The Implosion of the Los Angeles Lakers

[JawJuttinAsasin]

Re: Tracking the 2013 Draft Picks

Kobe and their defense won it in the end. wow. J Smoove had a chance if he caught that pass clean.

Their defense is bad. They were backdoored for easy buckets under the hoop on off ball switches the entire 4th quarter. It would have cost the game if Josh Smith could catch the ball.

 

[Huber.]

Re: Tracking the 2013 Draft Picks

 

[Wulfgar1224]

Re: Tracking the 2013 Draft Picks

Interesting Lakers game. D'Antoni got so desperate he only held Kobe out for 1 minute in the second half, Nash could not handle the ball tonight, and they went KobeISO over and over and over. But it was just good enough.

Even though I also hate paying attention to the Lakers, I have to admit that Kobe's slam with 2-3 minutes to go was tremendous. Really turned back the clock on that one.

They may have made just enough defensive plays in the last few minutes, but their defense is terrible. And they barely survived a Hawks club at the end of a long road trip. But they are .500 for the first time in forever, so that's something. Too bad they play @OKC next before a bunch of easier games.

I hate following the Lakers so closely as well. Looking at it objectively, though, I think they have a pretty good shot of making the playoffs. Utah is the team that I think is most vulnerable due to a brutal schedule. The only think that kinda stinks is that Utah has the tiebreaker over LA so the Lakers will have to finish ahead of them. I think Houston's schedule is too easy for them to be caught. Golden State has been folding lately. So, they may be another team to watch.

 

[billmac91]

He sure is. This has probably been stated here in the past. But, the Lakers best chance is to pass Utah due to strength of scheduling. I think Houston's schedule is too manageable for the Lakers to catch them. That said, I still don't think it is all that big of a deal either way. Once you get past about the 10th pick in this draft, it becomes a roll of the dice/ projection type of thing for the players that will be drafted anyway.

This is crazy to me. The 16th pick could be the difference between a kid like Trey Burke/Kelly Olynyk and someone at 30 like Jeff Withey/Deshaun Thomas. I think the projected level of guys like Burke and Olynyk can hit are in another stratosphere compared to Withey/Thomas. Also, moving up from the 16th pick to say the 9th or 10th pick is a lot easier than trying to move up with the 30th pick.

The Lakers making the playoffs is huge for the Cavs.

 

[Reeko_Htown]

Just noticed this thread and as a Rockets fan I feel a little flattered. It feels good to actually have playoff pressure to win and keep the Lakers at bay. A New Age (Rockets Media campaign this year) indeed.

 

[RTrees]

Kobe still holding the Lakers hostage with his ISO's, but nights like last night is why he gets away with it. When he's on he's on.

If he could share the glory more consistently in both halves maybe the games woudn't be so tight to need his heroics. But I think that's the whole idea for him. He usually takes as many bad shots in the third and fourth as he takes good ones. Sometimes the Lakers will have the lead by 10 or more in the third quarter and he starts his ISO stuff, and the opponent climbs back in. He lives to be clutch Kobe and be the hero. That's good when you need it. But I don't see what's wrong with winning by 20 instead and putting them away in the third or early fourth. They could have done that last night, but this is HIS team in the worst sense of the word.

Live by the Kobe, die by the Kobe. For now at least he won't have it any other way. When/if he does make a change, as we've seen, it will be to some extreme to prove a point, and then back to Kobe's world. Glad I'm a Cavs fan.

 

[mAo_mAo]

Re: Tracking the 2013 Draft Picks

Kobe being overly dramatic. Then he will come back with that "worst sprain ever" to will the Lakers to a playoff spot. Stop that Karate Kid shit, Kobe. :chuckles:

 

[Just Checkin]

Re: Tracking the 2013 Draft Picks

Well at least Gasol is planning on returning next week. Tough break.

 

[Pioneer10]

Re: Tracking the 2013 Draft Picks

Well at least Gasol is planning on returning next week. Tough break.

The Lakers looked dominant last year with Bynum and Gasol sans Kobe. Hoping that can happen again with Howard and Gasol: wouldn't surprise me at all as that team is Kobe hero ball all the time. Last year when he was out, suddenly it was like they just realized their frontcourt was bigger and better then just about anybody else in the league.

 

[TopGun]

Re: Tracking the 2013 Draft Picks

The Lakers looked dominant last year with Bynum and Gasol sans Kobe. Hoping that can happen again with Howard and Gasol: wouldn't surprise me at all as that team is Kobe hero ball all the time. Last year when he was out, suddenly it was like they just realized their frontcourt was bigger and better then just about anybody else in the league.

I think we'll see something very similar, now that the offense will be running through Nash. The worst part about watching the Lakers this season (other than voluntarily watching the Lakers) has been seeing Nash jog down to the offensive side of the court and find a corner to stand in while Kobe dominates the ball. I think we'll see them put up some very high scoring games. Only, they just lost their only good perimeter defender, and every other guard on the team rivals _amon _ones on defense. It's going to be a challenge for Dwight and Pau to stay out of foul trouble and try to contest the multitude of drives into the paint.

I think they can weather the storm, but it won't be pretty.

 

[Scholar]

Re: Tracking the 2013 Draft Picks

The Lakers looked dominant last year with Bynum and Gasol sans Kobe. Hoping that can happen again with Howard and Gasol: wouldn't surprise me at all as that team is Kobe hero ball all the time. Last year when he was out, suddenly it was like they just realized their frontcourt was bigger and better then just about anybody else in the league.

They just so happen to have a real point guard on the team too. Wonder if he'll just shift back to his old self while Bryant is out.

 

[Lionheart]

Re: Tracking the 2013 Draft Picks

IMO I think we'll see Nash reverting to his old self with Kobe out. Now he gets the ball and literally runs with it, pick-and-roll with Dwight/Pau, pick-and-pop with Earl Clark/Pau/Antawn. I'm actually excited to see them play with Kobe sitting out for a while with Nash at the very helm of the offense. He hasn't been close to what he could be this season with Kobe dominating the ball.

I don't want to see the Lakers win per se, but I'm a greedy bastard and would like to see a pick go our way.

EDIT: Oh shit, posted this before seeing Scholar's post. :chuckles:

 

[Witz]

Re: Tracking the 2013 Draft Picks

Adrian Wojnarowski‏<s>@</s>WojYahooNBA
Bryant sullen and angry over ankle sprain, called it his worst sprain since 2000 season.

 

[Daniel89]

Re: Tracking the 2013 Draft Picks

Friggin Dahntay Jones Maybe Gasol will give them a boost coming back, less Antawn is always a good thing defensively

 

[Toph]

Re: Tracking the 2013 Draft Picks

Friggin Dahntay Jones Maybe Gasol will give them a boost coming back, less Antawn is always a good thing defensively

The first time I read this I read it "Antawn is always good definsively" :chuckles: