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rpadma12
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Joined: 23 Aug 2002
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 Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 5:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Sister Golden Hair wrote: | I just viewed the first qrtr again, which the lakers lost by 13 points. Kobe gave up 12 first quarter points (1 of them a tech FT) to Battier himself by basically playing zero defense. It was embarrassing. If he plays regular "play-off" intensity D against a guy like Battier, I doubt Battier even gets a shot off. What's Kobe excuse? Helping out against Yao inside? Hmm. No, because Yao was in streetclothes. There was no excuse.
What’s worse, he seemed to think it was okay so long as he made up for it on the offensive end. This is apparent by his cocky strut after hitting a difficult shot. This has become emblematic of the Lakers, especially guys like Farmar and Fish (who got similarly lit up by Brooks): "It's okay, you don’t need to buckle down on D –- just keep shooting, and embarrass them on the other end."
Kobe also began (bleep) to the refs long before that technical –- he started yapping within the first two or three minutes. Enough, already.
The backcourt was hugely responsible for the hole this team fell into. And the faults were largely on defense. What’s surprising is that it’s the two most veteran Lakers doing the greatest damage to their own team. Fisher you can excuse, somewhat, because even in his prime he was overmatched by most PGs. Now, on the down side of his career, he’s become cringe-worthy. But Kobe? There is no excuse. He sets the tone for this team, and the tone he set today was, “Defense? Me?”
That’s all that needs be said.
Kobe is turning into a huuuuge disappointment, and that's coming from a long-time Kobe jocker.
A huge disappointment.
SGH |
^ This season is make or break for Kobe as a leader. Too many younger players with strong teams right now who can take it over.
Battier, as a captain for their team, ignited them and brought the crowd into the game as well. Too bad Kobe didn't take him seriously. He better the next two games here and finish this series. |
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ReaListik
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Joined: 08 Jun 2008
Posts: 6574
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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I have no idea what's up with Bynum but it looks like it's not going to improve anytime soon, gotta go on without him this series. Pau did well especially without Yao in there to mess with him, but it is clear Kobe will have to have efficient 20+ scoring games added on in order to win.
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prisma8slg
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Location: Michigan
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 6:20 pm Post subject: |
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thanks DB
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"I've seen it all. Sasha dunked on somebody," Kobe Bryant said. "I'm ready to retire now." |
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B_P
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Joined: 28 May 2003
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Location: (physically) West Seattle (heart) Venice Beach
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 6:38 pm Post subject: |
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Bottom line:
Kobe, the all-universe superstar, needs to lead this team with his defense. Not with his offense, but with his defensive intensity. If the D is there, our offensive will take care of itself.
Tuesday in Game 5, we don't need him coming out aggressively taking tons of early shots and trying to carry this team on his back, we need that fire, intensity and leadership on the other end. Set the tone and the role players will follow.
Kobe needs to start playing like the Olympian who dove on the floor after that lose ball in Team USA's very first game.
Where's "the Doberman?"
Where's the guy who wanted to, single-handily, shut down entire teams by locking up opposing PG's??
Kobe Bryant needs to lead his team.
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wolfpaclaker
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Joined: 29 May 2002
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 6:41 pm Post subject: |
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2000 Lakers.
3-2 to beat sub-.500 Sacramento team in 1st round.
4-1 to beat 50 win Suns team (with Kidd just coming back from injury) and BLOWN out badly on Mothers day exactly like this 9 years ago.
4-3 to beat Blazers in that great WCF, and were down going into 4th Q at home.
4-2 to beat Pacers in the Finals.
Look, the first ring is always hard, its not going to be easy or a cake walk. Lets stop acting like these guys are DONE and eliminated after every freaking loss.
Bad game? Yes. Did I see it coming and maybe thats why I am less angry? Probably. The Lakers MO has had a bit lightswitch all season. No reason for it to change come playoff time. You know also what the Lakers MO has been this season? Beat all the top contenders and win all the big games. I know all playoff games are big, but I will panic once we lose a game that the Lakers HAVE to win. That has yet to happen, in those scenarios, LA has been great all year.
As I said after game 1 in the game thread - Lakers in 6. |
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Sister Golden Hair
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Joined: 01 May 2001
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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| wolfpaclaker wrote: | 2000 Lakers.
3-2 to beat sub-.500 Sacramento team in 1st round.
4-1 to beat 50 win Suns team (with Kidd just coming back from injury) and BLOWN out badly on Mothers day exactly like this 9 years ago.
4-3 to beat Blazers in that great WCF, and were down going into 4th Q at home.
4-2 to beat Pacers in the Finals.
Look, the first ring is always hard, its not going to be easy or a cake walk. Lets stop acting like these guys are DONE and eliminated after every freaking loss.
Bad game? Yes. Did I see it coming and maybe thats why I am less angry? Probably. The Lakers MO has had a bit lightswitch all season. No reason for it to change come playoff time. You know also what the Lakers MO has been this season? Beat all the top contenders and win all the big games. I know all playoff games are big, but I will panic once we lose a game that the Lakers HAVE to win. That has yet to happen, in those scenarios, LA has been great all year.
As I said after game 1 in the game thread - Lakers in 6. |
A bad mentality. If you extend that logic, the lakers won't have to win until they are down 2-3 to Houston. If they win out and play Denver, they won't have to win until they fall behind 0-3. Same if they make it to the Finals. That's playing with fire wearing gasoline mittens. LO may already be a casualty of the play-offs, which means their margin of error and match-up advantage against many teams just decreased by a significant degree.
Very disappointing loss. You never take games off in the play-offs. That's just asking for it.
I gotta disagree with you. Everyone said they wouldn't take games once the play-offs started.
Now look at 'em.
SGH
SGH |
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Burgundy
Starting Rotation
Joined: 22 Feb 2009
Posts: 867
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Sister Golden Hair wrote: | I just viewed the first qrtr again, which the lakers lost by 13 points. Kobe gave up 12 first quarter points (1 of them a tech FT) to Battier himself by basically playing zero defense. It was embarrassing. If he plays regular "play-off" intensity D against a guy like Battier, I doubt Battier even gets a shot off. What's Kobe excuse? Helping out against Yao inside? Hmm. No, because Yao was in streetclothes. There was no excuse.
What’s worse, he seemed to think it was okay so long as he made up for it on the offensive end. This is apparent by his cocky strut after hitting a difficult shot. This has become emblematic of the Lakers, especially guys like Farmar and Fish (who got similarly lit up by Brooks): "It's okay, you don’t need to buckle down on D –- just keep shooting, and embarrass them on the other end."
Kobe also began (bleep) to the refs long before that technical –- he started yapping within the first two or three minutes. Enough, already.
The backcourt was hugely responsible for the hole this team fell into. And the faults were largely on defense. What’s surprising is that it’s the two most veteran Lakers doing the greatest damage to their own team. Fisher you can excuse, somewhat, because even in his prime he was overmatched by most PGs. Now, on the down side of his career, he’s become cringe-worthy. But Kobe? There is no excuse. He sets the tone for this team, and the tone he set today was, “Defense? Me?”
That’s all that needs be said.
Kobe is turning into a huuuuge disappointment, and that's coming from a long-time Kobe jocker.
A huge disappointment.
SGH |
Alas, this is 100% TRUE. This team follows Kobe's lead. If Kobe comes out like Gangbusters on D (like Friday), the team plays gangbusters D. If he comes out lacksadaisical, like today, the whole team relaxes.
It's been that way all season. They feed off of Kobe.
There isn't a single guy on the Lakers (even Ariza) who is a true "defensive stopper." The type of guy who will play hard D, no matter what the situation (Shannon Brown is the closest). So if Kobe doesn't come out D-ing it up - the team doesn't... |
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wolfpaclaker
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:05 pm Post subject: |
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^^
Definitely understand your feelings, agree with the disappointment. They are asking for trouble, infact at 2-2 they are in a bit of it already, but my gut tells me they pick it up in the next 2. Especially Kobe.
Its the same mentality that turned people off from the 3 peat team and Shaq in particular, but my take is that if they win the series and ring in the end, its ok. More importantly, we should probably wait and see if they're going to respond. |
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Sister Golden Hair
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Joined: 01 May 2001
Posts: 15872
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:13 pm Post subject: |
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| wolfpaclaker wrote: | ^^
Definitely understand your feelings, agree with the disappointment. They are asking for trouble, infact at 2-2 they are in a bit of it already, but my gut tells me they pick it up in the next 2. Especially Kobe.
Its the same mentality that turned people off from the 3 peat team and Shaq in particular, but my take is that if they win the series and ring in the end, its ok. More importantly, we should probably wait and see if they're going to respond. |
Respect your patience, Wolf, but as for me, I've had it with this team. It's not just today's game -- it's been building for awhile now. I've been gnashing my teeth most of the season because I saw that unless a certain mindset changed in this team, these kinds of performances in the play-offs were inevitable. before the season started, I said that only injries and complacency could prevent this team from winning, and complacenecy was the bigger danger.
I stand by that.
This team is uber-complacent, and just no fun to watch. They generate bad vibes. Always whining to the refs, for example. They act as if they should win by 20 just by showing up.
They are in for the surprise of a lifetime.
SGH |
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noJINX
Sixth Man
Joined: 20 Mar 2009
Posts: 40
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:25 pm Post subject: |
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 WTF  I blame Kobe for this lose. He left Battier in the corner and he kept hitting 3's I can't understand how he could keep making the same mistake over and over. 
I didn't watch the last 7 minutes, I felt sick.
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PopcornMachine
Franchise Player
Joined: 19 Apr 2001
Posts: 10566
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:28 pm Post subject: |
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A lot of are feeling pain from their wounded fragile egos and taking it out on any and all of the Lakers players, whom they supposedly support.
I guess that's what people do, but not me. Sure, I'm disappointed. But no one or two or three individuals don't explain today's result.
This has to be a team letdown. They all have to come together, and just not show up.
Shouldn't be a surprise. Been happening all season. Maybe not to this extent, but certainly any time they have a game they feel they have in hand or that they should win, the necessary effort stops.
They get arrogantly overconfident!
I assumed it would lessen when the playoffs arrived, but perhaps I was reticent to admit to severity of the problem. I don't understand how professionals have let it go on this long. Maybe it's the coaches fault, or the 'team leadership', but it has to be fixed and now.
We could hope this was the final wakeup call, but ... well, we can only hope.
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Worthy42
Franchise Player
Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 19952
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Burgundy wrote: | | Sister Golden Hair wrote: | I just viewed the first qrtr again, which the lakers lost by 13 points. Kobe gave up 12 first quarter points (1 of them a tech FT) to Battier himself by basically playing zero defense. It was embarrassing. If he plays regular "play-off" intensity D against a guy like Battier, I doubt Battier even gets a shot off. What's Kobe excuse? Helping out against Yao inside? Hmm. No, because Yao was in streetclothes. There was no excuse.
What’s worse, he seemed to think it was okay so long as he made up for it on the offensive end. This is apparent by his cocky strut after hitting a difficult shot. This has become emblematic of the Lakers, especially guys like Farmar and Fish (who got similarly lit up by Brooks): "It's okay, you don’t need to buckle down on D –- just keep shooting, and embarrass them on the other end."
Kobe also began (bleep) to the refs long before that technical –- he started yapping within the first two or three minutes. Enough, already.
The backcourt was hugely responsible for the hole this team fell into. And the faults were largely on defense. What’s surprising is that it’s the two most veteran Lakers doing the greatest damage to their own team. Fisher you can excuse, somewhat, because even in his prime he was overmatched by most PGs. Now, on the down side of his career, he’s become cringe-worthy. But Kobe? There is no excuse. He sets the tone for this team, and the tone he set today was, “Defense? Me?”
That’s all that needs be said.
Kobe is turning into a huuuuge disappointment, and that's coming from a long-time Kobe jocker.
A huge disappointment.
SGH |
Alas, this is 100% TRUE. This team follows Kobe's lead. If Kobe comes out like Gangbusters on D (like Friday), the team plays gangbusters D. If he comes out lacksadaisical, like today, the whole team relaxes.
It's been that way all season. They feed off of Kobe.
There isn't a single guy on the Lakers (even Ariza) who is a true "defensive stopper." The type of guy who will play hard D, no matter what the situation (Shannon Brown is the closest). So if Kobe doesn't come out D-ing it up - the team doesn't... |
110% agreed!! It's laughable at the people here trying to pass all the blame on Phil. Your team takes the complexion of your team leader. |
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Worthy42
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Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 19952
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Arrogance and complacency is our teams problem. It starts with Phil and then lays squarely on Kobe's shoulder. |
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Sister Golden Hair
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Joined: 01 May 2001
Posts: 15872
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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| PopcornMachine wrote: | A lot of are feeling pain from their wounded fragile egos and taking it out on any and all of the Lakers players, whom they supposedly support.
I guess that's what people do, but not me. Sure, I'm disappointed. But no one or two or three individuals don't explain today's result.
This has to be a team letdown. They all have to come together, and just not show up.
Shouldn't be a surprise. Been happening all season. Maybe not to this extent, but certainly any time they have a game they feel they have in hand or that they should win, the necessary effort stops.
They get arrogantly overconfident!
I assumed it would lessen when the playoffs arrived, but perhaps I was reticent to admit to severity of the problem. I don't understand how professionals have let it go on this long. Maybe it's the coaches fault, or the 'team leadership', but it has to be fixed and now.
We could hope this was the final wakeup call, but ... well, we can only hope. |
Why are you a moderator on this board, exactly?
SGH |
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Sage_10
Star Player
Joined: 24 Dec 2005
Posts: 6668
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Worthy42 wrote: | | Arrogance and complacency is our teams problem. It starts with Phil and then lays squarely on Kobe's shoulder. |
Definitely, I've been pretty critical of Kobe's defense this season. I don't know how he made it to the all-defensive first team.
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"You Must Be Willing To Give Up That Which Can Be Lost In Order To Gain That Which Cannot Be Lost." - FORTUNE COOKIE |
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Luca Brasi
Star Player
Joined: 11 Jun 2005
Posts: 4207
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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^how can you be arrogant and complacent and win 65 games along with having the leagues best road record 
everybody take a deep breath 
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"i was born down in the valley where the sun refused to shine, but i'm climbin' up to the highlands, goin' to make that mountain mine" ~ Lakers, 2011 |
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PopcornMachine
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Joined: 19 Apr 2001
Posts: 10566
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Sister Golden Hair wrote: | | PopcornMachine wrote: | A lot of are feeling pain from their wounded fragile egos and taking it out on any and all of the Lakers players, whom they supposedly support.
I guess that's what people do, but not me. Sure, I'm disappointed. But no one or two or three individuals don't explain today's result.
This has to be a team letdown. They all have to come together, and just not show up.
Shouldn't be a surprise. Been happening all season. Maybe not to this extent, but certainly any time they have a game they feel they have in hand or that they should win, the necessary effort stops.
They get arrogantly overconfident!
I assumed it would lessen when the playoffs arrived, but perhaps I was reticent to admit to severity of the problem. I don't understand how professionals have let it go on this long. Maybe it's the coaches fault, or the 'team leadership', but it has to be fixed and now.
We could hope this was the final wakeup call, but ... well, we can only hope. |
Why are you a moderator on this board, exactly?
SGH |
I'm not a moderator. Can you read the list?
Why is it you think you're intelligent, exactly?
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I'm with COCO! |
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Sister Golden Hair
Franchise Player
Joined: 01 May 2001
Posts: 15872
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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| PopcornMachine wrote: | | Sister Golden Hair wrote: | | PopcornMachine wrote: | A lot of are feeling pain from their wounded fragile egos and taking it out on any and all of the Lakers players, whom they supposedly support.
I guess that's what people do, but not me. Sure, I'm disappointed. But no one or two or three individuals don't explain today's result.
This has to be a team letdown. They all have to come together, and just not show up.
Shouldn't be a surprise. Been happening all season. Maybe not to this extent, but certainly any time they have a game they feel they have in hand or that they should win, the necessary effort stops.
They get arrogantly overconfident!
I assumed it would lessen when the playoffs arrived, but perhaps I was reticent to admit to severity of the problem. I don't understand how professionals have let it go on this long. Maybe it's the coaches fault, or the 'team leadership', but it has to be fixed and now.
We could hope this was the final wakeup call, but ... well, we can only hope. |
Why are you a moderator on this board, exactly?
SGH |
I'm not a moderator. Can you read the list?
Why is it you think you're intelligent, exactly? |
What list?
There's a list? WHERE! I have to check it immediately!
SGH |
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Qsmiff
Star Player
Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 3242
Location: Mid-Wilshire: just beyond "The Puff Puff Pass"
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Your team takes the complexion of your team leader. |
The team leader doesn't control whose in the game,or the offensive or defensive strategies ...to me Kobe's biggest fault was to continuosly leave Battier Wide open.....as he has done a lot this year....Battier's three's combined with "9 Rings" stubborness to not call a timeout let the Rox sprint away from us early and we never recovered. |
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expertla
Starting Rotation
Joined: 20 Sep 2004
Posts: 723
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 7:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Sister Golden Hair wrote: | I just viewed the first qrtr again, which the lakers lost by 13 points. Kobe gave up 12 first quarter points (1 of them a tech FT) to Battier himself by basically playing zero defense. It was embarrassing. If he plays regular "play-off" intensity D against a guy like Battier, I doubt Battier even gets a shot off. What's Kobe excuse? Helping out against Yao inside? Hmm. No, because Yao was in streetclothes. There was no excuse.
What’s worse, he seemed to think it was okay so long as he made up for it on the offensive end. This is apparent by his cocky strut after hitting a difficult shot. This has become emblematic of the Lakers, especially guys like Farmar and Fish (who got similarly lit up by Brooks): "It's okay, you don’t need to buckle down on D –- just keep shooting, and embarrass them on the other end."
Kobe also began (bleep) to the refs long before that technical –- he started yapping within the first two or three minutes. Enough, already.
The backcourt was hugely responsible for the hole this team fell into. And the faults were largely on defense. What’s surprising is that it’s the two most veteran Lakers doing the greatest damage to their own team. Fisher you can excuse, somewhat, because even in his prime he was overmatched by most PGs. Now, on the down side of his career, he’s become cringe-worthy. But Kobe? There is no excuse. He sets the tone for this team, and the tone he set today was, “Defense? Me?”
That’s all that needs be said.
Kobe is turning into a huuuuge disappointment, and that's coming from a long-time Kobe jocker.
A huge disappointment.
SGH |
I couldn't have said it any better.
I wasn't at home during the game but i was listening to it on the radio. And everytime Battier hit a three i knew it was a wide open shot because Kobe was standing there watching.
The only thing in your post that i take issue with it the statement that he is "turning into a huggggge disappointment". For me he's well past that stage. That has been his approach for years. Well except when he played for the Olympic team. Pathetic!
Similiarly, Phil doesn't have the sense to sit his *ss down when he continues to give up wide open shots.
And speaking of stupid coaching decisions and lack of effort. Has MBenga played this whole series? We get out hustled the entire series and the one guy who will at lest get in there and mix it up hasn't even played. I'd play MBenga in this series solely based on his effort alone! |
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dino
Star Player
Joined: 24 Jun 2005
Posts: 4123
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 8:20 pm Post subject: |
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i watched the whole game...
kobe better stop cheating off of battier - that set the tone early...
fisher should man up and BE a leader and ask to come off the bench...a tag team of farmar and brown has a better chance at controlling the rocket guards...it's no coincidence that brooks' only under 10 pts. game was the one fish sat out...
pound the ball inside...you can't tryst ANYONE to make shots from three - sasha is garbage...
they should just shut bynum down...whatever is going on with his knee can't compare to how much phil has gotten to him in his mind...guy is playing scared and apathetic out there...just put mbenga in and give powell more run...
artest did nothing today and we still lost...
i woke up at 3 am to watch this game and i knew there was a better than average chance the lakers would lose...i just didn't expect them to go belly up in such a pathetic and gutless fashion...
it's obviously not the end of the world and the lakers probably finish this team off in time but it was a huge disappointment tonight to see them get beat like that by an undermanned and small team...
having said all this, if they win the championship then no one will remember any of this...similar to the shaq-kobe years as wolf mentioned, there will be games like this in pursuit of winning it all...even the mighty celtics got takne to the max in the first two rounds and couldn't win on the road...
still, this left a very bad taste... |
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Addicus
Star Player
Joined: 02 Sep 2005
Posts: 9642
Location: Dave's Pimp Palace
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Sister Golden Hair wrote: | | wolfpaclaker wrote: | ^^
Definitely understand your feelings, agree with the disappointment. They are asking for trouble, infact at 2-2 they are in a bit of it already, but my gut tells me they pick it up in the next 2. Especially Kobe.
Its the same mentality that turned people off from the 3 peat team and Shaq in particular, but my take is that if they win the series and ring in the end, its ok. More importantly, we should probably wait and see if they're going to respond. |
Respect your patience, Wolf, but as for me, I've had it with this team. It's not just today's game -- it's been building for awhile now. I've been gnashing my teeth most of the season because I saw that unless a certain mindset changed in this team, these kinds of performances in the play-offs were inevitable. before the season started, I said that only injries and complacency could prevent this team from winning, and complacenecy was the bigger danger.
I stand by that.
This team is uber-complacent, and just no fun to watch. They generate bad vibes. Always whining to the refs, for example. They act as if they should win by 20 just by showing up.
They are in for the surprise of a lifetime.
SGH |
SGH I respect your intellect a lot, but you seem to not have looked at the big picture IMO. Houston isn't a lay down team like the Hawks and Pistons this year. These guys are proud men who really feel as if they could win a championship and they came out fighting with their backs against the wall and nothing to lose.
The Lakers gave a piss poor effort and Rick Adelman did a fantastic coaching job. He made sure the ball movement negated anything terrible Ron Artest did on the offensive end. It was their turn to make adjustments and they did with the biggest adjustment being ball movement. They also didn't advise anyone Yao was out until last night so the Lakers weren't really ready to devise another strategy to attack them defensively. We weren't prepped for the changes because we didn't work on them.
The offensive strategy of beating Houston goes from Kobe needing to bust Shane's ass continuously to running the triangle now because Yao and his slow rotations are no longer a benefit for us. We won't see nearly as much Kobe/Pau pick and roll because Houston can now effectively rotate. Phil started working on the changes in the 4th quarter with the offense being ran more and allowing Pau to actually face up on his defender and have space. Expect a lot more of Pau, LO and Kobe in the post.
I agreed with the defensive strategy of packing the paint and forcing long distance shooting, but I expected to see guys rotate better and actually close out. Houston's ball movement had a lot to do with the bad rotations, but I noticed Phil stopped doubling Artest. I would also expect to see a lot more Farmar/Brown combos on the floor with Ariza, LO (if healthy) and Pau.
My opinion on Bynum is he is actually having a negative impact on the team and it is no one else's fault but his. He is not focused. My problem with him is I've only seen him motivated to play well for the money. He played well when he wanted to be drafted and played well when he wanted a lucrative contract extension. Now he has to motivate himself to play for something that is abstract. He has to play to win a championship and to be a champion and for the love of his teammates and not just himself. Basically he has to mature. I think it's time for Mbenga. He understands these concepts and we all know he will be willing to own the paint the way this team needs.
I'm okay with the loss. Houston proved they are men and I respect that a lot. The coaches continued to make changes until they found the line up and players needed to counter vs the new Rocket style and made the final score respectful. Brown showed he is going to bring it no matter the situation or score and that he can dominate Lowry and Brooks. Farmar played decently and better than Fish who is not a good play for this series now that the lane is wide open for the Houston guards with no Ming clogging it.
I lost my prediction of Lakers and 5. Now it's Lakers in 6. I don't care how many games it takes for them to win the ring this season as long as they do. Just like Boston last year - win and move on and peak in the Finals.
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najim
Starting Rotation
Joined: 19 Nov 2007
Posts: 337
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 8:43 pm Post subject: |
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There is something that Bynum ABSOLUTELY can control, and it kills me, KILLS me that he's not doing it: SPRINT UP AND DOWN THE FLOOR. The guy's only play 10-15 minutes, there's no issues about fatigue. Take a play out of David Robinson's book- by sprinting up and down the floor, you put pressure on their bigs to run down with you, beat them to your spot and you have great position. Get established on D early. Why does he still lolligag it up and down the floor like that? It's terrible to watch.
I understand that the game might be a little too fast, and he's tentative about picking up fouls, but sprinting up and down the floor is something perfectly within his control and he's not doing it. WHY NOT?!?!?!?
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wolfpaclaker
Retired Number
Joined: 29 May 2002
Posts: 58451
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 8:44 pm Post subject: |
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Re: Bynum
I don't think its him just getting money - if it were simply that, he would have sat out the entire year. There is no difference in him getting paid now if he plays or not. He is just as hard to move, and the Lakers are not moving him regardless of him playing or not. Still, he came back, willing to play. I think thats because he wants to play and help the team. The pay was going to be the same.
Agreed on his mental roadblock, immaturity and suckage, but IMO he is not playing for money alone. He is a motivated individual player, however in a team concept he has to learn how to blend in much better.
You have to give Drew 2 or 3 playoffs like these before you classify him completely in one way, IMO. This is basically his first playoffs and he came in the worst of situations (right off an injury). Andrew of January would not be doing this ... remember that, but it doesn't excuse the suckage or the pisspoor mental approach to the games, though. |
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LakerSanity
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Joined: 30 Nov 2006
Posts: 33474
Location: Long Beach, California
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| Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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Given the context of his career, individual and team expectations, injuries, and the circumstances surrounding his return (the playoffs, inconsistent minutes, coming back from injury, a young player, etc.), I think everyone is being way too harsh on him.
We're impatient as fans, but until he starts getting consistent minutes, he'll never return to from. Yes, the minutes have to come first and you give him those minutes simply because you know the player he can be when he's found his rhythm. Unfortunately, that strategy is too risky for the playoffs and thus, unless he suddenly gets out of his funk due to shear luck, it's probably not gonna happen in these playoffs.
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