Mike DanGrinchio, take a seat.
122-115.

GREAT WIN GUYS!! MADE MY DAY!!!

"It was disgusting. I don't know what he was thinking. Somebody asked me, Raja Bell, I don't know, they looked over and said, "Is Phil wearing a bow tie?" I kinda looked down. That was the first time I saw it. I kinda threw up in my mouth just a little bit." - Kobe Bryant

haha

Kobe is also the youngest player ever to pass Tom Chambers on the all-time scoring list.

Can we start the
"SUNS WINLESS WITH GRANT HILL VS LAKERS"
bandwagon?

If so, put me on that list.

Colorado loves the Lakers!

Kobe and Bynum killed the Suns.
Some few points though about the game:
* The lakers were not doing good on screen plays for open three by nash. I believe nash had 5 3pt shot made after a high screen.
*Again, radmanovic was useless. How I hope I can do somethign to trade him. Trade him for a pure threept. shooter.
*Ariza is a perfect fit for a starting SF. Skilled, Athletic, and a DUNKmaster!
*Fisher.. u'r the man. man with a good heart and good touch.
* LAKERS.. woohoo..
Guys, have u seen the standings now. If so happen that we're to start playoffs tomorrow.. we are going to match up against the SUNS again!!! whata-fate!
I would like for them to match up against the DENVER first, then SUNS later, then, SPURS for the west finals.. and lastly, a classic match against the celtics.
Would that be cool.. huh?
LAKERS -- 18-10! tis is awesome.
can't wait for next game

What's up with the incorrect number in the article; "112-115 Lakers win"
come on isn't someone proofreading besides me?
Sorry to be a stickler and on Christmas, but let's get it right Kbros.

thanx for the present guys !!! lets work on getting in first place in the pacfic.

M T,
"Bynum is playing better defense, and rebounding has been a strength, but Jackson wanted to reserve overall judgment on his improvement until later in the season.
"If he grows as much as he did between the beginning of last year and the end of last year this season, we can be competitive and we actually think that we can go and compete in some playoff games," Jackson said. "We've still got a ways to go to see where he's going to be as far as his development."
Jackson wanted Bynum to keep working on his post moves, and he also drew the distinction between Bynum fighting for his own baskets as opposed to connecting on easy dunks off well-placed lobs from teammates."
Seems PJ might have been reading this blog. I wonder who's the one who said that?"

Virtually eveyone on this blog has said that. The difference is that most of us see that Bynum is already, today, far, far better than Kwame offensively (including his post moves), far better than Kwame rebounding, and better as an overall defender than Kwame.

Listen to PJ:

"Jackson was bothered while watching tape of a recent game in which he heard broadcasters say Lakers fans should eventually get used to 20 points and 10 rebounds from Bynum every night."

He's he referring to Joel Meyers? Or maybe Norm Nixon? He refers to "our audience" so he must be referring to FSN or KCAL 9 broadcasters.

mike

"easy gunpowder" - hahaha! who learned you K boys to write so good?

it was definitely a beautiful game.

p.s. - did kobe really say that about phil's bowtie??? frivolity reigns in lakerland!

Ex and Mike T,

PJ is clearly trying to keep the Bynum hype machine away from the kid so he doesn't get too big-headed. I go to UF and heard Urban Meyer say the same thing about his future Heisman winner Tim Tebow.

It would be a problem if Phil DIDN'T say that. The point is this, like Ex said, Bynum is better at nearly every other facet of the game. Bynum may be getting the majority of his offense (it's not like it takes an NBA scout to figure it out, if PJ had to come to the blog to acquire this information, I'd be worried about him.) from putbacks, alleyoops, etc. but the point is he's still wreaking havoc against opposing teams. There's a reason why Kwame isn't scoring on putbacks, alleyoops and any other post feeds.

The fact of the matter remains that the Lakers are 13-6 (I count the Chicago game since Kwame only played 3:37) since Kwame's injury, 12-6 in games Bynum plays in and 11-6 in games Bynum starts.

The last 3 post I put up tells me that PJ wants our audience to be prepared for something different than what you're hearing from "the broadcasters." In other words PJ wants either Norm Nixon and or Joel Meyers to shut the F up!

Now if PJ wants to go with a different philosophy on how he approaches the game...he would need the broadcasters to shut the F up about how they're selling Bynum. It's only going to make PJ look bad if he goes with a different philosophy.

I'm telling you right now, the Lakers are winning but it's not with PJ's philosophy of basketball. And now PJ has these broadcasters making it difficult for him to coach with a philosophy that he comfortable with.

Interesting statements. Be prepared.

mike

After reading several of your posts, PJ is not saying the same thing you've been ranting about on here at all. I read something completely different into what PJ is saying and the reasons he said it. Totally different from the reasons you state certain things about Drew. I would say why PJ said what he said, but I come back to that in about 20 more games.

I think it's funny how people pick and choose certain quotes and statements
from PJ to base their entire doctrine on and leave out other things said by PJ and opposing coaches that tears down their theory. People do the same with the Bible too, pick and choose what they perceive to be agreeable with their lifestyle and disregard anything that shows them to wrong even if it's the truth. Anyone can take someone else's quote and make it out to be what they want it to be.

You say Kobe can do no wrong, yet Kobe has had nothing but praise for Andrew which you refuse to quote. PJ is just protecting Andrew from losing focus and wants him to remain humble but hungry, period. If Drew fades down the stretch which I doubt he will, I'll be the first to come on here and say I was wrong. You've been barking on this blog about this and that, wait until he faces the frontlines when we went out the road which we came out 3-1 and Andrew played great. Then you passed it off as playing weak teams in the past 10 games in which we went 8-2 and then came with this philosophical stuff after we won a big game against the Suns. I'll show you after 10 more games what I mean.

Listen to PJ! He's saying the same thing I'm saying:

"Jackson was bothered while watching tape of a recent game in which he heard broadcasters say Lakers fans should eventually get used to 20 points and 10 rebounds from Bynum every night.

"That's way too much pressure to put on this guy," Jackson said. "Who knows when he's going to be 20 and 10? That's not even a mark that we have to start prepping our audience for."

Bynum is playing better defense, and rebounding has been a strength, but Jackson wanted to reserve overall judgment on his improvement until later in the season.

"If he grows as much as he did between the beginning of last year and the end of last year this season, we can be competitive and we actually think that we can go and compete in some playoff games," Jackson said. "We've still got a ways to go to see where he's going to be as far as his development."

Jackson wanted Bynum to keep working on his post moves, and he also drew the distinction between Bynum fighting for his own baskets as opposed to connecting on easy dunks off well-placed lobs from teammates."

Seems PJ might have been reading this blog. I wonder who's the one who said that?

mike

Posted by: Michael Teniente | December 25, 2007 at 08:52 PM

thanx for the present guys !!! lets work on getting in first

Don't bring CWebb

No need, he's too old and slow.
No need for him.
No defense either

tp...

I love it....but can we just say that Trevor "youtubed" Grant Hill?

Ex...

The same passes that Kobe used to throw to Kwame are now being converted into baskets by Baby who can actually catch and finish!! Drew seems to have some serious strength in his hands; witness how in the first quarter he ripped the ball away from Amare and then finished over Marion. If only he could develop his calves, he'd be perfect!

Nemaia,

It's clear to anyone who's not unnaturally drawn to large men with large calves that PJ is just trying to keep Bynum from getting a big head. He's still a kid and he's a kid that's just beginning to realize his enormous potential.

I LOVE what PJ is saying because Bynum DOES need to improve his post moves. And when he does Bynum will be virtually impossible to guard. He's already scoring in bunches on alleyoops, putbacks and drive and dishes. Once he adds a consistent low post game the skies the limit. Bill Simmons has Bynum's ceiling set at the "best center not named Yao or Dwight," but I disagree. His ceiling is best center in the league. In two years Bynum will be unstoppable and we'll laugh at the fact that we even entertained the Bynum Vs. Kwame debate (which isn't even much of a debate at this point.)

The most disconcerting thing is that instead of being happy about Bynum's progress, Mike T, is hoping for him to fail, which hurts the LAKERS even if it gets Kwame more minutes. It makes no sense.

Yeah, 8 turnovers by Kobe. But they are positive type turnovers. I think half of it are not really due to his fault.

I like that "Phoenix Sucks" chant. Just to give those classless phx fans and personnel a dose of their own medicine.

Everybody should pay attention to this Portland Team. 11-0? they are also getting serious.

GO LAKERS! Bring on the Jazz.

See? Mo Evans is just the smaller version of Devean George.

Trevor Ariza is a great addition. Credit Mitch Kupchak for that.

GO LAKERS!

Here's how easy it is to take a quote and put a spin on it:

"We just want to maintain what we are about," Jackson said. "Every game, come out and play that kind of game, show consistency. At the end of the year, if [Bynum] is the MVP, then we'll say what a great year he's had."

Is that a veiled shot at Kobe? Has Kobe won an MVP award yet? So if Kobe doesn't win the MVP, he didn't have a great year? See how easy it is to take things out of context and conjure something else out of it?

Another example:

"In this situation, everything's been done to accelerate Andrew's learning," Jackson said. "From this organization bending over backward to accommodate him . . . we're hopeful that it doesn't change the way he acts as a person. We've had people that have not responded well because they're too young and too pampered. Hopefully, Andrew's going to be one of those guys that understands what the process is and grows into it."

Is this another thinly veiled shot at Kobe's past and most recent behavior? Has the Laker organization bent over backwards for Kobe? Is PJ hoping that Drew's rise will not cause him to change as a person, someone that's too young and too pampered as Kobe has been said to be by many people here and abroad? Didn't the Lakers choose and "pamper" the "young"er Kobe over the dominant Shaq? You see? It's so easy to read into quotes whatever we want to if we're biased or partial in our views.

Twice now, Drew has outplayed last year's ALL-NBA 1ST TEAM center in Amare Stoudemire. By the way, name any GOOD or GREAT big man that doesn't work on his low post moves all the time and you'll fail to have a GOOD or GREAT big man, so don't just say that Drew needs to work on his moves in the post.

Some of you are talking about trading for Kidd. And he would be an upgrade, I don't think we really need him considering the way Fish and Farmar are playing. If we could trade for someone more like Jermaine O'neal , without giving up too many pieces, I'd be happier with that. How about everyone else? Would you rather add Kidd or JO?

I'd just thought that would be interesting to note that:

EVERY TIME there is a trade talk involving Kwame Brown, the real asset people consider is ALWAYS Kwame's expiring contract.

Why is that? Because NO GM wants Kwame Brown playing for his team, specially for 9 million a year. His only trade value is his huge overpaid contract that expires at the end of this year.

That said, I believe most guys here would agree with Mike T that we still need more improvement on defense to real be able to beat the Celtics, Pistons or Spurs in the playoffs.

And that's exactly why we've been talking about ways to trade **KWAME'S EXPIRING CONTRACT** for any good defensive PF.

BTW, if we do need defensive help (and I think we still do) how in the lord's name could Kwame Brown be the solution if the guy can't even suit up for the games???

Heck, even Grant Hill is healthier than Kwame.

Here's a portion of the article that someone forgot to include in their post:

"Jackson wanted Bynum to keep working on his post moves, and he also drew the distinction between Bynum fighting for his own baskets as opposed to connecting on easy dunks off well-placed lobs from teammates.

Bynum threw down a variety of dunks on the way to a career-high 28 points Tuesday against Phoenix, although he also scored on a well-orchestrated hook shot in the post against Brian Skinner.

In the grander scheme, Jackson hopes Bynum, who also had 12 rebounds against the Suns, will keep a level head."

Look at the third paragraph and take in what the "grander scheme" in PJ's mind is concerning Andrew. Once again, read the entire article in context and you'll better understand what PJ means and how he's protecting Andrew and keeping him focused on improving daily. Do you think PJ is stupid enough to trumpet Andrew as being the top center in the West or the league? No way, he's being a good coach, teacher and mentor because he knows what he has in Andrew and he doesn't want anything to hinder his development. Things will be different down the road when Drew is an All-Star and helps the Lakers to win titles, then PJ will come back and say that's why he held the reins tightly when it came to Drew. I'm sure PJ will be smiling then too when he's given credit for doing so.

PJ also was quoted as saying that a team is pretty much set in their tendencies after 15-20 games in the article where he said he thought the Lakers couldn't win 50 games this year. So why are you harping about our defense and basically blaming our young, emerging center and quoting PJ's so called philosophy when he himself said the team is set in their tendencies and habits? Go back and quote that one quotatious one! Wait a minute, maybe I'm misinterpreting or misconstruing what he said, but then again maybe I'm not.

Merry X mas guys!!!!

Ariza needs to get train with Craig Hodges fror shooting. Once that is accomplished, he will be quite the player.

Hate to bring this up, I want that PF/C!!!!

So PJ is preparing us for what's coming?

Well, I actually don't think that there's anybody in this world other than Mike T that believes that Kwame can play and contribute to this team night in night out.

As a matter of fact, he can't play att all.
If we could just trade him for somebody. Anybody.

Trading him for just 2 mediocre PF/C who can actually be on the court would be a huge improvement. Even if they suck big time, it would give us 12 fouls to use in the games as opposing for the ZERO playing time that Kwame give us.