With that in mind, what those key organizational minds think about the roster and where it can be improved matter. So, it’s helpful when we get insight into their thought proccess, especially when it’s general manager Mitch Kupchak’s. It just so happens that Mike Trudell of Lakers.com was able to sit with Kupchak before the Lakers went on their road trip and was able to take his temperature on a variety of subjects. A few responses to Trudell’s probing caught my eye:

*In response to questions about the Lakers continuing to look at deals and if there’s something he (Kupchak) would like to accomplish before the deadline:

It’s my job to look at everything, small or big, to try and improve the team. We continue to look at everything, and if there’s something that we can do today to improve the team for this season and into the future, we’ll consider it….if there were a way for us to get a 25-year-old, All-Star, ball-handling guard we’d love to do it … but that’s not likely in February. So you look at other alternatives, and see if it’s better than what you have. That’s all.

*In response to a question about Mike Brown and his staff’s performance in what has been a very busy Lakers’ schedule so far this season:

A coach and his system is going to help, but at this level when you play 82 games, it’s about talent. If you have a lot of talent, coaching staffs are typically going to win a fair share of games. Our staff has had a tough act to follow, with Phil Jackson’s Hall of Fame, 11-championship career as a coach, but they’ve embraced the challenge. They had a shortened training camp, but there’s no question to their dedication and how hard they work. They’ve been received by the players with great enthusiasm, and I think our players want to play for them. They do a good job at practices, as well, so that’s all good. As I mentioned, there are certain areas of our roster that need to be improved, which falls on my shoulders. Having said all that, we have had a favorable home schedule that we mostly took advantage of, despite the two games (vs. Chicago and Indiana) that you could argue that we should have won, but we need to win some road games. All in all, I think we’re probably within striking distance of where many thought we would be. But we played an awful lot of games in a short period of time to start the season, and I think you can look around the league and in a week or two begin to tell how things will play out. For the first third of the season, especially for a new staff, much of the time is spent figuring out the rotation, but when we get back from this trip, we’ll be almost 30 games into the season, and we should have a better idea.

What I take from all this is pretty straight foward. Kupchak understands that this team is weak at PG while again acknowledging that getting your hands on an impact player at that position will be difficult. Furthermore, he seems to think that the players are taking to Mike Brown’s coaching well but that the roster limitations are real and that it’s his job to correct them.

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This brings us to the million dollar question: What are the Lakers going to do about it? It’s clear that the team needs to make a trade but that’s not always easy. Beyond the fact that it takes a partner to make a deal, the Lakers must decide if they want to move forward with this big three intact or if the need for an impact player at a different position will give them a better chance to win, thus facilitating a trade of one of their big three. After making that determination, they need to target who they want and try to get that player (or those players).

For what it’s worth, I think the Lakers are focusing more long term than they are on this season. The new CBA is set to hammer them financially so cutting payroll is surely a consideration. Plus, Kobe looks to be in good enough condition that he’ll play at a high level through the end of his current contract. When you add in the hiring of Mike Brown – and with him the removal of the only system several key players have known – and dropping him into a truncated season where training camp was almost non-existent and practice time will be severely limited, the balance between this year and the future seems even more tilted towards what happens next rather than now.

This isn’t to say the Lakers can’t be a contender this year. The trade of Lamar Odom – irrespective of how we all feel about it – does give the Lakers options and an additional asset (Dallas’ protected 1st round pick) to make a trade. The Lakers can absorb a contract directly into the Odom traded player exception or sweeten any deal with a draft pick to try and get a player of interest. Considering Kupchak’s comments about wanting a PG (even though he mentions a 25 year old all-star level player) is telling in that it directly acknowedges his team’s biggest weakness. It also shows a desire to better balance his team and (potentially) take some of the load off Kobe Bryant in the coming seasons. The trick is, of course, getting that player in house.

And that brings us back to that million dollar question above. The Lakers are obviously waiting for the bigger names on the market to get sorted out (Howard and, potentially Deron Williams) before they make a move. This is an approach that I agree with as I think chasing the best players in the league when they’re realistic gets is one of ways you build a championship contender in this league. When you run a storied franchise in a glamour market, I think those types of moves make even more sense. However, when does the pursuit of those players become too burdensome? And, when should those pursuits be abandoned to instead make smaller, less impactful, deals that could help the team now but may not set you up for the future as well?

These are questions the Lakers front office is facing daily and I don’t know that there’s a good answer, to be honest. In the meantime, though, we wait.

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UPDATE: Reports have been confirmed that the Lakers have released 2nd year forward Derrick Caracter. If you read the Kupchak interview in its entirety, a move like this was hinted at as February 10th loomed as the deadline day to cut unguaranteed contracts before they became fully guaranteed.

Caracter never really got a chance to play meaningfuly minutes for this team as he was part of a crowded front court rotation that up to this season included Bynum, Gasol, and Odom. His injury coming into this season also put him behind the 8 ball as he was now looking up to Pau/Drew and Murphy and McRoberts with few, if any, minutes to be had.

That said, when Caracter did get a chance to play last season he flashed a solid offensive game with good post moves and decent range on his jumper. His rebounding and defense needed work but those are things (especially the defense) that can be improved over time with more exposure to the complex schemes and multitude of responsibilities big men have as back line defenders.

Ultimately, I wish him nothing but the best and do think he will land on his feet somewhere. Some team will certainly take a chance on his talent and try to develop him into a contributing big man. But, whatever team does give him a shot will need to make sure he keeps his nose clean and stays committed to keeping his weight down. These have been issues in the past and could resurface if not monitored by the team. Good luck to him, though.

The Good:
It’d be criminal to simply gloss over Andrew Bynum’s performance. ‘Drew was, for the most part (the five turnovers are a bit ugly), sensational on Monday night, posting the second 20-20 game of his NBA career, and generally dominating the paint at both ends of the floor. ‘Drew poured in an efficient 20 points (8-of-13 FG, 4-of-6 FT) and absolutely owned the offensive glass, tallying as many offensive rebounds (8) as the entire Sixers team. He added three assists – including a beauty to Pau Gasol (who had an impressive 16 and 11, with 6 offensive boards of his own) early in the third quarter for a dunk – and swatted three shots at the defensive end. Like I said, criminal.

Well, here’s hoping it’s a misdemeanor, because as they tend to, this evening belonged to Kobe Bryant.

Needing just 23 points to surpass former running mate Shaquille O’Neal on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, it stood to reason that Monday would mark the last time (for several years, at least) that Kobe would rank outside the top-five in career scoring. That he quickly and aggressively set about amassing those 24 points should also come as no surprise. The manner in which he did it however, while hardly foreign, never ceases to be the rarest of treats for Laker basketball fans the world over.

The numbers (24 points on 8-of-14 FG and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc), while impressive, simply do not do justice to the deadly precision with which Kobe Bryant struck in the opening half of Monday night’s contest. With arguably the world’s best perimeter defender draped all over him, Kobe was, as he always is, undeterred. This was his night, in his hometown, with his continuing march toward immortality front and center, and Kobe came out throwing haymakers.

Call it what you will – Kobe doin’ work, going Mamba, going nova, one of those Kobe games – Kobe Bryant’s first half in Philly on Monday night perfectly encapsulated everything we’ve come to expect from the Lakers’ superstar – an unabashed, almost delusional sense of self-confidence made to appear sane by the brilliance of one Kobe Bean Bryant. No matter how many such performances we see – and we have been privy to a great many – it’s debatable whether we will ever truly understand the heights to which we have consistently seen the game elevated.

Congratulations, Kobe. And thanks.

The Bad:
Stop me if you’ve heard any of this before: the Lakers turned the ball over too frequently, failed to force turnovers and did not receive nearly enough help from the second unit.

Despite boasting the league’s top mark for defensive efficiency (by a considerable margin), when it comes to forcing turnovers, the Sixers are completely average, equaling the league average by forcing 14.3 turnovers every 100 possessions. Not to worry. Regardless of opposition, there is not a team that these Lakers, in a careless and lackadaisical manner that is all their own, cannot elevate to upper reaches of ball-hawkery on any given night. In this case, the Lakers turned the ball over 16 times, a majority coming in the second half, while managing a pathetic four takeaways at the defensive end, and losing the “points off of turnovers” battle by a 20-6 count.

A bad pass by Troy Murphy. An ill-advised jump pass from Kobe. Andrew Bynum’s third quarter entry into the “laziest post-up ever” sweepstakes. Each of these, along with any of 13 other giveaways, represents an opportunity missed. This is a team that has neither the depth nor the firepower to justify cavalierly frittering away a half-dozen or more possessions, game in, game out. The margin of error is simply not there.

Speaking of which, Monday night is yet another in a long line of subpar performances by the second unit. On a relative basis, Monday’s performance by the four Laker reserves that took the floor (Troy Murphy, Andrew Goudelock, Matt Barnes and Jason Kapono) was actually not that bad. What’s sad, however, is that what constitutes “not that bad” ‘round these parts lately is a 71-minute, 7-of-15, 16-point, 11-rebound, 6-assists outing. Throw in sadly characteristic 1-of-6 for four points from Metta Wrold Peace and a six-point, six-rebound outburst from Derek Fisher, and… sigh.

The Ugly:
After playing an excellent first 43:30, for the second time in three nights, the Lakers were done in by lackluster late-game execution. On the heels of his sublime first half performance, Kobe Bryant took the floor in the second half in “facilitator” mode – running the pick and roll beautifully, looking not for his own shot, but for the proper pass. This was vital in helping the team find a rhythm on the offensive end and seemingly take control of the game with 4:37 left, when Kobe found Bynum with a beautiful lob pass that the All-Star big man hammered down to stretch the advantage to seven points.

At this point, although turnover differential and hot 3-point shooting by the Sixers had prevented the Lakers from capitalizing on their best stretches of play and opening up a sizeable gap, the Lakers still appeared to be the superior team. From that point forward, however, all semblance of rhythm was taken out of the Lakers’ offense, as Kobe Bryant grew weary of his facilitator role and opted to attempt to recapture the magic of the first half – without success – slamming the brakes on the team-oriented ball with which they’d built the lead in favor of attempting seven shots in the final 4:37, of which he made just one, and putting the finishing touches on a 2-of-12 second half shooting display that undermined the near-perfect game he’d played until that point, and will be remembered for being as fruitless as his first half was brilliant.

Play(s) of the Game:
I’m guessing you don’t need to ask.

Kobe Bryant now has more regular season points than Shaquille O’Neal. This is how it came to be.

The theme from last night was the Lakers’ big three having a big game, but for the second consecutive night another theme is a bit obscured: in getting the W, the Lakers’ trio of Kobe, Pau, and Bynum played 42, 42, and 36 minutes respectively. This allotment came on the heels of Kobe (42), Pau (39), and Bynum (36) playing heavy minutes just a night earlier. By any standard, this is too many minutes for Kobe and Pau, and even for Bynum it’s a stretch to put in that heavy a load on back to back nights.

And it’s not like Mike Brown doesn’t know it, either. Earlier this month, he spoke openly about the need to reduce Kobe’s minutes. From ESPN Los Angeles’ story on 1/18:

“I hope so,” said Brown on Tuesday at practice when asked about the possibility (of reducing Kobe’s minutes). “I was shooting for 35 minutes (against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday), but there are gonna be times, especially in games like that, that I think we’ll have a chance to win, where that 35 may go to 36, 37 and hopefully no more than that. I wanted to keep it at 35, but I didn’t do a good job with it. “But I do want to get it down, because he’s played a ton of minutes too early.”

After that story was published two weeks ago, the Lakers have played six games. Kobe’s minutes in those contests have been: 41, 44, 36, 39, 42, and 42. Funny, but those totals show movement in the opposite direction than I thought was wanted. It’s to the point that Kobe’s now 2nd in the league in minutes per game right behind Kevin Love and right ahead of Monta Ellis, Luol Deng, Marc Gasol, and LeBron James. As they say on Sesame Street, one of those things is not like the other with the 33 year old, forty thousand career minutes played player sticking out like a sore thumb.

This isn’t an issue that applies only to Kobe, though. Above I mentioned the top 6 players in minutes per game but the guy who’s sitting at 7th is none other than Pau Gasol. His last 6 games show a similar trend in minutes played: 37, 41, 36, 41, 39, and 42. Again, not the ideal trend for a guy who obviously wore down last season and has played a ton of basketball in the past 4 years. (Remember, even though the Lakers got an early vacation last season, Pau still wore his national colors in EuroBasket in leading Spain to a gold medal in that tourney. So even when he got extended rest, he still put in high level, on court work this summer.)

At some point, Mike Brown is going to have to figure out a way to reduce these players minutes. I know the Lakers are fighting for every win and the way the roster is constructed doesn’t provide easy answers in the form of capable alternatives. That said, what needs to be done, needs to be done.

Over at TrueHoop there’s a story about the Spurs falling to the Mavs last night in an overtime game in which neither Tony Parker nor Tim Duncan played in the last 20 minutes of the game. A key passage on Coach Popovich’s approach:

In a schedule-condensed season when fatigue built up over weeks is playing havoc with players all over the league (did you see how tired Blake Griffin got at the end of the Clippers’ win over the Nuggets?) Popovich didn’t play any starter more than 28 minutes. DeJuan Blair, Tony Parker, Tim Duncan … most of the Spurs’ regulars have long-term health concerns. This is one more night none of them got injured. It’s also a little like, say, being a diligent saver. Every time you put money in the bank, you seem like a bit of a spoilsport. People fixate on what you didn’t get to do with that money. But when that rainy day comes, and you’re sitting on all that cash, then you’re the most fun guy in town. The rainy day, for the Spurs, is the playoffs. 

The Lakers’ big guns are not a cell phone plan with with unlimited or roll-over minutes not used last year being applied to this one. Mike Brown needs to find a way to cut back. Because even if the Lakers get the playoff seed they seek, will it matter if they don’t have the legs to play those extra 20 games they’d need to in order to get where they actually want to go? This is the question Mike Brown needs to ask and answer for himself.

Andrew Goudelock got burn at point guard and gave the Lakers an offensive spark to a group of reserves that sorely needs that punch. Mike Brown put the ball in the rookie’s hands and set him loose to play a game that looked very similar to the one he played in college. He attacked off the bounce, got into the lane to shoot his floater, and bombed away from distance when he had the space to do so. Playing this style obviously gave the rook a comfort level and it showed in his production and in his body language. He looked like he knew what he wanted to do and, more importantly, how he would do it.

It helped that Goudelock got to do this against defenders his size and from spots on the floor that suit him best. It also helped that he was paired more with Kobe rather than backing him up. Playing with Bean meant that rather than working from the wing, Goudelock got to do a lot of work from the top of the key where he could use his handle to go in either direction and attack the paint. And playing PG meant that he was often guarded by defenders that better matched his physical profile rather than the longer, more athletic shooting guards that could more easily contest his jumper or sag off him to deny his driving lanes.

Interestingly enough, the role that Goudelock played last night very much reminded me of the role that Mike Brown gave Daniel Gibson in Cleveland. Gibson was (and still is) limited as a PG, but his skill set – a dead eye shooter – fit in well with the LeBron-centric offensive attack that Brown wanted to run with the Cavs. The ball would get to LeBron early and often and Gibson would spot up around the arc or move into open spaces around the perimeter while James went to work breaking down the D from top of the key and the wing. Gibson would serve as an outlet for LeBron’s playmaking, hitting the open jumpers provided by a collapsing defense. Gibson proved to be an able contributor by his second season putting up 10 points a game in a year that Cleveland made a conference finals run.

Goudelock is a different player than Gibson however, and last night (at least) was asked to do more. Because Kobe is still working off the ball a lot, Goudelock had to initiate the offense more. He had to try and organize the Lakers sets while also doing more to create shots than Gibson ever had to when paired with James. He had his ups and downs as an organizer – on a couple of possessions he looked unsure of where the ball should go first or what play he wanted to run – but he proved (mostly) capable. We’ll see if it continues.

Ultimately, I find it hard to believe that Brown will rely on a rookie for any significant contributions, but he did seem to find a role that Goudelock can perform or at least be comfortable in. In College, Goudelock was a Jimmer-lite type of player that carried a tremendous amount of responsibility on offense as a shot taker and creator. In the pros that load will be lessened but it looks like he has the chops to do it, if he’s paired with the right personnel and put in a position to succeed.

That likely means playing PG and being paired with Kobe rather than backing him up. It also means playing with at least one of the Lakers’ starting big men to take even more scoring burden off of him while still allowing him to do the things he does best. Mike Brown has been searching for a rotation for nearly 20 games this season and it’s obvious he’s still tinkering (see last night’s SF minute distribution for an example). But, at least while Blake is out, it looks like Brown may have found a back up PG that can do more things offensively than Darius Morris. And for a team that desperately needs some scoring off its bench, it could prove to be fruitful discovery. This doesn’t solve the back up SG issues or cut Kobe’s minutes, but those are ongoing issues that Goudelock wasn’t solving anyway.

And while my expectations are tempered, it was definitely nice to see the rook have some success in a role that seemed to fit him.

Watching this de-evolution on offense has led me to watching this side of the ball closely for the past several games. I’ve wanted to get a better idea as to what is going on with this team and why they’re struggling to score points. I’ve seen some good and plenty of bad and below are my notes on what can only be called a floundering Laker offense:

Some Positives:

*From a collective perspective, the Lakers prove to be a very good passing team. They regularly hit the open man (yes, even Kobe) and generally deal with double teams very well (Bynum is the least effective in this area but over the course of the season he’s improved). The Pacers game was a perfect example of this as nearly every time Kobe or Pau caught the ball below the foul line a second defender was sent their way. Both players handled this pressure masterfully by making the correct reads and either making simple kickouts to the same side wing or making more complex skip passes to a wing spotting up or drop off passes to a diving teammate filling in the vacated paint.

It’s not only Pau and Kobe that pass well, however. McRoberts has shown he has above average feel for a big man and often makes good reads from the top of the key by making excellent high/low passes to his front court partner or to Kobe when they’re posting up. Fisher has also shown good feel for making timely post entry passes and made more than a few eye popping passes out of the pick and roll. MWP makes good reads from out of the post and has been an effective passer and shot creator for teammates when teams send a second defender at him on the block.

All of this bears out in the Lakers assist percentage (the % of baskets assisted) of 61.7%, which ranks 4th in the NBA. This team looks for each other and uses the motions of the offense to help each other get open.

*The Lakers sets, for all the hand wringing that occurs, are actually solid by design and try to take advantage of the strengths of the players on the roster. Kobe is one the hardest off the ball workers in the league and this offense uses countless screen actions – set by and for him – to get him open coming to spots on the floor where he can do damage. The Lakers are also setting more screens for their big men to come across the lane to get the ball in the post with good position.

A set that looks to be one of the Lakers bread and butter actions is Kobe setting up on the wing, then cutting across the paint to set a cross screen on one of his bigs, and then using a down screen from the other big man to pop up to the top of the key. This action allows the Lakers to play to two of their strengths in a single set by getting a big man coming across the lane for a post up while also attempting to free Kobe coming to the top of the key to make a catch where he can easily get to either elbow for his pull up jumper (a pet shot of his). Setting up Kobe – still this team’s most prolific scorer – in spots where he can do damage is a major key to success.

*I mentioned the Lakers generally dealing with double teams well and it must also be acknowledged that being able to force double teams is a key to any productive offense. On countless possessions Kobe and Bynum force a double team simply by making a catch and Gasol also sees double teams when he’s working the deep low block. By forcing double teams the Laker are generating open looks for players all over the floor – shots that aren’t falling enough – but open shots nonetheless. Some of these doubles are based off the fact that guys like Fisher, Barnes, and McRoberts aren’t making defenses pay by hitting shots but committing multiple defenders is also due to the effectiveness of these specific Lakers when they possess the ball. Again, forcing defenses to shift or commit additional resources to slowing specific players speaks to the Lakers offense doing things right; it speaks to their best offensive weapons getting the ball in dangerous areas of the floor and showing the ability of these guys to hurt the defense when single covered.

The Negatives:

*The lack of capable shooters is truly hurting this team. As mentioned earlier the Lakers are last in the league in 3 point shooting and this ineptitude in hitting the long ball has a domino effect on how good the offense can be. Kobe, Pau, and Bynum often deal with guards digging down in their lap and the paint is more congested than it’s ever been.

On too many possessions the Lakers see a half court defense with nearly every defender having one foot in the paint. The positioning of these defenders cuts off passing angles and denies driving lanes. We often lament the big men not getting enough touches in the post but what’s clear from watching the Lakers’ sets is that guards are tentative in making post entry passes when they have defenders sagging off and threatening a deflection or outright steal. Even when the ball is effectively entered into the post the 2nd defender is there to disrupt a move by digging down and it’s either making post players rush to get their shot off (Bynum does this most) or get rid of the ball to a less threatening teammate.

*The spacing issues collectively hurt the team in the types of shots they get as well. Statistically speaking, the most efficient shots in the league are at the rim and behind the three point arc. The Lakers though, as a team, take the 2nd fewest shots at the rim and are 20th in 3 point FG attempts. Meanwhile, they take the 5th most shots from 10-15 feet and 9th most from 16-23 feet. And while the Lakers rank 1st in FG% from 16-23 feet, they’re still only shooting 43% from that range and most of that is because of Kobe’s shooting a very good 46% from that distance.

Meanwhile, the Lakers shoot nearly 67% at the rim as a team (5th in the league) but can’t get enough shots from that range to truly impact the game positively. When you combine that with the low volume of 3′s taken and horrid percentage made, the Lakers are living off the most inefficient shots available from night to night. And while I get it’s a bit of a contradiction to complain about both bad shooting AND low shot volume from deep, it’s really more about the Lakers not being able to capitalize on a type of shot that makes a difference in today’s NBA. Against the Pacers the Lakers were -24 points from behind the arc. I don’t care how good you are inside or how much Kobe goes off, winning with that type of discrepancy is nearly impossible.

*The Lakers have an identity crisis on offense as well. Coming into the season Mike Brown spoke of a twin tower offense in the mold of the early 2000′s Spurs that would also try to maximize Kobe’s effectiveness by getting him into his spots. That was a nice sound bite but it’s proven difficult to actually achieve.

Mike Brown is running some of those Spurs sets by having the first big man down the floor set up in the post with the second big man acting as the trail man that is an outlet for ball reversals (every time you see Bynum or Gasol sitting at the top of key waiting for a pass to swing the ball, this is the reason). However, this type of set up means that when the Lakers actually get into their sets they’re actually running a lot of Kobe-centric actions that require that big man to stay high while the other big man floats around the low block setting screens for (what can be up to) the first half of the 24 second clock.

So, the Lakers aren’t really running a lot of twin tower actions, but rather a lot of 4-out-1-in actions that leaves a big man 20 feet from the basket. This creates an unevenness to the Lakers sets that leads to one of their best players in a position where he’s less a threat. And mostly that player is Pau Gasol.

This season Pau is taking over a shot less at the rim and from 3-9 feet while taking over a full shot more from 16-23 feet a contest. Pau has, in other words, become another floor spacer for Kobe and Bynum to do work in the mid and low post but his game is suffering for it. Sure, Pau’s still very effective as a passer from that spot on the floor and his improved jumper means that he can threaten the defense from that distance. But Pau’s still one of the elite post players in this league (per mySynergySports he’s 6th in the NBA posting 1.06 points per play from the post) but simply isn’t getting the same number of chances on the block as his percentage of total plays from the post has gone down from 39% last year to 32% this season. Meanwhile the percentage of plays as a spot up shooter has gone up 5%, showing that he’s effectively trading post up chances for spot up jumpers.

*Pau’s usage reflects a bigger issue, however. The Lakers big three are all most effective working 18 feet and in, and primarily working in the mid and low post. But there simply isn’t enough space down there for all of them to thrive. Last season one of the big themes around the NBA was how the Heat would deal with their two best players (LeBron and Wade) having such overlapping skill sets. What we saw was that often one of them was relegated to being a decoy off the ball or, worse yet, standing in the corner while the other went to work with the ball. Well, this season, the Lakers are facing a similar issue but it involves their entire big three. Sure, Kobe is a perimeter player and can more easily adjust his game to work from the wing and/or other spots on the floor. He can also be used off the ball and brought into different spots easily because of his ability to cut and dash into open space. But the Laker bigs aren’t those types of players and figuring out a way to get them into their preferred spots on the floor while working Kobe into the offense remains an issue.

*One way to diversify the Lakers’ attack is to run more P&R but this too poses some issues. Kobe is the only natural P&R ball handler on the roster but possesses a bad wrist and mangled fingers from past injuries that have impacted his ball handling. He’s still able to create shots for himself as a ball handler in this action but he can be turnover prone when trapped turning the corner. If the Lakers try to run this action with the currently healthy players on their roster (MWP, Fisher, Darius Morris) the play gets gummed up because those guys aren’t respected as shooters. In any event, I’d like to see more of this action simply because the Lakers are only getting 9% of their offense from the P&R (per mySynergySports). But, it still must be run judiciously unless the team wants to see their turnover rate spike.

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Some improvement can come from more comfort level with their sets. Some can also come from Mike Brown further tweaking his lineups to better match personnel that fits together. A couple of suggestions are shortening the minutes that Pau and Bynum play together. Brown can then match Murphy with Bynum as the former can provide the floor spacing for the latter and then match McRoberts with Pau to give Gasol a more active and slashing big man to take advantage of his passing skills. This type of move would also free up the post for both the bigs more often and allow them to play to their strengths on more possessions, and thus improve the Lakers’ sets.

This is only one idea but there are surely more to be explored. Ultimately though, the Lakers have the tools to be a good offensive team but their limitations and ability to make a defense pay with the current personnel are real. In the last six quarters we’ve seen better spacing to go along with improved ball movement but until the open shots start to fall this team will only be average on that side of the ball. Which, to say the least, is disconcerting.

J.M. Poulard, Forum Blue & Gold: Eddy, your Orlando Magic seem to be on a tear right now and yet your superstar has made it clear that he has no interest in remaining with the franchise. This is somewhat reminiscent of Kobe Bryant’s stance with the Lakers during the summer of 2007; mind you Mitch Kupchak was able to appease his star player by bringing in Pau Gasol. As it stands, I’m not sure there is a move that can be made that’s significant enough to keep Dwight in Florida, however there is the possibility of Otis Smith pulling the trigger on a Andrew Bynum for Dwight Howard deal.

Would you be in favor of such a deal or do you think there is better out there?

And while we’re at it, I hate to open up old wounds, but Kobe will be returning to Orlando, the site where he captured his fourth NBA title in June 2009. In the Gasol era, Bryant is averaging 32 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game on 42.9 percent field goal shooting in Orlando…

Eddy Rivera, Magic Basketball: Given that Dwight Howard has stated that he’s interested in the Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and New Jersey Nets, with the Lakers having the most to offer (Andrew Bynum being the major piece) and ownership for the Orlando Magic making it clear that they want veterans back in any deal, I can see a Bynum-for-Howard swap with ancillary pieces attached. I know that the Magic are high on Bynum but will a trade happen? I don’t know the answer to that.

Would I be in favor of such a deal? Yes and no. Yes, because Bynum is the best asset out there the Magic can get back in any deal considering the circumstances. No, because assuming Orlando gets other veteran players alongside Bynum, there’s a legitimate fear among Magic fans that the franchise will put itself in NBA purgatory. If it was me, I’d acquire Bynum along with as many young players and draft picks as possible, tank, and rebuild organically.

For the record, the Magic want veterans back because owner Rich DeVos, at 85 years old, wants to win a title now. Can I blame him? No. Is that a realistic goal? No. C’est la vie.

I think that’s enough talk about Orlando. What’s going on with the Lakers? I’ve been impressed with head coach Mike Brown’s impact on the defensive side of the ball, but is Kobe Bryant being relied upon too much right now offensively?

J.M. Poulard: Ah yes, the 24^th elephant in the room.

Last Saturday, when the Lakers played the Clippers, Mike Smith (Clippers broadcaster) made what seemed like a ludicrous statement when he said that he didn’t see why the Lakers would refuse to trade Bynum and Gasol given the fact that the team wasn’t using them properly. Those who know how to read between the lines understood this to mean that perhaps Kobe Bean is being featured a little too much on offense.

With that said, I picked the Lakers to come out of the West this season, but it’s becoming a little hard to maintain the same opinion given the way the shots are distributed on the team. It’s one thing to win a few regular season games here and there with Bryant monopolizing the offense on occasion, but this recipe has failed with Kobe in the postseason. Granted, some will argue that Bryant has historically played differently during the playoffs, sharing the ball more with his teammates and they would be right; however the only battle-tested Lakers are Bynum, Gasol, Fisher and Bryant.

I bring this up because the other players on the roster have not played with Kobe in a tough playoff game and thus might not know what to expect from him in such an environment. Also, it’s difficult to ask your big men to crash the offensive glass for Kobe misses for most of the season and then turnaround and ask them to carry the offense for stretches against defenses that game plan to stop them. So yes, the Lakers are relying far too much on the talents of the superstar guard.

Back to your Magic though, is Ryan Anderson trying to convince us that he is the long lost doppelganger of Dirk Nowitzki? Because let me tell you, in the Lakers’ lone playoff battle against Dirk, it didn’t turn out too well.

Eddy Rivera: Let me get out of this way first. You’re picking Los Angeles over the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the Western Conference? That’s an interesting choice. Not saying it can’t happen, just interesting.

I think saying that Ryan Anderson is the next Dirk Nowitzki is a little much. Nowitzki can create his own shot much more than Anderson (look at %Ast). Are they both prolific shooters? Yes, but that’s where the comparison ends in my opinion. Again, the key difference is that Anderson is not much of a shot creator, though he is a better rebounder, but Nowitzki is a better defender. Likewise, Nowitzki does much of his damage offensively from 10-23 feet, while Anderson has the most three-point field goal attempts in the NBA. That being said, it’s not a ridiculous comparison — Kevin Pelton of ESPN Insider suggested there are similarities between the two players.

However, Neil Paine of Basketball Prospectus threw out another name. Peja Stojakovic. That makes a lot more sense, in my opinion, because both players are primarily spot-up shooters that have a lot of their FGs assisted on and their shot distribution on offense align with each other.

Their numbers are eerily similar, too.

I have to go back to your comment about the Lakers winning the West. What’s your rationale behind that pick?

J.M. Poulard: I’ll admit that comparing him to Dirk was a bit over the top but it was still intriguing nonetheless. But the Peja comparison makes absolute sense.

My Lakers pick was a combination of a few things: the apparent decline of the Dallas Mavericks coupled with the lack of a truly dominant team out West. I’m well aware that the Thunder have been on a tear so far and most are picking them to make it to the Finals but at the time I could see the Lakers actually defeating them in a seven-game series.

To be fair, this could only happen if the Purple and Gold turn to their big men and give them multiple touches on offense to keep them involved and even allow them to carry the offense. Otherwise, if all of the offense revolves around Kobe, it would be awfully tough for the Lakers to be successful against a young and hungry Thunder team.

With that said, my reasons initially for favoring Mike Brown’s team over Scott Brooks’ was the Lakers’ emerging defense as well as their rebounding ability. When the game slows down in the postseason and teams have trouble scoring, gaining extra possessions is a huge factor in determining one’s success and the Lakers are more than capable of winning the rebounding battle.

But the biggest reason I thought Los Angeles’ premier team could defeat Oklahoma City: Metta World Peace. Try to contain your laughter for a moment.

Since MWP came to town, Kevin Durant has averaged a solid 25.6 points and 2.9 assists per game on 46.1 percent field goal shooting against the Lakers. However, he is only converting 17.6 percent of his 3-point attempts and turning the ball over 4.4 times on average.

But more importantly, MWP’s defense has stifled the gifted scorer in the fourth quarters as Durant has been unable to shake free against the former Defensive Player of the Year. Metta World Peace has simply figured out how to bump, clutch and grab the Thunder’s small forward late in games to prevent him from delivering in the clutch.

Kobe Bryant on the other hand does not have that problem, and even when he misses shots late in games, Gasol and Bynum have proven to be exceptional in getting clutch second chance baskets. But as previously mentioned, all of this hinges on whether the Lakers figure out how to play inside and out. And also, there’s this tiny issue of KD showing an improved handle this year; which means he may in fact be able to make MWP dance the Macarena for all we know. To be continued….

I’m excited to see how Bynum performs against Dwight tonight given the fact that there have been rumblings about which big man is in fact the best in the league. It’s obvious at least to me that D12 wins the battle hands down, and I want to see if he shows off his arsenal of running hook shots as well as his ability to use his footwork, quickness and strength to bully ‘Drew on the block.

So Eddy, pick a winner…

Eddy Rivera: I like Los Angeles in this one.

Even though the Lakers will be playing on a back-to-back and the Magic will be rested, it just seems like Kobe Bryant’s advantage at the shooting guard position will tip the scales. It’s uncertain if Jason Richardson (bone bruise on left knee) will play, though it’s likely that he will. Whether Richardson suits up or not, Bryant should best him. Though he’s a smart defender, same goes for J.J. Redick when he’s in the game. And if Von Wafer sees minutes, Bryant should have his way with him too. On the flipside, Bryant should slow each of them down defensively.

Howard did whatever he wanted against Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol last season, so I don’t see anything changing there. Ryan Anderson’s matchup with Gasol will be fascinating to watch. I don’t think Anderson will have too much trouble spreading the floor and scoring, but I’m more curious to see how he defends Gasol. That is, if Gasol gets enough touches. Hedo Turkoglu shouldn’t have too much trouble against Matt Barnes but it could be a different story when Metta World Peace (!) is in the game, so that’s something to keep an eye on too.

Normally I’d mention Jameer Nelson, given that he’s had plenty of success against Derek Fisher in the past, but he’s been playing so poorly this season, it’d behoove for me to say he’ll make a difference. Nelson might, but the odds are low in my opinion.

I think it’ll be a close game with the Lakers coming out on top. Though it should be noted for Orlando that if Howard goes off and/or Turkoglu steps up against World Peace and/or Nelson rises from the dead, they can win.

Eh tu?

J.M. Poulard: Go figure, we’re both picking opposites; I have Orlando in this contest.

There is a theory being floated around that Kobe’s huge scoring nights affects the activity level of his big men. Most would agree with this sentiment although it is somewhat tough to prove.

In Bryant’s most recent stretch of 40-point games, the Lakers (who happen to lead the league in rebounding) were either tied or outrebounded by every opponent except for the Phoenix Suns.

It’s a small sample size, thus it’s tough to establish a correlation between his scoring and the Lakers’ effort on the boards, but it’s still interesting enough to put out there. In addition, the Los Angeles Lakers have lost three of the past eight regular season matchups against the Orlando Magic since the 2007-08 season, and have only been victorious in Orlando once during that same stretch. The one stat that consistently determined the winner of each contest? Rebounding.

Given that we both expect Kobe Bryant to have a huge scoring night, and that his teammates seem to fail to hit the boards when the star guard has huge scoring explosions, I’d have to venture and say that Stan Van Gundy’s squad will win the rebounding battle, and consequently the game itself.

Eddy, thanks again.

The Good:
Pau Gasol was excellent in this game. He was aggressive early, scoring eight points (on 3-of-4 from the field) in the game’s opening five minutes, crashed the offensive glass (two early, four for the game) and for the second straight game recapped by yours truly, nailed a 3-points from the corner. In all, Pau logged 37 minutes, hitting on 11 of 19 shots (one miss was a desperation heave from 35 feet out) – eight of those from inside 10 feet – for his 26 points, grabbing eight boards (including the aforementioned four offensive rebounds) and turning the ball over just once. It’s tough to see in the moments immediately following such a fiery wreck, but Pau Gasol’s performance on Thursday night was legitimately a thing of beauty.

Let’s see, what else have we got to cling to in the aftermath of a loss that would have felt artificially close at double the 11-point margin? Well, Metta World Peace connected on a pair of jumpers from beyond the arc, doubling his season total for made 3-pointers and nearly doubling his hit rate from long range- to 12.9%. So, uh, yeah… there’s that.

Best of all though? I had “Bad” and “Ugly” pretty well sorted out by halftime. So… thanks, guys!

The Bad:
Where to begin…

In the Lakers’ defense (words that will not be bandied about frequently in the aftermath of this showing) a significant chunk of Miami’s 15-point half time lead was courtesy of an awesome 3-point barrage, in which the Heat drained an 61.5% of their 13 attempts from beyond the arc. Beyond that, however, the story on Thursday night was one of effort and execution, and at every turn the Lakers were found wanting.

The game was tight early, with the Lakers poised to exploit their superiority on the front line. With Pau Gasol storming out of the gate (see above) and Andrew Bynum aggressively hitting the glass in the opening minutes, it looked as though the NBA’s best big man tandem would set the tone. Sadly, however, just over six minutes into the first quarter, Chris Bosh disposed of Gasol with a pump fake and attacked the chest of Andrew Bynum, drawing the Laker big man’s first foul of the night while draining a twisting jumper from the middle of the key. Just 23 seconds later, with the Heat leading 12-10 in a nip-tuck start, Bynum was whistled for a second on his opposite number, Joel Anthony. This sent ‘Drew – and his three early rebounds and incredible wingspan around the rim – to the Lakers’ bench, prematurely. Given Miami’s hot shooting, the Lakers’ depressing lack of effort on defense (even Kobe, which is unconscionable) and abysmal execution on offense, it’s debatable whether an uninterrupted (he did end up playing a “full” game, 37 minutes) game for Bynum – who did manage 15 points and 12 rebounds (though only one on the offensive glass) – would have dramatically altered the outcome.

It’s tough to argue that Bynum’s presence wouldn’t have at least presented a flu-ridden LeBron James with a higher degree of difficulty as he dissected the Laker defense, but there was no stopping LeBron on Thursday. In the first half he made half of his eight shots (for 13 points), and added six rebounds and six assists – five of which were on 3-pointers. He was every bit as dominant after the break – though now more aggressive about looking for his own shot and helping tighten the defensive screws as Miami opened up a well-deserved 23-point lead. He finished the game having played 37 minutes, during which he made 12 of 27 field goals attempts, a shockingly pedestrian line in a virtuoso 31-8-8 (plus four steals and three blocks!) performance.

The Lakers, meanwhile, failed (miserably) to execute on offense, with horrible spacing in the half court, no fast break to speak of and Miami’s aggressive D not only neutralizing Kobe Bryant on the pick and roll, but relegating the Mamba to an evening of contested, long two-pointers (more on this in a sec). That this team lacks the depth and offensive firepower we’ve come to expect from the Lakers is a) hardly news and b) not insurmountable against most NBA squads. What is disconcerting, however, is the ease with which the Heat were able to totally discombobulate the Lakers, sapping their attack of any rhythm and cohesiveness.

Now, it is important to remember that this is merely one game out of a slate of 66 – just 1.5% of the regular season – and that the team administering the beating is arguably the best in NBA. HOWEVER, it is also worth noting that this opponent, administerer of said beatdown and arguably the NBA’s best… managed the feat with one of the best two-guards of all time in a suit.

The Ugly:
Engage any knowledgeable observer of basketball in a conversation about offensive efficiency and it’s unlikely that you’ll have to wait very long to have pointed out to you that offensively efficient teams a) take advantage of their opportunities in the paint and b) do not settle for long 2-point jump shots.

I submit, for your disapproval and dismay, the Lakers’ shot chart from January 19, 2012 in Miami:

Play of the Game:
The Lakers’ execution on offense on Thursday was appalling. Early foul trouble prevented their anchor in the middle from ever really finding his groove. And the best basketball player on Planet Earth laid waste to their defense. These things happen. Sometimes a better team just kicks your ass.

However, cliché though it may be, hustle should never slump. For every facet of the game in which the Heat bested the Lakers, the most maddening was in the area of effort. According to Kobe Bryant, the Heat simply “played harder” than the Lakers did on Thursday night. When asked if the Lakers fought back against their opponents, Andrew Bynum replied “not really.”

I get it. Long regular season. Off night. Condensed schedule. LeBron is really good. The emotional return of Eddy Curry. I get it. Ya can’t win ‘em all. But can we please, please covert our breakaway layups when spotted 30 feet and a head of steam?

But there’s really only one glamour franchise: the Lakers (sorry New York).

It’s a combination of that history of elite success, geography, and star status that make this so. Jack sits courtside while Kobe scores in bunches. Before that the Diesel stalked the court and demolished foes with brute force while charming the masses with catchy one liners and a fun loving personality. Go back further and it was Showtime, the Logo, Elgin, and the Big Dipper. The Lakers have been a franchise that not only won, but did so with style and charisma all while celebrities sat court side. This has been the Laker way.

Fast forward to this season and that’s changed. Not the celebrities part, but the style and charisma part. Oh, Kobe is still scoring in bunches and with Gasol and Bynum flanking him, the team also possess some players with style and substance in their games. But gone is the glitz.

In it’s place is grit. The Lakers no longer play that entertaining style that has fans jumping out of their seats as waves of fast breaks capsize their opponents. They no longer put up boatloads of points with fans cheering for that rub-it-in-basket that the teams of only 2-3 years ago would bury. The team has moved away from an offensive dominant team to a defensive one. They win ugly.

More specifically, they win with defense. Some defensive numbers for you to chew on:

• The Lakers rank 5th in the NBA in defensive efficiency with a mark of 97.6.
• They’re also 5th in points per game allowed.
• They’re 3rd in defensive field goal percentage allowed and 5th in three point field goal percentage allowed.
• According to Hoopdata, the Lakers allow the 3rd fewest shot attempts at the rim and are 11th in the number of 3 point field goals allowed (the two most efficient shot types in the league). Meanwhile they force the 7th most long two’s (shots from 16-23 feet) in the league.
• And when shots are put up, they clean their defensive backboards by sporting the 5th best defensive rebound rate in the league.

J.M. Poulard, Forum Blue & Gold: D.J., I’d like to thank you for joining the big leagues. Well kind of. The Clippers have faced multiple seasons of mediocrity and thus are viewed as Khloe, while the Lakers maintain Kim Kardashian status in L.A. But now all of a sudden, it seems as though the Clippers have gained some popularity and could even potentially start a rivalry with the Lakers.

We are well aware over here that Lob City took two games from the Purple and Gold in the preseason and that some Lakers players were not all that happy with some of the reactions of Clippers players after a few highlights. So I ask, whom does this game mean more to?

D.J. Foster, Clipperblog: Dude, Clippers fans would have killed for multiple seasons of mediocrity. That’s part of what makes this narrative so entertaining. I think Kobe said it best (gasp!) referencing the rivalry –  it’s about damn time. It’s about time the Clippers are challenging the Lakers, and now that the Clips are playing less like energetic kids and more like responsible adults, it makes things even more interesting. Look, in the past, these matchups meant the world to the Clippers and their seven fans. These matchups were their playoff games. I don’t need to tell you guys this, but it never even registers on the radar for the Lakers.

But the times, they are a changin’. Little brother is all grown up and is sick of getting pounded on, and now he’s standing nose-to-nose with big brother and just daring him to swing first. For the first time in a long time — maybe ever — this game probably means more to the Lakers (specifically Kobe) than it does to the Clippers. It’s easy to walk on someone’s lawn. It’s a little more difficult to tell them to get off it.

Congratulations for somehow managing to be both Kim Kardashian and Clint Eastwood, you silly Lakers. Let me throw this back to you, J.M. The game’s on the line. You have one possession. Who would you rather have with the ball? Kobe Bryant or Chris Paul?

J.M. Poulard: Funny you brought this up without me having to say it. Had you asked me last season, I would have picked Chris Paul. But at this moment in time in the NBA season, I’d go with Kobe Bryant.

Vinny Del Negro’s offense has been extremely predictable and honestly heavily dependent on the talents of Paul. Consequently, late in ball games, all we have seen is CP3 endlessly dribbling the ball and going pick-and-roll with Blake Griffin hoping to create a good shot.

The strategy failed against the Bulls and was semi-successful against the Trail Blazers at home. The game against Miami offered a different wrinkle because Caron Butler was shooting lights out, and consequently Paul was able to find him a few times for some open jumpers. But truth be told, for all of CP3’s skills, he is for the time being the unknown variable if you will; whereas Kobe is a certified assassin.

And here’s a news flash for you: if Kobe decides to go into hero mode, Andrew Bynum has proven to be a reliable put back option in the clutch.

Also, the Lakers’ big men have proven to be a little more effective at the free throw line, which promises to be an issue when the teams square off.

Lil Wayne once uttered the words “Go D.J.” and I have to now use his line in asking you this: is Pau Gasol the Blake Griffin stopper aka the Lob City killer?

D.J. Foster: Let me answer that in the most roundabout way ever: You’re cruising down the freeway late at night in the fast lane. Your stupid car flags are whipping in the wind because you’re going so fast. You catch up to the car in front of you, and for some reason he’s crawling. You’re confused, because this car in front of you is ridiculously nice. It’s got the body type and all the horsepower in the world — I mean, this car can really fly. And yet, here it is, going 55 in the fast lane and making you wonder why someone would use all that speed and power like that.

That’s Blake Griffin’s season so far. He’s a terror in the paint, but he’s drifting further and further away from the basket with more regularity, settling for 20-foot jumpers and centering his game around (yawn) jump shooting. It’s frustrating, but can you really complain? He’s putting up almost the exact same numbers as he did last year. He’s still getting you from A to B.

I love Pau Gasol. Think he’s the most skilled power forward in the game. But is he the Blake Griffin stopper? No. Blake Griffin is the Blake Griffin stopper. Pau would be wise not to flash his lights at Blake so to speak — let him shoot those long jumpers all he wants.

Now it’s time for you to give the people what they want, J.M. Let’s hear your bold predictions. Does Kobe go for 40 again? Will Lakers fans be yelling at me to “count the ringzzzz!” or will the order of the universe be restored with a victory for the Purple and Gold? Will Matt Barnes (this is the same guy who slapped his coach, no?) be left complaining about poor court conduct? The world needs answers.

*tips hat*

It’s been real — good luck tonight.

J.M. Poulard: Chauncey Billups, Caron Butler, Randy Foye and Ryan Gomes are the players that are the likeliest to be matched up with Kobe. Need I say more on the prospects of Kobe hitting the Clips for 40?

And that’s before you factor in that Kobe may still be unhappy about the fact that once the Chris Paul trade was vetoed, it cost the Lakers Lamar Odom. And now Kobe gets the chance to extract his revenge on the Staples Center rivals. But you want bold predictions right? Let’s go…

• The Lakers will win by 5.
• Blake Griffin won’t try to show off his impressive new handles against Gasol and will finally have a breakout game; we’re talking 30-20 here.
• Chris Paul will have north of 15 assists.
• Mo Williams will still look like John Legend by game’s end.
• Matt Barnes will get called for a flagrant foul just for looking at a Blake dunk with disgust.
• And of course, maybe Kobe can or cannot do the Dougie, but he still knows how to count as evidenced by this (not really a bold prediction, just a reminder).

With that said, the Clippers’ athleticism is scary and if they force the Lakers into a few miscues, Chris Paul could turn this one into a track meet and the Lakers are not equipped to handle that. There’s also the tiny little issue of CP3 spending the night in the painted area converting floaters and throwing up lobs to his big men that will be problematic for the Purple and Gold.

D.J., thanks for going back-and-forth with FB&G. Enjoy the game.

The Good:
Through three quarters not only was this not a contest, I was hard pressed to identify an honorable mention.

As he did last night against the Suns, Kobe Bryant set the tone early for the Lakers, hitting five of seven from the field in the first quarter, for 14 points.  While he was characteristically aggressive offensively, Kobe did an excellent job of operating within the offense, finding his own shot and creating a couple of easy buckets for Matt Barnes and Andrew Bynum. He continued his efficient assault in the second quarter, connecting on three of five to bring his halftime total to 21, on just 12 shots. By the halfway point of the third, sitting on 27 points on 16 field goal attempts (he had 31 on 11-19 FG after three quarters), it looked as though Kobe had not only picked up where he’d left off against Phoenix, but would actually manage to trump Tuesday’s brilliant showing.

That he finished the overtime tilt with 40 is somewhat disappointing (I know, right? We are spoiled), though not because he managed just nine points in the final two stanzas, but because of how he got there. The efficiency and team play of the first 36 minutes became a distant memory, as the offense stagnated while Kobe tried to singlehandedly put the Jazz away. He made just three of 12 shots after the third quarter, and took three less-than-stellar shots in the final 64 seconds (he was bailed out on two).

Make no mistake, the Lakers do not sniff this win without Kobe, but this game was sealed at the defensive end. After allowing the Jazz to rack up 30 points in the paint in the first half, the Lakers’ bigs staked their claim to the lane, allowing just 10 points inside in the second half, with Andrew Bynum racking up five blocked shots (more on this in a sec). The effort was not limited to the inside. The Jazz connected on less than 39% of their shot attempts (43.5% TS) for the game, and with the exception of the red-hot Paul Millsap, who scored 29 on 14-of-24 from the field, the Jazz hit just 22 of 69 shots  (32%). Additionally, while the Lakers continued to have difficulties protecting possession, turning the ball over 17 times, the stellar defensive effort prevented their carelessness from coming back to haunt them, as Utah managed just seven points off of those 17 takeaways.

One last thing… DARIUS MORRIS PLAYED! And he looked pretty good too! Sure he overdribbled a couple of times and forced a drive attempt that resulted in a turnover, but if his first 13 NBA minutes are any indication, this guy has a place in the NBA. His first meaningful touch came in the final seconds of the first quarter, when he led a perfect 2-on-1 break and found Metta World Peace for a dunk. He also made both of his field goal attempts and later found Steve Blake for a late-third quarter 3 that put the Lakers ahead by a bucket. Not saying this guy is the next Chris Paul, but given the (let’s be kind) suspect play turned in by Blake and Derek Fisher at the point, a young lead guard that adjusts nicely to the pace of the game and avoids mental errors in his pro debut is probably worth a look.

The Bad:
I had initially planned to call out a pair of “B’s” here, but the Laker Bigs, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, while lackluster offensively – a combined 10 of 27 from the field and 5-of-8 on free throws, for 26 points – and lit up by Paul Millsap, played hard in the paint and made a series of vital plays down the stretch (more on this in a second) without which the Lakers would not have registered the victory.

The other “B,” however, the Lakers’ Bench, a night after contributing to a nice home win, was virtually nonexistent. The bench logged a total of 72 minutes Wednesday, combining to score 11 points on 5-of-13 from the field (no free throw attempts), grab nine rebounds (none on the offensive glass) and hand out two assists. Pretty ugly. Pull out the contribution of the aforementioned Darius Morris and this crew was downright brutal, scored seven points (on 3-of-11 FG) and grabbing eight rebounds in 59 minutes. By comparison, in 34 minutes, Utah’s sixth man, ex-All-Star-turned-veteran-castoff Josh Howard, managed 18 points and four rebounds, while the rest of the Jazz backups combined for 17 points, 17 rebounds (five offensive) and five assists, and made up for a putrid 5-of-20 FG by earning 12 free throws and making nine.

The 2011-12 Lakers are a top-heavy team – we know this. With Matt Barnes healthy and seemingly carving out a valuable role with the starting unit, it may not be long before we can call the Lakers a “four deep” squad. However, looking beyond that quartet I am hard pressed to identify a single player capable to consistently contributing in crunch time. Hell, at this point I think I trust Darius Morris more than anyone else on the bench.

The Ugly:
The Lakers entered Wednesday’s game as the NBA’s second-worst 3-point shooting team, connecting on an unbelievable (and not in the good way) 23% of their attempts from beyond the arc. The collective 4-for-9 effort does technically represent an improvement, but within that number is perhaps the most disheartening statistic of the young season: with their combined 0-for-3 effort on Wednesday, Derek Fisher and Metta World Peace – two guys expected to create space for the bigs and receives the kicks following Kobe’s drives – have now combined to hit on just 10% (4-of-40) of their 3-point attempts this season.

The less said here, the better.

Play(s) of the Game:
Not a whole lot to choose from in the first 51 minutes of this one. Early candidates included Darius Morris finding Metta World Peace with 44 seconds remaining in the first quarter (0:52 mark) for his first career assist, Kobe Bryant’s picture perfect pump fake/pivot/step-through jumper (0:55) – also in the final seconds of the first, and Andrew Bynum stopping his massive frame on a dime and finding Matt Barnes to finish off a third quarter fast break (2:10).

Ultimately, however, the nod goes to the Lakers’ big men in the clutch. On most nights, the first runner-up- Pau Gasol’s nothing-but-net 3-pointer from the corner (3:09) in OT to cut a four-point deficit to one- would win going away.

HOWEVAH…

On a night when his shot was simply not falling, rather than allowing himself to become discouraged, Andrew Bynum focused his energy on denying Al Jefferson (one night removed from a 30-point performance) the post position he so covets and protecting the rim (five blocks!).

It was this effort – roughly 50 seconds after Bynum hit the offensive glass to tip in a wild miss by Kobe (3:24) and return the Lakers to the lead – that ultimately wound up sealing the win. With the clock running down and the Jazz trailing by a point, Gordon Hayward drove the lane (3:30 mark), drawing two defenders to the rim, before dropping the ball off to Jefferson. One of the best inside scorers in the game, Jefferson gathered the ball and, at point blank range went to secure the win, but…

Full highlights – Lakers at Jazz, January 11, 2012