How long do you guys feel Kobe is going to maintain this level of excellence? He needs help. Someone else who can score so he can rest. His body is getting beat up. He has played in playoffs after playoffs for 13 plus years. Add into the equation Olympics and World Championhips and you see the man has done alot. I love Kobe’s game but I know that no-one beats father time. Everyone declines and then loses it. EVERYONE PERIOD!!!

You are probably right about PJ not going to the all inclusive second squad anymore. No reason to with the full compliment of players other than to save the strength of an already short team (the only have 13 and two of them are injured so we have an 11 man team of which 10 play – Mbenga odd man out).

Yes Nate is closer to AI than Kobe. I was not speaking of today’s Kobe I was speaking early Kobe (before he became the most polished player in the league). Nate will never be Kobe. Plus he has never had a coach like Phil. NY is a wild team with no structure. Given structure, he may respond. As I said before, Kobe did. Phil and D Fish still real him in sometimes, right?

I watched that Knicks-Hawks game. Robinson took a lot of questionable shots and often dribbled the air out of the ball. It worked out because the shots were going in and the Hawks did a poor job didn’t do a particularly good job helping when he penetrated. On other nights, he’ll either keep both teams in the game or shoot his own team out of it.

http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2010/01/03/preview-chat-the-dallas-mavericks-6/

Second, Nate is wild and out of control, and he does not finish well at the rim (52.9% this season). What he can do well now is shoot from the midrange and he passes well, both things that could work in the Lakers system. Except he does not play well within any system, he likes to break out of it, so much so that he got benched on a run-and-gun team. And he is nowhere near Kobe on offense — Nate had four years of college and has been a pro for a few now, he is not growing and maturing and bringing new things to his game. Pretty much, what you see is what you get. Comparing him to Kobe on offense is a huge mistake, because Kobe always had a more diverse game. Nate is more Iverson than Kobe in style, and while that brings you points it does not bring you team play. All of this is to say, in my mind he does not solve our offensive woes with the second unit. Certainly not more than a healthy Artest and Walton would.

You missed it again. It is not about defense, its about a scorer on the second squad. One who can attack the basket, shoot from outside, take people off the dribble and kick the ball out to open players. He would not be starting therefore he would not be playing with Bynum and Gasol.

If you remember correctly, when the Lakers had Ariza, Turiaf, Radmanovic, Farmar and Sasha, PJ would start the entire second team at the beginning of the second and fourth quarters and gave the starters a rest.

Do you think that Nate can offensively handle a game? He may be ragged, but so was Kobe at one time. Nate is an offensive juggernaut, like Kobe, but without Kobe’s defense. I’m just commenting on what I see. If you don’t believe me, question Kobe for saying “I really like Nate’s game” after a game against New York last year.

I do not covet him (desire him inordenately), I said he would solve our offensive struggles on the second squad. Be careful, words are powerful.

Is there a reason why PJ hasn’t gone to the Odom-Gasol line up more? Those are minutes, by the way. Phil has played Odom and Bynum together more than twice the minutes of Odom and Gasol.

And what’s the expected return date of Luke?