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A Lakers Blog. Thoughts, reflections, and the odd rant on the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA (even the Clippers).

Preview & Chat: The Charlotte Hornets

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I am going to keep this short and sweet because, frankly, that is all I have in me today.

The Lakers are back in action after not playing since Tuesday and hopefully the time off did them some good. While there’s an argument to be made that what the team really needed was to get back on the floor and try to get their first win as quickly as possible — Kobe, in fact, made this argument — I’m on record as saying the time off would be of more benefit. This team has been putting together longer stretches of functional basketball, but they are still a ways from refining their collective games. Hopefully the time off afforded them the practice time and film sessions to get them closer to being able to get that first win.

To put it as bluntly as possible, this game offers their best chance for at least a couple of weeks. The Hornets are clearly the better team and have a .500 record to show for their efforts, but the Lakers are at home, rested, and as motivated as they can be to get this win. They will need a strong effort on both sides of the ball, but with the Hornets playing on Friday and traveling cross-country yesterday, they are about as ripe as they can be to take an L.

This doesn’t mean the Lakers can take anything for granted or think they just need to show up. The Hornets possess a top 5 defense and post oriented offense that could give the Lakers issues. Especially troubling is how they have three capable defenders — Lance Stephenson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Gerald Henderson — to defend Kobe well, which could prove daunting to the Lakers’ offensive attack should they need an extra boost from #24 in this game. If Kobe has a hard time getting buckets, it will take strong efforts from Jeremy Lin, Jordan Hill, Boozer, and the rest of the role players to be big enough threats to open up the floor for Kobe later on.

Defensively the Lakers need to corral the Hornets’ trio of Kemba Walker, Al Jefferson, and Stephenson. The Hornets love to go to Al on the block and he will look to isolate against Hill/Boozer/Davis/Sacre to try and get buckets. Al is as crafty a post player as you’ll find in the league and his array of pivots and ball fakes can drive his defender batty. Hill and Davis, especially, will need to defend well, but do so without fouling as the last thing the Lakers will want is to give the Hornets free points at the line when they’ve shown that their offense will struggle at times.

As for Kemba and Lance, the Lakers must really take a team approach to slowing these guys down. Kemba can be excellent in isolation if he starts to get hot, but is even more dangerous when he can get space off the screen and use the threat of his jumper to get the defense off balance. The Lakers must manage him at the point the point of attack and turn him into a passer first, not allowing him to find his rhythm as a scorer.

As for Lance, he has an all-around game, but has not been the scoring threat you’d think to start the year. However, against the Lakers’ struggling wing defense, he will likely look to be more aggressive in looking for his own tonight and the team must respond accordingly. Like Walker, Stephenson can find his groove quickly and can hurt defenses out to beyond the arc. If he starts to hit his jumper, it will open up his penetration where he can do damage as a scorer and a passer when the defense collapses. Best to not let him find his stride at all.

Again, this is the Lakers’ best chance to get a win until the Thanksgiving Holiday. A couple of the players have said, in no uncertain terms, that they expect to win this game. But that’s just talk. Their games better be ready to back up those words or what is already an ugly start to the season may get much worse in the coming weeks.

Where you can watch: 6:30pm start time on TWC Sportsnet. Also listen at ESPN Radio 710AM.


Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. BigCitySid says

    – Lakers coming off of a well deserved rest has a pretty decent chance of their 1st win playing a young team which is playing inconsistent ball.
    – Thru five games Kobe is averaging 8.8 fta’s per game, but only connecting on 6.6 of them per game. I say only because that’s 75% from the line. Low for Kobe, a career .837 free throw shooter. Sure sign of fatigue. 34.4 mpg has to be reduced…or at least better managed.

    5 down, 77 to go. 1-5, better than 0-6. Go Lakers.

  2. Calvin Chang says

    Lakers need a big rim-protector. I would gamble on Hasheem Thabeet and sign him for minimum or non-guaranteed contract. They really have nothing to lose on such a low-risk signing.
    I don’t see why Thabeet can’t be trained by the coaches to play like Dikembe Mutombo. He’s faster and bigger than Mutombo. Sure – Mutombo is smarter, but it’s such a low-risk signing. Why not give Thabeet a shot? If he sucks, waive him after 10 games.
    Personally, I think Thabeet’s problems are fixable with good coaching. He just needs to be trained to always bend his knees, get low and box out. The prospect of spending a career in the D league should motivate him to have a motor.

  3. Chearn says

    Let’s get that monkey off your backs, Lakers! Get that win, tonight.

    This is going to be a hard fought game, as Michael Jordan’s team is playing much better this season, and a win against the Lakers might inspire them to continue progressing.

    Let’s go Lakers, clap clap, clap-clap-clap!

  4. chris henderson says

    is it true the Time-Warner deal is tied to ratings?
    if so, then this team stands to lose some serious money if they keep this up.
    I for one, who cut the cord about 2 years ago, was considering signing up for another cable term, or NBA TV on my apple TV, but… I’m on the fence as of now. seriously, if the team (and I don’t mean ‘the players” by this) doesn’t give the customer it’s money’s worth…

  7. Chris J says

    Um, as far as A.C. Green’s insight goes…

    He was in the Las Vegas area this weekend for a sporting goods store opening and was interviewed by the local Fox affiliate. In a piece that aired on the news last night he actually said the following about the Lakers’ slow start:

    “Basketball is a game of deception, and so you come out and you don’t put your best foot forward. You know, you don’t just come out the gates and slam people. You’ve got to come out with a little deception, a little disguise, and so 0-5 to start, that’s a good disguise. I think we’re actually going to turn things around.”

    I can’t speak for everyone, but I now feel much, much better. Applying A.C.’s wisdom to football, I’ve also concluded the Raiders have sufficiently fooled everyone and are now poised to capture the next three Super Bowls… excuse me while I run to the sports book before others figure this strategy out, too.

  8. Tim says

    The Lakers’ first physician when the team moved to Los Angeles in 1960, Ernie Vandeweghe has passed away. He was responsible for suggesting Chick Hearn as the Lakers announcer and the Forum being in Inglewood instead of the San Fernando Valley. Here is a link to an article on Showtime and Vandeweghe’s impact on Lakers history and how they became Hollywood’s team.

    http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=6136543

  11. Ko says

    Chicago must be laughing there heads off that any team would pick up boozer. Only our front office and the lack if professional scouts.

  12. Hale says

    True brainiac play: Price with Zeller on him. Pass to Sacre so he can turn and fire a mid-range jumper without thinking of taking it closer.

  13. Agree says

    What type of “meritocracy” is this that Ed Davis doesn’t start over Boozer despite out playing him every game. Lin and Davis were great in pre-season, but lin checks out as Davis checks in. SMH, minute allotments and rotations given to players that play worse consistently like Boozer just makes me ill. This vet worship crap shouldn’t have to wait 15 freaking games to change.

  14. Aaron L says

    I don’t understand why Byron insists on playing Lin and Kobe together. They are both most effective with the ball in their hands and they lack chemistry together. The most used lineup that includes Lin without kobe has only played 3.5 minutes according to 82games. Lin hasn’t played well this year so far but can create his own shot which is a skill desperately needed by the 2nd unit

  15. lakafan says

    Byron Scott definitely is in on the Tank. Only way to explain so much PT for CB over ed Davis and Wes j over Ellington. My starting 5 would be Lin, kb, Ellington, Davis, and hill if winning is the name of the game!!

  16. Ko says

    Boozer -13 Johnson – 11

    These two are last and next to kast in the NBA in plus minus!

    Is Scott blind? When will he coach like a real coach and bench these two and start Davis and Wayne?

    Is he trying to win or embarrass the city?

  17. Chearn says

    Um, are we figuring out why the team doesn’t shoot 3pt shots. The first half 0-8. Leaving the team with long rebounds and leak outs for layups at the other end.

    This team is replete with abysmal shooters.

  19. AusPhil says

    Good points being made about rotations. The Lin-Kobe mismatch has been talked about a lot, and, at least until Nick comes back, that 2nd unit needs more creativity. I suppose that Nash starting was meant to lead to that.

    But this Lin-Davis thing is baffling. They did combine well in pre-season, but seem to get very few minutes together now that the season’s rolling. My main issue with MDA was his apparent lack of awareness when it came to making adjustments either in-game or over a period of time, particularly with bench rotations. I’d hate to think that Byron is going to just stick with what’s not working now in the hope that it might in the future.

    On another note, this team is AMAZING at giving up mini runs to end quarters. Got it pretty much back to level, then just let them reel off a run to be facing a 9 point gap at the half.

  20. Archon says

    I’m convinced Scott is still playing Boozer because he doesn’t want to show up the front office by making it clear 5 games in that they basically paid 3.2 million to pick up a guy who is finished

    As to why Wes Johnson is playing? I’m stumped on that one…

  24. Chris J says

    I don’t see why Thabeet can’t be trained by the coaches to play like Dikembe Mutombo.
    ———–
    Why settle for Mutombo? Maybe the coaches can train him to play like Bill Russell or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?

    Or maybe these are all different men, with different skill sets, work ethics, talents and backgrounds and we shouldn’t just assume that coaches can mold people the same way an assembly line churns out the same model car over and over.

    You’re 100 percent right about about the lack of rim protection on the roster, but to assume Thabeet will become anything more than the washout he’s proven to be over his first few NBA seasons — let alone develop into someone as distinguished as Mutombo — is no more realistic than suggesting the coaches can train Jordan Clarkson into playing like Kobe Bryant.

  32. AusPhil says

    Well, that’s a weight off our collective minds/shoulders. Still hoping for that top 3 pick, but some Ws along the way are nice.

    MDA would TOTALLY have left the starters in until there was only like 30 seconds left. Nice to see that not happening.

  35. Radius says

    I hope Lin continues to go to Kobe when he feels he is open and ask for the ball. Hope he demands the ball. Even if he misses, I’d rather have an open man take a shot than anyone being tripled teamed.

    Soon he will demand the ball.

    Question, is Lin worth a 5 million dollar contract? My point of reference is JJ Barea. I think Lin is better than Barea, and Barea makes 4.5 a year. I don’t think anyone should sign him to the “poison pill” 15 mil contract again, but I think he is worth 5. Even if Lakers do get a Rondo next year.

  38. LKK says

    Props where they’re due… Boozer played well tonight, especially in the 3rd when he and Lin took over.

    If that was Wes Johnson’s idea of being aggressive , no wonder he is such an underachiever. He’s going to play himself right out of the league.

    Kobe seems to be aiming his shots. He seems a bit rusty, still.

  39. LKK says

    @Tim….

    Dr. Vandeweghe also played for the Knicks and was the father of Kiki Vandeweghe who was a prominent player in the league, as well.

    RIP.

  40. Oldtimer says

    Lakers won their first game, Barkley could now resume his high calorie consumption. Does the Polar Vortex affected the Charlotte, a playoff contender in the East or Lakers are too slow to heat up run by diesel fuel? What’s next Sir Charles for the following 6 games, let’s make a deal Laker fans vs. Sir Charles big mouth?

  41. Ko says

    LKK he also was one of the original owners as well as Laker trainer with Jack Kent Cooke. I did some business with the family and they live close here in Newport Beach. Nice people.

  42. JBN74SB says

    Yeah, we won. Hope useless victories like that don’t cost us our first round pick.
    BTW – My 0-13 start to the season prediction is officially wrong. Woohoo.

  43. JohnnyP says

    That’s what I’m talking’ about!

    The LAKERS can still win 77 games this year!!

    GOOooooOOOOOO LAKERS !!!!

  44. KenOak says

    Nice! I went to the movies and came back to a Lakers win! (Go see Interstellar…it was very good!)
    So, I guess Sir Charles isn’t going to starve after all, eh?

  45. BigCitySid says

    Nice win. Amazing what can happen when the ball is shared. Team shot .512 (42/82 fg’s) and had a season high 28 assist (4 guys w/ 4 or more assist each). Five guys in double figures, three guys between 16 & 21…and they played “D”, holding the Hornets to only 13 points in the 3rd quarter.

    1-5 never looked so good.

  46. Agree says

    Great, one win down, two to go. Memphis and Pelican’s are both beatable for us. Even the Spurs could be a win if they end up resting their main players. Although they aren’t winning enough to likely do that much more.

    Lin/Kobe looked real good, 20 shots for Kobe is far more reasonable. Boozer played well offensively, but still think he needs to ride the pine far more often at least once Kelly can play again. Man, Henry and Johnson are just real blah. At this point maybe a good small forward should be a priority for a trade, or in the offseason/draft.

    Thus far, I think Johnson should sit the bench to start. Move Kobe to the #3 position and start Ellington. Then play Clarkson as a back-up 2 guard to give him some playing time, unless Henry starts to show something beyond what he’s shown thus far. Clarkson needs to play more than a couple junk minutes a game for development–or send him to the D-League.

    Ronnie Price is a real good back-up, but the dude seriously needs to shoot almost never. His career shooting stats are horrible and he continues to prove his lifetime stats are accurate assessment of him. But the dude facilitates nicely.

    I’m hoping Lin can keep his mind right, as I have said before talent/skillwise the guy is a solid 17/7 guy. I just hope he keeps getting corner 3 opp’s like last night, he shot a ton of 3’s for the rocket’s and hit over 40% from the corner 3.

  48. PurpleBlood says

    Tim,
    thanks for the link to the piece on Ernie Vandeweghe & the rise of the franchise in L.A. – great tidbits to be had, & it brought back memories of being at the Forum watching (& rooting like a mad man) for Magic, Cap and the great teams back then.

  50. J C says

    Nice to see Boozer make a real contribution.
    Lin looked better. He needs to play this way on the road too.
    Ronnie Price 8 assists in 17 minutes!
    This kid is clearly an asset to the team.
    Ed Davis fg % 100? Not bad.
    Jordan Hill – 7 assists! This guy can play. Really nice to see him performing well.
    Kobe – 20 shots. And we got the W.
    I wonder if there’s a correlation?
    Wes Johnson…this position is our weakest. We need an upgrade here badly. Still wondering why Beasely wasn’t acquired.

  51. Archon says

    I’ve hated on Boozer these past couple weeks but let me acknowledge the possibility that maybe, just maybe he can still be effective as a post up player. He doesn’t set good screens and his shot is unreliable so any kind of P & R with him is pointless but I saw a guy last night that still has pretty good footwork and can still finish (when his shot isn’t being blocked).

  52. Mid-Wilshire says

    JC (and others),

    I agree that the SF position is by far our weakest. Wes Johnson just seems like your proverbial deer-in-the-headlights. And so far, Xavier Henry has yet to make a basket this season in four games(!). This can not continue.

    Henry might still be rounding into form after being out with both knee and wrist surgery. So, I’m willing to cut him a bit of slack.

    But Wes Johnson, I fear, is a lost cause. He just doesn’t seem to have his heart in the game. He said that he was going to be more assertive. Well…Johnson’s line was 5 pts., 3 rebounds, and 0 assists in 35 minutes. On offense, that puts the team in the position of playing 4 on 5. This is completely unacceptable.

    With that, how is Nick Young doing? Maybe, somehow, he’ll be a solution. I understand that he’s no longer wearing a cast. Any reports on Swaggy P?

  53. rr says

    Amazing what can happen when the ball is shared.

    —

    It is also amazing what can happen when you have five days off at home, and are playing a middle-of-the-pack Eastern team, with the 25th-rated offense, that is on a road trip.

  54. rr says

    Hope useless victories like that don’t cost us our first round pick.

    —

    I don’t see this win as “useless” unless you were rooting for 0-82. The players and coaches, have to experience the season in a way that we don’t, they need to go out there and compete, and they should be rewarded for it sometimes.

    That said, big picture, I think a few folks are overreacting to this a bit. I am glad the team got off the proverbial schneid, but this was in part a schedule win, and I will be surprised if the Lakers beat either Memphis or New Orleans.

  55. Calvin Chang says

    @Shaun and Chris J – The reason why I suggest gambling on Thabeet is because the team needs a big rim-protector. If you remember the losses against the Suns, Isaiah Thomas used a high pick and roll to get to the rim for easy layups, again and again. On a high pick and roll, Boozer does not help contain the penetrating guard. He’s like a statue, so it’s like watching a layup drill.

    Thabeet is certainly not quick or coordinated like Bill Russell or Kareem, but he has proven that he can block shots. The way he moves reminds me of a plodding Roy Hibbert or Mutombo in terms of speed and coordination. So if he can aspire to be like Hibbert or Mutombo and just try to block shots, that would help the Lakers’ defense. At least force the opponents to beat you from the outside instead of a layup drill.

    When you guys say he’s a washout or he sucks, do you think it’s because he lacks certain fundamentals? (Ex: can’t go left, can’t jump, can’t shoot 15 footers, can’t dribble, can’t box-out) Just because he was waived, it doesn’t mean he has no talent. Maybe he just didn’t fit the teams that waived him. At Memphis, he certainly isn’t better than ZBo or Marc Gasol. At OKC, he’s not better than Ibaka or Perk, or maybe he didn’t fit the run-and-gun style that KD and Westbrook focus on. Danny Green was waived by the Cavs. Green and Gary Neal were D-leaguers at one point in their careers. Patty Mills was a D-leaguer before. But Pop found a role for those guys in his system, and those guys enjoyed runs to the NBA finals while playing a specific role.

    Kobe says the Lakers have to play smash-mouth basketball to be competitive, and he’s right. But you need a big rim protector to make smash-mouth, ugly and scrappy basketball work. If you look at the Sixers when LA beat them in 2001, those Sixers played smash-mouth basketball. Ugly, one-man offense (Iverson), and gritty, tough defense anchored by a tall, stiff shot-blocker in Mutombo. With their current talent level, that’s the only way the Lakers can play if they hope to sniff the playoffs.

  57. Anonymous says

    Since people are bringing up shot totals and assists, I have to chime in. Last night Kobe took less shots because Jeremy Lin & Carlos Boozer finally got aggressive. Those 2 have been passive and turnover prone to start the season. The more Lin takes care of the ball and attacks the better off the team will be. Kobe has encouraged him to do this, so has Coach Scott. Lin and Booz have to step up and take shots and make life easier for Kobe.

  58. Todd says

    rr: It is also amazing what can happen when you have five days off at home, and are playing a middle-of-the-pack Eastern team, with the 25th-rated offense, that is on a road trip.
    ___

    Bingo.

    I am a Laker fan and always want them to do well. At least until now. I am truly torn because I do not see the current Laker FO as being up to the challenge of turning this thing around. Am I wrong to actually want the Lakers to lose in an effort of forcing the media to confront how the team is managed?

    I look at the Dodgers, who just upgraded their FO by bringing in smart, young talent with outstanding track records. In terms of wins and losses the Dodgers were already successful. However, the team was not reaching their ultimate goal – winning a championship, so they sought out new perspectives and skill sets in an effort to get over the top. The current Dodger way was simply to win by outspending everyone. However, ownership knew that this was an unsustainable approach and opted to upgrade their management team.

    Regarding PJ joining the Lakers FO, Jeannie said Jim told her that there wasn’t a need nor was there any room at the table for anyone else other than he and Mitch. I think the Lakers could learn a few things from the Dodgers. Maybe having more smart people at the table is not such a bad idea.

  59. Chris J says

    Thabeet is there for the taking, Calvin. The fact that the Lakers haven’t made a move for him suggests the front office doesn’t share your faith that he could make a difference.

    I’ve said many times here you are correct in the need for a rim protector. But the three names out there who are free agents and could, in theory, fill that role — Thabeet, Okafur or Bynum — are all still sitting at home. The lack of a call, to me, suggests the Lakers know more than we fans when it comes to those guys’ respective abilities to make a difference this season. If Mitch felt Thabeet could help, I am confident he would have been brought in for a workout/discussions.

  60. jerke says

    Rr is dead on – this win was as much a confluence of circumstances than any real dominance by the Lakers. As for Memphis/pelicans – those are likely to be rough games for LA given the both teams have offensive/defensive post players that LA has no answer for.

  61. Stuart says

    Todd: I agree with you that it would be in the Lakers’ best interest to open the doors and windows and allow in some fresh air in the form of outside talent. While baseball has many more moving parts than basketball and they are somewhat apples and oranges I do think that there is a lesson for the Lakers if Jeannie and Jim chose to acknowledge it.

    The Dodgers essentially decided to embrace change. Ned Colletti represented the traditional way of approaching the sport – the use of visual scouting to assess talent. With Friedman, Zaidi and Byrnes the Dodgers are going all in on the use of analytics to assess and differentiate talent. I don’t think that bringing these new folks on means that the Dodgers will change focus and go for low cost players like the A’s have had to do. I think it means the Dodgers will be much more discriminating on how they spend their money going forward.

    Jim’s resistance to bringing in help has always intrigued me. PJ was clearly a non-starter. I don’t believe Dr. Buss and Jim were totally enamored with PJ other than when he was on the Laker sideline. So, if not PJ then who? Maybe others have more insight but I have a few ideas as to why we have not seen Jim bring in more help:
    1. Maybe Jim does have this covered. Maybe Aaron is correct and the FO is all in on a tank job (without admitting to the deed). If this is the case then Jim probably feels that he and Mitch can craft a losing roster as well as anyone.
    2. Maybe Jim believes that he has to do this job as if he was his dad. Dr Buss never had any help other than a GM (Jerry West then Mitch).
    3. Maybe Jim has empowered Mitch – moreso than any of us know.
    4. Maybe Jim is really in over his head and doesn’t want anyone else other that Mitch and Jeannie to know the truth.

    We can only hope that Jim’s self-imposed deadline passes without the Lakers turning the corner. Only then will Jeannie be mandated to bring in some new blood – someone who has the track record and the clout to move the Lakers forward.

  62. Tarek says

    Stuart and Todd: Baseball does not have a salary cap so impacting change can be done and appreciated in one off-season – and felt the following year. Basketball with the hard cap is a little different.

    A good recipe for a rebuild is to draft really well and build your competitive base using lower cost players. Then before your home grown talent is done with their rookie contracts you sign a couple of max guys. This is a good way to get four or five difference makers on your team without going over the cap.

    Now, Jim may be unpopular but so far he hasn’t ruined the chances of the Lakers using the model described above. We have Randle (please let him be OK) and this year’s top 5 pick as our rookie scale building blocks. Over the course of the next few off-seasons we should see the Lakers filling in the roster with key FA acquisitions.

    So, I will choose to believe that Jim does have a plan and as I said according to my estimation he is still on target. Now in three years if we find ourselves with a maxed out middling roster with no picks until 2025 then by all means pull the plug.

  63. Robert says

    Great Win: This game was not meaningless. It allowed us to avoid the longer season opening losing streak, and got us our first W. I do not think this has cosmic significance that Kobe has changed or Byron had an epiphany, but it was still important.
    Jim: “On target” This all depends on your perspective. If someone were to take over the Lakers now, the course of action is obvious. Patience, draft picks, short term deals, and strike the superstar deal if it is available – I mean duh. Now if you took over three years ago like Jim did. I do not think the term “on target” applies.
    Jeanie: If she is “The Boss”, why does she need to abide by Jim’s self imposed 3-4 schedule. In the non-nepotistic world if a VP said something like that – the CEO would fire them on principal alone.

  65. Todd says

    Robert: Jeanie: If she is “The Boss”, why does she need to abide by Jim’s self imposed 3-4 schedule. In the non-nepotistic world if a VP said something like that – the CEO would fire them on principal alone.
    —

    This is a perfectly legitimate question and yet no one in the media calls Jeannie out for it. On her media tour, she answered questions that made it apparent that although Jim reports to her, she has no knowledge of or understanding of what he does as Head of Basketball Operations. No one thought to ask if this is dysfunctional or is not a healthy way to run the organization?

    Maybe this over compartmentalization and ‘one hand not knowing what the other is doing’ is the reason why the Lakers have been irrelevant for the past three years.