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DancingBarry Editor-in-Chief
Joined: 07 Sep 2001 Posts: 40198 Location: O.C.
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 12:19 am Post subject: LAKERS -at- CLIPPERS - 2/24 - Thoughts and :-(( ratings |
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SlumpBusters II... The Lakers ended another team's free fall yet again as the Clippers snapped their five-game losing streak with a refreshing Cup o' Lakers.
Phil went to a Kwame-Mihm starting lineup to match up with the Clippers and our offensive execution turned to mud. The Lakers didn't score a field goal for the first half of the first quarter. After battling back to pull ahead at the opening of the third, a series of unforced errors and sluggish play did them in as the Clippers bolted ahead on a 26-7 run to control the game.
Once Kaman went down early, the Lakers could have brought in Cook to help open up the floor, but Phil kept him on the bench almost the entire first half. Lamar certainly seemed like he was on the bench the entire half, managing just 1 point and no assists in the first half.
The two MVP candidate did their things, the rest of the Clippers simply out played the rest of the Lakers. Radmanovic managed 19 points on 6-9 shooting as the Lakers left him wide open on the perimeter time after time. Luckily for the Lakers, a lot of other teams they are battling with lost their games tonight, as well.
Kobe -- -- He looked frustrated on more than a few occasions by some of the bonehead plays the Lakers were making. Kobe certainly had a few errors of his own, but he carries this team night after night. When he gets little help, some nights are especially tough. "We didn't play well," Kobe summed things up in the Daily News. "We weren't able to make shots. We didn't execute, and we didn't match their energy and effort." Kobe scored 39 points on 12-29 shooting (5-11 from three and 10-12 from the line). His scoring in February has dropped from the amazing 43.4 month he had in January to 30.3 points per game, while his assists have risen in that time from 4.1 to 5.5, not including this game. Tonight he also led the team with another 8 assists, but had 5 turnovers which all came in that third quarter. He started his scoring when he got hit on a jumper and made both FTs. He drained a long wing two. He went between the legs, blew past Mobley and scored a layup. He posted up and found Mihm cutting for a layup. He hit Mihm in transition for a dunk. He drained a three from about 27 feet. He hit another three a couple feet behind the line at the wing. He hit a three and wanted a foul on Livingston. He hit a baseline turnaround over the double team. After a brief rest, he came back in and was fouled by Livingston on a three attempt and made all three FTs. He attacked down the lane, probably traveled or got fouled, and powered in a layup. He scored an And-1 reverse layup off a feed from Walton. He left Cassell nailed to the floor on a hesitation move and drew a foul on Rebraca, he made one FT. He attacked and kicked to Smush for a three. Nice bullet feed to Smush who was streaking down court on the break for a dunk. He lost the grip on the ball in the corner for a turnover. It slipped out of his hand down the lane for another turnover. He tried to split a double team where there was no room to split, Brand stole the ball and dunked at the other end. To start the fourth, he poked a ball loose in the back court, got it back and dunked. He then drew an offensive foul on Mobley seconds later for another backcourt turnover. He drew a couple more fouls on Mobley shortly later. He attacked the lane and found Lamar for a dunk. After Sasha pulled down an offensive board and kicked it out, Kobe measured it and drained the three. He flashed to the post, then bounced out to the three line and knocked down another three. Naturally, he was going to take a three the next time down the court, he did and he missed on a forced three in which he was fading. He let Livingston dribble all the way down court for a layup after that. He missed another three, Sasha got it back and Kobe was fouled away from the ball, he hit one FT. He hit a baseline fade. He drew FTs attacking along the baseline. Kobe got tagged for another tech in this game, this one a meaningless double tech, his first since the Dallas game.
Odom -- -- Yeesh. Lamar finished with 8 points on 3-12 shooting and 9 boards. Lamar was able to impose his will on the last two teams, tonight was another story. With Kwame and Mihm clogging the lane early, Lamar had little room to work unless we went to weakside post ups or pinch posts, which we didn't. So, he staggered out of the gates with the rest of the team and didn't know how to get himself going. His only score of the first half, he grabbed an offensive board and was fouled on the putback attempt and he made one FT. In the second half, he attacked off the dribble and bricked a layup. He curled from the corner into the lane and flipped it up and in for his first field goal. He posted up Livingston, turned and dunked over him for the And-1, he made the FT. He dunked off a drive and dish from Kobe. He attacked the rim, drew a foul and bricked both FTs. "It didn't matter if Kobe had 60 and Lamar had 30, they beat our butts up and down the court," Lamar said in the Times. "That can't happen … a malfunction on both ends of the court, defense in particular. They got what they wanted all night."
Mihm -- -- Chris was the only Laker other than Kobe to get to double figures as he finished with 11 points on 4-7 shooting and 7 boards in just 26 minutes. Defensively, however, he had trouble with Brand, who would either hit jumpers over him or get past him for scores. Chris had 2 blocks in the game, he blocked Cassell on some nice help D early on. He scored a layup when his man doubled Kobe and Kobe found Mihm. He hustled out in transition and Kobe found him for a reverse dunk. He posted up Brand, drew the foul, hung with it and banked in a shot (very nice). He made the FT and Brand had to go to the bench with his third foul of the first half. He sank two FTs after drawing another foul in the post. Chris still looked much better physically in the game. That two-hand reverse on the break seemed to show his shoulder is now feeling much better.
Smush -- -- Smush had some serious brain lock plays tonight. A couple of unforced errors that typified some of our careless possessions. Smush finished with 8 points on 3-7 shooting, 1 assist, 4 turnovers, 0 rebounds, but a surprising 2 blocks. Nice recovery on Cassell to block his shot out of bounds on one, and later he blocked a three-pointer. Smush walked the ball up court and got a 8-second violation not paying attention on one of his unforced turnovers. He was called for a carry. He attacked hard off a screen and drew a foul getting into Rebraca's chest, he made one FT. He missed a pull-up on the break. He drained a wide open three from the corner. He had another brain lock, taking steps with no one around him 35 feet from the hoop. He busted out on the break, Kobe hit him with a bullet pass and Smush dunked. He sank a floater attacking to his right. He was getting ready to call a timeout and Cassell poked the ball from him for a turnover. Smush had an amazing -29 while on the floor tonight.
Kwame -- -- Kwame got the 0-5 and 0 points on the offensive end with his usual assault on the glass and sometimes the rim. He missed a series of post shots, never close, even on some point blank layups. He did have 3 assists, including one to Devean in the lane for a dunk. He and Mihm looked horrible executing our offense when they were both on the floor together. Defensively, he had his moments and probably should have been on Brand a bit more. He drew a nice charge on Brand, beating him to the spot on a drive.
George -- -- He still played with effort and determination despite not having the greatest of games. He scored 4 points on 2-4 shooting (0-2 from three), he had 4 boards, 2 blocks, but 5 fouls in 18 minutes. He dunked off a post feed from Kwame. To start the fourth, Kobe poked a ball loose in the backcourt to Devean and Devean tossed it back down court to Kobe for a dunk. After Kobe forced a second turnover, Devean hit a tough turnaround jumper, still turning as he shot from about 14 feet away. Nice offensive board, he drew a foul and then clanked both of his FTs.
Cook -- -- Finally, Phil put Cook in the game with a couple minutes left in the half. Cook immediately stirred things up hitting Cassell with a hard shot under the hoop. Cook got fouled on an offensive board at the other end and made both FTs. He ran the two-man game with Kobe and drained a three at the halftime buzzer to cut the lead to four and give the Lakers some momentum. Phil put him in to start the second half with Kaman out with the ankle twist. Cook hit a pull-up jumper off the dribble late in the game. He finished with 9 points on 2-3 shooting, 5 boards and 4 fouls in 17 minutes.
Walton -- -- He fouled his man as he was taking a long turnaround jumper, bad foul. He posted up and fed Kobe cutting baseline for an And-1. He bricked a sideline jumper. He didn't score in 7:32 of action.
Vujacic -- -- Sasha had his moments and led the team with a +10. He played with some intensity and got the Lakers some offensive boards. He finished with 4 points on 2-4 shooting, 3 offensive boards and 2 assists. Still, between him and Smush we are pretty quiet at the PG spot some games. He missed his first jumper, which always seems to be the case. He curled around a pick, pulled up and drained his next one from 17 feet straight away. He pulled up at the wing and knocked down the midrange jumper. Nice hustle for an offensive putback, he got tapped, he got it back and then kicked it out to Kobe who hit a three. He grabbed another offensive board and it led to Kobe FTs shortly later.
Green -- -- He attacked in the lane, spun and just missed. He clanked a jumper at the buzzer. He played just 2:31 and seemed generally active while he was out there.
Turiaf -- -- Some extended time for Ronny, getting 7:56 in the game. He was active on the boards early and pulled down 3. He missed a baseline jumper. He got fouled trying to putback in a miss. He got back in with 2 minutes left of garbage time. He got the ball in the post, made a nice head fake to lose his man, then he badly bricked a left-handed hook.
Phil -- -- Phil just seemed like his chi was off tonight. The Kwame-Mihm lineup to start the game had no rhythm. The team was out of position continually in the Tri and we weren't able to take advantage of getting Lamar or Kobe the ball in the post, not thinking the game. They went without a field goal for the first half of the first quarter. Once Phil took Kwame out for George they went immediately to the post with Kobe and the floor opened up more. Too bad they dug themselves in a hole at that point... No Cook until the last two minutes of the first half, in which he helped the Lakers go on a little 8-2 run. Phil started him in the second half... The Lakers started looking sluggish midway through the third quarter. The Clippers rattled off a 15-0 run, one of which was an Elton Brand dunk in which he turned to Phil and told him to call a timeout... Brand had 3 fouls in the first half. We didn't/couldn't make him work in the post in the second half to take advantage of the foul situatation... The Lakers shot .364 on the game. Some credit to the Clippers, but we also had some funky lineups out there that didn't know what they were doing in the Tri...
Last edited by DancingBarry on Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:40 am; edited 1 time in total |
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venicebeach Starting Rotation
Joined: 30 May 2005 Posts: 165 Location: Rome, Italy
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:11 am Post subject: |
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Thanks great job, but bad game |
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osj Star Player
Joined: 21 Jul 2003 Posts: 2819 Location: Singapore
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 2:48 am Post subject: |
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i felt phil stuck for an awfully long time with his starting lineup, when it clearly wasn't working...when your team has scored only 1 point after 6 minutes, you ought to have tried changing things long before that.
but phil's biggest mistake was letting the lakers carry on their frenetic and panicked play when things fell apart in the third. he should've read the signs early and called timeout when the lead reached 10, rather than waiting until it was eighteen. |
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TooCool Star Player
Joined: 02 Jun 2002 Posts: 4545 Location: Monrovia, California
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:37 am Post subject: |
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Good post again DB. _________________
LakerFanAlways wrote: | Somewhere the Utah Jazz are watching this and saying "WE LOST TO THESE IDIOTS" |
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jeremysnow Star Player
Joined: 27 Jun 2002 Posts: 7079
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 5:52 am Post subject: |
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embarassing loss, due in part to a bloated 18 margin in the 2nd half.
in the 2nd half, the team quit, when defensive stops were needed.
throughout the game, the team was outhustled on the rebounds; possessions were squandered by miserable turnovers.
coach was not into the game to call the necessary timeouts.
move onto next game. |
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zeroakuma Starting Rotation
Joined: 23 Jun 2005 Posts: 560
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 8:09 am Post subject: |
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how does smush and lamar disappear into thin air?
Forget about kwame...he stinks. |
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wolfpaclaker Retired Number
Joined: 29 May 2002 Posts: 58336
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 8:46 am Post subject: |
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Look, it was a back to back and the Lakers have been poor in those all season.
Factor in that the Clippers were playing with desperation and that the LA rivalry is far more important to them than us.
I kinda saw this loss coming.
Boston and Orlando next - Those are bigger games for LA
I don't worry too much about games that we should be losing. I am more concerned with games that they should be winning (Atlanta game for example) |
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twoface723 Star Player
Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 3751 Location: University of Texas
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 8:56 am Post subject: |
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This is the worse roster I have seen around a superstar player ever. Everyone besides Kobe sucks horribly. Man, Mitch should have made a move. What a dumb @ ss! |
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LakersSpirit Franchise Player
Joined: 13 Apr 2001 Posts: 13619 Location: West Los Angeles
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 9:11 am Post subject: |
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This has to be one of the steepest drops, yet, for the old "roller-coaster"...
This game just took the heart out of all, but the most die-hard Laker Fans.
I thought we were coming together, and we had learned from our mistakes.
I thought we would play, as a team, for the rest of the season[at least, give us that]. We just never found our consistent rhythm, as in the last game. When a team increases the pace, and applies the right pressure, we fall apart, like a cupcake, in the rain.
One of the most important points, is that the blame should not be placed on Lamar Odom... The way I see it, Lamar, like Kobe, plays best, when the rest of the team has found their rhythm, and is playing together. We only have one superstar... We just have to play together, as a team.
I had the feeling that Phil was experimenting a little too much... We may have come in too overconfident, after our two wins. Perhaps, we should have kept using the same strategies, and players, as in the last two games... A re-awakened George had been instrumental, I thought, in the last two wins... In the Clips game, George did not come on, until late. A cold Sasha came in late, just in time, to provide a few errors, with his sporadic shooting... Sasha provides something good, overall, after some good playing time, but I don't see him as being "clutch", when he comes in cold, off the bench.
We should thank the Clippers, for showing us what it is to play under some real pressure. The Clips now have a team that can apply consistent pressure, from a deep, solid bench. The Clips are now answering all their past critics, and making some good managerial decisions; they have a solid foundation, for the forseeable future. We, in contrast, have built our house upon the sand.
After a game, like this, I am reminded of how much we need a quality point, to instigate, and keep the team together. _________________ "Teamwork is a nebulous thing. It is as ephemeral as love, disappearing at the latest insult.".... Phil Jackson |
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LakerLanny Retired Number
Joined: 24 Oct 2001 Posts: 47580
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 9:47 am Post subject: |
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twoface723 wrote: | This is the worse roster I have seen around a superstar player ever. Everyone besides Kobe sucks horribly. Man, Mitch should have made a move. What a dumb [AT] ss! |
Guys like George and Mihm are playing to their potential. Smush has been a pleasant surprise. Cook has improved.
The rest of the roster is underacheiving and I am following a HS Kid (Chase Budinger, La Costa Canyon HS) who would already be the 2nd best perimeter player on the Lakers and he is 18 years old.
Meaning that Mitch Kupchak needs to get on the ball and start improving our roster or do us all a favor and leave already. _________________ Love, Laker Lanny |
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RYZ Star Player
Joined: 02 Jul 2003 Posts: 1393
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 10:04 am Post subject: |
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Thanks, DB.
Phil was definitely in puzzle mode tonight - as in trying to find the pieces to the puzzle; making puzzling decisions; creating puzzlement among the fans; leave Lamar alone and the putz'll figure it out...
Outside of Kobe the team has very little fortitude. They're footloose and formidable when everything is swinging their way, but utterly pathetic quitters when all the stars don't align correctly. A bigger bunch of head hangers I haven't seen this side of little league.
Contrary to what many believe, there is some talent there, it's the brains and guts I'm concerned about. |
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Klone_dd Star Player
Joined: 11 Mar 2002 Posts: 7330
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 10:17 am Post subject: |
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The elevator ride continues. Just when you think the Lakers have put it together.
It's hard to give a NKPOG when the entire Rest Of Team, and this time, ROT includes Phil, sucked tremendously. The Least Suckiest goes to Sasha, who was very active and took shots inside the 3-pt arc.
Memo to Phil, I know you like for your squad to figure things out while on the court, but if you haven't figured out that this squad isn't smart enough to do that by now, then you gotta resort to calling the prerequisite time outs to break the other team's momentum and get your guys to re-focus. |
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dadamookie Starting Rotation
Joined: 20 Jul 2005 Posts: 417 Location: Boston, MA
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 10:56 am Post subject: |
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Nice observations. I think this game was lost because of the coaching and because it was the second game of a back-to-back.
Basketball is all about matchups and the Lakers lost on too may of them. Brand burned Mihm in the second half and Kwame was a cancer to our offense in the first half.
Sloppy play from the Lakers all night. What is our record in the second night of a back-to-back? It's gotta be something horrible. |
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mm708 Starting Rotation
Joined: 25 Jun 2005 Posts: 246
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 11:14 am Post subject: |
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One of the worst games of the year. |
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angel Franchise Player
Joined: 31 Jul 2004 Posts: 14226 Location: city of angels
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks DB!
It was a pathetic game from the very start. Mihm is still fighting his way back from his injury. He's almost back, but he's not quite in game shape. I'm encouraged by his blocked shots. The Lakers looked tired. _________________ "Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that." ~~Martin Luther King Jr.~~ |
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Philostrator Starting Rotation
Joined: 07 Feb 2006 Posts: 171
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:32 pm Post subject: |
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Lakers had no confidence or energy from start to finish, it was just a terrible game. |
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TLT Star Player
Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 1025
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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zeroakuma wrote: | how does smush and lamar disappear into thin air?
Forget about kwame...he stinks. |
Don't be too hard on Kwame. He is suffering from the disease known as "stone hands". Eventually it spreads to the head. Sometimes it starts in the head.(IE-Smush-Odom- George) Bill Walton has an advanced stage |
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LakersSpirit Franchise Player
Joined: 13 Apr 2001 Posts: 13619 Location: West Los Angeles
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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When your players keep missing relatively easy layups, and mid-range shots, your players:
1.) Have not been practicing their shooting/layups.
2.) Don't really care anymore...
3.) Have lost their confidence, focus, timing, and feel intimidated...
4.) Don't really have the character/intelligence, to get back together, and can't stand the pressure.
5.) Are not fully in-touch with reality...
Thank You, for letting me vent... Now, I will turn those observations on myself... :roll: _________________ "Teamwork is a nebulous thing. It is as ephemeral as love, disappearing at the latest insult.".... Phil Jackson |
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aFFie Starting Rotation
Joined: 02 Jan 2006 Posts: 783
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 5:15 pm Post subject: |
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I don't understand how we can come off one of the best games of the season to one of our worst. It just drives me nuts. That's been the feeling most of the season though. Fine, we lost but damn! I really have no clue what Phil is thinking when he messes with the line ups like he did this game. Cook should have started or at least went in after the first 3-5 minutes of the game. I don't know how Kobe sleeps at night knowing he has nobody to really step up next game or the game after. Phil has his Zen and Odom is chillen' with Mary. |
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orido86 Starting Rotation
Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 283
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks, DB |
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Sage_10 Star Player
Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Posts: 6668
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks DB. I wish I didn't have to go to the trouble after a horrible loss. |
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A Mad Chinaman Star Player
Joined: 07 Apr 2005 Posts: 6142
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 1:07 am Post subject: |
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wolfpaclaker wrote: | Look, it was a back to back and the Lakers have been poor in those all season. Factor in that the Clippers were playing with desperation and that the LA rivalry is far more important to them than us. I kinda saw this loss coming. Boston and Orlando next - Those are bigger games for LA I don't worry too much about games that we should be losing. I am more concerned with games that they should be winning (Atlanta game for example) | Wolf - I agree with your assessment and/or predictable results in the 2nd of "back-to-back" games against a team that was desperate.
"Memo to Phil, I know you like for your squad to figure things out while on the court, but if you haven't figured out that this squad isn't smart enough to do that by now, then you gotta resort to calling the prerequisite time outs to break the other team's momentum and get your guys to re-focus."
** The best time for PJ to experiment is against the Clippers - as oppose to teams that they are suppose to win and/or against the elite teams (i.e. Pistons, Spurs, Suns, Heat, etc.) With Kobe and LO out on the floor, they need to learn how to get itself together - as oppose to a Larry Brown-runned team where the coach calls every play. Soon PJ will start shortening his bench to prep the team for the playoffs, but right now he doesn't know who deserves PT |
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VEN_150 Starting Rotation
Joined: 30 Aug 2005 Posts: 374 Location: VEN_150, where else?
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 3:28 am Post subject: |
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Thanks DB, good read, i've always thought the lakers had poor talent around kobe and was one of those that thought the lakers had to make a trade now to help him. but with this game against the Clippers and actually for about the last ten games, i've been thinking that maybe its not the players so much. Maybe its the coach. I think phil is a great coach, but i think maybe he isn't the right coach for young players. Look at the teams he's flourished with the Bulls and Shaq-Kobe lakers, two veteran and talented teams. This game against the clipps with the odd lineups and the dissapearence of some players (odom this game, luke walton- all season: remember luke was playing pretty well with shaq and even last year with kobe) makes me think something is fundamentally wrong with the way the strategy is being implemented with these guys, maybe a larry brown type coach would handle this team 'better'??? who knows. Sorry if this is diverging a little from the topic. |
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hoopschick29 Franchise Player
Joined: 23 Jul 2004 Posts: 12898 Location: Los Angeles
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 7:28 am Post subject: |
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^^^ The lack of talent around Kobe is a problem. A bigger problem, however, is that the guys Kobe has around him don't like to hustle. They're soft. They get pushed around. They get a couple of bad calls and they fold like cheap suits.
Obviously Kobe needs more talent. But if you can't get that right now, he needs guys who can bring the energy and focus every single night. Particularly when you are talent-challenged, all you have is the work ethic. That has nothing to do with talent. That has everything to do with desire and committment. |
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LakersSpirit Franchise Player
Joined: 13 Apr 2001 Posts: 13619 Location: West Los Angeles
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:16 am Post subject: |
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Unfortunately, we seem to have players that go into "cruise control"... Some even seem to live in "cruise control"... Examine the Clippers... I don't see any "cruise-control" players. The Clips are a young, hungry team, eagar to prove themselves.
The "senior citizen", of the Clippers, Sam Cassell, has never been one that half-steps through life, and he adds alot, from his veteran experience, handles, and leadership. _________________ "Teamwork is a nebulous thing. It is as ephemeral as love, disappearing at the latest insult.".... Phil Jackson |
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