The Optimistic Thread! (TRD's FREEDOM THREAD!)

therealdeal wrote:He's been getting better at it. I think it takes more energy to do it that way, often a second jump which might be taxing on him at this point...

That block I think was about as good as we could expect from him. He came over and made a tremendous play, but the ball just barely bounces out of the reach of Metta and despite the great close out... well that's been a microcosm of our season thus far.

But hey, the important note is that Dwight made that block. That was a terrific defensive play.

I just think if he can volleyball spike it he can control it as well but I guess it looks better to everyone watching when he spikes it like that.

I never said it looked better?

The point is, if you block a shot, it's not like the shot suddenly stops and floats down to your hands. To control the ball most of the time you have to jump up, tap it, jump up and tap it again and come down with it. It takes multiple efforts. Right now that seems difficult for him.

Watch that play again anyway. He could have blocked that directly at Gallinari's face, but he actually tapped it pretty well. It just happened to bounce the wrong way... He didn't do anything wrong at all on that play, sometimes the bounce just doesn't go your way.

^^^didn't mean the look better to you, I just think it's Howards mentality to try and spike everything back into people faces or into front row. I didn't say he didn't anything wrong on the play, I just seen alot of times where is capable of palming it down rather then per your suggestion of just tapping it and re jumping to get the ball.

But that's incredibly difficult though. You really have to sky and be above the ball for that kind of a block. I don't think he has that explosion in him right now. Getting up to just grab it? That's hard to do too when you're in the position he's in physically.

We will finish 4-0 this upcoming week & finally get over .500 since the championship years, don't believe me? Just watch...

well, Dwight got me 26 rebs and i won that category in fantasy...


that's all i got

I thought Kobe played an excellent 1st, 2nd, and 4th quarters. He was awesome.

GoldenKnight wrote:We will finish 4-0 this upcoming week & finally get over .500 since the championship years, don't believe me? Just watch...

^^ That is some serious optimism! I definitely admire that fire, I just hope the Lakers feel the same and come through. We need a new winning streak so badly it hurts right now.

khmrP wrote:

dj vitus wrote:

khmrP wrote:

lakersin4 wrote:

khmrP wrote:how does Mem get cap relief trading Gay for Pau?

Pau to 3rd team that provides cap relief. Hence "Pau should still have enough value to atleast get the cap relief they want"

I bet you couldn't think of said 3rd team

Pau to ATL, JSmith + filler to Mem, Rudy Gay to Lakers?

Then offer the max to KLove in 2015.

right cause Atl would so love to give up an expiring young player who's playing at his best for old declining $20mill/yr guy and ADD to the package to boot

Assuming Smoove pulls a "Ceballos" and they're forced to trade him.

More serously, though, Detroit has a couple expirings that could possibly work.

i guess now Nash has to shoot more?


there, i found one!

Kobe will score 60 in one of these games I am sure....maybe he can catch 81..... I am optimistic about that one

That picture got me thinking...

I believe in this team still. Even with these injuries, even with the adversity, and even with the chemistry clearly lacking.

We've had some of the worst luck you can ever ask for or expect, but these things tend to balance themselves out eventually. And these injuries could actually help pull this team together. Losing has become something normal unfortunately and so that can't really be used as a catalyst anymore.

Injuries, especially in a chunk like this, are something that can be a catalyst. We might lose these games coming up, but some things that can and I believe will happen:

1. Guys who don't play as much will play more and feel better. I'm thinking about those end of the bench guys like Clark, Ebanks, and especially Jamison.

2. Guys will APPRECIATE each other more. No more looking at Gasol and Howard and thinking "why can't they do this?" or "why can't they do that?". We as fans, and they as players, will have a greater appreciation for what's going on within themselves.

This is a chance for them to come together. It might be the last chance. I hope it happens.

Maybe Popovich will rest his starters against us

Please Pop.

Battle Tested20 wrote:Maybe Popovich will rest his starters against us

Please Pop.

their bench almost beach Mia in Mia

Hey, at least we still have one 7 footer playing for us........

maybe the 3 bigs that are out can hang out during this stretch and build some chemistry

khmrP wrote:maybe the 3 bigs that are out can hang out during this stretch and build some chemistry

as long as they dont go bowling, im ok with that

pound4pound1 wrote:

khmrP wrote:maybe the 3 bigs that are out can hang out during this stretch and build some chemistry

as long as they dont go bowling, im ok with that

, I trust these guys not to have Bynumeque Knees

Ticket prices are gonna go down maybe I should attend some games

pound4pound1 wrote:

khmrP wrote:maybe the 3 bigs that are out can hang out during this stretch and build some chemistry

as long as they dont go bowling, im ok with that

I can see it too. D12 bowls, squeels in pain from the torn labrum, ball slips out of his hand, ball hits Pau in the head. Pau doubles over lands on Hills hips.

Wham, bam, boom. Trifecta.

Well, Jamison will finally get some playing time.

Lot of positives to take from this game.. Dwight played with more energy than he usually does & dominated the boards.. if that trend continues, we're going to be a better team. He's been struggling a bit since MDA came but hopefully this is a sign of things to come. Ron played some amazing defense for stretches that helped us get back in the game.. Pau played better but still had some pathetic lack of effort plays. We really need him to play at his 17/9/2 level if we're going to win anything this year.. Jordan Hill is a bright spot every single game. Nash was Nash, some terrible defense especially down the stretch.. But that's a personnel issue more than anything.. He was never guarding good pg's down the stretch of close games in Phx.. Kobe can't carry the load offensively & play that kind of defense on pg's.. We really need a reserve guard that can stay in front of PG's. I like Meeks but his shot hasn't been falling & he isn't taking those defensive assignments.. I think that's a position we need to look to improve at via the annual small trade or 2 we make.

Juronimo wrote:Well, Jamison will finally get some playing time.

This is the optimistic thread dude!

Texas Lakers Fan wrote:There's nothing to be optimistic about. We're done.

Convince Nash/Kobe to retire, trade Gasoft, let Dwight walk, and rebuild.

Can we convince YOU to retire? Can we trade you? Can we let you walk?

Anything to get you off this board please.