Lately there has been a lot of preview and not enough review on this site, I’ll try to get more done (I do get some in the previews in the “Lakers Coming In†section). Just a reminder, if there are things you’d like to see on the site, suggest it in the comments or drop me an email.
• Here’s the best part about Kobe’s hot streak (45+ points in four games, the first to do it since Chamberlain in 1964) — he’s shooting very efficiently. In the last four games he has taken 41% of the Laker attempts and is shooting 52.5% (eFG%) in doing so. Take into account all the times he gets to the free throw line, his true shooting percentage is an impressive 57.7% in those games.
The other good thing, as mentioned by Derek in the comments under the Indiana preview, the Lakers are doing this more and more within the offense. The other players are learning how to get Kobe his shots within the triangle, then when defenses start to overplay him, how to get open or their own shots because of it.
• By the way, last night it was good to see Odom take — and knock down — a key shot in the stretch. Also, props to D. George, who came off the bench and played good defense (and was +14). He played the whole fourth quarter for a reason.
• Odom’s consistency is just troubling. The Clipper game was a disaster, Mobley just torched him and Odom did nothing to redeem himself on offense. Against Indiana, he has a good game and hits key shots. Do you have any idea what he’ll do in the next game? That said, I still wouldn’t trade him for Artest.
• By tomorrow (Wednesday), non-guaranteed contracts need to be picked up for the full year. For example, Smush Parker has not had his contract picked up yet, but it’s a very safe bet it will be.
But what about Devin Green and Von Wafer? Will one of them be cut loose, or the injured Laron Profit bought out, to make room for Turiaf? If Profit can make it back I’d want him and have to consider cutting Green, but if he can’t I’d just buy him out and try to develop Green and Wafer. And I’d sign Turiaf, even if he has to go to the NDBL for some more conditioning at first.
Update: The Daily News is reporting that Green, Wafer and Smush have been picked up (thanks to gatinho in the comments for the note). So, that means one of three people will be on the outside looking in: Turiaf, Profit or Slava. The latter two would need to be bought out.
• Chris Mihm has quietly become a very solid player inside. He is +6.1 per 48 minutes (the team is that much better with him on the court), the second best +/- on the team of guys who will play again this season (Slava actually leads the team, Kobe is next). Mihm has become the team’s best rebounder (he grabs 14.6% of missed shots while on the floor, the highest percentage of any Laker) and is shooting 51% from the floor. He’s also getting 1.9 blocks per 40 minutes, the most of anyone playing nightly. He’s grown comfortable in the triangle. There is still the foul issue (he is averaging 5.8 fouls per 40 minutes played, right at his career average but up from 5.1 last season) but his contributions to this team can’t be overlooked.