WMC 12/13: Mercy kill. (0-4)

The Rock wrote:Have faith guys. I know last night was a let down but heres the opportunity for this team to right the ship. 35-16 rest of the way to get to 50 wins is still possible. We can do this

Hopefully the players who deserve to close the games get to close it out now, Pau had his shot, time for more Jamison, Hill and MWP and maybe more Meeks instead of Morris.

To me, it's not even a matter of faith. I might be one of the only ones here to think this, and most of you will probably think I'm delusional, but I'm CONFIDENT that we'll turn this around and be a deadly team. I've liked the way we've been playing since Nash came back. I really do see big improvements on both ends. Against Denver, I thought we executed very well offensively and I thought our defense wasn't as terrible as it looked. It was all the offensive boards that killed us and Corey Brewer going 6/7 from the three point line is not a regularity. Last night, again, I thought our execution was good, we just couldn't make a bucket. We're not going to shoot under 40% from the field or 15% from the three point line very often. Pau and Dwight, despite their offensive flaws, are not going to go 3/19 again. We hit a few more of those makeable shots and we easily win the game.

Brewer doesn't catch fire, Dwight doesn't get ejected, the entire team doesn't go cold against Philly and simply convert a few more shots and we're looking at an 8 game winning streak and everyone would be ecstatic.

Helljumper wrote:To me, it's not even a matter of faith. I might be one of the only ones here to think this, and most of you will probably think I'm delusional, but I'm CONFIDENT that we'll turn this around and be a deadly team. I've liked the way we've been playing since Nash came back. I really do see big improvements on both ends. Against Denver, I thought we executed very well offensively and I thought our defense wasn't as terrible as it looked. It was all the offensive boards that killed us and Corey Brewer going 6/7 from the three point line is not a regularity. Last night, again, I thought our execution was good, we just couldn't make a bucket. We're not going to shoot under 40% from the field or 15% from the three point line very often. Pau and Dwight, despite their offensive flaws, are not going to go 3/19 again. We hit a few more of those makeable shots and we easily win the game.

Brewer doesn't catch fire, Dwight doesn't get ejected, the entire team doesn't go cold against Philly and simply convert a few more shots and we're looking at an 8 game winning streak and everyone would be ecstatic.

HJ- You are not alone. I have faith in this team because simply we have had the worse luck to start the season. Some teams are playing great ball right now (Clippers for example) but the NBA is a long season and has major swings due to injuries, slumps etc... The Lakers are just "missing" the big runs which comes with being able to play together. I think we go on a double digit run and soon.

just getting some things off my chest.

1) we're a jump shooting team, which means long rebounds, which means young teams kill us on the break
a. jump shooting teams also don't draw as many fouls. luckily everyone hacks dwight, but we should be dominating teams even more at the FT line and knocking their top defenders out of the game with foul trouble.

2) i don't see guys on the team sacrificing. kobe isn't sacrificing shots, pau isn't sacrificing his body, mda isn't sacrificing his focus on offense

3) we are super slow at positions 1-3 relative to the league. we're getting destroyed on the perimeter. relying on great rotation defense every time down is not a solution. we may just not have the right horses for today's game.

4) even when we're in the half court, we don't post guys enough. kobe is the best post player in the game, and we don't get it to him on the block more often. dwight should be getting more touches down low. if nothing else than to get guys in foul trouble.

5) decision making is terrible. mwp flinging up crazy shots in the lane, kobe jacking up fadeaway 22 footers, dwight with some weak touch fouls, etc

6) morris starting, baffles me

7) play jordan hill more, he's got some fight in him

STARTERS:

Nash
Kobe
Metta
Pau
Dwight

D'Antoni needs to quit it with this Morris garbage already & get Jamison some PT

A little off topic, but I want to see what detractors have to say regarding the argument that ANY coach could win a championship with a stacked line-up because they claim that Phil won only because he inherited good teams and that any other coach would've gotten the same result (championship).

Mike Brown has proven he was unable to do so with last year's group, and Mike D'Antoni is similarly proving that he might be unable to also (which I hope not since there are still a lot of games left).

Helljumper wrote:

The Rock wrote:Have faith guys. I know last night was a let down but heres the opportunity for this team to right the ship. 35-16 rest of the way to get to 50 wins is still possible. We can do this

Hopefully the players who deserve to close the games get to close it out now, Pau had his shot, time for more Jamison, Hill and MWP and maybe more Meeks instead of Morris.

To me, it's not even a matter of faith. I might be one of the only ones here to think this, and most of you will probably think I'm delusional, but I'm CONFIDENT that we'll turn this around and be a deadly team. I've liked the way we've been playing since Nash came back. I really do see big improvements on both ends. Against Denver, I thought we executed very well offensively and I thought our defense wasn't as terrible as it looked. It was all the offensive boards that killed us and Corey Brewer going 6/7 from the three point line is not a regularity. Last night, again, I thought our execution was good, we just couldn't make a bucket. We're not going to shoot under 40% from the field or 15% from the three point line very often. Pau and Dwight, despite their offensive flaws, are not going to go 3/19 again. We hit a few more of those makeable shots and we easily win the game.

Brewer doesn't catch fire, Dwight doesn't get ejected, the entire team doesn't go cold against Philly and simply convert a few more shots and we're looking at an 8 game winning streak and everyone would be ecstatic.

all these IF that doesn't or IF this doesn't happen stuff is only a feasable excuse when it happens here and there, but players who have no business going off of this team happen more often then not, from likes of Gee to Cartier Martin to Brewer, etc. This is the real world stop living in fantasy IF scenarios.

if metta moves back to starting 3 it gives hill and jamison more minutes and less minutes to pau who should be around 30-31 mins imo.

mwp at the 4 isnt that big of an advantage. hes still gunna do the same things hes been doing imo

1995 Houston Rockets. Veteran team that sleptwalk for 50 games at .500.
Won 4 playoff elimination Road games to winning Title. Of their main 12 players that year, 9 were 28 yo or older. Old but experienced. Trying to integrate acquired veterans.

This Laker team reminds me.

Ariza3 wrote:if metta moves back to starting 3 it gives hill and jamison more minutes and less minutes to pau who should be around 30-31 mins imo.

mwp at the 4 isnt that big of an advantage. hes still gunna do the same things hes been doing imo

^^ I would greatly prefer that to seeing Morris with the starters. I don't like him there except against a very fast, small, young team like Golden State. Otherwise, no thanks to Morris as a starter and MWP off the bench at 4. I like seeing the real thing lineup of Nash, Kobe, MWP, Pau and Dwight. That was the best defensive lineup we saw against Philly.

If Pau is sucking like he did against Philly, play Jamison some minutes. Nothing wrong with using your bench.

Phil XI wrote:1995 Houston Rockets. Veteran team that sleptwalk for 50 games at .500.
Won 4 playoff elimination Road games to winning Title. Of their main 12 players that year, 9 were 28 yo or older. Old but experienced. Trying to integrate acquired veterans.

This Laker team reminds me.

Optimistic thread is that way--->

Phil XI wrote:1995 Houston Rockets. Veteran team that sleptwalk for 50 games at .500.
Won 4 playoff elimination Road games to winning Title. Of their main 12 players that year, 9 were 28 yo or older. Old but experienced. Trying to integrate acquired veterans.

This Laker team reminds me.

those guys were also coming off a title and had the best 2 way player in the game in The Dream.

even though they traded thorpe for drexler, they had their main staples of hakeem, kenny, horry, cassell, mad max, mario elie, etc from one year to the next.

oh and that team had heart.

'never underestimate the heart of a champion' - rudy t

abeer3 wrote:

JoelMyersScrotalSack wrote:Prime example of this was end of the 3rd. I cringed when Nash threw the ball to Kobe at the top of the key and got out of the way then watched as Kobe proceeded to turn the ball over and only one person got back while there were 3-4 Sixers on the other side of the court for an open layup. Nash needs to be orchestrating things 90% of the time when he's on the floor, I don't want to see Kobe iso ball unless we literally have nothing else on the possession. I trust Nash to make something good happen A LOT more than Kobe.

we're mostly on the same page. i don't trust nash more than kobe; i trust him more as an intiator of the offense, though. kobe and dantoni are both guilty in such instances, though. somebody needs to establish pecking order and scheme, and from what i've seen, there's no reason for any half court possession not involve steve nash as the primary ball handler. if kobe works off the ball, he'll either get a shot or make it easier for nash to get someone else a shot. the kobe iso was necessary when nash was out (or when he's out of the game now), but it's not necessary now. play to your strengths, folks.

problem is Kobe doesn't he likes his ISO ...

Pig Miller wrote:

Phil XI wrote:1995 Houston Rockets. Veteran team that sleptwalk for 50 games at .500.
Won 4 playoff elimination Road games to winning Title. Of their main 12 players that year, 9 were 28 yo or older. Old but experienced. Trying to integrate acquired veterans.

This Laker team reminds me.

those guys were also coming off a title and had the best 2 way player in the game in The Dream.

even though they traded thorpe for drexler, they had their main staples of hakeem, kenny, horry, cassell, mad max, mario elie, etc from one year to the next.

oh and that team had heart.

'never underestimate the heart of a champion' - rudy t

exactly

that team had heart and actually wanted that ring. this team has no heart, no passion, and no will to win

Murdock wrote:

problem is Kobe doesn't he likes his ISO ...

disagree; that's espn talk. kobe does quite well off the ball, especially early in games. why they go away from it, i have no idea.

Not going to the Playoff's or 1st round exit...by 4-0\4-1!

We are losing games at home with Mavs,Jazz,Pacers,Magic,Sixers. Please...

lakers lose by 18... that is all

^That has to be the quickest give up in the history of the Lakers board.. wow.

puffyusaf#2 wrote:^That has to be the quickest give up in the history of the Lakers board.. wow.

setting myself up for a surprise if outcome is different...

15-17 here we come...

Its obviously all Kobe's fault. Let him have it guys we know he is the reason plain and simple.

blehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

puffyusaf#2 wrote:Its obviously all Kobe's fault. Let him have it guys we know he is the reason plain and simple.

nope.... this team just sucks... the offense... i have no problem with it... its wutever... its the freaking defense that is just killing this team... i never seen teams gets so many easy points when they play against us... its like they dont have any pride for themselves... its wutever... collect a paycheck and head on home... management needs to just waive morris, ebanks... bring back dj odom and get rid of pau for some athletes... hell bring in josh smith i dont care... what the heck is pau doing for us thats positive other than being a really tall small forward

This reminds me of 2004-2005. Which is crazy because we're way more talented than that year. It's shocking to me.

Tragic wrote:This reminds me of 2004-2005. Which is crazy because we're way more talented than that year. It's shocking to me.

and that season... the only reason they did bad was cuz of injuries... where as this year... its cuz they lost there manhood... a different type of injury

Tragic wrote:This reminds me of 2004-2005. Which is crazy because we're way more talented than that year. It's shocking to me.

2004-2005 didn't even feel this bad, precisely because the expectations weren't very high to begin with.