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.
Jason says
I’m not sure if you’ve mentioned this already, but the Lakers are the best 3PT defenders in the league based on their .302 opponent %. Even more astounding is #2 in the league is .027 above the Lakes. The next highest jump is .009 (between 19 and 20 no less).
Any speculation as to why Bynum’s PT has been cut (until his incredible few minues last night)?
Suggestion: Analysis>Previews
Gatinho says
I really liked what Profit was doing, and he seemed like he was becoming a good defender and decent shooter to come off the bench and bolster procductivity. We know that Wafer is a great “scorer” in practice as Phil has mentioned. Losing Turiaf to Europe for a season would not be all bad as the Lakers would retain his rights and he would get some seasoning, but it seems like he could contribute this season with his energy. I just don’t know that much about D. Green therefore making him expendable.
The best part about Bynum’s production last night is that he can put pressure on Kwame and Chris to stay on the floor. Not that he’s neccesarily going to steal their minutes, but the thought of it should be extra motivation for those two guys. Bynum seemed fearless last night, something that Kwame seems to be the antithesis of.
Great job of executing down the stretch last night.
Kurt says
I think Bynum’s run has been lessened simply because of numbers. He got more minutes when Kwame was down, when Kwame came back his minutes dropped. What I liked best about last night was just how eager he looked, he wanted to impress to try and get more minutes.
Well, that and he went 3-3.
Gatinho says
From the LA Daily News:
The Lakers also have guaranteed the contracts of Smush Parker, Von Wafer and Devin Green.
john says
chris mihm plays like a friggin idiot. i love him, but i watched him after he got his first foul– he kept jumping at anything and everything that came near him, swatting wildly. it wasn’t until he was put back in the 4th that he just stuck to playing hard fundamental defense. and of course that’s the time where you want to be able to be more agressive.
i wish he’d stick to the basics after his FIRST personal, or, i don’t know, since he’s always in foul trouble, how bout starting the game that way.
i’m down with kwame brown, despite the offensive inepitude. on top of his solid D he’s really been doing some delicious offensive rebounding the past few games. 3 defensive boards in 31 minutes still is kinda perplexing, but i had all but given up hope he could put up double-double numbers on a regular basis, at least for awhile, and now he’s starting to do that.
Kurt says
I’d be more down with Kwame if he wasn’t a turnover machine.
Jason says
Yeah, sometimes it looks like Kwame is trying to catch a pass with boxing gloves. Then other times he fools O’Neal with some quick moves and fancy footwork and makes you wonder why he doesnt do that all day.
Off topic, but are there numbers that show how many passes player x had that led to a) bricks and b) brick + trip to the line?
Daniel Myers says
First of all I love the Forum blue and gold. I find that you hit the nail on the head on almost every issue surrounding the Lakers team. But what is going on with the channel 9 broadcast this season?
They have this new “Live Wire” interview crap during the game. During these interviews the announcers stop their play-by-play and ask some rapper or actor how their doing. In the mean time Kobe is making unbelievable plays and their not even watching. Every game in the second quarter I have to press mute on my TV cause it drives me CRAZY! How can we stop this?
D
John R says
Buy season tickets and not have to watch the games on TV? Oh wait…thats probably impossible for the average Laker fan. =)
John R says
Oh, and I have a suggestion for the site. Could you make the top banner a link to the main page so that someone can get back to the top from whatever page they are viewing?
john says
yes, KILL THAT LIVE WIRE CRAPOLA.
you wouldn’t be joel myers’ rebelling teenage son now would you daniel?
willn2win says
I heard that (from a good source) that Bynum for Artest is a done deal. What have you heard about it? Imagine yhe Lakers with KO8E along with Lamar and Artest. That’s like having MJ along with 1.5 Pippen. hehe.
We can consistently shut down the guards around the league.
Gatinho says
Live Wire would be better if it was people w/ basketball knowledge (I liked the Worthy segment) and if Joel and Stu weren’t afraid to stop interviews to comment on game action.
Kurt says
willn2win, all I know is what I read. Rumor monger Peter Vessey in the NY Post said that Phil and Mitch wanted to do a D. George, Bynum and a pick deal for Artest, but that the younger Buss shot it down because Bynum was his pick (Phil wanted Sean May or Granger). Take that with plenty of salt, Vessey throws a lot of stuff on the wall hoping some will stick.
Dennis_D says
One thing I haven’t seen discussed is Sasha has stopped shooting. Against Indiana, he was in the middle of a 3-on-2 fast break, pulled up below the free throw line and instead of taking the easy shot, threw to a covered teammate and the fast break collapsed. There was another time when he curled into the lane, got the pass and instead of taking the open jumper, he passed the ball to Kwame. Sasha is playing good defense, but he has to be more aggressive on offense.
Suggestions – more analysis, less previews. In particular, occasionally pick a player and review how he is doing statistically for the season and for the last 10-20 games.