It's hard to tell how good the Lakers would have done this year without Kobe. I don't think they would have won a title, but they could have made this a series. I mentioned in my previous post that D'Antoni went with questionable rotations in game 1 (having Nash start, not playing Goudelock, rarely playing Clark). Gasol and Artest should pick up the scoring with Kobe out, they aren't 100%, Gasol still had a triple double. Goudelock played well last night. The Lakers dealt with injuries all year, but not to this extent. Jordan Hill just came back late in game 2. I'll cut Dwight some slack. Cheap fouls were called on Dwight despite the Spurs being physical with him the entire game. I've felt bad for D'Antoni throughout the season, some criticism he deserves for not adjusting to his team sooner. Boston is on the verge of being swept. Phil Jackson coached better Laker teams that were blown out. Neither took a portion of the criticism that D'Antoni has been taking.
people have this weird assertion that the 2010 Lakers were a great team. You have an unmotivated Gasol, a disgruntled Odom, and a Kobe that was playing on one leg (before the Germany trip). They barely, and I mean barely beat the Hornets in the first round, and ended up facing a pumped up Mav's team that went on to thrash OKC in FIVE games. Phil Jackson is a GREAT coach, and Kobe and Jordan wouldn't have been great winners without him. This D'antoni guy, for Gods sake, is ego without brains. I don't even see a system being ran, nor any semblance of good rotations on the court. The guy, to his credit, can be an okay coach on a half-way decent team. But given all the things that transpired this year, I still feel like he did absolutely nothing to improve the Lakers. Ask me how his method is and I'll evoke Martin Sheen from Apocalypse Now. <iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WdNsltQXTVU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Its not hard to tell.. they were barely a playoff team and probably werent without heave ref involvement WITH Kobe. Its not the injuries, they just had no chemistry,and til this day still talking about finding themselves. Just admit that this team is a fail and it will make more sense to you. No defense at all, and the Dwight Gasol tandem is much worse than Bynum Gasol was, and those guys got swept by the Mavs when they were healthier and younger. Woulda Coulda Shoulda out the window, this is one of the biggest fails in NBA History.
Exactly and the Lakers wouldn't have even made the playoffs without finishing the season 9-1, winning several very close games and Jazz going 3-12 in early March.
There really is nobody in LA to show Dwight the ropes. Kobe isnt the one either because all he's done is throw people under the bus and get coddled on the other end. There is not one vet there to show him how he can fight through the mental hurdles and nobody to grow with. There is a reason Bynum just took on the I just dont care attitude and said if they trade him somebody else will want him.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Pau told and showed me yesterday he tore a ligament in his right middle finger in Game 3. He plans to wear a splint today.</p>— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinDing/status/328552387511984128">April 28, 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
I bought into the "SA is too old", "some of their stars are not at full strength", "LA is poised for an upset", and predicted LA in 6 Well, i couldn't be happier to be wrong. Best botched superfriends experiment to date.
It is always great to see the Lakers go down in flames, but it's just not the same without Kobe out there to give us another classic moment in his legacy. Today we'd undoubtedly see the following stages: 1) bravado and low percentage shot jacking w/ jaw jutting antics, 2) volume "facillitatin" / refusal to shoot after Lakers fall in a big hole, 3) post-game "angry face" presser throwing teammates/coach/management under the bus (1 and 2 may be reversed). Instead Kobe is probably pleased as punch not to have to receive the blame for this debacle of a season, one "Great"One1978 laughably predicted as resulting in a title.
You haven't been watching games then. Kobe's been the glue guy the whole season under of dumb FO mistakes and circumstances. - Ridiculous amount of injuries - Mike Brown thinking running the Princeton was a good idea. This was probably the stupidest coaching decision made this year - Lakers picking up D'Antoni, who ended up alienating half the team with his 7 man rotation and random benching. And now that his core is injured, the players that were made to feel as not part of the team are now expected to play on his behalf. Which is why guys like Morris, Pau, and even Glock who was cut and picked back up, are pretty much playing for a contract next year with another team instead of playing to win. - D'Antoni not being able to do anything outside of the halfcourt pnr set he's done his whole career. Which is why picking him over PJ was a dumb idea. Kobe performing at a high level despite his age has been one of the few bright spots this season. And the guy doesn't care what people think, I don't see why he'd be happy to not be blamed from the season. It's clear as day to anyone following the Lakers their problems have to do with FO and coaching, not personnel
San Antonio is too good. I think they will win championship this year. I wish Rockets win championship this year but it seems hard every year. Sigh. I miss 1990s. I hate 2000s.
This is just an overreaction to how bad the Lakers are, similar to how people are overrating the Knicks when in reality Boston is terrible. Anyone would look great against this year's Lakers or Celtics.
