Lakers Thread

There is absolutely no way Kobe can keep playing the way he is right now. Not with a condensed season. If he keeps playing this way, his knees (and pretty much his entire 33-year-old body) are going to really feel it by midseason. He's merely having a hot stretch (all right, a really hot stretch). I'm amazed he's playing like this so early, because of the accumulated fatigue by the end of the season. By the end of the season, I expect he'll average 25ppg, not much more. Definitely not his current average of 32 or whatever it is right now. He'll probably take games off at the end of the regular season to stay/get into playoff shape.

Nice one D fish! I really thought Lakers would loose this game.

Nobody won that game, the Lakers simply managed not to lose it. Not a pretty game for a marquee matchup but that's kind of the way it goes at the moment all around the league.

It's funny because now people begin to question Kobe's shot selections and all that being possibly a team cancer because he's arguably having the most productive season of his career.

His shot selections are questionable because the Lakers have two of the best offensive post players in the league right now and he doesn't give it more to them.
He's a team cancer because the Lakers have two of the best offensive post players in the league right now and he doesn't give it more to them.

D Fish is annoying me. Just when i'm ready to write the guy off he makes an amazing hustle play or knocks down a huge 3. That man just has "it"

It's funny because now people begin to question Kobe's shot selections and all that being possibly a team cancer because he's arguably having the most productive season of his career.

His shot selections are questionable because the Lakers have two of the best offensive post players in the league right now and he doesn't give it more to them.
He's a team cancer because the Lakers have two of the best offensive post players in the league right now and he doesn't give it more to them.

Questions about Kobe's shot selection aren't exactly a recent development either. That critique has been fairly constant over the years, though it's been dulled at times by tremendous scoring performances and of course, scores of regular season victories and a couple of championships.

It's funny because now people begin to question Kobe's shot selections and all that being possibly a team cancer because he's arguably having the most productive season of his career.

His shot selections are questionable because the Lakers have two of the best offensive post players in the league right now and he doesn't give it more to them.
He's a team cancer because the Lakers have two of the best offensive post players in the league right now and he doesn't give it more to them.

Questions about Kobe's shot selection aren't exactly a recent development either. That critique has been fairly constant over the years, though it's been dulled at times by tremendous scoring performances and of course, scores of regular season victories and a couple of championships.

I read an interesting article where the writer asks aloud whether Kobe was simply contained by Jax. They said there are two sides to Kobe - relentless gunner/unbelievable scorer and the one under Jax - facilitator, deadly finisher and brillaint player (he's brilliant in both contexts but more complete as the latter). I would probably agree that Jackson must have had some kind of hold on Kobe that Mike Brown doesn't have right now because Kobe is simply playing like he did in 06-07.

The Lakers aren't going to keep winning games with Kobe going the way he is going. It's not sustainable and not a solution to our problems. Surely Kobe is smart enough to know he has to get Pau/Bynum involved. People will say that game to game, one or both bigs shoot badly but what do you expect when they aren't getting the ball and therefore not in rhythym?

I love seeing Kobe tear it up but the end goal is to content and we won't do it without getting one of (if not) the best C/PF combos in the League.

I would probably agree that Jackson must have had some kind of hold on Kobe that Mike Brown doesn't have right now because Kobe is simply playing like he did in 06-07.

I wouldn't say that because his usage peaked at 05-06 season. In 06-07, still a high number but nothing compared to this season. All those years, Jackson coached him as well.

After finding out he couldn't win it all by himself, he cried like a bitch for better teammates. He got what he asked for and won 2 chumships. Now that Bynum wants the spotlight while the frontcourt duo gets a long due high praise, see what he does. He refuses to use the better teammates he always asked for. Lolz.

But Kobe's been great like in his prime days so far.

Which actually raises a question - is Kobe still in his prime? Minus the jumpin and quickness, dude might be playin just as well if not better skill-wise

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2012/01/1 ... ef:nbahpt1

Sekou Smith, you mad, bro?

Only thing worse than a random Bleacher Report article is a blog full of hateful rants against the best player in NBA history that's alive today.

I'd say Kobe is a little past his prime at this point but when you're talking about great players, slightly past their prime is still a very high standard of play.

Oh man, Lebron p3wned Kobe....

Jackson must have had some kind of hold on Kobe that Mike Brown doesn't have right now because Kobe is simply playing like he did in 06-07.

Yeah, imagine if Phil was coaching the Lakers in 06-07...

Luke Walton, Smush Parker, and Kwame Brown were the 3rd, 4th, and 5th leading scorers on that team. That team was going NOWHERE. Kobe and Odom were the only notable players on that team.

Luke Walton, Smush Parker, and Kwame Brown were the 3rd, 4th, and 5th leading scorers on that team. That team was going NOWHERE. Kobe and Odom were the only notable players on that team.

Exactly! How the hell can u even compare that team to THIS team? We might have 3 All-Stars this season with Yao out and Duncan not playin at All-star level yet in this season.

That 2006-2007 team needed Kobe to score 40's just to compete. This team needs him to be more of a facilitator, especially with his high basketball IQ which i seriously start to doubt at this point. How can neither he nor Mike Brown see what is happening? Blown out by Heat without Wade and LeBron with fever? ( i know scoreline isn't that bad, but the game wasn't that close at all). These losses to Clippers and Heat really exposed our weaknesses which you could see in other games, but we still won simply out of class. As soon as we meet a team that is on the same level - we look shaky.

Call me crazy, but i seriously see that with trading KOBE for PAUL, if it was possible, Lakers would be better off. Paul with Bynum, Gasol, maybe Odom and all those 3 point shooters? SCARY

Kobe has a no-trade clause. Wait until his contract expires.

Lakers trailing again against the Magic. What's happening?

This team needs him to be more of a facilitator, especially with his high basketball IQ which i seriously start to doubt at this point.

You are saying it like Kobe was ever a facilitator. He's always been a shot happy scorer no matter whom he played with.

Call me crazy, but i seriously see that with trading KOBE for PAUL, if it was possible, Lakers would be better off. Paul with Bynum, Gasol, maybe Odom and all those 3 point shooters? SCARY

You are stating the obvious. 3rd year into the pro, Paul was already better than Kobe ever was.

This team needs him to be more of a facilitator, especially with his high basketball IQ which i seriously start to doubt at this point.

You are saying it like Kobe was ever a facilitator. He's always been a shot happy scorer no matter whom he played with.

Call me crazy, but i seriously see that with trading KOBE for PAUL, if it was possible, Lakers would be better off. Paul with Bynum, Gasol, maybe Odom and all those 3 point shooters? SCARY

You are stating the obvious. 3rd year into the pro, Paul was already better than Kobe ever was.

Seriously? Paul better than Kobe in his prime? Don't think so. Maybe now he would be a better fit, all i'm sayin. And those old Lakers with Shaq - Kobe definitely wasn't this selfish and was more efficient. Plus, he focused much more on defense

Kobe has been just as efficient as any year so far in this young season. And surprisingly Kobe actually has also been active on defense as well this season. The way I see it, the problem for the Lakers aren't Kobe actually. The team was built around Kobe for decades and it goes the same this season. He's been using more usage(efficiently) but ultimately it's due to the other players that can't play well without the ball. Or it could be Mike Brown, whom I viewed as a scapegoat from the get-go.

And Kobe is The Lakers and it's been that way ever since he joined the team aside Shaq thingies. Kobe in any other jersey isn't possible and no need of discussion here. It's almost like the Heat wanting to dump Wade while he's still capable. Not gonna happen.

I am gettin fuckin pissed at this season

A two point home loss to the Pacers and Kobe scoring 33 points on 30 shots definitely isn't an encouraging sign. Give credit where its due to the Pacers, they are having a good season, but the Lakers are better than that. Still a lot of regular season left, but Magic Johnson's prediction of them ending up a .500 team perhaps isn't quite as melodramatic as it seemed.

Well said, Drew. I'm starting to feel Magic on his prediction

On the bright side, they do have a roster that is capable of playing better than their record would suggest and there is two thirds of the season left to go. I don't know if they can really make any significant trades this season that don't involve them giving up Bynum and/or Gasol, so improving their roster is easier said than done with the players they would and should be willing to give up. If Howard or another star is on the table though, they'd at least have to strongly consider it.

At this point, I think they basically have to work it out with the personnel they have in place and wait until they have a bit more leverage to swing a blockbuster deal or maybe a couple of smaller (but still substantial) trades.

A two point home loss to the Pacers and Kobe scoring 33 points on 30 shots definitely isn't an encouraging sign. Give credit where its due to the Pacers, they are having a good season, but the Lakers are better than that. Still a lot of regular season left, but Magic Johnson's prediction of them ending up a .500 team perhaps isn't quite as melodramatic as it seemed.

Mike Brown said that first half of season would be a struggle and didn't imagine his team would be higher than .500. He also said that he expects the team to play very well after the All-Star Break. I hope that the second half of his predicition comes true. I think the team is capable of it. It's frustrating to see them losing these games.

On the bright side, they do have a roster that is capable of playing better than their record would suggest and there is two thirds of the season left to go. I don't know if they can really make any significant trades this season that don't involve them giving up Bynum and/or Gasol, so improving their roster is easier said than done with the players they would and should be willing to give up. If Howard or another star is on the table though, they'd at least have to strongly consider it.

At this point, I think they basically have to work it out with the personnel they have in place and wait until they have a bit more leverage to swing a blockbuster deal or maybe a couple of smaller (but still substantial) trades.

I don't think a Howard trade will happen if both Bynum + Gasol were needed to make it happen but I do think they can use that trade exception to get someone/something. I am thinking Devin Harris or Kirk Hinrich should be trade targets for us.

Seems to me Pau's numbers have dipped way too much this season. Might be the lock-out that has affected him a bit.