Comments on: You Don’t Know What You’ve Got Till It’s Gone…

By: Craig W.

Craig W. — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 05:28:20 +0000

If only Phil could see some way to replace Pau with Bynum. Pau just doesn’t have it against this team. We would have been better to have Powell in there this game.

By: magic

magic — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 20:06:20 +0000

I’ve always liked Fish. I thought the Lakers made a mistake letting Fish go to the Warriors and am glad he came back to stabilize the team. Sometimes I get a little frustrated with his drives, shot selections, insistence on shooting the ball instead of passing it, and the more recent boneheaded plays, but overall I tend to remember his momemtum changing shots when we need a few good 3′s and of course that big .4 shot.

He’s solid physicially, mentally and emotionally. I think the leadership and off/on court intangibles he brings to the team is invaluable. Especially since some of the members on the team can be emotionally sensitive and with all the mind games Phil plays, it’s good to have a steady head in the locker room.

I do hope the Lakers can resign him on the cheap in the future and have him come in as a backup pg, kinda like Horry (maybe not as good defensively), the vet who comes in to make the big shots.

I’m not yet convince that Farmar is the Lakers pg of the future. I think that it would be great if we can get a pg who can shoot and play good d. Not sure that’s Farmar. He can potentially develop into one, but that’s yet to be seen. I’m not advocating a trade of any sort, just a wait and see attitude on Farmar’s development and pg prospects/trades that may or may not happen.

By: Kurt

Kurt — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 19:48:31 +0000

New post up.

By: inwit

inwit — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:55:35 +0000

79 – Maybe you are right, but I think shutting down Rondo is more important, Pierce is too strong for Ariza on the block anyway.

80- I agree, but there are only so many minutes in a game. I’d also like to see Mihm and Powell get more time, you never know when you will need them (hopefully never, but…). It’s a good problem to have.

81- Against some teams you could even start Sasha with Kobe at small foward.

By: lil' pau

lil' pau — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:45:32 +0000

79: unfortunately, you are correct. is there anyone else here who thinks that, when kobe plays ‘free safety’ styled D, the ratio of the number of uncontested makes for his man versus the # of times he actually gets a steal or helps double is something like 10 to 1?

it’s as if kobe is only interested in onball defense when his natural matchup is the best player on the court (eg., wade) and on those few occasions, he’s fantastic.

am I alone here?

By: wondahbap

wondahbap — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:40:22 +0000

inwit,

I expect Sasha’s role to continue. He’s been playing well. What we will see is Luke’s (or whoever is starting at SF) minutes be cut some, along with some of Fish’s.

By: Darius

Darius — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:09:31 +0000

#78. We are back to square one with the rotations. However, there is no one I trust more than Phil to push the right buttons and have every player ready when his number is called. They may not be happy, but they will perform. And the best part about our depth is that if you’re not ready, you’ll come out and someone else will take your minutes.

By: Zephid

Zephid — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:06:36 +0000

78, inwit, Ariza won’t guard Rondo, he’ll guard Pierce with kobe playing the field off Rondo.

By: inwit

inwit — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:54:56 +0000

Fish is fine, in a big game you want him on your side.

Sasha didn’t look too happy that Farmar came back. He sat pouting on the bench, and at one point, after Farmar hit a 3 and the Spurs called time out, all the bench players rushed out onto the court to give congrats to Jordan – except Sasha, who turned his back and went to the water cooler.

But it is Ariza who has taken Sasha’s minutes. He doesn’t get the minutes with Kobe at small foward like last year and doesn’t close out games. It’s going to be a real juggling act for Phil to get everyone minutes to stay happy and sharp. Maybe at some point Kobe might take a few games off.

As to guarding point guards, Ariza got torched by Chris Paul, but did well on Brooks and Parker. Can’t wait to see him on Rondo.

By: Albert

Albert — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:16:45 +0000

I have to say that I’ve always been a huge fan of fish. The biggest reason for that is that when the other team is making a run during the game, yes, everyone looks to kobe to make a play, but I think fish has been quite good about picking his spots and providing what we need in these situations. He almost never gets flustered on the court and is generally making the right plays. Yes, he screws up, but it’s because he doesn’t screw up much at all that it becomes magnified when he does (see roger mason’s game-winner). I’m glad to see fish getting some credit for what he does for the team.