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Chris Kaman, Kobe, Kobe Bryant, Laker, Los Angeles Lakers, Mike D'Antoni, Pau Gasol, Steve Blake
The Lakers haven’t won a game since Kobe Bryant returned to the team. But don’t believe that it’s because of Kobe the Lakers have been losing.
The injury bug is alive and well and living in Los Angeles. Jordan Farmar is hurt and should make his return soon but still he’s unavailable to play. Steve Blake who had been playing well is injured. Steve Nash injured. Pau Gasol has taken the pacifier left by Dwight Howard and can be seen sucking on it all the time.
Gasol has every excuse to not play hard. D’antoni has never been known as a coach that wants his players to execute a slow methodical offense. His idea is run and gun. Long shots produce long rebounds and easy chance points for the other team. He talks about defense but his teams don’t regularly play it. His teams have long scored a bunch of points when the 3 pointers are dropping. But his teams have also scored in the 120’s only to lose the game.
But there is no changing his philossophy (philosophy) loss being a key word. Phil being a word that Laker fans can’t seem to forget. But he’s not coming back any time soon. So Kobe has to find a role on this team. He had 13 assists his last game but only 2 points result a loss. He’s coming back from an injury that some never recover or come back from. He did have 20 points his second game result a loss. But Kobe has to have time to find his game on a nightly basis that can give the Lakers the best chance of winning.
Pau is crying and it won’t stop. He’s Pouting Gasol and can’t seem to find some sacks to feel energized every game and be motivated to compete his best on a nightly basis. Sounds just like Dwight Howard a season ago. The reason for both under performing is there coach. Pau however is the best in bounder in the game. He can take the ball out of the basket after the other team has dunked on his head very well. He jump shoots and gets his shot blocked coach not present. And he stands way outside to attempt an ugly brick that will be grabbed and turned in to fast break points for the other team. Then the usual blank look and by the time he turns to run to the defensive end the ball is being shot from 3 point range again.
Solution to this problem is trade the 19 million dollar in bounder. But what will the Lakers get return? Jordan Hill is another solution he will block shots. He’ll try every night. But he can’t be the only option. Chris Kaman needs to get off the pine. Coach D has to open his eyes up and see the type of team he has on the floor and adjust the tempo accordingly (but he’ll probably never see what is actually going on). Chris Kaman has been on the bench because he’s not a fast break Center. he’s a post up player on the offensive end. By the time Kaman gets down court the other team is running toward him on a fast break. The most logical solution is to have the Coach see that his team has to slow it down on occasion. But that won’t be happening since he has tunnel vision. The one person that might be able to convince him of this is Kobe Bryant. That’s why his presence on the court could provide an alteration to the way the Lakers play. Without Kobe on the court talking to D’Antoni on a daily basis things would stay as they are under 500 basketball.
The Lakers are hoping to get to the 8 seed in the Western Conference and make the playoffs. Right now the Lakers trail Phoenix 13-9 and Denver 13-9, Dallas 13-10 and Golden State 13-11. 2 other teams are ahead of them Minnesota at 11-12 and New Orleans at 11-10 . And finally the Lakers and Memphis tied with 10-12 records. A lot of teams ahead of them to prevent them from making there goal of making the playoffs. But the season is only 22 games in with 60 to play.
But if the Lakers are going to make this happen they’ve got to get cooperation from one person and so far there hasn’t been any coming from Head Coach Mike D’Antoni. As Pau and Mike fight it out in the media with valid points being make on both sides. D’Antoni is the leader he’s got to get Pau in a offensive position instead of making him alienated. He’s got to use his sense and all his experience and realize that he just like he told Pau that he can get paid but doesn’t play. Mike gets paid too and he’s stealing money from the Lakers right now. He hasn’t done jack to help his players. He can’t continue to coach the way he’s been. Last season he didn’t get it done. This season is worse. Mike wake up your in the same fog you’ve been in loving what your saying. You could be right in your mind but what is happening in front of you on a nightly basis is your losing it and it’s your strategy and coaching principles that is contributing to the losses.
Basically wake the f*** up. Lakers management should think about firing him. Do it now don’t wait to the end of the season. You’ve got 60 games left in the season. He’s alienated Centers. Howard is gone because of him. Gasol most likely is lost to the season along with Kaman. So only person you’ve got playing is Jordan Hill. You can’t win without all of your players ready to do anything for you. This coach has many players thinking too much about him and not winning. D’Antoni should be adjusting his team to fit into winning. But that’s something that he’s clearly not done up to this point and frankly might not ever happen.
As a coach and a good one you find a spot for your players and insert them in the line up. You don’t play limited amount of players on a team that isn’t winning. He’s changed the starting line up so often I don’t think he has a clue.
Well Mike D your being paid a lot of money to have your the Lakers ready to win. Your scheme. Get the basketball and shoot as early in the shot clock as possible. Which the Lakers have followed and failed at. Still you believe in this strategy
This strategy leads to long rebounds. At least have your team in a position to rebound the long 3 point misses. Put your players closer to Mid court on offense once the 3 point shot goes up and have others running back to the defenisve end to prevent the easy fast break points.
By now D’Antoni should know who is starting and why they’re starting and who is coming off the bench. But he appears to not have a clue.
Can’t you just give in and let Pau and Chris play a slow tempo since Kaman and Pau play with there backs to the basket on offense. If there is a fast break opportunity the big men should stay on defense with one other defender trailing the break giving you a 3 person break. You don’t need your entire team trying to run down the court just the players on break.
When you put in the greyhounds or the 2nd team what should change? You still have the same strategy as the starters. Once the 3 has been shot you have your players getting back on defense. No player should be under the free throw line. And you should have players thinking about getting back. Not scoring.
But the glaring fact is the Lakers are out of position on defense. Too many players close to the basket and not in the position to rebound the missed shots. You got to know where certain players are going to shoot from and if they make it fine. But when they miss where does the rebound go? Do you know coach? You should and you should have your players automatically going to those spots to rebound and have some players back on defense.
Most teams are attacking the Lakers in the middle on every play. And that’s exactly what they do. So the Lakers have to stop the penetration and have someone in the middle that can make teams say no we’re not going in the paint.
D is for defense. That is how you gain an advantage on offense. That will let you get dunks and lay ups. But if you just run down set up around the 3 point line and launch 3’s you’ll be playing catch up since your players are too deep into the offensive end to be able to stop the other team on defense. Now when your double digits behind D’Antoni plan is to shoot more 3’s? Absurd. Ludicrous.
Kobe has no chance in this type of strategy. There is no up side to playing basketball out of position. The only way you could get away with this is if the other team didn’t make easy shots and missed a lot and you shot the basketball from 3 to give you a big lead.
Kobe is only one player. He isn’t 100 percent healthy. He’s only played 3 games this season with no pre season to speak of. He’s going to need time to figure out where he fits in. But since the guys around him keep changing how could you find out where you stand in all of this? Continuity needs to come to the Lakers. Kobe didn’t lose the games for the Lakers. Lakers have been 500. all season. the only game that the D’Antoni method has worked is game one against the Clippers. But we all know that was a aberration.
For the Lakers to win more than one game in a row the Head Coach has a choice. One which is more than likely continue playing and coaching as usual and if he does Pau will be traded or useless for the rest of the season. He will be this season version of Dwight Howard. Chris Kaman benched will continue on the bench with no confidence or feeling he is part of the team. Lakers will be under 500 at the conclusion of this season and Mike D’Antoni will be fired.
Second choice is the Lakers continue with Mike D as coach Kobe influence causes Mike D to look into what he’s saying. That we need to slow down the offense and have Pau and Chris in the game to attack inside out on every possession. When you play fast break teams and they can’t get back on defense. Then you slow play on offense and have defenders in the game that can challenge the fast break on defense. This is probably unlikely giving the whole entire scheme of Mike D is to shoot the basketball which leads to more shot attempts and more baskets the only problem is that other teams have more shot attempts then that Lakers because the Lakers only get one shot on the offensive end 1884 – 1932. At 39 percent from 3 point range the Lakers shoot well compared to the rest of the league but a long rebound will occur 61 percent of the time the other team will have a chance to fast break. 44 percent is what the Lakers are shooting from the floor against 45 percent for there opponents. What jumped out at me when I was looking at the stats Pau Gasol is second in turnovers with 46 in 22 games. He shouldn’t be trying to be Magic Johnson he should be shooting from a place he can get back on defense after a miss. He should shoot closer to the rim so that he can have the opportunity to rebound the basketball.
The final choice for the Lakers is to fire Mike D’Antoni now. They have 60 games left in the season. Make Kurt Rambis the interim with Johnny Davis and Mark Madsen assistants. They can put there minds together to come up with a strategy to have the Lakers win. Pau is essential at 19 million dollars to this season. If Mike D and Pau continue to fight about his role in the social media that will not get Pau to play his best. As coach Mike D has got to be about winning games and challenging players who are frustrated just like Dwight Howard is not going to get the Lakers into the 8th seed this season.