Lakers in 2006 season

[Kemp]

If the Lakers did make to the playoffs, the highest seed that they can get is probably 7th. Their first round opponent will probably be the Spurs or the Suns.

[Flasher]

They played worst.

They played better as a team. When Kobe was there, it was 1-on-5.

Not really. With Kobe, there were too many isolation plays -- sometimes he can pass to someone open, but the team mostly bricks them or Kobe takes too many shots and starts to brick them. Without him, it was just pass and chuck-up-a-three and most of them are bricks. Because there is no Kobe, no double/triple team, and the other team can concentrate on their man. Team defense was also poor.

I dont believe they will do that great next year. It will be better than last year but still they will miss the playoffs

You should worry about your own team more. They might not make the playoffs.

[Micchy_boy]

They played worst.

They played better as a team. When Kobe was there, it was 1-on-5.

yes maybe they play good team basketball but does it resulted victories...

but that's not the argument to talk about. every lakers fans want a complete healthy line-up this coming season... with almost complete lineup were just an average team. what more if you take kobe or odom or even mihm lakers became a lottery team all of a sudden.

we just hoping no major injuries for lakers players and hope the relationship of bryant and phil be a okey and hope odom assert more of himself playing olong side bryant.

[kevC]

6-8th would be my guess... I doubt they can play better than SA, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, and a Ray-ful Sonics (maybe even Memphis and Denver) so soon after such a terrible year...

[Andrew]

I see them in the final next year!

Jax is a great coach, but he can't work miracles. It's not like the Lakers were close to making the Finals this year, or even close to making the playoffs by the season's end. They're more than one final piece away from being championship contenders. Anything can happen, but some things just aren't likely.

[Cloudy]

I believe with Phil Jackson, there won't be 1. Iso Kobe 2. Iso Kobe 3. Iso Kobe 4. Boxout... anymore
Phil knows Kobe pretty well... I don't think we'll have too much 1-on-5 situation next year..
Go Lakers!

[ntong]

Why would Buss pay 10 million a year to Phil just to barely make the playoff??

Really? And why would Kuptchak draft Bynum if they expect immediate success?

Pistons used their num2 draft pick to draft darko at 17 years old, they didn't rebuild, they ended up winning the champion
Lakers havent made any move yet, so just wait and see

[AlwaysWhat,NeverWhy]

Pistons used their num2 draft pick to draft darko at 17 years old, they didn't rebuild, they ended up winning the champion

The pressure for success in much higher in LA and Ny than in Detroit...

[Fresh8]

Wat about boston? Or are they not expected anymore?

[Drex]

I see them in the final next year!

Who are you? Indy??

[Kobeisgreat]

Hi new guy here.

I saw this on another message board and thought I'd post it here.


The Denver Nuggets were 17-25 (.404) on Jan 26th 2005 . The Nuggets hired coach Karl on Jan 27 and went on to win their very next game and finish the season with a record of 49-33. That means they were 32-8 (.800) under Coach Karl. Coach Karl has a career record of 740-507 (.593)

Why is it so hard for people to believe that Phil Jackson, a coach that has lead 9 teams to a NBA championship and has a career record of 832-316 (.725) will not be able to turn this team around?

[ntong]

It's time the truth of what has been going on behind the scenes in the NBA was revealed. I have a friend who is relatively high up in the Staples Center who has close connections to the Lakers and the NBA. Last year if you recall my thread, "Shaq to Miami is a done deal" which few believed at the time. Believe me or don't, it makes no difference. There is a bidding war going on for Kevin Garnett.

1. After the last season, Garnett reached his breaking point. Kevin Garnett has demanded one of two things in Minnesota: A team that can contend for the forseeable future with no more major turnover, or he wants out. After seeing how Shaq was able to dictate where and with who he would play when he was traded and his success that followed, Garnett believes he can do something similar. This is the reason you see teams making strange moves, like the Lakers drafting Bynum and the Knicks trading for Q-Rich. They are stocking on talent to try to deal for Garnett. This is the main reason why the rumor mill has been quiet, the entire league is waiting to see what happens with Garnett.

2. After the past season, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor was fed up with pouring money into a franchise that has had to nothing but bad luck. First the Joe Smith fiasco, and now the Cassell/Sprewell ordeal. After a decade of trying to get somewhere with Garnett, the cap restraints and lack of roster manueverability has led him to believe that it's time to start over while Garnett can still fetch something decent in return as he is in his prime. He also wants to make a move for the Vikings and is looking to save money where he can for his bid/running of the team.

3. Garnett's initial list of teams he would be content with was: Cleveland, New York, Lakers, Chicago, Philadelphia. Minnesota contacted these teams first so people assumed this was his list. Garnett is appreciative of the Wolves organization and thus never made his demands public, because he wants to give the Wolves a chance to either fix the situation, or get a good deal for him. The majority of the teams are in the East, because the Wolves would rather have Garnett there for obvious reasons. Garnett's teams all have one major thing in common: They are not in a winning situation and he would not necessarily be percieved as going to a ready-made "easy" ring.

Minnesota is demanding: Young talent, draft picks, and cap flexibility. Along with Garnett, whichever team takes him has to take either Hudson, Szczerbiak, or both of them as well because of their contracts.

Cleveland: They are not banking on Garnett because they don't necessarily have the assets to get a deal done. The players they get in free agency could however be the core of a package for him. Don't know much about what's going on here.

New York: Garnett would love to play with Marbury again in the bright lights of NY. New York has some talent and expiring deals(Crawford, Frye, Thomas etc.) and could retain some solid players around Marbury and Garnett. Word has it that Minnesota tried to counter by offering a deal for Marbury but Isiah felt they had invested too much into him to give him away for what the Wolves were offering(Expiring deals, and/or supposedly Wally). Talks have cooled here somewhat according to my friend because of the counter proposals.

Chicago: Garnett went to high school here and likes the talent. Minnesota supposedly is demanding one of their big men(Curry or Chandler re-signed), Deng or Niocini, and one of their guards(Hinrich or Gordon) along with some combination of picks. Chicago would love to get Garnett like everyone else, but Garnett is 29 and they are hedging on whether they want to give up so much young talent for him.

Philadelphia. Iverson and a big market. Philly has some interesting peices(Dalembert and Iggy) but I don't know much about what has been discussed with them.

Lakers: I know the most about these discussions because my friend is most closely connected here. They are a West team but Garnett is pushing heavily for them along with NY and Chicago because he and Kobe want to play with each other(They like each others work ethic and passion for basketball, and Kobe feels KG is one of the few superstars that doesn't resent him because of how his career has gone). Wolves won't take Brian Grants contract. Lakers core package consists of Odom, Bynum, roleplayers with expiring deals(Mihm, George, Atkins etc.) and multiple future draft picks. They will not part with Butler if they have to give up Odom because many feel Butler is on the cusp of being an All-Star and has a good friendship and chemistry with Kobe. They also think Kobe, Butler, KG is a better fit than having Odom and KG on the same team. Again, problem is LA is in the West and McHale does not want to deal with LA, but supposedly the Lakers have talked with Minnesota's GM Stack directly. Word is Taylor overrode McHale because he just wants a good deal while making Garnett happy(Taylor and KG think highly of each other).

Recently, the Nets and Indiana(I think Bird and McHale's connection makes this a real possibility) have made pushes. Indiana is offering JO, Granger, some of their bigger deals to even salaries(Croshere, Bender etc.) and picks. Jersey is supposedly offering BOTH Jefferson and Carter, but people are not sure how Carter would respond to a situation where he might not be able to win in Minnesota without Garnett. I heard some things about Boston(Same situation as Chicago, contend with Pierce and Garnett but they would have to give up tons of their young talent) and Orlando(Minny demanded Dwight as the core of a package, Orlando said no.) but I don't think talks are serious there. Teams are supposedly getting impatient and while they have been quiet on this issue(to keep the hype down and negotiate in peace and good faith) info could start leaking soon with the draft over and FA beginning. I'm not sure any of the deals outside of the LA one are 100% accurate. Believe me or don't but the offseason is going to be CRAZY.

This is what I got from LG, I do not totally agree with what this guy said, but there are some information make perfect sense to me...

[ntong]

I think something big will happen, remember Lakers hasn't made any move yet!
They are waiting for something big. Everybody talks about how Lakers should change their roster, just wait till the end of July, we will find out! There were rumors about Benders come down to L.A., PJ.Brown...blah blah... they just did not make any sense! Lakers will only take superstars, not some old guys or sleepers.

Like I said before, the reason to hire Jax is to win chamption, not just playoff, Mitch Buss & Jax started talking with other gms since last december.

[beau_boy04]

So KG is 29 ? well Miami took a well over 30+ years old Shaq and look a them! I think KG has much more longevity than Shaq.

[beau_boy04]

Did The Lakers sign Scottie Pippen as one of their coach assistant yet? he'd be a great asset for the young folks and even Kobe if he's there.

[Fresh8]

Jax is apparently talking to Pips bout a coaching job but as of now, there has been no signing yet.

[Boyk]

Honestly i think Kobe played selfish last year just so he could get his name back on how good he was as an individual, because of the rape bullshit and the whole Shaq n Phil thing.

Hopefully now hes learnt that it doesnt matter how good you do individually, its how the team does which reflects how good a player you are, i mean which looks better, 27/6/6 he was this year, with injuries though, and the end result 34-48, or with the same numbers and the team with roughly 50+ wins.

lets hope he passes the ball a lil bit more , his 6apg does show he did pass the ball a little. and had 10+ assists quite a few games.

[Fenix]

Honestly i think Kobe played selfish last year just so he could get his name back on how good he was as an individual, because of the rape bullshit and the whole Shaq n Phil thing.

Hopefully now hes learnt that it doesnt matter how good you do individually, its how the team does which reflects how good a player you are, i mean which looks better, 27/6/6 he was this year, with injuries though, and the end result 34-48, or with the same numbers and the team with roughly 50+ wins.

lets hope he passes the ball a lil bit more , his 6apg does show he did pass the ball a little. and had 10+ assists quite a few games.

The number of assists doesn't tell you the whole story. For instance, LBJ has 7apg, but he gets them without having the ball in his hands all the time. On the other hand, Kobe has the ball for 40 minutes, and he gets ONLY 6apg. He passes only when he's quadruple teamed (but not everytime) or in impossible position to make the shot (in this case, he either passes or shoots 3pt left-handed).

[Fresh8]

Yeah, you are both right. kobe just needs to work on his shot selection, try not to get himself into dangerous situations. Make sure he passes before a double team come sand all and no more unneccesary three pointers and fade aways. I still see the rape trial as forcing Kobe to become two years behind his own potential. He's missed at least a year and a half of his usual training which IMO means he's still got a bit of potential left to work with. One thing that he needs to work on is his teamwork and leadership skills.

[Alcoholic]

I think they are keeping Caron. Everyone thought he was crap but look what he has done this past season (including scoring over 20 ppg when Odom was out). I'm not sure about Odom. I really wish they would trade Atkins. This guy has NO DEFENSE!!!! For one thing he's short, and he just can't stay in front of his man! One of the problems for the Lakers was defense! This is where it starts! He guards the PG, that's where the dribble penetration comes from...

[Boyk]

shoots 3pt left-handed

and makes them!!!
lol, yer but i see what your saying.

I think we will see a different Kobe this year, well at least i hope.

[Indy]

1st round and out.

[Kobeisgreat]

Here is the new ad campaign being launched by Nike:



http://img285.imageshack.us/img285/5770/kobefull8qp.jpg


You Failed
1000 Made Jumpers.
No Playoffs
Abs 200x5
Selfish
Curls 15x3
Overrated
Bench press 2x15
Not a leader
Baselinesx20
A fluke
300 made bankshots
Too young
Lunges 15x4
Uncoachable
Tricep press 10x4
Played out
800 m run x2
No focus
Calf raises 12x3
You're burnt
Squats 2x10
An outcast
Reverse hyper 10x4
Past your prime
Box Jumpsx3
Ball hog
100 made free throws
Too cold
Military press 8x4
You're mental
Five-mile run
Stubborn
Pull-ups 12x5
You peaked
lat pulldowns 10x4
Prima donna
Low row 10x4
Big ego.
Leg curls 10x3
A baby 17's x3
Not a team player
Film review
It's over
Suicides x3
No more rings
Suicides x3, again

[Riot]

KG ain't going anywhere, that article is false.[b]

[Boyk]

Holy Shit!!

I would be dead after all that lol.