Los Angeles Lakers vs Los Angeles ClippersTue Apr 7, 10:30 PM EST – TNT Line: LAC -17.0, O/U: 204.5 Staples Center – Los Angeles, CA Recent Matchups |
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Didn’t we just do this? Yes. Yes, we did.
Well, actually, the Clippers did it. The Lakers were more witnesses (victims, actually) to the act in question. On Sunday, the Clippers used the Lakers as a speedbump, rolling over them quite easily in a 106-78 thrashing that wasn’t even that close. At points of the game the Lakers were down by 41, so a 28 point final margin doesn’t even do the whipping justice.
Apparently, even after that game, there was no way to get this game off the national stage, though. Tonight’s rematch will be aired on TNT, allowing those all across the country to change the channel to something else. Or, you know, tune in and watch the Lakers try to keep pace with a clearly superior team. To make matters worse, Jamal Crawford is expected to return to action tonight after dealing with a calf injury. Considering how anemic the Clips’ bench has been this season, Crawford’s return should be a nice boost.
Not that they will need it tonight. Normally after the type of beating the Lakers took the last game, I’d say they would be extra motivated to provide a better performance tonight. I can still say the motivation will be there, I just do not think it will help much. The Lakers just don’t match up that well with this version of the Clips.
They don’t have anyone to guard Blake Griffin nor DeAndre Jordan. Clarkson has the size and quickness to stay somewhat connected to Chris Paul, but with the P&R heavy attack the Clips use Clarkson’s physical tools are sapped dealing with constant picks and chips coming from the Clippers’ big men. Further, those P&R’s test the Lakers’ help and recovery defense, which has been a particularly poor part of their showing on that end all season. Add in JJ Redick’s shooting and Matt Barnes’ ability to seemingly always be hot against the Lakers, the Clips simply possess too much offense for the Lakers’ defense to manage effectively over the course of a full game.
With that said, I do want to see how Jordan Clarkson fares in this game. The rook performed especially poorly on Sunday, managing only two points on 1-6 shooting with three assists to two turnovers. The Clippers showed him more aggressive hedges and sideline traps out of the P&R, flustering him in the process. After the game he called it his worst game of the year. Tonight, then, I’d expect the Clips to employ a similar strategy until Clarkson shows he can handle it.
From a strategic standpoint, I hope to see Clarkson string out his dribble more in the hopes of drawing the 2nd defender further out on the court. When that happens, it would also be nice to see the dive man roll hard with the weak side big flashing into the space behind him as a release valve. If Clarkson could either hit the roll man or the man cutting into that vacated space it would allow the Lakers to play four on three with the ball in the middle of the floor. Certainly an advantage for the offense. Whether Byron goes this route schematically is up in the air, but is a tactic worth exploring.
Beyond that, though, I’ve got little for you. Hopefully, the final margin isn’t as bad as Sunday.
Where you can watch: 7:30pm start time on TNT. Also listen on ESPN Radio 710AM Los Angeles.
Vasheed says
I know I’m asking a lot here but I would like to see a win tonight. It is one of the few times this year where a win could actually help the Lakers future.
Aaron says
Remember the short sighted posters here during the season who wrote a lot of this… “I want them to lose a lot of games this year but I want them to win this one”. Funny how every loss matters. Those two wins against Philly count almost as much as wins against any other team at the start of the year.
Calvin Chang says
I wonder why Byron is throwing his players under the bus. The mission is to tank, right? Byron is clearly leading the tank by benching Ed Davis and throwing in some funky combinations that are designed to suck. Byron’s coming across as a jerk. Tanking and blaming players. Very immature to even insinuate that his own players might low-blow him when he’s not looking.
Calvin Chang says
You’re right Aaron. At the start of the season, when you were rooting for losses, I thought you were crazy. But after Kobe went down, it should have been all-in on the tank. Convincing, blowout losses. Need some good picks.
Hale says
Byron needs to shut his foxhole. There’s no need for him to keep popping off and drawing attention to this extra $%^$y season. Lose out now and try and win every game 2016.
Todd says
The Lakers mess is becoming increasingly public. Most recently the ESPN/Grantland article, this past weekend, and now this.
Byron Scott, per ESPN: “I got a sense of a whole lot of them I wouldn’t want to be in a foxhole with,” Scott said after practice Monday at the Lakers’ facility. “I think they’d end up shooting me in the back. So I’ve got a pretty good sense of the guys that I think are going to be around, that we will build around, build together in this process and go through it.”
The rub is that I’m not sure the FO want’s to build around Byron either.
the other Stephen says
There should be a rotating position for reputable fans without intentions of pursuing futures in sports journalism to switch off holding a media access pass. They could ask all the difficult questions that ought to be asked to keep institutions accountable without having to think about injuring their working relationship (e.g. call out Byron on his BS).
bryan S. says
Any coach stupid enough to say what Byron said (joking or otherwise) is simply too dumb for the job. As a leader you model respect for those under you. To be fair, Phil Jackson liked to needle players publicly, which is one of the many reasons I didn’t care for him. Brian Shaw would ‘meow’ at Kwame Brown, as a dig at his manhood. This crap is so behind the times. We need a modern coach in all aspects.
Ko says
Comments are missing the point.
If they lose with best players on the court then Scott is a bad coach.
If he keeps out good players like Davis etc then he is a company guy by tanking.
On other hand players like Davis, Lin etc are playing for next years contract and can’t wait to bale like Pau, Kamen, Howard, Meeks etc.
So why not throw Young, Davis, Lin under the bus(Or Buss) for complaining while giving minutes to Kelly who’s lips are glued to Scott +%#+¥€<.
Bryon is not going amywhere as long as his boss is here. (KB)
Jerke says
The prob is Scott shows no rhyme/reason for anything – its pretty evident/should be to all concerned that Lakers roster from top to bottom isn’t that great/never was – so I don’t think its necessarily an indictment of Scott’s coaching ability if he played the best players all season and they still lose. Prob is he sits guys for no reason/doesn’t play/develop rookies/doesn’t play his best players or passes over guys higher in the depth chart for no reason. And not only that, then throws guys under the bus out of the blue and plays games in the press. If he had just played out the season in fashion where the Lakers just played hard and lost honestly then no big deal – then for the last 20-30 games or so he could just say we’re going with the young guys to develop them. Instead he just looks like a bigger and bigger goof off.
Sure maybe the Lakers don’t wan’t certain guys back – but doesn’t Scott realize all these guys have agents – agents who will tell their FA’s that LA is a joke/bad situation w an idiot coach – and that you don’t want to sign there right now if at all possible? There is such a thing as conducting yourself graciously, keeping things professional, and leaving a good taste in peoples mouths so they either reccomend the organization or at least stay neutral on the way out. I’m not a fan of Swag’s game – nor Lin necessarily – but I have to say they’ve both showed a hell of alot of restraint this season dealing with the garbage being spewed from Scott’s mouth
Baylor Fan says
Kupchak and Jimmy did a great job of scouting Clarkson and seeing past the difficulties he had with his dad’s bout with cancer. It will be interesting to see how they handle signing him to a longer term contract. Nash’s fingerprints are all over Clarkson’s game in the aggressive drives to the basket and the pull up jumpers. Will Byron continue to support Clarkson’s development by spacing 3 pt shooters around the floor and opening up the lane? Will Mitch be able to find those players on the FA market?
Robert says
Ko: Don’t try to argue with Byron bashers. In the beginning of the year, he was not sophisticated enough and had no x’s and o’s. Now he is not tanking properly and does not respect his terrible roster in the media. Of course when it comes to Byron, the critics know everything there is to know about his relationships with the players. However, when you, me or anyone else criticizes the FO, we are doing so only because we do not see the big picture. In my case I fully admit I do not see the big picture. Does anyone know where it is?
Calvin: You are entitled to think Byron comes across as a jerk just like I am entitled to think Jim Buss is a jerk. I do not think either opinion is more “intellectual” than the other. They are both opinions.
Anonymous says
This game will come down to coaching. God help us.
Anonymous 2 says
Bryon is a problem. He is a terrible coach, leader, and motivator. He needs to keep his mouth shut and stop talking to the media. This comment is totally unnecessary. He’s sitting players trying to tank and then he comes out and throws them under the buss? What does he expect? These guys are auditioning for their NBA career and next contract and they don’t get to play because we need to lose. I imagine I would be disheartened by the terrible season, terrible coach, and potential limited prospects and probably not care so much to show up to a class Bryon is holding, especially with only a handful of games left in the season. Bryon needs to shut up. It’s already a terrible season and he’s making it worse.
We need to rebuild this team from the ground up and it starts with the coach. 3 terrible coaches driving away whatever little talent we have and will probably keep other potential free agents away. Like the Lakers need another deterrent to free agent signings.
Robert says
“We need to rebuild this team from the ground up” Agreed. However, the coach’s office is on an upper floor. Different people occupy the foundation.
Karen says
We aren’t scott bashers, we love the lakers, but he continues to throw everyone under the bus. Whoever said agents are listening and its a joke any good player is going to want to play for an old old school concept. He single handedly broke young’s spirit. God can’t wait till dantoni gets hired by denver. Bye bye young and lin
the other Stephen says
@Ko @Robert,
I appreciate what you’re trying to convey, that Byron’s detractors will always find something to blame him for, but those critiques are legitimate. Byron has not maximized or extracted much value from his roster; has held onto anachronistic beliefs and run an amateurish system; and has taken every step to publicly belittle his players. He has the worst winning percentage of the ten longest-tenured and currently active head coaches. That there are larger, strategic considerations, or that there are also problems with other parts of the organization does not absolve him from criticism.
I’m not claiming any intimate knowledge or making assumptions about his relationships with his players. Rather, I’m trying comment only on two things, which are more than enough to go on: the product I see on the floor, and on the statements he has made to the public.
In what way does continually trashing and alienating your players contribute to the bigger picture? If Byron’s job is secure so long as “his boss [KB] is here,” in your words, what reasonable incentive does he have to keep going out of his way to shift the entire burden of blame to others?
lil pau says
This clippers team is incredibly unlikable. They’ve done the unthinkable: I think I’d rather see Hou or Bos win a championship before them.
Ko says
My view is tainted by the fact that BS agent/attorney is a friend from the local Newport cigar store. Already been banned from Laker talk, don’t want to be cigar store exiled.
What then? Talking to my wife?
Lakers are ruining my life!
Baylor Fan says
Clarkson has added some nice interior passing to his game. He and Lin are taking turns feeding Black for dunks and he has responded by making himself available for same. Jordan is not a very good rim protector or rebounder and Black is taking advantage of it.
rr says
Some of these posts, especially Jerke’s, are amusing since MDA did a lot of the same things people are bagging on Scott for doing: he threw Pau under the bus in the media, he alienated Hill, Howard, and Kaman; he pulled guys in and out of the rotation, he overworked Kobe, and he even called out the fans, which Scott has yet to do.
There is a large section of the Lakers’ Internet Intelligentsia who had made up their minds about Scott even before he got hired. This includes the KBros. The evidence on this issue is very, very clear if you look at Tweets, posts etc. from that crowd from before and at the moment of the hire. That is also true of some people on the blogs themselves. I pointed this out at the time, and said that Scott would be hearing it.
But here is the thing: the reason that they could do that is that Byron was, again, a known commodity. When he has had a HOF PG to run the O through (Kidd, Paul) and an active big to anchor his D (Martin, Chandler) and some other talent, he has had good teams. When he has not had those types of players, he has lost, and lost big. Byron learned how to coach from Pat Riley, who was and still is very prone to tough-guy talk in public. Just last summer, Riley suggested at a press conference that LeBron James would be cowardly if he bailed on the Heat. Riley was and is very into the idea of basketball as a manhood test. Riley was also known for long, grueling practices and was never known as an offensive innovator. IOW, Riley was known for the exact things people are calling out Scott for doing and saying.
And, of course, Byron played here for more than a decade, worked as a commentator here the last couple of years, and was interviewed multiple times over several weeks. If there is any coaching candidate that the Lakers should have known about, it was Byron Scott.
So…basically, anyone who is mad about the fact that Byron Scott is the coach of the Lakers should be focusing their ire a little higher up the chain. One can claim that he should adapt, but in truth, he is being exactly—exactly—the guy anyone should have expected him to be.
rr says
Also should be noted that the Lakers, foxholes notwithstanding, played the Clippers tough tonight.
Don Ford says
I have to say that Ko cracks me up, even in spite of myself sometimes.
Without gallows humor this season wouldn’t be anything at all
rr says
God can’t wait till dantoni gets hired by denver. Bye bye young and lin
—
If the Lakers can actually get someone to take Young’s deal, then that would be awesome. As to Lin, there is not much point on having him on a team like this anyway.
And, serious question: are you somehow personally connected to Mike D’Antoni? As with BigCitySid and his Kobe posts, it is hard to see the end game here. A lot of what happened was not his fault, but D’Antoni failed here, and he’s gone. Scott getting fired at some point–and it will happen–will not change that.
Ko says
Last post again not mine although I can’t disagree.
What would make one use someone else name?
Envy
Lack of confidence
Drugs
Alcohole
No life
What ever the reason please note Darius can pull up IP address and either ban you or ban me if your posts are better.
Oh well people tried to pretend they were Elvis also. Hummm perhaps that will be my new name. Anyway 2nd KO trust me your don’t want my life!
P. Ami says
I can’t say that I’m convinced this team isn’t going make the three moves that would ruin the next few seasons for us fans and do nothing to position the team as a winner
A) Keep Byron
B) Sign Rondo
C) Trade picks for win now measures
If we get Towns this draft, that is a huge win. I think he can develop into a bit of a Tim Duncan type player. If he has the work-ethic, he can polish his game and, at minimum be 80% of Duncan. If he can reach 90-95% of Duncan, WOW!!!
If we can’t get Towns, I would be happy with Winslow, WCS and Mudiay, in that order. We need a rim protector or a swing man with star potential. I only put Mudiay behind MCS because of how key rim protection is in the league and with a player like Randal in the post. Randal may be able to use his quickness on defense but he needs a rim protector behind him.
The other reason I put Mudiay where he is, we have a nice player in Clarkson who is a PG. Also, I hope we can nab George Lucus, from Brazil, with the Houston pick. He is a PG, plays low to the ground, has huge hands and insane length. I think he’ll get stronger and maybe more explosive. He has some advanced dribbling movers, great vision and a shot that needs a little straightening our. That said, he is young and I think he can become a shut down defender at three positions.
If we have a good coach (is Messina available?, can we shake Snyder loose? If there another Brad Stevens out there?), I think it would be fun to watch Randal, one of Towns, WCS or Winslow, Clarkson and Lucus develop. Mix in some strong professional vets and Kobe on his farewell tour, 2015-16 can be a reasonable step forward. If we can shake Kawai loose from the SAS, go for that. Even if SAS match (and they will) it’s worth a try. Otherwise, spend the money on short term deals with vets and roll out the money truck in 2016. By then a FA can see where the team is headed and may like the idea of being the mature superstar that brings the Lakers back to contention.
This comment is already long, but something has been on my chest. Simmons has been talking about how the big markets don’t matter anymore. Maybe the Lakers because of the tradition and entertainment industry, but really, a superstar can be a world wide icon anywhere these days. I’m not saying he is totally wrong. I’m saying this is a situation where his green-tinted lenses have him seeing what he wants. Kevin Durant grew into a superstar in OKC. He has had great success. He is one of the top-5 players in the league and won MVP last season. I would love for him to be a Lakers player. That said, he did not make the All-Star team. This wasn’t an issue of his being voted in and then giving up his spot to another worthy player. The fans did not vote him into the game. Other guys got more votes. You know who got more votes? A player that has missed the last three playoffs, all but 6 games last season, and had already suffered his season ending injury by the time the votes were tallied. Kobe Bryant made the All-Star team in spite of all that. Is that a testament to Kobe? Sure. Is that a testament to how popular he is in China? Of course. Is it also a little bit about how how popular, successful and ingrained into the psyche the Lakers are to NBA fans? Maybe a little bit.
With all we are suffering through this season, as Lakers fans, with all the insecurity we all feel over the ownership and the fickleness of fate, we still have a team that matters. Plenty of playoff teams matter less than our team does. We have that.
Ko says
Although I wish I had posted it the 10:52 post is another identity theft episode. If the new KO wants my life and overhead please feel free to come and get it also.
the other Stephen says
@rr,
You’ve made that point a number of times in the past, and it’s a constructive one, but the expectations and circumstances during the seasons under MDA were very different from what they are today:
In 2012, the Lakers brought in MDA to helm a historically great roster. When the team fell to infighting and injuries, it massively disappointed relative to its expectations and talent level. MDA made decisions out of necessity to accommodate the roster and find a middle ground, including playing Pau out of position. Then, Howard’s departure left us reeling in 2013, but we still had Pau, and MDA had to salvage a situation in which the team had gone so quickly from contender to somewhere that wasn’t quite rebuilding that we didn’t know what to expect.
In stark contrast, this year’s lack of talent and low ceiling were apparent to all from the beginning except, seemingly, Byron. You’ve reiterated that Byron was a known entity, but so was this roster from day one. I don’t know what he was expecting. I’m mainly taking Byron to task for berating this team as if it’s a championship-level team not performing up to its talents, instead of trying to develop what he has. I think this point stands even if you subscribe to the idea that Byron is merely a caretaker for a tanking team.
For these reasons, I’m not sure your comparisons to MDA are entirely apt. MDA deserves his share of blame, and made numerous questionable decisions, but those were under vastly different circumstances.
rr says
“After the last two games … I was probably as frustrated as anybody, because all season long, our guys have put in a hell of an effort, no matter if we’ve been outmanned or whatever the case may be,” Scott said before the Lakers faced the Clippers again Tuesday at Staples Center. “I thought the last two games, we didn’t come close. So that frustration boiled over.”
—
the other Stephen says
@rr,
I posted a reply to you, but it’s stuck in moderation. =\
rr says
Stephen,
I expect that my post about Scott will get a few replies. I said at the time that I would have preferred that the FO take a shot on a guy with no previous NBA HC experience, like Snyder, and like I said, you can make an argument that Byron should adapt more than he has. Kobe, in a different way, is also a dinosaur in today’s NBA, but he had made some adaptations to his game before he went down again.
But I stand by the idea that the FO should have known what they were getting when they hired Byron Scott.
Renato Afonso says
I most people are focusing too much on what they want, to purposedly fulfill the preconceptions they have about someone. I didn’t see nearly enough Lakers games this season and when I did had to fast forward huge chunks of it or simply turn it off before the end of the game.
So, here’s my totally unbiased opinion which I believe is closer to the truth than what you may want admit:
FRONT OFFICE – it’s probably not the worst front office in the league but it’s also far from the best. They did some good things but lately the bad has overshadowed the good. The three latest coaching hires were bad and the failling to adapt to the current CBA (again far more punitive to us than any other team) in due time is now taking its toll.
COACH – Mike Brown was never a good coach. Mike D’Antoni was not a good coach, not even in his Phoenix heyday and you really need to check those games again and see those teams shortcomings. Byron Scott was not a good coach and his Finals appearances were more due to the lack of good teams in the East than a quality job. He’s not a good coach.
ROSTER (older players) – It’s a bad roster. Some players are more useful than others, obviously, but the truth is that we don’t have a single player that would be a starter in a playoff team. Not one. Yes, we have players that would play minutes off the bench in some playoff teams but that’s about it. And while I understand trying to find solace in that, the truth is that there’s a reason why some players don’t play more than 15 minutes per game: consistency. Ed Davis is the main question mark since Byron Scott is not playing him at all.
ROOKIES/SOPHOMORES – I decided to isolate these young players because they must be judged differently since they still have a steep learning curve ahead and therefore we still don’t know what exactly they will become. Clarkson is obviously a keeper but he’s not a superstar in the making. Yes, he needs minutes but having a veteran point guard playing ahead of him and having him come off the bench for 20 minutes per game would do wonders to him. He can be a solid starter in this league if he learns the position from a seasoned veteran. Randle had that freak injury and therefore we don’t know what will happen. Black is showing some promise and may turn into a solid contributor off the bench. Jabari Brown seems a bit short to play the 2 spot but maybe I’m wrong. Length still matters. Ryan Kelly has been discussed in several previous posts (one that even saw Darius question my analytical judgement) but the truth is that the guy does not improve his shooting (either getting a better and faster release or converting open shots) nor his defense and still people talk of him as a key part of the Lakers future.
There are several other things to consider but while some believe in tanking and others believe in the power of the brand to attract good free agents, my honest opinion is that we’re overthinking all this. Losing is bad unless you already have a good team that was hit by the injury bug (see Spurs, Duncan). We are not a good team in any way and we need good young players but it seems that there aren’t any franchise altering players in the 2014 draft nor in the upcoming draft. It’s all a gamble and while I believe everyone is doing their best at their position in the Lakers structure, maybe we need to face the fact that their best is not good enough for our expectations as fans of the most successful team in the league. There is no silver lining to the last two seasons as we don’t have an identity nor something to look for nor even a damn game to circle in the calendar (I used to circle the Celtics, the Spurs, the Cavs, the Thunder and a couple of others in the recent championship years).
karen says
rr, ha ha no i do not know d’antoni but admire the coach so much. He is an offensive genius and made the game so much fun to watch
Craig W. says
P. Ami,
I totally agree with you on Simmons. Like Abbott, he has a good NBA mind, but his bias against the Lakers makes anything he says, that infers anything about L.A./Lakers, very suspect to personal emotion. Those two simply can’t deal with the fact that, bad, the Lakers matter more than their respective teams do world-wide, when they are winning. Note: the Celtics have a definite leg up on the Blazers.
Anonymous says
Stephen,
Very good post. My reply:
I’m mainly taking Byron to task for berating this team as if it’s a championship-level team not performing up to its talents, instead of trying to develop what he has.
—
Well, the problem with saying that is that Clarkson has done quite well, and he is the guy most worth developing. Jabari Brown did well enough in the DLeague and with the Lakers that the team gave him a contract. I don’t think that Scott has done a good job with Kelly, but Kelly is low-ceiling although potentially useful. Tarik Black is getting to play now as well. Scott may have alienated Ed Davis, and if that is proven to be the case, I will note it and call him out on it.
What the FO gave Scott to start with was a bad-but-supposedly-not-awful veteran team with one old former superstar with some name players (Young, Boozer, Lin, Hill) and a lottery pick, that was seemingly designed to go about 33-49. So, one can make the argument that this is actually a better result: the Lakers probably keep the pick and develop Clarkson.
As to MDA, I have always been much more a roster guy than a coach guy, and that roster would have been historically great in 2010. In 2013, it wasn’t, so I defended him some. But my point was that alienating players, popping off in the media, and failing to adjust were problems that MDA had as well.
Joe A says
Nice bounce back game from Clarkson.
Per 48, Jordan Clarkson trumps Wiggins in every category except blocks and 3fg%. Not sure he’s done enough in the second half of the season to make up for not playing in the first half…but he should be in the discussion more for ROY. If I had a vote, Wiggins would be third on my list (behind Mirotic and Clarkson).
Todd says
Regarding all the comments about CBS:
rr, is correct Byron is of the Riley mold. For better or worse that is his coaching framework. Byron was not a good choice for the Lakers because his goals (winning) and the FO’s (tread water and lose but look good doing so) were not aligned. But the FO didn’t want to commit to a prospective great coach (Steve Kerr) and never did the due diligence to find a diamond in the rough (Quin Snyder). So from the get go Byron was a stop gap solution — someone to patrol the sidelines while the FO milked Kobe and figured out what to do next.
Byron is talking/coaching as if he’s the long term solution as head coach. I don’t think he is. Depending on what the Lakers do this off-season he may not make it through next year. If the Lakers lose their pick and continue to roll cap space forward (for KD and his broken foot) then the team will be awful again next season. I think Scott becomes a scape goat in that scenario.
However, if the Lakers keep their pick and draft a future star to team with a healthy Randle and an emerging Clarkson I think Scott can ride a ‘developing core’ into a third year — even if the team struggles. The promise of a brighter future will buy everyone more time.
This is all on the FO, They continue to harp on the fact that they will have cap space when Kobe’s contract rolls off the books. Defenders of the FO ignore the fact that the Lakers had that precious cap space two years ago, before they paralyzed the franchise with the extension.
BigCitySid says
-@ rr, thanks for the shout out, alas I’m only one of a growing number of realist.
– Waiting for the end of this season so these pieces can concentrate on free agents and draft picks.
– I have hope, but absolutely no confidence in the NBA’s 2nd most dysfunctional ownership group.
– Does anyone see at least four (4) Western conf. teams becoming SIGNIFICANTLY worse next season? If not our 14th place Lakers will find it hard to be considered relevant on the court for three straight seasons…ouch! That’s not a good look on anyone’s resume.
Anonymous says
Sid,
One thing we agree on: things are grim.
Calvin Chang says
Robert: You’re right, it’s just opinions. I’m not saying Byron’s a jerk. In person, he’s probably a good guy. But his publicly throwing players under the bus in a tank season makes him sound like a jerk. I was in denial early in the season when I kept on criticizing Byron’s strategies. But by mid season, it was clear that the plan was to tank. Tanking is ok, but saying his own players might shoot him in the back is very immature. Just tank in peace and prepare for the draft.
Calvin Chang says
And it’s totally fine to think or say Jim Buss is a jerk. He very well might be a jerk. But because he doesn’t talk to the media, I don’t really have any insight to his plans or personality. He could be a jerk, or he could be a nice guy. The product is horrible though, so I’m not spending another dime on tickets or merchandise. That’s my way of thumbing down Jim Buss’ results.
Calvin Chang says
I’m now convinced Ryan Kelly’s slow release negates his ability to be a good stretch big. When he receives the ball in a kick-out pass, he needs an extra split second to square up for his set shot. By the time he’s ready to fire, the defender has closed him out and Kelly has to put the ball on the floor and make something happen. It usually results in a low-percentage play.
the other Stephen says
@ Anonymous (I’m guessing it’s you, RR, not Anon)
I agree. At the end of the day, minutes finally flowed to those who needed them most, and Byron deserves credit for that. It might have been nice if it had happened earlier, though, so that they could get more reps in and feel out a full NBA season.
BigCitySid says
-Just heard Mark Medina ( Mr. Inside The Lakers) in an interview on NBA Radio. Based on his “insider info”, Rajon Rondo is currently the best and most likely free agent to sign w/ the Lakers. Really hoping that doesn’t happen because:
– he’s already 29, I’d prefer a younger guy, around 25 (Brandon Knight/Greg Monroe)
– he’s only 6’1
– he looks good playing next to 3 Hall of Famers, w/o…not so good
– don’t see good ball sharing chemistry w/ him and Kobe
– Clarkson playing time w/b severely effected, especially if the Lakers draft in the 3rd or 4th position and the 6’5 pg’s Russell and/or Mudiay are available.
P. Ami says
BigSid, let me piggy back on that…
Rondo is why we won the ’10 Finals. Being able to put Kobe on I’m with no pressure to go over on picks or close out on shots was a huge advantage. This was the reason the Celtics 4th quarter offense went stagnant all that season. Rondo could not shoot 3s, nor did he finish his FTs. Since that time, maybe due to injuries, Rondo has not developed a 3-shot. Rondo has also gotten worse at the FT line, and he attacks the rim far less often. His shooting percentage at the rim has also gone down. Now, take a look at all the successful teams and their PGs. What do they all do? They hit 3s, get to the rim, and make their free-throws. Rondo does none of those things.
If the Lakers sign Rondo, this tells me two things… The Lakers will not be significantly better nor do the main decision makers in the FO understand how the game is played these days. I get why they went after Brown. I didn’t like it, but I got it. I got why they went after MDA, and was not particularly bothered by it. I was outspoken in my disagreement with the reasons Scott was hired and was very vocal about the data that indicated his weaknesses. Signing Rondo would be another long leap into a direction that is neither sound, nor counterintuitively creative. It is a dumb move. I would be opposed to the Lakers signing Rondo for anything more than an amount I image he would find insulting.
Make smart draft picks and develop them, sign good vets, steal a FA if that becomes an option and send Kobe off with a competitive team. We probably miss the playoffs again in ’16 but the organization needs to make a significant step forward. No more retread coaches and wild swings at giving Kobe another shot at a ring. Chris Wallace is not walking through that door. Almost prime Shaq is not walking through that door. I really hope the FO understands that.
Todd says
P. Ami and BigCitySid : Re signing Rondo.
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Signing Rondo, in the face of all the evidence that points to him being in severe decline, would ensure that the Lakers are irrelevant for the balance of the decade. The new CBA does not reward teams for spending cap space foolishly.
Anonymous says
P. Ami and Lakers’ coaches.
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Jim has made a lot of errors but chief among them is his inability to select an appropriate coach.
1. Mike Brown: Jim wanted to put his mark on the team and unilaterally selected Brown against Kupchak’s choice of Rick Adelman and without consulting Kobe. Brown was over his head in Clv. and was beyond his depth with the Lakers.
2. MDA: Jim and Dr. Buss had a mutual admiration for and distrust of Phil. They felt Phil was using Jeanie to gain control of the Lakers. So when the time came to save his best move, trading for DHoward, Jim couldn’t bring himself to bring Phil back. Bringing in MDA was a poor decision and certainly sealed the fact that Dwight would leave.
Anon says
Mike Brown was an indefensible mistake.
The MDA is defensible from the standpoint, if we believe some of what was written in the press, that Phil wanted a “home games only” gig, with away games being led by an assistant and, more importantly, with a guarantee that he would have control over FO decisions, and that Dr Buss had a long held desire that his children remain in charge of the Lakers well beying his death. With this in mind, there is no way any Buss children not name Jeannie would give the reigns of the organization to an outsider, particularly the three that could lose their jobs. Although this is not a “basketball reasons” argument, it is an argument grounded in the realities of the dynamics of this organization. Assuming Phil was not an option based on the above, then the MDA hiring (keeping in mind who was actually available mid-season that year, coupled with the idea of a Nash-Howard pick and roll tandem) is entirely defensible.
Statistically, the MDA decision is also defensible when looking at Dwight’s offensive numbers. Where it is not defensible, however, is over how it was made without Kobe’s input. The decision to keep him is questionable, unless you entertain the notion that Dwight was not going to resign with the Lakers so long as Kobe was top dog.
Byron Scott can also be viewed as a bad choice – but only to a certain extent. Assuming the Lakers could have signed Quinn Snyder or David Blatt, then B Scott made no sense. If, however, Kobe specifically requested Scott, then the decision is defensible from the standpoint of what had occurred at the time of the MDA hiring. Still, its hard to defend the hiring of an “old school” guy with a marginal overall coaching record and, frankly, a history of modern NBA players tuning him out. But, to be fair, I think B Scott should get a pass given how this roster was designed with a tank in mind. Also, it would not surprise me if he is shown his walking papers in the offseason as part of an effort to bring in a desired free agent signing – but this is very unlikely.
Re Rondo: I think we need to stop thinking about Rondo in terms of absolute “yes” or “no.” Its more of a scale. Rajon Rondo at $12 million a year or as a max player makes no sense. But what if he could be signed for less? Would he make sense at $9m a year? What about $6m a year? Just food for thought.
R says
Perhaps bringing in MDA was a poor decision but bringing Phil back would have been worse. Phil as part time coach? Sorry, hard to take that concept seriously. Phil as GM? How’s that working out in NYC?
I’ll always be greatful for what he did for LA, but all things must pass. PJ’s time in LA was over and I’m glad he’s preoccupied with other matters and a continent away.
14.1 says
I hardly post. Mostly read and have been since the Kurt days. I’ve been a Laker fan since I was a kid in the early 80s and Bryon was one of my favorite players at the time. But as a coach, he is terrible. Hated the Mike Brown hire. Should have been Rick Adelman. Hated the Mike D hire. Dreaded the hiring of Scott. His old school ways of coaching and bball strategies (i.e. 3pts are not effective, etc.) are outdated.
These last few years have been awful waiting on Kobe (i have a kobe jersey and am a fan) to retire so we can rebuild from the ground a new image of the Lakers. I envision the Lakers (in my dreams) rebuilding with a smart sensible coach in the mold of Pop (serious, discipline, good at developing players, good at x’s&o’s) and Kerr (sensible and has a more casual feel/approach with players) with an emphasis on “TEAM” and drafts/signs/retains players who are un-selfish, plays smart team ball. Here is an opportunity for the organization to start over and develop a new attitude and culture that is different from the “Shaq/Kobe, me, me, me” culture of iso plays, drama queens with attitude and hierarchy of players based on egos and star power. We can start over and build a team in the mold of the Spurs, Warriors, and Hawks, teams that build an accountable “team” first culture that plays the right way and is not filled with head cases (like Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Bryon Scott, etc). That is my hope.
I don’t see that happening with Bryon Scott as coach. BS would most likely scare away potentially good free agent candidates. Why would you go to a failing, struggling organization and play for a coach who will criticize you in the media, possibly bench you which could result in an early end to your career? This is a job for the players and they won’t get a new contract if they don’t/can’t play and aren’t seen. They eventually fade out or end up settling for smaller contracts with another team hoping to rebuild their game (resume), reputation and get a second chance. We have seen how bad coaches can hurt free agent signings (Matt Barnes, C. Camen, Pau and a few of our free agents left and one of the reason was the coach), but can also be a deterrent for others to sign with the Lakers. Also a bad coach can also run your organization into the ground by overplaying aging stars hoping to save their jobs (Mike D & Mike B). We will never know what could have been if Kobe wasn’t killing himself every night trying to carry the team.
The Lakers are at a historic low and have a historic opportunity to rebuild the whole team. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a “potential pick” this high and have a few up and coming rookies with a lot of cap space and no existing superstar to build around. It’s been a long time since we’ve had this opportunity. I hope we make the best of it and I hope the Lakers can find the right coach when the time comes.
Robert says
the other Stephen (from 4/7 at 8:31 PM): Fair comment and questions. Byron deserves much of the criticism. He has had a spotty career and overall not a very good record. As rr points – this was all known when he was hired. I predicted and supported the hire because he is a loyal Laker and a good stop gap. My issue with the bashing comes when people somehow think that the evidence is in that Byron is an idiot (1 year), but that the jury is still out on Jim running the ship (4 years). Anyone who wants to clean house entirely, I am all for that. Leaving the FO in place and blaming everything on Byron is just crazy given that we had poor results with MD and Brown as well. What is the commonality amongst all of them?
New Coach: If we can recruit a specific, monster FA with a specific coach, or if we draft a guy who would work well with a specific coach, then I am all for it. However simply hiring a new coach just for the sake of hiring a new coach will be a waste and it will simply be our 4th unsuccessful coach since Phil left. We need to get a roster to go with a new coach. Since a complete, competitive, roster is unlikely in 16, we should stick with Byron. The fantasy of hiring a coach and letting him gradually build a winner over 6 years in not happening in LA (never has in our history).
Calvin: Fair enough – good response. Rather than worry about if they are jerks, how bout this? Neither Jim nor Byron has supplied us with any significant evidence that they are the correct man for the job.
Kobe’s Farewell: How bout we ride out Kobe’s last year, let Byron be the coach, and then get rid of everything that is not nailed down. Jim, Byron, Mitch, Viti, everyone – gone. Ground zero. It is up from there.
BigCitySid says
Nice piece on Okafor’s future outlook in the NBA in Grantland:
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/eight-questions-about-jahlil-okafor-in-the-nba/
Ko says
KO Please find your own name. I really don’t need any help in posting stupid comments.
Robert says
Calvin: Fair enough – good response. Rather than worry about if they are jerks, how bout this? Neither Jim nor Byron has supplied us with any significant evidence that they are the correct man for the job.
Kobe’s Farewell: How bout we ride out Kobe’s last year, let Byron be the coach, and then get rid of everything that is not nailed down. Jim, Byron, Mitch, Viti, everyone – gone. Ground zero. It is up from there.
the other Stephen (from 4/7 at 8:31 PM): Fair comment and questions. Byron deserves much of the criticism. He has had a spotty career and overall not a very good record. As rr points – this was all known when he was hired. I predicted and supported the hire because he is a loyal Laker and a good stop gap. My issue with the bashing comes when people somehow think that the evidence is in that Byron is an idiot (1 year), but that the jury is still out on Jim running the ship (4 years). Anyone who wants to clean house entirely, I am all for that. Leaving the FO in place and blaming everything on Byron is just crazy given that we had poor results with MD and Brown as well. What is the commonality amongst all of them?
the other Stephen (from 4/7 at 8:31 PM): Fair comment and questions. Byron deserves much of the criticism. He has had a spotty career and overall not a very good record. As rr points – this was all known when he was hired. I predicted and supported the hire because he is a loyal Laker and a good stop gap. My issue with the bashing comes when people somehow think that the evidence is in that Byron is an idiot (1 year), but that the jury is still out on Jim running the ship (4 years). Anyone who wants to clean house entirely, I am all for that. Leaving the FO in place and blaming everything on Byron is just crazy given that we had poor results with MD and Brown as well. What is the commonality amongst all of them?
Anon says
Wait.. we have more than one Ko! This is gonna be good!
the other Stephen says
Fake Ko/Trip, seriously, please stop.
Ko says
100% agree with roberts last post!