Lakers in the News 12/07/15 - 12/13/15: Why Julius Randle has struggled in the Lakers' last two games
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 12:43 am    Post subject: Lakers in the News 12/07/15 - 12/13/15: Why Julius Randle has struggled in the Lakers' last two games

Ranking the Top 10 Draft Picks in Lakers History
by Cody Williams - lakeshowlife.com

The Los Angeles Lakers have made some epic draft picks over the years. Here are the 10 best.

The Los Angeles Lakers are unquestionably focused on the 2016 NBA Draft coming out of the 2015-16 season. After picking up lottery picks in the past two drafts in Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers are unquestionably looking to add another high-caliber young player to their core as the rebuilding project wears on (assuming and praying that they keep the top-three protected first-round pick).

Hitting big on a draft prospect can change the fortunes of a franchise. In the modern NBA, we see instances of that with the likes of Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis turning Oklahoma City Thunder and the New Orleans Pelicans, respectively, into either teams on the rise or perennial title contenders after their teams used a top lottery pick to select them.

The Lakers are no exception to this, either, as draft picks over the history of the franchise have changed the direction of the team for years to come. However, the Lakers are interesting in the fact that the most important player to the organization over the past 20 years in Kobe Bryant wasn’t actually selected by the Lakers.

In the 1996 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Hornets selected Bryant with the No. 13 overall pick. However, Bryant was promptly traded to the Lakers in exchange for center Vlade Divac. While there are players on this list who were selected via draft-day trades, the trade for Bryant with the Hornets wasn’t completed until days after the draft. All of that is to say, he wasn’t technically selected by the Lakers in the ’96 Draft.

There’s really no debate about the soon-to-be-retired Kobe’s impact on the Lakers organization, but this is an organization with success that goes unmatched by most other franchises over the course of the NBA. That doesn’t happen without the draft.

Even without Kobe in the fold, the Lakers have had a multitude of draft picks positively change the franchise over their decorated history. These are the 10 most important draft picks in Lakers history.

http://lakeshowlife.com/2015/12/06/ranking-top-10-draft-picks-in-lakers-history/


Last edited by lakersfreak on Sun Dec 13, 2015 6:13 pm; edited 20 times in total
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 12:45 am    Post subject:

Former players say Kobe Bryant must work on transition game
by Broderick Turner - latimes.com

After Kobe Bryant announced a week ago that he would retire at the end of this season, The Times reached out to several retired NBA players to get their thoughts on what it's like to transition into a life after basketball.

Something each of the former players agreed on is that exiting a game they've loved since childhood isn't easy, and for those who can't come to grips immediately with not playing basketball anymore, it can cause some mental anguish.

"Depression is real in the NBA for retired players," said Grant Hill, a seven-time All-Star who played 19 years in the pros. "It's the one thing that validates you, and now you don't have that. The game, this make-believe-world we have been in, consumes you and as a result of that, you don't necessarily have time to develop other skills for the real world. For me, I'm going to stay busy."

Hills, 43, retired after the 2012-13 season. He is now an NBA and NCAA tournament analyst for TNT, a co-host on NBA TV's "Inside Stuff," a minority owner of the Atlanta Hawks and has other business interests.

Former Detroit Pistons star Chauncey Billups, a five-time All Star, said that finding another passion after retirement is a key for former players.

"I sympathize with guys that retire that are not at peace with it," said Billups, who played 19 years in the NBA and is now a studio analyst for ESPN. "The problem is most guys never set themselves up to do something, and I found out it is very depressing for a lot of guys.

"Think about it. It's something that we've done since we were 8, 9, 10 years old. We've put every single thing that we have, not only mentally but physically and emotionally, into the game. And then one day it's over. You go from being a very old dude at 37 in my sport to the day that you retire and you go back to being a young dude with no real experience now anywhere else. You can become lost and you can feel it if you're not prepared for that."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/nba/la-sp-nba-players-retiring-20151206-story.html
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 12:46 am    Post subject:

Metta World Peace interested in coaching
by Mark Medina - dailynews.com

The seaweed soup disappeared quickly. So did the stuffed avocado, lentil burger and sugar-free brownie.

Metta World Peace’s recent order at a vegan restaurant partly explained both the Lakers’ 36-year-old forward’s peak conditioning and positive locker-room influence despite a trying 2015-16 season. But in between bites, World Peace sounded just as passionate about another pursuit that could define his continuous evolution from an erratic NBA star toward one of the Lakers’ most cherished leaders.

“I want to coach one day,” World Peace said during a recent lunch interview with Los Angeles News Group. “I definitely have an interest in coaching.”

World Peace’s declaration would have prompted snickers everywhere earlier in his career.

When the Lakers (3-16) visit the Detroit Pistons (11-9) on Sunday at the Palace of Auburn Hills, World Peace will play in the same arena where he sparked the longest suspension in NBA history just over a decade ago. Then, the former Ron Artest drew an 86-game suspension with the Indiana Pacers in 2004 for punching a fan in the stands after he threw a drink at him.

“It wouldn’t have been my first thought he would want to get into coaching. He was challenging to coach,” said ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla, who coached World Peace at St. John’s University (1997-98). “But now it doesn’t necessarily surprise me he wants to coach.”

World Peace has since changed his image. He won the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2011 for raising funds and awareness for mental health charities. World Peace forever cast himself in Lakers’ lore after helping them win the 2010 NBA championship. The Lakers have gushed about World Peace’s current mentorship role on second-year forward Julius Randle, who called him “a natural leader.”

That left those around World Peace expressing platitudes about his coaching fortunes.

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20151206/lakers-metta-world-peace-interested-in-coaching
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 7:54 am    Post subject:

Shaq on Kobe - 'Hopefully he's happy'
by Mike Bresnahan - latimes.com

More than anyone else, one player defined the first part of Kobe Bryant's career: Shaquille O'Neal.

They were brilliant together, winning three championships, but hated each other by the end of an eight-year run with the Lakers.

O'Neal was too goofy for Bryant's taste. He didn't take things seriously, didn't have the work ethic to match his natural basketball gifts, Bryant thought.

Bryant was too serious and needed to lighten up, O'Neal thought. And defer to his elders, of course, which often meant passing the basketball more often.

They made up publicly over the years, though they'll never be good friends.

In the wake of Bryant's retirement announcement, O'Neal expressed optimism for him but also said he hoped his former teammate would not feel lost without basketball.

"Hopefully he's happy. He's a very intelligent guy. I'm sure he has a lot of things to fall back on," O'Neal said on "The BIG Podcast with Shaq," available Monday on iTunes.com/Shaq and PodcastOne.com.

"And, you know, some people really miss it, some people can't live without it, and some people are prepared to move on. I can't really tell which guy he is because I know he was basketball, basketball, basketball, basketball. So now imagine not having to get up and work out without basketball. I don't know where that's going to take him."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-report-20151207-story.html
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 7:55 am    Post subject:

TDIKH: December 7, 2010
by nba.com

In a duel between future teammates, Nick Young gave Kobe Bryant all he could handle, but the Black Mamba nonetheless topped Swaggy P.

Bryant led the Lakers to a 115-108 win over Young’s Wizards by racking up 32 points on a 12-of-23 clip.

But Young gave his best effort, erupting for 30 points off the bench by going 10-of-18 with a then-career-high six 3-pointers.

“We know when Nick Young comes to town, we’re going to give up 25 points,” Lakers head coach Phil Jackson told reporters. “This kid is going to come back to L.A. and have a great game.”

In addition to Young’s effort, Washington challenged the Lakers thanks to Gilbert Arenas (23 points) and John Wall (22 points, 14 assists). But Bryant was backed by Pau Gasol, who had all of his assists in the first half to flirt with a triple-double (21 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, five blocks).

http://www.nba.com/lakers/tdikh/1207
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:15 am    Post subject:

Lakers Offense Proving to Be a Huge Concern As They Fall to 3-17 on the Year
by Hannah Kulik - lakeshowlife.com

The Lakers have been criticized by fans and media alike for their poor and often embarrassing play this season

Currently, the Lakers are in last place in the Western Conference, their record is second worst in the NBA. In the end, it is unlikely that they will reach their record of last year which was the worst in the franchise’s history.

The misery that has become the 2015-16 season was recently masked by the feel-good story surrounding Kobe Bryant’s retirement. For the past few games it did not matter whether the team won or lost, or how they played, for the emotional farewell Bryant has received in arena after arena led to post-game smiles all around.

After Bryant made his announcement, coaches and players were no longer interrogated about the team’s poor performance, they were mostly asked puffball questions like, “What are your thoughts about Kobe’s retirement” and “What have you learned from playing with Kobe?” For a few games, no one cared how many minutes Bryant played or if it was good for the team and for Bryant himself.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. The team’s latest loss to the Pistons was so embarrassing that it was a jarring reminder of just how bad this team is and how clueless the coaching staff is to try to make things even a little better.

As has become the trademark of this team, the Lakers came out flat and for all intents and purposes the game was over after the first few minutes – the Pistons jumped out to a 15 to 0 lead.

Is it too much to ask for the team to show some passion and energy to start their games? The Lakers showed no fight at all, and the final score, 111 to 91, made the game seem closer than it actually was.

http://lakeshowlife.com/2015/12/06/lakers-sleep-walk-another-loss/
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:16 am    Post subject:

Kobe says farewell tour has matured him
by Mark Medina - insidesocal.com

A life-long worth of frustration over the Lakers’ 2004 NBA Finals loss to the Detroit Pistons caused Kobe Bryant to hear the same thing.

“For about a year straight, all I heard was ‘Detroit basketball’ in my head,” Bryant mused.

But prior to the Lakers’ ugly 111-91 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Bryant heard something beautiful. As Bryant took the floor on what would mark his last game ever in Detroit, Bryant heard the Piston’s public address announcer John Mason capture his life-time achievements through the next minute.

“And now at 6’6″ and 212 pounds from Lower Merion High School, making his final appearance at the Palace of Auburn Hills in his 20th NBA season, 17-time NBA All-Star, four-time NBA All-Star MVP, 15-time member of the All-NBA team, two-time NBA Finals MVP, five-time NBA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist and third all-time leading scorer ever in the history of the NBA, certainly he has given us some great memories over the years,” the announcer said breathlessly. “How about a big round of applause for right now on the floor. No. 24. The Black Mamba. Kobe Bryant!!!”

The sell-out Pistons greeted Bryant loudly. He tapped his fist over his heart twice before waving to the crowd and saying, “Thank you.” Nearly two hours later, the warm greeting assuaged Bryant’s uneasiness regarding another Lakers’ loss and a stomach illness.

“This entire process, unfortunately, has made me more mature,” Bryant said with a laugh. “But I’ve been extremely thankful to have this, to be able to see this process and to be able to enjoy these moments. If anything, it just made me realize how fortunate I’ve been to be able to play for so long.”

It also made Bryant realize that apparently old rivalries can contain sentimental moments.

http://www.insidesocal.com/lakers/2015/12/07/lakers-kobe-bryant-says-farewell-tour-has-matured-him/#more-29832
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 11:45 am    Post subject:

lakersfreak wrote:
Lakers Offense Proving to Be a Huge Concern As They Fall to 3-17 on the Year
by Hannah Kulik - lakeshowlife.com

The Lakers have been criticized by fans and media alike for their poor and often embarrassing play this season

Currently, the Lakers are in last place in the Western Conference, their record is second worst in the NBA. In the end, it is unlikely that they will reach their record of last year which was the worst in the franchise’s history.

The misery that has become the 2015-16 season was recently masked by the feel-good story surrounding Kobe Bryant’s retirement. For the past few games it did not matter whether the team won or lost, or how they played, for the emotional farewell Bryant has received in arena after arena led to post-game smiles all around.

After Bryant made his announcement, coaches and players were no longer interrogated about the team’s poor performance, they were mostly asked puffball questions like, “What are your thoughts about Kobe’s retirement” and “What have you learned from playing with Kobe?” For a few games, no one cared how many minutes Bryant played or if it was good for the team and for Bryant himself.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. The team’s latest loss to the Pistons was so embarrassing that it was a jarring reminder of just how bad this team is and how clueless the coaching staff is to try to make things even a little better.

As has become the trademark of this team, the Lakers came out flat and for all intents and purposes the game was over after the first few minutes – the Pistons jumped out to a 15 to 0 lead.

Is it too much to ask for the team to show some passion and energy to start their games? The Lakers showed no fight at all, and the final score, 111 to 91, made the game seem closer than it actually was.

http://lakeshowlife.com/2015/12/06/lakers-sleep-walk-another-loss/


The whole damn co called "coaching staff" need to be fired after the season. If Byron Scott is the Laker coach in the 2016-2017 season, I will NOT be watching single Laker game.
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 8:41 pm    Post subject:

D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle To Come Off Bench Next 5-10 Games
by Ryan Ward - lakersnation.com

Head coach Byron Scott has made a drastic change to the starting lineup for the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the matchup against the Toronto Raptors.

Coach Scott has made plenty of questionable moves with the rotation, but has kept the starting lineup relatively the same all season long until now. After a 3-17 start to the season, Coach Scott is ready to shake things up in hopes of turning things around.

For the next five to 10 games, rookie D’Angelo Russell and forward Julius Randle will be coming off the bench for the Lakers via Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times:

Byron says he'll keep Randle and Russell on the bench for next five to 10 games. Then he might make changes again.

With Randle and Russell set to come off the bench for the next five to 10 games, the Lakers will turn to rookie Larry Nance Jr. and veteran Lou Williams.

Coach Scott believes Nance Jr. and Williams could give the Lakers a boost of energy to start gamee via Bresnahan:

Byron says he's hoping for more energy from starters...something had to change w/ 3-17 record. Lou Williams and Larry Nance will start.

http://www.lakersnation.com/lakers-news-dangelo-russell-julius-randle-to-come-off-bench-next-5-10-games/2015/12/07/
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 8:42 pm    Post subject:

Byron Scott is playing D'Angelo Russell, Julius Randle off the bench and they sound demoralized
by Drew Garrison - silverscreenandroll.com

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott is making his first change to the starting lineup, and it's a drastic move for their young core. Scott informed media that Julius Randle and D'Angelo Russell will play off the bench for the Lakers, making way for Larry Nance, Jr. and Lou Williams, reports Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.

Scott mentioned potential lineup changes in the past and has made the move, shifting both Russell and Randle. He's committed to this change for at least 5-to-10 games, according to Bresnahan, but it comes at a time where both players started to make progress. Randle has pulled down four double-doubles in the last five games, while Russell's looked more comfortable and aggressive on the floor in recent outings. D'Angelo has averaged 13.3 points, five rebounds and 3.5 assists per game through the last four games, picking up his play during the Lakers' eight-game road trip.

There's an argument to be made that pulling Russell and Randle's minutes away from Kobe Bryant's could be beneficial to their development as he soaks possessions, but ultimately these are top-tier talents who are adjusting to their first full season in the NBA. Making matters worse, Scott told reporters that he didn't inform either player of the move in individual meetings, instead telling them during the team's meeting in the morning.

Neither player sounds happy about the change, and Russell's quote about "starting to figure it out and then this happened" is particularly poignant. Here's more on what Scott and the youth had to say about the change:

http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2015/12/7/9868402/la-lakers-dangelo-russell-bench-byron-scott-julius-randle
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:08 pm    Post subject:

D’Angelo Russell Takes Shot at Kobe After Demotion
by Cody Williams - lakeshowlife.com

Lakers rookie D’Angelo Russell took a jab at Kobe Bryant after playing his first game with the second unit

Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott made one of the most curious decisions in recent memory on Monday night prior to his team’s matchup with the Toronto Raptors. Just about an hour before tip-off, the Lakers announced Scott’s decision to shake up the rotations. However, he unthinkably switched up the rotations by moving rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell and second-year forward Julius Randle to the bench.

Lou Williams and Larry Nance Jr. started in place of Russell and Randle as the Lakers actually played solidly against the Raptors, albeit in a losing effort. In fact, the demoted duo even performed admirably in their new, limited roles with the second-unit.

After the loss, there were obviously plenty of questions being asked to Scott, Randle, and Russell about the demotion. That happened to be when the rookie point guard took a subtle jab at Kobe Bryant regarding ball-movement:

Russell on 2nd unit: "There's just more ball movement. No disrespect to Kobe, but you know you have more opportunity because of who he is."

Russell can say “no disrespect” all he wants, but he may as well be up in Bryant’s face clapping his hands and telling to pass the ball with those comments. That’s essentially what he’s saying after just one game and 21 minutes not playing in the starting lineup with Kobe.

http://lakeshowlife.com/2015/12/07/lakers-dangelo-russell-takes-shot-at-kobe-bryant-after-demotion/
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:12 pm    Post subject:

Lake Show Life
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:14 pm    Post subject:

lol, I like how thats the story
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:15 pm    Post subject:

fiendishoc wrote:
Lake Show Life


Like the National Enquirer of Laker news.
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 07, 2015 10:43 pm    Post subject:

Favorite Kobe Bryant Moment Of All-Time
by Corey Hansford - lakersnation.com

By now, pretty much everybody who cares about basketball on this earth is aware that this will be Kobe Bryant’s final season in the NBA. After 20 seasons, one of the greatest players to ever play will be hanging it up with the Los Angeles Lakers.

With 20 years, five championships, and so many amazing shots, dunks, and clutch plays, Lakers fans have tons of memories starring Kobe Bryant.

Kobe is one of, if not, the greatest player to ever wear purple and gold and in honor of everything he has given Lakers Nation, we have brought on the entire staff for a special roundtable in which everyone will share their favorite Kobe Bryant moment ever. This is what they had to say:

http://www.lakersnation.com/lakers-nation-roundtable-favorite-kobe-bryant-moment-of-all-time/2015/12/06/
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 7:29 am    Post subject:

Mitch Kupchak hears Lakers fans, and feels their pain too
by Mike Bresnahan - latimes.com

Mitch Kupchak doesn't scroll through message boards. He doesn't poll fans at Staples Center after demoralizing losses.

He doesn't need to. He understands the angst among Lakers followers. He even sympathizes with them.

"I do," the Lakers general manager said Monday in a phone interview with The Times. "Going into the season, this is not what we expected. We tried to find a mix of young players and veterans that would give our fans something that led to more victories.

"Clearly, three victories at this time is not what we thought we'd be. So that's frustrating and it's up to myself and Byron [Scott] to figure it out and hopefully have some improvement toward something that's more consistent, more fun to watch and less frustrating."

The Lakers are the present-day antithesis of their rich and vastly entertaining history. They are 3-18, the worst record through 21 games in their 68-year existence.

Kupchak says the public finger-pointing should be somewhat re-routed from Scott, 24-79 overall in his second year as the Lakers' coach.

"I know people aren't happy but that also should be directed at me. That's the bottom line," Kupchak said. "Everybody has to share in the blame. Whether that's the GM, the coach or the players, it's got to be directed somewhere.

"I think our fans would understand if you're actually developing young players and there's some growth, and maybe that's yet to come. But in the first 20 games, it's tough to find consistent results to feel good about.""I know people aren't happy but that also should be directed at me. That's the bottom line," Kupchak said. "Everybody has to share in the blame. Whether that's the GM, the coach or the players, it's got to be directed somewhere.

"I think our fans would understand if you're actually developing young players and there's some growth, and maybe that's yet to come. But in the first 20 games, it's tough to find consistent results to feel good about."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-kupchak-20151208-story.html
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 7:33 am    Post subject:

Kobe Bryant trading cards sell for $100,000 on Ebay on news of retirement (pics)
by Kevin Sablan - ocregister.com

A pair of Kobe Bryant sports cards sold for $100,000 on Ebay five days after the Los Angeles Lakers guard announced he would retire at the end of this NBA season.

The autographed rookie cards were listed by leahi51513 in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 30. Buyers were allowed to make offers. Leahi51513 declined three bids, ranging from $0.99 to $2,500, between August and September. No one upped the ante for the next two months. On Nov. 29, Bryant announced his pending retirement. Five days later, the card sold for the full asking price.

The rookie cards feature a picture of Bryant dunking in what appears to be a No. 55 jersey from Lower Merion High School, where Bryant graduated in 1996 before entering the NBA. Bryant's No. 33 jersey is retired in the school gym. The cards are listed as Bryant's "only rookie autograph card" and "the best copies in existence."

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bryant-694403-sold-card.html


Last edited by lakersfreak on Tue Dec 08, 2015 7:36 am; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 7:36 am    Post subject:

Kobe Happy To Hear He Finally Shot 50 Percent (Video)
by Cody Williams - lakeshowlife.com

Kobe Bryant shot 50 percent for the first time this season on Monday and was happy to hear about it

Outside of his impending retirement, the biggest story with Kobe Bryant during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2015-16 season has been the fact that he’s shooting horribly inefficiently. His shot-selection has been abysmal for most of the year and he hasn’t been knocking down some of the tough jumpers he’s made over his career.

However, Kobe had his most efficient shooting night of the year on Monday night in a loss against the Toronto Raptors, going 8-16 from the field. In fact, it was the first time all season that Bryant has shot 50 percent from the floor.

While talking to the media after the game, a member of the press talking to Bryant brought up the fact that he had finally shot 50 percent from the floor and Kobe was legitimately thrilled to hear the news:

http://lakeshowlife.com/2015/12/07/lakers-kobe-bryant-happy-shot-50-percent-video/
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 9:08 am    Post subject:

lakersfreak wrote:
Mitch Kupchak hears Lakers fans, and feels their pain too
by Mike Bresnahan - latimes.com

Mitch Kupchak doesn't scroll through message boards. He doesn't poll fans at Staples Center after demoralizing losses.

He doesn't need to. He understands the angst among Lakers followers. He even sympathizes with them.

"I do," the Lakers general manager said Monday in a phone interview with The Times. "Going into the season, this is not what we expected. We tried to find a mix of young players and veterans that would give our fans something that led to more victories.

"Clearly, three victories at this time is not what we thought we'd be. So that's frustrating and it's up to myself and Byron [Scott] to figure it out and hopefully have some improvement toward something that's more consistent, more fun to watch and less frustrating."

The Lakers are the present-day antithesis of their rich and vastly entertaining history. They are 3-18, the worst record through 21 games in their 68-year existence.

Kupchak says the public finger-pointing should be somewhat re-routed from Scott, 24-79 overall in his second year as the Lakers' coach.

"I know people aren't happy but that also should be directed at me. That's the bottom line," Kupchak said. "Everybody has to share in the blame. Whether that's the GM, the coach or the players, it's got to be directed somewhere.

"I think our fans would understand if you're actually developing young players and there's some growth, and maybe that's yet to come. But in the first 20 games, it's tough to find consistent results to feel good about.""I know people aren't happy but that also should be directed at me. That's the bottom line," Kupchak said. "Everybody has to share in the blame. Whether that's the GM, the coach or the players, it's got to be directed somewhere.

"I think our fans would understand if you're actually developing young players and there's some growth, and maybe that's yet to come. But in the first 20 games, it's tough to find consistent results to feel good about."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-kupchak-20151208-story.html


Pull the trigger, Mitch. Fire Byron!
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 9:29 am    Post subject:

Why Byron Scott benching D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle was the wrong decision
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com

The Los Angeles Lakers head coach made a misstep when he chose to demote the team's two youngest players.

The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Toronto Raptors 102-93 on Monday night. This in and of itself is not news, the Lakers are not a good basketball team and the Raptors are. What was news was the way Los Angeles lost, with head coach Byron Scott informing the media before the game that he would be bringing the Lakers' two most recent lottery picks, D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle, off of the bench in an attempt to "energize" the team.

"This change wasn't so much based on them not performing up to their capability," Scott told Mike Bresnahan of the L.A. Times. "It's based on where we are as a team. We're 3-17, so obviously it's not working. So I wanted to get some new blood in there, some fresh blood, and see how those guys play."

Scott is right, the Lakers have played badly and their starting lineup has been one of the team's worst groupings statistically. The Lakers' normal starting unit of Kobe Bryant, Roy Hibbert, Jordan Clarkson, Russell, and Randle has played 261 minutes together, which is by far the most of any of the team's lineups (the second highest used lineup is the same with Metta World Peace replacing Bryant, and has played 67 minutes together). In that time, the Lakers' starters have been outscored by an average of 13.9 points per 100 possessions, a mark that would be the lowest net rating of any team in the league, trailing even the Philadelphia 76ers' -12.

Scott made the wrong decision for the right reasons. Both Russell (10.9) and Randle (10.6) are averaging less field goal attempts than Bryant's average misses per game (12.4), and with Clarkson (13.1 FGAs) in the starting lineup as well, it often seemed as if there were not enough shots to go around. However, there were other, much less drastic ways around this issue.

http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2015/12/7/9869928/la-lakers-dangelo-russell-julius-randle-benched-byron-scott
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 9:30 am    Post subject:

Toronto Sends Kobe Off to Ovation (video, pics)
by nba.com

A friendly Toronto crowd showered Kobe Bryant with cheers from the minute he took the floor for pregame warmups, but saved their loudest ovation for his final regular season exit in The Six.

With (a very appropriate) 24 seconds remaining and the Lakers trailing by eight, head coach Byron Scott ordered up Bryant's curtain call and the fans happily obliged with a standing ovation and "M-V-P" chants.

http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/151207kobe_exit
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 9:31 am    Post subject:

TDIKH: December 8, 2002
by nba.com

Kobe Bryant ended a big night for the Lakers by hammering a dunk with four seconds left to put an exclamation point on a 110-101 win over Utah.

Bryant had suffered a pulled groin just two days before, but he nonetheless racked up 26 points, 14 assists and five steals to key L.A.’s victory.

“Tonight was a game I was really worried about (my groin),” Bryant told the media after the game. “It seemed I was able to play pretty well. My range of motion was pretty good.”

Shaquille O’Neal scored half of his 32 points in the first quarter alone, helping L.A. outscore the Jazz in the opening frame by 13.

The Big Fella snagged 11 rebounds to help fend off a 30-point effort off the bench from Andrei Kirilenko, who went 8-of-12 and was perfect on each of his 10 free throw and four 3-point attempts.

Bryant (9-of-18) and O’Neal (13-of-19) led the Lakers, who shot 50.6 percent on the night, while limiting the Hall of Fame tandem of John Stockton and Karl Malone to 24 combined points on a 7-of-26 clip.

http://www.nba.com/lakers/tdikh/1208
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 6:00 pm    Post subject:

Kobe and the kids - Lakers stuck in delicate balancing act
by Baxter Holmes - espn.go.com

Julius Randle looked despondent, answering in short bursts. His head tilted down, his eyes toward the floor.

"I don't know, man," the seventh overall pick of the 2014 NBA draft said. "It's not my decision, so I don't know."

D'Angelo Russell looked bewildered, shaking his head while offering up shrugs and even a few chuckles.

"Hopefully I can look back at this and laugh," the second overall draft pick in 2015 said.

Randle and Russell are the Los Angeles Lakers' most prized young possessions, their lottery picks from each of the last two years. They're considered key pieces for a storied franchise that's never been worse -- cornerstones drafted to help the Lakers return to prominence down the road.

And then they were yanked from the starting lineup, where they had resided all season prior to Monday's 102-93 loss to the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre.

Lakers coach Byron Scott announced the decision before the game, and, as expected, the move ignited more outrage among a Lakers fan base desperate for any semblance of hope and logic. There has been little of either in a season on pace to be the worst in franchise history -- i.e., worse than last season.

Scott said the switch was made because the Lakers (3-18) are dreadful and a change was needed. He said the starting unit, specifically, needed to be shaken up, especially as it had no flow and kept getting burned right out of the gate.

He stressed that it was nothing personal against Russell or Randle; the situation could change again in the next five to 10 games.

But why bench them in the first place? Why those two young players, who should ostensibly be on the court as much as possible to develop and who ought to start so that they trust that the franchise believes in them?

Why?

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14319952/kobe-bryant-los-angeles-lakers-balancing-act
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 6:00 pm    Post subject:

Amid Kobe farewell tour, No. 2 overall pick D’Angelo Russell struggling to find his way
by Michael Lee - sports.yahoo.com

D’Angelo Russell processed the question for just enough time to flush it, staring back at the inquisitor with silence for roughly five seconds. No words were going to fully express the confusion or frustration he was feeling. So when someone wanted to know what exactly Los Angeles Lakers coach Byron Scott told him he needed to do to earn Scott's trust, Russell had no words.
Scott has shown little patience with the Lakers' highest draft pick in three decades, taking a tough love approach to make the kid earn it, to humble him as he tries to adjust to playing the league's most difficult position in its most glamorous locale. The payoff for that approach has yet to take shape for Russell, who has greater concerns than simply pleasing his coach.

"I'm not trying to show him anything," Russell recently said. "I'm really trying to show myself and my teammates that I belong out there, not the coach. Because they're looking to me for the play, not past me to him for the play. It's a growing experience."

Before Scott removed him from the starting lineup Monday night and once again asked the second overall pick of last June's draft to watch the conclusion of a loss, Russell had been reduced to sideshow status in the grand Kobe Bryant farewell tour.

The Lakers are in an awkward period as the franchise undergoes a necessary rebuild while paying respects to an all-time great, meaning Russell's personal development has been deferred for a year to allow Bryant to go out on his own terms.

"Can't do nothing about it. Just be a fan. Every time you watch, just be a fan and observe his every move," Russell said of Bryant. "He's our Michael Jordan. In my era. He still makes it look easy. You can say he's struggling, missing shots, but he still makes it look easy. When a guy like him says, 'That's a great call.' You're like, 'Yeah. That was a great call.' He knows his stuff."

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/amid-kobe-farewell-tour--no--2-overall-pick-d-angelo-russell-struggling-to-find-his-way-192720707.html
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PostPosted: Tue Dec 08, 2015 9:11 pm    Post subject:

One Step Closer To Nowhere
by Keith Rivas - lasportshub.com

The LA Lakers continue to let Byron Scott roll the dice.

With seemingly no perspective on how serious the consequences could be, Byron Scott has decided to put future Los Angeles super stars D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle on the bench, per Fox Sports.

Demotions aren’t usually something to take lightly in professional sports, and they usually only happen for good reason.

An example of a good demotion can be seen in a recent NFL situation involving the Cleveland Browns and first-round draft pick Johnny Manziel.

Manziel is notorious for his partying lifestyle, and got caught red-handed in a straight-faced lie to the Browns organization.

Their response? Immediate demotion from the starting position to third-string.

I think he got the message loud and clear.

What we’re seeing from the Los Angeles Lakers continues to make less and less sense as the season progresses.

Byron Scott’s line of thinking appears to be trying to rejuvenate his guys with something new.

Oh, you were waiting for the punch line, too?

Glad I’m not the only one.

http://lasportshub.com/2015/12/08/la-lakers-one-step-closer-to-nowhere/
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