ANDREW BYNUM

I was happy, last night, to see Andrew Bynum play a solid game. I enjoyed Jack Haley’s interview with him after the game. Andrew said all the right things. He talked about anchoring the defense. He also mentioned something about not allowing too many lay-ups. I saw the game for myself and it’s exactly what he did.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Andrew Bynum:

"He's starting to become a defensive presence. That's really what we need. Initially last year, he thought the game was all offense and all he had to do was go out there and score. He has the potential to be a great shot-blocker because of his length. He doesn't necessarily have to block shots, he just has to discourage shots."

That’s what I’m talking about. What Bynum did last night didn’t really show up in the box score. But if you were watching the game you would know that the Hornets’ offense was pretty much run from a set offense approach. That is a good thing. Whenever you get a team to operate out of the set offense that means there’s not really an attacking style or a break down in the middle. Right now that’s all we want from Bynum. Prevent the easy shots! With Chris Paul at the PG for the Hornets…that is huge. Chris Paul had 10 points and 9 assists. But the Hornets lost by 7 points but it wasn’t really that close.

Good game AB!

THE FARMAR FACTOR:

The Farm, in a bad game, still produced. This kid is the real deal. I don’t like the offensive sets that the Lakers run when the Farm is in the game. There just isn’t enough pick and rolls to the basket for my tastes. I think I saw it run 2 times. Once the Farm got his shot blocked. It really doesn’t matter because that’s not the point.

The point is that for the Farm to be effective he needs the ball in his hands. I was looking at the motion of the triangle offense in last night’s game. It was classic triangle. But it looked limiting when it came to utilizing the Farm’s talents.

Example: We have seen the excitement of the game when the Farm and Luke Walton play together. Tell me, how many times have we seen those two run a pick and roll from the top of the key, which led to a basket? I’ve seen it enough to understand that I want to see it more. So when the Farm is in the game, not necessarily with Walton, I’m waiting for that pick and roll. Too often I saw something different. I saw screens but no rolls.

I also saw, that on occasion, the Farm would have the ball near the top of the key and would hold on to it too long. He was saved a couple of times when a couple of his teammates made a shot as the clock was running down. I got the feeling that the triangle was causing the Farm to play out of his rhythm. The Farm didn’t look natural. It’s hard to detect because he’s such a “basketball” player. By that I mean he finds ways to adjust. That’s all fine but I just get the feeling we’re not utilizing the guys talents to maximize the potential.

MO EVANS

With all the attention given to the rookies, Bynum is like a rookie; I haven’t spoken too much about Mo Evans. What I saw from Evans last night is what I expect. To me, Evans is like someone we already know what he’s going to bring. Just like Lamar and Kobe. We really don’t talk much about them because we rely on what they do and take it for granted. We focus on the others because if we add what they bring to what Kobe and Lamar bring, then we have something to talk about. Mo Evans, to me, is someone who is like Kobe and Lamar…someone we take for granted. He’s going to make our bench productive.

AND FINALLY…

I know I’ve been hard on Chris Mihm, but I stand by what I said. But, I was thinking about it and I think we’re going to see something very soon that will prove my point. I hope Chris Mihm comes back before Kwame Brown does. That way I can comment on what he’s doing during the game. I can say in the game day thread: Hey, watch Mihm! Watch how teams attack the middle. Then everyone who’s watching the game on T.V. and participating on the blog will be able to see what I’m talking about. I hope Chris Mihm reads this and tries to rise to the challenge. It doesn’t matter because he won’t be able to maintain it. We might see him do well for a game or two but over a period of time he’ll do exactly what I said he would do because it’s who he is. Just like Smush Parker did last night. He knows there’s heat coming from both Sasha and the Farm, especially from the Farm. So what does he do? He comes out aggressive. He did pretty well! But it’s all based on false pretenses. What we saw Parker do last night…it isn’t who he is. He can’t maintain that. It’s a forced effort. It’s not natural. That’s the difference between Parker and the Farm. What the Farm does is natural. What Parker did last night was based on feeling the competition. And the same thing will happen to Chris Mihm. Chris Mihm can’t guard the lane over a period of time.

mike

Yeah, his defense sure sucked against Chris Paul last night Ken....

Oh, wait, Smush freakin' OWNED the rookie of the year last night, so enough talk about Smush's defense already!

J. walter,

Yeah, you keep posting things like that and Smush is going to get smoked next time he plays Paul.

why are we all on smush's case the boy has game for petes sake he came from fordham and left early at that just like ur boy jordan, but he has the same problem kwame has not good enough coaching to play in a complex system. the lakers rarely play the triangle from what ive seen when jordan is in the game its more up and down and believe it or not thats not our game right now.maybe when the next coach comes in but not now.Jordan has game, preseason game the real dance hasnt started and we are already putting him in the same sentence as a young kobe and hes certainly not that.smush or sasha gives us our realistic chance of winning for sure.the preseason is like fools gold were average players look up to par.jordan is not average but the level of competition is not the same.vets are working on things that they wont get a chance to work on during the season,and rooks and invites are trying to gain a spot on the team not starting positions they are almost locked up by now anyways. we have potential to be great.this is the start of something special and anybody on that makes our team should feel lucky.we are so quick to hand the keys to cadillac to the rook when he hasnt even earned his permit yet.i woulnt give my keys to a kid who has had enough road experience to drive a caddy so neither should phil now maybe if this was a rebuilding team then yeah start the kid what would you have to lose. but we are made to win now so you go with the experinced drivers!

yeah, you guys really gotta drop "the farm"...it just aint working

Go Lakers

Sorry go lakers!, I was just being a pisser because I hate that nickname ;) I know to whom it refers.

On the other hand, I can't think of anything better either.

E

go lakers,

I like "the Rook" better than "the Farm" too. Every time I see "the Farm" I'll think about Stanford, and I won't be able to take that for the entire NBA season (Go Bears!).

How 'bout "Five Alive"?

Ken,

So you mean Smush will look like "The Farm" did in the 4th quarter? Then we'll have 2 guys getting smoked instead of just the one.

Re; FARMER JORDAN

"...if this was a rebuilding team then yeah, start the kid what would you have to lose"

Precisely why you should start him now. Let it become his team. In 3 or 4 years, the Lakeshow could become champs again.

I like The Farm, no one knows (other than the bloggers) who i'm talking about if I use the other nicknames. When I say Jordon they think i'm talking about MJ. If I use the other ones their like who, but for some reason when I say The Farm they know i'm talking about the new kid farmar.

Doesn't the name have to work for everyone not just the bloggers?

Sonny,

Pretty hilarous about your new coach. That should cost you a few precious wins in the West.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Eric Musselman, in his first season as coach of the Sacramento Kings, was arrested on drunken driving charges early Saturday.

He was released from Sacramento County Main Jail not long after his arrest, the Sheriff's Department said.

The arrest came four preseason games into Musselman's stay with the Kings. He was hired by the Kings in June and spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies. He was fired by Golden State after the 2003-04 season.

The thing about smush is that he doesn't do anything particularly well compared to other starting point guards. He is not a great shooter,he is not good at getting into the lane, nor a adequate passer. He is definitely not a point guard. He creates absolutely no opportunities for others to score. He lacks the intensity on defense of the other Laker guards. He doesn't scare defenses enough to stop his defender from double teaming others.

If you consider past triangle teams the other guard spot was paxson, kerr, harper, and fisher. Three of them were great shooters and harper was an amazing slasher. They all can hurt you if their man stays off of them. Smush, I don't know.

From what I've seen from the preseason so far Smush was the third best guard on the Lakers. Sasha's shooting was impressive. I've always loved his defensive intensity. He doesn't drive the lane as well as Smush but he is a significantly better shooter.

Farmar was spectacular. I think Farmar will dispel the myth that the triangle doesn't need a point guard. When he's on the floor the offense runs smoother. Can you imagine farmar driving the lane, defenders rotating over to farmar, pass to Kobe with his defender out of position running back to defend Kobe. Farmar is so much better than Smush.

There is also that saying the media loves to tell us. "Phil doesn't like to play rookies." Is the media stupid or what. Phil has won 9 championships. How many times has he had a lottery pick excluding 17 year old Bynum. When his teams are championship level teams and he drafting with the last pick in the first round of course he is not going to play rookies. Rookies drafted late in the first round don't make any significant impact for anytime let alone a championship team. Of course he's not going to play these shmucks. Farmar may be one of the few rookies Phil has ever had that had any special talent. Farmar's play will force Phil to play him.

Smush will start at the beginning of the year but don't look for him to keep that position for long.

hey sonny,

whats up with your coach?

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-kings-musselmandui&prov=ap&type=lgns

I agree with the drop "THE FARM" nickname. Plain and simple, it's just horrible, corny and lame. Not that I have a better one at the moment, but I'd take "Farmar", "Jordan", "JF", or even "the rook(ie)."
PLEASE GUYS, lets cut out that horrendous handle for him!

I think we should call Jordan Farmaer -- Jordan, I mean if you are dum enough to not know that Micael Jordan is retired then you are not a basketball fun....For Smush Parker.I think I understand what he is going through...He will pick it up..Farmar may get the starting spot maybe later in the season....maybe....Let's just hope Kobe comes out healthy, that's all it's important rightnow.

Good Luck Lakers.

Let me rephrase that: Doobie is smokin' and better for US.

Of course he's drinking, he's a Kings coach...lol...just kidding Sonny. Somebody had to say it. lol.

Hope all is well...well as a Laker fan not really, but for you, I hope the best lol.

Good point Chim Chim. In the past 7 years our biggest "rookie" has come via trade (before the 05-06), so that really shows the quality of picks we've been getting (no offense to our draftees).

.11? He must have been driving in a ditch.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/kings/2006-1[

I like "The Farm"... i think it works because of how it can relate to his situation...

1. he's still growing
2. it's right out of his name...farm(ar)
3. we're betting (at least I am) the farm on him to be the next best thing to wear a laker jersey
4. his roots are in LA (ok that's a stretch)
5. it's already popular

so, i say we officially dub the kid 2, "The Farm" though I also reminisce of my days partying at stanford.

Just don't call the Farm late to dinner.

Is he a farm worker?

yes sonny he is a farm worker and he's ganna make the lakers grow.

Possible nicknames for Farmar: The Prodigy. The Talent. The Future. The Pick (draft pick, pick & roll .... ice pick?). The Bruin. Handles.

I know I'm reaching here. It's Saturday and I'm avoiding my studies.

E

I hope everybody feels free to call Farmar whatever they want. I'm not into nicknames myself, but I'd much rather read a nickname than read a bunch of "authoritative" posts dictating what people can call Farmar or what they can't call Farmar, or what people are allowed to argue about and what they aren't allowed to argue about.

Fearless:

Your post about Jordan Farmar on another thread was just outstanding, especially when you said “And Farmar gets it. It isn't about what YOU do on the court, but how the TEAM does when you are on the court.” That, in a nutshell, is why Farmar should start at point guard.

This is not just about giving Farmar a chance to develop and grow, it’s really about getting the Lakers to play better. That’s the real reason why we need to start Farmar now. We cannot afford to get off to a bad start, especially considering the easy schedule we have during the first month. Starting Farmar will jumpstart the team and hold the fort until we get everybody back as well as giving Farmar the chance to get experience that will pay dividends in the playoffs.

You are also right that “Farmar is making the other Lakers look like All-Stars when he plays. Plus, Bynum is a different cat when Farmar is running the show.” That is so true. Farmar knows instinctively how to get the ball to other guys when and where they can do something with it. I can’t wait to see how to feeds Kwame and Kobe when they are ready to play.

Your game keeps showing, Fearless.

Tom