LAKERS -at- NETS - 12/22 - Thoughts and :-)) ratings

[DancingBarry]

[DancingBarry]

[1hu2ren3dui4]

did anybody else see the airball free throw from kwame. did it really miss as bad as it looked like it did. i mean, that thing might have been a good foot or two away from the rim.

i dont think even shaq ever missed one that badly.
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-Most people learn by saying mother, numb, horse, angry... I learned mine by saying Lakers, add gas. - HRD.

[DancingBarry]

^ I think I mentioned in the report that it was one of the worst one's I've ever seen.

[supermegamen]

It really sucks that kcal didn't show the last 14 seconds of the game. I watched it on YES and the end of the game was hilarious! Rick Fox grabbed a hat, put it on and stood right next to Vince Carter on the Nets last inbound pass. He was distracting him and Nets Fans on the sidelines were screaming to make the refs notice him, but they didn't.

The funny thing about it was that Rick actually had his seat on the other side of the floor!


Rick was definitely the player of the game!

[- Sean -]

It's pretty impressive how the bench players are stepping up on the road. I wouldn't have been shocked to see them wilt...because that's pretty common (particularly w/ young guys) away from home...but they are showing a lot of character.

[A Mad Chinaman]

[RYZ]

[A Mad Chinaman]

[LakersSpirit]

Kwame and Bynum were useful, and they had a few highlights, between them... I hope this game has not established a trend, however, for our bigs. We're going to need more from, both, Drew, and Kwame, with less turnovers.

Just too many turnovers. Many things we tried, were good, but the execution was too sloppy, and led to too many turnovers.

I guess I haven't learned my lesson, because I'm still quesioning Phil's rotations... Phil didn't use that energy team, in quite the same way. Farmar didn't get enough minutes, for my taste. Kobe stayed on the floor, for quite a long time, for someone with upper respiratory problems.

Cook, and Sasha are doing better, than we had expected. Vlad's shot is coming along. One of the biggest disappointments was the play of Luke... Luke had me thinking... "I sure wish we had a smarter team... Why do we always have spaced out players, in recent years??"
When Luke's Game is on, he looks smart, but games like this...
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"Teamwork is a nebulous thing. It is as ephemeral as love, disappearing at the latest insult.".... Phil Jackson

[LakersSpirit]

[Sister Golden Hair]

As for Farmar, I'll go on record as someone who didn't like him as the Laker's No. 1 pick during the recent draft. I wasn't impressed by what I saw out of him at UCLA. I thought he was one of those players who peaked in HS.

His play, however, has made me completely change my appraisal. He is the only natural PG on the squad. He has much better instincts than Smush or Sasha. he's more decisive, and is guttier. He also seems to know the offense better than any of them. I think the second unit's play during this recent strencth would not have been as good with, say, Sasha playing in Farmar's place. Farmar has set the pace and the focus of the team.

Smuch is more talented physically, and if he played with as much purpose as farmar, would be the superior player. But Smush tends to drift and play awfully passive more often than not.

I don't know of Farmar has earned the right to start yet, but it wouldn't upset me. Maybe he would regress if playing asa a starter because his physical shortcomings would be exposed. But I think it's a good sign that he seems to hold his own with players like Marcus Wiliams, who will be a starter in this league. Some speedy guards have given farmar problems on defense, but i actually look forward to watching farmar during the rematches because he strikes me as the kind of player that doesn't make the same mistakes twice.

Moving on: I want to see a Kobe-Mo big backcourt for selected stretches of time. AT the end of games, Kobe is the de facto PG anyway, so it wouldn't be disastrous to have another big guard going with him. I think Mo, more than any of the guards not named Kobe, has the physical tools to play defense on speedy guards and, while not completely shutting them down, can give them fits with his size and speed. Also, he can be punishing on the other end. He may be the most physically explosive Laker.

Also: Rad is showing signs of rounding into form. Beautiful form and arc on that jumper. So relaxed.


Finally: I've always like Bynum, even when other people kept being (hyper-)critical of his putative physical abilities/skills. I like him even better now. You can see the makings of a very good player. I think the Laker brass is bringing him around at just the right speed. He's becoming a game-changer with his defense. Yes, he still gets caught out of position at times, but he has the tools and reach to recover and still bother shooters.

I don't trade Bynum for anyone in the NBA because he is the rarest of commodities: a young seven footer with game on both ends and a long career in front of him. The Lakers took a risk and it is paying off big time. No way they trade him. Not even for KG in a multi-player deal. I don't see that happening.

SGH

[DancingBarry]

[Sister Golden Hair]

DB,

About that needed third guard ... doesn't Mo fit that bill precisely?

SGH

[DancingBarry]

SGH - Not sure how to word this, but I can tell we are getting some individual lockdown D when I want to see an opponent try to attack one of our players. In the past, I've had those feelings with Shaq, Kobe and George on certain match ups. You could see them just surprise guys as they are trying to make their moves and force them into a bad situation. I've gotten that same feeling this season with both Bynum and Farmar on certain nights. (Obviously, there are nights when that feeling isn't there, but that was even the case with the other defenders listed above).

When guys try to get space to shoot on Farmar, he recovers so well sometimes that he is back on top of them as they are shooting. It is great to watch. Bynum's length just eats people up at times. He also seems to almost get into a frenzy or burst of D sometimes, too, where he gives you stretches of anchoring our D superbly.

Point is...just getting a few games of superb D from those guys at this stage of their career is a very good sign. It also happens to be among our two biggest weaknesses heading into this season. So...if they can develop that with experience, we've got a nice future.

[DancingBarry]

[DancingBarry]

Maybe I should add, yes...he does give us a lot of that. But I'd just like to see a higher level on both ends of the floor. Mo can give you serviceable D and serviceable O. He's a nice utility player, but I think we really need someone a notch above. It could cost us a lot more, but I think we'd get some good mileage out of it.

[jeremysnow]

bummed ;

.......heard it on the news (still traveling & away from my beloved noCal).

yao with a tibial plateau fracture ( major ). I've become very fond of yao's progress in the past several years. last year, he had that LEFT toe infection, followed by breaking his LEFT foot.....

and our gov's fractured his leg....... on a black diamond hill (wow.... considering his body mass, age, and his job, etc..... I'd suggest a less challenging endeavor, except he's ARNOLD (& I'm not ). and like yao, also his RIGHT tibia.

prayers and thoughts with both!

I hope it's not a season of attrition (then Philly or god forbid DETROIT might make it to the finals ....... along with maybe denver or LA? hmmmmmmm..........

guys STAY HEALTHY (or MINIMALLY injured)! (we've ALREADY been battered with MORE than our share of injuries).

[LakersSpirit]

Sister Golden Hair, wrote, in part:

I don't know of Farmar has earned the right to start yet, but it wouldn't upset me. Maybe he would regress if playing asa a starter because his physical shortcomings would be exposed. But I think it's a good sign that he seems to hold his own with players like Marcus Wiliams, who will be a starter in this league. Some speedy guards have given farmar problems on defense, but i actually look forward to watching farmar during the rematches because he strikes me as the kind of player that doesn't make the same mistakes twice. [End Quote]

Personally, I don't think it's a matter of having earned the right, as much as it's a matter of acceptance, by the rest of the team. The rest of the team has to be willing to play with Farmar, at the tempo that he sets. The team has to also be willing to accept, and understand Farmar's decisions, on the court. As in all of life, there are many little unconscious likes, and dislikes (some, politically motivated), which affect our outward behavior. It is my own observation, that, yes, indeed, many players seem to look, as if, they had regressed, when they are given the starting role. In many cases, the, seeming, regression, I feel, is due to the lack of support, from the rest of the team. Of course, there is also the lack of familiarity, in some cases, because some players haven't worked together enough. The more significant factor, however, in my mind, is that unconditional acceptance. Every Laker has to erase all their inner prejudices, or politically-motivated feelings, and just accept Farmar, as the starting PG. Everyone must be willing to understand Farmar's style, and what he's trying to accomplish, on the court. I really feel, that when the Lakers do these things, we will see a much smoother flow, to our offense. We should also see much more effectiveness, in our execution.

Unfortunately, what I sometimes see, on the court, is what looks like two, or three Lakers, fighting for the right to run, or instigate the offense. I've seen players running the wing, as trailers, and being totally ignored, while someone's more favorite buddy is targeted, for an ill-fated pass, in traffic... I may be wrong, but these are some of my perceptions, while watching some games.

I agree, with Golden Hair's perceptions, about Jordan's decision-making abilities. Jordan also seems to have the best court-awareness, which most Lakers seem to lack. All of the top point guards have the ability to know, almost instinctively, what is going on, in all areas of the court. A great point guard is also very aware of the team's rhythm, and he knows how to set the tempo. None of these things can happen, however, without the full support, of the rest of the team!
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"Teamwork is a nebulous thing. It is as ephemeral as love, disappearing at the latest insult.".... Phil Jackson

[RYZ]

[spickx]

Man i know Farmar can jump, but dude was up there with that 2 hand dunk.

[A Mad Chinaman]