2015-16 NBA Western Conference OFFICIAL THREAD

[bksballer89]

I was just having a little fun by exaggerating this comment:

It's time to stop worrying about the younger guys making mistakes.

It's never time to stop worrying about mistakes, especially with young guys. When you stop worrying about mistakes, they become habits and even more difficult to break.

Do you think Byron is a good coach? On a scale of 1-10 what would you rate him?

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Do you think Byron is a good coach? On a scale of 1-10 what would you rate him?

I have a few friends that are Lakers fans (barf) and they absolutely hate him. They're OK with him staying for the remainder of this season so they can keep that top 3 pick, but once the seasons ends they all seem to want him gone asap.

 

[trojanfan12]

Do you think Byron is a good coach? On a scale of 1-10 what would you rate him?

Good? Not really. But not as bad as some make him out to be. I think he's an average coach. He seems like he'd do better with a more veteran lineup, although I guess both CP3 and Kyrie credit him for a good bit of their development.

I joke about coddling the young guys to an extent. I see nothing wrong with him criticizing them and holding them accountable. I understand that they need to know that they aren't going to be yanked over every little mistake. But they also need to understand that there are consequences when they make repetitive mistakes. I'd like to see him continue holding them accountable, but also compliment them more when they play well. If he can learn a little more balance in that regard, it would be good for the team.

My biggest disagreement with the "play them 35 minutes a game crowd" is that it's pretty ridiculous and can be detrimental to have them coming from a 31-36 game season playing 40 minute games, jump into an 82 game season with 48 minutes games and play 35+ minutes per game.

 

[bksballer89]

I have a few friends that are Lakers fans (barf) and they absolutely hate him. They're OK with him staying for the remainder of this season so they can keep that top 3 pick, but once the seasons ends they all seem to want him gone asap.

I'll be pretty surprised if he is back next season. I know the Lakers did not expect to make the playoffs but this teams is just as bad as Philly and that is saying something. This should be the last time Byron gets a Head Coaching gig in the league unless he gets credit down the road for being a great assistant which leads a team to hiring him

 

[bksballer89]

Sixers were down 24. They just tied the game with the Warriors.

22 seconds left

 

[bksballer89]

Barnes with the game winning 3.

That was pitiful defense

 

[Hambombs]

I feel embarrassed if I was golden state lol

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

^^^This^^^

These guys are coming off of seasons where they play maybe 36 games and their games are 40 minutes long. Playing 35+ minutes as some have suggested, basically means you are asking them to play essentially an 82 game college season in which they never come out of the game.

I get why people are getting frustrated with Byron but he was essentially brought in to mentor the younger guys. As a player he was a mentor for Kobe in his first season and everyone will agree that worked out pretty well. Irving and CP3 will pretty much agree too.

He's probably not going to be the guy to bring another championship to the purple and gold, but that was never his mission to start with.

As for the rookie minutes, both Russell and Randle are not far off to what both Town and Okafor are averaging.

 

[Hambombs]

I know I shouldn't really complain about refs but it was to obvious. Warriors only shot 2 free throws all game, only 8 fouls committed by the Sixers somehow

 

[OutlawImmortal]

35 MPG is an exaggeration, 30-35 MPG for Russell would not hurt. He's played 30 minutes or more in 12 out of 49 games so far. KAT had 10 in just the month of January, and that is with good bigs on his team, I imagine Okafor looks about the same. Doesn't he know he can be injured? There are more than 50 players in the NBA who average more than 31 MPG, don't they know they can be injured? Talk about coddling.

 

[trojanfan12]

35 MPG is an exaggeration, 30-35 MPG for Russell would not hurt. He's played 30 minutes or more in 12 out of 49 games so far. KAT had 10 in just the month of January, and that is with good bigs on his team, I imagine Okafor looks about the same. Doesn't he know he can be injured? There are more than 50 players in the NBA who average more than 31 MPG, don't they know they can be injured? Talk about coddling.

I forgot. All players are exactly the same and all learn and progress the same exact way. How could I forget that blueprint? Silly me.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

35 MPG is an exaggeration, 30-35 MPG for Russell would not hurt. He's played 30 minutes or more in 12 out of 49 games so far. KAT had 10 in just the month of January, and that is with good bigs on his team, I imagine Okafor looks about the same. Doesn't he know he can be injured? There are more than 50 players in the NBA who average more than 31 MPG, don't they know they can be injured? Talk about coddling.

How many rookies missed significant amount of games last year? Randle, Jabari Parker, Marcus Smart and Aaron Gordon are just a few that come to mind. What's wrong with being extra cautious. Play them 28-30 minutes this year, then next year up it to 32-35 minutes. That's what Scott did to Clarkson!

Without benching Randle we would have never given Nance Jr a shot. Or Anthony Brown.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I forgot. All players are exactly the same and all learn and progress the same exact way. How could I forget that blueprint? Silly me.

Bigs and guards are supposed to go through the exact same process, right?

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Phil wasn't the coach. Del Harris was.

I doubt Phil would have given rookie Kobe over 25 minutes a game. Heck, I doubt he would have given rookie MJ 25 minutes a game in the first half of the season.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Do you think Byron is a good coach? On a scale of 1-10 what would you rate him?

To push for a championship? 2
To develop talent? 8 or 9

 

[bksballer89]

To push for a championship? 2
To develop talent? 8 or 9

I don't think the Lakers are very patient. This is not supposed to be a long process. I think they need to get rid of Byron in the summer

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I don't think the Lakers are very patient. This is not supposed to be a long process. I think they need to get rid of Byron in the summer

They don't have a choice. They traded most of their picks away for Dwight and Nash so now is literally the only time to get decent rookies (and with now, I mean the last couple of seasons).

Add that with the fact they had very little cap space left due to Kobes contract and you pretty much run out of options.

 

[trojanfan12]

I don't think the Lakers are very patient. This is not supposed to be a long process. I think they need to get rid of Byron in the summer

I think it'll depend on about 3 things. Who they get, or don't get, in FA, where they fall in the lottery and what coaches are available. One thing I've always said is that you don't fire a coach unless you have someone better lined up to replace him. The only thing worse than having a bad coach, is having a coaching carousel.

As for patience, they have said on more than 1 occasion, that they knew if the Dwight/Nash thing didn't work they were looking at a longer rebuild than they are used to and were prepared to be patient. It's Lakers fans that are impatient, not the Lakers.

 

[bksballer89]

Dwight ejected again

 

[bksballer89]

I think it'll depend on about 3 things. Who they get, or don't get, in FA, where they fall in the lottery and what coaches are available. One thing I've always said is that you don't fire a coach unless you have someone better lined up to replace him. The only thing worse than having a bad coach, is having a coaching carousel.

As for patience, they have said on more than 1 occasion, that they knew if the Dwight/Nash thing didn't work they were looking at a longer rebuild than they are used to and were prepared to be patient. It's Lakers fans that are impatient, not the Lakers.

Thibs or Luke Walton would be better options