Kinda makes me want to ride Space Mountain
There were no long lines or height restrictions, but there could have been a few crying children and lost lunches as the Lakers rode the roller coaster Sunday night against the Pacers before finally bringing the cars to a stop with a 112-96 win. They say in the NBA that everyone makes a run, but tonight's game took that to the extreme. Indiana gets out to a 9-0 lead, LA rips off a 33-14 run to cap the quarter. Lakers get wonky in Q2, and Pacers make an 11 point lead disappear with a 23-10 run of their own. In the third, perhaps under threat of losing postgame orange wedge privileges, the Lakers threatened to run the blue and gold out of the building with a 35-19 effort, but the Pacers came back in the fourth against L.A.'s second unit with a 13-2 run to close the gap to seven. Fortunately, the starters regained control and the Lakers stretched the lead back out to a more comfortable margin.
Up, down, up, down, up, down... but ultimately up, which, in the end is all that matters. It wasn't quite as easy as the final score would indicate, but the Lakers did what needed to be done before heading out on the road this week. Click below for the breakdown:
The Good:
- Whatever Phil Jackson Said at Halftime: He chalked it up simply getting back to the fundamentals of the offense, but maybe he threw in a Gipper speech or offered everyone a free Wii, because the Lakers rebounded from a terrible second quarter (see below) and laid the wood to Indy in the third. The aforementioned 35-19 score was highlighted by everything the Lakers didn't do in the previous 12. They moved the ball. They cut. They found the open man. They made the extra pass. The quarter got off to a strong start, with two easy L.O. lay ups, then got better as D-Fish nailed a 17 footer. Kobe got hot, Walton made some great passes, and LO stayed active. Overall, the Lakers shot 65% for the quarter, had nine dimes on 13 buckets, and took good care of the ball (two TOs). On the other end, they kept the Pacers in half court sets, and hassled them into a 32% mark from the floor. Sure, Indy missed some easy looks, but overall, the Lakers cranked up the defensive intensity. It helps when you put the ball in the bucket, for sure.
- Andrew Bynum: Very active early, Bynum had 12 points at the end of the first, and 21 at the half. He finished with 23, on 8-11 from the floor, with 13 boards, and four blocks. 7-9 from the stripe, to boot. There were some hiccups, but overall his impact on the game was very strong. With that sort of line and a robust +30 for the night (yes, +/- doesn't exist in a vacuum, but +30 is snazzy no matter how you slice it), it was another very good effort from Drew. He made some nice plays on Jermaine O'Neal, who presents a unique challenge for Drew because he spends so much time facing up. JO made some nice plays early, but Bynum adjusted well as the game went on.
- Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Especially in the Second Half: Kobe struggled early, finishing 2-11 from the floor in the first half, and D-Fish wasn't much better (1-5). But both made some massive plays for the Lakers in the second half. Kobe came out of the half on a tear, drilling two threes, hitting a couple more shots from the floor, and scoring 12 points overall. In the fourth, 24 went back to distributing, notching three of his six total dimes. Fish hit three monster shots from downtown over a two+ minute stretch in the fourth, which helped the Lakers quash Indiana's dream of a miracle comeback before it could gain too much traction. Overall, it was a nice game for Kobe, who didn't dominate the scoring column but still made his mark in critical situations in the second half, both shooting and distributing.
- Lamar Odom, Luke Walton: Neither one was a star, but both quietly had a positive effect on the game. Odom powered the team early in their third quarter reawakening, and finished with 13/13/3, while Luke overcame a very shaky start to finish with ten points, four boards, and a very nifty seven assists.
- Trevor Ariza: Only 17:42 of run, but still, he pitched in with six points, five boards, and two dimes. It's becoming clear that at least a couple times a game, Ariza does something that sticks out. Tonight, it was a sequence with about 30 ticks left in the third, when Ariza made a nice, quick, crisp entry pass to Drew, who dunked on O'Neal for the and-one. Then, when Bynum missed the FT, Ariza out-jumped at least two Pacers to tip the ball out and give the Lakers possession. Those add up over the course of a game.
- "Coby Karl replacing Kobe Bryant": In general, when these words are heard, as they were tonight, it's a good sign. (Or, I suppose, a really bad one, but let's stay optimistic.)
The Bad:
- The Second Unit: They were on the floor twice, and didn't do much either time. In the second quarter (an admittedly miserable one for the Lakers) the reserves allowed a ten point lead to shrink to six before they were yanked halfway through, mostly because they couldn't put the biscuit in the basket, if I might borrow a hockey cliche. But their really ugly stretch came to kick off the fourth. Starting the frame with an 18 point lead and staring at a busy week, PJ hoped to keep the starters on the bench, and ride the seconds through to the end. No such luck. The Pacers opened the quarter with a 13-2 run, fueled by six TO's, forcing Phil to call timeout and bring the starters back in at the 6:16 mark. Two points and six giveaways in under six minutes. And it wasn't just bad luck keeping the ball out of the hoop. The group struggled to get a clean look. Yeah, two main cogs of the unit were out (Vlad, Sasha), but still, not a good effort.
- Jordan Farmar: 1-8 from the floor, he struggled to run the offense with the reserves. Granted, with Sasha and Vlad out, the Lakers did run a more points-challenged unit, but overall it wasn't his best effort. A little too much dribble. Three steals, though, which is always good to see.
- The Second Quarter: The offense checked into the Hotel Stagnant, as player and ball stopped moving. The result? Four TOs, a 35% mark from the floor, and a ton of easy run outs for the Pacers. The indifferent work on that end spread to the defensive side, too, as it often does. The Lakers, who turned a terrible first three minutes of the first into a 10 point lead by the time it was over, allowed Indiana to get back to within two heading into the break. Indiana wasn't necessarily outplaying them, the Lakers just stopped doing what gave them the lead in the first place.
- Javaris Crittenton: Three turnovers in ten minutes, most prompted by The Critter simply trying to force the issue more than he needed to. The road to consistency is a long one. On a positive note, I'm getting better at spelling his name correctly.
The Out of Left Field:
- Kwame Brown: He was a bit a mixed bag tonight, with a few mental lapses and four PFs in only 13:28 of run. But I've never seen Kwame play as aggressive offensively as he did tonight. Time and time again, Kwame faced up to the hoop, made a dribble move, and worked towards the hoop. The results weren't always pretty on an aesthetic level, but in spots they were effective, as 54 managed to get to the line a few times and forced Indiana to pay attention to him. On the other hand, his eight points came with four turnovers, not exactly a great ratio. But overall, it was nice to see Kwame try to create his shots, especially facing up. He'll never be a particularly smooth player offensively, but down the road an increased willingness to be part of the offense will force other teams to man up on him, which helps create space on the floor for everyone else. A face up game could also (dare to dream) make it easier for Brown to play a little four, which would be a major boon to rotation flexibility.
AUDIO: Phil obviously wasn't thrilled with how the seconds performed, plus plenty of good stuff about the upcoming roadie. Fish and Walton had some good words about what went wrong in the second and early in the fourth. Incidentally, I also learned that Walton, who grew up in San Diego, never experienced postgame orange wedges as a young athlete. Is this just a Midwest thing? Where once the game is over, the team mom brings over something to drink (juice was always popular, particularly Hi-C and Capri Sun) and some orange wedges? C'mon, people! Help me out.
- Phil Jackson: Download phil_jackson_1.5 postIND.mp3
- Andrew Bynum: Download andrew_bynum_1.5 postIND.mp3
- Luke Walton: Download luke_walton_1.5 postIND.mp3
- Derek Fisher: Download derek_fisher_1.5 postIND.mp3
BK
Some copy from Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom and Pacers Coach Jim O'Brien, who threw some serious props in the direction of Andrew Bynum and Mitch Kupchak. Kobe also had some praise for the third year center. I asked him if Bynum has gotten to the point where, as the cliche goes, he "demands the ball." As it turns out, not so much, but The Mamba digs the brains on display from the youngster. Odom also had an interesting thought about the advantages coming from the core players having been together a while. Sort of shows why patience, while often exasperating, can be necessary when it comes to building an effective team.
KOBE BRYANT
On Bynum keeping the team in it during the first half while his fellow starters were mostly cold.
"He's doing a great job. He's staying consistent and coming out, playing hard and giving us maximum effort. That's what we need."
On the importance of the back to back shots he hit immediately after being reinserted into the game, bumping a dwindling 7-point lead back to 1.
"It's more for us to understand that we took a blow from them, but I'm gonna go out there and throw an uppercut and let them know that this is our game."
On displaying more of a killer instinct against weaker teams than last season.
"We're playing for something much more important and special. We're keeping our eyes on the prize. it doesn't matter if we're playing a sub .500 team."
On what "10 games over .500" (the Lakers' current status) would have sounded like to Kobe coming into the seasons.
"It sounds like nothing to me. Our goal is win a championship. It's not to be ten games over .500, so it's important for us to continue to move forward. The guys here understand that. We're not playing for five seeds or four seeds. We're trying to get to that top level. That's what our focus is."
On this stretch of wins being a nice step, but nothing too big
"You gotta take little steps, but you can't be all proud and puff your chest about it. It's a nice accomplishment. It's a step in the right direction. But it's not what we want."
On whether Bynum has reached the point where he's demanding the ball yet
"I don't think he's at that position yet. Like I said, the buckets that he gets come off lobs and him being able to read the defense, which a lot of young centers don't know how to do. A lot of them stand there and clog up the lane, but he understands how to space himself out and allow the defense to develop and then get easy opportunities.
On that being as impressive in some ways as setting up his own shot beginning with the ball
"It shows I.Q. A lot of players wanna catch it and pound it. He understands how to space out and let the play develop and then get the easy one."
LAMAR ODOM
On Kobe and Derek Fisher being cold in the first half, but finding a way to take the game
"Whether we're hitting shots or not, we gotta find a way to win. Andrew's playing great. He's dominating the inside and moving the ball and everybody's getting involved the ball. It's fun to play like that."
On whether this team is playing its best ball over the last few years
"We're ten games over .500, so maybe. But two years, we had (Phoenix), one of best teams in the NBA down 3-1 (in the playoffs), so we still have some improvement to make. Hopefully, we can focus throughout the long season and advance into the playoffs."
On whether the team has a different focus this season against sub .500 teams
"When we're older and I don't mean the age of the players, I mean as a team, we have time together. Putting in years together. That helps your focus. We know what to expect from each other."
PACERS COACH JIM O'BRIEN
On what makes the Lakers starting lineup tough to defend
"I think Fisher, Kobe, Bynum and Lamar is what makes their starting lineup very difficult for us to handle."
On Andrew Bynum's marked progress this season
"My hat is off to Mitch Kupchak for not making a move. He saw what he had. He is just a terrific talent and a huge presence inside. You can't guard Kobe one on one and when you hold someone or bring someone over to help, they just drive to the front of the rim. He seemed like he was eight feet tall to me tonight. His development is a credit to him, their staff and the whole organization.
-AK
Here, it's spam musubi and capri sun juices.
Posted by: mel | January 06, 2008 at 10:19 PM
I think the second unit desperately needs Luke.
Luke would get the ball moving for them...as it is they have a tendency to stand around and dribble. Esp Jordan. To add to that, the second unit is missing Vlad Rad. They're more a get the leasd off to a bigger margin than someone we can put in there and maintain the lead by playing D. They're a running, aggressive, different tempo kind of team.
Defensively I felt that our offense really sparked our defense. We had blocks and challenges going after Kobe started hitting those 3s. Always a good thing to see, but something we must learn from. Shots aren't always going to fall, but defense needs to be consistent. And as talked about...cut down on the suicide steals!
Posted by: Faith | January 06, 2008 at 10:21 PM
I always remember the orange wedges being strictly soccer oriented- I remeber the orange treats being conspicuously absent from the hocky and the baseball....
Posted by: Jeff | January 06, 2008 at 10:23 PM
i know that our style in massachusetts was oranges and water at halftime, most often brought by a different kid (so basically mother) each week. then that practice seemed to get subjected to controversy claiming it led to mid game cramps and that was the end. that was far more thorough of an explanation than i intended..
Posted by: Kelly | January 06, 2008 at 10:25 PM
"On what makes the Lakers starting lineup tough to defend
"I think Fisher, Kobe, Bynum and Lamar is what makes their starting lineup very difficult for us to handle.""
No Luke?
Posted by: Faith | January 06, 2008 at 10:28 PM
Did not see game but read blog. Looks like an ugly win but an ugly win is better than a loss! Still have season to play to gel and prepare for real season.
Lakers should stay put with squad unless a very good PF wants a trade to us. I would dangle Kwame, depending on Mihms health, Luke and draft pick for a very good player less if lesser talent or no one if free agent if one is found as we still have a roster spot open.
In my best case I would offer kwame and Luke plus 2nd round draft pick for JO. We would have front line of JO, AB and LO. That would stand up to anybodies front line. Turiaf would b/u JO, Ariza would b/u LO and Mihm b/u AB. Radman would be combo pf/sf. We would then have 2 roster spots open to add a b/u c/pf for depth.
Posted by: justalakerfan | January 06, 2008 at 10:29 PM
I think Kwame needs to start over Andrew Bynum.
Posted by: Amazing_Happens | January 06, 2008 at 10:37 PM
I remember getting orange wedges and Fruit Stand punch for my AYSO soccer career.
No such thing for basketball.
Posted by: #4 | January 06, 2008 at 10:38 PM
when playing these weaker i would like to see bynum on the defensive end practice on not letting the opposing center back him down if he picks up some fouls i say oh well so be it the laker should win anyway right and on the offense practice on some post moves if he picks up some fouls or travel calls i say who cares the lakers should win anyway right im mean these are weaker teams and in the process bynum gets a taste of how to bang with big boys
fonzuhrelli
Posted by: fonzuhrelli | January 06, 2008 at 10:44 PM
This was an ugly game at times, I'm glad it's over. Drew and free throws kept us in the game at 1st half. Second unit looks very flat today, bearing in mind Indiana is weak team with absent starting PG.
Posted by: LAL_Fan | January 06, 2008 at 11:00 PM
Speaking of Indiana, does anyone here still wants JO trade? With 20M per year salary? My opinion - you got be crasy to pay such money to this guy.
Posted by: LAL_Fan | January 06, 2008 at 11:03 PM
"The bench has pulled us out of a lot of jams this year, too," Walton said. "They struggled a little bit tonight. They've got our backs and we've got their backs."
Awww
Posted by: bobie | January 06, 2008 at 11:16 PM
AK & BK.....
Thanks for the audio links. I particularly enjoyed the interview of young Mr. Bynum. He sounded relaxed and confident, but not cocky, about his abilities. Also, correct me if I'm wrong, my take is that the reporters find him engaging and cooperative. DFish sounds like a man with a future in coaching or in some team's front office. I hope the Lakers find a spot for him in their organization once his playing days are over. Guy's a winner.
Posted by: bronxlakerfan | January 06, 2008 at 11:44 PM
BK/AK,
Excellent job with the breakdown, audio and players post game quotes. Regardless of all the opinions and verbal jousting that takes place on this blog, hearing what the coaches and players think and say gives us insight to what's really going on. When PJ, Kobe and the opposing Coach praise Andrew's play, basketball IQ and work ethic, that's really saying a lot. I mean we go back and forth on here about Andrew and Kwame which is ridiculous, but when it comes from those in the know, it carries much more weight. It's all about improving and growing each game and each player working hard and fulfilling their roles.
Kobe is dead serious about winning championships and the others must continue to follow his lead. Kobe is keeping it real because this team needs to stay focused and hungry. "We're keeping our eyes on the prize", Kobe said. One purpose, One goal for the Purple and Gold!!! Go Lakers!!!
Posted by: Nemaia Faletogo | January 06, 2008 at 11:45 PM
man we are improving every day -- we just need to learn how to be consistent and learn how to hold leads.
we are a very explosive team and can run w/ the best of em -- we just need to learn to control our energies..
go LAKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: David Whang | January 07, 2008 at 12:13 AM
Tonight we saw why Java and Farm might be too undersized and similar in their strengths to coexist. Having a taller pure shooter at the 2 helps on both ends of the floor.
I'm personally hoping Luke got the start because it was only Dunleavy on the other side. With Luke, Sasha and Vlad on the 2nd unit, Kwame wouldn't have to work so hard on offense. 8 points and 4 TOs is like running in place.
Posted by: Vman | January 07, 2008 at 12:16 AM
The second unit knows how to play with Bynum, better time when and where to get him the ball. 2nd unit also missing Vlad and Sasha uptempo play, I'd rather have a chance at a Vlad or Sasha jumper then a turnover.
If Bynum continues playing exclusively with the first unit then 2nd unit could be, Farmer, Sasha, Vlad, Turiaf and Brown.
And hopefully when they feed the ball into Brown it isn't a sinkhole and he can either make a move toward the basket or throw the ball back out.
This unit would be hard to full court press because both Farmer and Sasha can handle, it has perimeter shooting and mobility. If Turiaf plays the power forward for the first team then Ariza can come in at small forward and Vlad drops back to power forward.
You'd think that Vlad would do well as a power forward, when you think of the power forward in the triangle, you think open midrange shots especially from around the top of the key. As a tall shooter even if Vlad isn't used to playing power forward he could take advantage of that part of the offense.
Since he doesn't get many looks from there, does that mean he is just floating out at the 3 point line looking for the pass or setting up in the block? He should be moving around the backscreens and looking for the midrange shot.
Either that or find a way to get open for the corner 3's, where it seems like he hits for a higher percentage.
Vlads a good player, i'd just wish he could get playing time and a place in the triangle.
Posted by: Haha | January 07, 2008 at 01:06 AM
what's the sense of starting luke, when its obvious he's a weaknes offensively and defensively.........Luke is tooo slow to help on half court traps, and will aways be a bad mismatch when you play the top teams at his position.....suns, celtics, detrioit, spurs, hornets.....ect. they're the teams you have to beat .......Ariza brings an element at the 3 spot that we sorely missed last season.
I'm just soo upset when year after year i have to watch Phi's fascination with certain players.......Kwame, Mihm, smush, walton, cook..........and please don't ever put kwame and luke on the floor together...........
Posted by: Dion | January 07, 2008 at 05:48 AM
HELLO LAKERS FANS. ANOTHER LAKER WIN AND MORE MIKE T SPIN TO FURTHER HIS KWAME BROWN AGENDA:
"Between the two, Bynum and Kwame, it's Kwame who actually has the better ability to create off the dribble."
Kwame can't create anything off the dribble. Sure, Andrew doesn't force the issue with one on one moves, but that is a GOOD thing. Drew makes great passes, and when we move the ball around Drew ends up getting nothing but high percentage shots. The fact that Drew doesn't force the issue is WONDERFUL. Kwame is light years BEHIND Bynum on offense (and Bynum is what 20 years old LOL?), primarly because (1) Kwame is not intelligent, (2) Kwame has no hands, and (3) Kwame can't shoot field goals or free throws.
"I don't understand why this guy is insisting on playing the 5 spot, when his footspeed and moves have Power Forward written all over them."
For the 1000th time, WE DON'T PLAY KWAME BROWN AT POWER FORWARD FOR TWO REASONS:
(1) HE IS NOT SMART ENOUGH TO PLAY POWER FORWARD, THIS SHIP SAILED LONG AGO.
(2) KWAME IS TOO FAT TO PLAY POWER FORWARD BECAUSE HE CONTINUES TO GAIN WEIGHT BY THE DAY.
Don't be fooled by the Mike T spin Laker fans. Bynum is a monster and he is the biggest reason this team has a real shot to advance in the playoffs. Hopefully Kwame will start working hard, getting in shape, and contributing, but until that actually happens Kwame is dead weight.
Cheers!
Posted by: BYNUM FAN | January 07, 2008 at 06:26 AM
Orange wedges at halftime - it's what separated soccer games from kickball.
Posted by: The D | January 07, 2008 at 07:20 AM
I grew up in Orange County and for little league we got CapriSun/Hi-C and a snack that sometimes was orange wedges. It is easy to remember this since I hated the orange wedges besause they made my hands sticky.
Posted by: C.S. | January 07, 2008 at 07:36 AM
After watching last night's game, I think we need to start Ariza. Luke may contribute on the offensive end, Ariza's effort on defense and his athleticism on trying to get to the loose balls and rebounds would be much better for this team. Having Luke with the second unit would help them out. Last night, our second unit was a detriment and didn't help us close out the game. Having Sasha and Vlad back should help them out.
Posted by: Island_Gamer | January 07, 2008 at 07:37 AM
I did not see the second half - did the Pacers defense concentrate on Bynum, or did the Lakers stop trying to get the ball to him?
Posted by: exhelodrvr | January 07, 2008 at 07:59 AM
AK,
How the hell did Luke not have orange wedges and Capri Suns?!? That just doesn't sound right. We had that for every sport!! Someone needs to look into that.
mel,
Nice spam msubi reference. Although I can't imagine having that at halftime of a basketball game.
Posted by: Andrew Z | January 07, 2008 at 08:20 AM
I agree with faith we need to put luke on the second unit not beause of his play but because he is better suited for them with his incredible ball movement ability. Ariza would fill in so nicely there and him and Kobe starting is very very nice. He also gives us a little bit more length out there he just seems to play a little taller for some reason than Luke, but they are the same size. If he can ever learn to be a set shooter like rick fox was i think he can be one of the pieces that can put us over the top in the west. Like i said before we are one piece or one to two players elevating their games to another level
Posted by: k 2 da x | January 07, 2008 at 08:26 AM
hey we must not forget in a year or so the lakers will have to give max money to bynum so with his contract odom and kobe we will be right at that luxury tax level so we do not need to bring in a high price person over here we need a dude that can fill in the blanks that we have and i think with these young guys getting better we can do that.
Posted by: k 2 da x | January 07, 2008 at 08:34 AM
Wow! Amare skipping practice and calling out the Suns. What's going on?!!!
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/106019
Then, the Pistons making fun of T-Mac - Half-Man, Half-A-Season. HA HA HA!
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080107/SPORTS0102/801070314/1127
And check out the J-Smoove highlights from 2007 on NBA.com. Some of those rejections are downright ridiculous! It's like he plays volleyball when the rest of them are hooping it up.
javascript:nbaVideo(escape('http://broadband.nba.com/cc/playa.
php?content=video&url=http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/
nba/nbacom/top10s_specialties/best_of_2007/top10_smith_j_blocks_2007.asx'),escape('blank'));
Finally, the Celtics introduction of KG (top photos of 2007, also from NBA.com) is awesome. I'm not a Celtic fan, but that picture gave me the goosebumps!
http://www.nba.com/poy/071221_1.html
Posted by: hariyahu | January 07, 2008 at 08:41 AM
Ronny Turiaf is cited in a lead article in today's Le Monde, France's very serious evening newspaper. For those who read French, the article, about the risk of aggression against NBA players, is available here:
http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3242,36-996574@51-996662,0.html
Here's what Ronny says:
"C'est effrayant. Cela me fait vraiment peur : les gens savent oรน on habite, combien on gagne et peuvent venir chez toi, pour te voler ou te faire du mal."
TRANSLATION: "It's frighening. I'm really scared: people know where we live, how much money we make and they can come into house to rob you or hurt you."
Reggie Theus is quoted in the article as putting it down to the new generation who are in love with bling and flaunting it wherever they go. He says it's like pasting a target on their backs.
The article suggests that "society" is also responsible because of its quickness to accuse players of having an improper life style.
Of course, the article doesn't mention that the first person to complain isn't society but... David Stern.
Posted by: Tsphere | January 07, 2008 at 08:58 AM
Ronny Turiaf is cited in a lead article in today's Le Monde, France's very serious evening newspaper. For those who read French, the article, about the risk of aggression against NBA players, is available here:
http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3242,36-996574@51-996662,0.html
Here's what Ronny says:
"C'est effrayant. Cela me fait vraiment peur : les gens savent oรน on habite, combien on gagne et peuvent venir chez toi, pour te voler ou te faire du mal."
TRANSLATION: "It's frighening. I'm really scared: people know where we live, how much money we make and they can come into house to rob you or hurt you."
Reggie Theus is quoted in the article as putting it down to the new generation who are in love with bling and flaunting it wherever they go. He says it's like pasting a target on their backs.
The article suggests that "society" is also responsible because of its quickness to accuse players of having an improper life style.
Of course, the article doesn't mention that the first person to complain isn't society but... David Stern.
Posted by: Tsphere | January 07, 2008 at 08:58 AM
andrew z,
lol. only gatorade & "coaching" at half-time.
here it's spam musubi & juice after every game. Basketball, volleyball, tennis, soccer, you name it.
Posted by: mel | January 07, 2008 at 09:01 AM
I like the idea of Luke not getting orange wedges because Bill was inexplicably opposed to them...
"Oranges are HORribble fruit. (Nghhhaagh) It's TERRible that you continue to serve them. (Nghhh) No team with my son (Ngh) will serve orange wedges in the history... of basketball...(ngh)
Posted by: The D | January 07, 2008 at 09:05 AM
Whew! I'm glad I'm not totally nuts on this orange wedge thing. Walton's the freak, not me!
BK
Posted by: Brian Kamenetzky | January 07, 2008 at 09:07 AM
Ex
They ran some things through Andrew in the second half and he always found a cutter. They brought a double here and there, you could say that the boy got their attention. Everybody knows the next step for Andrew is to score off that entry pass and not just look for the passes up top. Kobe said in his interview that all he needed to do was check his spacing and wait for the pass but N Nixon and Stu and you and I know, sooner than later he's gonna have to make his move from that first entry pass. Can't be a one trick pony.
Posted by: Vman | January 07, 2008 at 09:08 AM
LOL!
I've always liked Amare. But what does he think? When teams play defense they take away all that free stuff. All that free stuff is what the Suns have been living off of for 3 seasons now. Everytime the playoffs come that free stuff is taken away and they have to work for their points and they alway lose without getting to the finals.
I think Amare's frustations, over in Phoenix, are based on the fact that he realizes that the formula the Suns use isn't going to win a Championship for them. I sense panic in Phoenix.
mike
Posted by: Michael Teniente | January 07, 2008 at 09:13 AM
The D,
"I like the idea of Luke not getting orange wedges because Bill was inexplicably opposed to them... "Oranges are HORribble fruit. (Nghhhaagh) It's TERRible that you continue to serve them. (Nghhh) No team with my son (Ngh) will serve orange wedges in the history... of basketball...(ngh)"
I know from funny. And that, sir, is funny.
AK
Posted by: Andrew Kamenetzky | January 07, 2008 at 09:15 AM
Angry_Laker,
Could I ask a favor? If you post long links like the one to the site where people could view
the game last night, could you convert it to a shorter link? There are sites that will do that
for you -- the one I use is www.tinyurl.com. You paste the long link there, then it makes
a short link that redirects to the long link.
The thing is, most bloggers here don't put carriage returns in their text, and when you put
a long url like that, the blog stretches out such that even if I make my browser full-screen,
I get some text that is truncated, so I can't read it..
Also, the plea could go out to all bloggers here - if you can see that the width of the blog is
stretched, could you enter your own carriage returns? It's not that hard, just hit the "Enter"
key every so often and then your lines don't run off into infinity.
Posted by: | January 07, 2008 at 09:15 AM
>>>I think Kwame needs to start over Andrew Bynum.
No.
Posted by: | January 07, 2008 at 09:23 AM
I'm still sore about the CELTICS loss.
I think this season if it stays on the current course will be a defining moment for Kobe Bryant.
If he plays well from the beginning in BIG GAMES against the Celtics, Spurs, and Pistons types of teams I think the team will follow or at least the ball will be in their court to follow.
If he struggles I don't think our confidence/experience will quite be enough at that level.
So as LeBron helped the CAVS beat the Celtics earlier this yr by leading with his dominance. He showed KG, Pierce, and Ray Allen that he was better than all of them.
KOBE HAS NOT SHOWN THEM THAT IN EITHER MATCHUP.
I hate to say it but that's what the Lakers need and is the difference.
I believe Kobe can do it but he's gotta DO IT.
Simple as that, dominate, shoot over 50%, and be the playmaker when necessary too against the TOP 3 teams (Spurs, Celtics, Pistons)
Posted by: Lakerbake | January 07, 2008 at 09:30 AM
The Lakers have who 8 out of 10 with Bynum as the starting center.
And the best part of this year is.......................
Mike T, has predicted us to go to the Western Conference Finals and maybe the finals!
YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm heading to Vegas now.
Posted by: zen | January 07, 2008 at 09:33 AM
Amazing_Happens,
You're right..Let's get that Stiff Bynum out of there!
Posted by: zen | January 07, 2008 at 09:34 AM
The emergence of Bynum is giving the Lakers a sense of belief and is taking the pressure off Odom to be #2.
It starts with believing, and I think this team is starting to believe they can do it.
Posted by: zen | January 07, 2008 at 09:36 AM
LAL_Fan,
I may still take JO in a trade, but certainly not for Bynum...Bynum and Oneal together and this team goes to the finals as long as Oneal is healthy enough.
Posted by: zen | January 07, 2008 at 09:37 AM
mel,
When I lived in Hawaii I would get a msubi on the way to work at the gas stations. It kind of freaked me out when you said they had those at halftime, glad I got that one wrong! lol.
Posted by: Andrew Z | January 07, 2008 at 09:38 AM
Re: Kwame Brown
Mixed bag? I didn't see it this way. Yes, he was aggressive on offense (which is a good thing), but overall his net effect was about the same.
Those who say we ought to start Kwame instead of Bynum... I'm listening. I'll tell you why: Kwame is such a huge liabilty out there on offense AND defense (yes, I said it) that his liability is more easily covered by the more talented first squad.
Early on in the year, as you'll remember, the first squad was chastised because it could barely keep pace until the second unit broke it open. In this game, we saw the reverse of that. There might be a player in particular that is helping to cause this effect.
Last nights lenovo: Kwame Brown -12, Andrew Bynum +30
It's not like this has been a one time thing either. It's been the case against almost all teams, the difference being that early on Bynum was playing more with the bench mob. MT, Brown's biggest supporter told us the discrepency of lenovo was simply because Andrew was playing against second string players. Of course, the rest of us knew better. Now it's Kwame who's playing against second string players and his lenovo is STILL negative (even when he's agressive on offense).
If you watch the game, Brown fails to play help defense numerous times. This protect the rim argument is so weak I don't know where to start. Second, his rebounding is atrocious. Third, his skills on offense are so horrible that he'll balance out his good simply through turnovers. Kwame had 3 made baskets and 4 turnovers, for example.
I like his aggressiveness... it's obvious his agent has told him it's time to step it up or face the consequences... that's a good thing. But overall, Kwame is still Kwame.
Like someone on this board said, if Kwame is the answer, then we're asking the wrong question. Our team has done as well as it has because of the advancements of Bynum, Farmar, and Ariza... Kwame, on the other hand, is a liability that we have to figure out where he hurts us least.
Posted by: Tim-4-Show | January 07, 2008 at 09:40 AM
oh my God... I saw this post on the other board... Mike T is finally starting to embrace the conundrum that is Kwame Brown. EVERYBODY looks at him and asks the same question, WHY does he insist on playing Center and not power forward? NOBODY can figure this out and by the time Kwame figures it out he will be closer to 30 years old than 20 and it will be too late to salvage anything useful from his career. He will always be a "what if" player...
Mike T on Kwame:
"But to tell you the truth...Kwame's moves are more suited for a Power Forward. I mean the things he tried tonight on the offensive end had two things to consider. When he turned around to face the basket he looked like he could do something.
In the 2nd half he tried to make his moves starting with his back to the basket.
When he turns around to face the basket...that's a Power Forward, which he did pretty well.
When he has his back to the basket...that's when he struggles because that's really how a center operates.
I don't understand why this guy is insisting on playing the 5 spot, when his footspeed and moves have Power Forward written all over them.
mike
Posted by: Michael Teniente | January 06, 2008 at 10:35 PM
Posted by: TaosHum | January 07, 2008 at 09:42 AM
I did not see the second half - did the Pacers defense concentrate on Bynum, or did the Lakers stop trying to get the ball to him?
Posted by: exhelodrvr | January 07, 2008 at 07:59 AM
Ex,
A little of both, but mostly the latter. Kobe, Fish and LO came out in the second half looking to get untracked offensively(Kobe and Fish were combined 3 of 16 in the first half)and so they took the bulk of the shots and attacked. Andrew got the ball a couple of times in the post and made nice passes(nice one to a cutting LO for a layup). Andrew doesn't really force anything or take bad shots which is good. He did grab 10 boards in the second half and finished with 13 for the game.
Posted by: Nemaia Faletogo | January 07, 2008 at 09:45 AM
Kwame is most certainly a natural 4.
The problem is, he lacks the skills to be successful there. He'd still be a liability. We need a serious 4, not an overpaid ungrateful liability. Turiaf is a better 4 than Kwame. Actually, Turiaf is a better all around player than Kwame.
Posted by: Tim-4-Show | January 07, 2008 at 09:48 AM
justalakerfan,
>>>kwame and Luke plus 2nd round draft pick for JO.
Well gosh that's awfully generous of you.
Would you also be willing to give up Radmanovic for Deron Williams?
How about Sasha Vujacic for Brandon Roy?
You can't just say, "these are the two players who I don't think are contributing much
to my team" and then go on to say "and I'll trade them for a guy who's getting
16 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks a game." It doesn't work that way. If the
Lakers truly want to get Jermaine, they could, but it will take more than Kwame
and Luke. I'm absolutely certain the Lakers won't trade Bynum at this point,
so the trade would have to include Odom. It would also probably have to include
either Farmar or Crittendon or a couple of draft picks. And it would probably also
include the Lakers taking back a big contract from Indiana.
Here are some more realistic trades for Jermaine O'Neal (AND NO, I WOULDN"T
DO ANY OF THEM - I'm just trying to represent more realistically what the Lakers
would have to give up to get JO:
Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittendon, and a future #1 pick for
Jermaine O'Neal and Troy Murphy.
Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown, Jordan Farmar, and Ariza for
Jermaine O'Neal and Mike Dunleavy
Lamar Odom, Kwame Brown, Jordan Farmar, and a future #1 pick for
Jermaine O'Neal, Marquis Daniels, and Travis Diener (or Andre Owens)
If Indy trades JO, it's because they're doing a salary dump and going young.
That means they'd want to dump off a big multi-year contract (from Murphy,
Dunleavy, Daniels, or maybe Tinsley if he gets in any more trouble) and
they'd want to get back any young talented players (from Farmar, Ariza,
Crittendon, maybe Vujacic) that they could.
To be honest though, at this point, I don't think the Lakers would want to give
up Lamar for JO, as it would be a huge chemistry hit to the team that's doing so
well. I'd say at this point the Lakers best chance of getting Jermaine O'Neal is
if Indy misses the playoffs or goes out in the first round and JO opts out of his
contract so he can go to a contender next season -- then maybe the Lakers could
work out a sign and trade in the offseason and get Jermaine for less than the
cap-busting 20+ million.
Posted by: | January 07, 2008 at 09:48 AM
sounds like... FOOL'S GOLD to me! LOL! But Mike T knows more than mere coaches and GM's around the league... or so he says...
PACERS COACH JIM O'BRIEN
On Andrew Bynum's marked progress this season
"My hat is off to Mitch Kupchak for not making a move. He saw what he had. He is just a terrific talent and a huge presence inside. You can't guard Kobe one on one and when you hold someone or bring someone over to help, they just drive to the front of the rim. He seemed like he was eight feet tall to me tonight. His development is a credit to him, their staff and the whole organization."
Posted by: TaosHum | January 07, 2008 at 09:49 AM
LAL_Fan,
Think of San Antonio Spurs in 98/99 when they got a young Duncan working with Robinson. I envision the same thing with JO and Bynum.
The chemistry of this team is superior to last year because they all believe. We no longer have a weak link at the point guard position or even the center position.
This team has a chance..I would be happy to make it to the WCF. We cannot beat a healthy Spurs team because of Tim Duncan. But, if he goes down, the Lakers have a great chance of making the finals.
The Spurs seem to be motivated this year to finally repeat as champs. That has been the knock on them in that they have been unable to repeat. They are going for it this year.
Posted by: zen | January 07, 2008 at 09:50 AM