Box Score: Lakers 105, Wolves 102
Offensive Efficiency: Lakers 115.4, Wolves 112.1
True Shooting %: Lakers 59.7%, Wolves 58.8%
After winning eight of ten, the Lakers looked like the Lakers we’ve known all season after they lost winnable games on the road against Detroit and Washington. And it looked like they were going to be 0-3 on this mini-road trip as they faced Minnesota next. The good news was (at least, for the Lakers) that Kevin Love was a late scratch due to back spasms. Let’s recap!
THE GOOD
Andrew Bynum had a monster game.
26 points and 10 boards for the young All-Star center. Particularly in the second quarter, Bynum dominated the paint. I was afraid he wasn’t going to get any touches in the fourth quarter the way the Lakers had been playing as of late but he had big scores down the stretch (including a late alley-oop slam where he did his “NBA Elite 11 Jesus” [NSFW language, by the way] pose thereafter… Darius and I hilariously pointed that out at the same time). It was nice to see the Lakers trust Bynum in the fourth (he put in 10 points in that quarter).
Kobe Bryant overcame a slow start to pour in 34 points (on 11/26 shooting). He was more in control in the second half, even though he was forced to bail the Lakers out with the shotclock running down. We even got a nice left-handed jam out of Kobe that was shades of the Kobe Bryant in the NBA Courtside video game for Nintendo 64. At least, this Kobe was more in rhythm of the offense than previous games.
Pau Gasol didn’t have a great game statistically but he did put in 12 points and 11 boards. He also had that one big stop against Minnesota when he blocked Derrick Williams’ shot with the Lakers up 1 and 6 seconds remaining in the game. So good for Pau for shaking off those trade rumors that went rampant on Twitter earlier and helping the Lakers win.
Derek Fisher must be given props for making three three-pointers in the third quarter.
And even though the bench only scored 13 points, Matt Barnes must be commended for his hustle all game (8 points and 5 boards) and Josh McRoberts getting dirty inside (7 rebounds) in limited play. Those boys helped out in getting 17 offensive rebounds for the Lakers (compared to 10 for the T-Wolves). Steve Blake also led the team with five assists.
The overall boardwork should be praised as well. 45-34 in favor of L.A. Good job.
THE BAD
The defense got better in the second half, yes… but wow, did the Wolves get into the paint with little to no problem early in the game. Nikola Pekovic (that big, burly man is a scary, scary dude… I bet he bench-presses trucks before each game) killed them inside to the tune of 25 points and 13 boards (SIX OFFENSIVE). At times, Derrick Williams (who scored 22 points) got into the paint effortlessly. Ricky Rubio (15 points and 10 assists) was running to his spots with no resistance. And, good grief, Michael Beasley scored 15 points in 16 minutes! Good thing that the Lakers were able to turn it up defensively as the game wore on (and before it was too late).
Lakers were sloppy with the ball early (5 turnovers in the first four and a half minutes). The Lakers ended up with 17 turnovers at the end. Would like to see them cut that down.
Well, yes, we’d like to see the bench score more. As mentioned, they only had 13 points. And just when I thought Mike Brown had settled on a rotation, Troy Murphy gets little playing time and Andrew Goudelock didn’t even see the floor at all (WHAT?!). I applauded Josh McRoberts’ effort but what did Jason Kapono do (who is somehow a +6?!)? I’ll wait.
THE UGLY
If you love the Lakers, you wanna forget the first quarter of play. Wolves 33, Lakers 21. I was SO sure they were going to let us down.
Luckily for us, they won. Actually, I’m pretty angry that they won. Because they should’ve beaten the two other teams. Ugh.
THE PLAY OF THE GAME
I’ll take the Bynum alley-oop jam with 2:42 left in the game (this was after he blocked Rubio’s jumper). Like I said, he posed like the NBA Elite halfcourt glitch right after. That was a good laugh.
Oh, silly Lakers. Quit playin’ games with my heart, you guys. I know what you’re capable of but I don’t even know what to make of you guys anymore. But then again, maybe I should’ve expected this. I joked around a few recaps back that the Lakers would lose winnable games and win difficult games. So I guess with these Lakers, it’s come down to one game at a time?
The Lakers face those evil, evil, evil Celtics on a Sunday afternoon. Even if these teams aren’t as good this year, this is still going to be a very intense game. It’s going to be at the comfy Staples Center where they are 17-2.
On a personal note, the Lakers have won the last five games I’ve recapped. So maybe if you want to petition Darius to have me recap the rest of the season, you could. I’ll also take bribes.
Have a good weekend, ladies and gentlemen!
tviper says
terrible start, but energy was good in the fourth and shots were good until the three in a row deep shots from Fish and MWP. I thought that was it, but they pulled it out late. Great clutch FT shooting by KB24.
The Dude Abides says
I was wondering about the significance of Drew’s “crucifixion” gesture when he did it after that alley-oop, and now I know. Oh man, watching that video you linked to made me laugh so hard I was crying 😀
Magic Phil says
Magellan, thanks for the recap. Spot on.
And if you need some support writting the recaps, the check is in the mail.
Our coach, MB, is as lost as a worm inside a spaghetti pan. There was not a single Lakers fan that didn’t notice GLock had 0 mins this game. WHY? And why Murphy had little PT?
MB, why you do what you do? It’s time to explain yourself…or should I say “Jimbo, it’s time to explain what you did (while Adelman was available)…”
The Dude Abides says
I’m not going to object to McBob getting playing time over Murphy, but come on! Kapono over Goudelock? Are you kidding me MB?
BTW, the T-Wolves fear that Rubio’s MRI tomorrow is going to show a torn ACL 🙁
Anonymous says
Brown can’t coach. It’s simple. James bailed him out my running the offense. He is way over his head. He is a video guy not a NBA coach and the payers know it. Even his post game talks are just a bunch if senseless words.
Blow up this average team and start with the coach. That’s assuming Jimmy even stops by his office this month to see what’s not happening.
R.R. Magellan says
THE DUDE ABIDES:
I am EXTREMELY sad over that! Ricky Rubio is my favorite player to watch this year. I love that the Lakers won and all but I’d hate to see anybody get hurt like this…
Keno says
I have cases of beer and wine as a bribes. At least my takes won’t get cut then.
rr says
Let’s all hope Rubio does not have an ACL injury.
The Dude Abides says
Agreed. I love watching Rubio play. The T-Wolves are becoming my second favorite team. I really hope they make the playoffs, and Rubio’s injury isn’t severe.
VoR says
R.R. Thanks for the recap and the link to the Elite 11 video. That Bynum knew about it and then did the pose cracks me up. Totally awesome. And like the Dude, I was dying of laughter watching the video.
That injury will be a huge bummer for Rubio and the TWolves. I was really hoping they would make some noise in the playoffs.
Kevin says
Andrew Bynum last 5 games: 22 pts 11reb 2ast 2blk 67%FG
Didn’t believe he was going to turn the corner, but Jim Buss deserves a pat on the back for staying with it.
Aaron says
R.R. Magellan,
It’s a fresh of breathe air to read a recap with some humor. Really really funny while still hitting on all the major basketball plays/themes of the game. Just to let you know I’ve complimented maybe three game recaps in the last six years. Just saying.
Aaron says
NO…. Omg. I just read the Rubio news. I know you guys dot think I am a homer enough. I just love basketball so it’s hard for me not to love other great basketball players. I loved watching Rubio play. I’m not gonna sleep tonight. That really upsets me. Let’s hope that’s not the case. A torn ACL can ruin a guards career just like that. Omg. Amd people complain about Bynum’s normal injuries that don’t mess up careers. This is just sad. Say a prayer for Ricky Tonight guys. And I’m an athiest.
Aaron says
Bynum is playing over forty minutes a night the last four games. Has Browns balls have no limit?
Chownoir says
Go veteran on your recaps. Only pull you out for the road games. That’s when the team needs the help. Let Darius do the home game recaps.
rr says
Magic Johnson on the Simmons podcast:
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/19257/b-s-report-magic-johnson
R.R. Magellan says
AARON:
Thanks! Appreciate it. Though you meant to say a breath of fresh air instead of the other way around. 🙂
Coach Brown’s rotations are maddening. I seriously thought they had it settled. I could even roll with a 10-man rotation with Murphy and McRoberts getting some minutes. But then Kapono gets some PT out of nowhere with Goudelock (a guy that can create a shot for himself, which the Lakers don’t have much of) sitting the entire time? What is this?!
As for Bynum’s heavy minutes? I don’t even know what to say.
Kevin says
Aaron: lol, yeah his rotations are bizarre is he showcasing.
Bynum’s handled the big minutes okay. The only game where he seemed on fumes was Washington.
The Dane says
Bynum showed yet another level today. His face-up game is looking like Amare of old at times. Damn.
First think I was thinking when I saw the rotations was that he got directives from upstairs to show certain players of, or protect them from injury.
Craig W. says
If Bynum is going to be a dominant player in the NBA he can’t be coddled. We fans are just too obsessed with his injuries. The man has to lose the training wheels and it certainly looks like that is what he wants too. Last year we were all wondering why Phil refused to play him at the end of games – even in situations where he clearly belonged on the court.
I know we all want a statue of Phil Jackson and are ready to crucify Mike Brown, but perhaps we need to develop our younger players – lord knows we didn’t do that under Phil and look where it put us this year.
sbdunks says
Seems like no one can come up with a logical explanation as to why Kapono played over Goudelock. So, barring some behind the scenes, in the doghouse type situation, perhaps they were showcasing him for a potential trade suitor? I can’t come up with any other reason. The only reason Kapono should see court time in this stage of his career is because of his shooting. But news flash! Kapono is shooting 29.6% behind the arc while Glock is shooting 37.5% and Glock brings so much more to the table. He’s quick, he has the teardrop to keep Ds honest and he sets others up fairly well for never playing point in his career up to this point.
On the other hand, I liked seeing McRoberts on the court. Murphy provides spacing with his shooting, but he continues to be hesitant to take the shot which renders him a non-factor. McBob grabs rebounds in traffic, slashes well, and is always a threat to throw down a lob or a putback. That’s much more production than the occasional three.
sT says
Great recap R.R. Magellan, entertaining for sure. Yeah, since the Warren 1st comment is not working anymore (not even when he does it), you doing all the remaining write-ups is fine with me. I feel bad for Rubio. I like him in the NBA.
Chearn says
18) Yes!
They lost two straight games against inferior opponents, so a shake up was in order. MB is having difficulty trusting his players, because most coaches gain trust in their players during camp and pre-season games. This season is infuriating to us fans, but think how maddening it must be for the new coaches.
I hope the Lakers have learned this 2nd time around, to make sure they have their coach locked in for for at least 1-2 years before the next lockout, and 1-2 years after. There is no excuse that they were not prepared for this situation, most teams in the NBA prepared to be champions were locked in to their coaches.
Come on Thursday!
Craig W. says
“They lost two straight games against inferior opponents, so a shake up was in order.”
That statement says it all about Laker fans. Good grief! I think we actually need a life.
Aaron says
R.R. Magellan,
Sadly i was trying to be cute by switching the words around 🙁 Btw….why are players heights measured? Shouldn’t it just be length and height to the shoulders? How long a players neck or head is makes no difference right? -Deep thoughts with Aaron
Aaron says
Bynum’s Heavy Minutes
————————————–
I know many are correctly saying Bynum can’t be coddled anymore…. He has been healthy for a long time and is now one of the best players in the world. I get it. But giant seven foot players should not be playing forty minutes a game in the regular season… Ever. Unless of course your name is Shaq and you are actually in shape. So unless you’re Shaq and it’s before 2001 🙂
BigCitySid says
Sorry, I’m not a happy camper. A 3 point win over the Loveless T’Wolves? Especially after those back to back stinkers in Detroit & D.C. Anyone who has an issue laying a HUGE part of the problem at Kobe’s feet must be on his payroll. Kobe continues take more shots than Bynum & Gasol combined. And Kobe is taking LOUSY shots. He’s way under .500, while Bynum & Gasol are both better than .500. And in this last game Gasol hands out 4 assist, Bynum 3, & Kobe, a guard just one, ONE!
Brown starts to address a “shot selection” issue, then recants. Jim Buss & Kupchek are not consulting Kobe on any personnel moves, so they don’t appear to consider Kobe “personal feelings” in team matters. So why can’t this guy be reeled in? Even true Laker fans are questioning Kobe’s priorities & shot selections.
And yes, there is a difference in being a Laker fan & a Kobe fan…and I’m a Laker fan.
T
Keno says
More I thought about it rotations must be a trade thing. Clearly no one wants Kapono but they must be showing McRoberts, who by tbe way is head over heals better them Murphy and his line drives.
Only hope Sessions or someone is about to be moved so Lakers can have a point guard who actually has a point.
As for Brown. First he burned out Kobe now it appears he is doing it to Andrew. Can someone appoint a coach to manage Brown’s lack of common sense? Also his bad politician post game speeches. Would you vote for him?
Is it just me or does anyone else get angry watching Metta. Dribble, Dribble to no where. Take wide open 3 pointer. Clunk! And then do it all over again. Just makes me angry to watch.
Aaron says
BigCitySid,
Well I’m both a Lakers fan and a Kobe fan. And you are spot on!
Also…I think PER is a great way to measure offense. Reality check for Lakers fans… I just checked the PER rankings and while we have two SFs (Barnes/Artest) in the top 50, we have Zero PGs in the top 55 (Blake is at 56). It’s bad guys. It’s very bad.
rr says
The Lakers are what they are at this point: a slightly above-average team with three really good players and the worst roster in the NBA 4 down which puts too much pressure, both in terms of minutes and workload, on Gasol, Bynum and Bryant. They could finish as high as 3rd or as low as 9th, and any of their likely 1st-round opponents…
Spurs
Clippers
Grizzlies
Nuggets
Mavericks
…can beat them. The reverse is also true.
Edwin Gueco says
Good, Lakers were over the hump last night but not out of the woods yet. There are so many issues in this team. However, Fisher and MWP made their shots so we moved ahead, once they backtrack again, we’ll again be in the doldrums. I would not fault MBrown in trying to see Kapono, McRoberts in place of G-lock and Murphy, he’s trying to experiment again the lineup based on the opponents out there. Unfortunately, Kapono forgot how to shoot, he has been contaminated by Luke. Folks, the secret in trying to solve these Lakers miseries is in the subs or role players. We do not have any problems on the big 3 but the role players don’t have enough productions.
Overall, I think our defense is bad. This guy Pec and Derrick could get in freely without intervention when they don’t possess that power outlook of a great PF and C. Luckily, Lakers did not face Kevin Love or else they’d be torched on the inside. Well, on offense bynum and gasol look good but on defense, there leaves a lot to be desired. Trading one or both without the service of an All Star is not advisable at all.
Edwin Gueco says
Lastly, we can’t divide the Lakers world into Kobe fans, Bynum fans or Laker fans in general. You have to swallow all pills if you wish to cheer the purple and gold. You have to love also the oldies and scrubs for they’ve been annointed to represent the team.
Whether this particular player is good or bad, it has to be addressed to Coaching decision. They have the power to play the players, bench them or micromanage all the plays or let alone policy.
It is in my opinion no matter how you hate Kobe’s guts or selfishness as you will perhaps perceived, if he’s not in the line up, Lakers has no chance of going to the playoffs, winning in every game. He could help but also be a damaging figure if not controlled by the Coach. Therefore, addresss the issues to MBrown. At this point in his career, Kobe’s an old dog Alpha to change just because a disgruntled fan say so.
lil' pau says
i can’t wait until we get a real PG. not only will that improve our offense and cut down on Kobe’s TOs, it will also help our team defense as, right not, there is absolutely no reason why other teams can’t crash the offensive glass like crazy– it’s not like we can make them pay in transition. i know there’s a question of who can run with that PG, but even a leak-out or 2 a game can make such a difference….
thursday can’t get here soon enough.
Robert says
In my case I am a Lakers fan first, but I am also a huge Kobe fan. I have been strongly screaming for change to this roster all year, + predicted that we would be stuck rooting for Kobe’s records through 14 if we did not. We haven’t done it yet, though I am still hopeful. However, if we do not, I also stated that I would then be forced to do the only thing the team was offering + that was to enjoy KB’s accomplishments. If you do not want to do that for the next 2 1/2 years, then I suggest you root for Mitch to make some moves prior to 3-15.
Robert says
To follow up on rr’s post @29, let’s say we are a slight favorite in round 1 (could be generous). We are 50/50 in round 2, And we would be an underdog in the WCF + the Finals. You could translate all of that to winning four straight coin flips (generous) – the odds of which are 1 in 16 or about 6%. I think you have seen that figure before. Want to do something about it? Let’s do it before 03-15.
Glove says
Love Bynum’s attitude heading into the game against the Celtics. “We don’t like them boys”. Bynum sounds like he is ready for the game on Sunday.
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/7668736/los-angeles-lakers-andrew-bynum-ready-rumble-boston-celtics
Anonymous says
BigCitySid: The problem is he’s the only ball handler on this team and there’s only 3 good players on this team. Shot selection is questionable at times I’ve said he should let the offense work for him not work for offense. But it’s always been that way.
Think of in the history of the game all the great players they’ve always had a great ball handler on the wing. Kobe’s NEVER had 1 not 1 player on the perimeter with half the talent he has. He’s always been the lone ranger on the perimeter having to create for himself and others. Kobe’s best perimeter player was either a washed up Artest, Devean George or Fisher. Now that says something. If he had 1 wing player who could create it wouldn’t look so bad at times.
Teams are showcasing players I’ve seen guys in the game who’ve been buried on the bench all year. Go get Iggy and Holiday.
rr says
Rubio has torn ACL–done for the year. Too bad.
Snoopy2006 says
This article is … awkward. I don’t like reading too much into quotes, but Kobe’s response to MB’s criticism of his shot selection lends more credence to the reports earlier this week of player discontent:
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/7668210/mike-brown-backtracks-says-los-angeles-lakers-shot-selection-not-problem
Mike Brown trying to take back his statements is awkward too. Looks a little like he’s either caving to his superstar again, or indicating he doesn’t have a great handle on what is happening during a game real-time.
Snoopy2006 says
Some relevant quotes for anyone who doesn’t want to click through (emphasis mine):
“I thought we had three or four guys that took bad shots that led to run outs and we didn’t,” Brown said after the team’s Friday morning shootaround in Minneapolis. “I thought we took great shots. We missed shots in the second half, but we took great shots.”
So his postgame criticism of Bryant’s 9-for-31 shooting performance was off-base?
“I thought Kobe, as well as three other guys, I said to all of those guys in the film session: ‘I was wrong, your shot selection was fine,'” Brown said.
…
Bryant wasn’t necessarily ready to accept the apology.
When asked about surpassing 29,000 points in his career with 34 points Friday night against the Timberwolves, Bryant sarcastically said, “Lot of great shot selection.”
When told Brown had walked back his earlier criticism of his shot selection against the Wizards, Bryant smiled and said, “Everybody makes mistakes.”
———-
Wow. Sometimes it’s hard to enjoy the process when the process is dysfunctional.
Robert says
The Rubio injury could change the trading landscape. Minny is one of the prime players along with Houst + LA. This injury could throw a wrench in deals. Cuban and Riley laughing again as another day goes by.
Kevin says
Snoopy2006: Rough transition. Mike Brown can’t criticize Kobe too harshly. It’s up to Kobe to accept the coaching and realize what benefits the team. Brown’s coaching offense sucks he’s handled the media part well.
Tra says
@ 37, Glove:
Oh, to be young. Youthful exuberance from Drew. Especially taking n to account how he’s been playing of late.
Tough break (literally) for Rubio and the Wolves. He was a major reason why the T-Wolves were beginning to be a ‘Must See Team’ …
Edwin Gueco says
Felt bad about Minny’s loss of Rubio, that would mean end of Beasley and Ridnour as well as the Gasol speculation w/ T’wolves.
Aaron says
Feel just awful about Rubio. His career is basically over just depressinng. It also hurts the Lakers. Now the Wolves need a franchise starting PG again… Before we were the only team looking for a PG.
Aaron says
Edwin Gueco,
It actually most likley means they will be dumping layers like Beasley that won’t be staying beyond this year since now they can’t make the playoffs.
Snoopy2006 says
Kevin – I agree, I wasn’t necessarily putting the blame on Brown instead of Kobe. But I’m not sure the media part was handled well in this case. Coming out and making statements against shot selection and then completely backtracking doesn’t really inspire confidence or speak of a coach with a firm handle on the situation. IMO, anyway.
Kobe’s responses, to me, are the bigger deal anyway. Up until now he’s seemed to have MB’s back in the media. Now he seems to have abandoned all pretense.
The Rubio news sucks.
rr says
Yeah, Brown and Kobe did not come off well there.
Robert says
Kobe+Brown: Just like with trades – everything is on hold now. This would not be the time for MB to go at it with Kobe, for a variety of reasons. Once we get beyond 3-15, there are two possibilities: A) KB adjusts in a positive manner due to better roster B) If roster doesn’t get better there could be an explosion coming.
Edwin Gueco says
48,
I don’t know about that move, I don’t think Minny will abandon their season so why would they trade their healthy players. Kevin Love has issues with his back spasms.
Also waiting for Kobe’s tweets of apology or good wishes to Rubio who got injured because od their accidental collision towards the end of the game. Many players have sent their tweets including his paisano, Pau.
ken says
Brown is too weak to play in the same area as Kobe. Kobe will bury him and take complete crontel of the team which will leave Brown useless.
Kevin says
I agree with Robert the trade deadline is causing uneasiness. Certain players aren’t sure if they’ll be here on the 16th. The focus of winning will set in by after the deadline.
The daily speculation
http://www.samdrewtakeson.com/archives/10004308
Beautiful day outside by the way. Lost 13-9 in a baseball game at Heritage Park.
Nonisser says
42. Wow, Kobe’s a d—. 🙂
Ok, now at this point, it’s feasible to say the team doesn’t have complete trust in the coaching staff. Lets see, you’ve got Kobe, with 5 rings, Fisher 5 rings, Pau 2 rings, Bynum 2 rings, Mike Brown zero rings. And then along side Mike Brown, you’ve got assistant John Kuester, a coach who was openly ridiculed by his players in his time with the Pistons.
Busboys4me says
Kobe isn’t going to change and neither will I. I don’t like the man, but I respect his game. I didn’t like MJ and don’t like LaBrawn either. I like underdogs like Lamar and Clyde Drexler or infectous personallities like Magic or Shaq. Have fun, it’ a game.
Scott says
Feel bad for Rubio, for the T-Wolves, and for Team Spain. Was looking forward to seeing Rubio and the Gasol brothers challenge Team USA this summer, maybe for the Gold. I hope he recovers fully from this–I really liked his style of play and thought he was one of the exciting up-and-coming players in the NBA.
Busboys4me says
IMO Kobe is more pissed off than anything else that Rubio got hurt, because he wanted to whip his ass in the Olympics. Kobe will probably tweet for him to “Man up, it’s just a knee!!!”
Aaron says
I hate being the joke of the league 🙁
SHOULD THE WOLVES MAKE A MOVE TO SHORE UP THE BACKCOURT?
Haubner: Not unless it’s a good move for the long term. Minnesota is still a team for the future more than the present. More lottery tickets are more valuable than a seven- or eight-seed this year. Also, Luke Ridnour and J.J. Barea can hold down the fort sufficiently. It’s not like Minnesota’s reduced to trotting out Derek Fisher and Steve Blake from here …
KenOak says
Edwin @52
Does Kobe even have a twitter account? How do you know he hasn’t called Rubio or sent him a message via another avenue? Twitter? Really?
Edwin Gueco says
60,
Ken, just pointing out that perhaps it’d be a nice gesture to send some well wishes to Rubio. Those who sent messages on twitter were listed on hoopshype. if kob sent one and not published, my bad.
http://hoopshype.com/rumors.htm
rr says
@ 59
Haubner might want to work more on facts and less on snark. Minnesota’s pick this year belonged to Clippers and was traded to the Hornets in a deal Lakers fans may remember. Rubio’s injury improves the NBA Hornets’ shot at a second lotto pick, but it doesn’t do anything for the Wolves but hurt them.
rr says
Kobe AFAIK doesn’t have a Twitter account.
Robert says
My thinking exactly – too bad this isn’t coming from our FO:
From CBS sports: The Rockets are said to be considering taking the “rental” option on Dwight, which is a pretty brilliant move. Should the Rockets convince Howard to stay, they have the franchise player they need going foward. If they don’t, they’ve cleared cap space and can truly rebuild. It’s probably time to stop drifting in NBA purgatory.
By the way, NBA purgatory is defined as being above the lotto, but no higher than “6th” best overall : )
T. Rogers says
I really feel bad for Rubio. That kid is one of my favorite players to watch right now. I hope he can heal 100% from this.
Kobe knows Pau who surely has a direct line to Ricky. Kobe is not a “post it on twitter” type of guy. He doesn’t broadcast things like that. It would be foolish to assume we know what goes on behind closed doors with NBA players.
Robert says
So is everyone buying the reports that Lowry is off the table?
Has anyone come up with a good theory why Goudelock was held out? Is he involved in a trade? The Magic wants youngsters.
Does anyone care about the future of our franchise, or would we rather talk about Tweets : ) They will not turn NBATV on where I am at + I am bored !
rr says
Sorry, Robert, but if Daryl Morey had Bryant, Gasol, Bynum, and a pile of crap, I doubt he would be thinking about that. Houston’s roster is more or less the exact opposite of the Lakers; that is why there is HOU/LA trade talk.
Aaron says
rr,
Haha. Exactly. Easier to get average role players than the leagues best SG, second best Center ( for now ;)) and fifth best PF. We are in a good spot. I keep telling you guys this. We will be celebrating a championship roster in less than a week.
Edwin Gueco says
65,
T J Rogers, you are also assuming that he sent a message thru Pau. Can I say that you are also foolish in making an assumption? jk!
rr,
what do you think of cj watson as possible PG? another speculations on fox sports
Robert says
rr: Yes – the rosters are totally different. The commonality is that they want out of purgatory and I am trying to prevent us from entering it : ) Did you see that they supposedly took Lowry off the table?
rr says
Did you see that they supposedly took Lowry off the table?
_
I don’t think he was ever on it, actually. If HOU is not giving up Lowry, I would rather keep Pau and try to get Sessions, assuming no blockbuster.
Howard is not a ticket out of purgatory for the Lakers or probably for Houston until at least 2014. It might work better for Houston since they might have Howard and cap space. The Howard argument here is that he anchors the franchise if he stays–not that he suddenly puts the team in contention.
Keno says
Nonisser
That was Jim Buss’s plan. To have weak yes men as coaches. The last guy named Phil didn’t bother to talk to Jimmy for two years. Jimmy knew it was more of the same with Kobe friend Shaw.
Brown picked an outsider he could control. That is very clear. So far all we have is a dysfunctional team and organization in return.
But at least Jimmy finally got someone to talk to him.
Chris J says
Were you kidding, Aaron, when you wrote that Rubio’s “career is basically over” because of an ACL injury?
Of all the big injuries an athlete can have, that’s probably one of the best in terms of ability to recover over time. Medicine has that treatment figured out for sure. (I speak from experience, having had a tear and surgery myself.)
rr says
Edwin,
Watson is an OK ballplayer, but is not as much of a penetrator/distributor as I would like to see. Also, I don’t see what the Lakers have that Chicago would want, in that Chicago is playing for the title this year and Watson is a small, but useful, piece of that puzzle, so I don’t see them moving him for a pick.
Felton seems to be more likely if they don’t try for Sessions.
Bad week for Spain: Calderon hurt his ankle tonight.
Aaron says
Chris J,
Ha. Yes,.. As far as recorery time. It’s good as far as recovery time. When my GF cheats on me that lasts for less than a night… But it’s hard to get over ever. Guards that have ACL tears are hard pressed to ever get back in the NBA by their next contract. It’s a very sad injury. Especially for a PG. people forget that Adam Morrison was averaging 14 PPG as a rookie. He tore his ACL and never made it back into the league. It’s a safe bet we will never see Rubio fulfill his destiny as an NBA player. This is why I have been telling everyone the Bynum knee injuries were lucky. If you want knee injuries to sideline you for the rest of the year those were the ones to get.
Kevin says
It’s either lowry or sessions barring something major. Pau is likely headed to houston that’s morey’s guy now it’s about small pieces and compensation. Like how the cp3 trade mitch said took so long same thing here. hope to unload mwp contract in the process.
chris paul tore his meniscus and he’s back playing at an elite level. Rubio should be fine in 2 years.
Avidon says
73,
Of course it’s possible to come back from a torn ACL but if you look at all the guards who had this injury, most were never the same after. “Speedy” Claxton, T.J. Ford, Penny Hardaway, Michael Redd, etc. Although there is hope that Rubio’s court vision and passing will still keep him a very exciting player, even if he does lose some athleticism.
Kevin says
http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/7670695/source-los-angeles-lakers-told-curtail-external-chatter
So now I see why Lakers performance is bad on the court. Brown rather be a psycologist than coach and watch film. smh
Edwin Gueco says
75,
Marc Spears on Yahoo speculating for Devin Harris, perhaps for the TPE too. I’d prefer blake than felton and gasol than those medium stars of Rockets.
Well, Jimbo is holding tight on TPE and 1st rd. draft pick as much as possible because they’re active performing players in his iron clad coffers. Will he yield or just wait for the end of the season when more PG’s will be more available?
Nobody knows what’s wrong in taking for Arenas? this is a band aid remedy while waiting for those players who will be waived by next month on those teams who’d not make the playoffs.
Chris J says
Aaron — I wouldn’t bet against Rubio returning to play at the same level, albeit in a year or two.
The biggest part of the recovery for many ACL patients is mental — does one trust that he/she can make a cut, jump for that rebound, etc., without re-injuring the knee? The body itself could be physically fine, but if one doubts that even slightly it affects how one plays, and at the pro level that split second of hesitation can make or break someone.
What will help Rubio is that like Chris Paul, he’s never been one who succeeds based on flat-out speed. He’s smart, sees the floor like an owl and handles the ball so well he can get where he wants to go on the floor. I don’t see that changing.
If we were talking about a guy like John Wall or Derrick Rose, I’d be much more concerned about their long-term outlook following an ACL tear. Their games are based on explosiveness, and you sometimes lose a step post ACL-tear. But Rubio is cut from a different cloth.
rr says
Edwin,
I don’t think Harris fits in the TPE–he makes 8.98M according to BaskRef and over 9M according to other sources. But I am not sure.
I really have no idea what Buss will do, but I think there is about a 50% chance he does nothing at all. We will know soon enough.
Robert says
Kevin @76: Lowry is supposedly “off” the table. They are trying to push us Dragic. If we give up Pau for a non-Lowry Houston package – that is a mistake – we need to trade him in a blockbuster or keep him (as rr said).
rr: I see you are a convert on Pau above : ) That’s good, just like you converted me on the Session’s move. With regard to the later, a package of Sessions, Jamison might work – only 1 problem – Evil Empire.
Robert says
Not sure what is more interesting – the possibilities or this board. The current board factions:
1) All is well – we will get a couple of role players at the 11th hour and voila – banner. 1a) Some think this without the banner
2) Nothing will happen – Jimbo is in charge.
3) D12 or Bust.
4) Let’s ignore the trades + talk trash about KB, talk tweets, perhaps politics.
Tra says
Robert, correct me if I am wrong, but are you stating that a Pau for Jamison & Sessions deal is on the table? That’s one that I haven’t heard, but if so, that would b a terrible move n my opinion. A move such as that is the equivalent to ‘saving money / salary cap relief’ and, in regards to this season, ‘white flag’ …
tviper says
I maintain that the best move is to trade Pau for DW, Beas and AR. Inject youth and athleticism into lineup and shed a bunch of $. Maybe MIN would be more willing now to do the trade in order to add a significant piece for a playoff push.
If instead MIN is looking to the future, I fall into category 2. Nothing on HOU roster is good compensation for Pau IMO (even Lowry who suddenly feels extremely overrated), and I see ORL as entirely delusional such that they will lose D12 for nothing.
Aaron says
Chris J ,
Sorry… Most guards that tear their ACL are never close to the same again. It’s the worst basketball injury to get.
Robert says
Tra: I only know that Cleveland is shopping them. I basically agree with you on Pau (a Cleve deal may/may not involve Pau). My preferences in order:
1) D12
2) Keep Big 3 and add pieces at 1+3 (must be good enough however).
3) Re-build
My least favorite option: Tinker around for 3 yrs, while never reaching the finals, then re-build in 2014.
Darius Soriano says
All speculation all the time it seems. Does anyone read the commenting guidelines?
Darius Soriano says
The game preview is up.
http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2012/03/11/preview-chat-the-boston-celtics-3/
Gabriel R. says
I’ll be glad with March 15 is over with, people can stop the trade talk, whether positive or negative!
Bye.
Kevin says
With Pau’s salary so high he has to be on the block. That’s the only reason he’s being dangled is because of cap.
Robert: I’d accept a package of young potential and picks or cap relief it’s some good FA in 2013. The whole thing now is to build around Drew make the team more attractive to FAs. Look how fast the clippers became elite once they drafted Blake. Took them 2 years.
Chris J says
Not going to argue with you, Aaron. No point in so doing.