Is it me or has good teams been losing to bad teams more often this year? Where's the stats nut durvasa.
Which reserves would you rather have? Brooks Wafer Barry Artest Landry Hayes Deke or Farmar Vujacic Ariza Radmanovic Odom Powell Mihm Brooks has struggled mightily while Artest has been injured a lot and is struggling on offense but would you honestly take the Lakers' reserves over the Rockets', even based on current play?
Or break down the reserves by position. Who wins in these matchups? Brooks vs. Farmar Wafer/Barry vs. Vujacic Artest vs. Ariza/Odom Landry/Hayes vs. Radmanovic/Powell Deke vs. Mihm We clearly win in terms of defensive abilities with Artest, Hayes and Deke.
Not really, the good teams are going to lose to bad teams, during the course of the season, like baseball. The season is a marathon...6 months of non-stop baskeball. Most teams are going to go through droughts or periods they aren't playing, like bulls with something red nearby. Most of the best teams in the league are going to lose 13 to 25 games...and other games where they squeak by a thread or a favorable call. Then, other nights where it is a massacre after back to back or hellish 4 or 5 games in 5 or 6 nights. Also add in injuries. Even, look at the 95-98 Bulls, they even lost to some teams that were nowhere near playoff picture.
Farmar is definitely better than Brooks If Wafer keeps it up, he and Barry are better than Vujacic Odom/Ariza blow away Artest by a mile Landry/Hayes has the advantage Who cares about Deke vs. Mihm since neither one plays
Just saw the box score--Kobe fouled out?! Wow did the NBA forget to tell the refs that it was against the rules to foul Kobe out? I don't remember ever seeing Kobe foul out.
I watched this game as well. Raymond Felton is a very effective pg and Diaw looks like somebody that would fit Adelman's system perfectly. If Charlotte is commited to developing Augustin, the Rockets should inquire about Felton. Bobcats should've won this game easily if they hit their fts at the end of the 4th qtr. It also seems like Charlotte has the Lakers' number. At this point I would definitely trade T-Mac & Alston for Diaw, G. Wallace, and Felton, but I doubt Charlotte does this, but maybe...
So if Wafer keeps it up, you have us winning at SG and PF while they win at PG and SF. I guess you think their advantages at PG and SF outweigh our advantages at SG and PF since you think their reserves are better?
Brooks - Offensively the Lakers bench looks more consistent while defensively the Rockets bench looks better. Who plays the second unit all at the same time anyways. The Lakers just don't seem to lose much no matter what lineup they have in.
Yes, I do. It looked like some kind of take down move. He made no play on the ball. After I saw the replay, I thought Bynum should've been ejected. Also, props to Phil Jackson for benching Gasol because he sucked ass tonight. I hope Adelman was watching.
I understand what you're saying about playing the entire second unit at once. I was just doing a comparison of resources since it's widely accepted that the Lakers have better depth. They probably do. I was just revisiting the situation. And we agree that we have the defensive advantage off the bench but who do you think gives them the consistency advantage offensively out of that group? I'm not sure there is even one guy off the Lakers' bench who is consistent. Odom is extremely up and down and Vujacic is a streaky outside shooter. Ariza has improved his offensive game but he is still far from a consistent option. His specialty is defense. Farmar, when healthy, may actually be their most consistent offensive weapon off the bench. He can penetrate and shoot when he's on his game.
I doubt Larry Brown would want McGrady. Maybe switch Tracy with Arest and Battier. Felton/Brooks Tracy/Wafer/Barry Wallace/Diaw Scola/Landry Yao/Deke
I agree for the most part, but Farmar is slightly more consistent than Brooks. At the same time, Brooks is slightly more dynamic and explosive than Farmar, while also being much, much better FT shooter and has much more potential as future starter. Odom/Ariza blow Artest away by a mile, maybe when he is at 50% to 70%, but at full strength. Artest would eat both of those guys up for brunch trimmings. Also, Mutombo has just came back, he will start to play more down the stretch of the season. If one has to depend on either Mihm or Mutombo to come through for a team, most people would pick the aging Mutombo who is still a beast in the paint over Mihm who is best quality was really only shooting.
Rockets definitely look good on paper but the problem is they are inconsistent as hell. Artest's offense is like Dr Jekel and Mr Hide. The only consistent bench player is Wafer.
Well you guys are forgetting the coaching. Its the coach who decides who gets playing time so your matchups are irrelevant if that player doesn't get PT anyway. I'd say PJ>>>>>>>> and couple more >>>>s than Rick Adelman. Since RA believes that reserves should only get around 10 mins of action and be taken out of the game in crunch time, I'd definitely say the Laker's bench is superior to our bench since they can stay longer, and their performance actually determines their time on the court lol
Fans on a couple of the Lakers' forums were ready to hang PJ tonight and they've been frustrated with him on a lot of occasions. They were ridiculing him for playing Walton down the stretch and not getting a struggling Gasol out sooner in favor of Bynum. I know fans are just fans but the things we say here about Adelman aren't much different than what Lakers' fans say about Jackson.
