Before the season it was easy to look at this particular part of the schedule as one that would really test the Lakers. The Grammy road trip is always a grueling one, but the backloaded nature of this trip has been especially taxing when you consider who has been on the docket (anytime the C’s appear on the schedule we should be prepared for a fair amount of mental and physical energy being expended, throw in Orlando and those pesky Bobcats and you get the picture). Beyond this trip though, the sheer volume of basketball that the team has played from the start of the new year up until the All-Star break may also be catching up to the team.
Since the calendar turned to 2011, the Lakers have played 23 games in 45 days (essentially a game every other day) and have only had more than one day off in between games 3 times. For any team, that’s a heavy load but for a team whose core has a lot of miles on its legs this is more problematic. I don’t think you’ll find too many better conditioned athletes at their positions and age than Fisher, Kobe, and Gasol (plus Odom’s off-season work with Team USA has him in great shape), but all of these guys seem a bit worn down to me. Once you add a clearly not yet in peak shape Bynum and that’s 5 of the Lakers 8 main rotation players that don’t look in peak form from a conditioning standpoint. (Missing Barnes hurts too, but that’s a topic for another day.)
The examples of this are prevalent, too. When watching the past few games, too often I’ve seen players jogging back on defense after turnovers or when a speedy guard turns on the jets to try and beat the Lakers up court. When a long rebound bounces out the Lakers have seemed a step slow to the ball (even more so than usual). Call it age if you’d like, but I can’t help but think the recent run of heavy action has started to take its toll on the team.
Obviously, I wouldn’t have made this point just 4 days ago when the Lakers were coming off back to back wins over the Knicks and Celtics and looking as strong as they have all season. So I’m sure this seems all too convenient an excuse after two straight losses. But if you watched the Magic game and the debacle that was last night’s game vs. the Bobcats, it’s safe to say that this team has somewhat hit a wall both physically and mentally.
On the flip side, I know it’s easy to say that this team just stopped caring after the C’s and Knicks game. That reasoning fits nicely into the season long narrative that this team is complacent and apathetic towards the regular season and is just waiting for the playoffs to really start trying. For me though, that’s a bit too easy an explanation. This team knows what it takes to win and understands that forming good habits in order to have positive experience to pull on is a goal and part of the process that they preach about when discussing the journey of a season. So seeing them struggle to find that resolve that they’ve shown in the past has me thinking it’s not just a matter of a “ho-hum, just another regular season game” mindset from the players. Anyone that read Odom’s quotes after the game knows this team still takes these games seriously and the losses personally.
So, you’ll find no happier fan than me when the Lakers are finally done with this road trip and go into the all-star break. Even though Kobe and Pau will play in the game and Los Angeles is the host city, the fact that the team won’t have to play any meaningful games and get to relax off the court (in whatever way they choose) will be a good getaway. I’ve always been a firm believer in the old saying that “fatigue makes cowards of us all.” And while you’ll never hear me call these guys cowards, it’s not a stretch to say that in these last few games when the going got tough the Lakers didn’t have a lot in reserve to push back very hard. So, I’m really looking forward to this break for the team. I have a feeling they’ll need it in preparation for the final push towards the playoffs.
Darius Soriano says
As an aside, I think us fans could use a bit of a rest too. We’re all so invested in this team (like we are every season) that I think we’re all a bit short on patience with this group. The frustration just seems to come quicker and the rope we give the team is much less. I think we could all benefit from a break away from games that really count in the standings.
joel says
post from the last thread
I’ve been saying all season it’s not *just* a mental thing with the lakers or a lack of effort. They have serious issues. Especially defensively. Just look at the picture Dexter Fishmore posted in the first link on the page. You have Odom not guarding anyone. Blake 5 feet off the three point shooter, Pau standing in the low block eyes fixed on the ball handler as his man is moving to the other side of the court. Simply executing one’s offense will expose that type of defense day in and day out.
They lakers have to improve individually before they can improve collectively.
Start with Kobe, he’s going to have to attempt to play defense sooner or later. We know he can defend with the best of them. But too often we just see Kobe not doing anything on the defensive end allowing his man to wonder around freely. It works on Rondo, but not everyone else. Little known opposing sg’s have consistently had good games versus Kobe, because Kobe doesn’t defend them.
Gasol, has to start contesting shots, moving his feet better on the defensive end, and anticipating what the offensive players are going to do. He too often looks like he has the brick shoes Ron wore last year. I rarely hear the stu and joel saying nice contest on that shot or Pau altered that shot. (its something they say about drew all the time). On the offensive end, he needs to be an offensive threat at all times. This guy was defended by 6?8 no defense Boris Diaw and he can only muster up 17 points. He should’ve been going to work on him all night. He needs to step up and demand the ball and go to work. Pau has been nothing but a jump shooter lately.
Derek Fisher…we know he can’t defend, we know. But at some point he’s going to have to make an open shot.
Artest…??? He’s just about does everything wrong.
Odom…just concentrate a little more on his freethrows. He’s been getting to the line but not converting.
Bynum…just attempt to use glass a bit more.
Brown…pass the damn ball. There isn’t a shot he doesn’t like. Brown has tools to be a good defender but he has a poor grasp the fundamentals. And the truth is Brown is a one dimensional player. He isn’t a knock down jumpshooter, he’s a streaky scorer that is a below average ball handler and play maker. So when a good shot isn’t there just make the next easiest pass.
Blake…shoot the damn ball. I think blake’s struggles are a bit exaggerated. But he has to stop deferring so much to brown and others and take open shots.
Walton…when phil signals you to check in, humbly decline.
joel says
As far as the lakers needing rest, of course they do. And being tired would be a valid excuse. If yesterday’s performance was an aberration, then I think the lakers would get a bit more sympathy about being tired. I don’t have list all the bad performances, we all know.
But the point is, they’ve played like this when they weren’t tired, against good teams, bad teams, at home, and on the road.
I think the biggest gripe is just the overall lack of competitiveness. It’s pretty sad when even one person truly believes that the defending championship don’t compete every night. We can look at the last two games and truly say the lakers, aside from andrew, just didn’t do anything well. The lakers can;t even seem to run the offense that they’ve been practicing and perfecting for 3 seasons.There’s no excuse for not being able to run the offense. That should be easy and second nature but this season it hasn’t been.
Lakers8884 says
For BlizzardofOz from the last thread, I live in Tennessee so the drive to Charlotte is one of the few games I can make in a season. I knew going in there was a great chance that they would lose given their history at their place, however, with that being said that WAS the worst loss of the season. Look at my postgame comments last night after I got home from the game, not once did I say this Lakers team won’t win a title or any of that crap. I was merely angry by their humiliating performance. I actually wouldn’t have cared if they lost by a few points in a competitive game because at least they showed up to play and give effort rather than pack it in after one half. When the Lakers actually got down by 10+ points I told a Charlotte fan next to me that I hoped Kobe would at least go into hero mode and score 40+ points so I could get some kind of show, but I didn’t get anything resembling any competitive nature. If anyone thinks I am being irrational how about you go and ask Charlotte fans who went to the game expecting great performances from players like Pau, Kobe and Lamar just like I was. Last night was just a regular season game, BUT that is no excuse on any level for the type of effort they gave. I’m not saying games like this won’t happen but this team should have more pride than letting so many games this season be blowouts.
Darius, being there at the game I will say one thing I was very frustrated by Bynum’s lack of minutes. I thought he played very well and was very active in the minutes he had (the kid is a BEAST), and after reading his postgame comments today it sounds like he was just as frustrated as I was. Phil’s rotation made no sense last night considering how poor Pau played on defense. I know for a fact Drew could have played better D on Nazr Mohammad (a UK graduate I may add) who singlehandedly schooled Pau on all facets on the offensive end.
And Fisher didn’t look that bad defensively, several of Dj Augustine’s points came from a lack of help on pick and roll situations. And Ron actually played solid last night in my opinion, he played excellent D on Captain Jack and hit a few shots himself.
Busboys4me says
“Walton…when phil signals you to check in, humbly decline.”
Priceless!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gr8 Scott says
The last 26 games of the year will tell us all we need to know. If we close out with a record near 20-6 (essentially winning around 80% of our games) and get a few key wins (SA, MIA, DAL, ORL) then there should be little room for panic. Also, let’s see if the losses are competitive (as was our 1 point loss to SA) or are the 15+ blowouts where we hang for a half and then get run out of the gym. We also need to get Barnes back in rhythm, because Artest has now had ample time to show he still has it and the results have been mixed at best. Blake still looks too deferential at times and we all know that Bynum should be funneling his lack of touches into better help D and shot alterations. All of this said, the light of the playoff tunnel is getting closer and our team should still be in line to contend for the #2 seed in the West and a shot to keep hope alive at a 3rd straight title. Let’s hope those not participating in the ASG festivities actually use the down time to get some rest. Go Lakers.
Lakers8884 says
Will anyone be attending the All-star festivities this weekend? If so I would love to have an article on here written about what it was like in person etc….(especially with it being in LA)
Craig W. says
Lakers8884,
I totally agree with you about Andrew. Phil seems determined to keep him humble and not let him finish anything. I don’t understand this, unless Phil just doesn’t want another strong personality to deal with in this, his last year.
If you look at Phil’s history he has always had an alpha dog and always tried to keep the 2nd dog down.
1) Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippen – He actually held Scotty back and could be partially blamed for harping on him when he tried to break free of the shackles (a-la Del Harris in Kobe’s 1st year – then putting him in the game with Utah (playoffs) at the end with no prior practice.
2) Shaq and Kobe – He constantly criticized Kobe and even held him somewhat responsible for the trouble with Shaq in 2004.
3) With Kobe alone he hasn’t had that problem because both LO and Pau are not alpha dogs and are content to follow Kobe’s lead
I think Phil doesn’t want Andrew Bynum to get too much of an alpha ego because he (Phil) just isn’t comfortable with a 3rd competing ego to go with his and Kobe’s.
DieTryin' says
@6- for those who want perspective and balance (and count me among those who do) this is a terrific post.
I haven’t commented much this year but visit on a daily or more frequent basis. I believe that FB&G is the best Laker site around due to the insight Darius consistently delivers and the overall quality of the many contributors to the site.
However, last night’s game was such an absolute stinkbomb that I am compelled to offer a few observations. First I disagree with Darius that this can all be chalked up to fatigue. There is a fine line between attempting to be fair and rationalization. The Laker’s don’t need an apologist, they need truth telling. Phil Jackson did not mince words in his terse and honest characterization of his teams performance post-game.
I don’t think we should either.
I understand that the team is tired. I would expect then that perhaps players can’t run back on defense as fast. I do not expect and cannot accept that they simply do not try to do so. After the Orlando loss Odom said that when he loses he wants to get a real beat down. He did not think the Magic “beat” the Lakers but that they simply beat themselves. Well, after the Charlotte game is there any doubt about who beat whom?
None of this means that the Lakers can’t get it together and successfully defend their title. And I for one fervently hope they do just that. But games like the one in Chalotte tend to make that prospect just a tad more unlikely.
Igor Avidon says
Other teams are tired too. Fatigue is not an excuse for world-class athletes.
Glove says
I just hope no Laker decides to go snowboarding over the All-Star break. Get some rest and be ready for the second half of the season
Darius Soriano says
#7. I’ve been credentialed to cover the ASG so we’ll be putting up posts on the various events this year. Hopefully we can get some good info for all of you.
#9. Well said. And, I don’t want to chalk up all the poor play to fatigue. But I do think it’s a factor that shouldn’t be ignored or dismissed. I think it’d be totally disingenuous to imply that any poor stretch of play can be completely assigned to fatigue. Some of the same issues that have hampered the Lakers for most of the year have shown up in these back to back losses so I don’t want to turn this into a post that acts like “oh they’re just tired, nothing else to see here”.
DieTryin' says
Darius- Thanks and agreed. No whitewash. Resurgence of the apathy monster (again.) At this stage of the season and our falling back in the standings over the last 10 games against Dallas, Miami and even Boston we simply can’t afford any more of this, but clearly as we near the end of a 7 game roadie fatigue is undoubtably a significant contributing factor. I just want our guys to leave it on the floor. We can’t win every game but I want want ’em to Die Tryin’.
sT says
I agree with you Darius about the fans needing some rest also. I have taken a break from here and even trying to get into the games to much at this time. Rejuvenation for what will come after the ASG’s is needed, at least for me.
TheDane says
@14 Exactly, these Lakers are slowly killing my interest in the regular season. They won’t gain homecourt advantage for the finals anyway, and there isn’t much they can do right now to show me if they can even get back to the finals this year.
It is clear by now that this team will have to flip a switch more or less to make it happen this year.
And if there was ever a team that could do that (well there was, last year Boston did it big time), this group would seem to be that group.
They have a lot of the stuff that always shows up as a stable, which will help them get going when the playoffs begin:
Size
Experience
Talent
Good coaching
Lets see what happens in May.
drrayeye says
I like every player on the Laker team individually and feel that on paper they are the best complementary team in the NBA. That’s why it pains me so much to confess that currently this is a team devoid of chemistry.
The key players have been together for years–so they know each other–they’ve bonded–but they often play like strangers.
At one point, I attributed the chemistry problems to “good Kobe” vs. “bad Kobe,” but it is more complicated than that. Kobe often takes a disproportionate number of shots with intermittent inconsistent accuracy, becoming just another volume shooter at times, makes far too many turnovers, and often has only limited interest in defense; Ron is usually a tad out of synch-so is ShanWOW; Pau sometimes appears unenthused and uninvolved; Lamar still flows in an out; Andrew is still looking for that decisive moment; Fisher/Blake don’t quite complement each other; there is a tendency to press on three point shots by everyone–a tad here, and a tad there.
Sort of like a permanent bad cold–only a little off on some days, other days need a night off.
DOC4DaLakeShow says
All these points have merit. IMO, we need 2 things:
#1 Either trade for or get our shooters to work on outside shots. It’s easier for the post if shots are falling from the perimeter.
#2 Allow little used players to bring energy when the starters are “tired”. I’m sure Ebanks and Joe Smith would love to contribute. Get some hunger in there.
Zephid says
15, you know the Lakers are only 4 losses behind the Heat and Celtics, right? Sure they almost certainly won’t beat San Antonio, but they don’t play San Antonio in the Finals. And I’m very curious to see if all three of those teams make it to the playoffs fully healthy. I think the Lakers have been the most injury-proof team in the league. By this I mean that they can have injuries and still be an elite team, such as Kobe’s knees being drained in last year’s playoffs, Bynum’s annual hobbling, Pau’s hammy, Lamar’s shoulder/knees, Artest’s feet, etc.
For San Antonio, Boston, and Miami, one significant injury is a death sentence for their team. However, if all 4 teams are fully healthy, I agree that the Lakers are going to have to turn up the play a lot in order to compete, let alone win.
exhelodrvr says
16) Good post – the problem with that is it leaves them no room for error.