Lakers Breakdown

[Inimical]

Quick Laker Breakdown 10 games in

Jeremy "Pick up the dribble" Lin - is just not fast enough on D. Not fast enough on O to penetrate effectively and consistently. Hes a good passer, but his dribbling skills limit him. As a result he picks up his dribble to much and people stand around. This causes him to either go for the hail mary, or hope to god someone moves for a pass.

Ronnie "stolen" Price - Ronnie is fast but his dribbling is nothing to write home about. Hes pretty north south, but can get inside. His finish isnt too good inside and hes average outside. His biggest production has come defensively. I think we would benefit from him starting against faster pgs.

Jordan "why dont this guy get more minutes" Clarkson - Jordans got handles. Hes not very good at seeing the court or passing. ITs like if we put these 3 guys together we would have an all star point gaurd. Ugh! He can create space but his shooting is still not that great. He needs to develop footwork to get inside and closer to finish. Hes a young guy with potential. Hes pretty fast to boot.

Kobe - Black Mamba. TBD.

Wes "get off the court" Johnson - What can i say about Wes? An athletic freak who has not developed his game at all. An okay shooter. A bad dribbler. And a okay finisher inside. He just hasnt developed and im not sure he ever will. Pretty average on Defense. He could be better.

Nick "swaggy p" Young - Bonafide scorer. Having Nick should keep the defenses more honest with Kobe if they share the Court. Nick can run, and so can Ronnie, it will be interesting to see those guys on the court together. T Obviously all those set plays Wes has gotten, now Nick gets. This can also open up the set play and passes to kobe. He will score a lot.

Ryan "?" Kelly - Ryan apparently can shoot.

Carlos Boozer - Boozer can still shoot. He has swished on many a face this year. This is good. Set pick and rolls to open him up more will be nice. Byron has something work with. But boozer is inconsistent. He is a role player now. He is no longer an All star unless he becomes more consistent. I dont really want to see him back anyone down less its a miss match, which wont happen too often. If we have nick at the point to penetrate, this could create open looks for Boozer.

Robert "wtf" Sacre - From wide open air balls to swishing in someones face. Also sports a nice 1 inch vertical.

Jordan "trying to get up the" Hill - Jordan has improved his outside shot. This is good news. But he still needs to get better and should take 3-5 of these at best. His bread and butter is on defense along with....

Ed "choo choo train" Davis - Who if he stays active with Jordan could create a nice tandem. But he comes off the bench.




Byron Scott - Byron said he can make adjustments. Its time too. He has more to work with and much more potential with Nick Back.


Offense - Offense scored 115 points last game and lost by 20ish.

Defense - Intensity and effort has to pick up. Most of all passion and heart. No more of that last game bullshit we saw. We look like a shitty college team on D. If we can sport an Average D it could make our season respectable.

 

[Inimical]

I want to see your assessments! HOMEWORK!

 

[trojanfan12]

DAMN!! HOMEWORK?!? Is there gonna be a test later?

 

[trojanfan12]

Jeremy Lin - Agree with much of your assessment. He doesn't have the footspeed to stay with the top PG's defensively, but he can improve his defense with better footwork and anticipation. The Lakers need a rim protector though, because even if he improves, he will still get beat a fair amount. I think he can be a very good PG and can be the Lakers PG for several more years, but they need to put better talent around him.

Ronnie Price - I love his defense, not so much his offense. I'd like to see him used as more of a defensive replacement than the 2nd PG.

Jordan Clarkson - This is the guy that I'd like to see as the 2nd PG behind Lin. I think he was a steal at the spot the Lakers got him at, but he needs more minutes.

Kobe - Kobe will be Kobe. He won't be the "Kobe of old", but he knows the game, knows how to play and was already making changes to his game to adjust to getting older before he got hurt. If he can stay healthy and not be relied upon to shoulder so much of the offensive load, he can have a great individual season.

Wes Johnson - Very frustrating. His talent is obvious. But something is missing. He needs to figure it out or he won't be back. I'd say start Swaggy P over him, but I'm afraid that would weaken the bench.

Nick Young -Love watching Swaggy P. He looked good tonight and may be what they Lakers need to get going a little better. His energy is contagious. Really glad to see him back. He just makes the game fun for everyone.

Ryan Kelly - He needs to get healthy. He can be a serviceable "stretch 4" off of the bench.

Carlos Boozer - Jury is still out on him. He can still shoot, but can be a liability on defense. We need to see more "Utah Boozer" and less "Chicago Boozer".

Robert Sacre -I like the guy and I like his energy. However, he looks like he's regressed from last year. Which is extra bad, because he was average at best last year.

Jordan Hill - Like him, like his energy and his set shot. Would like to see him concentrate more of being a rim protector defensively.

Ed Davis - He may turn out to be the Lakers best acquisition this past off season. I really like this guy. So far, he's a keeper.


Byron Scott - He knows what it takes to win, he knows about being a Laker. I'm confident he can get this turned around within the next 3 years or so if the FO gets him the talent.

Offense - needs to be less "Kobe-centric". They just ran the offense tonight and they looked good.

Defense - Defense is about effort and communication. I don't have a problem with the effort, but the communication isn't there.

 

[Inimical]

DAMN!! HOMEWORK?!? Is there gonna be a test later?

YES. no wait. FUCK NO!!!!

 

[Inimical]

Jeremy Lin - Agree with much of your assessment. He doesn't have the footspeed to stay with the top PG's defensively, but he can improve his defense with better footwork and anticipation. The Lakers need a rim protector though, because even if he improves, he will still get beat a fair amount. I think he can be a very good PG and can be the Lakers PG for several more years, but they need to put better talent around him.

Ronnie Price - I love his defense, not so much his offense. I'd like to see him used as more of a defensive replacement than the 2nd PG.

Jordan Clarkson - This is the guy that I'd like to see as the 2nd PG behind Lin. I think he was a steal at the spot the Lakers got him at, but he needs more minutes.

Kobe - Kobe will be Kobe. He won't be the "Kobe of old", but he knows the game, knows how to play and was already making changes to his game to adjust to getting older before he got hurt. If he can stay healthy and not be relied upon to shoulder so much of the offensive load, he can have a great individual season.

Wes Johnson - Very frustrating. His talent is obvious. But something is missing. He needs to figure it out or he won't be back. I'd say start Swaggy P over him, but I'm afraid that would weaken the bench.

Nick Young -Love watching Swaggy P. He looked good tonight and may be what they Lakers need to get going a little better. His energy is contagious. Really glad to see him back. He just makes the game fun for everyone.

Ryan Kelly - He needs to get healthy. He can be a serviceable "stretch 4" off of the bench.

Carlos Boozer - Jury is still out on him. He can still shoot, but can be a liability on defense. We need to see more "Utah Boozer" and less "Chicago Boozer".

Robert Sacre -I like the guy and I like his energy. However, he looks like he's regressed from last year. Which is extra bad, because he was average at best last year.

Jordan Hill - Like him, like his energy and his set shot. Would like to see him concentrate more of being a rim protector defensively.

Ed Davis - He may turn out to be the Lakers best acquisition this past off season. I really like this guy. So far, he's a keeper.


Byron Scott - He knows what it takes to win, he knows about being a Laker. I'm confident he can get this turned around within the next 3 years or so if the FO gets him the talent.

Offense - needs to be less "Kobe-centric". They just ran the offense tonight and they looked good.

Defense - Defense is about effort and communication. I don't have a problem with the effort, but the communication isn't there.

I agree with all of this. Nick young just gave ATL defense someone to have to chase constantly. Lin if given some room can dash to the net. If we combo that with his passing, and Kobes shooting/passing, and Nick being able to run around the court for 40 mins, i can see more opportunities for everyone. Definitely helps our team. I think mentally the Lakers need to buckle down. That GSW thrashing made me lose it lol. They seriously gave up. I do not want to see that shit again. While ATL is a overall shitty team (5-5 for an east coast team), and we let them get back into the game several times, the game was good. They need to find that consistently. What byron was preaching will lead to more wins, defense leads to offense, and we saw that early in this game.

 

[Inimical]

The Choo Choo Train needs to play more minutes. He proDUCES. He played 19 mins, had 6 points, 11 rebounds, and a block. He affects shots. Also, he is averaging 1.5 blocks in his limited minutes.

 

[Retroram52]

I like the suggestion of less Kobe-centric offense as was demonstrated last evening, TJF12. They are better team when others are taking "down-the-stretch" shots like Swag did last night. He is going to make more of those and he made enough that Houston had to defend him which frees up Kobe and others and we are less one-dimensional. Good to see the Swag return. Now we need to get Kelly Healthy and Henry back in shape for even more offense.

 

[Vitamike]

First of all Inimical, well done on your breakdown. One thing I see missing here in your assessment is the team's cohesiveness.

Five dudes who work as one and can be greater than the sum of all it's parts. This is an important aspect and how Scott has been successful in the past.

When you really start to think about it, our starting 5 are a bunch of strangers. They are still getting to know each other. I think the communications on defense has been getting better. Our rotations are getting to the shooter more often & both Kobe and Lin are facilitating the ball better, we even see this on missed shots too.

It was obvious that the Rockets missed Dwight last night and that would have really challenged our transition defense but I thought we got back well for most of the game.

Well, that's all I have to add.

 

[Inimical]

First of all Inimical, well done on your breakdown.

Delightful

One thing I see missing here in your assessment is the team's cohesiveness.

How dare you good sir



I agree with you Mike. Im not to sure what Byrons offense is. I think it will change dramatically. I wasnt sure if Byron was trying to condition Kobe, or he was just playing those minutes and no longer able to. He has gotten progressively better at handling that. I really think that changes his effectiveness. His flat free throws and shots are indicative of this. When he reduces the load, his effectiveness increases along with the Lakers. The question is what is the offense? It has already changed a couple times from the season start. Does Byron stay the course and try to create a cohesive unit as is? Or does he make whole line up changes. I think he has seen enough of what players, can and can not do. The offense changes now with Nick. This has opened people up tremendously and the way the Lakers played D, with heart, last night really made me proud. I agree, this will take time for them to get acclimated. How good could the Lakers get? I really dont know i need 10 more games to decide.

I anxiously wait to see how Byron adjusts his lineups, if he does. And to what. What kind of plays he runs. His weapons are different, no more Nash and more Ed Davis. He has adjusted accordingly thus far to an extent. But in these last games he has seen things that some of us didn't see before either. Great coaches play to his players strengths and mask their weaknesses.

Lets see Byron! And for god sake get your eyebrows off your lips.

 

[Inimical]

I like the suggestion of less Kobe-centric offense as was demonstrated last evening, TJF12. They are better team when others are taking "down-the-stretch" shots like Swag did last night. He is going to make more of those and he made enough that Houston had to defend him which frees up Kobe and others and we are less one-dimensional. Good to see the Swag return. Now we need to get Kelly Healthy and Henry back in shape for even more offense.

Yeah Kobe was trying to do to much, yet that was not his fault. We really took guys out of their comfort Zones and Nicks return i believe has allowed the pressure to be taken off of them and relax a bit.

 

[trojanfan12]

I like the suggestion of less Kobe-centric offense as was demonstrated last evening, TJF12. They are better team when others are taking "down-the-stretch" shots like Swag did last night. He is going to make more of those and he made enough that Houston had to defend him which frees up Kobe and others and we are less one-dimensional. Good to see the Swag return. Now we need to get Kelly Healthy and Henry back in shape for even more offense.

I agree. I think they might be starting to get used to each other, establishing/getting comfortable in their roles and as a result, the ball is moving better which means Kobe doesn't need to shoot as much. Like it or not, Kobe is never going to "stand in the corner to teach guys a lesson" ala Lebron. If he's not going to get the help he needs, Kobe's going to try to win it by himself. It's infuriating at times, but that same approach has also delivered 7 finals appearances and 5 titles, so we can't really complain too much.

I think Swaggy P coming back helps even more than any of thought and in a way that I don't think we really discussed. Yes, his 17 points per game off of the bench is huge, but even bigger, imo, is his attitude. You could see it before the Atlanta game started, the team had a different energy. They looked loose and like they were having fun and they played that way in each of the last 2 games.

 

[trojanfan12]

Some good comments from Pau Gasol in today's paper re: the Lakers:

On whether or not he's been following the Lakers struggles and how it makes him feel: "I have, yes. It hurts me to see my former team struggle, to see friends and former teammates struggle and our fans probably suffering through it. Or fans of the Lakers". I love that he had to correct himself.

On whether he felt properly appreciated in L.A.: "It's kind of hard to say, but I felt like a lot of people did and do appreciate me and love me for what I brought to the table, even though I went through some rough times. Criticism flies, especially with the main guys. Despite that, I always felt appreciated."

He said that he and Kobe talked before he made the decision to go to Chicago and that he seriuously considered staying, especially when the Lakers offered him a no-trade clause.

On being a Laker: He admitted that part of his heart, the back of his mind, will always remain here. "There's always going to be some level of attachment. What I experienced here, what I lived in this city, with this team, it's going to be meaningful forever to me. Now I have to try and focus on my situation in Chicago."

On L.A. being a "Clippers Town": He said he doesn't care what the teams respective records are, Los Angeles will always be a Lakers town. "It's not even a debate until the Clippers win 10 titles. 16 banners are 16 banners."

What about kids who are growing up and seeing the Clippers as the leader and the Lakers as also rans: "That's where their parents come in."

 

[lakersrule]

Love the nicknames Inimical!


Getting Young back is huge. The Lakers have minimal players that can create their own shot. Young may be better at this point at doing such than Kobe. He'll be even better once he can get rid of the Swaggy wrap on his hand. I like having Young and Kobe on the court together. It keeps the defenses honest and less likely to overload on Kobe.

 

[DJ Fieri]

What do you guys think about starting Price with Lin & Kobe in a 3 guard lineup?

 

[DJ Fieri]

Johnson has to go to the bench ASAP.

 

[DJ Fieri]

I love what Hill and Davis bring. Solid players to keep around with Randle. Something to build towards for the future. And we don't have to rush Randle's development once he returns.

 

[Inimical]

What do you guys think about starting Price with Lin & Kobe in a 3 guard lineup?

Last night they ran a small line up. Ronnie played limited. But like i said in the original post i would like to see Ronnie and Nick run together. Kobe aint that fast, but he can still get back. I can see open shots ala GS open up. They need to get their positioning down. Last night Kobe ran out and i forgot who it was i think it was Wes who got in his way late. GSW has that shit down. If the Lakers can get a good mix and match it could be nice. I would like Jordan to bring this too. But he needs to develop much more. I think he has the potential, much higher then Wes at this point. Wes stepped up on offense late and got some much needed rebounds. His defense against Harden was good. This is what he needs to do. We do have guys who can run. Perhaps Lin and Boozer are better served on the bench.

Im all for doubling Ed davis minutes and he stays in his lane. He really plays to his own strengths and this makes him an exceptional role player. Last night him and hill looked great together.

 

[lakersrule]

The Davis/Hill frontcourt plays well together. It can work if Hill is hitting that straightaway midrange jumper. Much better defensively than with Boozer in there. Something about Hill's contract makes me think they'll look to trade him. Davis is a long term keeper for sure. I like him game a lot. Very active and long. He's a beast on the boards. And he's almost as good as Swaggy in post game interviews!

 

[lakersrule]

I'd keep Wes in as a starter. He's inconsistent on offense, but his defense seems to be there each night. I thought he player pretty good defense on Harden even though Harden eventually got his. Obviously that last steal was huge.


A lineup I'd like to see more includes Lin-Kobe-Young. That's a dangerous threesome if Lin is hitting his shots and being aggressive to the hole. Both Kobe and Young command lots of attention from the defense.