The Lakers Coming In: The Lakers are coming off a tough loss in Utah which saw the Lakers top three — Kobe-Pau-Bynum — score on the plus side of 20 points, but they shot 38.7 percent as a team and collapsed in the fourth quarter which included a wild 16-1 run by Jazz which was sparked by Earl Watson. During the said run, Watson bulldozed Pau Gasol picked Gasol’s pocket, which sent coach Mike Brown into a frenzy, which eventually got him ejected from the game. Because of his antics, Brown has been fined $25,000 and suspended from tonight’s game “[...] for making contact with an official and not leaving the court in a timely manner [...].” John Kuester will serve as Brown’s replacement tonight. As the Lakers try to bounce back on this trip, Kobe will be chasing a bit of history as he is only 23 points away from passing Shaq (28,596) for 5th all time on the scoring list. This is notable, of obvious reasons, but mostly because he has a shot at the milestone in his hometown. Kobe played his high school ball in Philly and can return home to show how far he’s come as a ball player (and if he doesn’t get the 24 tonight, he’ll have a opportunity to reach 5th all time in the Boston Garden).

The 76ers Coming In: The 76ers shocked many as they jumped out to a fast start this season, leaving many to wonder whether or not they could keep their high level of play. They not only have kept up that play, but are now leading the Atlantic Division and have won five of their last six games, including an 11-point win in Atlanta on Saturday, which was their second game of a back to back. In that game, six guys recorded double-figure points for Philly, including five off the bench. That kind of balanced scoring has been a theme for this team as they have six guys who average 10 or more points, and are led by Lou Williams at 15 per game. What has been most impressive, however, is their defensive prowess. They have a league leading defensive efficiency and only give up 86.5 points per game and a league leading 10.25 average margin of victory. They’re getting stops, turning those stops into points, and repeating.

76ers Blogs: Visit Philadunkia for all of your 76ers news and analysis.

Keys to the Game: Tonight is definitely one of those nights where the ball needs to be pounded inside early and often. Pau has averaged 21 and 9 over the course of his career against Philadelphia 76ers teams, and last season was no different. Pau shot 58 percent from the field against Philly last season and averaged 19 and 10. While the 76ers interior defense has improved this season, it hasn’t improved so significantly that Pau can’t be effective again in the Wells Fargo Center. Also, Andrew Bynum should be much more effective this season against Philly. In the two meetings last year, ‘Drew recorded three points and four rebounds, and eight points and 15 rebounds, respectively. Coming into tonight’s game, Bynum is averaging 21 and 10 over the Lakers last four games, and should give Spencer Hawes problems, especially since this is only his second game back from injury.

On the perimeter, Kobe might find it tough to score with Andre Iguodala in his grill for most of the night. Last season, Iguodala held Kobe to nine points on three-for-11 shooting. In the two teams’ other meeting with Iguodala hurt, Kobe dropped 33 points. Facilitator Kobe might have to show his face tonight to get his big guys involved and eventually free up some space for him as wings will eventually have to start to dig down and double team bigs if Pau and ‘Drew have their way.

On the defensive end, the Lakers are going to have to work hard to keep up with the constant movement of Doug Collins offense and close out on shooters. This 76ers team likes to get out and run, and when in half court sets, they can shoot the ball. They’re hitting from range at a 38.5 clip, which is fifth best in the NBA. They move the ball extremely well and take advantage of defensive lapses every opportunity they get. Point guard Jrue Holiday has been great at cutting through the teeth of the defense and finding open shooters, and if Elton Brand does suit up tonight, he’ll be a problem for the Lakers bigs on that end of the floor.

Overall, though, it’ll come down to the little things like rebounding, free throws and grabbing loose balls. This is how good teams win on the road, and it’s what the Lakers weren’t able to do down the stretch in Utah. Coming off a day’s rest should help in these categories as they require more effort than skill, so it’ll be interesting if the old Lakers legs have it in them to take one from the youngsters in Philly.

The Lakers Coming in: So far, so good for the Lakers on their road trip. The Denver game was closer than many would have liked (including, I’m sure, Mike Brown and his players) and the refereeing down the stretch throughout the game left a lot to be desired (from both teams’ perspectives) but the Lakers pulled out the win with a defensive stand with two of their most maligned players being the guys that were key in stopping their men. And while there are still things that the Lakers can be better at, the game provided a solid foundation for future contests and can be used as a building block for the rest of the roadie.

Moving away from the team and the road trip to the individual level, Andrew Goudelock deserves special recognition. Over the past 5 games he’s failed to reach double figures in scoring only once and has averaged nearly 12 points a game on 52% shooting. His ability to make the three point shot (9-17 in that stretch) has provided critical spacing for this team while also making him enough of an outside threat that he must be closed out on, which then opens up his penetration game. Once he gets into the paint, he’s flashed a fantastic floater that allows him to finish at a high enough rate that he maintains his status as threat in three levels of the court (behind the arc, in the long two point range, and in the mid-range). He’s even showing more comfort initiating the Lakers sets and getting guys organized. He still has a ways to go before he’s a point guard in the classic sense of the position, but even if his improvement in that area is only marginal it doesn’t much matter if he’s still making shots; it’s obvious he’s in the game to score and, so far, that’s exactly what he’s doing.

The Jazz Coming in: The Jazz have been bit by the injury bug of late, watching their top two point guards suffer some minor injuries that have kept them out of games. Both Devin Harris and Earl Watson came up lame against the Clippers on Wednesday and both missed Thursday’s game against the Warriors. Their absence contributed to the Jazz dropping that game versus the Dubs and with their status up in the air for tonight’s game (Harris is questionable and Watson is doubtful), the Jazz could again be without their primary lead guards.

Missing those back court players is an issue but it’s more than partially made up for with the play of the Jazz’s bruising front court rotation. Starters Millsap and Jefferson are both having great years, with Millsap’s production especially eye popping as he’s raised his efficiency (top 10 player in PER) while scoring and rebounding at a high level when factoring in his minutes. When those starters go to the bench, the Jazz bring in Derrick Favors and rookie Enes Canter who are both improving as the season progresses. They both clean the glass, play physical defense, and can score when set up in positions where they can play to their strengths. It’s on the backs of these front court players that have the Jazz as one of the West’s eight playoff teams and performing above where many thought they’d be this season.

Jazz Blogs: Check out Salt City Hoops for all your Jazz news and analysis.

Keys to game: It’s strength on strength tonight as the aforementioned Jazz bigs tango with the Lakers front line that’s anchored by Pau and ‘Drew. And like the Nuggets last night, this will be the 3rd time these teams face off so we have a bit of history to shape our perspective coming into this match up. Some of the trends from the first two games (both Lakers wins):

• Kobe’s scoring has been big as he went for 26 and 40 points in the first two games respectively.
• Bynum missed the first contest due to his early season suspension, but in the 2nd game he was only average on offense (12 points on 5-13 shooting) and was decent on the boards. Meanwhile, Gasol came up big in game one, but was only average in the 2nd game (which also happened to be the game that Kobe went for 40).
• On the Jazz side, Al Jefferson has really struggled with L.A.’s length on defense. He’s scored a total of 15 points on 7 for 33 shooting while only taking 2 free throws.
• Millsap, on the other hand, has taken it to the Lakers. He’s put up 18 and 29 points in the two match ups, using his face up game and quickness around the hoop to get the shots he wants and covert them at a high rate.
• The battle of boards has been even in both contests with both teams grabbing 46 total rebounds in both games.
• One area where the Lakers have been better than their season averages is in shooting the 3 point shot, making 10 of their 25 attempts from deep over the two games.

Using these trends as a guide, we get a good idea of what the Lakers can do to win tonight, even though they’re sure to be tired after a hard fought game last night in Denver.

On offense, the Lakers must utilize Kobe and get him going as the Jazz don’t have a defender that can really slow him effectively. Coming off a rough shooting night where he saw constant double teams, Kobe should be able to get cleaner looks against a Jazz team that won’t be as quick to send a second defender Bean’s way. Running Kobe off screens and utilizing him in the post a bit more can get him good looks where should be able to convert.

Beyond Kobe, though, the Lakers must also go into Bynum to make Al Jefferson defend on the block. Bynum’s been a force on offense against most teams and even though he struggled in his last game against this team, he missed several bunnies near the hoop that he should convert at a higher rate should he get those same looks tonight. As for Pau, Millsap will give him some trouble as he’s quick enough to deny Pau his drives to the rim but is also deceptively long and will challenge Pau’s jumper. So, I’d like to see Pau get more touches on the left block so he can work his post moves more rather than settling for the jumper or trying to work off the dribble as much.

Defensively, a lot of the Lakers play will come down if Harris plays as he’s the player that can hurt their D by attacking off the dribble, forcing help, and opening up his teammates for open jumpers and lanes to the rim for offensive rebounding chances. If Harris does go, the Lakers will need to try to deny his driving lanes and show good help and recover skills to deny outside shots while still protecting their backboard. If Harris doesn’t play, the Lakers can focus more on defending the Jazz bigs and shift their perimeter focus to slowing Hayward, Miles, Howard, and rookie Alec Burks. If Bynum can continue to slow Jefferson and Pau can do a better job of keeping Millsap from going off by better contesting his jumper and keeping him off the offensive glass, the Lakers should control the paint, and thus the game.

All that said, accomplishing these things will come down to effort and we’ll see if the Lakers have the energy to do so. Playing back to back in Denver then Utah offers a challenge due to the challenging crowd and the elevation that also exists in Salt Lake. So, we’ll see if Lakers can gather their legs and bring the needed energy.

Where you can watch: 6:00pm start time on KCAL. Also listen at ESPN Radio 710AM.

The Lakers Coming in: The “Grammy Trip” starts tonight with the Lakers playing their next 6 games on the road. And while Kobe and rest of the guys welcome the chance to improve on their wretched road record, the potential for numerous losses are real on this trip. Outside of the Raptors and the Knicks – who both provide challenges in their own right, every team the Lakers will face on this trip has a winning record and is currently a playoff team. No game will be “easy” in the classic sense, and with the Lakers struggling to find their stride so far this season even in games that were considered sure wins, that logic would go out the window. A blowout win over the Bobcats doesn’t change that fact and when you add in that this trip is typically a difficult one, it only adds to the thought that anything could happen while away from Staples.

That said, the Lakers are looking better lately. Their offense (even if you account for playing lesser defenses) is running more smoothly with outside shots starting to fall. Mike Brown has (seemingly) found rotations and player combinations that he’s more comfortable with and that’s led to better consistency from the majority of his roster. Whether this holds true on the trip remains to be seen, but with a long road trip starting the team does seem to be playing good basketball, and that is somewhat comforting.

Moving from the team to an individual level, it was announced that both Kobe and Andrew Bynum were selected as starters on the Western Conference All-Star team. For Kobe it’s his 14th consecutive selection, continuing his reign as the elite shooting guard on the West (as well as the most popular one considering it’s the fan’s vote that gave him the starting nod). As for Bynum, it’s his first selection and I couldn’t be more proud of him. This was a goal he’s set for himself in recent seasons and for him to get there this year is a great moment for him. He’s put up strong numbers and, even more importantly, has impacted the game the way an All-Star big man should by being a real presence in the paint on both ends of the floor. Both Kobe and ‘Drew deserve this recognition and, again, I’m very happy for both of them.

The Nuggets Coming in: This team has won 7 of 10, but has actually lost 2 of their last 3 games. They are, however, coming off a romp of the Clippers by demolishing the other L.A. team with a second half run based off shooting and solid defense. They showed, once again, that they can hang with any team in the league via their depth and ability to hit shots while playing good enough D to get the stops they need.

Really, that’s the formula for the Nuggets. They have the number one offense in the league (in terms of offensive efficiency) and simply wear opponents down over the course of the game with a diverse group of players that comes at you in waves. They can go big (as they do with their starting line up) or small (as they do with their reserves when they play Al Harrington – a strong candidate for 6th MOY, by the way, and a backcourt of Lawson and Miller) and lose nothing in terms of effectiveness while making their opponents switch up their style of play. They have good defensive wings (Afflalo and Gallo are both long, rangy defenders) and their bigs do a good job of protecting the paint. And it all adds up to wins. This is, for all intents and purposes, one of the better teams in the league.

Nuggets Blogs: Roundball Mining Company is a great site that gives you all the info you need on this team.

Keys to game: This is the 2nd night of a back to back for Denver (and the middle game of 3 in 3 nights), so how the Nuggets respond to playing last night on the road and traveling back to Denver will play a big role in who wins this game. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, when the Nuggets were playing in Denver, hadn’t played the day before, and a visiting team was playing on the second night of a back to back, their record is 52-8 going back to 2007. That’s dominant level stuff. Now that the tables are turned, will they respond the way that “traveling” teams have in the past, considering the Lakers have been rested and have been in Denver since yesterday?

Of course, regardless of how tired or rested (considering how much the starters had to play in the 2nd half against the Clippers) the Nuggets are, this game will come down to more than just this one variable. As stated above, the Nuggets are a talented, deep team. They have 11 players that average at least 10 minutes a night and can throw a variety of lineups at their opponents to capitalize on any weaknesses.

Considering this will be the third time these teams meet, we’ve already seen a few trends:

• The Nuggets’ speed and ability to force a fast tempo created problems for the Lakers.
• The Nuggets’ small lineup with Al Harrington stretching the floor as a PF created defensive issues that the Lakers couldn’t solve.
• When the Lakers were able to establish the post early with Bynum and Gasol, they hurt the Nuggets’ interior D and forced double teams.
• The Lakers had issues making the defense pay for those double teams by hitting only 6 of their 47 three point attempts.
• The Lakers limited the Nuggets’ offensive rebounding in both contests.
• Kobe Bryant was awful in both contests, combining for 33 points on 26% shooting (1-13 from three point land) with 10 turnovers.

Considering these trends, the keys to a Laker win become easier to decipher. First, the Lakers must play a more deliberate game by establishing the post early, but not at the expense of turning Kobe into a long jump shooter. The offense need not tilt entirely in Kobe’s direction, but having him on an island against Afflalo and Gallinari proved to be a bad strategy that resulted in too many long jumpers where long rebounds led to Nugget run outs. The Lakers must get Kobe the ball on the move and going towards the basket while also involving him a bit more in the P&R as a ball handler.

While looking to involve Kobe, the Lakers still mustn’t ignore their big men. Mozgov and Nene are no slouches as defenders, but Bynum has shown he can muscle both of them and Pau has the both the post skill and foot speed to attack 10 feet and in against either defender. They too must see the ball to make the Denver D make decisions on how they’re going to defend these two. Will they single cover or double them? If they choose the latter, the Lakers’ shooters must hit some shots to make the defense pay. With Goudelock taking a bigger role in the offense and the 2nd unit including him, Murphy, and Kapono, hopefully the long ball will fall.

Defensively, the Lakers must protect against the speedy Lawson in transition while also making sure to slow Andre Miller when he gets a head of steam, as he too will attack the rim in the open court. However, just as important as keeping the pace reasonable, is handling the Nuggets’ half court attack. This means getting out on shooters, contesting shots, and rotating crisply and decisively when the Nuggs run their P&R with Al Harrington. If the Lakers surrender open three pointers to Gallo, Harrington, Lawson, Fernandez, and Afflalo, this game could get out of hand quickly. I know it’s easier said than done, but keeping the penetration to a minimum and then rotating to shooters will be the difference bettween open shots and contested ones. The Lakers need the latter.

Where you can watch: 7:30pm start on KCAL locally and ESPN nationally. Also listen on ESPN Radio 710AM.

The Lakers Coming in: The trade rumors are starting to swirl again, this time linking the Lakers to Ramon Sessions from the Cavs. My two cents on Sessions as a player: he’s young, operates well in the P&R, is a pass first player, but isn’t averse to looking for his own shot should it be one that he has confidence in. His jumper is streaky at best and downright bad at its worst, creating a ceiling for how effective he could be running certain types of offenses (like the Triangle, for example).  In a way, he reminds me of an undersized Andre Miller and that’s not such a bad prototype to follow. Where Miller has an advantage is in his size and how that translates into shots for himself and others from the post, a strength he uses even as he’s closer to the end of his career than the beginning. Sessions doesn’t have that luxury, but his youth and athleticism serve him well in place of that size. All that said, Sessions be the best PG on the Lakers if he were acquired today, tomorrow, next week, etc, etc. If the Lakers can actually acquire him, he’d be good get simply because the things he does well are things this team needs and the things he doesn’t this team already lacks, so no additional harm done. Do I think a deal happens? No, I don’t. At least not yet; not until the Lakers figure out if they can get their hands on an impact player. Because until that’s clarified, I think all the Lakers’ assets remain on lock down.

The Bobcats Coming in: The ‘Cats have lost 8 in a row and 9 of 10. But those are the types of streaks that happen when a team’s only won 3 games all year. To really explain how good a team this is right now all you need to know is that the Wizards are routinely thought of as the worst team in the league due to disfunction and ill-fitting parts…but that Wiz team just knocked off the Bobcats twice in the past week.

Some of the Cats’ struggles are based off injuries. Starting PG, D.J. Augustin is hurt and he’s their best player. Corey Maggette is hurt and he (along with Augustin) is their most natural scorer. Having both these guys out goes a long way in explaining why this team has only cracked 80 points once in their past 4 games. But the main issue is that the Bobcats simply lack talent. Kemba Walker is promising rookie, but he’s a rookie. Their other lottery pick, Bismack Biyombo, is a project big man that flashes elite defensive ability but substandard offensive skills when attempting moves that don’t involve dunking while wide open. Gerald Henderson is a nice defensive player with an improving offensive game but he’d likely be a 6th – 8th man on a good team. The rest of their roster is a hodge podge of former lottery picks that haven’t panned out and fringe role players that would be the 10-12 men on most rosters.

Coach Paul Silas gets these guys to play hard, but the talent deficiency and injury issues are simply too much.

Bobcats Blogs: Queen City Hoops does a great job of giving you all the info you’d need on the ‘Cats. That said, also check out Rufus on Fire for more excellent coverage. Both are really good sites.

Keys to game: Despite the damning critique I wrote above, this game offers an interesting test case of sorts. Since the Bobcats came into the league 7 years ago as an expansion team, they’ve actually beat the Lakers 8 out of the 14 times they’ve played. That winning record represents the only series advantage this franchise has over any other team in the league. Whatever you want to credit (or blame) this record on doesn’t matter, the fact is the Lakers have struggled with this them over the years.

So, while I think this should be a win, that doesn’t really matter as history has proven the Lakers should win most of these match ups and haven’t done it.

This game, then, will go beyond the X’s and O’s. It will come down to smarts and effort. The Lakers must stick to their strengths by pounding the ball inside, attacking at every opportunity, and not settling for outside jumpers. They’re facing the 27th best D in the league and their attack should reflect that by moving the ball quickly and to their best players to take advantage this group. This will take commitment, though, and that goes back to playing smart, focused basketball. This Laker team can’t afford to be complacent because that attitude will get them beat, even by a team that no one thinks should beat them.

That focus will need to be extended to their defensive effort as well. As we’ve discussed the Lakers’ D has fallen off lately, struggling to execute their principles of contesting every shot and controlling their defensive backboards. Tonight, the Cats’ may not have a lot of talent, but they will bring a couple of sets that have burned the Lakers’ defense lately and players that fit a prototype to do damage. Kemba Walker is a speedy, attacking PG that will look for his own shot all over the floor. He will run the P&R and look to turn the corner to get into the paint and hit floaters or pull up for his jumper should his man get caught on his back. 

When Walker’s not looking for his own shot in the P&R, he can run a pick and pop with Boris Diaw who is more than comfortable stepping out beyond the three point line and hurting a defense. All season the Lakers have struggled with their rotations to a big man that can stretch the floor (think Al Harrington or Ryan Anderson) and tonight they’ll need to be better to contain this action. Diaw will shoot the long ball and if guys rotate to him out of control, he’ll put the ball on the floor and look to create for his teammates. There’s a savviness to his game that must be respected and the Lakers would be smart to do so.

The other key to the game will be controlling the backboards. The ‘Cats will start a fairly big front line with both Tyrus Thomas and Diaw joining Diop in the frontcourt. Thomas is athletic and will need to be marked consistently because he will attack the glass (think of the way that Beasley and Randolph hurt the Lakers in the T’Wolves game). Diaw will also use his wide base to create space and disrupt the Lakers’ defensive rebounding. The key for the Lakers will be to attack the ball and secure it before trying to get up court.

If the Lakers stick to their game plan and give energy, they should win this game. Lets hope they do so as a loss to this team would be a pretty big step backwards.

Where you can watch: 7:30 start time on Fox Sports. Also listen live on ESPN Radio 710AM.

The Lakers Coming in: The Lakers continued their road woes with a loss to the Bucks and with that defeat a couple of disturbing trends continued. First, they simply perform much worse on the road than at home. And while some of this has to do with opponent (Miami, Portland, Denver, Orlando, and the Clippers are some of the better teams in the league) a lot is really about player performance. Kobe, Gasol, Fisher and MWP all play at or above their home standards when away from Staples. However, Bynum and Barnes and several other bench players all see a dip on production. Yes, it’s harder to rely on role players on the road but while Barnes fits into the category, Bynum does not. Plus, both are starters and need to provide consistent production regardless of where the game is played.

Second, as mentioned in the Bucks recap, the Lakers’ defense is slipping quickly. Since the Pacers game on 1/22 the Lakers have fell from 6th to 11th in defensive efficiency. They’re allowing over a point and a half more per 100 possessions which is a pretty steep fall in only a week. They’re not rotating well to shooters, are allowing penetration much too easily, and aren’t hustling back in transition and it’s not only showing in games but statistically as well. It’s no wonder this team can’t put together wins – their offense isn’t showing enough improvement and their defense is slipping quickly. Can’t be a successful team when those two things are true.

The T’Wolves Coming in: The Wolves have won 5 of their last 7 while toppling some pretty good teams. On their hit list are the Clippers, Mavericks, and Spurs while also taking out the Pistons and Hornets (who, admittedly, aren’t anywhere near “good”). And while they’re not yet a consistent team, they are dangerous when they’re able to play their style of ball and find their rhythm.

They’re led by two of the better young players in the league in Kevin Love and rookie sensation Ricky Rubio. Love came into this season in the best shape of his life and pretty much began this year where last season left off. He’s scoring well, still grabbing rebounds at an elite level, and even added a bit of a post game to compliment his long range shooting. People are now calling him the best PF in the league – something that I’m not quite on board with due to his average defense – and with the production he’s offering it’s not that far fetched.

Rubio, meanwhile, is showing what all the hype was about when he was drafted. He’s already a floor general and makes at least one (and usually more) wow play a night either hitting a teammate with a ridiculous pass or misleading the opposition with a deceptive play that frees himself up for a shot at the rim. He’s also proven to be an above average defender, able to pressure the ball full court and disrupt half court sets by instinctively getting into passing lanes or knowing when to dig down on post players to pick up steals. Right now his stats compare favorably to a young Jason Kidd and if you’ve seen him play, it’s actually an apt comparison. He simply shows off tremendous basketball instincts and knows how to manipulate the flow of the game like only some of the best can. Obviously he has a long way to go before he’s a complete player, but he’s making an impact on the Wolves.

Also deserving credit for the success of this team is Rick Adelman. Many will remember him as the coach they wanted the Lakers to hire before Mike Brown was inked last Spring. Well, Adelman has shown why he was a coveted hire by getting this team to defend better while instilling structure on offense that was sorely lacking last season under our old pal Kurt Rambis. Adelman’s done what is seemingly impossible, he’s set them free to play an open game while also reining in a lot of their bad habits and reinforced that a team game is what’s needed to win games. So far, he’s got them lapping it up like a hungry kitten at the milk bowl and the results speak for themselves. Sure, they’re not yet a playoff team, but this franchise has been a perennial sub 20 game winner. To have already put up 9 victories in their first 19 games speaks volumes about the job Adelman is doing. (I’ll now give all of you that wanted Rick to coach the Lakers a second compose yourself so you can finish the preview.)

T’Wolves Blogs: Go read A Wolf Among Wolves for great insight and analysis, as well as some great writing. It’s an excellent site.

Keys to game: I expect the Wolves to have watched last night’s Lakers/Bucks tape and come to some simple conclusions. First is that the Lakers struggled with ball pressure so he’ll enlist his guards and big men to pressure the ball anytime the Lakers hold it in order to set up an offensive action. Second, the Lakers looked old and tired last night and considering Kobe played 42 minutes, Pau played 39, and Bynum played 36, attacking them in transition and running them ragged with P&R’s and quick passes should be their strategy on defense.

Should both these things prove to be the case, the Lakers will need to be better than they were last night in recognizing the ball pressure and attacking quicker rather than clutching the ball waiting for an action to develop. Too many times last night Pau (or Murphy or McRoberts) got caught holding the ball up high looking for a cutter to break free curling around a screen all while a Buck harassed them and made the eventual pass too difficult. However, when Pau simply put his head down and attacked the rim off the dribble without waiting for a play to develop, good things happened. The Lakers need more of that and less waiting.

And this goes for all the Lakers, not just Pau or the big at the high post. Kobe needs to start attacking faster as well. All too often he too will stand at the elbow, jab stepping away and burning precious seconds off the shot clock. And while his triple threat is a dangerous part of his arsenal, he needs to make his moves faster so he’s not taking contested jumpers with under 5 seconds on the shot clock so frequently. As for the other Lakers, they need to make quicker decisions on where they’re going with the ball and then move after they pass. Right now guys are just standing around, literally in the same place for 10 seconds on a possession. Getting a bit more movement, even if it’s just sliding up and down the sideline into open space would do a lot for a team that is just too stagnant lately.

Defensively, the Lakers will get no reprieve from seeing a steady diet of P&R’s. Both Rubio and Ridnour run this action well and both will attack relentlessly when handling the ball, though in different ways. Ridnour will turn the corner and either shoot the open jumper or get into the lane where he’ll either finish or look to a shooter spacing in the corner or kick the ball out to the popping big man (usually Love) after the screen was set. So, the Lakers must treat Ridnour like a scorer and aggressively hedge on him to make him pull his dribble back and either give up the ball or reset the offense. Rubio, though, will attack via the pass using his size and instincts to throw skip passes over the top of rotating defenders and hitting his shooters in either corner. After making that pass, he’ll fake that pass and hit the roll man for an easy lay in. After that, he’ll act like he’s passing and then turn the corner and get a lay in for himself. Again, he’s savvy beyond his years and the Lakers will need to adjust. My suggestion would be giving Rubio the Rondo treatment by going under screens and making him either shoot his own jumper or make passes into crowded spaces because the defense isn’t forced to rotate. This approach makes even more sense if Kobe is guarding him.

Let’s forget strategy for a second, though. Against the Clippers I asked that the team simply play harder and ultimately that happened with a win ensuing. I asked for the same thing against the Bucks, it did not happen and a loss resulted. Tonight, I ask for the same and we’ll see what happens but what’s become clear is that the Lakers need to be an effort team if they’re to win games. They can no longer out-talent the opposition, coasting for long stretches and still expect to win. Those days are over. If they come out and play hard, they can win this game. Even if they don’t execute great, make mistakes, or have their sets fall apart. If they don’t play hard, though, they have no chance. The choice is theirs.

Where you can watch: 4:00 start time on KCAL. Also listen on ESPN Radio 710am.

The Lakers Coming in: The Lakers may be coming off a big win but the question is if they know how to keep that momentum going. The key to the last game was a balanced Laker attack in which Pau Gasol’s aggressive play was the fulcrum. When Pau attacks off the dribble, finds a way to the post, and doesn’t settle for his jumper on two out of every three possessions, the Lakers are a better team. The rest of the team can play off of him because he’s still their best non-Kobe facilitator of offense which also means that Kobe can work off Gasol to get easier shots for himself.

Also key, though, is playing with energy. The Lakers had two days off before that Clipper game and have had another two days off before tonight’s contest (though they did travel yesterday). That rest (and subsequent practice time) led to fresher legs and more consistent, determined effort. It showed on defense and it showed in how they moved around the court on offense. It also seemed to help their outside shooting (especially Fisher’s) as they had more lift on their J’s which led to a better success rate. Throw in a little bench help and voila, a formula for winning games is spawned. Here’s hoping they can keep it going tonight.

The Bucks Coming in: The Bucks have won three of their last five games and sit right outside the playoffs in the East. After their run two years ago where “Fear the Deer” was a common phrase all over the internet but a disappointing follow up last season, this team was hoping to get back to their winning ways this campaign.

But so far, they’ve been very up and down. A shake up to their roster – they traded Corey Maggette for Stephen Jackson and John Salmons for Beno Udrih – has taken time to come together as Jackson (a noted malcontent when things don’t line up for him the way he’d like) at first complained about his contract and then a move to the bench. Injuries have also greatly affected the Bucks, first to their combo forward and defensive stopper Mbah a Moute and more recently – and more importantly – to Andrew Bogut.

The injury to Bogut is huge and for obvious reasons. First because he’s a fantastic defensive big man that plays the pick and roll well, protects the paint, and can control the defensive glass. And while his offense has been wanting since his horrid elbow injury two years ago, he’d been making strides this year, showing a willingness to attack more using that bad arm. Now though, with a fractured ankle and questionable return this season, the Bucks miss all that he brings to the table while also pushing players up their depth chart that are ill-fit to replace what Bogut provides.

Not all is awful for this team, though. Brandon Jennings has taken a big step forward from his first two seasons, improving his efficiency on offense by finishing better at the rim and consistently hitting his mid range jumper. Jackson, after the aforementioned issues, has found that a reserve role isn’t so bad – especially when he’s closing games out as a compliment to Jennings on the wing. Shaun Livingston has also, finally, found a role with a team as a secondary ball handler and playmaker that allows Jennings to work off the ball in some of their half court sets.

How this will all come together with Bogut out remains to be seen. They’re a fringe playoff team at best but do have a scrappy coach that will surely find ways to compensate on the defensive side of the ball. Whether they can score enough points – long a problem for this team – will likely decide if they see the second season or not.

Bucks Blogs: Buckstetball provides very good insight and analysis on this team. Check them out.

Keys to game: With Bogut out, the game plan couldn’t be simpler on offense – attack the interior. Drew Gooden (who did come into the season in very good shape) will likely get the nod in the pivot and will have to contend with Andrew Bynum. Gasol, meanwhile, will likely see a heavy dose of the Bucks’ best defender (Mbah a Moute) but the Spaniard still has an advantage with his height and length. L.A.’s bigs should get a heavy dose of the ball throughout the game to make the Bucks either double team or give up shots in the paint. If they do see the 2nd defender, the Lakers must take advantage by hitting some shots but they must also look to move the ball quickly and change sides of the floor so they can get the ball back into the paint via penetration or another post up on the weak side so they’re not so reliant on hitting jumpers to make the Bucks pay. To accomplish this though, the Lakers must get into their offensive sets quickly so that they have time to move the ball in and out of the post. It’s hard to work the ball around if a set isn’t initiated until there’s under 15 seconds on the shot clock.

Defensively, the Lakers must make their size advantage a strength and not a liability. The Bucks will run a variety of small ball lineups out on the floor and the Lakers must make that group attack the teeth of the defense and finish over their size. The outstretched arms of Pau and Bynum can make the Buck’s lives hard, but the Lakers’ perimeter D must force them into spots on the floor where the bigs can affect those shots. If the Lakers’ rotations are late or they don’t contest outside jumpers with the tenacity that’s needed, open jumpers will result and Jackson, Jennings, Ilyasova, Delfino, Dunleavy, and rookie Jon Leuer can hit those shots. So, the Lakers must close out hard, make these guys put the ball on the floor and funnel them to their help where shots can be better contested and altered. If the Lakers can then close down the lane on the weak side and rebound, they’ll be able to control this game on that side of the floor.

The individual match up that will need the most attention is Jennings against the Lakers’ PG’s. As mentioned earlier, the Compton native is having his best season as a pro by breaking his man down off the dribble and using the P&R to get into the lane to finish. He’s doing a lot of damage 15 feet and in so the Lakers must be quick to react to him and close down his space once he’s below the foul line. If the Lakers can keep him to his right hand and make him take long two pointers off the dribble, that’s their best bet for success but that will take a team effort and for Fisher/Goudelock/Morris to play smart and show discipline when Jennings gets into attack mode.

Ultimately, this is a game the Lakers should win. The Bucks are missing their best big man and also played last night in Chicago. Meanwhile the Lakers have been in Milwaukee since yesterday afternoon and haven’t played since Wednesday. L.A. should be rested and be looking to carry their momentum from the Clipper game over to this contest. That said, the Lakers have been horrid on the road and will need some role players to play well which is always a dicey proposition on the road. The Bucks have given the Lakers problems for the past several seasons and if the Lakers think that this will be a walk, they’ll be wrong. They must keep their energy high and play smart basketball. In a season like this, there are no nights off. Here’s hoping the Lakers understand that tonight.

Where you can watch: 5:30 start time on KCAL. Also listen on ESPN Radio 710am.

The Lakers Coming in: Three losses in a row, players (or at least one player in particular) talking about his role, poor production from guards not named Kobe….anything else? Oh yeah, an offense that’s more miss than hit and a defense that’s regressed some since the start of the year. That about does it right?

The good thing in all of this is that the Lakers have finally been able to breathe from a schedule perspective. They had two days off (without travel) for this first time this season in between Sunday’s Pacers game and tonight’s match up. That’s allowed them to have their first(!) practice with contact since the pre-season. Meaning, they’ve been able to actually scrimmage, test out schematic changes in a full speed environment, and basically been able to try and diagnose issues in ways other than watching film or by walking through the motions. I don’t necessarily expect this to produce instant results but I do think it will help. Remember, during pre-season all the talk from Laker camp was about the “spirited” practices and the attention to detail on the defensive side of the ball and out of the gate, that showed. It showed in how hard the team was playing and in how much fight they had. Those are two things that have been somewhat absent lately. If the Lakers are going to get anywhere this year, those are things that need to come back.

The Clippers Coming in: The Clippers have one five of their last seven games, though only two of their last four. Most of their recent struggles (if you even want to call it that) has had to do with Chris Paul missing the past 5 contests with a strained hamstring he sustained the last time these two teams met.

With Paul out, leading the offense has fallen into the hands of Chaunce Billups who’s been a bit up and down. He’s hit some big shots – in the Minnesota game he hit what would have been a shot that sent the game to overtime had Kevin Love not hit his own buzzer beater - but overall his shooting has been below average and his decision making has been questionable in terms of his own shot selection. It’s difficult to question Chauncey’s leadership as he’s been a steadying presence for them, but his play has been erratic.

Mitigating that somewhat has been Mo Williams’ hot streak (he’s scored at leat 25 point in his last 3 games). Mo’s been hitting his jumper, penetrating to create shots for himself and his teammates, and basically, playing top flight basketball. If he can keep playing up this level (even without scoring as much) he’ll insert his name into the 6th man of the year race. Really, he’s been that good.

Clippers Blogs: Clipper Blog is, and has long been, one of the best team sites out there. Give them a read.

Keys to game: Forget for a second that the Lakers are playing the Clippers. Forget for a moment too, that the Clippers are having a resurgent year and that this game has importance both in terms an inter-city battle and in regards to division and conference placement. Forget too how the Chris Paul trade/veto impacted both teams and the fallout that’s ensued.

Even when you forget those things, this is a big game for the Lakers.

As mentioned they’ve lost three in a row and losing another, though not huge in the large scheme, has practical implications and psychological ones. The Lakers aren’t a team that lacks confidence per se, but they do look like a team that’s a bit unsure of itself. They look like they know where they want to go but aren’t quite sure how to get there. A win tonight can steady that ship some. And then when you remember the things I told you to forget a paragraph ago, the added meaning is there too.

Getting the W, though, requires a clean, sharp game from the Lakers. The Clippers are one of the best teams at limiting turnovers and using those extra possessions to score efficiently so the Lakers can’t give them extra possessions via their own miscues. So, the Lakers must not give the ball away via turnovers and must also protect their defensive glass for the same reasons. In the last match up the Lakers surrendered 17 offensive rebounds, many because the guards didn’t close down the FT line or because the bigs were reacting with flat feet. That must improve tonight.

Also key will be defending the P&R and subsequently the three point line. I expect Chris Paul to play tonight and I expect him to be up to his usual standard. That means a ton of pick and roll actions and him working the seams of the Laker D to create shots for himself, but especially his teammates behind the arc.

As mentioned earlier, Billups has not been shooting that well lately but when taken off the ball and allowed to be a spot up shooter he can be deadly. The Lakers must execute their P&R defense crisply and also mix up their coverages to give Paul different looks. I’m hopeful that the Lakers choose, at times, to go under screens to disrupt this action. Paul loves it when a big man hedges because that allows him to string out his dribble and make the big man switch onto him and then he can go to work off the bounce and create any type of shot he wants for himself while also compromising the defense and setting up his mates. The Lakers must not allow Paul to run wild against their big men and going under screens to make him either shoot long jumpers himself is a strategy that could work.

Besides keeping Paul out of the paint, the Lakers must do the same to Blake Griffin. The Lakers have done a good job of making Griffin a jumpshooter in recent games, but Blake is also doing a lot more work off the dribble to try to get to the rim so his defender (mostly Gasol) will need to make sure he keeps Griffin in front of him while still sagging off enough to temp the jumpshot.

Offensively, the Lakers have actually been moving the ball well and hitting the open man in recent games but just haven’t gotten shots to fall. I could go on and on about things I’d like to see improve on this side of the ball (Pau getting more post up chances, Kobe going to the basket more instead of settling for jumpers, Bynum finishing the bunnies he has close to the rim) but in the end, the Lakers role players simply need to make more shots. Fisher, Barnes, Murphy, Kapono, MWP, everyone. Because I don’t care what type of schemes are drawn up, if the only people able to hit a jumper are Pau and Kobe, we’ll continue to see the same offensive issues pop up.

Where you can watch: 7:30 start time on Fox Sports West and NBA TV. Also listen live on ESPN Radio 710AM.

J.M. Poulard, Forum Blue & Gold: With three losses in a row, the Los Angeles Lakers (10-8) do not at this point in time look like a championship caliber team. The defense has looked good for the most part but the offense has left much to be desired.

Kobe Bryant is playing extremely well for the Lakers but not all of his teammates have been able to follow suit as evidenced by losses in Miami and Orlando. In addition, the home loss at the hands of the Pacers last Sunday have people wondering how the Lakers can improve their play late in ball games when teams force the ball out of the hands of Kobe. Indeed, against the Dallas Mavericks, Bryant was able to find Fisher for an open 3-pointer, but for the most part the late game execution has been subpar at best for the Lakers.

This is relevant when discussing the Clippers because the last time they played the Lakers, they were all witnesses to the Kobe Bryant show, as the star guard lit up the Clips defense for 21 points in the third quarter and also made numerous big shots in the fourth. Once Vinny Del Negro ordered the double team off of Darius Morris, the Lakers star became a little hesitant with the ball and had trouble trusting his open teammates (*cough* Daris Morris *cough*). Ever since that game, it seems teams have been far more willing to throw extra attention on Kobe coming off screens, especially late in games.

What’s the temperature check for the Clippers going into this matchup?

Breene Murphy, Clipperblog: If we’re talking temperature check, the first name we have to mention for the Clippers is Mo Williams. After sitting out three games, Mo has averaged 25.3 points in his last three games, shooting an absurd 64 percent from the field. He’s been en fuego for sure, and it’s buoyed a Clippers team that shouldn’t be as desperate for guard play with Chauncey Billups also there to help the Paul-less Clips.

However, Paul is allegedly scheduled to play against the Lakers, so the big question will be how Mo reacts to the return of Paul, and if that will lead to the same success the Clippers have seen against the Lakers this year.

Based on Paul’s play against the Lakers this year and last year in the playoffs, how’re you feeling about him with a better cast than in the past?

J.M. Poulard: On Christmas day, I predicted that the Clippers would finish with one of the four best records in the Western Conference and that’s a testament to Paul’s talent. CP3 is an exquisite ball handler, good finisher and highlight reel waiting to happen with his passing; but his true value comes in his leadership and late game execution.

When players start jogging up and down the court on defense, Paul is usually the first one out there yelling at them to get back on defense, and his mastery of the offense is a thing of beauty, especially for a team that has had more than their fair share of issues closing out games. Paul brings terrific decision-making as well as a levelheaded player to stir the ship when all of the crewmembers are ready to dive into the water. I’m pretty sure I just said that the former Demon Deacon is the second coming of captain Jack Sparrow.

After seeing Kobe Bryant take on the Clippers, what’s your take on his play this season?

Breene Murphy: I really hope that CP3′s leadership turns the Clippers lackluster defense around, because so far, they’ve been a real disappointment on that end. And what’s somewhat disconcerting is that I don’t think that they have the personnel to be above average even with CP3 barking at them, or VDN finally connecting with them. The biggest struggle seems to be at the wing, where Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler don’t have the necessary athletic gifts at this point in the career to be good defenders.

So, Kobe, yeah, he’ll be tough for the Clippers to guard, especially considering his resurgence. Count me in the group that thinks Kobe needs to spread the ball around (36.0 usage rate?), especially with the quality of bigs on the team. Pau and Bynum? That’s formidable.

Speaking of Pau, he was so productive for so long, it’s hard to imagine that he’s just fell off so quickly. Last year, I’d say that he was the most effective defensive force on Blake Griffin this side of Tyson Chandler, making him a fulcrum player against the Clips.  Was it related to the failed trade? The playoff performance? How do you feel about the PF matchup this year?

J.M. Poulard: Honestly, with the way Pau has played this year, one would be inclined to believe that Blake would win the PF matchup; but through two preseason games and one regular season meeting; Griffin has been pretty average by his standards when playing against the Spaniard. Blake has looked to show off his handles against the Lakers as opposed to rolling hard to the basket and posting up with some aggression.

Consequently, the Clippers should have the advantage at the four spot, but in truth it seems to be just about even given Blake’s struggles against the Lakers.

Breene, normally I’d ask you to pick a winner here; but we’ll do this a bit differently. If the Lakers lose this game, do you think the roster remains intact going into this weekend?

Breene Murphy: Maybe I’m wrong, but Kupchak hasn’t struck me as a reactionary GM, barring the Lamar Odom trade (which wouldn’t have happened had it not been for Stern’s rejection of the CP3 trade). So I’ll say no. I believe that Kupchak’s forever working on the best possible trade, while remaining smart enough to know that teams simply go through slumps. 4-game losing streaks give a perception of panic. A team that panics is a team with less leverage, and trading with less leverage typically doesn’t work out well.

J.M. Poulard: At this point in the season, the Lakers face more serious questions about their roster than the Clippers and that makes the Battle of Los Angeles all that more intriguing. Mind you the Lakers’ core has sipped championship champagne while the Clippers’ has yet to make the playoffs.

None of that will matter tonight when both teams take the court at Staples and try to earn themselves a victory in what promises to be a playoff-like atmosphere. I’ll take the home team tonight.

Breene, thanks again.

The Lakers Coming in: Losers of two straight – in blowout fashion to pour salt in the wounds – the Lakers look disorganized and a bit beat down. This team clearly hasn’t discovered what they’ll be on offense from night to night and that lack of identity has seemingly carried over to the defensive side of the ball where their principles aren’t being executed and their rebounding has not been up to par.

Their legs also look worn down. A lot of that can be attributed to the suspect depth on the roster but plenty of blame must also go to Mike Brown’s insistence on playing his main players heavy minutes in games that aren’t truly in reach or competitive. We saw it at the end of the Miami game and again versus Orlando. In neither game did the Lakers ever truly threaten in the final 6 minutes but in both games the starters saw the final buzzer from the court rather than the bench. Even when considering the lack of a viable backup shooting guard on the roster, there was no reason for Kobe to play 95 minutes in games the Lakers lost by double figures, especially when earlier this week Mike Brown spoke of needing to cut Kobe’s minutes in the wake of him now playing 38 of them a night. How that heavy load, not just for Kobe but for Pau (and, to a lesser extent, Bynum) carries over into tonight remains to be seen.

The Pacers Coming in: In J.M.’s conversation with Jared Wade, we learned a fair amount about this team. I suggest you give that a read to get an insider’s perspective into this team.

As for my thoughts, the Pacers offer an intriguing mix of young players coming into their own and veteran players that have been around the block a few times and know what it takes to win in this league. Collison, George, Hill, Hibbert, and Hansbrough give this team a nice core of up and coming players that can be the future of this franchise. When you combine them with Granger (who’s been a bit up and down but seems to be settling in) and David West (who was a great pick up), you have a couple of veterans that can be a strong presence in the locker room to help guide this team. With Frank Vogel getting this team to play hard on defense while utilizing a solid bench that can hold its own against most 2nd units around the league, this team is dangerous on any given night and a threat to make the 2nd round of the playoffs should the match ups break their way.

Moving away from the personnel for a moment, one storyline that interests me is the return of Brian Shaw who caught on as an assistant coach with the Pacers this summer. Shaw was a player favorite and, at least for me, the ideal candidate to take over as head coach when Phil Jackson retired. I won’t cry over spilled milk that the team went in another direction but with the Lakers floundering on offense, Shaw’s return on the opposite bench is somewhat of a bitter-bitter moment for many fans (and potentially some players too).

Pacers Blogs: The analysis at 8 Points 9 Seconds is top shelf and you should check them out for all your Pacers’ news.

Keys to game: The Lakers face what is essentially a carbon copy of themselves when looking at their statistical profiles. Both teams pair a tough defense with a middling offense with each team’s front court being a key strength to the roster. The difference, however, is that the Lakers primary wing player – Kobe Bryant – is having another very strong year while Danny Granger hasn’t yet produced at the level he, and his team, is accustomed to.

And that difference may prove to be the key to this game. Kobe played a brilliant game against the Magic by scoring efficiently and at a high clip while also playing the distributor role nearly perfectly by reading the double teams being sent at him and picking out his mates with precise passes. Tonight, though, he may need to step up his scoring even more in order to give a booster shot to a Laker offense that is struggling to put points on the board. Getting Kobe into the mid post, the elbow, and running him off screens to free him coming into the paint can help get him going on offense and I hope to see more of that early to set the tone on O. He’ll have the long and aggressive Paul George checking him but Kobe can use some of that aggression against the 2nd year wing to shake loose, draw some fouls, and open up the rest of his offense.

But Kobe can’t go it alone. He’ll need his bigs to step up and this is a game where both Pau and Bynum can get it going on offense by being decisive with the ball and attacking quickly. Bynum’s facing a long and tall Hibbert but that size doesn’t come with much girth. If Bynum can get into the post early and work for deep position, Hibbert won’t be able to do much but foul or give up short hooks. That said, Bynum must do a better job of converting when he gets the ball deep – something he’s struggled with the last few games. Maybe the quick doubles he’s seeing from guards digging down is affecting his concentration on these shots but he must do better about getting his shot off quickly without rushing his shooting motion. As for Gasol, David West is not much of a defender and Pau must attack him both off the dribble and by racing up court and trying to get to the post as well. Gasol is an able jump shooter, but his strength is still working his face up game 12 feet and in or working the post from the left block where can go to the middle with his turnaround jumper and running hook or drop step to the baseline side and shoot his lefty hook. Both are good options against a player he has a height and length advantage over and I’m hopeful that even with a more aggressive Kobe, Pau looks for his own shot when he gets his touches.

As for the Lakers defense, the Pacers don’t do a lot of things well on offense but this doesn’t mean they don’t have any threats to be accounted for. Collison, though not shooting a high percentage himself, is still a threat to turn the corner in the P&R and get into the lane to do damage. Collison must also be run off the 3 point line as often as possible and forced to either shoot the long two or move the ball on to a teammate. Further more, when he works the P&R with West, the Lakers must be ready for West to pop to the elbow area and look for his mid-range jumper. The other threats are Granger on the wing and Hibbert in the post. Both players require a lot of attention but the Lakers mustn’t over commit to either players by sending double teams or over reacting by over helping. Granger has been playing well lately but the combination of Barnes and MWP should be enough to limit him as long as they play smart and make him take contested jumpers off the dribble. Hibbert, meanwhile, shows good polish in the post and can hit hooks from the block and stretch his face up jumper out to 16 feet if given the space. Of course he’s best working 10 feet and in, but the point is that he is a threat with the ball in his hands both as a scorer and a passer so both Bynum and Pau will need to be ready when they match up with him.

The other key will be bench play. The Lakers’ reserves have been playing poorly of late while the Pacers offer a group that includes George Hill (who’s a familiar face from his Spurs days) and Tyler Hansbrough. Both players work hard and will hustle for loose balls, attack the rim, and give their bench a boost. The Lakers will need to match these guys’ energy while also hitting some of the shots that they’ve not been knocking down (especially recently). Hopefully being at home (where role players typically play better) and – at least for McRoberts and Murphy – playing against their former team can inspire some solid play. The Lakers will certainly need it tonight.

Where you can watch: 6:30 start time on Fox Sports. Also listen on ESPN Radio 710AM.

J.M. Poulard, Forum Blue & Gold: Although most would not necessarily call them the frontline of the future, I am a big fan of the Pacers starting frontcourt. The combination of Roy Hibbert and David West may be a little slow in their rotations, but they get there just in time to bother their opponents’ shot attempts at the rim which translates into a 58 percent field goal shooting allowed right at the basket according to Hoopdata (fourth best mark in the league).

Thus I’m anxious to see how both Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum play against these big men; and if they are able to convert at the rim against them.

With that said, my biggest question is reserved for the offense: with a frontcourt that features Danny Granger, David West and Roy Hibbert; how come the Indiana Pacers can’t score??

Jared Wade, 8 points 9 seconds: That’s the $64,000 question. A lot of it is about stagnation. These guys need good ball movement and cutting to score and there is too often little of either. With the addition of George Hill and David West, who is just now really getting back into game shape after offseason knee surgery, and the introduction of Paul George as a bigger part of Frank Vogel’s revamped system, there is also still a feeling-things-out process going on. Guys, particularly the reserves, are trying to learn their roles and figure out how they can mesh together.

And then there’s just the fact that everybody aside from Hill — and especially Granger and West — is missing makable shots. All are way below their career norm shooting percentages around the rim. You have to think this will improve as the sample size does. This offense looks really good at times, and the starters are actually producing as a 5-man unit. It’s just when they incorporate the bench guys and start mixing and matching lineups that everything goes downhill.

J.M. Poulard: I’m glad you touched on it because so far this season Danny Granger’s shooting has baffled me. Initially I figured that he was settling for tough shots, but after watching the Pacers a few times, I liked what I saw from their offense.

Oddly enough, the Lakers run some of the same misdirection plays for Kobe Bryant that the Pacers run for Danny Granger. The idea is often to get the defense to think that the ball is going to one of the big men inside as Kobe sets a cross screen for his center, and then he gets screened by his power forward and pops out at the top of the key for either a jump shot or an isolation.

The Lakers so far have found ways to execute but have had trouble converting their shots. The Pacers seem to have the same issue but they offer enough variety for things to progressively get better during the rest of the season.

In the matchup tonight, I think the big men cancel each other out (starters and bench) and thus the wing scorers will play a huge part in this one. Darren Collison should be able to turn the corner against Fisher and get into the lane for some opportunities in the paint.

The great equalizer may be Matt Barnes getting out in transition for some easy scoring chances as well as his ability to play off Kobe to get open 3-pointers.

Ultimately though, I think the contest comes down to whether Kobe (versus George) or Granger performs better (versus Barnes and MWP).

Who do you think performs better and leads his team to victory?

Jared Wade: There are two things I was thinking about perhaps happening when I was looking at the Lakers schedule. One the one hand, I could see the Lakers really coming out aggressively and dominating Indy after back-to-back losses down in Florida. On the other hand, I could see them sort of taking the night off mentally as they are now back home after a road trip and have a rare (in this season) one game in four nights stretch here before playing another Battle of Los Angeles game on Wednesday.

In the former, seemingly more probable scenario, I can see Kobe really going nuts. Paul George has shown his defensive prowess against Derrick Rose in the playoffs and Dwayne Wade last February, but checking Mamba right now may be an even more daunting challenge. I could easily see Kobe, with his array of jab steps, shot fakes, spin moves and up-and-unders, getting George into early foul trouble and grinning at the lanky Fresno product as he walks to the bench three minutes in like “Nice try, kid.” And while George Hill is certainly familiar with #24, his size probably won’t cut it against the 2012 Kobe incarnation who backs guards down into the torture chamber. So, yeah, I’m not betting against Kobe right now.

As for Danny, Granger has now played three good games (including his two best of the year) in his last five outings. He dropped 26 on 16 shots in just 32 minutes Friday in Oakland, including 6 points in the final 4 minutes. He wasn’t missing bad shots per se earlier in the year but he was pressing and struggling to take on-balance looks in the lane. And he has just been missing a lot of open jumpers he would normally make, shooting a disastrous 26% on long twos. The Lakers wings are certainly not the easiest to exploit, but if Granger can keep trending more towards the positive and not fall back into his early-season bad habits, there’s no reason he can’t light up LA for 20-plus.

J.M. Poulard: After playing 44 minutes on the back end of a back-to-back on Friday night in Orlando, one has to think that Kobe Bryant will once again play heavy minutes tonight since the Lakers only play again on Wednesday.

This means that Pacers will see plenty of the Black Mamba tonight, and he should have a very good scoring night. Mind you, if Indiana decides to double-team Bryant and trap him coming off screens, much like the Magic and Heat did, Kobe will probably score in the early 30s but will be awfully dependent of the shot making ability of his teammates.

Nonetheless, as you mentioned, Bryant will probably put defenders in his dungeon and torture them with his array of moves. He should get several free throw attempts and will his team to victory as the Pacers fall to 1-2 on the Cali road trip.

One small note though: Indiana has brought the energy and relentlessly pounded their opponents on the glass so far this season, which may not bode well for a Lakers team that has consistently been outrebounded as of late.

When FB&G needed to talk Lakers-Pacers…

We…went…to…Jared.

Thanks again.