Aloha From Training Camp Day 7

The following comes from our very own member LaKeShOwHoRiZoN… who has attended the Lakers’ training camp practices in Hawaii.

Aloha ClubLakers…

Today they were scrimmaging full court and most of the guys that were on the floor were either starters or in my opinion guys potentially looking to crack the game rotation tomorrow. Just my opinion. Guys like Kobe, Lamar, Kwame, Mihm, Cook, Slava, McKie (was on more than I saw yesterday), George and so forth, all on the scrimmage floor. They really looked like they were seriously gearing up for tomorrow’s game. The two camp guys in Devin Green and Smush (well not really surprised anymore) were on the court a lot in addition to the mentioned players above. And so was Wafer for a bit. In the scene were both Kupchak and Bertka, sitting up in the stands. I believe there were a few guests who were invited to watch a whole lot more of practice.

- One word to describe the full court scrimmage: DEFENSE. FULL COURT DEFENSE non-stop. Every time someone would make a basket, they would already be in place, organized. Everyone vocalized. Very aggressive. They were practicing some zone too–crowding the area, packing it in, something of a phobia for Duncan. They look hungry on defense.

- It was a nice, highly intense scrimmage as they were simultaneously practicing full-court pressure defense and breaking it. My God, McKie looks good handling the ball in pressure situations. So not only is he looking good pressuring wise, he looked impressive handling it. He has got a KNACK for handling the ball man, damn. He and Lamar were the two-guard fronts while Kobe again on the wing, pretty much playing the small forward role on offense. McKie still looks quick enough, fresh legs it seems so far in camp. So McKie looks real good handling pressure, and so was Lamar. It’s great to see Lamar on the perimeter more and more now, it’s so intriguing to see. Two big guard fronts handling pressure well was pretty damn impressive. It was funny/weird seeing Cook defending on the perimeter in couple sequences.

- Along with Phil, Pip again was instrumental during this time frame. Can’t stress that enough. They both were really in control of what was happening on the floor as they’re roles were coach/referee. A trip to see Pip carrying around a whistle. During dead balls, Pip would be talking to both Odom and McKie a lot.

- The two lineups that were mostly in there: McKie, Odom, Kwame, Cook, Bryant, with Devin Green subbing in. The other: Smush, Bobbitt, Slava, and George, with Wafer subbing in. George looks good physically, playing hard and very aggressive defensively. He made a nice anticipation steal, cleared for the layup the other way. Cook’s playing hard too. Kwame looks more mature with his play now and he was getting to his spots better this time around than yesterday, from what I saw. Kwame was actually telling Kobe to hit ‘em as he was cutting to the free throw line. Can’t say enough about how Kwame’s looking good physically. He was posting up some and making his shots. Well, at least the big men there can’t really do nothing to him.

- Aside from breaking the press, the Triangle looked more sidelined today. The guys are also very, very vocal on offense, and it’s a trip because anytime anyone would hold the ball for a long time, the four other guys would YELL for the ball to be passed, swung. They want the ball moving quickly. Couple times, Slava was holding the ball for awhile and they were yelling at him to keep it moving. So it’s pleasant to see them knowing what they want to get accomplished and being very vocal about it. When Wafer was in, he was shooting a lot. He had many opportunities to shoot and boy he didn’t pass it up. He didn’t hit all of it but he is not afraid to shoot for sure. And from what I saw, McKie looked comfortable posting up. He was posting up Luke couple times, made a nice turnaround for the score. Mihm looked more comfortable in the post.

- Everyone looks more mobile in the Tri, constantly moving, a lot of cutting action. Lamar had a nice behind-the-back pass to Cook who sneakily cut down low and was wide open near the basket. The angle that Lamar passed it was nuts! Wow that was beautiful, and Kobe showed his satisfaction with his famed “pumping his fist” to Lamar. Lamar is always looking for guys. They were really looking for the cutters.

- And what I find most gratifying out of all of this is Kobe playing very well in the flow of the offense. He never forced anything. Just played like part of the whole. Really focused on moving the ball. Really glad to see what I’m seeing from Kobe, playing more mature out there and seems consistent with it.

- Damn, Smush Parker loves to handle the ball. When they were applying full-court pressure, he was handling it pretty well and it looked like he wanted it. He was handling it A LOT. The “And 1 brotha� looks fearless handling the ball, as if he really trusts himself handling the rock. Just my take. Lamar and Smush were guarding each other too.

- There was an interesting dead ball situation where McKie, Kwame, Odom, Kobe, Cook, and Devin Green were all huddling with Rambis. It looked heated. I have no idea what they were talking about, but it looked intensely heated to me. I don’t know I just liked the intensity that I saw during that time. Lamar, Kobe, McKie . . . getting in each other’s faces.

- Conditioning drills: They were doing suicides for the rest of the time with additional suicides based on free-throw misses. Kobe again sprinting like there’s no tomorrow and Smush one of the notable ones trying to keep up with him. Cook running hard. Kwame running hard. What was funny was the free-throw conditioning stuff. Everyone shot pressure free-throws and how many they missed was how many suicides they had to run. Jackson and his whistle stood rite under the basket. They did three sets of this as they made most of their free-throws on the third and last set. Pretty much the ones who missed were George, Wafer, Walton, Lamar. Some would sigh when some missed. When Lamar missed he got pissed. Slammed the ball against the backboard. On the third set, when Sasha was on the line, you could see Wafer quietly saying like a kid, “Please, please, please.”

That whole stretch was kinda funny to see. Phil was really yelling a couple times when they were running suicides: “Come on! Get yourselves through this!”

Some Phil Jackson interview quotes and tidbits:

- Bucher asked how his experience has been so far based on his expectations: Phil said he didn’t really have any expectations, he tries to live without it, although difficult. But he does expect to see the team have discipline, and “be able to have some poise on the floor”, and to be able to “execute some skills” that are important for the functioning of the offense.

- Today he said they were working again on basic skills, “simple things like passing, footwork, ball control.” He said it’s been “real priorities for us.” They’ve also worked on hard, defensive ball contested stuff. As far as the play and energy of the team, he said that he would like to “congratulate them on their effort.”

- A lot of emphasis today on execution.

- On Bynum: He said he has some “deficits” to work with, with him having some issues physically but can be addressed by the training staff. Mentioned how the training staff has improved over the years and can help strengthen Bynum. On whether Bynum will get some playing time: “Way too early to tell that.”

- Q: What do you think of that team Miami has around Shaq?:

A: “I don’t know what it is, I haven’t looked at their roster.”

Q: Not at all?:

A: “No not all”, Phil said chuckling.

- Reporters were naming names of the lineup to educate dumbfounded Phil, and Broderick Turner mentioned jokingly, “Antoine Walker…you do know about that one right?”
“Yeah the coaching staff told me he was down there.”

- Jackson said non-interestingly, “Pretty diverse group of guys. They’ve got a……a defensive team and a….three point gun and running team.” All the reporters were laughing at this time. Jackson looked like, what…what’s so funny.

- Phil again on Miami: “Suppose you have to see it function on the court before you could make any judgement. They obviously feel like they really need three point shooters to get around Shaq and they got that.”

Tex Winter quotes and tidbits:

- On Phil coming back: He said it was good for him taking the year off and that Jackson “always has the ability to rejuvenate himself with his yoga and his meditation,” a smiling Tex Winter said.

- Winter said Phil’s mindset is looking forward to “his challenge he has with this young team. And it’s really going to be a challenge.” He was laughing when he said the last part.
- On harping on the guys about the Seven Principles of a Sound Offense: He said not yet but, “they’re violating a number of those,” he said laughingly.

- On the guys getting a feel for the Tri: Winter said that they’re getting the idea but they haven’t been really concentrating on the Triangle. “It’s been mostly defensively, pressing defense,” Winter said. He says they’re spending a lot more time on pressure defense than they have at developing the Tri. Consequently he says, “the defense is way ahead of the offense and so it is going to be a slower process.” Tex talking defense. Wow. haha.

- Winter on Luke Walton:
Q: Will we see Luke getting some time as a backup initiator?

A: “I think Walton can play one, two, three, positions,” Winter boastfully said.

- He also spoke of how good of an all-around player Luke was and that he understands the game real well, and “has a good sense for it.”

- “He’ll be a very fine addition for us.”

Injury Report:
Laron Profit again sitting out practice and probably will be for some time. Bynum out but on the treadmill and shooting a little, messing with Scottie a little. Blount practiced. And Black said Lamar should see some action tomorrow. Great news on the Odom front.

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