Where do the Lakers go from here...?

[flyerhawk]

Pelinka: Lakers designed to combat Warriors

Yeah I read that article as well. It's a pretty strange argument, IMO, because he is making an awful lot of assumptions. And their strategy seems to put even more on Lebron's shoulders.

 

[trojanfan12]

Well it's more casual than ESPN. But they all know their stuff about basketball, particularly O'Connor.

To be fair, I didn't watch the whole thing. Babysitting the grandsons, so it was competing with Rescue Bots. lol

But if they truly don't know what the Lakers are doing...then you're giving them too much credit.

 

[trojanfan12]

Yeah I read that article as well. It's a pretty strange argument, IMO, because he is making an awful lot of assumptions. And their strategy seems to put even more on Lebron's shoulders.

It puts less on his shoulders from a defensive standpoint. The Lakers know they aren't going to beat the Warriors by shooting with them.

So, they have to try to defend them. They have a bunch of guys who can switch and keep pressure on them.

They know they're not winning games with scoring in the 110's and 120's, So, they'll try to keep it below 110.

 

[flyerhawk]

To be fair, I didn't watch the whole thing. Babysitting the grandsons, so it was competing with Rescue Bots. lol

But if they truly don't know what the Lakers are doing...then you're giving them too much credit.

Well that's the premise of the discussion.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

It puts less on his shoulders from a defensive standpoint. The Lakers know they aren't going to beat the Warriors by shooting with them.

So, they have to try to defend them. They have a bunch of guys who can switch and keep pressure on them.

They know they're not winning games with scoring in the 110's and 120's, So, they'll try to keep it below 110.

The strategy is to put strong defense up against the Warriors - Magic and Pelinka is going with the old approach of playing tough defense.

 

[trojanfan12]

Well that's the premise of the discussion.

Just watched the whole thing. You gave them appropriate credit.

I got a kick out of the one guy talking about KD coming to the Lakers and beating the Warriors.

Not gonna happen. But it was funny.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Yeah I read that article as well. It's a pretty strange argument, IMO, because he is making an awful lot of assumptions. And their strategy seems to put even more on Lebron's shoulders.

He makes a good point though

 

[wildturkey]

It puts less on his shoulders from a defensive standpoint. The Lakers know they aren't going to beat the Warriors by shooting with them.

So, they have to try to defend them. They have a bunch of guys who can switch and keep pressure on them.

They know they're not winning games with scoring in the 110's and 120's, So, they'll try to keep it below 110.

This is a viable strategy that I agree with. Slow it down enough with switching and forcing specific match ups. You're actually describing what the Rockets approach the last two years has been to combat Golden State. Acquire players that are good on defense that can switch across multiple positions. It was arguably a Chris Paul injury or one funky ass random 0-27 3 point game away from working too. Except the difference between what Houston did and what LA is doing Houston was getting players that could also shoot 3s. The Lakers acquisitions don't fit that mold. That's my problem with it and pretty much anyone else's when you see pundits say "What are the Lakers doing?"

McGee is a very very limited player that can only play 15 to 20 minutes against a handful of teams in the league. It's been years since Rondo has been the playmaking defensive stalwart some people thinks he is. It's not 2010 anymore. Lance Stepheson is famous for being an irritant, not an actual good defensive player. I'm not so sure he's even a plus defender. So you're not really getting the defensive acumen Pelinka is selling on top of none of them being good enough shooters to help the spacing that's required for a good, efficient top level offense. There's a greater chance those acquisitions are a hindrance to Lebron than it is hoping to alleviate the burden.

We're probably gonna have to lean harder on the younger guys, which isn't the worst thing in the world, but at the same time, its no ideal considering other free agents that could have been available to be better fits.

BTW, if anyone wants to see myself and Lakers fans talk in circles about this exact same thing, just head over to the Lakers forum

 

[DJ Fieri]

This is a viable strategy that I agree with. Slow it down enough with switching and forcing specific match ups. You're actually describing what the Rockets approach the last two years has been to combat Golden State. Acquire players that are good on defense that can switch across multiple positions. It was arguably a Chris Paul injury or one funky ass random 0-27 3 point game away from working too. Except the difference between what Houston did and what LA is doing Houston was getting players that could also shoot 3s. The Lakers acquisitions don't fit that mold. That's my problem with it and pretty much anyone else's when you see pundits say "What are the Lakers doing?"

McGee is a very very limited player that can only play 15 to 20 minutes against a handful of teams in the league. It's been years since Rondo has been the playmaking defensive stalwart some people thinks he is. It's not 2010 anymore. Lance Stepheson is famous for being an irritant, not an actual good defensive player. I'm not so sure he's even a plus defender. So you're not really getting the defensive acumen Pelinka is selling on top of none of them being good enough shooters to help the spacing that's required for a good, efficient top level offense. There's a greater chance those acquisitions are a hindrance to Lebron than it is hoping to alleviate the burden.

We're probably gonna have to lean harder on the younger guys, which isn't the worst thing in the world, but at the same time, its no ideal considering other free agents that could have been available to be better fits.

BTW, if anyone wants to see myself and Lakers fans talk in circles about this exact same thing, just head over to the Lakers forum

It's going to be fun.....

 

[DJ Fieri]

The Lakers are back to being relevant.....

 

[trojanfan12]

This is a viable strategy that I agree with. Slow it down enough with switching and forcing specific match ups. You're actually describing what the Rockets approach the last two years has been to combat Golden State. Acquire players that are good on defense that can switch across multiple positions. It was arguably a Chris Paul injury or one funky ass random 0-27 3 point game away from working too. Except the difference between what Houston did and what LA is doing Houston was getting players that could also shoot 3s. The Lakers acquisitions don't fit that mold. That's my problem with it and pretty much anyone else's when you see pundits say "What are the Lakers doing?"

I agree and I agree with the 3 point shooting. The one thing that people aren't considering though, is that the Lakers do have players who can shoot the 3.

Ingram has shown he can shoot it, so has Kuzma, Lebron can hit 3's and Rondo hasn't been too bad over the past couple of seasons. Lonzo had a streak of games last year where he hit them at a pretty good clip and showed in college that he can hit the 3. Wagner and Svi were also good with the 3 in college. Hart also showed that he can defend and hit the 3. He's also apparently making good on his promise to be the first guy in and last guy out of the gym every day. Can they hit 3's consistently enough to be more than a bit of an annoyance to the Warriors? I don't know. Probably not. But much of this season will be about who, at least among the young guys, is going to be here after this coming season. I would expect that guys who don't step up/improve...won't be here after this season.

McGee is a very very limited player that can only play 15 to 20 minutes against a handful of teams in the league. It's been years since Rondo has been the playmaking defensive stalwart some people thinks he is. It's not 2010 anymore. Lance Stepheson is famous for being an irritant, not an actual good defensive player. I'm not so sure he's even a plus defender. So you're not really getting the defensive acumen Pelinka is selling on top of none of them being good enough shooters to help the spacing that's required for a good, efficient top level offense. There's a greater chance those acquisitions are a hindrance to Lebron than it is hoping to alleviate the burden.

I disagree a little bit on McGee. I think he is athletic to get 15-20 minutes against anyone. They just have to do like the Warriors and get him off the floor before he does something to get on Shaqtin' A Fool.

Stephenson isn't going to be as much of the game plan as people seem to think, imo. I think he's there to be an irritant to the kids as much as opponents. The Lakers have coddled the kids. Now they have Lebron and "shit is getting real" so the Lakers brought in guys with a little asshole in them to push, challenge and hold the kids accountable. Again, part of the weeding out process.

We're probably gonna have to lean harder on the younger guys, which isn't the worst thing in the world, but at the same time, its no ideal considering other free agents that could have been available to be better fits.

I think the whole point is to lean harder on the young guys. Time for them to grow up.

 

[Black Adam]

The Lakers are back to being relevant.....

STILL wish we could done it without LeClown...

feels almost like a sellout...

 

[shopson67]

STILL wish we could done it without LeClown...

feels almost like a sellout...

Was it a sellout when they got Shaq? That was even in his young prime...

 

[Black Adam]

Was it a sellout when they got Shaq? That was even in his young prime...

Shaw wasn't the egomaniac LeClown is, so no, that one didn't feel like a sellout...

'sides, again, it wasn't my call to make...

 

[wildturkey]

STILL wish we could done it without LeClown...

feels almost like a sellout...

You're the guy that defaced that mural, aren't you!

 

[Black Adam]

You're the guy that defaced that mural, aren't you!

dang, can't you keep a secret...?

 

[trojanfan12]

Shaw wasn't the egomaniac LeClown is, so no, that one didn't feel like a sellout...

'sides, again, it wasn't my call to make...

Yes he is. They all are. Some just hide it better.

 

[flyerhawk]

dang, can't you keep a secret...?

Who got rid of the spray cans? You or @LAD

 

[Wamu]

STILL wish we could done it without LeClown...

feels almost like a sellout...

So yer sayin' yer not a LeBron fan? When did this shit start? And here I thought you'd welcome LeBron to La La Land w/ open arms. Guess I was waaaaay off on that one.

 

[LAD]

Who got rid of the spray cans? You or @LAD

Whuh???

<as I kick those empty cans under the nearest parked car>