Top of the heap: Lakers 100, Portland 86
January 4, 2009 | 11:18
pm
Click below for the breakdown.
Three Good:
- Kobe Bryant: 24 has been on quite a roll of late, and tonight was no exception. 26 points on an extremely efficient 11-19 from the floor, a figure distorted by a couple of misses late in the fourth. Over the last six games, Bryant is averaging a very robust 31 points, on 55% shooting. Sunday night, he started hot while the Lakers struggled mightily to generate anything that looked even a little like a structured offense. Most of the buckets were J's, but as things went on Kobe was able to get closer to the basket and do more damage near/in the paint. He influenced the flow of the game at both ends, making contributions not just on offense but also to what evolved into a very strong defensive effort for the Lakers. Best of all, Kobe played a very reasonable 33 minutes, no small thing given L.A.'s schedule this week.
- Pau Gasol: Like the rest of his teammates, he had a slow start, struggling to find space on offense. On the other end, the incredibly high, impossible-to-defend release of LaMarcus Aldridge caused some problems, but as the game went on, Gasol was his normal influential self. 19 points on 7-9 shooting, a pair of dimes and a steal in just over 28 minutes of play. He wasn't a beast on the boards (only five), but showed his trademark versatility, and quietly posted a good night.
- The Short Bench: With Trevor Ariza shifted to the starting lineup in place of the sesamoiditis-y Luke Walton, LA only used three reserves in meaningful minutes - the Bench Mob reduced to a mere Small Gathering - but all contributed with strong play. Sasha Vujacic hit four of the seven shots he attempted and was his usual pesky self on defense, despite being saddled with a case of tonsillitis. Lamar Odom had a very positive influence on the proceedings, with 10 points, six boards, a pair of dimes, a steal and two blocks in just under 28 minutes of burn. He finished a +19. The big story was probably Vlad Radmanovic, who struggled in his initial action at the end of the second quarter but came back strong after halftime, burying two big triples and playing an active game off the ball as the Lakers pulled away. Not typically a guy who thrives in inconsistent minutes, Radmanovic played with a lot of energy, piling up 16 points in just over 18 minutes. Especially impressive were the seven trips to the stripe, not a place Radmanovic generally frequents. Should Walton's injury mean Radmanovic returns to the rotation, this is the sort of performance the Lakers will need out of him.
Two Bad:
- The First Quarter: You know things are going poorly when a team shoots 55% over 12 minutes, and only scores 19 points, especially when said squad is afforded eight trips to the line. That's exactly what happened to the Lakers, who were limited to a rather shocking 11 field-goal attempts in the opening 12 because they turned the ball over nine times. Nine times? Nine. Times. This against a single assist on the quarter. That's a comical 1:9 A/TO ratio as a team. Amazingly, Portland was only able to turn the mistakes into eight points, thanks to tight Lakers D/a tendency to miss wide open shots. From there, though, the Lakers tightened up considerably, finishing with 13 giveaways on the night.
- Rebounding: The Lakers neither buttoned things up on the defensive boards - Portland managed to snag 15 offensive rebounds, including a few sequences where they had multiple cracks at the basket - nor attack the glass themselves, generating only seven offensive boards, five below their season average.
- Tactics: 1) For the life of me, I couldn't understand why the Lakers doubled down on Portland's Greg Oden on the block as much as they did. Oden is physically strong and loaded with potential, but at this point in his career isn't a strong offensive player, and the Lakers did themselves a disservice by giving him so much attention in the post. All it did was open up lanes for his fellow Blazers to cut and create open shots elsewhere on the floor. When Andrew Bynum manned up on Oden, who finished 3-7 from the floor, he did fine. If anyone deserved a double, it was LaMarcus Aldridge, who's ludicrously high release on a smooth fall away J is virtually impossible for one player to defend.
2) With Luke Walton out, I was surprised PJ didn't start Vladdy. After the game, I asked Jackson about the decision, and he referred to "internal" reasons for the choice ... meaning "none of your business." Interestingly, though, he said (and Trevor Ariza confirmed) that Ariza would have preferred to continue coming off the bench. Personally, I'd have let him. I like the rhythm of Ariza making his first run with the reserves and think he fits better with that group than the more structured starting unit. "I can see the way the game is being played, and see how I can change the game a little bit," Ariza said of his preference to begin the game in sweats. "But tonight I had to [start]. We won, so that's all that matters."
Generally speaking, when players go down to injury I'm a proponent of changing the roles of as few players as possible to fill the hole. With Radmanovic, they can plug him back into a spot he has played in before without disrupting Ariza's allocation of minutes. It's just one game and the Lakers could certainly change things up - Walton was walking with a noticeable limp when I saw him after the game, so my early money is on him missing at least a couple of games - but for tonight, I'd have made a different choice.
One Big Issue:
- Bynum: He didn't do much on offense (four points on four field-goal attempts), but was strong on the glass with 10 boards, and I was impressed with the physicality he showed against Greg Oden down on the block defensively. He aggressively fronted Oden repeatedly in the third quarter, working to deny passes and move Oden into uncomfortable spots. While statistically it won't go down as one of his best nights, to watch Bynum engage another player physically - to really work on defense - was encouraging. And beyond that, you can really see a good rivalry developing between both players that should be fun to watch for years to come.
Quotes:
PJ:
- On Bynum: "He did some things we normally don't see from Andrew that were spontaneous. He fronted Oden in the third quarter, and a couple of times in the first quarter he prevented the ball from going in. I took him out early in the third quarter because I thought he wasn't aggressive to the ball, but I thought he came back and played well."
- On Ariza: "He was really effective in the second half. We switched and put him on [Steve] Blake so that we could slow down their offense. That really made a difference in the third quarter. He did a great job defensively for us."
Blazers Coach Nate McMillan:
- On the Lakers: "They are a good group, they are on a mission. They definitely know what they need to do to win. And right now everybody is healthy for that group. And Phil can push a lot of buttons. He has a lot of different combinations that he can go with as far as playing big and playing small. You know those guys are playing ball, all of them playing well."
BK
AUDIO
- Pau Gasol:Download pau_gasol_1.4.09.mp3
- Lamar Odom: Download lamar_odom_1.4.09.mp3
- Andrew Bynum: Download andrew_bynum_1.4.09.mp3
- Kobe Bryant (with some amusing talk about NFL football and his beloved Eagles):Download kobe_bryant_1.4.09.mp3
I see Greg Oden as the next Emeka Okafor - a solid center who can play defense and rebound but has limited offensive skills. That lack of offensive ability will prevent both players from being truly great centers. I'd rather have Drew than Oden because of Drew's potential on the offensive end.
I see LaMarcus Aldridge as the next Sheed (but without the craziness of course). He'll be a solid power forward, perhaps a borderline All-Star, but I don't think he'll ever sniff superstar territory that belongs to the likes of Tim Duncan.
I frankly don't see Brandon Roy as the cornerstone of a potential dynasty. Dynasties require transcendant superstars like Kobe, and I don't think Roy will reach that superstar level in the future. He will be a perennial All-Star, but like T-Mac, won't be a championship level superstar. I don't think he'll even be better than T-Mac was in his prime.
Posted by: EJK | January 04, 2009 at 11:45 PM
Yes, Lakers best in the West and best of the Rest!!
08-09 Champions!
Posted by: JustaLakerFan | January 04, 2009 at 11:51 PM
Yeah baby!!!! No. 1....
Posted by: dice8up | January 04, 2009 at 11:58 PM
my fav quotes of the day :
Kobe :
We have plenty more gears to go to. Plenty more. I haven’t even played in third gear yet.”
right.. not even in the third gear and we're 27 and 5.. nice huh. i wonder how many gear that he has? it would be scary if he has 7th.. LOL
GO LAKERS.. keep on rollin baby
Posted by: kobe.4.mvp | January 05, 2009 at 12:03 AM
watching Lakers vs. Blazers 2000 WCF game 7,
That team was a load. Especially defensively. Down 16, they came back to win...how? Defense. They shut down the Blazers...made them miss 12 shots in a row.
This is actually very reminiscent of this year's team. A load of talent, an offensive machine, and a defensive juggernaut.
Perhaps the one thing we're missing? My favorite player of the championship squad...Robert Horry. Dude was the x-factor. He did all the dirty things and made freethrows to close it out to boot. He had the dirty job of having a load in Sheed Wallace (who has always killed us), and did an admirable job at it. Now Wallace had 30, but he didn't have them late...and everyone, every board...Horry had his hands on.
That 2000 team was a team on a mission, as are we.
It's nice to be back here (there) again.
Go Lakers!
Posted by: Faith | January 05, 2009 at 12:04 AM
This is what I imagine in my best view of the Lakers after a game like this one: I imagine Kobe Bryant telling Andrew Bynum "Hey bud, good game, good defense and rebounding. I know you're itching to show off what you can do on the offensive end. I've been there before. But don't worry about that right now, your time will come. I won't be here forever. Just keep doing what you're doing in practice, work on your game, even if you don't get to showcase it just yet in the real games. We'll get some championships, and in due time, everyone will see what you can do on the offensive end. Patience, young fella, take it from me."
That's what I imagine, because I hope for the best.
I don't want Andrew to turn to the Dark Side.
Posted by: Amazing_Happens | January 05, 2009 at 12:06 AM
LTLF,
"(Miller's) shooting is off
this year - only 37% on his 3's (Rad shoots 45% on his 3's). And both Rad and Luke know the triangle"
You make it sound like the triangle is something only years of practice will help master. To that I respond with: Well, what about Pau? He seemed to do just fine after getting in mid-season. Also, there is a difference between shooting 3s on a Minny team with just one real scoring threat - Big Al - and getting WIDE open looks on a Laker team where the defense has to worry about Kobe, Pau and Bynum. And just for the record, Mike is shooting 47% from the field this year. Yes, Vlad shoots better from the 3, but can you explain why he went from starter to scrub?
"JO + Kobe + Pau + Bynum is about 75 million for four players.
Thank you Isaiah Thomas."
You seem to forget the fact that JO's contract (21-22M) expires next year, after which he's more likely to get something along the likes of a MLE. As for the 75M over this season and next - SO WHAT? We aren't trying to attract FAs, we are trying to strengthen the team. Even with those 4 taking a lot of the salary, we still have Ariza, Fisher, Vujacic, Miller, Powell and the rest. Try thinking BIG picture if you can.
"Foye and Cook are young...
and suck"
Really? Do you even follow the rest of the NBA or are you just a Laker homer? Just FYI (and feel free to look this up), Foye is averaging 15 and 5 for the season - and that's not even looking at the last two months, where his scoring is up. If that "sucks", boy, Farmar must be a vaccum cleaner. And before you bring up the issue of minutes, let me just say that Hollinger's PER is a useful tool as well.
As for Cook, I don't think averaging 10+ pts a game in 25 minutes while shooting 42% from the 3 qualifies as "suck"-worthy. And just like Foye, those numbers (both minutes and PPG) are trending up.
"What part of "championship contender" doesn't appeal to you?
Is your dislike of Lamar and Luke and Rad so great that you'd
rather the team suck for the next few years so that you could get
rid of them?"
Now you are going brain-dead on me. "Championship Contender" is very different from "Champion". Cleveland and Boston (since you brought them up) are both "championship contenders". Yet I see both teams trying to get better. Wait a minute, Boston is a champion too. And till a couple of days ago, on pace to beat the Bulls record of 72-10. They shouldn't even think of touching the team. Or should they?
Look at it another way, if you were to learn that either Boston or Cleveland were to get those 4 players (JO, Foye, Cook and Miller) through trades that did not involve touching their starting 5, would you be happy that they lost some chemistry or worried that they got better? Yeah, thought so..
And BTW you need to grow up a little - trading someone doesn't mean you "dislike" them, or that you are a closet fan of another team!!!!
Maybe, just maybe, it's because I want the team to get even better than they are right now?
Posted by: any_one_mouse | January 05, 2009 at 12:06 AM
Interesting from any_one_mouse...
I'll not get into this debate but defending Brian Cook?That guy couldn't defend Jon K if Jon was playing on one knee. Long Time I got your back.
Remember Jon K: Lottery time for the Clips! Clippers suck!
And Eric M,
Since you try to argue with me that Bynum's knee to the point where you say I was never an athlete when in fact I was a Student-Athlete in 3 sports and probably won't take my word for it why not take Bynum's?
http://tinyurl.com/83ln7z
"Bynum refused to blame his inconsistency on his surgically-repaired knee."
-blitz
Posted by: kobeblitz | January 05, 2009 at 12:31 AM
dice8,
I'll be negative until the Lakers win it all...
In other words thanks for the reply Blake! I'm sure so many fans feel the same way about their announcers. I'm sure you saw the time when David Stern was a guest commentator with them and how Mike Rice was kissing his ass, trying to say it's better for the home fans if the announcers are homers.
Posted by: never | January 05, 2009 at 12:48 AM
Kobe the greatest player of all time.Ugly cavs and uglier cocky arrogant celtics lost again tonight,hahaha.That means our Lakers is the number one team in the NBA,hahaha now were beginning to see cavs and celtics crumbling and losing to rubbish teams.Lakers 2009 NBA champion!!!
Posted by: Adrian Palomar | January 05, 2009 at 12:57 AM
Great start. Of course, (like I mentioned "start") we cant celebrate yet after 30+ games. Im still not happy with imbalance of the offense. Like Phil said, Kobe is still doing too much (long time bad habit since day one). Pau is disregard too much during the game. He's too good to be passive. He needs to get at least 4 to 6 more touches than usual.
Posted by: itsonlytheseason | January 05, 2009 at 01:22 AM
We were all spoiled by the greatest BBall announcer of all time...Chick Hearn...painted the game with a brush of words so vivd, you always felt like you were there..."Left to right on your radio dial..." He always called the game straight...if we were doing bad, he said so...if another team was doing well, he said so...he REPORTED the game, and still did it with style....something sadly lacking today...he is, and always will be, greatly missed...
http://tinyurl.com/5br7qj
Posted by: christopher blake | January 05, 2009 at 01:29 AM
And Eric M,
Since you try to argue with me that Bynum's knee to the point where you say I was never an athlete when in fact I was a Student-Athlete in 3 sports and probably won't take my word for it why not take Bynum's?
http://tinyurl.com/83ln7z
"Bynum refused to blame his inconsistency on his surgically-repaired knee."
-blitz
Posted by: kobeblitz | January 05, 2009 at 12:35 AM
=====================
Adding my 2 cents. It is irrelative about student athlete stuff coming from both Eric M and you. all elements are good to be knowledgable.
Athlete helps but student of game which many atheletes are not are a factor.
So is human nature.
Kobe would never admit that he was held back by any injury but shoulder the blame rather than use injury as an excuse. Human nature.
AB wanting to be the best is falling short for various reasons (I suspect mental rather than physical). so he shoulders the blame and does not use injury as excuse wheter it be mental or physical.
So his admission as to be viewed as human nature and not really telling of the whole picture.
-------------------
On another subject PJ's internal thing regarding Rad is very telling. It confirms that Rad is in the doghouse but as much as I want to know why, PJ did the right thing and kept it in the locker room where it belongs.
Posted by: JustaLakerFan | January 05, 2009 at 01:47 AM
Faith....
I still get goosebumps everytime I see that Kobe to Shaq alley-oop. How anyone could ever call Kobe selfish after that? Horry AND Brian Shaw were HUGE in that game. I remember Shaw hitting a couple of huge threes that kept the Lakers' head above water.
Thanks for the link to that PJ/tacos statement. Who knows what goes on in the mind of the zen master? Lol!!
Posted by: bronxlakerfan | January 05, 2009 at 05:22 AM
Can't wait to go on the Celtics blog to read the doom and gloom generated by the recent Celtic struggles. I never post on their blogs, but I got to admit I get a big kick out of the panic, irrationality and ignorance of some of the so-called Boston fans.
Posted by: bronxlakerfan | January 05, 2009 at 05:26 AM
Whatever happened to Kobe being injured?
This is the time of year when depth kicks in. Fatigue, injury, the burnout of constant travel. The Lakers are benefitting, the Celtics suffering.
Posted by: Tom Daniels | January 05, 2009 at 06:24 AM
The Lakers have to get Andrew more touches on the offensive end.
On most teams, Andrew would be option 1 or 2 right now and he would be developing his low post moves. More important he would be developing judgment, handling the ball a lot, deciding when to pass out, learning to spot the double team, knowing when to go to the hole.
Equally, if not more, important, for big guys, and especially young ones, touches keep them focused and in the game. Even old dudes like Shaq need touches - the "big dog" has been barking for touches recently in Phoenix.
In an ideal world big guys would be happy running up and down the floor playing D and grabbing boards. That is simply not the case. They need the "love" from their teammates. The need the action and involvement. They are better all around players when they are in the flow of the offense.
It is not all selfish. Being in the flow is important to
getting in the rhythm of the game. Big guys don't bring the ball of the floor. They need to be fed the ball to get involved.
Oh, and scoring a little does help teh mental state as well.
Bynum will be more productive at both ends and will develop faster if he is part of the flow of the Laker offense. They need to look for him more and run some stuff for him. He doesn't need shot attempts as much as touches to get him in the flow.
Posted by: Tom Daniels | January 05, 2009 at 06:34 AM
kobeblitz,
Not Brian Cook, but Daequan Cook (of the Heat).
Posted by: any_one_mouse | January 05, 2009 at 07:04 AM
I doubt if anyone knows for sure why Bynum is struggling, including himself, but it seems the most likely reason is just inexperience. He only had a month, in his entire life, of high-level play, before his injury. He's not used to it, he's not used to what it takes to play at the level, he's not used to being at that level, losing it, and having to work back to it. Be patient.
All the Lakers need out of him this year is the level of game he had last night.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | January 05, 2009 at 07:07 AM
Jon K.'s Early Thoughts That He Has Not Put Too Much Thought Into Yet:
1. Good win last night.
2. I'm a bit concerned that Phil Jackson's ego is getting in the way of open communication with Andrew Bynum. It was good to see Andrew in late in the fourth quarter, but this downturn we've seen with Andrew Bynum has more to do with communication issues derived from the coaches than they do Andrew Bynum himself... so points the Bio-Chrono.
3. I was also surprised that Rad Vlad didn't start with Luke hurt. I would start Rad Vlad or Lamar given the opportunity to make that decision myself. Trevor "The Cobra" Ariza brings something to The Bench Mob that he does not bring to the starting line-up.
4. AK, nothing? Laker Nation has done nothing? Really? Well, if you think 10,000 posts on the subject of Dit Da Jow is nothing, then, my friend, you are sorely mistaken.
5. Luke Walton needs Dit Da Jow.
6. Nice to see Chris Mihm and Josh Powell get some minutes.
7. Does Sun Yue average something like two fouls for every minute he's on the court? I think so.
8. It sure is awesome to watch the Celtics burn out so early. I can't wait until they sign Marbury! That's when things will really start to get comical over there in Boston. Celtics implosion 2009! It's coming.
9. Another heartbreak loss for the Clippers yesterday. Urgh. At least Eric Gordon is starting to shine. There's a lot of talent on that team, but between injuries, chemistry issues and Clippers luck the pieces just aren't falling together.
10. Why doesn't AK look directly into the camera when the Kamenetsky Brothers do their video summaries? BK looks directly at the camera.
11. It's going to be interesting to see what adjustments the coaching staff makes with The Zohan and Cool Hand Luke out.
12. Unless Luke starts soaking in Dit Da Jow, I bet he'll be out for almost a month. He seems to have his father's feet and ankles.
13. 27-5. 70-12 is not an impossibility.
What do we play for? RINGS!!!!
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | January 05, 2009 at 07:31 AM
Good morning Mamba24 & the fabulous Laker morning CRUE!!!
Another season another reason to kick ass & parade down Figueroa in June - YAH BABY!!!!!
OMG - is there anything better than being a Laker fan??? I mean really - is there????
Have a great day fam!!!
GO LAKERS!!!!!
Posted by: justanothermambafan | January 05, 2009 at 08:03 AM
Jon K,
I am looking into the camera when we do these. Maybe it doesn't appear that way because BK and I are looking in from different angles.
AK
Posted by: kambrothers | January 05, 2009 at 08:06 AM
AK or BK,
LOL, if you ever talk to that Marc guy from the Celtics blog that was on that thread before the Christmas game (and in the finals), tell him the hog says hi!!!!!
Sorry if this is bad, but I've been going over there and ripping the Celtics. Explaining how we exposed them as porous and how the rest of the league is reaping the rewards. And those 4 losses that they have picked up since Dec 25th hasn't exactly helped extinguish the fire.
If these guys(Celtics Blog) are friends(acquaintances) of yours, out of respect for the K-Bros, I will put an end to it. But keep in mind, I'm not going over there bashing the bloggers them selves, I keep the insults toward the C's. I even refrain from responding to those unruly Boston fans who can't handle a cold dose of truth and call me names.
Just letting you know what is going on...
hog
Posted by: the canibus hog | January 05, 2009 at 08:08 AM
Tom D,
"On most teams, Andrew would be option 1 or 2 right now"
He would not be the number one option on ANY team at this point, and not the number 2 option on many, if any. He does not have an "offensive game" yet, and he does not have the athleticism of a young Shaq, or Dwight Howard, to get away without one. Teams have adjusted to what he was doing last year, (i.e waiting for lobs and put-backs) and to this point he hasn't made a counter-adjustment.
Posted by: exhelodrvr | January 05, 2009 at 08:24 AM
AK,
Yeah... ummm... it sure doesn't look like you're looking into the camera.
Maybe you could stand behind BK on a stool or something... because... ummm... it sure looks like BK is staring into the camera.
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | January 05, 2009 at 08:29 AM
Can't wait to go on the Celtics blog to read the doom and gloom generated by the recent Celtic struggles. I never post on their blogs, but I got to admit I get a big kick out of the panic, irrationality and ignorance of some of the so-called Boston fans.
Posted by: bronxlakerfan | January 05, 2009 at 05:26 AM
apparently you never seen this blog after a loss. I promise..no wait..I guarantee that if we would have lost this place would have been flooded with trade ideas (as usual) and those who begged..pleaded..screamed for Ariza to start would have then come to the conclusion that maybe he's better suited for the bench. Naw my friend its just as bad
Posted by: lakeraholic | January 05, 2009 at 08:34 AM
christopher blake,
The beauty of Chick Hearn is that he brought your attention to the game. As you stated, he REPORTED the game with energy crackling excitement, insight, humor and poetry. He was amazing.
When these bozos cover the game on ESPN and ABC, they practically do everything in their power to draw a viewer's attention away from the game. It's pathetic.
I'm tired of the game being communicated to me by washed up old players and coaches. Tired of it.
The game should be communicated to viewers/listeners by JOURNALISTS and ANNOUNCERS, not old veterans who have played or coached in 1500 games. To these guys, it's just another game. To a journalist, it's a moment in history and is communicated as such... with excitement.
Howard Cossell couldn't box. He couldn't play football... but he sure as hell could make a boxing match or a football game exciting.
We need more of that and less of Mark Jackson talking about the shoes he recently bought while Kobe is firing a pass to Andrew Bynum for a thunderous alley-oop dunk.
What do we play for? RINGS!!!!
Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | January 05, 2009 at 08:39 AM
Jon K
Eric Gorden is a bad boy. I watched the game yesterday and he almost single handedlywon that game..
oh and P.S.
look i understand you have that unconcious repetitive word thing going on (dit da jow what-eva the fezzy)..but I believe your a smart man..please don't be like my moms and think there only one cure for (X) ailment. For her it was Tussin..
Posted by: lakeraholic | January 05, 2009 at 08:42 AM
LTLF,
"Tonight's game is a perfect example of why NOT to trade Luke, Rad, Lamar, Farmar, or anyone else. "
I agree with you 100% on that...Our depth is a huge plus.
I love our 8 man rotation and it is EXACTLY what I've been calling for except for Farmar being out. I'm glad 2 injuries FINALLY brought "his genius" around to the correct rotation.
Sasha getting time at the point.
TA starting...Vlady coming in for shooting.
3 man big rotation working well.
Mihm, Powell, Walton....Ready in a pinch.
Posted by: Eric M. | January 05, 2009 at 08:48 AM
Good Morning. Yawn! Lot's of work and it's tough to come in today after being off for 2 weeks...
Oh Love the Lakers and the fam here.
Posted by: Charles | January 05, 2009 at 08:49 AM
Jon K,
Well, I don't know what to tell you. I know that I'm looking into the camera and, in my opinion, it looks to me in the video like I'm looking into the camera. But either way, I appreciate the feedback.
AK
Posted by: kambrothers | January 05, 2009 at 08:51 AM
Bynum is hesistent this year for a lot of reasons. For one, teammates are not finding him in the block enough and thatis because Gasol is taking space down there.
Also he is not being as aggressive as last year. I really believe he is thinking about the knee..It may not hurt him, but he is thinking about landing on it wrong.
Posted by: zen | January 05, 2009 at 08:53 AM
Anyone notice that Darius Miles was activated and played 2 minutes for the Grizz yesterday? As I'm sure most of you know, if he plays 9 more games now, he kills the Blazers cap space and that is a VERY GOOD THING for the Lakers. C'mon Darius! We're pulling for you!
Posted by: puddle | January 05, 2009 at 08:56 AM
exhelodrvr,
How can you say Bynum would not be a good #2 option? He was last year averaging 17 and 13.
Posted by: zen | January 05, 2009 at 08:57 AM
Love a win. Absolutely nothin' wrong with that, especially given the fact that cloverleafs and CLE lost. I went to bed especially happy about that.
Hey, liking Sasha at the point. Tonsils didn't seem to affect him too much and liked his energy on D. His shooting was better this time too.
Hate to say it, but in some ways they play better with Luke starting and Sasha at point. I don't even miss Farmar. *gasp!*
NOH Tuesday and I'm stuck viewing it on JustinTV. Good news is I'll be on the blog for it, and that's always a good time. We're up for it!!
I LOVE LA!
WE LOVE IT!
GO LAKERS!!!!
Posted by: longtimelakerlover | January 05, 2009 at 09:00 AM
Blitz,
"Bynum refused to blame his inconsistency on his surgically-repaired knee."
What do you expect him to say???? "Yeah I'm a puss, and I still don't trust my knee 100%".
That is another DUMB point. OF COURSE he says it has nothing to do with it!
PLEASE READ THE NEXT 2 SENTANCES SLOWLY!
I never said his knee was still hurt, or that mentally he was still not 100%. I said IT WOULD NOT SURPRISE ME IF IT TOOK TILL NEXT YEAR FOR HIM TO BE 100%. I REALLY DON't KNOW.
Your trying to say it is NOT a possibility, is what I take issue with. Anyone that has had a bad knee injury knows what I'm talking about.
Posted by: Eric M. | January 05, 2009 at 09:03 AM
sincd I do most of my bloggin from my phone...I went on my computer and viewed the youtube yall posted so now I have a few questions..
1. Which one of you are the bald..I mean the guy on the left
2. great job with the post game rap up...
Posted by: lakeraholic | January 05, 2009 at 09:07 AM
Check out Hollinger's Power Rankings:
http://tinyurl.com/yrdg9e
I don't really believe in rankings like this b/c the NBA isn't college football. And the story is not that the Lakers are still only 3rd, it's that his formula has the Milwaukee Bucks ranked 5th! I can imagine one of the honchos at ESPN holding a printout of the rankings in his hand, walking to Hollinger's office to talk to him about it and opening the door to discover a scene similar to what Jennifer Connelly saw in A Beautiful Mind when she went to that shed that Russell Crowe spent so much time in.
Good win last night. I wonder if Portland was left scratching their heads about how they lost. It didn't seem like the Lakers made it inordinately difficult for them. Sure they missed shots but they were never really in it in the 2nd half. I agree with Stu that they should've run it through Aldridge more. That's the problem with a team chock full of young talent. They spread it around so much that sometimes they fail to recognize where their advantages lie and exploit them.
Posted by: lakers_sth | January 05, 2009 at 09:08 AM
Eric M.,
Did you happen to catch Vladdy's post game interview where he expressed how it was "very frusterating" coming off of the bench. He just scored 16 points in 18 minutes and I was taken aback when I heard him voice is discontent.
I like Vlad, I've always stuck up for him, but for the first time ever, I got a "cancer" vibe from him. It was probably the most negitive thing that could have been taken out of this game.
I wondered what you (or anybody else out there who may have seen it) what your take was on it.
Posted by: warren with(those)butterknives | January 05, 2009 at 09:09 AM
lakeraholic.....
I've come to this blog after a loss and you are right, it can be a little irrational. I've overreacted myself a time or two. But Boston is a different animal. They are totally intolerant and obnoxious about their Celtics or Sawx. THAT'S why I enjoy their pain so much.
Posted by: bronxlakerfan | January 05, 2009 at 09:09 AM
puddle,
Good looking out!
I'll keep an eye on the situation.
Posted by: warren with(those)butterknives | January 05, 2009 at 09:11 AM
The Monster KG Created
I've never seen defending hated so much compared to the Celtics. KG has brought a lot of hate and because of his on vourt antics..out of pure hatred for him regular ball players has become stars and making a name for themselves just to say I shut KG up for a game.
did anyone see Richardson after the game scream 'ANYTHING IS POSSIBLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEE'
lol
Posted by: lakeraholic | January 05, 2009 at 09:13 AM
Way to go Team!!!
BK: good reporting on the "none of your business" question. But I guess JustaLakerFan is right about keeping it in the locker room. However, can we start a blog theory?
Throwing this out there to the fam....my bet: Mitch is shopping Vlad and will pull a defensive bunny specialist from his magic hat of tricks....
While I would rather they sit tight and see where things go this month and (pray no) injuries, etc. As I watched the 2000 Portland game 7 - that team had defensive focused vets at the end of their career in the game for one thing..... I still think this 2008/09 team especially the bench mob has way too many shooter/scorer types and nobody like a Ron Harper, AC Green, Horace Grant. I am not the league personnel expert - but is there anyone out there that fits this bill?
We have a vet mid level exception...........food for thought.
Cheers all!
Posted by: PsychedLakerGirl | January 05, 2009 at 09:13 AM
Jon K,
There is a rumor of a three team trade and Clips are involved. Lee to Blazers, Richardson to Clippers and Camby to Knicks. This is a nutty move, as always Clippers are always involved in nutty moves. Why don't they just change their coach, go with a former Clipper player like Norm Nixon or Bill Walton and start building from there. Stop trading anybody and focus on the game, they need stability and loyalty from their players. With constant trading and losing games, their new players like Eric Gordon, Thornton lose respect at the team and go elsewhere where the prospects are much better. Don Sterling has been treating his players like a piece of real estate sell, trade and always a draft team.
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | January 05, 2009 at 09:14 AM
LAKERS STEAL CELTICS MOJO!
Not only did the Lakers steal the Celtics mojo on Christmas day but the coal they left in the Celtics’ stockings must have been some Celtics Kryptonite as the once 27-2 Celtics have now gone 2-4 in their last 6 games. Combined with the once 26-4 Cavaliers losing 2 of their last 3 games, the 27-5 Lakers now have a 1-game lead for best record.
Kobe and Pau have become the best 1-2 punch in the NBA right now. Tonight, they were like a pair of ruthlessly efficient assassins on offense, combining for 45 of the Lakers 100 points on 18-28 (64%) shooting from the floor and 9-11 (82%) from the line. When the Lakers super-star duo can score 45 points on just 28 shots, the Lakers are unbeatable. Good also to hear Phil clearly state that Pau was an All-Star player this year.
Congratulations to Trevor for his first NBA start and condolences to Luke for his injury problem with his toe. If there is anybody on this team who needs to be 100% healthy to contribute, it is obviously Luke. I hope this is not another case of the wheels falling off a Walton because Bill Walton might have been the greatest center ever if not for injuries. Anyway, not the way Trevor wanted to become a starter nor they way he hoped he would play, scoring only 4 points on 0-3 shooting from the field and just 4-6 from the line.
Some good and some bad from Andrew tonight. For a change, he was grabbing rebounds (10 boards) above everybody else and I thought he played excellent defense and caused a lot of missed shots. That is something I think most fans overlook. Had Drew not blocked those 2 shots by Deron Williams in the Utah game, we might have lost that game. You cannot underestimate how important Drew is to this team and its chances to succeed.
Which is not to say that there is still a long way to go before Drew gets back to the level at which he was playing last year. I was pleased to hear that he was watching some video of his play last year (The Making of a Beast?) and trying to figure out what he is not doing. The articles pointing on Drew’s lack of decisiveness in going for the dunk or the block may partly explain the difference but there is also a lack of confidence and aggressiveness.
The Lakers now have won 6-straight games and have 14 games left this month, 8 at home and 6 away. My biggest dream at the moment is for us to win out the month and head into February with a 41-5 record and a 20-game win streak. As KG said, anything is possible.
AS ALWAYS, JMNOHBO!
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | January 05, 2009 at 09:14 AM
I've come to this blog after a loss and you are right, it can be a little irrational. I've overreacted myself a time or two. But Boston is a different animal. They are totally intolerant and obnoxious about their Celtics or Sawx. THAT'S why I enjoy their pain so much.
Posted by: bronxlakerfan | January 05, 2009 at 09:12 AM
I normally don't get to high or low with Laker win/losses....but I agree I find much pleasure in reading there trade even though during there 19 game winning streak I bet none of them even thought to visit the nba trade machine
Posted by: lakeraholic | January 05, 2009 at 09:22 AM
Tom Daniels,
>>>>>Bynum will be more productive at both ends and will develop faster if he is part
>>>>>of the flow of the Laker offense. They need to look for him more and run some
>>>>>stuff for him. He doesn't need shot attempts as much as touches to get him in
>>>>>the flow.
Well said, Tom. Every player wants to score baskets. Drew is no exception. While I agree Pau is currently a better low post option than Drew, we still need to give Drew more touches than 4 during the game. There were several instances where he had sealed his man fronting him and was open for lobs and two instances where he dove to the rim and was wide open without being covered but did not get a pass. Invest now for a stronger and better Drew for the playoffs.
As always, JMNSHBO!
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | January 05, 2009 at 09:27 AM
AK
You guys have come a long way on the vids: less self conscious, more natural bro banter every report. Tech wise the 2 shot could be a bit tight and if your face wasn't 1/2 shadow it would be obvious that you're making eye contact with your loyal fans.
Ya think Jim Murray would have been a youtube superstar if he'd had a blog to Monday morning quarterback for him?
Posted by: VMan | January 05, 2009 at 09:29 AM
ex,
>>>>>I doubt if anyone knows for sure why Bynum is struggling, including himself,
>>>>>but it seems the most likely reason is just inexperience. He only had a month,
>>>>>in his entire life, of high-level play, before his injury. He's not used to it, he's
>>>>>not used to what it takes to play at the level, he's not used to being at that
>>>>>level, losing it, and having to work back to it. Be patient.
>>>>>All the Lakers need out of him this year is the level of game he had last night.
Props, ex! Damn but you have that “reasonable and sensible” point of view locked down. I hope you are right and we do not have to wait until next year to see the real “Beast” but I agree with you that we can still win it all with the team and version of Drew we now have.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | January 05, 2009 at 09:32 AM
Edwin Guerco,
If the Clippers go for that trade, they're idiots.
Have you seen how Marcus Camby has been rebounding recently? He's out of control (in a good way).
Go Clippers!
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | January 05, 2009 at 09:41 AM