Don’t Even Start. Yes the Timberwolves are in town but nobody should be mentioning a trade of that guy to this team. Not going to happen this season, probably a 1% chance it would ever happen. So stop it. Just stop it. Live in the moment.
Sit Kobe? You need to check out the latest conversation between Tex Winter and Roland Lazenby:
Will Odom defer to Bryant as he has in seasons past?
That’s a concern to the Lakers, said Winter. “After all, there is only one ball. Odom might defer. The whole team might.â€
Chief among those concerned is Bryant himself.
“It’s not Kobe’s fault,†Winter said, adding that Bryant keeps encouraging Odom to be aggressive, to emerge as his own man.
Odom averaged 28 points over the first three games of this season, including one game in which Bryant returned to the lineup after a long layoff following knee surgery.
But in the fourth game, Odom and the rest of the team reverted to old form and deferred to Bryant, Winter said. Not surprisingly, the Lakers suffered their first loss of the season against Seattle.
Can we stop Mike James? New year but there has not been a dramatic change here – opposing point guards have been the position giving the Lakers the most trouble. Just four games in but the opponent PER is 21.7 (basically Tony Parker level numbers). In part that is guys out top not being able to stay in front of their man — both Farmar and Smush at different times — part bad rotations behind them.
But it’s too early to hit the panic button on the Laker defense — while the numbers are not good it’s just four games, and three of them against some of the best offenses in the league.
As for Mike James, I asked Tom from Sactown Royalty how he looked last night against the Kings and he said James is clearly still struggling to fit into a system with KG and Ricky. So the Lakers have a chance to look good defending the point tonight.
Keep either Kobe or Lamar on the floor. Last season Phil would never go without either of them on the court, the fact he tried it in the second Sonics game says something about the depth he sees, but still…
Along those same lines — once again in the second game against Seattle the Lakers went with a front line for a stretch of Cook and Radmanovic, (with Evans, Smush and Walton) and once again they got burned with a -11 in just a few minutes of play. However, those two were again the front line (with Kobe, Sasha and Farmar) when the Lakers make the meaningless little run in the fourth. Still, I’d prefer that either Bynum or Turiaf be on the floor at all times.
Don’t Watch the Game Until You Vote. I don’t care who you vote for (well, that’s not totally true, I care but I’m not about to tell you that you should think like me), but vote. It matters.
I Love Turiaf. I do all but profess such in my latest at LAist.
Speaking of second round steals. Meet Craig Smith, the second round T-Wolves pick out of Boston College that is already playing nearly 17 minutes a game (way more than the heralded Randy Foye). Smith, playing the four, is shooting 61.5% on the season and has a PER of 20.3, second best on Minnesota so far this young season. He’s averaging 26.9 and 7.3 rebounds per 40 minutes. I guess he’s not too small for the next level.
Don’t forget that KG guy. Garnett has started the season with, well, Garnett like numbers. True Shooting percentage of 70.8% (crazy, crazy good), he’s averaging 24.7 points and 12.8 rebounds per 40 minuets and has a PER of 30.7.
How do you stop him? Well, no one does. But you’re better off if you can keep him away from the basket. Also, he prefers the left block to the right (this season he’s shooting 63.6% from the right block, 40% from the left), so try to force him to his weaker side. And good luck with that.
Things to Look For. Minnesota is playing well, so the Lakers need to step it up. The Lakers need to get the movement back in the offense that was there for the three wins and missing in the loss. They need to rotate better on defense and do what they cannot to let KG dominate the game himself.
And run — the Wolves are in the second game of a back-to-back, having played last night in Sacramento. This is one the rested Lakers need to get.
Rob says
The Lakers do need to run. The loss against Seattle had about 5 possessions fewer than the previous Lakers wins.
Should be a good game tonight.
Kurt says
Rob, did you see Hollinger’s league-wide numbers? So far this season possessions are already up nearly 3 per team per game. And pace usually increases as the season goes on.
kwame a. says
ive caught a few of the wolves early games and the biggest difference in this team from last year’s is their guard depth. Now they run out Randy Foye, Mike James, Marko Jaric, and most importantly, old Laker nemises Troy Hudson. Hudson looks healthy and he gets the majority of 4th qtr mins with James running the 2. the lakers better get that pick n roll defense in gear for tonite.
Rob says
2-I did see those numbers. Hollinger’s current league average is about where the Lakers are, and that includes the slower fourth game. I have the Lakers at 94.4 OPOSS/game. A jump of about 5 from last year (using the .96 possessions formula).
John R. says
Where’s Winter been? I was on that Kobe is the wrong superstar for this team last week. You go to war with the superstar you have I guess.
(I didn’t say Kobe sucks, or that he is a bad person, or that he wouldn’t be great is some system or any other number of messed up ideas attributed to your prejudices or anything else.)
Let’s start the trade Kobe petition right here.
Craig W says
John R.,
Hummmmmmmmm!
John R. says
Good point?
Mannie Jenkins says
I’ll tell people who they should vite for: ME! For everything! Once I control all aspects of the government I will legislate that Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan must be traded to the lakers.
CTDeLude says
Wait is this John R’s first post of the new season?
Where the heck have you been!?
John R. says
My post here is in reference to a post, I believe either right after or just before the first game when I suggested Kobe needed to be traded. The Sonics game, and now Tex Winter and others confirm it.
So no, I don’t think this is my first post of the season, but it might techinically be. Its mid-year review time at work. I been busy.
Kurt says
At the half, Seattle 46 Miami 40. Are the Soncis better than we thought, the Heat worse or some combo of the two?
Sanchez101 says
Should one still vote if they know nothing of the issues? By voting are they mystically guaranting that the best choices are made? I’ve never understood the logic behind, “just vote, it’s good for you” mentality.
If you’ve reasearched the issues, please vote, but if not, don’t waste yours and everyone elses time and effort.
ian says
I would pull the trigger on a Kobe for any two of the following:
d-wade
melo
bron bron
Dan says
13 – You’d require getting back 2?
Kurt says
That’s going to be one interesting trade, figuring out how to get Cleveland to give up LeBron and Miami to trade Wade and all we give up is Kobe. I don’t think you could even pull that off in a fantasy league.
Derek Banducci says
Roland Lazenby’s interview with Tex reminded me of an audio interview with Lamar from Saturday (11/4), in which Lamar stated that “you can never pass too much…you can never pass too much.” Somebody needs knock L.O. up side the head and somehow explain to him that HE DOES PASS TOO MUCH!
MP3: http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/files/lamar_odom1sea_11.3.mp3
Blog Post: http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2006/11/all_your_saturd.html
chris henderson says
funny how we never heard a peep from john r. until we got that first loss.
Dan says
From the Yahoo Sports gamecast , it looks like the last few minutes of the game have been a bit ugly.
Dan says
Odom needs to stop shooting threes and start driving or posting up or something.
ian says
Well I wasn’t actually planning on that exact trade, I figured we would throw mckie in, Miami and Cleveland can flip a coin to see who gets Kobe.
ian says
I think Dan should shout a little louder because Odom definitely did not hear him.
Bryan says
4 and 1, here we come. This has been a fun game to watch. Bynum… man, I can’t get enough of the guy! Phil, why isn’t this kid playing 35 minutes a game? I really don’t know what we’ll do once Mihm and Kwame are healthy again. But it’s a good problem to have.
81 and 1.
Bryan says
A few other notes, cause I have no one else to tell tonight:
a) Garnett’s averaged 4.5 assists for his career. This season I think he’s averaging 1. That tells me his team and his coach aren’t using him as best as they can and/or Garnett doesn’t trust his teammates.
b) I swear, every pick set is a moving pick. please, refs, just call it once. for me.
c) evans…. i have no need for this guy. every time he touches the ball, a turnover or a bad shot immediately follow. id rather play 4 on 5 than let him play.
d) declaring my man love for Turiaf also. even my girlfriend, who barely looks at the tv while she studies, noted that the guy was everywhere at once.
e) 4th quarter, ODom looked great as the point forward. i love him controlling the offense.
f) there were times in this game when both teams played like 8th graders. turnover after turnover after turnover!
g) Kobe, Odom, Walton, Bynum, Turiaf. I don’t know what the +/- of that lineup is, but it’s one i want to see on the court as often as possible.
h) Vlade and Turiaf still don’t know the triangle. Both were bunched up during multiple plays, instead of spread out. I say this as a good thing. We look pretty good as a team right now. Imagine how much better we’ll be once everyone knows the offense. We’re goona win alot of games!
ian says
I’m glad odom came through in the final minutes.
JONESONTHENBA says
I was at the game tonight, and I can honestly say that Odom and Walton pass too damn much. As well, I think the Lakers should have Kobe and Lamar switch positions in the triangle. Lamar is so much more productive playing in the post/high post than at the top of the triangle. As well, Lamar has fallen in love with the three. It’s great that he has the confidence to shoot that shot, but it’s important for him to not fall too in love with it. Lastly, how about Andrew Bynum!!!Seriously, if he plays like this all year, the Lakers might be able to wheel and deal and trade Kwame and/or Mihm and get some PG help or some draft picks. Seriously, the emergence of Bynum changes everything. And how about the fact that he can actually hit his free throws!!! I can’t wait until he meets Shaq on Christmas.
John (Vancouver) says
Just wow. I didn’t expect this. My question is this – what is Kwame thinking right now?
“That could be me”
“That SHOULD be me”
“I can do BETTER than that”
What is this doing to his psyche? Right now things are fine and dandy, but when Mihm and Brown return, how is that going to change things? Maybe they just step right in and it’s everyone else’s hard work getting our big men these good opportunities. If that’s the case then we don’t need to worry about it.
But what if we start losing? Say we lose a few in a row? Does Jackson start Bynum and move Turiaf up? Is this lighting a fire under Mihm and Brown, or is it depressing them (especially Brown) even further?
John (Vancouver) says
Oh, and now that John R is back, I’d like to get his opinion about how over-rated Lamar Odom has been 😀
dan reines says
well, i think it’s time to officially eat crow regarding bynum. i didn’t like that pick when mitch made it, and i thought the absolute highest upside was maybe erick dampier in five years. but i was afraid of a stanley roberts.
i was wrong. i can’t believe this kid is progressing like this. i love this kid. bynum and turiaf in the same draft? looking back, not a bad night for kupchak…
Rob says
Hey Jones! I was there tonight too.
Here is the best insight I can give to someone who wasn’t there. When the Timberwolves came out for the shoot around, they blared Kelly Clarkson over the speakers. When that song was done, the Lakers came out to Jay Z. Priceless.
Dan says
I’d rather have Odom take 13 shots with 7 of them 3’s than only take 7 shots total, but still. That’s not Odom playing at his best. Well, at least it’s a step up.
Elyse says
I think we need to keep kwame, and maybe mihhm too. I mean, at least we need to see what kind of team we have with them healthy. Plus, we will not get value for mihm, becuase no one has seen him play in awhile. He has to come back first.
More than passing, I think motion is more of the issue. Luke makes great passes, Lamar makes great passes, Kobe makes great passes. The problem that I saw was that often there is no motion after the pass to create an open shot.
You can over pass, but I don’t think we saw that tonight. I think we saw Lamar out of rhythm, and another sloppy game.
DrRayEye says
It seemed like Phil was uncomfortable with a double digit lead in the third quarter over dispirited wolves that were behaving more like lap dogs. So he slapped together another of those wacky concatenations of jig saw pieces that only he understands, and found, rather predictably, that they neither ran the triangle nor played team defense. We found that Farmar, stripped of like thinking well practiced team oriented teammates, was less than an average player with no magic to share. Smelling blood, the wolves came alive.
We began to see more of Phil’s master plan when he brought in the Smusher with the regular unit to finish the game. Playground ball ensued, with harebrained plays interspersed with plays worthy of highlight films. The Smusher missed a whole series of one-on-one plays that failed then hit a three pointer reminiscent of his miracle against Phoenix in the playoffs. He was watching the player he was guarding sail by when suddenly Andrew reminded us of his enormous value–and not only when the Smusher made a boo boo. Andrew was blocking and diverting shots on the defensive end, getting rebounds, getting fouled and making free throws, and making some put backs.
Bynum saved the playgrounders from themselves in the end, even frustrating KG into fouling out. Could a young Shaq have done any better?
Bryan says
23. given the signings of guys like Nene, I dont think unloading Mihm will be a problem. “You’re 7 feet tall? Here’s a check. Oh, by the way, can you play?” That’s the NBA today. Besides, Chris’ contract is an expiring one, giving him more value than he’d otherwise have. Moving him will not be hard. Getting what we want in return, there’s the jib.
anonymous says
Honestly it seems to me like Odom is slow to adjust to things. With the improved play of Bynum and the re-integration of Kobe, things have been very different from the first 3 games where he dominated. I think that when he’s adjusting to things (i.e. learning the Triangle, etc.) he tends to revert to his natural state of passiveness and defers to others. However, once he gets more comfortable with the play of his teammates and his role within the offense, he should be more aggressive. Hopefully. And if so, we are one scary looking team.
Renato Afonso says
I don’t want to spoil things, but we still haven’t played a real powerhouse (is PHO one?).
Let’s wait for the game against Detroit and we’ll have a better perspective…
JONESONTHENBA says
Detroit sucks! I don’t think that will be the best test, but who am I to talk?