Sunday Funday reading
Need a role model to help turn frowns upside down after a blow out loss in Denver? Well, look no further 
than Ron Artest. It's easy to figure that a tough night against the Nuggets - and in his opinion, the referees- adds up to a lousy 30th birthday. Think again.
"It's OK. I still got a chance to travel on my birthday. When I was a kid, I always used to have to stay home."
Now that's awesome. Dude's been in the league for eleven seasons, and for most grizzled vets, travels on someone else's nickel become somewhat passe'. Artest, however, still appreciates the chance to take a roadie. And a chance to send some Tweets. Dude's just different, one of countless reasons I'd absolutely watch a docu starring 37.
"It's OK. I still got a chance to travel on my birthday. When I was a kid, I always used to have to stay home."
Now that's awesome. Dude's been in the league for eleven seasons, and for most grizzled vets, travels on someone else's nickel become somewhat passe'. Artest, however, still appreciates the chance to take a roadie. And a chance to send some Tweets. Dude's just different, one of countless reasons I'd absolutely watch a docu starring 37.
MORE LAKER NEWS
-Putting up 55 in a game is impressive under any circumstances. Doing it as a rookie held scoreless after the first quarter? Truly eye opening, so hats off to Brandon Jennings. That time overseas before entering the NBA seems to be paying dividends.
-Nellie denies a report that he's on the way out in Golden State. Maybe things would stabilize if the "Jax to Cleveland" talk emerges more than just talk. But assuming he does stick around, Nelson's coach just become much harder with Kelenna Azubuike sidelined 3-5 months (although the swingman would have been arbitrarily removed from the rotation at some point, anyway).
-Speaking of injury news, the Blazers are staring down 6-8 weeks without the services of Travis Outlaw.
-LeBron James' "retire 23" crusade raises an interesting irony, given how his show of respect involves plans to don digits of another all-time great. Either way, it's no skin off Derrick Rose's back.
-Gilbert is dead. Long live Zero! No matter who's running the point for the Wizards, he needs to kick some tail for Washington to earn their "surprise team" preseason hype.
AK
-After one lulu of a loss, Phil Jackson opted for drawing board time over practice. One issue certain to be contemplated will be finding a way to counter high-side defense that prevent easy post entry passes, a method used effectively by the Nuggets.
-Redemptive chances begin this evening, with the Houston Rockets in town (and in need of some tweaks of their own).
-Putting up 55 in a game is impressive under any circumstances. Doing it as a rookie held scoreless after the first quarter? Truly eye opening, so hats off to Brandon Jennings. That time overseas before entering the NBA seems to be paying dividends.
-Nellie denies a report that he's on the way out in Golden State. Maybe things would stabilize if the "Jax to Cleveland" talk emerges more than just talk. But assuming he does stick around, Nelson's coach just become much harder with Kelenna Azubuike sidelined 3-5 months (although the swingman would have been arbitrarily removed from the rotation at some point, anyway).
-Speaking of injury news, the Blazers are staring down 6-8 weeks without the services of Travis Outlaw.
-LeBron James' "retire 23" crusade raises an interesting irony, given how his show of respect involves plans to don digits of another all-time great. Either way, it's no skin off Derrick Rose's back.
-Gilbert is dead. Long live Zero! No matter who's running the point for the Wizards, he needs to kick some tail for Washington to earn their "surprise team" preseason hype.
AK
THE 80-2 BANDWAGON…
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What an exasperating game! I was sure that the blog would be inundated with spiteful trolls and fair weather fans overreacting to last night’s blowout loss to the Nuggets but to my pleasant surprise, it was instead dominated by 80-2 Bandwagoneers, fans who know this is just 1 game of 82 and isn’t a reason for panic, trades, or gloom. After all, we’re just a long winning streak from going 80-2.
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There were three things about the game that I found especially frustrating. First, games like these are why conspiracy theorists sometimes seem to be conspiracy realists. What better way to promote the NBA than to give the home team a 15-point differential at the free throw line to insure a win just when everybody and their mother was ready to proclaim the Lakers as the dominant team in the West?
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The ability of referees to influence the outcome of an NBA game is ridiculous. Frankly, I’m past expecting these guys to call a good game. Now all I want is to see the same play called the same for both teams. I’m past expecting them to give Kobe Bryant any form of superstar treatment. Now all I want is for them to give him the same calls they give the Denver guards. Last night, I was SOL.
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Second, games like these make Lakers bloggers wonder just how much of what pfunk claims is true. Pfunk’s “Jackson Journalizing” and yellowfever’s trigger-happy Luke Tracker cleverly reveal that Phil Jackson himself is an 80-2 Bandwagoneer. What better way to keep this team’s ego in check and build their competitive fire than to “let” them lose to the irksome and nasty Denver Nuggets?
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Seriously, I believe Phil thinks these kind of games are good for the team. My theory is that it takes 6 or 7 wins before Phil’s ego reading on the team decides its time to put these guys in their place and he takes off a game. That was last night for sure. You might even argue that the reason he keeps Luke in such high regard is that he knows he can trust him to go in and screw things up most of the time.
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Third, games like these make you wonder if the mile high altitude of Denver does make people stupid. How else do you explain how a championship team with the highest basketball IQ in the entire NBA could continue to shoot low-percentage outside shots while their 7-1 sure-to-be All-Star center who was shooting 60% from the field was constantly open and screaming for the ball in the low post?
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The biggest culprit last night was Shannon Brown. There were at least five times that he came down the court with the ball and completely ignored Andrew Bynum who had sealed his man right under the hoop and was calling for the ball. While the Triangle doesn’t need a true point guard to succeed, it does need guys who know how and when to pass the damn ball. Shannon’s game last night sucked.
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Finally, lots of outstanding posts about the Nuggets “breakout” win. I have to admit that next to the Celtics, the Nuggets have become a team I enjoy “hating” and will enjoy seeing lose when the “real” game begin. As a Yankee fan, I know about having to root for guys you wouldn’t invite into your living room. It makes you wonder what Celtic and Nugget fans really think about their players. Anyway, the NBA, Phil, and the Lakers players all combined last night to set the Nuggets up for some big payback.
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Time to start a long winning streak and finish the season 80-2. After all, we are the NBA champions!
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Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | November 15, 2009 at 10:56 AM
No harm in a wake up call. The question is, did they wake up or did they go back to sleep?
Posted by: #4 | November 15, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Ty Lawson is a game changer. Lakers need a guard like him off the bench. Kirk Hinrich- work your magic mr. kupchack
Posted by: Tom | November 15, 2009 at 11:34 AM
LakerTom,
As you can see in my many posts since the loss on Friday, I totally agree with you. Pounding the Nuggets with Drew would've slowed the game down and allowed us to dictate the pace, especially on a back to back. I don't think there's a team that can handle our half-court offense.
Bynum was even telling Shannon Brown during the game to get him the ball when he's(Bynum)running the court and getting great position down low. I really don't understand what some of these guys are thinking at times.
Posted by: Nemaia Faletogo | November 15, 2009 at 11:50 AM
Good Morning Everyone...
Like i said in the live chat,once Bynum or Kobe get front position in the post bang the ball inside and the games over...Its simple...LakerTom i agree with what you said and Phill Jackson even said it....These guys need to take control and stop going away from what works....
Houston has besides Scola a midget front line..David Anderson is 6,10 but Landry and Hayes always kill us for some reason..
Lets see how getting a ring affects Ariza...
We play in white tonight...I like the white uni...When we play teams like the Suns,Rockets,Bobcats we should never wear gold...I think it clashes ...Thats for home games.....The purple away strip is the best in the NBA....Black shoes really sets it off.....
Someone stop me im starting to sound like Carson Kresley...
Posted by: Thirty2 | November 15, 2009 at 12:00 PM
LakerTom,
It will be interesting to see if the Lakers pound the ball into Bynum tonight against the Rockets small front court. I think what happens sometimes with our guards is that they shoot jumpers and expect Andrew or LO to go and grab the offensive rebound each time. I don't care how stout Chuck Hayes tries to be tonight, we must punish them by pounding the rock inside to Bynum, Kobe, LO and Artest.
Posted by: Nemaia Faletogo | November 15, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Nemaia,
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Thanks for your comments. I also think our views are usually representative of the blog-sync-think. I especially liked your response to Wes regarding Drew. Your post regarding the Nuggets “breakout” win was one of the best at putting that crap into perspective.
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I know Phil sometimes prefers his teams to work out issues by themselves, thus his “failure” to demand that they feed the ball to Drew in the post gets interpreted as “teaching.” Frankly, I don’t think setting some firm rules on offense and defense is necessarily mutually exclusive with learning on your own.
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The two things I think the Lakers should have as basic rules are: (1) On offense, pass the ball to Drew or Pau to initiate the offense; and (2) on defense, never leave an opposing player open for a corner 3 to help.
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Phil can show me his 10 rings and I will bow down to his greatness but that doesn’t prove he is always right. Make things a little easier for the players by setting down some guidelines to be followed. Run the offense and take responsibility for your guarding your man.
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Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | November 15, 2009 at 12:30 PM
Random thoughts from da 805...
Looking forward to seeing Ariza receive his well earned ring - I would stand and applaud my fellow Bruin alum if I was there
Looking forward to the Lakers realizing Landry & Hayes are shorter than Bynum (aka GET THE BALL INSIDE!!)
Looking forward to another Artest-Ariza battle
Looking forward to getting over the cold flu (swine, seasonal, or whatever!)
Looking forward to Laker Tom's 2 rules becoming gospel among Laker coaches: Start every possession with Pau/AB and no unguarded short corner 3's. Whoever deviates pays a fierce penalty. 80-2 is realistic with those rules followed!
Posted by: 805LakerLove | November 15, 2009 at 01:32 PM
The 70 win bandwagon is still in the shop guys. It needs some work. I think the repair shop is waiting on a piece before they can completely fix the wagon.
I was told it's still in good shape and it will be back stronger than ever.
Now, let's give Ariza a golf clap and then proceed to atone for past sins.
Posted by: Tim-4-Show | November 15, 2009 at 01:43 PM
Tim-4-Show,
>>> Now, let's give Ariza a golf clap and then proceed to atone for past sins.
Amen. Go Lakers!
Posted by: Rick Friedman | November 15, 2009 at 02:36 PM
Energy, defense, and the ball down low.
Let the next winning streak begin.
Go Lake Show!
Posted by: The Outlaw | November 15, 2009 at 02:46 PM
Oh come on homies, the Lakers played so bad in that Denver game even Moses couldn't save them.
Posted by: p ang | November 15, 2009 at 03:10 PM
p ang,
Sup homie. It was a story of two halves really in Denver. Pretty good first half, pretty bad second half. That about sums it up. Moses???LOL
Posted by: Nemaia Faletogo | November 15, 2009 at 04:46 PM
"Nellie denies a report that he's on the way out in Golden State. Maybe things would stabilize if the "Jax to Cleveland" talk emerges more than just talk. But assuming he does stick around, Nelson's coach just become much harder with Kelenna Azubuike sidelined 3-5 months (although the swingman would have been arbitrarily removed from the rotation at some point, anyway)."
Brilliant, AK- you wouldn't happen to have had some warriors on your fantasy teams or anything?
Posted by: phred | November 15, 2009 at 06:14 PM
i'm reading press about its early in the season but the lakers need to win games that are they are supposed to win.
i say play shannon more in the 2nd and 3rd periods and let Fish sit and rest. he plays like he's tired or something and Kobe is definitely off, they are trying too hard to get him in the post and its getting the offense off rhythm.
Posted by: autoprt | November 15, 2009 at 09:53 PM