Reaction To Kobe Bryant Interview...

Thoughts?
http://www.nba.com/lakers/video/110112bryant

I think it's HILARIOUS!! lol Funniest points,
1:28 "we're scoring alot of points. EFFICIENTLY." As if he's been hearing all the princeton scrapping noise.
3:30 area.
Funniest part imo, 4:05. kobe: "Well yea right. because the message changes according to who's giving it?" ramona: "yea" kobe's face: I WAS DYING HERE. lol.

needed a laugh. Glad he's brightening up the mood somewhat. Great for him to put it in perspective on how calm they are, yet urgent as well. Thoughts?
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Edit.
I also gave a few points on what I thought of last nights game, as well as my prediction against the clips. I'm thinking hopefully I can get a few community members together and talk about the lakers. For the community, from the community. If anyone is interested in that idea, please let me know. Hope you enjoy it.

I can't help but feel better and confident whenever Kobe talks like this.

But I'm afraid that confidence will quickly go away after seeing Brown make some stupid substitutions.

I liked it a lot

The rotations and adjustments (or lack thereof) won't get better with time ... these are structural problems regardless of the system talks

kobeee!!!

Why you no say we creating a play for metta?!

Bwahahaha great interview. Urgency is all it is. The team needs time to learn the O, but where's the hustle and energy that puts you over the top on talent itself.

I think the fact that this thread has so few posts is a testament to how many people really have no faith in this offense.

Just look at the numbers guys. The offense is not the issue and Kobe is 100% right. Was this system designed for teams with less talent to compete with more talented teams? Yes. So was the Triangle. What happens when you add in incredible talent with a system? Well if the Triangle is any indication, good things happen. And it's important to note, that we're not solely running Princeton, we're allowed to break that set and run pick and roll if Nash (or I'm sure Kobe) feels that instead.

And I loved this point: before the Triangle won 6 rings, it hadn't won anything either. People said the same thing. Patience people. Patience.

I wonder how many of you and the players will keep believing in the this "patience" stuff when the loss keeps mounting.....

therealdeal wrote:
And I loved this point: before the Triangle won 6 rings, it hadn't won anything either. People said the same thing. Patience people. Patience.

Apples to Oranges. It's not "The Triangle is similar to Princeton, therefore everything is going to be ok" like Kobe is implying.

Here's what it actually is; the Triangle with Tex Winter organizing the offense and Phil Jackson managing the team attitude/perspective won 11 rings.

The Princeton with Eddie Jordan organizing the offense in part with Mike Brown's influence and Mike Brown managing the team attitude/perspective which is not even close to the 11 ring scenario for two very big reasons. EJ + MB do not = TW + PJ.

The one constant in both scenarios is Kobe. I have some well placed faith in him and so I'll be patient for a while yet, but I have zero patient confidence in Princeton, Mike Brown, and Eddie Jordan because they have never given me reason for confidence in them. Confidence is based on past success. Kobe is actually asking us to be patient based partly on the Triangle, Phil, and Tex's track record but they are not here anymore.

The comparison of the coaches is fair, but Howard, Nash, Gasol, and Kobe at age 34 are also much wiser and much more savvy than any of the young buck Laker teams that won Championships with the psuedo-Triangle. The player differential will come into play nearly as much as the coaching differential will.

Maybe I have more faith than is good for me, but up until the NBA Finals in 1991 Phil and the Triangle hadn't won an NBA Championship either. There was no reason to have faith in Phil back then either. With this offense, I disregard much of Brown's influence and consider Eddie Jordan. Jordan is one of the world's leading experts on the Princeton. He might be just behind Adelman. I have faith that he will orchestrate an offense, coupled with our insane talent, that can be successful.

If you want to derive your confidence from Kobe that's cool. I have faith in Jordan and all of our starters as far as this offense is concerned. Well maybe not Metta...

therealdeal wrote:The comparison of the coaches is fair, but Howard, Nash, Gasol, and Kobe at age 34 are also much wiser and much more savvy than any of the young buck Laker teams that won Championships with the psuedo-Triangle. The player differential will come into play nearly as much as the coaching differential will.

Maybe I have more faith than is good for me, but up until the NBA Finals in 1991 Phil and the Triangle hadn't won an NBA Championship either. There was no reason to have faith in Phil back then either. With this offense, I disregard much of Brown's influence and consider Eddie Jordan. Jordan is one of the world's leading experts on the Princeton. He might be just behind Adelman. I have faith that he will orchestrate an offense, coupled with our insane talent, that can be successful.

If you want to derive your confidence from Kobe that's cool. I have faith in Jordan and all of our starters as far as this offense is concerned. Well maybe not Metta...

Listen, Michael Freaking Jordan never won anything until Phil + Tex hit town. Shaq and Kobe never won until Phil + Tex hit town. I think you may be far undervaluing the unique and dynamic mix that was Phil + Tex + Triangle. To assume that Brown + EJ + Princeton are even in the same solar system is to me a gigantic leap of misplaced faith.

Good interview. However, I still don't have confidence in Mike Brown. Kobe sounds confident. I just don't pour out confidence when Kobe has to play 38 minutes on a bum foot in Portland because Brown doesn't have the sense to play Meeks.

That type of moronic thinking as me worried. It's not the system, players, defense, or even turnovers that worry me up until this point; all that can be fixed. It's Mike Brown's inept ability to manage minutes for his stars such as the way Popovich does for the Spurs. I really hope I'm wrong and these minutes come down for the starters...

The mob mentality is that lets go criticize the offense cause that would somehow get Mike Brown fired. Well, look to the other side of the ball to do that you guys. If our defense suffers that's on Mike Brown. Rotations, that's on Mike Brown. But the offense is primarily EJ driven and even player driven (ie Nash, Kobe could choose when to play iso, P&R, a 2 man set, etc.). Fans should be disgusted in the fact that our defense is putrid (Portland had a 100 points by the 9 minute mark in the 4th). Fans should be disgusted that this talented roster hasn't really been a threat to win a game...its always been the Lakers trying to overcome a huge deficit to get a win. You look at this roster and there is no way that we shouldn't be up double digits on opponents let alone be in control of winning a game. But we just haven't seen that yet....we are getting pummeled and that simply should not be happening.

And lets not act like the Princeton is the sole reason we are scoring efficiently. How about we got alot more talent this season compared to last season. In Portland there were many times that the offense broke off and it became a set/concept that was familiar to our starters...and they got buckets cause of their talent. You go to our bench and its obvious they have no clue what is going on and you have Blake and Jamison in that unit with a great amount of exposure and understanding of the Princeton.

I really think the offense will come and frankly I like a half-court game that relies on a team dynamic. But after ample time to learn it, the team as a whole looks like they have no clue what they're doing out there. Defensively, the same type of confusion can be seen and it obviously reflects on the scoreboard. So what is the problem? Communication. Remember that Phil/Tex came on board and within that 1st season, you had a team surge out the gates and gain league tops of a 67-15 record. And the triangle is not a simple concept, yet that team looked like they knew what they were doing. This team is super talented and largely a veteran team, yet here we are looking completely befuddled. Mike said that the team was running the same defensive sets/concepts from last season, so the learning curve isn't as steep on that, yet look at the opposing teams numbers on offense. Yikes. You pretty much have an impasse in Mike trying to get through to his players. Is it because of a lack of respect for him...is it cause he's an awful teacher/communicator? Mike brings up effort as a reason for deficiencies, then why does he hold lengthy practices...why does he keep our starters out for extended minutes? These are things the media and fans should be trying to get answered, not the offense.

TIME wrote:
Listen, Michael Freaking Jordan never won anything until Phil + Tex hit town. Shaq and Kobe never won until Phil + Tex hit town. I think you may be far undervaluing the unique and dynamic mix that was Phil + Tex + Triangle. To assume that Brown + EJ + Princeton are even in the same solar system is to me a gigantic leap of misplaced faith.

I've never been a fan of that kind of thinking. Because Phil and Tex never won anything until Jordan came around.

I'm not assuming that Eddie Jordan and the Princeton is going to win us 11 Championships. I'm thinking that Eddie Jordan and the Princeton CAN win us THIS Championship. Very big difference. Back in 91 I remember thinking that the Triangle wasn't all that. The Triangle wasn't necessary to win.

Well we've since learned differently.

Why CAN'T the same be said for the Princeton? They're cousins of each other and they're both predicated off of flow, movement, and options instead of sets. Why CAN'T the Princeton win with this team?

therealdeal wrote:

TIME wrote:
Listen, Michael Freaking Jordan never won anything until Phil + Tex hit town. Shaq and Kobe never won until Phil + Tex hit town. I think you may be far undervaluing the unique and dynamic mix that was Phil + Tex + Triangle. To assume that Brown + EJ + Princeton are even in the same solar system is to me a gigantic leap of misplaced faith.

I've never been a fan of that kind of thinking. Because Phil and Tex never won anything until Jordan came around.

I'm not assuming that Eddie Jordan and the Princeton is going to win us 11 Championships. I'm thinking that Eddie Jordan and the Princeton CAN win us THIS Championship. Very big difference. Back in 91 I remember thinking that the Triangle wasn't all that. The Triangle wasn't necessary to win.

Well we've since learned differently.

Why CAN'T the same be said for the Princeton? They're cousins of each other and they're both predicated off of flow, movement, and options instead of sets. Why CAN'T the Princeton win with this team?

Really? You are still questioning the mysterious but obviously dramatically successful mix that was Phil + Tex + Triangle? That mix went on to win another 5 after Jordan. That mix won with three completely different teams. It was SPECIAL as in almost impossible to even get anywhere close to it, and certainly will never be duplicated or matched.

I am NOT saying the Princeton + MB + EJ can't win a championship. I really really hope they do this year. The system is not a bad conceptual system from a basketball purist perspective. But, my preference with 2 new key players plus one developmentally slow starter (Metta) is to simplify everything on offense and concentrate all the instruction on D. We have the single best P&R pair in the league with Nash and D12. Add to that the still best SG and still dangerous weapon in Pau and I just don't see the need for the Princeton.

I should add that while the Princeton can be described as a cousin of the Triangle, Mike Brown + Eddie Jordan are not cousins of of Phil + Tex.

Damn....I'm pretty sure Kobe reads CL.

TIME wrote:Really? You are still questioning the mysterious but obviously dramatically successful mix that was Phil + Tex + Triangle? That mix went on to win another 5 after Jordan. That mix won with three completely different teams. It was SPECIAL as in almost impossible to even get anywhere close to it, and certainly will never be duplicated or matched.

What are you talking about man? Where did I say I am STILL questioning it? Whre did I try to say anything bad about it at all? I gave it nothing but credit, what are you talking about? Where did I say it was going to matched? Where did I say anything negative about it in terms of it's success?

TIME wrote:I am NOT saying the Princeton + MB + EJ can't win a championship. I really really hope they do this year. The system is not a bad conceptual system from a basketball purist perspective. But, my preference with 2 new key players plus one developmentally slow starter (Metta) is to simplify everything on offense and concentrate all the instruction on D. We have the single best P&R pair in the league with Nash and D12. Add to that the still best SG and still dangerous weapon in Pau and I just don't see the need for the Princeton.
I'm n

I see even MORE reason for this offense. If we had Nash and Howard during our Triangle days, I'd STILL want to run the Triangle. Especially when you consider Nash's age and the fact that he doesn't want to be the only source of offense. At 38 he needs a system offense that allows us to be successful without him tiring himself out 82 games and into the playoffs.

Besides, a system offense helps keep our bench honest and helps keep the team from being dependent on one person to make it work.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't run more pick and roll. If you look through my posts you'll find that I've been wanting to run much more pick and roll so that our team is still winning games while we win. But Nash HIMSELF has said that he's holding back that option so that our team continues to learn this offense and so that we're ready to go when the games are on the line. Obviously we need to start winning games, but if we're going to struggle, it might as well be now.

It's only a matter of time. The Lakers aren't guaranteed their 150 million from TWC this year. They get it at the end of the season, after endorsement money has been collected. If the Lakers suck, then revenue will be much less, and the owners will suffer with their huge luxury tax bill. In the long run, it's cheaper to fire MB and eat his guaranteed money, than it is to lose $50 million from TWC.

therealdeal wrote:

TIME wrote:Really? You are still questioning the mysterious but obviously dramatically successful mix that was Phil + Tex + Triangle? That mix went on to win another 5 after Jordan. That mix won with three completely different teams. It was SPECIAL as in almost impossible to even get anywhere close to it, and certainly will never be duplicated or matched.

What are you talking about man? Where did I say I am STILL questioning it? Whre did I try to say anything bad about it at all? I gave it nothing but credit, what are you talking about? Where did I say it was going to matched? Where did I say anything negative about it in terms of it's success?

TIME wrote:I am NOT saying the Princeton + MB + EJ can't win a championship. I really really hope they do this year. The system is not a bad conceptual system from a basketball purist perspective. But, my preference with 2 new key players plus one developmentally slow starter (Metta) is to simplify everything on offense and concentrate all the instruction on D. We have the single best P&R pair in the league with Nash and D12. Add to that the still best SG and still dangerous weapon in Pau and I just don't see the need for the Princeton.
I'm n

I see even MORE reason for this offense. If we had Nash and Howard during our Triangle days, I'd STILL want to run the Triangle. Especially when you consider Nash's age and the fact that he doesn't want to be the only source of offense. At 38 he needs a system offense that allows us to be successful without him tiring himself out 82 games and into the playoffs.

Besides, a system offense helps keep our bench honest and helps keep the team from being dependent on one person to make it work.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't run more pick and roll. If you look through my posts you'll find that I've been wanting to run much more pick and roll so that our team is still winning games while we win. But Nash HIMSELF has said that he's holding back that option so that our team continues to learn this offense and so that we're ready to go when the games are on the line. Obviously we need to start winning games, but if we're going to struggle, it might as well be now.

I'm not saying you dissed the Triangle + Phil + Tex. I'm saying your post above does not recognize that installing a system that is a Triangle cousin is not what won those 11 championships. You are arguing that the Princeton can and likely will win because it is so similar conceptually to the Triangle. My whole point is that without intending to, you inadvertently are diminishing Phil + Tex's unique influence on how that system worked.

Let me give you an example of my point. Kurt Rambis learned the Triangle under Phil + Tex. He then attempted valiantly to implement it in Minny. Crash and burn. Not just no championship, but abysmal failure. Does that make the Triangle a bad system? No, but would Phil + Tex have been more successful than Rambis was if they had installed and managed the exact same system in Minny? I'm convinced they would have at least had a winning team unlike Rambis. The reason is that Rambis is not Phil. Neither is Mike Brown. And while Eddie Jordan seems pretty sharp (I'd prefer him for HC over Brown), he is no Tex.

Please don't take my post as a slam on you. My point is that what is missing here is not a system but skilled and proven leadership. With the right leader, almost any system will work. With the wrong leader almost any system will fail, so we are better off simplifying and leaning on the skills of our best four players.

I did not intend whatsoever to diminish anything, and I don't feel like I did.

I am saying the Princeton has the capacity for success because it similar to the Triangle in the idea that is is a system and not a set offense. I am now convinced set offenses are far less likely to succeed.

And I'm not arguing that the Princeton will win because it's like the Triangle. I'm saying the Princeton CAN win because we're running it with 4 very intelligent players that can make it work.

That example is another problematic one. The Triangle has been run with Phil and done poorly as well (relatively of course). You're right that Phil would have done better with the Wolves, but not that much better because their roster simply wasn't talented enough. Our roster IS talented enough. What I'm saying is that our players now can make the Princeton work because of who they are. Keep in mind, it's not 100% the Princeton offense, but something that Eddie Jordan schemed to maximize the team's talents. I have faith in it. I've seen it look amazing and I've seen it have success, it just needs time to come together.

I understand simplifying our offense to make it easier, but in my opinion that's the easy way out. Simplifying it means letting Nash and Howard run pick and roll most of the game. But what does that do to Kobe? He's then mostly a spectator and he doesn't have the rhythm he's used to. What does that do to Pau? it makes him less effective. What does that do to Nash? It tires him out. And then what happens when the pick and roll doesn't work and Kobe's cold and Pau's out of rhtythm offensively? We're screwed. A system offense will help this team in the long run it just takes a bit of time. Not to mention how much it will help the bench once the bench is smoothed out as well.

Once things start clicking, the baskets will be so easy for everyone that people will forget all about the last two games. The MORE troubling part is the defense and the rotations. THAT is a reason for concern because those are repeat problems from last season.

Fantastic interview from Kobe....that sentence when he say that there is nobody who wants to win more then him, nobody its just phenomenal....and thats why I like him as a player, he wants to WIN and he dont care about anything else

Vasashi17 wrote:The mob mentality is that lets go criticize the offense cause that would somehow get Mike Brown fired. Well, look to the other side of the ball to do that you guys. If our defense suffers that's on Mike Brown. Rotations, that's on Mike Brown. But the offense is primarily EJ driven and even player driven (ie Nash, Kobe could choose when to play iso, P&R, a 2 man set, etc.). Fans should be disgusted in the fact that our defense is putrid (Portland had a 100 points by the 9 minute mark in the 4th). Fans should be disgusted that this talented roster hasn't really been a threat to win a game...its always been the Lakers trying to overcome a huge deficit to get a win. You look at this roster and there is no way that we shouldn't be up double digits on opponents let alone be in control of winning a game. But we just haven't seen that yet....we are getting pummeled and that simply should not be happening.

And lets not act like the Princeton is the sole reason we are scoring efficiently. How about we got alot more talent this season compared to last season. In Portland there were many times that the offense broke off and it became a set/concept that was familiar to our starters...and they got buckets cause of their talent. You go to our bench and its obvious they have no clue what is going on and you have Blake and Jamison in that unit with a great amount of exposure and understanding of the Princeton.

I really think the offense will come and frankly I like a half-court game that relies on a team dynamic. But after ample time to learn it, the team as a whole looks like they have no clue what they're doing out there. Defensively, the same type of confusion can be seen and it obviously reflects on the scoreboard. So what is the problem? Communication. Remember that Phil/Tex came on board and within that 1st season, you had a team surge out the gates and gain league tops of a 67-15 record. And the triangle is not a simple concept, yet that team looked like they knew what they were doing. This team is super talented and largely a veteran team, yet here we are looking completely befuddled. Mike said that the team was running the same defensive sets/concepts from last season, so the learning curve isn't as steep on that, yet look at the opposing teams numbers on offense. Yikes. You pretty much have an impasse in Mike trying to get through to his players. Is it because of a lack of respect for him...is it cause he's an awful teacher/communicator? Mike brings up effort as a reason for deficiencies, then why does he hold lengthy practices...why does he keep our starters out for extended minutes? These are things the media and fans should be trying to get answered, not the offense.

I love when CL Mods are going at it

nameant wrote:Damn....I'm pretty sure Kobe reads CL.

same.

Kobe isn't really justified in telling us to "shut up". We're the paying fans, we pay with our wallets and our emotional investment. We have a right to voice our concerns. We have a right to be skeptical.

Aside from that, I would agree that he makes a somewhat compelling argument. It's just that it's kind of hard to swallow with Brown and the coaching staff we have.