They were 1st in west before Bynum went down. Since then they're a 500 team before they acquired Gasol, like the year before.
The Bynum injury is why they went on a losing streak. He was playing great ball. Most teams would hit a big losing streak if they lost their only reliable low post option. Some teams are fortunate enough to trade crap for another one.
they were never ahead of the Phoenix Suns in the first three months of the season. why is that so hard to comprehend? Bynum went down when they were 24-11. they won the game he went down in to make them 25-11. they won the next game as well for a 26-11 record, tied with Phoenix and hence securing the first seed for a day. this was AFTER Bynum went down. The Suns beat them without Bynum to break the tie. Bynum was indeed balling at the time but has been injured every season since then. the current Lakers are 10-8, "still finding themselves" is the latest excuse.
The Lakers should really consider giving up both Gasol and Bynum for Dwight Howard and fillers (like maybe Ryan Anderson and Jameer Nelson). Orlando would prefer both of them, instead of just Bynum. Right now, if I am in the shoes of most GMs, then I wouldn't necessarily trade my best player for Bynum. He's not a bad player, and I wouldn't give up my franchise for him, throw Gasol in there and we have a deal. Honestly, that's the best deal Otis Smith could get. Unless a New Jersey wants to part ways with its first rounder, Marshon Brooks, and filler. This is why Dwight Howard s#cks, he is causing so much confusion, right now.
Kobe Bryant's taking 9.5 jumpers/game from 16-23 feet ("long 2s" aka the worst shot in the game)... and connecting on nearly 46% of them. Incredible.
Long 2pt shots are such a subpar choice even if you're great at them. Kobe's averaging the worst TS% of his career so far this season.
My turn to bump this thread. Unfortunately I'm still stuck in Dallas a couple more days minimum and couldn't watch any games, but the Lakers lost in Milwaukee 100-89. Based on the box score, Kobe was brilliant again tonight with 27/8/9 in 42 minutes, but it wasn't enough. The Lakers sit at 11-9, including 1-7 on the road. After playing at Minny and home against the Bobcats, the Lakers start February with 6 straight road games. In total, Feb has 4 home and 9 road games. It's almost a given they will finish Feb below .500. The Lakers miss the production Odom gave them last year and have an inferior head coach. If Kobe wasn't playing out of his mind (which will not last), the Lakers would probably be about 7-13. They are NOT a Finals contender. The win over the Clippers was not a turnaround, it was an aberration. Without a roster miracle or shakeup, they have a better chance of finishing in the lottery than reaching the Finals. jopatmc, it's January 28, 2012. Do you still believe the Lakers are better than last year?
With Pau having another subpar night in the loss vs. the Bucks, I hope those of you who were in favor of the Scola/Martin trade in the beginning of the year have finally come to your senses. I NEVER understood why any Houston fan would EVER want that trade. Just took a look at what the LA fans over at lakersground had to say about Pau after tonight: "Send Pau to Houston." LakerFanAlways wrote: kcxiv wrote: Makes me sad when Pau goes to the Pink Swan. Everything is just soft. You can just see it in his play. Makes me sad. We need to get rid of dude. Should have gotten rid of him when we had the chance, he will NEVER change his softness mindset AGREE hope we can trade him to Houston" Thank god for David Stern.
be careful if you predict Kobe can't and won't do it all, it will expose your achilles heel! no point guard production, no bench production, terrible three point shooting. a terribly boring offensive team is what the Lakers have become this season. their most exciting game was them trying their hardest to beat up their popular little brother, and barely getting it done... what's the excuse, Laker fans?
Nobody hates the ****ing Lakers more then I do, and nobody wishes more ill will upon them either, but I am sure they will find some way to get more superstars in the next year or two max and become contenders instantaneously.
"1. New coach, new system and they're already gelling less than 10 games in. You can tell guys are buying in, most of all Kobe." this team looks lost. they are certainly not buying in to anything. they are practicing sets during games per a Mike Brown interview "2. Pau has gotten over the trade crap and is playing with energy. He's playing very good basketball. He was considered the best big man in the game 2 years ago. He's playing like it again." he's playing like a depressed chump, everyone in the Western Hemisphere can see it including die hard Laker fans and media personalities "3. Pau and Bynum are arguably the two best big men in the Western Conference. I'm not talking about the combo of them. I'm talking about big men individually. As a combo, they are the best in the NBA at the 4/5. Individually, you'd have to put both guys in the top 5 bigs in the West and easily top 10 bigs in the NBA with at least one of them in the top 3 or 4. " and yet, the two best big men in the NBA are absent. see above. "4. Brown has got Artest in prime position to be successful, putting him on the block in mismatches and simplifying the game for him. Artest is twice the player he was last season. Getting him touches where he can score effectively energizes him and makes his D much better. " World Peace leads one of the worst benches in the league on a team which is dead last in steals. he is near invisible on the offensive end and isn't half the player he has been in his prime. "5. Kobe has more grit than any player in the game. The schedule is littered with back to backs and back to back to backs. The grittiest teams are going to thrive the most in that environment. Kobe is the grittiest. Artest is in the top 10 most gritty. They are a gritty team, which is good for this type of schedule." the schedule is terrible for a team like the Lakers or Spurs. you need fresh legs and depth to overcome a schedule like this, the Lakers have neither. OP, we must be watching and paying attention to two different teams. where's this big time roll? 2 games from now marks the 1/3 mark for the season for these guys, who aren't even in the top 8 in the West and are about to go on a brutal road trip which they probably will maintain .500 or below while they are away.
David Stern at his best. Every fan and their grandma knows lakers need a PG, triangle covered that a bit, not any more. It didn't help blake hurt too.
