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Fast Break Thoughts

June 7, 2011 by Darius Soriano


  • A fantastic look at every championship ring, by team, in NBA history. My first thought: Look at how many of those things the Lakers (and Celtics) have designed. (My favorite, by the way, is probably the one from 1985.)
  • With the draft coming up in a couple of weeks, it’s about that time for us to start to look more closely at prospects. The Lakers have 4 second round picks this year and I think we’re all hopeful that the team will find a gem or two that can end up being impact players for the team at some point. Over at Lakers.com, Mike Trudell sat down with Mitch Kupchak and talked to him about the draft process. A couple of things that he said that really stood out:

“It’s unlikely you’ll draft four players in the second round that are good enough, first and foremost,” said Kupchak. “Second of all, it’s unlikely you’ll draft four picks thinking that they would make your team. You may want to take a pick or two in Europe and let them develop. At that point in the second round, if somebody drops that you didn’t think would drop you probably just take him regardless of position.” In conclusion, Kupchak mentioned that the team could potentially be in need of additional guards in part because they’re unsure if Shannon Brown will pick up the option year of his contract, and in part due to the age of starters Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher.

  • It looks like Mike Brown will not be able to put his old coaching staff back together completely as it’s being reported that his highly regarded former assistant, Mike Malone, will take a  job with the Warriors as Mark Jackson’s lead assistant. I don’t know much about Malone outside that he’s a very respected defensive coach, served on Mike Brown’s Cavs staff, and helped turn the Hornets into a top defensive team this year assisting Monty Williams. But all of that makes me think he would have been a strong addition to the Lakers.
  • Yes, Mark Jackson is going to coach the Warriors. This is an interesting hire, to say the least. In the end, just like with Mike Brown, I’m willing to give Jackson a chance to prove that he can do a good job though I can understand some of the concern some have exprressed with this hire. One thing I can say about Jackson is now that he’s leaving the booth, we won’t be able to play Mark Jackson Catchphrase Bingo anymore. (Center square being “Mamma there goes that man”, of course.)
  • The Finals continue tonight and I think this is the most critical game of the series. If Dallas loses, I don’t see any way that they come back. However if they win, I think the series goes 7 games with Dallas having a very good chance of pulling out that clinching game, even though it will be on the road. Tonight, it’s floating around that Dallas will adjust their rotation, starting JJ Barrea in place of Deshawn Stevenson and moving Brian Cardinal ahead of Peja as their secondary option at SF. We’ll see if this is sound strategy or desperation (especially with Cardinal), but Carlisle has made all the right calls this post-season so I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt.
  • Finally, I want to start answering more reader questions and that means putting out another mailbag. It’s been a while, but you know the drill. Send me an email with mailbag question in the subject line and ask away. I’ll try to run one every few weeks depending on the volume.

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Comments

  1. XmrblondeX says

    June 7, 2011 at 2:22 pm

    we can still do it at the press conferences. LONG LIVE BINGO

  2. Travis says

    June 7, 2011 at 6:45 pm

    wow. We pick Mike Brown. Houston hires McHale. The Dubs take Mark Jackson. Now the Pistons are looking at Isaiah Thomas or Bill Lambeer.

    Is there a possibility of a lot more coaching vacancies opening up after the pending lockout, or is Brian Shaw really going to be unemployed? Am I wrong to be shocked by this?

  3. Joe says

    June 7, 2011 at 7:27 pm

    Please do not let the Heat win Dallas…PLEASE

  4. dave m says

    June 7, 2011 at 9:03 pm

    Don’t know if this has been covered previously but Trudell writes about Ronnie Lester as the team’s asst. GM in the present tense. Is there any way to get clarifcation on this? Was he never fired in the first place, is he only working through the draft, anyone know?

  5. Gr8 Scott says

    June 7, 2011 at 9:20 pm

    It feels weird watching these Finals after having our team play in it the last three years. It would be nice to see Dallas win it, but it’s not likely. I hope our guys are watching and stewing over this lost opportunity.

  6. harold says

    June 7, 2011 at 11:13 pm

    Dallas is showing the spirit that was missing from our team.

    And Dirk… man, he’s enjoying the kind of transformation Pau did when Pau battled Howard in the finals.

  7. themojojedi says

    June 8, 2011 at 12:50 am

    So if LeBron’s Game 5 vs Boston in 2010 was “The LeBacle”, does this game count as the official sequel? “Le Empire Strikes Bacle”.

  8. abusaud says

    June 8, 2011 at 7:55 am

    @7 I would think it would be “The LeShrinkage”

  9. E-ROC says

    June 8, 2011 at 8:26 am

    I still think the Lakers can find a couple of second rounders who can contribute immediately like David Lighty, Chris Jenkins, DeAndre Liggins, Jamie Skeen, Keith Benson, or Jimmy Butler. Each player understands there limitations and are already developed with some potential. Role players at a cheap rate are hard to find. This draft could yield some good players.

  10. exhelodrvr says

    June 8, 2011 at 8:34 am

    8) But it’s LeCold in the arena!

  11. Edwin Gueco says

    June 8, 2011 at 10:22 am

    JJ Barea was starter tho’ De Shawn Stevenson played the 4th Q, that’s PJ’s Zen move. Coach Carlyle also played Cardinal & Haywood for limited minutes to spread out the foul as a relief for Tyson Chandler. The adjustments worked on Dallas favor.

    Mike B appeared on George Lopez show which is nice and had a good laugh, I just hope this will not be the initiation Hollywood spotlights. It often tempting to be captivated by star lights, tho’ there’s caveat to it gotta’ win Championships. It’s part of the business there is a lot of frustrations working in Hollywood.

  12. Buzz Lightyear says

    June 8, 2011 at 11:50 am

    I am glad to hear I’m not the only one sick of Mark Jackson’s Meaningless Catchphrase Pu-Pu Platter.

    “Hand Down, Man Down” is the one that irritates me the most, because he almost always utters it in situations where the defender was ***supposed to*** have his hands down (moving to stop dribble penetration, running out to rotate to the spot-up shooter, etc.)

    NBA players are professionals. They make a good percentage of the jump shots they take. Defensive hand position has almost nothing to do with it.

  13. Darius Soriano says

    June 8, 2011 at 1:08 pm

    A new post is up.

    http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2011/06/08/improving-from-within-ron-artest/

  14. milesaugust says

    June 9, 2011 at 5:36 pm

    Thank God, Mark Jackson is off the TV. What group of execs sat around a beautiful conference table and decided that this was the best guy to put on the lead broadcast team. Simply the worst. Cliches, followed by non sequitors. Good luck Warriors!

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