Comments on: Slow Down http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/ A Lakers Blog. Thoughts, reflections, and the odd rant on the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA (even the Clippers). Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:18:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: dan reines http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/comment-page-1/#comment-551665 dan reines Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:41:18 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/#comment-551665 (made ya look!) (made ya look!)

]]> By: Stephen http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/comment-page-1/#comment-288612 Stephen Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:13:26 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/#comment-288612 Daniel, Altho to be totally honest,if I could be Kobe for one game-I'm not passin' the ball to nobody. I'd want to see just how much I could score! Daniel,
Altho to be totally honest,if I could be Kobe for one game-I’m not passin’ the ball to nobody. I’d want to see just how much I could score!

]]> By: Stephen http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/comment-page-1/#comment-288419 Stephen Wed, 24 Oct 2007 22:18:56 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/#comment-288419 Daniel, My home Internet access has been spotty past week,sorry it took so long to answer your question. Honest answer...in a meaningless exhibition game I pass to the kid. Throughout most of the season in the first 3 quarters of games,yes,it's the right play to pass. In crunch time,if I'm Kobe I force the drive-it might not be the "right way",but as Kobe I know I'm the player the team, counts on in the clutch. Last minute of close Game 7-as today's Kobe I take the shot. If the player I've been passing to all season has been knocking down 3s all season and I have developed the proper trust in my team and the officials are not giving me calls,I pass. Daniel,
My home Internet access has been spotty past week,sorry it took so long to answer your question.
Honest answer…in a meaningless exhibition game I pass to the kid. Throughout most of the season in the first 3 quarters of games,yes,it’s the right play to pass. In crunch time,if I’m Kobe I force the drive-it might not be the “right way”,but as Kobe I know I’m the player the team, counts on in the clutch.
Last minute of close Game 7-as today’s Kobe I take the shot. If the player I’ve been passing to all season has been knocking down 3s all season and I have developed the proper trust in my team and the officials are not giving me calls,I pass.

]]> By: Daniel http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/comment-page-1/#comment-286646 Daniel Tue, 23 Oct 2007 19:51:33 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/#comment-286646 Stephen, thanks for the valid response. However, let me ask you a question that you apparently have not asked yourself. Pretend for a moment that you actually are capable of playing basketball, and not only can you play, but you can play at the level of Kobe Bryant (the best player in the world). If your two choices are to either drive and attempt to make a Kobe-esque type shot or pass it out to your #1 option on the perimeter being Coby Karl, a young kid with "0" - ZERO game time in the NBA.... which would you do?? ANSWER HONESTLY... the point is that yes, we need to give Karl and the other guys struggling to make the team a chance to make it, but, and there is a very big BUT, these players will only make it if they show everyone that they are capable of adding to the team. Just about anyone can make a wide open three, even Shaq has done it before during a game, but to create a play and make something happen that will get the crowd on their feet is the type of stuff that will get Karl on this team. If you'd like to look into this even more, watch what Jordan Farmar has managed to do in only his second year by getting the crowd going and the team pumped up in general. Stephen, thanks for the valid response. However, let me ask you a question that you apparently have not asked yourself. Pretend for a moment that you actually are capable of playing basketball, and not only can you play, but you can play at the level of Kobe Bryant (the best player in the world). If your two choices are to either drive and attempt to make a Kobe-esque type shot or pass it out to your #1 option on the perimeter being Coby Karl, a young kid with “0″ – ZERO game time in the NBA…. which would you do?? ANSWER HONESTLY… the point is that yes, we need to give Karl and the other guys struggling to make the team a chance to make it, but, and there is a very big BUT, these players will only make it if they show everyone that they are capable of adding to the team. Just about anyone can make a wide open three, even Shaq has done it before during a game, but to create a play and make something happen that will get the crowd on their feet is the type of stuff that will get Karl on this team. If you’d like to look into this even more, watch what Jordan Farmar has managed to do in only his second year by getting the crowd going and the team pumped up in general.

]]> By: kwame a. http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/comment-page-1/#comment-286613 kwame a. Tue, 23 Oct 2007 19:17:12 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/#comment-286613 A-Hole Carolla- I hadn't thought of it like that, but you may be right. I too think Kobe should pass more, and maybe being facilitator will force that. A-Hole Carolla- I hadn’t thought of it like that, but you may be right. I too think Kobe should pass more, and maybe being facilitator will force that.

]]> By: A-Hole Carolla http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/comment-page-1/#comment-286488 A-Hole Carolla Tue, 23 Oct 2007 16:58:28 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/#comment-286488 17. Yeah, that's a key quality for a facilitator to have. Faith in his teammates. I don't like Kobe going back to the facilitator role. But I have wanted him to pass more. Putting him back there is a damn fine way to make him distribute the ball more, get the other players in a good rhythm so their shots fall more often. Much like Jordan, it's the last step he has to make in his development. Fastbreaking or not, I hope eventually he goes back to the wing eventually, with his new mindset and awareness. And L.O. does the reverse, becomes the quarterback again, after adopting more of a scorer's mentality within. 17. Yeah, that’s a key quality for a facilitator to have. Faith in his teammates.

I don’t like Kobe going back to the facilitator role. But I have wanted him to pass more. Putting him back there is a damn fine way to make him distribute the ball more, get the other players in a good rhythm so their shots fall more often.

Much like Jordan, it’s the last step he has to make in his development.

Fastbreaking or not, I hope eventually he goes back to the wing eventually, with his new mindset and awareness. And L.O. does the reverse, becomes the quarterback again, after adopting more of a scorer’s mentality within.

]]> By: Stephen http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/comment-page-1/#comment-286449 Stephen Tue, 23 Oct 2007 16:08:03 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/#comment-286449 Daniel, Shooters get in a rhythm. The play before Karl knocked down a three. It was the perfect opportunity for Kobe to hit the open Karl and give him some confidence. Beyond that play,you might be missing the larger picture. If Kobe is to be a playmaker/creator/facilitator he has to pass to open teammates. That's what the role calls for. Showing faith in a teammate who is struggling one night usually pays off down the road. It's the coaches job to pull struggling players-not Kobe's. Which leads to my larger point that Kobe is too passionate about winning to accept having to give the ball to leeser talents-even when they're struggling. I'm not saying that passion is a bad thing-quite the contrary,I can think of several players who would be much better w/some of Kobe's fire. It just makes him unsuited to run an offense,IMHO. Daniel,
Shooters get in a rhythm. The play before Karl knocked down a three. It was the perfect opportunity for Kobe to hit the open Karl and give him some confidence.
Beyond that play,you might be missing the larger picture. If Kobe is to be a playmaker/creator/facilitator he has to pass to open teammates. That’s what the role calls for. Showing faith in a teammate who is struggling one night usually pays off down the road. It’s the coaches job to pull struggling players-not Kobe’s.
Which leads to my larger point that Kobe is too passionate about winning to accept having to give the ball to leeser talents-even when they’re struggling. I’m not saying that passion is a bad thing-quite the contrary,I can think of several players who would be much better w/some of Kobe’s fire. It just makes him unsuited to run an offense,IMHO.

]]> By: Gr8dunk http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/comment-page-1/#comment-286441 Gr8dunk Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:56:28 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/#comment-286441 "We're still experimenting," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after a loss to the Clippers dropped them to 2-3 in exhibition games. "A lot of teams are playing guys they know are going to play. They're running their rotations and experimenting with one or two players. We're not at that level yet. There's time. There's a week ahead. We still have three games." The Lakers face the Utah Jazz tonight at Honda Center and again Thursday in San Diego. They play the Sacramento Kings on Friday in Las Vegas, and then it's almost show time. Opening night is Oct. 30 against the Houston Rockets. “We’re still experimenting,” Lakers coach Phil Jackson said Monday afternoon, less than 24 hours after a loss to the Clippers dropped them to 2-3 in exhibition games.

“A lot of teams are playing guys they know are going to play. They’re running their rotations and experimenting with one or two players. We’re not at that level yet. There’s time. There’s a week ahead. We still have three games.”

The Lakers face the Utah Jazz tonight at Honda Center and again Thursday in San Diego. They play the Sacramento Kings on Friday in Las Vegas, and then it’s almost show time. Opening night is Oct. 30 against the Houston Rockets.

]]> By: 81 Witness http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/comment-page-1/#comment-286413 81 Witness Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:25:32 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/#comment-286413 Actually, Luke is not that much better of a ball handler than Odom statistically speaking. Kobe was much better than both last year. I still believe the Lakers best odds are to have Farmar or Fish push the ball up the court. Actually, Luke is not that much better of a ball handler than Odom statistically speaking. Kobe was much better than both last year. I still believe the Lakers best odds are to have Farmar or Fish push the ball up the court.

]]> By: Daniel http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/comment-page-1/#comment-286412 Daniel Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:24:32 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2007/10/22/slow-down/#comment-286412 12. There is a reason Karl was not getting passes from Kobe... he missed too many shots and made too few. I was at the game on Sunday and realized that Karl is a shorter but slightly smarter version of Brian Cook. You know who i'm talking about, that big useless guy who only knows how to shoot and doesn't realize that he's allowed to be within 10 feet of the basket. You know, i've always imagined that Phil Jax of all people would teach him the skill of playing big under the basket. 12. There is a reason Karl was not getting passes from Kobe… he missed too many shots and made too few. I was at the game on Sunday and realized that Karl is a shorter but slightly smarter version of Brian Cook. You know who i’m talking about, that big useless guy who only knows how to shoot and doesn’t realize that he’s allowed to be within 10 feet of the basket. You know, i’ve always imagined that Phil Jax of all people would teach him the skill of playing big under the basket.

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