Found it. My video editing skills are a work in progress, at best.
chris hsays
hey I wanted to have a discussion about what I thought I heard last night…
in the start of the 4th qtr run, with the bech doing serious damage to the Bulls lead, PJ called his usual time out to bring in the starters, and they, according to what I thought I heard, all sat down and indictade to PJ to “keep the bech in, they’re hot now and doing great”.
if this is true, this is a major thing, selfless, ego-less, pure team spirit, showing faith in the second unit, and working to bring their confidence up.
so was I alone in hearing this, or did you folks hear it too?
thoughts?…
I think this goes to a physcological level of sports, and important for our team.
3. I heard that as well. The timeout in question was with 10:04 left in the fourth, earlier than Phil likes to send in the big guns but about when he has had to start doing it lately. In this case, it is a great sign that he didn’t have to, and it’s a great sign that the bench told him not to.
clutch824says
3 – That’s good to hear. But I don’t think the main guys or coaching staff being selfish or not having faith has been a problem. I think guys just haven’t been getting it done. Hopefully they can build on this.
Is Arizona State’s James Harden hurting his draft stock with this game against Syracuse?
kwame a.says
8- I dont think so Kurt, Syracuse is running a zone to limit him, but I do think he will have to find creative ways to score due to his lack of athleticsm.
Re: Bench- I liked having Odom out there instead of Gasol. It worked earlier in the season, and it worked last night.
Mattsays
I have to say, the NBA’s advertising is fantastic. All the new playoff ads give me chills.
hansoulfoodsays
I think many of you have said this and I believe…that Farmar can potentially be a Tony Parker type of player for the Lakers. He has more range than Parker and also his quickness (probably not as quick but comparable). Now he just need to develop his decision making and consistent mid range jumpshot and he is set.
Keep attacking the basket Farmar!
Burgundysays
Thank, Kurt!
2 thoughts:
1) Farmar played great in the fourth quarter because he was on the floor with Odom – something we’ve all been saying for a month. Farmar is effective when he doesn’t have to worry about directing the Offense, and can focus on scoring. PJ should just have Odom play with the second unit from now on – even if they’re giving up some height.
2) Speaking of Odom – how great was it to see the pure joy he reacted with after Kobe’s game winner? Another reason why he’s great to have on the team.
hansoulfoodsays
Also…the second vid
I truly believe that was the best Lakers game I have ever seen. With all the adversity and with smush and kwame on the team, and against all odds, Kobe and the Lakers pulled out a miracle OT win against the Suns. Too bad the playoffs aren’t a 5 7 7 7 format.
kwame a.says
11-Difference is Parker plays to his strengths. Saw a stat that Farmar has taken far more 3pt shots than TP and has done so in way less minutes. TP is a 3x time champ, Finals MVP, Farmar has a loooooooong way to reach that, and it starts with playing smarter, game in, game out.
Zephidsays
14, kwame a., you have to remember Parker before he was Finals MVP Parker to get a good comparison to Jordan. Keep in mind, Parker was so inconsistent for the Spurs that they tried really hard to get Jason Kidd to replace him as their starting point guard, even after the Spurs won a championship with Parker starting at the point (although he didn’t finish most games in favor of Steve Kerr). Doesn’t this remind you of Jordan, with the wild inconsistency and constant talk of replacing him? This is only Jordan’s 3rd year in the league; Parker didn’t really come into his own until his 4th, and Parker had been getting start minutes his entire career.
Jordan is also a much better shooter than Parker. His career 3-point percentage is 36%, while Parker’s is 31%. If Jordan had been getting Parker’s minutes his whole career (32+ per game), I have no doubt that Jordan would be further along than he is now. As we saw in the highlight video, Jordan also shows sparks of being a very creative finisher inside, similar to what Parker does night-in, night-out. We’ve also seen Jordan show a nice pull-up bank shot earlier in the season, although he’s gone away from it in recent months.
All-in-all, if Jordan gets the minutes and the support, I firmly believe Jordan can become Tony Parker-lite, if not Tony Parker-classic. And if he continues to improving his skills as we’ve seen in the past few seasons (developing a mid-range shot, finishing inside, three-point shooting), I have no doubt that Jordan has the potential to pass Tony Parker in terms of production.
Hopefully this doesn’t include the horrible defense…
9. Kwame a. I will note that Draftexpress has/had Harden going #2 overall in the draft. I like his game, but I think that it speaks to how weak this draft is at the top that a guy without insane athletic ability is being considered that high. I think there will be steals in the draft, guys with skills hidden by their college systems, but finding them will be a challenge.
clutch824says
11, 14-15 – Not even close. Gotta agree with kwame. Parker is a top 5 PG, probably 3rd, and is arguably the best player on that team. Farmer has absolutely nothing on him. At year 3, he’s still not capable of running his head coach’s favored offense. If he even comes close to TP while Kobe is still a top 10 player, you can write down the championship in pen. And this is from someone that despises the Spurs.
And with that, the best game, and playoff format thing, you’re showing your youth there, hansoulfood. It was 5-7-7-7 only 6 seasons ago. It’s all good, though. Enjoy it while you can.
kwame a.says
15-I think that if you pull Farmar’s good plays you do see some TP, but take lots of young quick guards good plays and you’ll see some TP. I just think, like Clutch said, that is year 3, Jordan is not progressing like fans and the coaching staff hoped. However, Phil is really trying to get him going and I credit Phil for his patience, hopefully it pays off and we get some consistent minutes from Jordan. As for the TP comparison, Farmar has to relentlessly attack the whole and make good decisions to be in the ballpark and he has yet to do either. But, as Kurt said, bench came through big for us yesterday, don’t wanna rain on their good game, just saying-long way till the TP comparisons have merit.
sTsays
muddywood, that was a very good LO article, worth all the time to read it. He does like life here in LA and is a good person. Hopefully Farmar will only have to play against Deron Williams one more time this year, in fact we do not want to see the Jazz again after the last regular season game. Yeah, Kobe’s fade away jumper’s with hands in his face is amazing indeed.
kwame a.says
Kurt-You are right, I don’t know how Harden is considered a top 5 pick unless the draft is just crap. The good thing for the Lakers, like you mentioned, is that there will be upperclassmen at the bottom of the draft that probably could contribute to a team’s depth off the bench.
Don Wsays
5. Great article on LO. A very moving and insightful piece. I cannot begin to imagine what he’s gone through, but I am very happy he’s at the heart of this Laker team.
14,15. Farmar definitely has the potential, as exemplified by the highlights, but I don’t understand the comparison to Parker. F has the jumping ability and the straight away speed, while P has the deceptive quickness and clever maneuvers. F takes the 3, P takes the midrange. F would rather play in D’Antoni’s system, P in Popovich’s. F dunks the ball, P layup. F can’t get his shot off when defended well in the paint, P has too many tricks for the defense to contain him.
As far as the similarities go, I only see a small, athletic point guard who has potential. Which is like saying F can be a good player, just like P or any other good point guard is.
Every player in the NBA can show flashes of brilliance, but only a handful are stars who are consistent. It’s an enormous stretch for ‘potential’ and ‘creativity’ to translate into consistency.
The Dude Abidessays
One weapon that both Chris Paul and Tony Parker have that Farmar doesn’t is the five or six-foot running floater that they use when a bigger player is defending the rim. Jordan tends to go all the way to the rim on his drives, probably because of his superior jumping ability. Sometimes that gets him into trouble, with his shot either blocked or altered. If he could develop a running floater, he could become much more efficient. Fewer of his shots blocked, fewer turnovers because of a forced pass caused by fear of a blocked shot, and more offensive rebound opportunities as a result of the rim defender leaving his man in an attempt to block Jordan’s running floater.
bruinsfansays
Great piece on LO. Always nice to see stories of people who have overcome all odds to succeed.
As far as Harden, I’d be really surprised if he was taken second. That may reflect the fact that he’s one of the better scorers in the country, but his athleticism is really not that great and scouts will see that in workouts. The other thing to keep in mind is that players who are supremely talented but not very polished tend to shoot up the draft board after the college season because they work out full time.
Simonsays
Anyone else watching the Spurs/Rockets game? Might as well check out the other 2 of the top 3 West teams… a couple of random thoughts:
1) Is there anyone else hoping that the Rockets stay #3 (assuming Spurs hold #2)? I think they match up really well with the Spurs, and even without McGrady, I think they have a legitimate shot at beating the Spurs. And Hayes can really neutralize Duncan.
2) A week or so ago, I thought that Drexler was a little annoying, but I just attributed that to my bias in favour of the Lakers. But now, after hearing a little more of him, I think he has to be added to the club, along with the Denver and Portland announcers.
E-ROCsays
I think the Jordan Hill from Arizona will be taken second with Thabeet and Harden next. The reason that James Harden is up so high is because players like Earl Clark, James Johnson, and some other players have extreme upside but are incredibly inconsistent. James Harden isn’t good athlete but has a extremely advance skill set for his age. He has one hand at the moment, but he’s solid all-around offensively. Harden might have lead feet defensively. ASU plays zone all the time Demar DeRozan is another highly athletic fair skilled player who has terrible inconsistency.
kwame a.says
Greg Monroe and Demarr Derozan seem to be the freshmen with the highest upside. Monroe is a smooth 3 with inside-out game and Derozan is a prototypical SG.
kwame a.says
Dude/22- Remember when Farmar came in the league he actually had that shot (he also had it UCLA). Last year he stopped taking it, and hasnt brought it back.
Snoopy2006says
At this point we’re hoping Farmar will just be a solid starter. The idea of him having Parker potential is almost laughable. And it’s not necessarily a knock against Farmar. Mr. Longoria, even before he really came into his own, had far more weapons than Farmar could hope for. Parker was still lightning quick, had the tear drop, and most importantly, showed flashes of a great finishing touch. That’s developed over the years into an uncanny ability to score at will in the land of giants, with his unbelievable ability to spin and adjust in mid-move and leave the big men confused and slow-footed. Farmar is simply awful (at his best, average) at finishing at the rim with 1 or 2 defenders in his face. And one of the biggest differences is attitude. Parker was willing to put up with Popovich’s screaming antics for years, whereas Jordan has problems taking instruction from the most laid back of head coaches. Jannero Pargo is a better shooter than Parker and is almost as quick, and the idea of comparing him to Parker is a joke. You can take highlights of Speedy Claxton and draw some potential comparisons to Parker if you tried really hard.
I do think Farmar is hitting a rough spot in his career and will bounce back for the better, and unless we’re planning on playing the triangle for the next 10 years, I think Farmar is a part of our future. But he’s closer to his ceiling than a lot of people think. He’s a talented, solid player who provides a spark when he’s on, and hopefully will be in purple and gold for a while, but let’s not get carried away. Next the Sasha and Reggie Miller comparisons will start.
26, kwame – I’m not aware of how Derozan has played lately, but I always worry about wings like that who rely on athleticism to dominate high school ball. I start thinking of Gerald Green comparisons. Kobe had a highly polished offensive game even in his senior year, which speaks to work ethic. I have no idea what Derozan’s like off court, but I hope he has some serious work ethic to go with his skills.
I haven’t seen Harden, but Roy wasn’t considered too athletic either. Sometimes solid is just better.
Mamulasays
Houston – San Antonio game is a nail biter. Duncan is nowhere close to being real himself.
Kyle Lowry is having an excellent game filling up the stat sheet. I am just glad I am not a Grizzlies fan
Snoopy2006says
On a side note, and I’m not trying to insult anyone (this guy may be special to Laker fans and Laker history), but am I the only one who thinks the Lakers PA announcer is fairly boring? The Bulls PA announcer really sends chills up your spine, and the old Detroit guy at least sounded excited.
I guess we just go for a different, more calm image. But I went to a Bulls game during the Jordan era and I’ll never forget the player introductions, ever. And it wasn’t entirely because of MJ.
MannyP13says
I’m with you Snoopy. Unfortunately, Larry Tante has been the Laker PA announcer since 1980 so we have a better shot of having the Lakers wear green uniforms than having this guy replaced unless he dies or retires.
I agree with you that when Larry goes away the Lakers need a more uptempo PA guy.
Actually I wish Spiro (radio) replace Joel on the Laker TV telecasts. I find Joel boring and they both are such Laker guys that we don’t really hear any negatives about any players. Lamar is shooting just over 50% on freethrows over the last 2 months and all I hear is how he needs to be more consistent – duh!!! Really!!! No real information, just a repetition of the Laker pablum. That is where Chick really was able to shine. He had been around so long the Laker brass couldn’t tell him not to criticize any players.
BCRsays
Wondahbap,
Completely agree. Denver or New Orleans is a much easier out than the other four teams. Only twinge of regret that I’ll have is that we can’t have a New Orleans-Utah series to set up an epic battle between Paul and Williams.
Bryansays
Not to rain on the feeling the love for Farmar day, but did you notice in highlight #1, Sasha is wide open the whole time calling for the ball, and even after Jordan makes the shot, still has his hands up as if to say “im still open, buddy.”
I wonder how they get along off the court.
The Dude Abidessays
35. That was the play in Game 4 of the Finals just before halftime, right? Sasha did happen to be open, but only if the ball was on the left sideline too. For Jordan to have made that pass, it would have required lobbing it over Ray Allen, who was between Jordan and Sasha. When Sasha was more wide open a second or two earlier, Jordan had defenders trying to steal his dribble. With two or three seconds left, it’s probably better to at least get a shot off than it is to risk a tough pass AND get a shot off.
Anonymoussays
duncan doesnt look the same, especially during that rockets game he didnt look like himself
Stephensays
Simon,
Drexler annoys the h*** out of me w/his mastery of the obvious. Worrell is pretty fair except where Yao is concerned and in crunch time.
Funny how I’m watching the game on TW in LA and am getting the Spurs announcers who are horrible homers. But Elliott had a couple of very nice momemts diagraming who/what/why on a couple of plays.
Suprisingly the Minn color guy has done some excellent pre-game/half-time bits on how good players are successful.
Stephensays
While the numbers prob don’t back me,to my eyes Farmar doesn’t seem to have improved much from his rookie yr,other than a slightly better 3pt shot.
What would worry me as a Laker fan is the lack of any calls for Farmar to start over Fisher. By this time Farmar should have shown something-defense,playmaking,whatever-that would have some fans wanting him to start.
Sorry if this has already been discussed,but what’s the deal w/Sun Yue playing SF in the D-League? The explanation he’s doing so because the team has a glut of PGs makes no sense as the Lakers run the team. Is he being groomed for the Wing Initiator role?
E-ROCsays
Stephen – I think the Lakers sent Sun Yue down to the D-League to work on his game and get some playing time. Yue had much rust on his game because he wasn’t getting any playing time at the pro level. He has gotten better with each passing game with the D-Fenders which is encouraging.
Zephidsays
Here’s some stats to help my case that Jordan could become a player similar to TP.
Jordan Farmar, per 36 minutes stats (from basketball-reference.com)
As you can see, Parker has more points and assists, but Jordan has more rebounds, and I can tell you Jordan has more steals and blocks and less turnovers. But the stats are eerily similar. Both had a high leap in production from their rookie to sophomore seasons, then a mild regression in their third year.
I’m not saying that Jordan will 100% be better than Tony Parker, but I’m saying that with Jordan’s skills, given the minutes, he could easily match Parker’s early career production. I hate to break it, but Tony Parker was not an all-star out of the box like Tim Duncan and Lebron James were. He had to refine his game and work on its facets (remember early in his career, teams would dare him to shoot, ala Rajon Rondo now). Given that Jordan already has a fairly reliable outside shot, and the blistering speed to get into the lane, he has the tools to become a very good player in this league.
Most of you are looking through the rosy colored glasses of post Finals MVP-Parker. If you want a good comparison to Farmar, you have to look back when he was a young player struggling to claim that he belonged in San Antonio running their team. Parker used to be just as frustrating and wildly inconsistent as Jordan is now, but he got through it and became an all-star. I keep saying this, because San Antonio was willing to butcher their future to land Jason Kidd just because they were so worried that Parker would not be able to handle the point in the playoffs. All the while, Parker received almost twice the amount of minutes that Jordan is receiving now, allowing him to develop quicker.
I agree; it’s crazy to compare Jordan to Parker as they are now. But I don’t think it’s anywhere near crazy to compare this year’s Jordan to the Tony Parker of 03-04.
Gerritsays
38. Sun is playing the three because he’s six foot
nine. He can still handle the ball even though he’s not the “point guard”, kind of like how L O does. It’s easier for him to guard opposing small forwards than opposing point guards.
Snoopy2006says
How has Sun being doing in the D-league? I haven’t heard anything about him. I remember Coby Karl always did well down there, and I thought he could have been a solid contributor down the line. Is Sun looking more promising?
Snoopy2006says
LMAO this has to be one of the funniest basketball comics out there, despite (or probably because of) it’s commentary on Kobe/Laker fans:
Sun Yue has been ok. His first couple of games were dreadful, especially offensively. He has gradually gotten better with every game, though he made huge blunder in the last game and subsequently lost the game for the D-Fenders. Athletic players give him trouble defensively. No surprise there. He shoots the three well. Aggressive going to the hoop and an OK help defender. His passing has been great too. Yue has some ways to go before he is a quality role player, but he just might turn out to be a pretty good role player.
nomusklessays
I already deleted the recording but I am sort of on board with Bryan’s feelings. I didn’t get the feeling that the second unit put together a disciplined offensive attack so much as made a few tough shots and a few open shots that haven’t gone down the past couple weeks. I’ll be more excited when they share the ball more and work the offense.
That being said, I loved that the shots went down and the team came back from being down huge in the first half to win the game by a wide margin. Kudos to the team for not shutting it down after seeing the wheels come off at the start.
Karlsays
I love how draftexpress.com has Farmar’s best case comparison as Steve Nash.
I don’t know, but that draft express analysis of Jordan seemed pretty backwards to me. I always thought his stength was his athleticism and speed and he lacked the discipline to run the offense consistently. Saying his first step is weak seems downright wrong.
kwame a.says
Zephid-I disagree with you about TP pre-Finals MVP. Regardless of his numbers, he played meaningful minutes for 2 championship teams. Granted, he did not play well late in games for the ’03 title run, in the ’05 run he was key contributor, and throughout his career he has shown the ability to get to the basket and finish at will- the guy has led the leauge in points in the paint, thats pretty ridiculous considering he’s a normal sized human. Farmar is gonna be his own type of player, comparing him to TP is a stretch at best and at this point in his career, a mischaracterization of his actual on court impact.
Apricotsays
The Tony Parker comparison is interesting as far as it shows how different a player he is now compared to his first couple of years, when Pop was yelling at him every minute.
Given Farmar’s physical tools, it seems he will go as far as his head will take him. I think his upside is Derek Fisher with a good finish at the rim, which is more than enough to be our starting PG in the triangle for years. His downside is Smush Parker. Quite a range.
Briansays
Matt/48:
I suspect that Draft Express profile was written after having only watched a few of Farmar’s games his sophomore year. He played on two badly sprained ankles that entire season, and if you didn’t know it, you might think that he wasn’t that explosive of an athlete. It’s a little funny to read now, especially after watching Jordan flush on Tyrus Thomas last night.
I really like Farmar. He’s played some really good games this year, and as I’ve said before he really brings something to our team (quickness, athleticism, moxy) that few other players outside of Kobe actually have. However he makes mistakes that can be frustrating (bad entry passes for example) and really taint him to many of us.
In a way, Jordan is a lot like Odom. He really is talented and really can be a difference maker for the team. So, just like LO, I think it’s easy for us to get frustrated because we see him make mental errors, we see him make tactical mistakes, and we see him not play up to his potential. What makes this even more difficult for fans is the fact that we need him to play well. Even though Farmar is only a backup player, he is a key player for our second unit and does play a big role in the style that does work for that unit. So when Jordan is not on his game, it really does affect our team.
In the end, I do think we need to be patient with Farmar, but that can not come at the expense of losses. The comparison with Parker is apt in one way because Pop had no issues going to other guards (Claxton, Udrih, Vaughn) when Parker was not playing the way the team needed and I think Phil needs to do the same thing if Farmar is repeatedly not up to the task at hand. But that does need to be balanced with the fact that we do need him to play well and it’s in the best interest of the team that he perform, not only now but in the long term.
Sorry for the double post, but I wanted to make one last point. I actually think Farmar is more like Nate Robinson than Tony Parker. I agree with Clutch in that the Triangle is not an offense that is completely conducive to highlighting Farmar’s skills. And like Nate, if Farmar played in an up and down system (like D’Antoni’s) he’d probably put up some serious fantasy stats all while his deficiencies get swept under the rug due to pace and mistakes being more tolerable. However, that’s just tough beans for him. Not to sound unforgiving, but he plays for us and in our system. So, as any player would be asked to do (like Ron Harper for example) he needs to play to his strengths within the context of what we run and within our sets and still be effective. I know that there is some round peg/square hole stuff going on with him, but I also think he’s talented enough to not solely be a system guy and can perform well and play good ball in whatever offense that’s presented to him.
behzadsays
man…my orange are playing well too!
if syracuse wins the championship the same year that the Lakers do????
what will i do with myself?
hansoulfoodsays
The Farmar thing…he’s still got potential as I hope many would agree. But many the triangle is hindering him a little? I feel like if Farmar is in a system like D’Antoini, he would flourish. His game to me seems more run and gun and we know this when the second unit is speed up team. But sometimes, in the half court offense, Farmar has to slow down and develop his decision making better. When the game slows down, I feel like he can’t use his strength as much.
With Parker…sometimes he is Spurs only source of offense. With the Lakers, we have weapons 1-5. It’s harder to say he can’t be a Parker type when the teams are different and the offense is different. But just in terms of skills, I believe he has those skills. Just a questions of if can develop them and just keep adding on to his reportoire.
The man is a hard worker and will improve. I just see potential in him that’s all. We’ve all been down the road with potential and never realizing it. I just hope Farmar won’t disappoint.
And for 17/clutch824,
Ya I’m young but I’ve followed the lakers since the nick the quick, eddie jones, elden campbell, cedric ceballo days…early 90s. Eddie jones was my favorite player and was sad when he got traded away. Then Kobe became my favorite player. I’ve been through the threepeat but still feel that that game four was the best game I’ve watch. Honestly, threepeat years were a not as fun to watch unless Kobe gets in the mix.
Game four – Clutch plays after another, and not just from Kobe. Devean George hitting a couple 3s to bring us back. Smush freakin Parker hit that nonchanlant 3 over Nash to give us a chance?! That steal by Smush again to let Kobe send it to over time….and when all is lost in OT…freakin Luke Walton ties Nash up for a jumpball. And Kobe’s elbow jumper and just wowed me. Ya…it was the best games I’ve watched.
Just to remind everyone who was in 05-06′ (most of whom are not playing at all):
Kwame Brown
Smush Parker
Devean George
Chris Mihm
Brian Cook
Slava Medevenko
But we are ready to throw Odom under the bus if he 2 off games out of 20. Whereas Farmar gets his own tribute post when he has 1 good game out of 20.
It must all be in his head. How can he be the worst free throw shooter on the team? He must make them in practice, right?
No starting PG shoots 59% from the FT. I’m going out on a limb and without checking first saying that in the modern era of the NBA, there has never been a starting PG who shoots 59%….
wiseolgoatsays
I’ve always felt that Kobe outdid himself in Game 6 of that year – throwing in 50 points including clutch, clutch buckets over the Matrix to give us that 3 point lead at the end of regulation. Alas, it was not to be…
Bill,
I’m with you 100%. Like I said, Farmar is a guy I like but I’m not married to him as anything more than our backup PG. But to me, he is a guy we need just because, over the long haul I don’t want Fish playing 40 minutes a night and would rather Kobe and Sasha play the roles that the coaches want them in (which based off everything is not the main facilitator of our offense). I am the conductor on the LO bandwagon though. I’ve always felt that we do not want to lose this guy and think his game and personality is the bridge that connects the players on the team. Over the long haul, I think he’s right behind Kobe and Gasol as the important player to the team.
Snoopy2006says
“But we are ready to throw Odom under the bus if he 2 off games out of 20. Whereas Farmar gets his own tribute post when he has 1 good game out of 20.”
Perfect. Nothing to add there.
Zephid, I think you’re looking a bit too much at stats. I agree with Kwame, I wasn’t looking at Finals MVP Parker when I made my claims. Parker even when he was inconsistent showed flashes of brilliance at everything he does well now except jumpshooting – he was always lightning quick and showed glimpses of deceptive shifts in speed and direction, and most importantly at all, finished well often at the rim. Farmar simply does not. He’s shown similarities to many other small guards that struggle to finish at the rim, that don’t have a variety of moves once they get into the paint. Quite unlike Parker.
Again, this isn’t meant to knock Farmar on All Hail Farmar day, but there are better comparisons than to Tony Parker.
Craig W.says
Bill Bridges,
Comparing Farmar to LO is just not the same. Lamar is 29, with 10 yrs in the league. He is very most probably (nothing is 100%) the player he will always be. Farmar is 3 years in, after 2 yrs in collage, and he doesn’t have the height advantage LO does when handling the ball. Also, he has played 2nd string his entire career here, while Lamar played 1st string until this year – that means more minutes to develop with better players.
Farmar deserves more time to develop, but I would see what Brown has and even draft another PG, if the talent is there, to back up my assumption. We are near the end for Fish and we need another PG anyway.
LO I would like to see remain with the team, but feel he will be on the 2nd team and should be paid like that next year – probably meaning he will not be here.
Snoopy2006says
To elaborate, stats when extended on a per minute basis tend to get skewed. I think someone pointed out that if you extended some rookie big man (JJ Hickson?)’s stats on a per 40 minute basis, you suddenly had found the next Karl Malone/Duncan hybrid.
Darius, I think you’re dead on with the mental lapses part. But the interesting thing is that I think many of Farmar’s lapses come from his stubbornness (which we do admire as moxy to some degree), we’ve all read about how the coaches have trouble getting him to fit in to the system. Whereas Lamar just has lapses in focus. Although Farmar’s FT% does indicate some focus problems too.
I also agree Farmar is useful to buy Fish rest in the early rounds, but in the later rounds I’d like to see more of Fish and Sasha at the point unless against a particular matchup Farmar plays well.
Farmar apparently matched up well against Rose and Heinrich. If he plays consistently throughout the remainder of the season (that’s a huge IF), I’d let him play out and finish games off.
Not sure how much Odom helped Farmar with this game. Farmar was just aggressive. He took his man off the dribble and shot well from the outside. He communicated on defense and used his quickness to jump passing lanes.
Farmar still needs to work on closing out on switches, (pick and roll leaves a SF or SG near Farmar open for 3) boxing out on switches, and yes his FT mechanics. Do you see a trend here?
He needs to be more aggressive on the switches and not rely on his athleticism.
Darius,
Farmar played triangle in high school, grew up a Lakers fan, and played man SS zone in college under Howland. Any lapses in not being a good offensive/defensive player in PJs system is all on Farmar.
Tolgasays
As far as the Larry Tante/PA announcer thing goes, I don’t think we need a more uptempo or crazy guy. We’re LA, we have plenty of other kooky and zany things to identify us by.
The Bulls dude was awesome during that era, and is certainly a legend. Others have since tried to bite his style and it is kind of cheesy and forced. Maybe it is me being old school, but I don’t go for all the artificial pomp and circumstance. Our pregame movie-projection thing (do we still do that???) is pretty badass, but beyond that, I say we let the team do the talking on the court (I’m pretty ok with what they’re showing us right now).
LAHoneysays
I agree with Zephid. I think people who don’t actually see the Farmar/Parker comparisons aren’t looking at the pre-’06 season for the Spurs.
Regardless of how TP’s playing now, it took him 4 very long and frustrating seasons to be as good as he is. And that’s a fact. Jordan has the same quickness and athletic abilities, if not more, and he’ll learn to be more consistent. It’s rather questionable, suspicious, and annoying when Laker fans are shooting their players down.
Yes, it gets frustrating when Farmar commits those dumb turnovers and poor offensive decisions. And it was even more frustrating with LO last season and season before.
But the potential for the PG spot is there. The coaching staff, Kobe, and Fish are working hard with Jordan, and I think the negative criticism from literally just about everyone is affecting his mental game. It’s obvious he’s trying to get out of his momentary slump; just have faith. He’ll get there.
To me, it looks like a strong future for the two most important players in LA: Farmar and Bynum.
As far as the running d’Antoni’s offense, I think that’s debatable. The second unit if suppose to do what the first unit doesn’t, which is accelerate the speed of the game. So I don’t suppose it’s defying the triangle system.
Farmar’s too hard-headed for his own good. I mean, if Phil can have the patience with him, why can’t we?
Argopile says
Nice. Now imagine if we got that every night. Out of curiousity did you make that video or find it?
Kurt says
Found it. My video editing skills are a work in progress, at best.
chris h says
hey I wanted to have a discussion about what I thought I heard last night…
in the start of the 4th qtr run, with the bech doing serious damage to the Bulls lead, PJ called his usual time out to bring in the starters, and they, according to what I thought I heard, all sat down and indictade to PJ to “keep the bech in, they’re hot now and doing great”.
if this is true, this is a major thing, selfless, ego-less, pure team spirit, showing faith in the second unit, and working to bring their confidence up.
so was I alone in hearing this, or did you folks hear it too?
thoughts?…
I think this goes to a physcological level of sports, and important for our team.
muddywood says
I heard the same thing.
muddywood says
Sorry for the double post.
http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1153359/1/index.htm
Great article in LO.
Kurt says
3. I heard that as well. The timeout in question was with 10:04 left in the fourth, earlier than Phil likes to send in the big guns but about when he has had to start doing it lately. In this case, it is a great sign that he didn’t have to, and it’s a great sign that the bench told him not to.
clutch824 says
3 – That’s good to hear. But I don’t think the main guys or coaching staff being selfish or not having faith has been a problem. I think guys just haven’t been getting it done. Hopefully they can build on this.
I’m so glad this road trip has finally started.
Kurt says
Is Arizona State’s James Harden hurting his draft stock with this game against Syracuse?
kwame a. says
8- I dont think so Kurt, Syracuse is running a zone to limit him, but I do think he will have to find creative ways to score due to his lack of athleticsm.
Re: Bench- I liked having Odom out there instead of Gasol. It worked earlier in the season, and it worked last night.
Matt says
I have to say, the NBA’s advertising is fantastic. All the new playoff ads give me chills.
hansoulfood says
I think many of you have said this and I believe…that Farmar can potentially be a Tony Parker type of player for the Lakers. He has more range than Parker and also his quickness (probably not as quick but comparable). Now he just need to develop his decision making and consistent mid range jumpshot and he is set.
Keep attacking the basket Farmar!
Burgundy says
Thank, Kurt!
2 thoughts:
1) Farmar played great in the fourth quarter because he was on the floor with Odom – something we’ve all been saying for a month. Farmar is effective when he doesn’t have to worry about directing the Offense, and can focus on scoring. PJ should just have Odom play with the second unit from now on – even if they’re giving up some height.
2) Speaking of Odom – how great was it to see the pure joy he reacted with after Kobe’s game winner? Another reason why he’s great to have on the team.
hansoulfood says
Also…the second vid
I truly believe that was the best Lakers game I have ever seen. With all the adversity and with smush and kwame on the team, and against all odds, Kobe and the Lakers pulled out a miracle OT win against the Suns. Too bad the playoffs aren’t a 5 7 7 7 format.
kwame a. says
11-Difference is Parker plays to his strengths. Saw a stat that Farmar has taken far more 3pt shots than TP and has done so in way less minutes. TP is a 3x time champ, Finals MVP, Farmar has a loooooooong way to reach that, and it starts with playing smarter, game in, game out.
Zephid says
14, kwame a., you have to remember Parker before he was Finals MVP Parker to get a good comparison to Jordan. Keep in mind, Parker was so inconsistent for the Spurs that they tried really hard to get Jason Kidd to replace him as their starting point guard, even after the Spurs won a championship with Parker starting at the point (although he didn’t finish most games in favor of Steve Kerr). Doesn’t this remind you of Jordan, with the wild inconsistency and constant talk of replacing him? This is only Jordan’s 3rd year in the league; Parker didn’t really come into his own until his 4th, and Parker had been getting start minutes his entire career.
Jordan is also a much better shooter than Parker. His career 3-point percentage is 36%, while Parker’s is 31%. If Jordan had been getting Parker’s minutes his whole career (32+ per game), I have no doubt that Jordan would be further along than he is now. As we saw in the highlight video, Jordan also shows sparks of being a very creative finisher inside, similar to what Parker does night-in, night-out. We’ve also seen Jordan show a nice pull-up bank shot earlier in the season, although he’s gone away from it in recent months.
All-in-all, if Jordan gets the minutes and the support, I firmly believe Jordan can become Tony Parker-lite, if not Tony Parker-classic. And if he continues to improving his skills as we’ve seen in the past few seasons (developing a mid-range shot, finishing inside, three-point shooting), I have no doubt that Jordan has the potential to pass Tony Parker in terms of production.
Hopefully this doesn’t include the horrible defense…
Kurt says
9. Kwame a. I will note that Draftexpress has/had Harden going #2 overall in the draft. I like his game, but I think that it speaks to how weak this draft is at the top that a guy without insane athletic ability is being considered that high. I think there will be steals in the draft, guys with skills hidden by their college systems, but finding them will be a challenge.
clutch824 says
11, 14-15 – Not even close. Gotta agree with kwame. Parker is a top 5 PG, probably 3rd, and is arguably the best player on that team. Farmer has absolutely nothing on him. At year 3, he’s still not capable of running his head coach’s favored offense. If he even comes close to TP while Kobe is still a top 10 player, you can write down the championship in pen. And this is from someone that despises the Spurs.
And with that, the best game, and playoff format thing, you’re showing your youth there, hansoulfood. It was 5-7-7-7 only 6 seasons ago. It’s all good, though. Enjoy it while you can.
kwame a. says
15-I think that if you pull Farmar’s good plays you do see some TP, but take lots of young quick guards good plays and you’ll see some TP. I just think, like Clutch said, that is year 3, Jordan is not progressing like fans and the coaching staff hoped. However, Phil is really trying to get him going and I credit Phil for his patience, hopefully it pays off and we get some consistent minutes from Jordan. As for the TP comparison, Farmar has to relentlessly attack the whole and make good decisions to be in the ballpark and he has yet to do either. But, as Kurt said, bench came through big for us yesterday, don’t wanna rain on their good game, just saying-long way till the TP comparisons have merit.
sT says
muddywood, that was a very good LO article, worth all the time to read it. He does like life here in LA and is a good person. Hopefully Farmar will only have to play against Deron Williams one more time this year, in fact we do not want to see the Jazz again after the last regular season game. Yeah, Kobe’s fade away jumper’s with hands in his face is amazing indeed.
kwame a. says
Kurt-You are right, I don’t know how Harden is considered a top 5 pick unless the draft is just crap. The good thing for the Lakers, like you mentioned, is that there will be upperclassmen at the bottom of the draft that probably could contribute to a team’s depth off the bench.
Don W says
5. Great article on LO. A very moving and insightful piece. I cannot begin to imagine what he’s gone through, but I am very happy he’s at the heart of this Laker team.
14,15. Farmar definitely has the potential, as exemplified by the highlights, but I don’t understand the comparison to Parker. F has the jumping ability and the straight away speed, while P has the deceptive quickness and clever maneuvers. F takes the 3, P takes the midrange. F would rather play in D’Antoni’s system, P in Popovich’s. F dunks the ball, P layup. F can’t get his shot off when defended well in the paint, P has too many tricks for the defense to contain him.
As far as the similarities go, I only see a small, athletic point guard who has potential. Which is like saying F can be a good player, just like P or any other good point guard is.
Every player in the NBA can show flashes of brilliance, but only a handful are stars who are consistent. It’s an enormous stretch for ‘potential’ and ‘creativity’ to translate into consistency.
The Dude Abides says
One weapon that both Chris Paul and Tony Parker have that Farmar doesn’t is the five or six-foot running floater that they use when a bigger player is defending the rim. Jordan tends to go all the way to the rim on his drives, probably because of his superior jumping ability. Sometimes that gets him into trouble, with his shot either blocked or altered. If he could develop a running floater, he could become much more efficient. Fewer of his shots blocked, fewer turnovers because of a forced pass caused by fear of a blocked shot, and more offensive rebound opportunities as a result of the rim defender leaving his man in an attempt to block Jordan’s running floater.
bruinsfan says
Great piece on LO. Always nice to see stories of people who have overcome all odds to succeed.
As far as Harden, I’d be really surprised if he was taken second. That may reflect the fact that he’s one of the better scorers in the country, but his athleticism is really not that great and scouts will see that in workouts. The other thing to keep in mind is that players who are supremely talented but not very polished tend to shoot up the draft board after the college season because they work out full time.
Simon says
Anyone else watching the Spurs/Rockets game? Might as well check out the other 2 of the top 3 West teams… a couple of random thoughts:
1) Is there anyone else hoping that the Rockets stay #3 (assuming Spurs hold #2)? I think they match up really well with the Spurs, and even without McGrady, I think they have a legitimate shot at beating the Spurs. And Hayes can really neutralize Duncan.
2) A week or so ago, I thought that Drexler was a little annoying, but I just attributed that to my bias in favour of the Lakers. But now, after hearing a little more of him, I think he has to be added to the club, along with the Denver and Portland announcers.
E-ROC says
I think the Jordan Hill from Arizona will be taken second with Thabeet and Harden next. The reason that James Harden is up so high is because players like Earl Clark, James Johnson, and some other players have extreme upside but are incredibly inconsistent. James Harden isn’t good athlete but has a extremely advance skill set for his age. He has one hand at the moment, but he’s solid all-around offensively. Harden might have lead feet defensively. ASU plays zone all the time Demar DeRozan is another highly athletic fair skilled player who has terrible inconsistency.
kwame a. says
Greg Monroe and Demarr Derozan seem to be the freshmen with the highest upside. Monroe is a smooth 3 with inside-out game and Derozan is a prototypical SG.
kwame a. says
Dude/22- Remember when Farmar came in the league he actually had that shot (he also had it UCLA). Last year he stopped taking it, and hasnt brought it back.
Snoopy2006 says
At this point we’re hoping Farmar will just be a solid starter. The idea of him having Parker potential is almost laughable. And it’s not necessarily a knock against Farmar. Mr. Longoria, even before he really came into his own, had far more weapons than Farmar could hope for. Parker was still lightning quick, had the tear drop, and most importantly, showed flashes of a great finishing touch. That’s developed over the years into an uncanny ability to score at will in the land of giants, with his unbelievable ability to spin and adjust in mid-move and leave the big men confused and slow-footed. Farmar is simply awful (at his best, average) at finishing at the rim with 1 or 2 defenders in his face. And one of the biggest differences is attitude. Parker was willing to put up with Popovich’s screaming antics for years, whereas Jordan has problems taking instruction from the most laid back of head coaches. Jannero Pargo is a better shooter than Parker and is almost as quick, and the idea of comparing him to Parker is a joke. You can take highlights of Speedy Claxton and draw some potential comparisons to Parker if you tried really hard.
I do think Farmar is hitting a rough spot in his career and will bounce back for the better, and unless we’re planning on playing the triangle for the next 10 years, I think Farmar is a part of our future. But he’s closer to his ceiling than a lot of people think. He’s a talented, solid player who provides a spark when he’s on, and hopefully will be in purple and gold for a while, but let’s not get carried away. Next the Sasha and Reggie Miller comparisons will start.
26, kwame – I’m not aware of how Derozan has played lately, but I always worry about wings like that who rely on athleticism to dominate high school ball. I start thinking of Gerald Green comparisons. Kobe had a highly polished offensive game even in his senior year, which speaks to work ethic. I have no idea what Derozan’s like off court, but I hope he has some serious work ethic to go with his skills.
I haven’t seen Harden, but Roy wasn’t considered too athletic either. Sometimes solid is just better.
Mamula says
Houston – San Antonio game is a nail biter. Duncan is nowhere close to being real himself.
Kyle Lowry is having an excellent game filling up the stat sheet. I am just glad I am not a Grizzlies fan
Snoopy2006 says
On a side note, and I’m not trying to insult anyone (this guy may be special to Laker fans and Laker history), but am I the only one who thinks the Lakers PA announcer is fairly boring? The Bulls PA announcer really sends chills up your spine, and the old Detroit guy at least sounded excited.
I guess we just go for a different, more calm image. But I went to a Bulls game during the Jordan era and I’ll never forget the player introductions, ever. And it wasn’t entirely because of MJ.
MannyP13 says
I’m with you Snoopy. Unfortunately, Larry Tante has been the Laker PA announcer since 1980 so we have a better shot of having the Lakers wear green uniforms than having this guy replaced unless he dies or retires.
I agree with you that when Larry goes away the Lakers need a more uptempo PA guy.
wondahbap says
The current match-ups, if the Playoffs were to star today, would be perfect.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/matchups?season=2009
Craig W. says
Actually I wish Spiro (radio) replace Joel on the Laker TV telecasts. I find Joel boring and they both are such Laker guys that we don’t really hear any negatives about any players. Lamar is shooting just over 50% on freethrows over the last 2 months and all I hear is how he needs to be more consistent – duh!!! Really!!! No real information, just a repetition of the Laker pablum. That is where Chick really was able to shine. He had been around so long the Laker brass couldn’t tell him not to criticize any players.
BCR says
Wondahbap,
Completely agree. Denver or New Orleans is a much easier out than the other four teams. Only twinge of regret that I’ll have is that we can’t have a New Orleans-Utah series to set up an epic battle between Paul and Williams.
Bryan says
Not to rain on the feeling the love for Farmar day, but did you notice in highlight #1, Sasha is wide open the whole time calling for the ball, and even after Jordan makes the shot, still has his hands up as if to say “im still open, buddy.”
I wonder how they get along off the court.
The Dude Abides says
35. That was the play in Game 4 of the Finals just before halftime, right? Sasha did happen to be open, but only if the ball was on the left sideline too. For Jordan to have made that pass, it would have required lobbing it over Ray Allen, who was between Jordan and Sasha. When Sasha was more wide open a second or two earlier, Jordan had defenders trying to steal his dribble. With two or three seconds left, it’s probably better to at least get a shot off than it is to risk a tough pass AND get a shot off.
Anonymous says
duncan doesnt look the same, especially during that rockets game he didnt look like himself
Stephen says
Simon,
Drexler annoys the h*** out of me w/his mastery of the obvious. Worrell is pretty fair except where Yao is concerned and in crunch time.
Funny how I’m watching the game on TW in LA and am getting the Spurs announcers who are horrible homers. But Elliott had a couple of very nice momemts diagraming who/what/why on a couple of plays.
Suprisingly the Minn color guy has done some excellent pre-game/half-time bits on how good players are successful.
Stephen says
While the numbers prob don’t back me,to my eyes Farmar doesn’t seem to have improved much from his rookie yr,other than a slightly better 3pt shot.
What would worry me as a Laker fan is the lack of any calls for Farmar to start over Fisher. By this time Farmar should have shown something-defense,playmaking,whatever-that would have some fans wanting him to start.
Sorry if this has already been discussed,but what’s the deal w/Sun Yue playing SF in the D-League? The explanation he’s doing so because the team has a glut of PGs makes no sense as the Lakers run the team. Is he being groomed for the Wing Initiator role?
E-ROC says
Stephen – I think the Lakers sent Sun Yue down to the D-League to work on his game and get some playing time. Yue had much rust on his game because he wasn’t getting any playing time at the pro level. He has gotten better with each passing game with the D-Fenders which is encouraging.
Zephid says
Here’s some stats to help my case that Jordan could become a player similar to TP.
Jordan Farmar, per 36 minutes stats (from basketball-reference.com)
06-07 – 11.2 pts, 4.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 4.1-9.7 FGM-A, 1.5-3.5 3PA-M, 09-1.3 FTM-A (total minutes played, 1090)
07-08 – 16 pts, 4.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds, 6.2-13.4 FGM-A, 2.4-6.5 3PA-M, 1.1-1.7 FTM-A (total minutes played, 1690)
08-09 – 13.5 pts, 4.7 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 5.2-12.7 FGM-A, 1.6-4.6 3PA-M, 1.4-2.4 FTM-A (total minutes played, 986)
Tony Parker, per 36 minute stats (from basketball-reference.com)
01-02 – 11.2 pts, 5.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 4.3-10.1 FGM-A, 1-3 3PM-A, 1.7-2.5 FTM-A (total minutes played, 2267)
02-03 – 16.5 pts, 5.6 assists, 2.8 rebounds, 6.3-13.5 FGM-A, 1.1-3.2 3PM-A, 2.8-3.8 FTM-A (total minutes played, 2774)
03-04 – 15.4 pts, 5.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds, 5.9-13.2 FGM-A, 0.9-2.8 3PM-A, 2.7-3.8 FTM-A (total minutes played, 2577)
As you can see, Parker has more points and assists, but Jordan has more rebounds, and I can tell you Jordan has more steals and blocks and less turnovers. But the stats are eerily similar. Both had a high leap in production from their rookie to sophomore seasons, then a mild regression in their third year.
I’m not saying that Jordan will 100% be better than Tony Parker, but I’m saying that with Jordan’s skills, given the minutes, he could easily match Parker’s early career production. I hate to break it, but Tony Parker was not an all-star out of the box like Tim Duncan and Lebron James were. He had to refine his game and work on its facets (remember early in his career, teams would dare him to shoot, ala Rajon Rondo now). Given that Jordan already has a fairly reliable outside shot, and the blistering speed to get into the lane, he has the tools to become a very good player in this league.
Most of you are looking through the rosy colored glasses of post Finals MVP-Parker. If you want a good comparison to Farmar, you have to look back when he was a young player struggling to claim that he belonged in San Antonio running their team. Parker used to be just as frustrating and wildly inconsistent as Jordan is now, but he got through it and became an all-star. I keep saying this, because San Antonio was willing to butcher their future to land Jason Kidd just because they were so worried that Parker would not be able to handle the point in the playoffs. All the while, Parker received almost twice the amount of minutes that Jordan is receiving now, allowing him to develop quicker.
I agree; it’s crazy to compare Jordan to Parker as they are now. But I don’t think it’s anywhere near crazy to compare this year’s Jordan to the Tony Parker of 03-04.
Gerrit says
38. Sun is playing the three because he’s six foot
nine. He can still handle the ball even though he’s not the “point guard”, kind of like how L O does. It’s easier for him to guard opposing small forwards than opposing point guards.
Snoopy2006 says
How has Sun being doing in the D-league? I haven’t heard anything about him. I remember Coby Karl always did well down there, and I thought he could have been a solid contributor down the line. Is Sun looking more promising?
Snoopy2006 says
LMAO this has to be one of the funniest basketball comics out there, despite (or probably because of) it’s commentary on Kobe/Laker fans:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/GTAS-comics-MVP-couch-rage;_ylt=AmV_moJy6ApL5T1_ktckAli8vLYF?urn=nba,149327
E-ROC says
Sun Yue has been ok. His first couple of games were dreadful, especially offensively. He has gradually gotten better with every game, though he made huge blunder in the last game and subsequently lost the game for the D-Fenders. Athletic players give him trouble defensively. No surprise there. He shoots the three well. Aggressive going to the hoop and an OK help defender. His passing has been great too. Yue has some ways to go before he is a quality role player, but he just might turn out to be a pretty good role player.
nomuskles says
I already deleted the recording but I am sort of on board with Bryan’s feelings. I didn’t get the feeling that the second unit put together a disciplined offensive attack so much as made a few tough shots and a few open shots that haven’t gone down the past couple weeks. I’ll be more excited when they share the ball more and work the offense.
That being said, I loved that the shots went down and the team came back from being down huge in the first half to win the game by a wide margin. Kudos to the team for not shutting it down after seeing the wheels come off at the start.
Karl says
I love how draftexpress.com has Farmar’s best case comparison as Steve Nash.
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Jordan-Farmar-221/
Matt says
I don’t know, but that draft express analysis of Jordan seemed pretty backwards to me. I always thought his stength was his athleticism and speed and he lacked the discipline to run the offense consistently. Saying his first step is weak seems downright wrong.
kwame a. says
Zephid-I disagree with you about TP pre-Finals MVP. Regardless of his numbers, he played meaningful minutes for 2 championship teams. Granted, he did not play well late in games for the ’03 title run, in the ’05 run he was key contributor, and throughout his career he has shown the ability to get to the basket and finish at will- the guy has led the leauge in points in the paint, thats pretty ridiculous considering he’s a normal sized human. Farmar is gonna be his own type of player, comparing him to TP is a stretch at best and at this point in his career, a mischaracterization of his actual on court impact.
Apricot says
The Tony Parker comparison is interesting as far as it shows how different a player he is now compared to his first couple of years, when Pop was yelling at him every minute.
Given Farmar’s physical tools, it seems he will go as far as his head will take him. I think his upside is Derek Fisher with a good finish at the rim, which is more than enough to be our starting PG in the triangle for years. His downside is Smush Parker. Quite a range.
Brian says
Matt/48:
I suspect that Draft Express profile was written after having only watched a few of Farmar’s games his sophomore year. He played on two badly sprained ankles that entire season, and if you didn’t know it, you might think that he wasn’t that explosive of an athlete. It’s a little funny to read now, especially after watching Jordan flush on Tyrus Thomas last night.
Darius says
I really like Farmar. He’s played some really good games this year, and as I’ve said before he really brings something to our team (quickness, athleticism, moxy) that few other players outside of Kobe actually have. However he makes mistakes that can be frustrating (bad entry passes for example) and really taint him to many of us.
In a way, Jordan is a lot like Odom. He really is talented and really can be a difference maker for the team. So, just like LO, I think it’s easy for us to get frustrated because we see him make mental errors, we see him make tactical mistakes, and we see him not play up to his potential. What makes this even more difficult for fans is the fact that we need him to play well. Even though Farmar is only a backup player, he is a key player for our second unit and does play a big role in the style that does work for that unit. So when Jordan is not on his game, it really does affect our team.
In the end, I do think we need to be patient with Farmar, but that can not come at the expense of losses. The comparison with Parker is apt in one way because Pop had no issues going to other guards (Claxton, Udrih, Vaughn) when Parker was not playing the way the team needed and I think Phil needs to do the same thing if Farmar is repeatedly not up to the task at hand. But that does need to be balanced with the fact that we do need him to play well and it’s in the best interest of the team that he perform, not only now but in the long term.
Darius says
Sorry for the double post, but I wanted to make one last point. I actually think Farmar is more like Nate Robinson than Tony Parker. I agree with Clutch in that the Triangle is not an offense that is completely conducive to highlighting Farmar’s skills. And like Nate, if Farmar played in an up and down system (like D’Antoni’s) he’d probably put up some serious fantasy stats all while his deficiencies get swept under the rug due to pace and mistakes being more tolerable. However, that’s just tough beans for him. Not to sound unforgiving, but he plays for us and in our system. So, as any player would be asked to do (like Ron Harper for example) he needs to play to his strengths within the context of what we run and within our sets and still be effective. I know that there is some round peg/square hole stuff going on with him, but I also think he’s talented enough to not solely be a system guy and can perform well and play good ball in whatever offense that’s presented to him.
behzad says
man…my orange are playing well too!
if syracuse wins the championship the same year that the Lakers do????
what will i do with myself?
hansoulfood says
The Farmar thing…he’s still got potential as I hope many would agree. But many the triangle is hindering him a little? I feel like if Farmar is in a system like D’Antoini, he would flourish. His game to me seems more run and gun and we know this when the second unit is speed up team. But sometimes, in the half court offense, Farmar has to slow down and develop his decision making better. When the game slows down, I feel like he can’t use his strength as much.
With Parker…sometimes he is Spurs only source of offense. With the Lakers, we have weapons 1-5. It’s harder to say he can’t be a Parker type when the teams are different and the offense is different. But just in terms of skills, I believe he has those skills. Just a questions of if can develop them and just keep adding on to his reportoire.
The man is a hard worker and will improve. I just see potential in him that’s all. We’ve all been down the road with potential and never realizing it. I just hope Farmar won’t disappoint.
And for 17/clutch824,
Ya I’m young but I’ve followed the lakers since the nick the quick, eddie jones, elden campbell, cedric ceballo days…early 90s. Eddie jones was my favorite player and was sad when he got traded away. Then Kobe became my favorite player. I’ve been through the threepeat but still feel that that game four was the best game I’ve watch. Honestly, threepeat years were a not as fun to watch unless Kobe gets in the mix.
Game four – Clutch plays after another, and not just from Kobe. Devean George hitting a couple 3s to bring us back. Smush freakin Parker hit that nonchanlant 3 over Nash to give us a chance?! That steal by Smush again to let Kobe send it to over time….and when all is lost in OT…freakin Luke Walton ties Nash up for a jumpball. And Kobe’s elbow jumper and just wowed me. Ya…it was the best games I’ve watched.
Just to remind everyone who was in 05-06′ (most of whom are not playing at all):
Kwame Brown
Smush Parker
Devean George
Chris Mihm
Brian Cook
Slava Medevenko
Bill Bridges says
Darius..
But we are ready to throw Odom under the bus if he 2 off games out of 20. Whereas Farmar gets his own tribute post when he has 1 good game out of 20.
It must all be in his head. How can he be the worst free throw shooter on the team? He must make them in practice, right?
No starting PG shoots 59% from the FT. I’m going out on a limb and without checking first saying that in the modern era of the NBA, there has never been a starting PG who shoots 59%….
wiseolgoat says
I’ve always felt that Kobe outdid himself in Game 6 of that year – throwing in 50 points including clutch, clutch buckets over the Matrix to give us that 3 point lead at the end of regulation. Alas, it was not to be…
mike says
this guys a little undersized.. but i think i’d be okay with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htwkRYa0gOk
Darius says
Bill,
I’m with you 100%. Like I said, Farmar is a guy I like but I’m not married to him as anything more than our backup PG. But to me, he is a guy we need just because, over the long haul I don’t want Fish playing 40 minutes a night and would rather Kobe and Sasha play the roles that the coaches want them in (which based off everything is not the main facilitator of our offense). I am the conductor on the LO bandwagon though. I’ve always felt that we do not want to lose this guy and think his game and personality is the bridge that connects the players on the team. Over the long haul, I think he’s right behind Kobe and Gasol as the important player to the team.
Snoopy2006 says
“But we are ready to throw Odom under the bus if he 2 off games out of 20. Whereas Farmar gets his own tribute post when he has 1 good game out of 20.”
Perfect. Nothing to add there.
Zephid, I think you’re looking a bit too much at stats. I agree with Kwame, I wasn’t looking at Finals MVP Parker when I made my claims. Parker even when he was inconsistent showed flashes of brilliance at everything he does well now except jumpshooting – he was always lightning quick and showed glimpses of deceptive shifts in speed and direction, and most importantly at all, finished well often at the rim. Farmar simply does not. He’s shown similarities to many other small guards that struggle to finish at the rim, that don’t have a variety of moves once they get into the paint. Quite unlike Parker.
Again, this isn’t meant to knock Farmar on All Hail Farmar day, but there are better comparisons than to Tony Parker.
Craig W. says
Bill Bridges,
Comparing Farmar to LO is just not the same. Lamar is 29, with 10 yrs in the league. He is very most probably (nothing is 100%) the player he will always be. Farmar is 3 years in, after 2 yrs in collage, and he doesn’t have the height advantage LO does when handling the ball. Also, he has played 2nd string his entire career here, while Lamar played 1st string until this year – that means more minutes to develop with better players.
Farmar deserves more time to develop, but I would see what Brown has and even draft another PG, if the talent is there, to back up my assumption. We are near the end for Fish and we need another PG anyway.
LO I would like to see remain with the team, but feel he will be on the 2nd team and should be paid like that next year – probably meaning he will not be here.
Snoopy2006 says
To elaborate, stats when extended on a per minute basis tend to get skewed. I think someone pointed out that if you extended some rookie big man (JJ Hickson?)’s stats on a per 40 minute basis, you suddenly had found the next Karl Malone/Duncan hybrid.
Darius, I think you’re dead on with the mental lapses part. But the interesting thing is that I think many of Farmar’s lapses come from his stubbornness (which we do admire as moxy to some degree), we’ve all read about how the coaches have trouble getting him to fit in to the system. Whereas Lamar just has lapses in focus. Although Farmar’s FT% does indicate some focus problems too.
I also agree Farmar is useful to buy Fish rest in the early rounds, but in the later rounds I’d like to see more of Fish and Sasha at the point unless against a particular matchup Farmar plays well.
Kurt says
New Fast Break Thoughts post up for a slow day.
81 Witness says
Snoopy,
Farmar apparently matched up well against Rose and Heinrich. If he plays consistently throughout the remainder of the season (that’s a huge IF), I’d let him play out and finish games off.
Not sure how much Odom helped Farmar with this game. Farmar was just aggressive. He took his man off the dribble and shot well from the outside. He communicated on defense and used his quickness to jump passing lanes.
Farmar still needs to work on closing out on switches, (pick and roll leaves a SF or SG near Farmar open for 3) boxing out on switches, and yes his FT mechanics. Do you see a trend here?
He needs to be more aggressive on the switches and not rely on his athleticism.
Darius,
Farmar played triangle in high school, grew up a Lakers fan, and played man SS zone in college under Howland. Any lapses in not being a good offensive/defensive player in PJs system is all on Farmar.
Tolga says
As far as the Larry Tante/PA announcer thing goes, I don’t think we need a more uptempo or crazy guy. We’re LA, we have plenty of other kooky and zany things to identify us by.
The Bulls dude was awesome during that era, and is certainly a legend. Others have since tried to bite his style and it is kind of cheesy and forced. Maybe it is me being old school, but I don’t go for all the artificial pomp and circumstance. Our pregame movie-projection thing (do we still do that???) is pretty badass, but beyond that, I say we let the team do the talking on the court (I’m pretty ok with what they’re showing us right now).
LAHoney says
I agree with Zephid. I think people who don’t actually see the Farmar/Parker comparisons aren’t looking at the pre-’06 season for the Spurs.
Regardless of how TP’s playing now, it took him 4 very long and frustrating seasons to be as good as he is. And that’s a fact. Jordan has the same quickness and athletic abilities, if not more, and he’ll learn to be more consistent. It’s rather questionable, suspicious, and annoying when Laker fans are shooting their players down.
Yes, it gets frustrating when Farmar commits those dumb turnovers and poor offensive decisions. And it was even more frustrating with LO last season and season before.
But the potential for the PG spot is there. The coaching staff, Kobe, and Fish are working hard with Jordan, and I think the negative criticism from literally just about everyone is affecting his mental game. It’s obvious he’s trying to get out of his momentary slump; just have faith. He’ll get there.
To me, it looks like a strong future for the two most important players in LA: Farmar and Bynum.
As far as the running d’Antoni’s offense, I think that’s debatable. The second unit if suppose to do what the first unit doesn’t, which is accelerate the speed of the game. So I don’t suppose it’s defying the triangle system.
Farmar’s too hard-headed for his own good. I mean, if Phil can have the patience with him, why can’t we?