before immediately bonding out.

The judge set no travel restrictions on his bond -- so the case shouldn't affect his playoff run.

But the judge did impose a protective order -- barring Hill from contacting or going anywhere near his ex.

And there's this -- Hill played against Denver last night in L.A. (scoring six points) which means he must have booked it on an airplane soon after the game.

L.A. Lakers star Jordan Hill -- who has just been charged with choking out his girlfriend -- insists the allegations won't affect his playoff game ... and he'll do everything he can to win another championship.

TMZ broke the story ... Jordan was charged today with felony assault after allegedly choking and bruising his GF back in February in Texas.

But Jordan's not letting the accusations distract him -- releasing a statement, claiming, "I promise to keep my focus and attention on the playoffs during this time and to helping my team win another championship."

He adds, "I'd like to apologize to the Lakers organization and to all of their fans for the untimeliness of these accusations."

11:40 AM PDT: TMZ has obtained the police report describing the incident, and it reveals that the alleged victim is Hill's girlfriend, Darlene Luna.

According to the report, Luna dated Hill for 2 years. Luna claims Hill assaulted her and left bruises on her legs and then tried to choke her. It's interesting -- Luna's complaint to cops was lodged 1 month after the alleged incident.

The report says Luna was uncertain as to whether she'll press charges.

11:27 AM PDT -- A rep for the Lakers tells TMZ ... "We are aware of the media reports alleging an incident involving Jordan Hill from two months ago when he was a member of the Houston Rockets."

"We do not have any details regarding these reports and therefore, as well as due to the personal and legal aspects, it would not be appropriate for us to comment."

Los Angeles Lakers big man Jordan Hill has just been charged with felony assault for allegedly choking a family member during an altercation in Texas earlier this year ... TMZ has learned.

The charge was filed by the Harris County District Attorney in Houston. It's unclear whom Hill is accused of attacking.

The alleged incident took place on February 29. If convicted, Hill faces up to 10 years in prison.

24-year-old Hill was recently traded to the Lakers from Houston in exchange for Derek Fisher ... and has become a key member of the team.

Lamar Odom is a man without a team right now, but one of the members of the Los Angeles Lakers says he'd be welcome back to the team with open arms.

The Lakers traded Odom to the Dallas Mavericks before the season and it never worked out. Odom was in a funk all year and eventually the team placed him on the inactive list.

Matt Barnes -- who played with Odom for just one season -- told our photog this weekend the team could "always use L.O."

Just two months after Kobe Bryant and his estranged wife Vanessa shared a Valentine's Day kiss (below) -- fueling hopes of a reconciliation -- the two hit up the L.A. Kings playoff game with their daughters ... as "really good friends."

Sources close to Kobe tell TMZ ... the divorce is still on ... but Kobe is adamant the two are "really good friends" who still love each other.

As TMZ first reported, Kobe has been "aggressively" trying to save his marriage.

We're told Vanessa was open to the idea of a reconciliation ... but as of now, the divorce is still expected to move forward with Vanessa set to walk away with all three of the Bryant's Newport mansions PLUS $75 million in cash.

Looks like Kobe Bryant still has plenty of spending cash, because he just dropped a HUGE chunk of change on a sick new car. Must be nice.

According to our sources, Kobe's new ride is a Ferrari 458 Italia (see below). We're told the Black Mamba paid $329,000 yesterday for the car ... which he paid for in full with a check.

The Los Angeles Lakers are accused of ripping off the famous "charge cheer," which sports enthusiasts know as "Da Da Dad Danta Da."

Bobby Kent claims he concocted the chant in 1980, while he was working as a musical director for the San Diego Chargers.

Kent says he liked it so much, he immediately registered the copyright for the song.

Kent claims when he realized the Lakers were using his tune at its games, he contacted management in 2010 and they paid him $3,000 for a one-year license.

That license, Kent says, has expired, but the beat goes on ... and he's pissed enough to sue.

Kent is asking for $150,000 for every time the Lakers used the song since the license allegedly expired.

But we've done some independent research here at TMZ which might affect Kent's claim he wrote the "charge" ditty. First, "The Flintsones" TV show used it back in the '60s.

Also, a similar "charge" bugle call was used in the famous Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava during the Crimean War in 1854.

Another come-from-behind victory for Kobe Bryant ... sucking face with the woman who has now taken all of his homes, Vanessa Bryant ... and now TMZ can confirm the two are working on a reconciliation.

Vanessa showed up for the Lakers Valentine's Day victory over the Atlanta Hawks. The two shared a kiss in the tunnel on the way into the locker room.

TMZ broke the story ... Vanessa filed for divorce in December, and they have already sealed the property settlement deal in which Vanessa got all 3 Newport Beach estates.

But sources told us at the time Vanessa filed ... don't be surprised if she goes back to Bryant.

And, although Kobe and Vanessa have submitted all the necessary docs to divorce, it doesn't become final until mid-June, so there's plenty of time to withdraw the papers.

FYI -- we're told Kobe and Vanessa are NOT living with each other ... yet.

The Lakers are now 1 and 2 for the season, but Andrew Bynum's record this week is even worse -- he's 0 and 2 on the streets of L.A.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Bynum was pulled over Tuesday for driving without a license plate and having illegally tinted tail lights. Bynum walked away with a fix-it ticket.

But it was not lesson learned, because today Bynum was pulled over in his Porsche 911 on the freeway for going over 80 mph. Bynum was cited and released.

Truth be told, Bynum has actually slowed it down, because last year he was cited for driving 110 mph on an L.A. freeway in his Ferrari.

Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss is hospitalized in L.A. for blood clots in his leg ... this according to a rep for the team.

We're told doctors believe the 77-year-old's condition was caused by "excessive travel."

Los Angeles Lakers forward Devin Ebanks -- a 2nd round draft pick in 2010 -- is off the hook in an LAPD rape investigation ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the alleged victim told police Ebanks took her home from a nightclub on September 13, 2011 ... but when she turned down his sexual advances, Ebanks "forcibly penetrated [her] vagina with his penis five to ten times."

Cops say the woman reported the alleged incident to police later that night.

But here's where it gets crazy -- cops say the woman wanted to get Ebanks to admit to the sex, so she sent him a text message FALSELY claiming he had given her a sexually transmitted disease.

But Ebanks didn't fall for the trap -- and replied that he couldn't have transmitted anything to her ... BECAUSE THEY NEVER HAD SEX!!!

We're told the woman also underwent a sexual assault examination, which revealed no foreign DNA anywhere on her body.

The L.A. County District Attorney eventually decided the woman had no credible evidence to back her story -- and rejected the case against Ebanks.

Hanukkah came early for a bunch of Jews in Irvine, CA tonight -- when Kobe Bryant rolled up to the local Jewish Community Center and asked if he could borrow the basketball court for a hardcore private training session ... TMZ has learned.

Yentas at the JCC tell us ... the honchos at the center were more than happy to let Kobe use the facility -- and the Black Mamba couldn't have been nicer.

Kobe and a trainer proceeded to work on shooting drills and cardio training while a gang of the chosen people looked on in amazement.

We're told the training session went on for more than an hour -- and Kobe looked as sharp as ever.

Of course, the NBA lockout is just about over -- but players aren't expected to rejoin their teams for a few days ... so it seems Kobe is simply trying to get ahead of the game.

Kobe ain't the first NBA superstar to play with the 'Brews -- just last month LeBron James filled in for a league team at a JCC in Ohio ... and DOMINATED.

The NBA -- sponsored by Manischewitz.

The NBA offseason from hell just got worse for Los Angeles Lakers player Matt Barnes ... who just announced that he's officially broken up with his "Basketball Wives" baby mama Gloria Govan.

Barnes -- who has 2 children with Govan -- just released a statement saying, "We have reached the difficult decision of ending our relationship and will be going our separate ways at this time."

He adds, "We will work together to raise our sons and wish each other only the best."

Barnes and Govan have had some issues in the past -- including the time Matt was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence back in 2010 ... but prosecutors didn't press charges due to a lack of evidence.

Metta World Peace is taking his aspiring comedy career VERY seriously -- and TMZ has learned he's even enrolled in a stand-up "boot camp" to hone his skills during the NBA lockout.

MWP made his comedy debut a few months ago ... and has another big show scheduled at the Planet Hollywood in Vegas later this month.

But sources close to the basketball star tell us he is dedicated to making improvements -- and has joined the "Laff Mobb " comedy group in L.A. ... which claims its worked with HUGE comics in the past, like Bernie Mac, Chris Tucker and even Dave Chappelle.