Whats with the Lakers?
I think George Hill and Ginobili did an excellent job of frustrating Kobe by slapping and poking at the ball. I think this took Kobe out of this game and led to the streak of "hero" shots J Nixon talked about.
Also Dejuan Blair played his best game of the year, and played excellent defense on Gasol when he was guarding him.
This is FUNNY!
Wasnt it just a few weeks ago..When everyone was asking whats wrong with the Heat? And at that time, the Lakers were on a roll and folks were saying Pau was the leading MVP Candidate?
Now the Heat are on a roll and folks are asking whats wrong with the Lakers?
And everyone are still ignoring the Celtics & Spurs.....
I agree, they all look tired out there. Bryant's age is starting to show a little bit and they are getting nothing out of Ron Artest on the offensive end. With that being said though, I'm not gonna count Kobe Bryant and the Lakers out until they get knocked out of the playoffs. Getting Bynum back into game shape will help them a lot. Phil will find a way to get them playing well again and they will be alright.
Missed shots and poor defensive rotation. The Lakers cant just show up and win like last year and the year before. The game has changed Boston, Miami and Orlando are souped up. While SA and Dallas are playing championship caliber on both sides of the floor. Its early but they better get it fixed soon are they will be playing their game 7's on the road.
Since when is Bryant fatigued? Last I checked he's only playing 33 mintes per game, his lowest amount in a long time.
Is it just me or has Bynum lost most of his mobility. It seems to me that he moved around very well before he injured both of his knees. It's sad watching him and seeing how much injuries have taken their toll. I think he only has a few years left.
^^ Yeah. Everybody I watch Bynum run, I cringe and I fear he will fall and suffer another knee injury and his career will end. But he isn't in game shape either so as his conditioning gets better, he should start to gain some of that mobility back.
They also need to start playing inside-out. Instead of Kobe forcing everything, he needs to start feeding the ball to Gasol and Bynum. Bryant shot 27 shots but Gasol only gets 8 shots?? And in limited minutes Bynum played well, scoring 10 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and getting to the free-throw line 8 times, and as he gets into game shape, his play will improve.
And Kobe shouldn't be calling out the team, because he's apart of the problem right now.
"Whats with the Lakers? "
Two straight titles means a few losses in December is nothing to worry about. After 200+ games over two years, this happens. The 82 game regular season becomes more of a chore, but it does not change how good the Lakers are. The Celtics sleptwalked through the regular season and were in Game 7 of the Finals.
Modern NBA back-to-back champs:
Lakers: '09, 65 wins- '10, 57 wins- '11, on pace for 55 wins
Lakers: '00, 67 wins- '01, 56 wins- '02, 58 wins
Bulls: '96, 72 wins- '97, 69 wins- '98 62 wins
Rockets: '94, 58 wins- '95, 47 wins - '96, 48 wins
Bulls: '91, 61 wins- '92 67 wins- '93 57 wins
Pistons: '88, 63 wins- '89, 59 wins- '90 50 wins
Lakers: '87, 65 wins- '88, 62 wins- '89, 57 wins
I like what Webber and McHale said " the title isn't won in DECEMBER"
Every year a bunch of posters say " This year the Lakers won't do it lets pick Cleveland or Boston or whoever" its like short term memory because they always seem to forget the Lakers step it up come playoff time. Fisher players better, Defense gets better and now we have a better bench. You know what they need to do ( to all those who seem to think they know what the lakers need to start doing because thats what's best for them) They need to continue to make the Playoffs. Thats it because when the second season starts thats when the real work begins.
I think there just trying to re establish a groove. There still gonna win 50 games and make it into the playoffs. There still a tough out.
I wonder though: Have the played alot of games? They do look a little slow. They played 300 games in 3 years ( there main core) and that adds up. Might this be the year they might not make the NBA finals? Time will tell and I still wouldn't wanna play them in the playoffs.
Noone really is surprised...it's just when you see teams like Boston, Orlando, Utah, Denver, Dallas, San Antonio win games while LA is struggling...makes people believe something is a problem.
Orlando was the same way last week, they lost 8 of their last 11 games.
They can go through the season beating only one team with a winning record before the Playoffs and i still wouldn't worry. I worry when they start losing in the playoffs. They are Vets and have been down this road before so they know what to do and when to do it. Of course i would love to see them winning like the Spurs but i also know it doesn't really matter what you do in the Regular season if you're the Lakers
A big part of the finals last year was the LA had home court advantage for game 7. I think that was a big deal to the Celtics players and they came hard out of the gate this year. I think the Lakers can turn it on come playoff time but if they make it to the finals they're going to have to win some games on the road.
Theres always gonna be some kinda stat about no team has ever won when this or that happened. The past two season the Lakers have done something by losing that no title team or phils other teams have never done and yet they still win. I bet next is "No team has ever lost on christmas day by 10 or more points while it snowed 5 inch's in NewYork while at the same time someone at the laker game has lost his wallet". None of that stuff matters because it plays no part in the actual game
They need to trade Vagynum, and Artest asap. They have been trash. If this team gets Melo it's all over for the NBA.
Fisher/Blake
Bryant/Afflalo
Melo/Barnes/Walton/Ebanks
Odom/Smith/Caracter
Gasol/Andersen/Ratliff
This team needs a second scorer badly(offense is this teams biggest problem cut the bull). Gasol is very passive and he is at his best when he plays the 5, and there are people that move in the triangle(especially at the sf position remember Ariza?). How many bigs do you know that can get triple doubles??? Gasol is best at the 5, he just didn't have a single backup for that stretch due to Vagynum delaying his surgery so that he can party and go to the World Cup, and Ratliff has also been injured. The Lakers need another scorer out there to take the pressure off of Kobe it's that simple. No trade no 3 peat I guarantee that.
"A big part of the finals last year was the LA had home court advantage for game 7. I think that was a big deal to the Celtics players and they came hard out of the gate this year. I think the Lakers can turn it on come playoff time but if they make it to the finals they're going to have to win some games on the road."
No, the Celtics were 23-5 on Christmas last year too. It makes no difference to the elite teams of the league. They went on the road against Cleveland and Orlando. Everything was fine. They beat the Lakers in LA in Game 2. The Ron Artest three in Game 7 wasn't a result of home court advantage.
Bothteamsplayedhard
Your acting as if the Nuggets will get a better offer. If the Nuggets want to stay competitive and remain a playoff caliber team they should take a chance on Bynum. Bynum only has 2 years remaining on his contract and the 3rd year is a team option. Bynum is only 23 and he is better than any player that I have heard being offered to the Nuggets. Derrick Favors? He is trash and they don't need any more PF's(Martin, Harrington,Williams,Balkman). Melo wants to win a ring he isn't going to win a ring in New York or Jersey anytime soon. Melo might as well stay in Denver. The Nuggets can use a player like Artest(Durant just lit them up for 43 points the other day). Regardless what the haters say this is the best trade out there for the Nuggets http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=22wjrfm.
Bynum will never reach his full potential on this team. The Lakers are in win now mode. What if Bynum gets injured again? Yahweh knows that can happen at any minute. Kobe only has so many years left in him, if we went out and got a potent scorer, Kobe's playing days will be extended.
....Back to reality. Lakers aren't getting Carmelo.
Anyway, I truly think the Lakers need to start taking some games seriously and rest Kobe and Gasol for a little bit. The Spurs and Mavericks are quietly on their heels. I think Dallas is quietly there if they can get a upgrade at the shooting guard position. San Antonio is always tough for LA and if Splitter can emerge as a nice piece..... watch out.
My opinion would be for the Lakers to start going inside out. use that size advantage. Its all up to kobe though he needs to understand his teammates can't turn it on and off like he can. they need to get the ball early and warm up so they are ready at the end of games. Gasol needs to get some rest so Phil should play Bynum more if he is up to it. As far as the Lakers taking the games more seriously, they are what they are and they are vets who are set in there ways so chances are they are not gonna change the way they have been playing the regular season for the past couple of seasons. I've learned to accept that as long as they turn it up like they always do in the playoffs.
And DYNCE, has any of you're crazy Laker trades ever happen?
The lakers wne the the finals without Artest in 08 as well should they get rid of him? Please stop you are making the other Laker fans look real bad. We have now takin the spot from the Knick fans(not all of ya'll) for having the most unrealistic posters( in this case one poster)
They are playing some ugly ball right now. Bryant's shot 8-27 against the Spurs tonight and nobody on the team looks impressive. Gasol hasn't been himself as of late. Everybody was talking about him being MVP for the team after the first month of the season.