This story appears in ESPN The Magazines November 14 Playing Through Pain Issue. Subscribe today!Jordan Clarksons brow furrows. Lets get after it, he says. You hear me? Yup, its over, DAngelo Russell replies, his eyes narrowing. Im gonna light his ass up. The it theyre getting after? Uh, thats me.Its a balmy evening at a paintball course in Bellflower, California, and the heirs of a Lakers backcourt relinquished by Kobe Bryant are armed to the teeth and feeling good. Theyve fine-tuned their craft over the past 12 months in regular games with teammates at Hollywood Sports Park, this world-class paintball facility 18 miles south of Staples Center. Its like a team-building exercise with high-velocity projectiles. And theyre about to inflict their team-building all over me.I owe all of this to former Laker Roy Hibbert, who introduced paintball outings to the team when he signed with LA in the summer of 2015. Now its Russell and Clarkson, 20 and 24, respectively, who serve as torchbearers of the teams top pastime, which they believe will play a role in building chemistry on a remodeled roster of recent draft picks and league transients, among them free agent signees Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov.It gets us talking, trying to get to the same goal of beating the other team, so it all transfers over, Clarkson says. But mostly its us bonding, something where we can get away from the basketball stuff and have fun.FUN HAS BEEN at a premium for the once-mighty Lakers, now division doormats coming off a franchise-worst 17-65 season. Further jangling their nerves last season: former head coach Byron Scotts tough-love brand of tutelage, which often led to pine time for a young core that included 2014 lottery pick Julius Randle.But its a new dawn in LA, and with it comes hope in the form of two offseason acquisitions: No. 2 pick Brandon Ingram, the gifted Duke swingman whom Kevin Durant has likened to himself, and new head coach Luke Walton. The former Lakers forward and Warriors assistant returns to LA toting a modern offense predicated on pace of play and ball movement-not to mention a reputation as something of a millennial whisperer.Coachs style of play is run-and-gun and try to make the right play, Russell says. He wants us to learn from each other, play off each other, and hes always encouraging us in practice, whether its to shoot the ball or to get a stop so we can have fun on the other end. Hearing that from your coach is the best feeling in the world.Perhaps Waltons most pressing task will be to develop floor leader Russell, the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft, who has shown flashes of stardom (see his eight-game run of 18.3 points and 4.8 assists per game after the All-Star break) as well as questionable maturity (see his entanglement in teammate Nick Youngs infidelity saga). Only a teenager last season, Russell appears to be a new man after strong performances in both summer league and preseason action, and his passing, penetration and shot from both outside and the midrange give the Lakers hope that they might have found their point guard of the future.Meanwhile, a new team philosophy-and a Kobe-sized hole in the game plan-has Clarkson, at least, envisioning a Warriors South in LA. Were all about playing together now, he says. Its not about one guy anymore. Its about sacrificing for the team. Adds Russell, Kobe deserved every bit of attention he got in his last year, but theres freedom in Kobe not being around. Theres also a leadership vacuum that they plan to fill as a unit. Theres no one leader, no face of the Lakers, Russell says, citing the Spurs as the template. When we traveled to San Antonio last season, I noticed that its about everybody-they had all those household names, but the 15th guy got the same amount of attention as Tim Duncan, whos a legend. I feel like were all buying into that concept. Were a team now. And thats exciting.Interestingly enough, the Spurs had a favorite pastime of their own during their title run. That pastime? Paintball.WE ARRIVE AT Cajun Terror, one of the facilitys 11 courses, a dystopian hellscape of graves and Creole cottages. The contest: a free-for-all elimination game. The wager: First man out takes two shots to the backside with water-soluble missiles that travel at the alarming rate of 175 mph.Anything else I should know? Usually, you say All right, Im out once you get hit, Russell says. That doesnt exist. Come again? We dont play no outs, Clarkson explains. So youll have to run out the park.Before I can file for a rule change, the players scatter. Wait, dont shoot! I yelp. Too late. Russell, in full backpedal, drills me. I hit you in the head! Russell bellows. He did, and it hurt. But I insist it doesnt count, and Russell relents.Game on-for real this time-and I waddle through the course like a short, fat, terrified duck, scanning the field for my opponents as yellow paint drips from my aching head. I was expecting a high-volume offensive. What Im facing instead is a disciplined game plan that is maddening to counter. Whats worse, I can hear their chatter.D-Lo, Im trailing! D-Lo! Finish him! Russell barks back, in a tip of the cap to either Mortal Kombats fatalities or Cobra Kais John Kreese. In either case? Super unnerving.Spotting Clarkson 20 yards away standing in plain sight, I gather my breath and aim over a headstone. Pop-pop. I miss, but Im feeling good enough to send a message: Youre nothin! I speak too soon. Thwap-thwap-thwap ...Pellets to the posterior! The scene was a setup, an ambush, Clarkson revealing himself only to draw me out as his fleet-footed friend sneaked around behind. Thwap-thwap-thwap ... and still they come like a hailstorm of thumbtacks across my back and neck.Im out, Im out! I shout repeatedly, though its possible that Russell cant hear me over his laughter. Plan B: scream like a baby and literally beg for a cease-fire. No more, no more!Reminder: The Lakers dont do cease-fires.New plan: run like hell. And so I do, dropping my gun and fleeing toward shelter. Clarkson shouts from ahead: Run him out this way! Engulfed in hellfire, I reverse course, sprinting through an exit door toward the parking lot. Game over.As Russell will tell me afterward while I lick my wounds, Thats our chemistry right there. Cyber Monday Hockey Jerseys . The 18-year-old American had five birdies in her bogey-free round for a 17-under total of 196. Lee held the overnight lead but mixed three birdies with two bogeys for a 70. Wholesale Hockey Jerseys .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. https://www.fakehockeyjerseys.com/ . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. Hockey Jerseys China . In what the team had called a retirement, Ryan said Thursday that he is resigning as chief executive of the Rangers in a move effective at the end of this month. Cheap Hockey Jerseys China . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Latest on flooding that has devastated parts of West Virginia (all times local):6 p.m.Golfer Bubba Watson says hes dealt with hurricanes from his years of living in Florida. But hes never seen the type of destruction around his home like the recent floods in West Virginia.Watson is participating in this weeks Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio. During media interviews Tuesday, Watson described last weeks floods as unbelievable.Watson owns a home at the Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs. The floods killed 15 in Greenbrier County alone and 23 statewide. The resorts Old White TPC course was heavily damaged, and the PGA Tour canceled an event next week at the resort.Watson says he and his wife, Angie, plan to donate $250,000 for flood-relief efforts. In addition, the couple is helping a church in his native Florida reach out to assist 10 flood-stricken families. He says hell return Sunday to West Virginia and starting helping out.---4:15 p.m.Singer Brad Paisley has started a crowdfunding website campaign to raise money for flood-relief efforts in his native West Virginia.Paisley, who was born in Glen Dale, donated $100,000 of his own money to kick-start a GoFundMe account with a goal of bringing in $1 million.Paisley says in a statement that now that floodwaters are receding, its time to pitch in and help in any way we can.Since floods tore through the state last week, GoFundMe spokeswoman Maggie Shepherd says more than $575,000 has been raised through various accounts on the website for West Virginia victims.---3:45 p.m.The Greenbrier Resorts Sports Performance Center is distributing emergency supplies to flood-ravaged residents.Cleaning supplies, generators, baby products and nonperishable food were available starting Wednesday at the facility in White Sulphur Springs.Also available at the site are portable bathrooms and cellphone charging stations.The posh resort was hard hit by last weeks flooding that killed 15 people in Greenbrier County and 23 statewide. Damage to the Old White TPC golf course prompted the PGA Tour to cancel the Greenbrier Classic tournament that had been scheduled for next week.The NFLs New Orleans Saints have held part of their summer training camp at the Sports Performance Center.---3 p.m.Federal officials have approved two more West Virginia counties for individual aid after damaging floods killed 23 people and destroyed thousands of homes.In a news release, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday expanded the federal disaster declaration to include Pocahontas and Webster counties.Those two counties join Kanawha, Greenbrier, Nicholas, Fayette, Clay, Roane, Summers and Monroe on the declaration.People affected by floods in those counties can apply for individual aid, which covers emergency medical support, housing and other immediate needs.The governor also lifted a state of emergency for 32 counties.Those still in a state of emergency are Kanawha, Greenbrier, Nicholas, Fayette, Clay, Roane, Summers, Webster, Pocahontas, Monroe, Lincoln and Jackson.---10:30 a.m.Celebrrities including Americas Got Talent winner Landau Eugene Murphy Jr.dddddddddddd will gather for a fundraiser to benefit flood recovery efforts in West Virginia, where at least 23 people died.Murphy publicist Burke Allen says in a news release that a two-hour Rebuild West Virginia telethon will be held Friday night. It will originate from the studios of Bluefield station WVVA-TV and be shown online and on statewide television.Murphy, a Logan native, and others also will perform at a free concert Sunday night in Charleston. Hes donating profits next month from his new song Come Home to West Virginia to flood relief efforts.The release says others committed to help at either event include singer Billy Ray Cyrus, actor Kevin Sizemore, author Homer Hickam and former NBA player Bimbo Coles and ex-baseball player John Kruk.---7:30 a.m.Virginia residents are helping out their neighbors in West Virginia after devastating floods swept through the state last week.WRIC-TV reports (http://bit.ly/291keCD ) that Jessica Pittman, whose husband is a West Virginia native, is collecting money to buy baby food and other necessities for the survivors. So far, the Hanover County, Virginia, family has raised more than $2,000 and hopes to fill two large trailers with supplies before leaving for West Virginia on Friday.State Trooper Angie Shaffier, who grew up in West Virginia, is also helping those in need. Shes collecting blankets, bottled water, towels and other supplies to fill a large truck and take to West Virginia on Friday. Shell be in Rockville School Park in Hanover County until 9 p.m. every night collecting donations.---3:50 a.m.Its owner says an iconic West Virginia resort may take a couple of months to reopen after deadly floods, but Greenbriers maimed championship golf course may not be ready for play much before the PGA Tour rolls through next July.The floods that swept through West Virginia last week and killed at least 23 people statewide carved a path of destruction unseen in generations at the historic Greenbrier.When the worst was over, Greenbrier employees came upon two bodies on the resort grounds.Dating back to 1778, the 700-room resort has long been one of the jewels of West Virginias tourism industry, hosting presidents and royalty.On Tuesday, 300 of the neediest victims from the flood-ravaged area occupied the rooms, and the hotel was closed for business while it fed and sheltered the disaster refugees.---3:40 a.m.Appalachian Power says it will pay for electrical inspections necessary to restore power for West Virginia flood victims.Charleston manager of distribution systems Tom Johnson says the inspection is important to make sure restoring power is safe, even though it may seem like an additional burden for people already going through the aftermath of the storms.The company said it will pay for the inspections during the flood emergency. It also said its contributing to flood relief and matching employee contributions to a relief fund. ' ' '