Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Go Back In the Water...

LOL THOSE IDIOT FANS THOUGHT RONNY TURIAF WAS GOOD YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME, I KNOW HE DOESN'T GET ENOUGH PLAYING TIME BUT THANK GOD HE DOESN'T LOL , HE'S WORST THAN KWAME. HE'S GOT THOSE CHEERLEADER SKILLZ BUT THIS IS BASKETBALL NOT THE GIRLS CHEERLEADING TEAM.

I WANNA THROW IN THE TOWEL BUT WE HAVE AN EASY NEXT WEEK THEY BETTER DO SOMETHING RIGHT AGAINST THE NEXT THREE PATHETIC TEAMS I WANNA SEE SOME WINS!

Who here checks the score before they hit play on the Tivo? Looks like that manuever saved me some pain and aguish. I don't watch bad movies, why watch bad games? Looks like the supporting cast didn't do a whole lot of supporting.
OK, so it's going to be a KG summer.

here comes that slope again....

defense, defense, defense... we suck at that. the only thing we are good at is making other teams happy..

watching tonight's game just gave us a clear view of whats going to happen the rest of the season.
they are never going to improve. inconsistency in everything. better luck next year.

The lakers were overconfident entering tonight's game because of the back to back wins over portland and sacramento - both sub .500 teams. They thought they could easily win this game. They're not gonna win this game unless everyone steps up and brings their A game. Barely no defense, and stagnant offense lead to "L".

Sleep tight Los Angeles.

*KOBE FOR MVP!

*GO LAKERS!

That was freakin' pathetic. Cook's not in because Brand would've went for 50 on him. The Lakers are now known as the "heartbreakers". Someone figure this out, and predict where we finish if we go .500 the rest of the way 'cause that's where we'll be, folks. For every big game (Miami, Sac) that we get, the Lakes lay a huge fart (Atlanta, Clips etc.) I think Sundays' Boston game is a toss-up....glad they're the road team.

I've said it before, and people need to understand this. this team is not, repeat, not going to do great things this year. If they make the playoffs, that's a good year. They will get smoked in the first round if they do, but it would be a decent accomplishment, given the overall talent level of this team.

I thought Kobe kind of regressed tonight. Played much better against the Kings, got guys involved. Against the Clippers? Not so much.

COMPLETLY TIRED OF THE SAME THING

Lamar Odom never show up for this game. For the money and talent that he has he should take part of his responsibility of this team.

It is just so easy to pass the ball, and let Kobe take the shots.

I really think that Lamar has no balls, (can i say that?)... he is the one suppose to step up, but it seems that he could only step up against the small and weak teams.

I'm really not expecting anything from kwame for now, i'm giving him a break, but Lamar has to step up, the only thing that Lamar Does for us is the rebounding, for the rebounding only that boy is getting too much money.

I was really happy he didn't get traded, buy i'm tired of seen Kobe around so much lousy and loosers.

we should have traded for someone to help us to get in the playoffs. Someone let Lamar know that he needs to play, he need to earn the MONEY that he is cashing out.

I'm Upset!!!

Phil was doing some weird weird weird stuff tonight. I think starting Kwame was a mistake, and in addition to using some bizzare lineups (and lots of rookies) Phil was having them force the ball inside too much through passing into the post. I'm not sure what their game plan was, but they certainly decided it was much more interesting to get involved in the horrible officiating rather than play through it. LO deciding not to show was also a big dissapointment, but I think Phil made some terrible choices in there as well.

Clips really got the benefit of the whistles tonight, but a good team sholud be able to overcome that, instead they let the Clips run away with the game after that terrible stretch in the 3rd where they got tied up in trying to point out all the refs mistakes instead of playing the next posession. A pretty typical showing from our squad on the 2nd night of a back-to-back unfortunately, and they just don't seem to care enough to take the Clippers seriously yet. I think that April 9th game will be a lot more competitive, the Lakers have a day off before that one.

What an ugly game! Lakers turned the ball over so many times they might as well have had Kwame running the point- Smush gets hot for one second starts to celebrate and gets all happy then they go flat as hell. (come on man- don't start clebrating till you are in the seventh game of the finals)
Lamar decides to show up after the first half is over and Kobe is just so pissed off at balls being thrown at his feet or past him, he starts to think yeap- this is one of those games I have to take over, then come the turnovers, it just looked ugly. This was a game to forget and to think they played so well last night it is incredible that Phil doesn't stop the damage in the third quarter- what the heck was that about! This team was pathetic from the tip off.

I think Turiaf showed big energy and definitely has better hands than Kwame so that was a good sign. No Bynum, hello...no Bynum again! The middle was ours to take (Caveman Kaman out)and we don't even try to play the only person on the team who actually anchors himself down low? Mihm should have had 20-15
The thing about this team not being able to concentrate on two games in a row is just baffling, who pays these guys, Checks should be worked for, guys like DGeorge and Kwame are just collecting money. Lamar sleepwalks through the first half. Mihm is getting chewed up by EBrand and PJ stays with him- shit put cook on him use up some fouls, put Kwame on him use up some fouls. Tug on Radmonivics shirt and piss him off he cant take it, play some mental toughness stuff on these guys. Be the big Dogs, sonofabeeaiitch the Clippers are beating up on the Lakers. Not one move made before the deadline and we are losing to the Clippers! Damn that third quarter was pitiful. Both teams looked sick but at least the Clips put the ball in the whole. Radmonivic goes 5-8 from 3-land and McCarty makes a 3 - you know something is wrong.
Kobe, I hope this summer you go to Steve Nash's school of ball handling - that weakness is hurting you badly. Smush better follow him. Kwame, Mihm, Bynum and Odom get with Bill Russell and Kareem and learn something about screening out the other bigs, lost art. The ball should not touch Kwames hands unless he can get it on offense. He needs to study Rambis tapes, man this dude basically gives the ball to the other team even when he is shooting. Nothing but dunks, rounds and running hard on D for this weak-link. The rebounds were seeming to always get into Brands hands all the important ones anyway, and Kwame was where?

This was a sad one but we do have along home stand this second half so things have to be better than last year- whew!

The coaching was pretty atrocious throughout the entire game. As always, the substitutions were puzzling, but I also have to question Phil waiting for 15 straight Clippers points before calling a timeout in the third quarter. Why did they keep Mihm on Brand for so long without any help? Why did they let Radmanovic campout at the 3-point line when he is a one-dimensional player and shooting well? Phil can't afford to let this team "work things out for themselves." He needs to get off the bench and start screaming at people to play smart basketball. I think its obvious that Kobe needs some help, and he's not going to get it consistently from this roster. Another pathetic performance by the "supporting cast."

i think everyone was sleeping on the court except Kobe. someone please give Odom a shower, he's stink. i'm still puzzle why they didn't trade him for Artest. i'd play Andrew than Odom. and Brown can play PF. i wish PJ plays Cookie more. George, Cookie, Bryant, Smush, Mihm or Andrew. L.O can sit, we need him for 3rd & 4th quarter. he's so lazy, the entire Lakers team are lazy. you're getting pay to play, not watching Kobe.

wha happen to LO? Elton Brand is playing at a HIGH level. he PULLED a KOBE tonight. this MOBELY guy plays like a STAR when he's playing KOBE. Rodmanovic was HOT. the GUY hasn't been HOT since he DENIED the 42MIL SONICS offer(He thought he could do better ALA SPRE- not very -WELL. He thought WRONG...or did he?)

No comment.

No comment. You`v seen it all.

this game is a SH*t!!!!clippers you all suck!!!!
LO isn't helping us either during the game!!!! oh what a disappointment!!!

Your thoughts as to why the Lakers didn't go after Allen Iverson. The Lakers have plenty to offer. They could have traded Odom, Brown, Smush plus a couple of 1st rounders.

The key... is that, we don't lose patience... with this team. The young guys, are young... and inexperienced. We will have off-nights, like this. We are poised, to make the playoffs. Look, on the bright side. Kwame is showing HUGE signs, of improvement. And Lamar has had two out of three dominant, games.

This should be the last season in P&G for Mr.ODOM.

i'm so sick of his lack of consistency, i can't stand him anymore.

Poor Kobe, i feel bad for him.

RANDOM THOUGHTS AFTER YET ANOTHER FRUSTRATING LAKER LOSS

* Phil Jackson allowed this young team to be routed in a run that put the game out of reach. His failure to call a timeout, along with his failure to make defensive adjustments, are exposing serious flaws with this coach

* Smush Parker made a key turnover when the Lakers were within 4 points and had momentum. After that turnover, the Lakers never recovered

* Larry Brown and Phil Jackson are not exactly living up to the hype and genious attributed to them

* The Clippers were able to make a trade (Radmonovich) that actually improved their team. The Lakers were able to...

* I'm starting to seriously wonder if Phil Jackson, who's a brilliant coach, is the right 'brilliant' coach for this Lakers team

* The journeymen players for the Lakers lived up to expectations; a good game followed by a bad game.

* Who would we rely on for scoring if Kobe went down with an injury?

* The Clippers are a better basketball team than the Lakers. It was no surprise that they beat the Lakers, but I would have enjoyed more of an effort from the Lakers

* At what point will everyone stop making the excuse that journeymen players like Smush, Kwame, Luke are young and learning? They are subpar NBA players who will not significantly increase their skill level

* The former journeyman player Tony Parker was able to be grow into a quality player in just a year or two under Gregg Popovich's guidance. Same thing for Ginobili. I doubt that Phil Jackson will have that type of effect on Smush and Luke.

* Luke Walton is a sad disappointment. His career in the NBA will be a short one.

* The Lakers not making any trades is either indicative of a bigger plan this summer, or serious incomptance on the owner's part.

* Kwame doesn't disappointment me anymore. He's not expected to put up decent numbers. The only decent numbers he can be attributed to are the digits on his ridiculously excessive paycheck.

* I'd rather see Sasha start over Smush. Smush may have more skills (slightly), but Sasha is hungrier and displays more heart and desire.

* Why is a 6'10'' foward with no heart fascilitating the offensive instead of working down in the post? I thought guards were suppose to fascilitate the offense.

* Turiaf needs more minutes. The guy has more heart and desire than Smush, Lamar, and Kwame combined.

disgusting.....

Tha Lakers are just too young of a team. Inexperience. almost reminds of Phoenix Suns before Steve Nash came in. Imagine they lead in the third quarter for one or two possession. Celebrating after every basket, immaturity. They haven't gotten sick of losing together yet. I blame the coaching staff for not being able to sustain the palyer's emotion. This is a young team. I don't why Phil doesn;t short leash on everybody. And why is Kobe shooting 35 footers. I dont care if he's making them. Not a good practice.

Smush is a joke. The guy has been beaten by every single pg in the league. At least chucky atkins was scoring not getting 8 sec violation call.
Lamar ! Thank you mitch.
hello phil .Did you hear the word timeout??
Kobe took some stupid shots at the end but at least the guy was trying to win. Elton Brand outshined kobe?? In your dreams.
elton brand is spoiled. He called phil to take a time-out. Although he was right,he must remember that he is one of the worst losers of this league.He hasn't played a single playoff game.
Kwame is another joke. He is the worst offensive player I have ever seen.
I feel sorry for kobe. It is time to fire mitch.

Those clippers may be the better team in LA right now but they have not won anything yet. They act and talk as if they are the one that has all those championship trophies. And stop calling this a rivalry, it is not! Until you surpassed the lakers in the number of rings won or at least win one stop trash talking because it does not mean anything, it's only annoying!

It was very disappointing to see the Lakers not compete with the Clippers, especially with Kamen out. The Lakers seem to struggle with teams that play good defense against them, as we’ve seen many times this year. They seem to be completely taken out of their game when they are challenged hard. Thank God if they make the playoffs, there are no back to backs then. For such a "young" team they sure looked tired.
Let’s hope they can get some momentum going soon.

Does anyone think Kupchek should try to sign Tim Thomas for the remainder of the season if the Bulls buy him out? Do you think he could help?
With the triangle, I know it is difficult for anyone to come in and be effective right off. Maybe that's why they didn't make a trade.
In the wishfull thinking dept: Forget about KG. The Lakers would go to the finals if they had Elton Brand.

What is wrong with Odom and Kwame? May I suggest complacency and immaturity just to name a couple of things. Complacency because now that the trading deadline is over, they can kick back breathe easy and draw those nice paychecks with a half-ass effort. They know they've got it made until the next deadline. If I'm wrong then why do they look like allstars one day and completely suck the next. Everybody, I know, has mentioned it to them yet they can't seem to put it in their gut. The tragedy is they have the talent to excel but nothing is more shameful than wasted talent due to indifference.
Immaturity. They don't understand nor appreciate the importance of effort directed towards a goal. The work done by those who coach them and teach them with what is great instruction is lost on their deaf youthful ears. Oh, they hear but don't know the meaning of putting it into practice. And they know how nice it would be to get a ring BUT they can't relate to the sacrifice needed, every night, every quarter, every minute to make it happen.
Conclusion, if they can't gear themselves mentally to strive every minute of their waking hours to achieve the winning tradition that is the Lakers, then they are not Lakers at the gut and the Lakers would be better served if they moved on.

Its Over

LAKERS SUCK!!!

Previous 2 victories are FAKE...

I see Lakers missing 8th spot with heavy margin.

This season is utter dissapointment.

i am completely befuddled! stellar performances in the previous two games and then a complete meltdown....the season in a nutshell....

any chance B. Shaw can suit up??

people you have to remember that this was the second of back to back games, the lakers were flat from the get go, thats why the bench got so much time early, the clippers were coming off a rest day while we were not, though im not making excuses for the team we did come in as the underdog, on the second night of a back to back so go figure.

I still don't understand why Phil doesn't post LO more. When he was playing well in Miami, that's what he did, a lot. Why not use your player's strengths?

Of course, I'm not a genius coach. What do I know.

I agree Lamar should be posting up. He did come out aggressive but didn't make the shots...it was a cold night for everyone except Kobe. It happens. Smush does make stupid mistakes, that 8 second backcourt violation just makes my shake my head.

mike

I think PJ should start Kwame at center and have Mihm come off the bench. If people think Mihm is better than Kwame wouldn't that help our bench? It would be like having a starter coming from the bench and it would allow the Lakers to establish a defensive presense to start the game with Kwame.\
mike

Disgruntled,
What did PJ tell Lamar, again? LOL.

mike

Kupcake........Go get Delk, or Penny, or T. Thomas. Someone who can get us excited for the stretch. Wafer, Green, or heck even Walton are scrubs. Penny would at least give us someone to get excited about. I sure would have liked to have been a fly on the wall when Kupcake met w/ Kobe. I highly DOUBT Kobe said that the crew is fine, and that they'll be OK. Even D. Anderson would have been an upgrade over our scrubs. Forget that 6th seed thought....lucky to get in the 8th seed.

Rumors are that Delk is headed to Detroit or Washington, and T. Thomas is headed to the Nets. And Kupcake is sitting on his hands. Maybe he wants S. Kemp. Definately think Garnett is gone. Everyone but Kobe is untouchable. The Wolves don't want the Knicks' slop. and I'm sure that KG would rather be in LA then in Chi-Town.

Here we are again from positive vibes to negative frustrations on this roller coaster Lakers. After a well-spirited games with Portland and Sacramento, the trading deadline was already over, so back to "manyana and lackadaisical attitude" from Odom-Parker-Brown-Walton-George-Mihm-Vujacic and the latest addition, Turiaf relying only with Kobe & Cook slot machines. The rests were daydreaming and sleepwalking looking to pass, afraid to shoot, afraid to rebound, sightseeing with those uncontested lay-ups, make fancy turnovers or create hard fouls put a hard face...then, complaint... complaint...complaint. In the blogging merry-go-round we're left with quarreling who to trade and defending this hemorrhagic team who are clinging on the 8th spot. The only bright hopes we have were that they lost to an ex-underachieving LA team and the teams following them on the 9th and 10th are equally underachievers. With this Laker 2005-06, it's hard to decide whether we should put up, keep up with that Chic Hearns' free spirit that a laker fan will always be a laker fan in good times and in bad or just completely shut-up and wait for the promised recovery in 2008 while Dr Buzz polishes his game on Texas hold em. I wish Mitch (Kupchoke) would also be out of the Lakers by that time.

Anyone who has grand playoff expectations should reexamine the infrastructure of the team and organization.

This team was poorly constructed from the outset to be around par at best, with a combination of chronic underachievers and journeymen like Kwame, Lamar, Smush, Sasha, and Luke.

I don't mind the gut-less performances by minimum-waged guys like Luke, Sasha and Smush, as much as that of those high-salaried earners like Lamar, Devean, and Kwame, all of whom combined for $23M but have yet to yield any substantive results.

They're certainly are not earning their pays; these boys are stealing big-time from the Buss family and, more importantly, the Laker fans, who continue spend their hard-earned money just to buy those high-priced tickets and support their beloved team.

Other culpable parties are Phil Jackson and the Buss family. At $10M per year, Philip is way overpaid for his current performance or lack thereof; thus far the so-called genious has managed a mediocre .500 winning record. The Laker ownership, who was grifted by Kwame et al., perpetuated the cycle by stealing from the fans through the exorbitant charges for an inferior brand of product.

If these miscreants (Buss, Kwame, Lamar, Devean and Philip) have any conscience they should refund the money they stole from us fan. Loyal Laker fans should issue an edict to Laker management to revamp the team to championship contention or risk losing the major ticket subscriberships.

What is wroung with LO last night.Why is he dancing to the tone of the Clippers defence,take over the and they will be running after you like the Sac-Kings did.WHATS WROUNG WITH YOU????????????????LO.Is time Phill has to start giving Bynum more playing time for him to get use to the game.GO LAKERS!!!!!!!!!

We got out-coached this game. Period.

I won't bother listing the reasons why I think that. It was self-evident the entire night long. Phil, to this point, still, still, STILL won't admit that this is NOT one of his veteran squads who can "sort things out for themselves". Ugh. And another thing...Phil needs to leave Kwame out of the starting lineup permanantly. Period. He's a complete liability on offense. The defenses don't even pretend to guard him and every time the ball gets to him, he has no clue what to do with it.

Beyond that, we played with no energy and less heart. Someone up above said that Kobe took a step back? Utter bull----. He played the exact same game he's been playing and other players did not knock down shots.

Where was the defensive intensity of the previous two games? Jesus H. Christ on a Pogo Stick! I don't care if the Lakers make mistakes if they are hustle mistakes. Hell, make them BIG ones for all I care so long as they play with passion and heart.

Yes, this is the second game of a back-to-back. But it isn't like we had to expend a lot of energy against the Kings to win and we certainly didn't have to spend a lot of energy travelling home.

This team just needs to man up and play with the same consistent effort night in and night out for 48 full minutes. Period.

As much as that loss hurt me last nite, we (laker fans) must realize that we were playing on the 2nd day of a back to back which we were never good at and we were playing a very hungry clipper team that was trying to end a 5 game slide. I truly hate watchin lakers lose though. I can't even watch actually. When clips went on that 17-0 run, i had to change the channel. We were flat from the gates though, we were lucky to be in position in the 3rd quarter but we def. gave the game away yet again. I don't think this will stop our momentum b/c if u watched the game, u know that none of the breaks went our way - absoluteley none! Think about how many of our shots went in and out, think about all the layups we missed and the refs were def. making call that favored the clips. I would have liked to see Kwame guard brand though b/c mihm wasn't doing a good job. For all u kwame haters, although he has the worst hands i've ever seen on an nba player, he plays very good post defense. He is out best defensive player in the post period, so let's not jump down his throat too much. Also, even though lamar was brickin layups, he played some very good D too which is very important and shows me that he hasn't just gone back to his old ways, at least, not yet. The important thing is we must win our next 5 or 6 games against those bad teams before we play detroit and spurs and i think we will. Kobe is playin like his february self again with more assists. And don't forget that they gave devean some real touch fouls which limited his contribution greatly just when he was startin to feel it again. He has def. turned the corner though and will be playin well and aggressive for the rest of the year and that will pay serious dividends. I think we're gonna end up with the 6th seed though. The hornets are gonna go on a slide and won't be able to stay there and either memphis or clips will drop a spot or 2 also. I don't see us gettin the 5 spot which is actually a good thing. And anything's possible if we're in the playoffs against denver or utah especially when kobe's involved.

EJ, I agree, Kwame is the best defensive present we have in the post! In addition, defense is what got us back in the game! If Phil would have kept Kwame on Brand we could have least stayed close! As many said before, the lack of coaching killed us, Period! With Kobe in the game down the stretch we just need to be close! Any pee wee league coach should know to call a time-out, make some switches and at least stop some of the bleeding, while there's a chance! As far as the play-offs, I think it depends on our coach! Sometimes the system should be tailored to fit the players potential, not the other way around! We know we have weak minded offensive players, our strength is our defence and #8. Detroit is a good team because the coach uses each players strengh at the right time. Come on Phil - you have a hungry rookie in Andrew just warming the pine, Cookie shoots 58% from the field and 55% from behind the arc, yet he warmed the pine most of the game! It's not rocket science!
give Kobe some help!

All I have to say is I think this is complete and utter rediculious the way this time plays with no Pride. I mean I can't remember a game where Smush Parker has stayed in front of the opposing point guard for even one possossion. Mitch Kupchick has got to be held accountable for the unbalanced and sloppy excuse for a roster that we have. I mean we could have gotten Artest for Bynum OMG OMG. I mean this idiot is wasting the best years of Kobe Bryant. All Mitch has done is broke up the team that jerry west put together. Please FIRE THIS MAN ASAP. Its not hard to put the pieces around Kobe. He rather be barely above 500 over the cap. GET US KG to play with Kobe. I don't care how you do it. GET US KG. HIM and kobe together make it happen Jerry West would find a way. its no way in the world smush parker and sasha Vujuic should even be getting time both of them our two non defensive players who are allowing point guard penetration to kill us. idk if anyone was paying attention but Smush couldn't even stay in front of CHUCKY ATKINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! when we played The Grizzles. Thats rediculious. We needed to sign or trade for a stable point guard. Mitch screwed that one up also. Kobe plays his heart out and as far as Lamar goes he does give us other things when his offensive game struggles I mean I'll take 14ppg 9rbs and 5 apg at anytime. and Kwame gives us at least a defensive effort every night idk why Phil didn't put him on Elton Brand last night. Well anyone we need a Point guard Smush isn't the same player he was when the year started he thinks he is Hollywood now stopped working on his game and forgotten his role. His job is to play Defense, run the show and SOMETIMES SHOOT OPEN SHOTS. I mean if these guys made their open shots kobe could average about 7 apg easy

Michael Teniente,

I am still right. Thats what the Phil's Plan.
But Lamar choked as he has some mental problems with clippers. I learned Lamar has other problems too. May be Lamar is not the right guy to facilitate the offense. Lamar is not tough Mentally.

Ok, disgruntled...do I still suck?

mike