The lakers overral lack of footspeed has really got them. They were never a fast team, but they were oversized and athletic. Fisher nor barnes are starters in this league and pau is doing what pau does wen his feeling are hurt. Lakers knew this was coming and that's why they tried to trade gasol. Notice how they tried to trade the older player for the younger one? They almost always do that. If not for that buttery home schedule to open the season, they would be in bad shape. As it stands, they need a pg and sf asap. They salary dumped a guy who had value, but odom was probably going to sulk and be non productive. They could use a minor trade for a guy like sessions.
Just wondering: has there EVER been a case where a team had three All-Stars ( because Bynum will almost surely get in by default now) and failed to make the playoffs?
Bumping this thread after a Laker loss on the road to an upstart Philly team playing better than they really are right now. Didn't see the game so won't comment too much on that. Just wanted to throw two things in: 1. It's a long season. We're only a little over 1/3 through it. 2. When you get to the playoffs, it is a 7-game series. You got two teams playing each other until somebody wins 4 games. I brought this up in a thread in the GARM asking bout a 7-game series between the Rox and the Wolves, who would win. Most of you picked the Wolves and for good reason...they're best players are better than our best players. That's normally what a 7-game series comes down to with a FEW exceptions. This is not your quintessential Lakers team. They're not high flyers, running and dunking. This is a grinder team. And the longer the season grinds on the more this team is going to GRIND the other teams. And the more games they play an opponent, the more they are going to wear teams down. Sure, Lamar is gone. But his absense is partially negated by the halfcourt grind it out nature of this bunch. They are still TOO BIG for everybody else. And with Bynum actually healthy they are actually bigger than they have been the last couple years with him eating up minutes and getting more touches. They are playing more minutes with Bynum/Gasol on the floor together than they have in recent years. They haven't been all that effective night in and night out running those bigs up and down on back to backs and playing 3 games in 4 nights, etc. But when the playoffs come around, there's a day of rest between each game, at least a day of rest. And playoff basketball is all about half-court basketball. Fast breaks are limited and teams have to execute in the half-court both offensively and defensively. This is why smaller teams historically get EXPOSED during the playoffs, 7 games against one opponent, playing more methodical halfcourt, value possession type games. Once again, I'm not worried about their record compared to last year. I don't expect too many teams to eclipse their records from last year. The compressed schedule is creating a lot of soupy sloppy games and is watering down the competitive level for these regular season games. My point is come playoff time, this Lakers team, as currently constructed, is going to be a huge pain in the a.. to deal with. Especially after they tweak the roster at the trade deadline. Just watch. Lastly, remember, I'm not a Laker fan. Don't like Kobe. Have always hated all the advantages they have, being able to acquire the primo players, stealing Pau, etc. (So, remember that when you flame away.) But you have to recognize and acknowledge greatness on the court. Despite his less efficient shooting, Kobe is the dominant player in this league. NO ONE has the will power, the drive to succeed that Kobe has. NO ONE has the ability to dominate a game, a series, a playoff run like Kobe has. That means something when the playoffs roll around. It means a whole lot. Keep flaming away, A3PO and the rest. I can take it.
Bottom line, Kobe needs to get over himself, stop having 10-24 fg games. Feed the post Bynum has the advantage down there almost every game.
He was 1-10 in the 4th quarter. He has built up enough reputation that these games don't matter to his critics. He has more of these games than the great 4th quarter he's known to having. I was listening to the radio on the way home from work last night and one of their commentators said this: Kobe was doubled/tripled all night, and that's why he only had 4 points. Then how the hell was he able to jack up 10 shots then in one quarter alone?
They're just 1-2 shooters away from being a championship contender. The TPE will come in valuable around the deadline
6 of Bynum's 8 dunks came on Alley oops dunks created by Kobe and Gasol. When teams doubled Kobe he passed it Gasol on the pick and pop and if Bynum's defender rotated it over to him he passed it off to Bynum...in the 2nd half Gasol the defender stayed home on Bynum and left Gasol WIDE OPEN for that 15 footer and guess how he did? He shot 5 for 14 from the field. Fisher and Artest combined to go 3 for 11. When your alternatives are limited you have to take the shot Some people need to watch the games before reading box scores and uttering nonsense
the Lakers are 3-9 on the road. OP isn't even watching the games as he mentioned bumping his own thread after another terrible 4th qaurter performance in another road loss. between jopat and Kobe78, they are the only two Lakers fans (or NBA followers) who aren't concerned with what the Lakers lack- speed, athleticism, depth, point guard, and three point shooting. and again in my opinion, this Lakers team is not a grind it out team with the compressed schedule.
Won't be concerned with those things unless they are not addressed at the trade deadline. As far as not watching the games, I have watched plenty of games. My priority last night was my home team. I'd wager I've watched 2-4 times as many NBA games as you have this season and that would be a conservative wager for me. What I said was I didn't watch last night's game. I did not say I was not watching games. Go back across the street.
Typical Lakers mentality. They think they are ENTITLED to get whatever players they want just because they are the Lakers. In their collective mind, the other 29 teams are just their farm system. I am pretty happy that they didn't get Chris Paul regardless if Gasol would have made us better.
You dont think teams are looking to dump salary? Lakers are bottom of the league in 3 point shooting, bench production, fast break points & PG/SF production. An extremely overpaid marginal player might be enough to help the Lakers. They'er dead last in several categories and yet they're right in the middle of the Western Conference playoff race. There's no entitlement here. If theres a trade that works out for both teams invovled with different goals in mind there will be a trade done and its coming
sweet burn. I am not betting or wagering anything, I told you. but I have watched or listened to each Laker game this season and tuned in to the post game conversation on the official radio network of the team. analysts, diehard fans, and casual fans all see their deficiencies. Lakers fans want to ship off Gasol for Martin or Lowry if not both right now... I honestly don't think they will make a significant splash as far as trades go... without Odom or even Shannon Brown they don't have depth this year. they are relying on guys like Goudlock and McRoberts, who are not decent trade assets in my opinion based on what I have seen this season. who's your home team?
and another simple question- why do the Lakers keep losing? they are tied with the Rockets right now.
I live in L.A. and have watched a lot of Lakers games this year. Believe it or not, their last few games the Lakers have pretty much been in control the entire time. It seems like they just go through a poor stretch of shooting and lazy defense in the 3rd/4th and are never able to recover. Other than that, they've been playing a lot of close games recently and have been leading for the vast majority of the time... it's just that they have pockets of coldness and eventually can't close out.
Keep losing??? Do you expect them to win every game? They are winning more than they are losing, aren't they? 2 games from the 3rd seed, 4 games from the 2nd seed, 5 games from the top seed. The most games they've lost in a row is 3. Last year they had already put together a 4-game losing streak. Barring injury to their big 3, this team will win 40 and with a couple tweaks at the deadline, they may even hit 42-45 wins. They'll win somewhere between39-45, most likely falling in around 42 wins. Won't be the top seed. But they will likely play Oklahoma City in the second round and take them out and wind up in the WC Finals against either SA, Portland, or Denver.
