The 2007-08 Los Angeles Lakers thread

[D-Dogg]

Yes, that was brutal. Kobe missed a gd freethrow at the end too, and why was Vlad shooting for the gamewinner off balance?

Not a happy camper.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Jazz are absolutely schooling us 70-51 at the half. We're making Paul Milsap look like an All-Star. UGH.

 

[Cheesebeef]

so, this isn't a smack talk question but just an honest question for Laker fans this year. I've been watching most of their games and reading most of their press in LA all year long and I've just got to ask: Is this the most painful Laker season ever? There seems to be this air of inevitability with this team that sooner or later, Kobe is gone and you can see it written all over him. That's not to say he's not playing hard. Kobe doesn't know how to play any other way than 150%, but watching the games, there is such a disconnect from him and everyone else on the court. It's almost like watching (and please don't take this the wrong way) the NBA's version of slavery out there. He literally can't go anywhere and he's stuck so he might as well just play his hardest, but never fully involve himself emotionally in anything that's happening. There is NO joy whatsoever in Kobe and very little emotion over all. It literally looks like he's just doing a job out there. That's got to be painful to watch. Are you guys seeing the same thing I'm seeing?

 

[abomb]

so, this isn't a smack talk question but just an honest question for Laker fans this year. I've been watching most of their games and reading most of their press in LA all year long and I've just got to ask: Is this the most painful Laker season ever? There seems to be this air of inevitability with this team that sooner or later, Kobe is gone and you can see it written all over him. That's not to say he's not playing hard. Kobe doesn't know how to play any other way than 150%, but watching the games, there is such a disconnect from him and everyone else on the court. It's almost like watching (and please don't take this the wrong way) the NBA's version of slavery out there. He literally can't go anywhere and he's stuck so he might as well just play his hardest, but never fully involve himself emotionally in anything that's happening. There is NO joy whatsoever in Kobe and very little emotion over all. It literally looks like he's just doing a job out there. That's got to be painful to watch. Are you guys seeing the same thing I'm seeing?

I've only watched about half of the games this season (dont have League Pass) and KB looks a little different out there this year. He isnt having as much fun as the past two seasons and it shows.

But no, it isnt the most painful season ever. One that pops up is '04-05 when they were 34-48, had just traded Shaq, Rudy 3 coaching and Chucky Crapkins at PG. THAT was painful.

Right now, imo, true Lakers fans are optimistic to the future with Bynum progressing under the tutelage of Kareem, Farmar playing like he is on fire and Tex Winter raving about Javaris Crittenton. If Kobe gets traded, we'll get SOMETHING for him and hopefully be looking good for the future.

As Jack himself said when asked if he was a Kobe man or a Shaq man, he replied, "I'm a Lakers man."

 

[D-Dogg]

so, this isn't a smack talk question but just an honest question for Laker fans this year. I've been watching most of their games and reading most of their press in LA all year long and I've just got to ask: Is this the most painful Laker season ever? There seems to be this air of inevitability with this team that sooner or later, Kobe is gone and you can see it written all over him. That's not to say he's not playing hard. Kobe doesn't know how to play any other way than 150%, but watching the games, there is such a disconnect from him and everyone else on the court. It's almost like watching (and please don't take this the wrong way) the NBA's version of slavery out there. He literally can't go anywhere and he's stuck so he might as well just play his hardest, but never fully involve himself emotionally in anything that's happening. There is NO joy whatsoever in Kobe and very little emotion over all. It literally looks like he's just doing a job out there. That's got to be painful to watch. Are you guys seeing the same thing I'm seeing?

Sometimes...not all the time though. He's withdrawing from the losses, but in several of the wins he's been downright giddy. Bouncing with farmar, leaning on Bynum. It seems like he's in some weird, in between world where he likes playing with some of the young guys (in Farmar and Bynum especially, who he is constantly commenting on) but knows that he will not win with them and that his prime is leaking away. Hence, you see this Jekyll and Hyde Kobe. It's incorrect to say he's not getting joy...but it is really, really inconsistent. Quarter to quarter sometimes, even.

The biggest thing I'm worried about is we are just about down to only having Bynum as a big man. Mihm is done, that ankle just won't work anymore. Kwame is shelved for what seems like forever (and he is, believe it or not I don't care anymore, incredibly important to this team as a defensive presence). Ronny is now hurt and won't be on this upcoming trip I don't think. That leaves us with...uhm....uhm...yeah, Bynum to go 40 minutes without fouling out. Not friggin likely.

And Lamar just can't deliver. We need to move him for a 4...we are woefully thin there and what we do have is injury prone.



However, I am so pleasantly surprised in Bynum and happy to be wrong about him...and I love Farmar so him playing well is great. Critt is going to be a stud and I can't wait for him to get more minutes. I'm enjoying this team...and right now, I love every single player on it...now that Cook is gone.

 

[D-Dogg]

No Bynum and surprisingly Mihm is effective for the whole game. Mostly the second unit played in this one as the Laker take the hapless Twolves to school.

 

[D-Dogg]

Hmm, I must have missed it in the broadcast (the Wolves announcers were really bad, though) but Kobe and Drew both had stomach flu today...Drew actually in the hospital to get IVs and Kobe didn't go. Kevin Ding of the OC Register also had the stomach flu.

Explains why Drew wasn't playing...good, he'll be fresh legged for tomorrow's game.

 

[abomb]

Hmm, I must have missed it in the broadcast (the Wolves announcers were really bad, though) but Kobe and Drew both had stomach flu today...Drew actually in the hospital to get IVs and Kobe didn't go. Kevin Ding of the OC Register also had the stomach flu.

Explains why Drew wasn't playing...good, he'll be fresh legged for tomorrow's game.

Wow, that is crazy.

 

[abomb]

Good to see Ariza playing well.

And the Minny coach on Kobe:

"How are you going to tell if he's got the flu?" acting Wolves head coach Jerry Sichting said. "He's a lot like Jordan. It doesn't matter with guys like that. He made ME sick."

 

[D-Dogg]

Good to see Ariza playing well.

And the Minny coach on Kobe:

"How are you going to tell if he's got the flu?" acting Wolves head coach Jerry Sichting said. "He's a lot like Jordan. It doesn't matter with guys like that. He made ME sick."

There's nothing wrong with his damn knee.

Pip

 

[D-Dogg]

I love our bench. Love it. When they show up to play, they are the difference in the game. They are like a second group of starters...they kill most second units and hang with many starting units. Definitely the difference between winning and losing so far this year.

Critt got some burn and did some awesome things. Sasha shot the ball well. Farmar was aggressive. Ariza was active.

 

[Mulli]

Good to see Ariza playing well.

And the Minny coach on Kobe:

"How are you going to tell if he's got the flu?" acting Wolves head coach Jerry Sichting said. "He's a lot like Jordan. It doesn't matter with guys like that. He made ME sick."

Since when is THAT guy a head coach? Weird, I had no idea.

 

[abomb]

They are like a second group of starters...they kill most second units and hang with many starting units.

PG - Farmar
SG - Sasha
PF - Vlad Rad
SF - Ariza
C - Mihm

You could argue that a few teams in the league are starting teams worse than that.

 

[D-Dogg]

Don't forget Luke, or Poland.

 

[abomb]

Don't forget Luke, or Poland.

OK, Luke over Ariza.

 

[D-Dogg]

OK, Luke over Ariza.

Vlad starts as much as Ronny.

It's hard to even say who is the set second string.

And when Kwame returns, Mihm is third string and Bynum is second.

The one I'm talking about is:

Farmar
Sasha
Luke
Ronny/Vlad
Bynum

That's a really strong second unit lineup...

They are backed up by Mihm, Ariza and Crittendon

Young, deep team.

 

[abomb]

Young, deep team.

I saw the Lakers referred to as the "second-youngest team in the league". Do you know who the first is? I dont.

 

[Gee!]

Hmm, I must have missed it in the broadcast (the Wolves announcers were really bad, though) but Kobe and Drew both had stomach flu today...Drew actually in the hospital to get IVs and Kobe didn't go. Kevin Ding of the OC Register also had the stomach flu.

Explains why Drew wasn't playing...good, he'll be fresh legged for tomorrow's game.

Id be sick too if I had to wear that ugly yellow uniform..

 

[Gee!]

I saw the Lakers referred to as the "second-youngest team in the league". Do you know who the first is? I dont.

I'll take a guess and say either the Hawks or the Bobcats..

 

[D-Dogg]

I'll take a guess and say either the Hawks or the Bobcats..

I would guess Bobcats.

 

[Cheesebeef]

PG - Farmar
SG - Sasha
PF - Vlad Rad
SF - Ariza
C - Mihm

You could argue that a few teams in the league are starting teams worse than that.

you could, but you'd lose that argument pretty quickly.

 

[D-Dogg]

you could, but you'd lose that argument pretty quickly.

Farmar
Sasha
Luke
Ronny/Vlad
Bynum


Is better than what Minny is rolling out there.

 

[D-Dogg]

Man, just watched the Lakers/Nuggets game. Iverson was ON FIRE. Nobody could stop him...guys were defending the crap out of him but he was just money for a long stretch.

Kobe hardly played with foul trouble but had a mean, mean fourth quarter. Great defense by the team in fourth, especially on AI.

VladRad was smoking hot out there...Phil took a LOOOOONG time to get him in the game in the second half, and I think that had a lot to do with the late third/early fourth doldrums.


Oh, and the Lakers won..111-107. Lakers now 9-0 when scoring over 105

 

[D-Dogg]

Oh, BTW even though Drew did not get the start, he had two HUGE plays late in the game...dunking off an alleyoop from Kobe (shoved in the back by Melo for a no call...stop snitchin) and then blocked melo like a monster.

Great stuff from Drew even though he wasn't active scoring and they weren't looking for him a lot, his defensive play was good.

 

[abomb]

Oh, BTW even though Drew did not get the start, he had two HUGE plays late in the game...dunking off an alleyoop from Kobe (shoved in the back by Melo for a no call...stop snitchin) and then blocked melo like a monster.

Great stuff from Drew even though he wasn't active scoring and they weren't looking for him a lot, his defensive play was good.

Great stuff. Watching ESPNEWS and seeing KB hit the deck with his shoulder made me shutter.

AB's two big plays were money,