D'Antoni's Resounding Confidence in Kobe

[BOTSLAYER]

It would seem D'Antoni is already choosing between Kobe on the floor and winning

I think I would have taken the probably much needed win in a tightly contested West. It would appear that D'Antoni is a bit of a masochist though.



D'Antoni said that the identity the Lakers had assumed over the first 19 games of the season was "disrupted." The coach even considered keeping Bryant on the bench in the fourth quarter when L.A.'s bench unit had cut Toronto's 14-point second-half lead all the way down to four, but decided against it.

"I wanted to live a little bit," D'Antoni said of bringing Bryant back in to close the game. "We got to get through this, so it's like, 'OK, maybe you lose the skirmish anyway and the battle is bigger.' Obviously we're going to ride Kobe. So, you might as well get it over with and go ahead."

 

[Am I Blue Through it All?]

Base on ESPN's observations, I expect Kobe to be preceded by a cyclone as he enters the arena the rest of the season.

 

[RoboticDreams]

I guess he should wait until the last second to insert Kobe into the lineup. That would be the wise decision. He doesn't make them a better team. We need to focus on a meaningless win, early in the season, more than getting the best player on this team back in form.

Great thread.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

I guess he should wait until the last second to insert Kobe into the lineup. That would be the wise decision. He doesn't make them a better team. We need to focus on a meaningless win, early in the season, more than getting the best player on this team back in form.

Great thread.

If you look at some of the games we lost, it's because they really didn't have a guy that can close & get a basket when they desperately need it, Kobe will balance that & help us a little better on the defensive perimeter Kobe can easily make them a better team once he learns how to play with these guys, The key is Gasol getting his head out of his ass, he has been fucken useless & was pathetic last night & also not having Farmar to run the 2nd unit hurt's us as Kobe is still getting his feet wet.

 

[Black Adam]

If you look at some of the games we lost, it's because they really didn't have a guy that can close & get a basket when they desperately need it, Kobe will balance that & help us a little better on the defensive perimeter Kobe can easily make them a better team once he learns how to play with these guys, The key is Gasol getting his head out of his ass, he has been fucken useless & was pathetic last night & also not having Farmar to run the 2nd unit hurt's us as Kobe is still getting his feet wet.

Gotta love the knee jerk opinions of outsiders...

Agree 100% about Pau, btw. Dude looked almost uninterested...

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

Gotta love the knee jerk opinions of outsiders...

Agree 100% about Pau, btw. Dude looked almost uninterested...

Yep did you see that play when Kobe was yelling at him to set a pick at the top of the key ??

I know it's not easy for us to trade Gasoft right now especially since who will we replace him with ?? but we should listen to whatever offers are out there before he walks next season

One thing is for sure he ain't coming back next season (NO THANKS)

 

[BOTSLAYER]

Agree 100% about Pau, btw. Dude looked almost uninterested...

Probably because he knows his touches and the ball movement just got Melo'd.


Kobe is going to be better I just thought it was funny how Dantoni worded that. He seems pretty excited to be playing, like a little kid with a new toy.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Kobe was all pass-first in his return Bot, Pau is just over the hill and his nagging injuries are now his go-to excuse.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

Kobe was all pass-first in his return Bot, Pau is just over the hill and his nagging injuries are now his go-to excuse.

I mostly agree.

I think they mentioned the line he first went out with was the first time he ever played with that line up?

 

[trojanfan12]

I guess he should wait until the last second to insert Kobe into the lineup. That would be the wise decision. He doesn't make them a better team. We need to focus on a meaningless win, early in the season, more than getting the best player on this team back in form.

Great thread.

You have to excuse BOT. He can't help himself. He just loves to get on here and show his resounding lack of basketball knowledge. He seems to be very proud of it.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

You have to excuse BOT. He can't help himself. He just loves to get on here and show his resounding lack of basketball knowledge. He seems to be very proud of it.

LOL Trojan, I know it upsets you when I do not pick Kobe to be vintage at the age of 35 coming off an achilles rupture or I say that his contract locks the Lakers out of contention for the next 3 years but I dropped more NBA evaluation ability off at the pool this morning than you have ever demonstrated.

 

[BOTSLAYER]

I guess he should wait until the last second to insert Kobe into the lineup. That would be the wise decision. He doesn't make them a better team. We need to focus on a meaningless win, early in the season, more than getting the best player on this team back in form.

Great thread.

It really depends on if their goal is playoffs or not, the West is going to be a mad scramble at the end of the season, remember last season? Every win counts in the West.

 

[Lakers+USC=#1]

Botslayer, as a poster, you have really fell off.

 

[Jims_Doors]

It would seem D'Antoni is already choosing between Kobe on the floor and winning

I think I would have taken the probably much needed win in a tightly contested West. It would appear that D'Antoni is a bit of a masochist though.



D'Antoni said that the identity the Lakers had assumed over the first 19 games of the season was "disrupted." The coach even considered keeping Bryant on the bench in the fourth quarter when L.A.'s bench unit had cut Toronto's 14-point second-half lead all the way down to four, but decided against it.

"I wanted to live a little bit," D'Antoni said of bringing Bryant back in to close the game. "We got to get through this, so it's like, 'OK, maybe you lose the skirmish anyway and the battle is bigger.' Obviously we're going to ride Kobe. So, you might as well get it over with and go ahead."

When asked last season about his minutes etc.....didn't Kobe laugh at the notion that D'Antoni tells him when to go back into games? Basically implying he goes back in when he wants to, regardless what Pringles says.

 

[LAKERSUSCBAM]

all that drivel from the haters falls on deaf ears

Kobe showed rust but no limitations as I'm sure some haters were expecting him to run like an old man, ha

He's got mobility, can still jump, and worked himself into the lane at times at will

This is his exhibition season but on second thought - there's only about a 4 month break between playoffs and exhibition season so it's actually REMARKABLE that he played at all after the worst injury that can ocur to a baller - 8 months removed.

And even led the starters in total points - which is a slap in the face to Pau who's obviously either really hurt and not saying or age or combo of both.

Last thing, he was looking to pass last game so to all the haters wasn't jacking up shots as it's always the writing on these boards....then again they'll find any dumbshit reason to put any blame on the dude

Keep going Kobe cause you're a fucking marvel of an athlete

 

[trojanfan12]

LOL Trojan, I know it upsets you when I do not pick Kobe to be vintage at the age of 35 coming off an achilles rupture or I say that his contract locks the Lakers out of contention for the next 3 years but I dropped more NBA evaluation ability off at the pool this morning than you have ever demonstrated.

Actually, it doesn't bother me at all. It's your Kobe/Lakers obsession. As dropping more NBA evaluation: You've never posted anything that even comes close. You are a one trick pony. You used to be almost decent.

However, you have become a slightly less annoying version of heatmyshorts.

 

[trojanfan12]

all that drivel from the haters falls on deaf ears

Kobe showed rust but no limitations as I'm sure some haters were expecting him to run like an old man, ha

He's got mobility, can still jump, and worked himself into the lane at times at will

This is his exhibition season but on second thought - there's only about a 4 month break between playoffs and exhibition season so it's actually REMARKABLE that he played at all after the worst injury that can ocur to a baller - 8 months removed.

And even led the starters in total points - which is a slap in the face to Pau who's obviously either really hurt and not saying or age or combo of both.

Last thing, he was looking to pass last game so to all the haters wasn't jacking up shots as it's always the writing on these boards....then again they'll find any dumbshit reason to put any blame on the dude

Keep going Kobe cause you're a fucking marvel of an athlete

It's just the usual suspects showing their lack of intelligence. As for Pau, I think it's a combo of age and injury. Stu Lantz mentioned him having an ankle injury. That would make sense since he struggled with any movement that required lift last night.