LAKERS -at- JAZZ - 11/7 - Thoughts and :-(( Ratings

[DancingBarry]

The Underachievers... Mike Brown may have bought himself a one-game reprieve with the win over the lowly Pistons, but dropping another 95-86 loss to the Utah Jazz ended that quickly.

Pop Quiz: Which best reminds you of the Laker season so far:

1. The bus crash and train wreck from the movie, The Fugitive?

2. The train wreck from Super 8?

3. The plane crash from Lost?

4. The plane crash from Alive?

I think I'm partial to The Fugitive. The preseason reminds me of the bus crash in the movie. The regular season has been the subsequent train wreck a few seconds later.

However, if the players start eating Mike Brown alive, then I might opt for No. 4.

No one looks like they are having any fun out there as the frustration is seeming to mount. Sure they say all the right things in the locker room afterward, but how long will that last?

The Jazz pulled ahead big as soon as Brown went to his bench rotations. It started with Pau and 4 bench players and was extended with the Howard and Metta at SG unit. They fell into deep holes each time they got deeper into their bench rotations.

It's not like the starters were killing it, either. They struggled to get going to open both halves and looked downright lethargic after halftime.

"The intensity was low," Dwight Howard said afterward. "We didn't play as hard as we should've played."

You are 1-3 going into the game and not playing as hard as you should have? What was the problem tonight?

Where do you want to start? The Laker's inability to get to 90 points is a good place. They struggled from three, shooting just 4-23 behind the arc. They had another 19 turnovers that led to 19 Jazz points. They shot 46 freethrows, yet scored just 86 points. You can't win a lot of games scoring just 86. The Jazz themselves barely got past 90, if it wasn't for some late fouls to stop some clock.

Kobe scrapped the offense down the stretch trying his best to shoulder the load, but couldn't overcome the deficit. This team continues to underachieve. Ultimately, that always falls on the coach's shoulders, not your star-studded lineup.


Kobe -- -- He tried to put the team on his shoulders late in the game. It was a slow start for Kobe. After the Lakers fell behind big, he started to get more and more aggressive. The sense of urgency he's talked about lately didn't seem to be there for him in the first quarter. As the game went along it picked up. By the time we were about nailed to the wall by the Jazz, he was full throttle, scrapping the offense and doing everything he could to try to pull the team to within striking distance in crunch time. They needed this early when everyone else was struggling, but you can't expect him to do that much heavy lifting all game. Just no real chemistry out there. When asked if he was angry during the game, he said "Just a little bit." When asked about what, he replied, "Nothin' I care to share." Another massive turnover game from Kobe. A lot of that was errant passes, which reminds me of the Rudy T year when Kobe was turnover prone. Nothing was really working for Kobe except his ability to manufacture contact and get to the line. A tremendous effort late in the game to get to the line again and again. The Stats: He scored 29 points on 7-17 shooting (0-4 from three, 15-17 form the line) to go with 5 boards, 4 assists, 3 steals, 6 turnovers and 3 fouls in 37 minutes. He was a +4. The Action: Poor post entry with bad spacing, turnover. He swiped the ball, pushed it up and lobbed to Howard for a dunk. He was stripped by Hayward for a dunk the other way. He missed an open three. He attacked in transition and drew FTs, he made both. He hit Pau with a bounce pass for a dunk. Out of a timeout, he posted up and drew FTs, he made one. He attacked in early offense and missed a layup. He posted up, drew the double and kicked to Pau for the jumper. He attacked baseline and powered in a layup. He posted up, drew Blake's man and hit Blake for the open three. Quick spin, pump fake and he drew FTs, he made both. He missed a three and fumbled the return pass away. He couldn't connect on a hot pass to Howard, turnover. He had 7 points on 1-4 shooting, 4 assists and 4 turnovers. Second Half: He missed a good look at a three straight away. He missed a forced elbow jumper with the offense stalled. He pumpfaked at the top of the key and drew FTs, he made both. He attacked off the three line and scored a layup. He probed in early offense and hit the open FT jumper. He probed and threw a pass away. He had 13 points on 3-10 shooting and 6 turnovers after three quarters. His man went for a suicide steal and Kobe scored a layup. He was fouled on a three off a split play, he made two FTs. He attacked again next time down and drew more FTs, he made both. He missed a three. He attacked off a high screen and drew more FTs, he made both. He iso'd and got to the rim for a layup. He attacked across the lane, pumped and drew FTs, he made both. He attacked in early offense off a high screen, pumped and hit the one-hander. He attacked baseline and threw down the jam.

Howard -- -- The Lakers really struggled when we went to Howard and the bench unit (MWP at the SG, Jamison at the SF). Jamison's -13 showing how effective those minutes were. Howard and Kobe combined for 11 turnovers. While many of Kobe's came from off-the-mark passes, Howard's were from getting stripped in the paint. Not very good spacing at times (especially with the poor three shooting), but Howard also was a little sloppy. It felt like a weaker game from Howard, but he ended up with 19 and 9. We saw very few of those quick hits off passing sequences that you want out of the offense or off those three-man sequences. The Jazz tried to pack it in to make Blake and MWP beat them, so that takes away a chunk of that. Good job on the offensive glass. The Lakers had a 15-9 advantage in this area. The Stats: He scored 19 points on 7-11 shooting (5-12 from the line) to go with 9 boards (4 offensive), 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 5 turnovers and 1 foul in 37 minutes. He was a -11. The Action: He was blocked on a layup. He drew FTs in the paint, he missed both, airballing the second one. He dunked off the Kobe lob. He attacked across the lane and drew FTs, he made both. He backed his man down and slammed with both hands. He airballed a jumphook. He lost the handle trying to iso, turnover, three the other way. He grabbed a Hill miss and scored the And-1 putback, he made the FT. The offense busted, he attacked and kicked to Jamison for three. He attacked Jefferson in the paint for FTs, he missed both. He hit a lefty jumphook in the post. He couldn't handle a Kobe pass in the paint, turnover. He had 11 points on 4-6 shooting (3-7 FTs) and 5 boards. Second Half: He missed on iso in transition. He swatted Williams off the glass. He stole back a ball in the backcourt and was fouled for FTs as he attacked, he missed both. He spun in the paint and practically threw the jumphook down and in. He iso'd and drew FTs on Jefferson, he made one FT. He had 14 points after three quarters. He poked a ball loose from his man on iso D, but was stripped on the other end. His man went for a suicide steal and Howard scored on the And-1 finish at the rim, he made the FT. He missed an attack across the lane. Easy putback on a missed Blake three. He attacked baseline and was stripped. He was stripped trying to rise up under the hoop.

Gasol -- -- White Swan mode for Pau from the start. Very ineffective out of the gates. Just 5 points and 7 boards. Really, Pau? Defensively he looked very flat footed. This is when Phil and Kobe would have needled him in the past. One of the keys mentioned by Brown before the game was matching the Jazz physicality. Hill did, Dwight had his moments. Pau had his tutu on. "I have to make things happen ... I have to find consistency," he said. The Stats: He scored 5 points on 2-9 shooting (0-1 from three, 1-2 from the line) to go with 7 boards, 2 assists, 3 steals, 2 turnovers and 2 fouls in 36 minutes. He was a +2. The Action: He had the chair pulled on him and lost the ball on the first possession. He missed a 20-footer. He missed an open baseline jumper. He slammed off the two-man game with Kobe. He was blocked on a lefty jumphook. He missed another short one in the lane. He blocked Jefferson on iso D. He sank an elbow jumper on Kobe's kickout. He attacked the paint and clanked the one-hander. He had 4 points on 2-7 shooting and just 1 board. Second Half: He had a post entry knocked off him. He got bodied out of position under the hoop and then fouled on the post entry. Quick spin in the post and he drew FTs, he made one. Nice challenge to force a bricked drive. He fell asleep off a turnover and his man got past him for a dunk after a deadball. He got tapped on a corner three. He missed a tough corner three.

Peace -- -- We've seen Metta at backup SG from Brown already if you were paying attention. The Jazz were and purposely looked to sag off both Metta and Blake and make that duo beat them whenever they were on the court. They didn't. The two combined for 5-22 shooting. So while Brown goes into myopic mode with we need more D...he also needs to have balance offensively or it just doesn't matter much. Of course, it sounds like Brown wants him at the SG for his offense. A backup shooting guard who can't shoot? Yikes. Put that across Morris and a reluctant Jamison? Even better. The Lakers scored 7 points on the break. If not for Metta, that might have been double. He was awful in those situations. The Stats: He scored 15 points on 3-12 shooting (2-6 from three, 7-8 from the line) to go with 7 boards, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block, 1 turnover and 2 fouls in 37 minutes. He was a -3. The Action: He blocked Millsap from behind to save a layup. He drained an early offense wing three. Nice position, posting up off the cut around Pau's post and he drew FTs, he made one. Quick step and he threw down a dunk past his man. He was blocked trying to go up quickly instead of fake. He bricked a chuck from three, not going up straight. He attacked down the middle and drew FTs muscling Burks, he made both. He was fouled on the defensive glass and drew FTs, he made both. He didn't switch on Blake's man and they gave up a dunk. Poor job running the break and he was blocked (give it up to Blake, you will get it back). He missed a turnaround in early offense as the first option, uggh. He had 10 points on 2-6 shooting and 2 turnovers. Second Half: He missed a corner three. Another poorly run break, taking the outlet and not giving it up to Howard for the dunk and it was blocked off Metta and out of bounds. He barely hit rim on a transition three next time down. He stole it back. He was blocked on a drive. He missed a long one, forced to take it with the shotclock low. He swiped back a turnover, attacked and drew FTs, he made both. He swished a wing three on a kickout from Hill. He stripped the ball from Hayward on iso. He airballed a three at the buzzer.

Blake -- -- He started the game ice cold from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Mo Williams was lighting him up on the other end. The Laker backup PG has, was, is and will continue to be an issue all season until they make some changes. Even when Nash gets back, we are still going to rely on heavy minutes from this role. The Jazz packed the paint to purposely make Blake and MWP beat them. Blake shot 2-10 on the night (2-8 from three). Some wide open looks that, yes, you have to knock down, Steve. The Stats: He scored 6 points on 2-10 shooting (2-8 from three) to go with 4 boards, 1 assist and 2 fouls in 36 minutes. He was a +5.The Action: He missed a wing three on a kickout. He missed another wide open three from the wing. He missed a corner three, layup in transition the other way. He missed another three. He fouled Foye on a turnaround jumper. He finally sank a three at the top of the arc. He drew a charge on Hayward on the break. Second Half: He missed a wide open sideline three on a kickout, can't get easier than that. He swished a wing three on a kickout a few possessions later. He missed a corner three. He missed an open baseline pull-up jumper. He blocked/disrupted Williams' drive, one of the few decent defensive plays he had tonight.

Jamison -- -- It's starting to drive me a little nuts when he passes up on the open jumpers, especially with the shotclock winding down. His kids have told him to be more aggressive. He needs to listen to them. Our bench, outside of Hill, is largely MIA. Defensively, we suffer as Brown ran him at the SF all game. The Jazz took advantage of that out of a timeout in a key part of the early fourth to get a wide open three. So outside of doing nothing offensively, he had no defensive work either (which is to be expected). But no boards, steals, nothing. His -13 was a result of our bench having "no identity," as he said. He needs to start giving them one. The Stats:He scored 2 points on 1-2 shooting to go with 1 foul in 14 minutes. He was a -13. The Action: He swished a wing three on the kickout from Howard. He got backdoored for a dunk on the other end. Second Half: He missed his hook scoop in the post (has he made one of those this season?). They collapsed the D attacking Jamison and it led to an open three.

Hill -- -- Here is your lone bench player. He was our best player off the bench last year and still continues to be. He was killing it on the offensive glass. Without his 7 offensive boards, the Lakers would have been down 20+. Pau needs to take a page out of Hill's book and pound that glass. The two are playing the same position. One is getting it done with effort, the other isn't. If there's a loose ball, Hill finds a way to come up with it, even if that means hitting the floor a few times a game. The Stats: He scored 4 points on 1-5 shooting (0-1 from three, 2-4 from the line) to go with 12 boards (7 offensive), 1 assist, 1 turnover and 3 fouls in 23 minutes. He was a -9.The Action: He hit the floor for a loose ball. He iso'd in the post and hit the lefty jumphook. He grabbed a Blake miss, missed himself, but Howard cleaned it up. Second Half: Back in and he fought for a Kobe miss and drew FTs on the putback attempt, he made one. He reset the offense with one board and helped keep it alive again on the next attempt. He was called for a moving screen. He kept a board alive and it led to a three.

Ebanks -- -- He's now 3-13 in his 42 combined minutes. That includes 1-5 from three. Just not showing the same consistency he did all preseason. He has done a better job on the glass the last couple of games, but that's about it. The Stats: He scored 3 points on 1-2 shooting (0-1 from three, 1-2 from the line) to go with 3 boards, 1 turnover and no fouls in 8 minutes. He was a -6.The Action: He was tripped in transition for FTs, he made one. Second Half: He missed a three up against the shotclock. He attacked after that miss and tipped it in. He jump passed and threw it out of bounds.

Morris -- -- He was a train wreck, himself, to start the game again as the Lakers backup PG. He's just not efficient in anything he does. His forays into the lane are often wild and out of control. His perimeter shooting tonight was off mark. His passing, very poor. The Lakers PGs were a combined 3-16 shooting with 1 assist. That really is pathetic. He had the team low -14 and takes plenty of blame in that, but the lineups are a bit wonky to begin with. He was solid defensively. He picks up his man early and helps grind some clock with the pressure, but he has turned his D into any impact yet. The Stats: The Action: He missed an easy runner in the lane. Ridiculous post entry pass, easily picked off. He pushed up a break, left his feet early and bricked a prayer badly at high speed. He dove for a loose ball and was tied up, he lost the jumpball to Tinsley. Second Half: He airballed a corner three. Nice speed in transition, taking the outlet, blowing past his man and scoring the And-1 layup, he made the FT. He attacked across the paint and missed toss up at the rim. They dared him to shoot and he missed a wide open three.

Brown -- -- The Lakers fell behind 5-0 early, going scoreless out of the gates with turnovers and misses. They had the same 5-point hole when the timeout came at 4:29... He sat Metta for Ebanks and Howard for Hill out of that timeout. First subs... He sat Blake for Morris and Kobe for Jamison down 4. So Pau and bench again. They got worked and the lead started to build... The Lakers trailed 25-17 after the first quarter. The Lakers were outscored 18-8 in points in the paint... Brown started a Howard, Hill, Jamison, Metta, Morris unit. The third game we've seen Metta at the SG... They got stomped, the lead ballooning to 14 when the timeout came just 3 minutes later... He brought in Kobe and Blake for Metta and Morris... Down 16 when he sat Howard for Pau midway through the quarter. The starters and Hill in... Howard back. The Lakers chipped a few points off the lead behind an aggressive Kobe... The Lakers shot 34% (12-35, 2-8 3Pt, 15-23 FT). The Jazz shot 49% (22-45, 1-6 3Pt, 6-7 FT). The Lakers had 9 turnovers for 8 points. The Jazz had 5 turnovers for just 5 points. The Jazz had a 10-2 advantage on the break and a 28-16 advantage on points in the paint... Must have been an inspirational speech at halftime. The Lakers looked sleepy to start the third. They started the half scoreless and fell behind big again... They cut it to 7 off a Blake three with just over 3 minutes left in the quarter. Brown brought in Ebanks and Hill for Howard and MWP... They cut it to 4 when Morris came in for Blake... Poor close again and the Lakers trailed 65-57 heading into the fourth... He started the Howard, Hill, Jamison, MWP and Morris unit... The Jazz got three threes in a row and took an 11-point lead, forcing a timeout. Once again, this unit got stomped and gave up the lead... He went with the starters midway through the quarter... The offense was scrapped by Kobe as he tried to put the team on his shoulders. He was swimming against the current... The Lakers had 11 assists and 18 turnovers. Horrible...

[Mr. EiGhTy-OnE]

That lineup that started the 4th was left in the game too long
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"When (Kobe) gets you on life support, he won't give you mouth to mouth. HE PULLS THE PLUG." -stu

[Arbitrary]

[Lakersneuron]

I haven't read it yet, but thanks DB. Your write ups are extremely cathartic to read, especially after this awful start to the season.

[Laker's Fan]

Thanks DB
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Austin Reaves keeps his game tight, like Kobe Bryant on game night.

[Lakersneuron]

[Jeffs]

Thanks DB. Can't be easy writing these T/R with how poorly this season has started.
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Jeffs

I feel like I just watched someone TRULY give 100%. Not the BS I'm-gonna-give-a-110%-just-like-everyone-else-says platitudes, but someone that went until he just....broke. - GT

[WASP]

MB sucks.

[DancingBarry]

[DancingBarry]

[d1]

Free the LAKERS!! Fire Mike Brown!! How utterly embarrassing!

[angrypuppy]

Thanks DB.

Same story: Despite their talent, the starters only manage to play near breakeven basketball, then the reserves take over and the Lakers fall out of the ballgame. It's repetitive and uninspiring for player and fan alike.

What kills me is the dispirited execution on both ends of the floor. The most obvious problem is that almost no one wants to run in transition, with a Laker player or two complaining to a ref while the Jazz capitalize on numbers for a quick score. That lack of discipline can only be indicative of a team that has tuned out its coach.

[angrypuppy]

PS: Mitch Kupchak, MBA seems intimately familiar with incremental cost, but not with sunk cost. Morris is undoubtedly a sunk cost. They really need to cut bait on Morris and sign Delonte West. He hasn't impressed me as an NBA quality reserve player to date, and if there's upside buried somewhere it is difficult to imagine the ceiling being about 11th or 12th man on the end of the bench.

Ron Ron and Ebanks rotation is terrifying as well. Pietrus is still out there, but probably not for long as Indy might snap him up. At the very least Pietrus would be a nice upgrade over Ebanks, and would give the new Lakers coach an option when Ron Ron plays erratically.

[mhan00]

Mike Brown please go away. DB for coach.

[thurloly]

We need shooters (who can score 3p) to help the spacing issue.

We have choices in CDR, DJO, Meeks, Duhon, and Glock. However, we cut Glock and CDR while don't play Meeks, Duhon, and DJO.

Morris as PG and Meta as SG are failures. No more Meta, Blake, Morris, Howard, and Hill (no shooters whatsoever). With Meta, Blake, and Morris out there = over-dribble and terrible IQ.

MB needs to stop this and put Duhon as PG and Meeks as backup SG. We cut some good shooters, so now we are in crappy situation.

Fundamental basketball like boxing-out to rebound, FT shooting, and TO haven't decreased.

We need balance both offense and defense to win...so far, we have neither.

[Lakersneuron]

[PLATNUM]

Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

It's kinda the same story the past few years. The team, despite it's superstars and mega hype.. is just plain uninspired and boring to watch. The biggest thrills come from some ridiculously difficult fall away 30 footer from Kobe to beat the clock.

Fast Break? LOL!! Lakers on a 4 on 2 break? MWP will lunge at the rim off the wrong foot and either hit the BOTTOM of the rim, or get blocked by some 5'11 PG.... 2 points the other way. That's even IF we attack the rim... most "fastbreaks" the guys settle for an elbow J or just realize they have no finishers and pull it out to set up the Prince Alb--- I mean, the Princeton offense.

I haven't been excited to watch the Lakers play in a while now... and I have been watching since the early 80's. I've posted before that I'd much rather watch a team that plays hard and scraps and plays together, than watch these guys go thru the motions and act like they're entitled.

Give DJO and Meeks and Clark some run... see if we can inject some life into the team. Look at what Jeremy Lin did for the Knicks last year! Granted they didn't win a damn thing in the post season, but MSG was rocking. This Lakers squad is just painting by numbers right now... and it's a shame.
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"Dread it, run from it... destiny arrives all the same."

[Christopher C]

Mike Brown sure is doing a great job managing Kobe's minutes eh? I think he's averaging 38+ per game so far. Lovely.

Cut Darius Morris from the team for (bleep) sake. It would be addition by subtraction.

Can Meeks get some minutes please? We saw what having a shooter in can do when Randy Foye went off. We need that kind of a weapon on the floor.

[E=MC²]

I have no idea how Brown still has his job. Stan Van Gundy was fired for starting 15-10 in 2005 and that decision proved vital as that team went to win the title under Riley.

[mugwump]

Meh, I'm seeing improvement.

This was the first game this season including pre-season that we were actually in it near the end.

A few defensive adjustments, a few less turnovers, less Utah altitude, and this game would have a positive outcome. Seriously, a couple of adjustments would've done it.

Anyhow, there is a progression and it is moving up, even though it's impossible to be pleased at this point.

[IPK]

[Klone_dd]

MB is throwing rotations and systems against the wall and seeing what sticks. Right now, he has a greasy splat. He can preach patience all he wants, but there's been no improvement in any phase of the game from pre-season on.

[SmokeAndAshes]

[yinoma2001]

people laughing me and others off about CDR, Meeks, and even Delonte West.

Stay the course is not the right call for the Lakers.

It's fairly clear that the team has already tuned out Brown. His rotations are disastrous, and he's trying to get a dollar out 50 cent players like Blake, MWP, Ebanks.

Time for change. Simple one to make is to pick up the phone, call West, and cut one of the 1 year small $ contracts.

Second, really start working the phone with Pau. I've offered numerous suggestions and at this point, Pau's $20m contract is dragging this team down.
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From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals

[jmark]

Absolute worse rotations by a coach I have ever seen. We actually have 4 ex head coaches sitting on the bench and this is the best we can do? Buss better wake up are we'll be too far behind to catch up. Based on what I saw last night I think MB has already lost the team. Kobe's body language was not good. MB ruined Sessions last year and looks set to do the same to Nash. This team shouldn't need to run the Princeton O.
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"I appreciate all those who have supported me. Thank you for believing in me. My family and I are going to need your support and prayers now more than ever." Kobe