Los Angeles Lakers 2018-2019 Season Thread

[trojanfan12]

I don't know about that.

I do. He'd have put the blame exactly where it belongs...on the players.

 

[Retroram52]

TGF12, your point of firing Luke replacing him with someone better is legitimate. I am not in panic mode by any stretch. I would think someone who might be a bit better is sitting on the bench already. Brian Shaw may be the guy but it is a crap shoot.

The reason I think Luke is done is because of obvious indicators like team motivation and desire to win when they should win has waned and the only reason Luke would need to go is he has lost this team's confidence in him to produce wins.

Now I am not privy to all of the within-team, cultural interactions but when you consistently lose to teams that are so bad, AT HOME, there is an obvious problem of motivation and belief in a coach and his system. Even the best have been fired for that reason.

 

[tomodach10]

I do. He'd have put the blame exactly where it belongs...on the players.

Some of it is on the players, but some of it is on Luke as well. I don't want to see any coach fired, and would prefer Luke to work out, but I have my doubts about his coaching as explained earlier.

 

[Rambunctious]

Gonna say it again. Those calling for Luke to be fired are panicking, plain and simple. He's one of the more respected young coaches out there and there isn't anyone better who's available. People want to call for his head, but no one offers any suggestions on who is better and available.

As @wildturkey said, this team with Lebron is better than last years team. But this years team without Lebron, is worse than last years team. It's really that simple and there's nothing that firing Luke is going to do to change that.

There are likely a few teams that are hoping the Lakers fire Luke so they can get him themselves.

And if the Lakers did fire him, who are they getting that's better? If you are going to fire your coach, you need to have someone better to replace him.

Back in the early Kobe/Shaq days, the Lakers fired a very good coach in Del Harris, but they replaced him with Phil.

If the Lakers fire Luke, who is their new Phil? You want Tyrone Lue? Thibs?

I kind of like Jay Wright from Villanova but I can't see the Lakers parting with Luke unless it hits rock bottom. That's why I hate the hire of former Lakers players for coaching positions. No one wants to fire them. Let them scout but keep them out of the locker room and front office.
The Lakers obviously feel differently. But they haven't been on top for quite a spell now. Luke's best coaching days were when he spelled the Warriors coach. But he had a championship team he was coaching back then. I think he could be a good coach one day but he isn't as of yet. IMO

 

[wildturkey]

Gonna say it again. Those calling for Luke to be fired are panicking, plain and simple. He's one of the more respected young coaches out there and there isn't anyone better who's available. People want to call for his head, but no one offers any suggestions on who is better and available.

As @wildturkey said, this team with Lebron is better than last years team. But this years team without Lebron, is worse than last years team. It's really that simple and there's nothing that firing Luke is going to do to change that.

There are likely a few teams that are hoping the Lakers fire Luke so they can get him themselves.

And if the Lakers did fire him, who are they getting that's better? If you are going to fire your coach, you need to have someone better to replace him.

Back in the early Kobe/Shaq days, the Lakers fired a very good coach in Del Harris, but they replaced him with Phil.

If the Lakers fire Luke, who is their new Phil? You want Tyrone Lue? Thibs?

Mark Jackson has basically been openly campaigning for the job in quite a few ESPN broadcasts I've seen him do, including non-Lakers games. Trust me, the people wanting Luke fired do NOT want the reality of Jackson being head coach.

 

[trojanfan12]

Some of it is on the players, but some of it is on Luke as well. I don't want to see any coach fired, and would prefer Luke to work out, but I have my doubts about his coaching as explained earlier.

I disagree re: players. The coach can coach them up, he can game plan for the opponent, he can come up with a style of play that works best with his roster, he can encourage them, chew them out and he can tailor practices to address the weaknesses. For example, yesterday was apparently a "back to fundamentals" practice where, among other things, their usual shooting competitions were replaced with free throw shooting.

What he can't do is change their personalities or force them to develop at a pace faster than what they are capable of handling.

Brandon Ingram seems to be quiet by nature and he's skinny almost to the point of looking malnourished. It's going to take him some time for him to add the weight and strength he needs to truly be able to compete physically at the NBA level.

Lonzo also seems to be quiet by nature. He's fairly passive (that's part of why he' so good at setting things up for others.

Throw in the addition of more alpha vets like Lebron and Rondo and it's going to make it even more difficult for them to step up and lead when Lebron and Rondo are out because they aren't used to having to.

They will need to learn to lead and be more vocal, which is part of why vets like Lebron and Rondo are here. We're only halfway through their first season and this is their first stretch of games without Lebron. It's no wonder they are struggling in certain areas.

None of that is on Luke.

 

[trojanfan12]

Mark Jackson has basically been openly campaigning for the job in quite a few ESPN broadcasts I've seen him do, including non-Lakers games. Trust me, the people wanting Luke fired do NOT want the reality of Jackson being head coach.

Agree.

 

[trojanfan12]

I kind of like Jay Wright from Villanova but I can't see the Lakers parting with Luke unless it hits rock bottom. That's why I hate the hire of former Lakers players for coaching positions. No one wants to fire them. Let them scout but keep them out of the locker room and front office.
The Lakers obviously feel differently. But they haven't been on top for quite a spell now. Luke's best coaching days were when he spelled the Warriors coach. But he had a championship team he was coaching back then. I think he could be a good coach one day but he isn't as of yet. IMO

So bring in a guy with no NBA experience to coach Lebron and the kids?

Ask David Blatt how that worked for him.

 

[trojanfan12]

Brian Shaw may be the guy but it is a crap shoot.

You want to replace Luke with a guy who took over a 57 win team and proceeded to lead them to a combined record of 56-85 before he was fired?

The reason I think Luke is done is because of obvious indicators like team motivation and desire to win when they should win has waned and the only reason Luke would need to go is he has lost this team's confidence in him to produce wins.

Seriously? You realize they are without Lebron and Rondo right now and there were a couple of games where they were missing Kuzma as well, right? We have no idea what they are feeling. I haven't seen a lack of effort, I've seen a lack of knowing how to do stop runs and regain control of a game. That's something that is a learned trait in the NBA and a big part of why you have guys like Lebron and Rondo. They know how to stop runs and regain control of games.

Now I am not privy to all of the within-team, cultural interactions but when you consistently lose to teams that are so bad, AT HOME, there is an obvious problem of motivation and belief in a coach and his system. Even the best have been fired for that reason.

No there isn't. Good teams in the NBA lose to bad teams all of the time. So far this season, the Suns have beaten the Spurs, Bucks, Celtics and Nuggets...maybe Pop, Stevens, etc. should be fired? Or maybe, these are NBA players and they step up and beat better teams from time to time?

As has been pointed out, this years Lakers team is better than last years team when they have Lebron and Rondo. This years Lakers team without Lebron and Rondo is worse than last years team.

Because of that, they are going to be more prone to losses like the ones to the Knicks and Cavs when Lebron and Rondo aren't playing.

That's not on Luke. That's on Magic and Pelinka, they built the team. Why is no one calling for their heads?

 

[tomodach10]

I disagree re: players. The coach can coach them up, he can game plan for the opponent, he can come up with a style of play that works best with his roster, he can encourage them, chew them out and he can tailor practices to address the weaknesses. For example, yesterday was apparently a "back to fundamentals" practice where, among other things, their usual shooting competitions were replaced with free throw shooting.

What he can't do is change their personalities or force them to develop at a pace faster than what they are capable of handling.

Brandon Ingram seems to be quiet by nature and he's skinny almost to the point of looking malnourished. It's going to take him some time for him to add the weight and strength he needs to truly be able to compete physically at the NBA level.

Lonzo also seems to be quiet by nature. He's fairly passive (that's part of why he' so good at setting things up for others.

Throw in the addition of more alpha vets like Lebron and Rondo and it's going to make it even more difficult for them to step up and lead when Lebron and Rondo are out because they aren't used to having to.

They will need to learn to lead and be more vocal, which is part of why vets like Lebron and Rondo are here. We're only halfway through their first season and this is their first stretch of games without Lebron. It's no wonder they are struggling in certain areas.

None of that is on Luke.

You can defend Luke all you want, but I disagree. No problem. You see it as all the players fault. So none of this is the coaches fault. Rotations ETC. the players just substitute themselves.

 

[Rambunctious]

So bring in a guy with no NBA experience to coach Lebron and the kids?

Ask David Blatt how that worked for him.

Isn't that basically what they did when the hired Luke? But Like I said Luke isn't getting fired. So Luke fans can rest easy.

 

[Rambunctious]

You can defend Luke all you want, but I disagree. No problem. You see it as all the players fault. So none of this is the coaches fault. Rotations ETC. the players just substitute themselves.

You have good things to look forward to with your Cowboys tomodach10. They are just missing one or two ingredients for going deep into the playoffs. I know its easy for me to say.

 

[DJ]

Robert Horry:


"If I was the coach, and I'm not, I'd say y'all can't shoot another 3 till you start making your FT's."

 

[DJ]

I'm ready!!!!

 

[DJ]

Since LeBron's injury:

Ball is averaging 11.8ppg, 6.7, 5.9rpg and 1.4spg

41% and 38% on 3's.......26% on his FT's.

 

[DJ]

https://sportshoop.la/threads/post-...-internet-today.251971/page-214#post-12740877

Some hysterically funny memes in here.

 

[DJ]

TGF12, your point of firing Luke replacing him with someone better is legitimate. I am not in panic mode by any stretch. I would think someone who might be a bit better is sitting on the bench already. Brian Shaw may be the guy but it is a crap shoot.

The reason I think Luke is done is because of obvious indicators like team motivation and desire to win when they should win has waned and the only reason Luke would need to go is he has lost this team's confidence in him to produce wins.

Now I am not privy to all of the within-team, cultural interactions but when you consistently lose to teams that are so bad, AT HOME, there is an obvious problem of motivation and belief in a coach and his system. Even the best have been fired for that reason.

This.

 

[DJ]

You want to replace Luke with a guy who took over a 57 win team and proceeded to lead them to a combined record of 56-85 before he was fired?



Seriously? You realize they are without Lebron and Rondo right now and there were a couple of games where they were missing Kuzma as well, right? We have no idea what they are feeling. I haven't seen a lack of effort, I've seen a lack of knowing how to do stop runs and regain control of a game. That's something that is a learned trait in the NBA and a big part of why you have guys like Lebron and Rondo. They know how to stop runs and regain control of games.



No there isn't. Good teams in the NBA lose to bad teams all of the time. So far this season, the Suns have beaten the Spurs, Bucks, Celtics and Nuggets...maybe Pop, Stevens, etc. should be fired? Or maybe, these are NBA players and they step up and beat better teams from time to time?

As has been pointed out, this years Lakers team is better than last years team when they have Lebron and Rondo. This years Lakers team without Lebron and Rondo is worse than last years team.

Because of that, they are going to be more prone to losses like the ones to the Knicks and Cavs when Lebron and Rondo aren't playing.

That's not on Luke. That's on Magic and Pelinka, they built the team. Why is no one calling for their heads?

Shaw was fired after not being given a full 2 years to show what he could do.....


And weren't you a fan of Shaw before Walton was hired? I thought you said he'd be a good hire?

 

[DJ]

Wendell Carter Jr throws up a brick.

 

[DJ]

Kuzma scored the game's first basket.