Lakers "Quarter of the Season Gone" Report Card!

***(NOTE TO READER: THIS BLOG ENTRY WAS FINISHED BEFORE THE GAME AGAINST THE CELTICS (FRIDAY NIGHT). I MEANT TO PUBLISH IT EARLIER IN THE DAY. OOPS!)***

Okay because my muse, or my cat, somehow deleted my notes from the last few games off of my laptop (always blame others for your mistakes!), I’ll dive right into my “1/4 of the season gone by report card” segment. Here is where I give letter grades to the players, the head coach, and even the guys who are sitting at home collecting pay checks while nursing their broken-down bodies. 

Let’s do this:

The Team: D+. I know we don’t have a prayer of making the playoffs here in the loaded West, but I still don’t think the Lakers are as bad as their record indicates. Well yes…...maybe they are.  There were a few games where nearly everything came together.  And the over-the-top blowouts seem to be a thing of the past. It can only get better from here right? Right???? 

Coach Scott: B-. Considering this team has provided plenty of overtime for the medical staff (for the 2^nd season in a row), I would say that Scott is doing a commendable job. I think he needs to reign in Kobe a bit more (year right), and possibly tweak the starting lineup. At the very least he’s made them a little more competitive. They are losing by less and less every week!

Kobe: B+. Kobe is Kobe. You know what you’re getting with him. He’s a step slower, and a bit banged up after 18 seasons, but he’s still game, and willing to put his body through the grind. I'd like to see him continue with that scorer/play-maker role he’s adopted these past few games. And is it asking to much to cut down on the turnovers? At the end of the day, when you get a triple-double, Kobe's turnovers should not be a part of it.
And when you’re triple -teamed, it’s okay to pass the ball. Really it is!

Jordan Hill: B. That’s right, a B. I’m sure some of you feel he deserves a higher grade. I certainly want to give him one. He leads the team in rebounds, and is third on the team in scoring. But I’ve been watching him closely. I still think he can play better. He falls asleep sometimes on defense, and he doesn’t always put a body on someone while rebounding. He recently said he cut down his drinking and it’s given him more energy, but why not take it one step further? How about eliminating most of your drinking during the season and see what your energy level is like then? What a novel concept.

Carlos Boozer: C+. Boozer is putting up numbers that are not spectacular, but not horrible (13 points, 6.6 rebounds). This is what I expected of him. My beef with him is his defense. I know he’s never going to make the all-defensive squad, but how about just a little more effort? He gets into foul trouble quite often, and he sometimes stands around in rebounding situations. Whatever happened to boxing out?

Jeremy Lin: C. Here’s another guy who still hasn’t reached his potential. Maybe the LinSanity of a few years ago was a fluke, but I’ve seen enough of him to know that he has the potential to bring it on any given night. Why doesn’t he? Everyone seems to think it’s a confidence issue. Maybe so, but Kobe and Scott have faith in him (on most occasions). I would love to see him get to that level of consistency that he had in New York.  In the end, if he can handle the point adequately night in and night out, I’ll be satisfied.

Nick Young: A-. The Swaggester gets the highest grade so far, but not because he’s the best player on this team. He receives this grade because he brings the excitement every night, and is a big reason we’ve won four out of the last nine (you know you’re desperate when you’re quoting stats like that). His defense has picked up, and he’s been knocking down shots late in the game…......when he gets the chance. I just hope Kobe takes the blinders off and looks for Swaggy in the last few minutes of a game. Pass him the damn ball Kobe!!!!

Wesley Johnson: B+.  A few weeks ago this may have been a lower grade, but he’s starting to come around. Johnson has made huge strides since the D’Antoni reign, due in part to the coaching staff believing in him, and because of his own budding confidence. Once again we have a player whose ceiling is yet to be reached. Anybody with athleticism like Johnson’s should be putting up big numbers in at least two categories. Though his numbers aren’t scary good, they are on the rise. His confidence in his shot is growing every day, and he plays solid defense. I believe any success the Lakers may enjoy this season (and of course it’s subjective and debatable to what you’d consider “success” for this squad) might rest with the idea of Johnson becoming a reliable 2^nd or 3^rd scorer.

Now that we’ve covered the starting five and Swaggy P, I’ll breeze through the bench.

Ed Davis: C+. Yet another guy who can jump out of the building, but can’t stay on the floor long enough for us to take advantage of it. The guy can block shots with the best of them, but he has the propensity to foul while he’s at it. He can’t stay out of foul trouble, a la Boozer. I like his aggressiveness around the basket. He picks up offensive rebounds, and swat’s away nearly two shots per game. If he can stay out of foul trouble, the team’s defensive success, which has been sorely lacking this season, can only get better.

Ronnie Price: C-. I’m still an advocate for packaging him in a trade with Steve Nash to some team looking for cap space. However, I will begrudgingly admit, he’s improved over the last few games. He was aggravating my last nerve there for awhile, but as of late, he hasn't been as much of a bonehead. If he can continue playing like this, and uses his greatest advantage – his years of experience - he’ll be helpful.

Wayne Ellington: B. I liked his efforts before the tragic loss of his father, and since his return to the team, he’s been steady as a rock. I agree with the utterance from that dinosaur Stu Lantz: this guy needs more shots. He executes the jump shot off a screen as well as anybody, plays with calm demeanor, and can handle both ends of the court.  Give him the rock coach!

Robert Sacre: C+. I’m happy, for the most part, with his play. He’s starting to finally flex that over sized frame of his, and he’s hitting that 10-12 foot shot with some regularity. If he could just be a little more of a rim defender, his grade would be in the B’s.

Jordan Clarkson: Incomplete. He hasn’t been on the floor long enough for me to make an accurate assessment, but he holds a lot of promise. His athleticism and eagerness are fun to watch!

Ryan Kelly: Incomplete. I wasn’t really excited about him in the first place, and was slightly surprised when they brought him back from last year’s squad. He needs to be a consistent stretch four if, and when, he comes back.

The Injured List: F. Usually when you look over an injured list, you scan it to see who will  give us a boost when they return. Well let’s see: Steve Nash, Julius Randle and Xavier Henry. All of them are out for the year. So much for that.

I’ve run out of players. I’d grade the ownership, but I really don’t know which Buss kid is running the show. 

If you made it this far, you’ve got way too much time on your hands. See ya’ next time! Go Lake Show!!

Lakers in Need of a Blood Transfusion

Lakers in Need of a Blood Transfusion

The Los Angeles Lakers are looking for blood donors. Can you help? They need as many devoted fans as possible to donate their pints of purple and gold blood. It seems that there are still remnants of the D’Antoni’s “orange-and-white-play-like-we-did-in-Phoenix” blood coursing through their veins.

Yes volunteers are needed. A way must be found to eradicate the D’Antoni Dark Ages. Those years must be cast away to the nether regions, and never mentioned again aloud. It is possible you know. Who among you mentions your fondest memories of the teams of the mid 70’s (after Jerry & Wilt, and before Magic joined Kareem). Whom among you ever mentions the original “Lake Show” of the early 90’s (post Magic’s 1^st retirement, and pre-Phil taking over Kobe & Shaq)? The past two seasons must sink into a bottomless abyss of forgotten horrid seasons.

But is this season doomed to join them?

The Lakers just lost to the Grizzlies, which puts them at (1-6) for the season. I must say that this year’s losses are more entertaining than last year’s. The Lakers made a few serious runs in some of these games before flailing, and failing in the waning seconds of the contest. Last year the losses were usually cemented by halftime.

How horrible for a fan to have to talk that way, but you have to go with the material given you. I attended my first game of the season last week (a loss, go figure). It was pretty much the same script: play lazy defense, play without confidence, take ill-advised shots, etc. etc. It gets so that even when I DVR a (even a diehard fan like me can miss a game or two on the tube), I find myself skipping through portions of the contest. It’s depressing.

Our spirits were toyed with on Sunday when the Lakers, after playing another below average first half, blew the Charlotte Hornets off the floor and erased the goose egg in the win column. That first win felt like it had the potential to be a turning point. They played like a team, turned up the heat on defense, and generally stopped with the stupid mistakes.

Would this one win against an average team usher in the new era for fans who have been chewing their nails down to the nubs? Weeeeelllllll…..no. On the heels of that victory, the Lakers marched into Memphis, played somewhat decent defense, played catch up in the fourth quarter, and finally lost in the end. Oh and the stupid factor returned. SIGH. The story continues.

Okay reality check: they are still learning Scott’s system, they still have injuries and missing players (my condolences to Wayne Ellington who lost his father over the weekend) and the season is still young. We’ll just have to lower our expectations……..…..once again.

I’m re-adjusting my prediction of 41 wins that I made in my previous post. I usually don’t renege so soon, but before this team can have a renaissance, they still need to shed more of the D’Antoni influence. My new prediction is 32 wins. A large drop to be sure, but I had made my previous prediction based on the availability of Mash Unit, I mean, Steve Nash,  the Julius Randle. I still see the potential to compete in this group. I hope Byron Scott and Kobe can help them reach that potential…soon!

Observations of a couch-potato blogger:

*Kobe is shooting the ball too much, but in reality, when hasn’t he? I can’t say I blame him. Those first few games, the guys shot the ball with indecisiveness, and with no confidence. Sure, at times, the offense flows a little better with Kobe on the bench, but does anybody really believe this team would be better with him on the sidelines? Kobe has amassed over 5000 assists in his career. If these guys shoot better, he’ll get a few more.

*There are lots of factors contributing to the team’s win/loss record. One is those is their passing, or should I say lack thereof. When they lose, they don’t move the ball, and their assist total is typically low. I think Jeremy Lin is doing a decent job of running the point. With Steve “I can golf when I want to, and leave my fellow Lakers behind” (some of you may get that song reference) Nash out for yet another year, Lin is basically are only true point. He’s slashing and passing, but whom, other than Kobe, can he really pass to?

*Kobe and Lin play well together in the back court. Kobe trusts him, and he’s been actively prodding Lin to take control during games and in the press. On the flip side, it seems Kobe doesn’t trust Ronnie Price at the point. Kobe, unless coming off screens when he’s in a shooting frenzy, tries to run the point, and the offense bogs down like a turtle race.

*Everyone on the team needs to play with more confidence, authority, and with a little more focus. This may not be the best assembled team in the world, but there have been too many blown layups, dunk attempts, free-throws, telegraphed passes, etc. etc.

*I would like to see Ellington play more. The guy can shoot, and he plays decent defense. That’s basically his role as Kobe’s backup, so I say give him more of a green light. Jodie Meeks jumped ship to Detroit, and I don’t see another gunner on the roster (that is until Swaggy P returns).

*Carlos Boozer has been playing a little better lately, but I’d seriously consider staring Ed Davis over him. Boozer brings the offense, but Davis is a much better defender, and he brings length and shot-blocking to the front court. Boozer will never be remembered for his defense (he’s fouled out of several games already), and Jordan Hill needs more help down there.

*I think Kobe still hasn’t reached his swan song ceiling. Okay that sentence is confusing, I know, but what I meant to say is that he’s still not 100%. The old Kobe is gone, but I think he’s still not in complete game shape, and I’ve seen enough to think that he’s still one of the top 20 players in the league.

Tonight they take on the New Orleans Pigeons, or Pheasants, or whatever their state bird is. If they can stop uni-brow (Anthony Davis), they’ve got a decent shot at victory number 2.

Till the muse takes over the typing fingers again, see y’all soon!

LAKERS 2014-2015 PREVIEW

Say it with me: “WE ARE LAKERS FANS! WE ARE DIE HARD LAKERS FANS!”

You all must be. You’re here reading this blog. You are insane humans, but I thank you for reading the blog just the same. J  The blog I temporarily abandoned after Phil Jackson retired. And abandoned yet again after the first time Mike D’Antoni ticked me off last season. But you know what they say…the third time’s the charm. It’s fresh new start, it’s a fresh new season, and this will be a fresh new blog. So join me won’t you? Tag along for this unpredictable season of basketball critique, and literary debauchery.

I promise it will be amusing, and maybe sometimes enlightening. But as always, it will be subjective, opinionated, and downright raw.  I welcome your comments, opinions, ranting and ravings, and of course your spittle. No one will be censored in the comments (unless of course the host website does it, or you’re a Internet troll looking to stir the pot).

Last year’s attempt to resurrect this blog from the ashes of couch potato heaven failed miserably. I gave up writing the blog right after D’Antoni’s defense gave up consecutive 120 point-plus games (that would be last October when they graciously gave up a 125 points to Golden State, and then again six nights later when they surrendered 123 points to an aging Dallas team). I simply couldn’t put pen to paper anymore, or should I say, fingers to keyboard. My team, our team, trudging through a season of loss after loss after loss……often huge losses……night after night. It was just too depressing to blog.

Those games were a preview of a reoccurring theme in the Lakers 2013-2014 season: charitable defense. The Lakers allowed a horrendous 109 points per game last year, 2^nd worse in the league. My friend’s turtle and four members of my high school’s chess club could have played better defense, but hey, it’s ancient history right?

I believe it was Antoni’s defensive philosophy, more so than our players, that allowed this farce to be. And what was his defensive philosophy? Shoot three pointers, and then run nothing like a constructive offense, oh…and get back on defense if you have the time.

Anyway let’s do a quick review of last year’s fun and be done with it shall we?

*The Win/Loss Disparity. The Lakers posted their 2^nd worst record since they packed their bags in 1960, and left for Minnesota for the sunshine of Los Angeles. Die-hard Laker fans aren’t used to seeing their team losing two out of every three games. It was torture to see the embarrassing losses pile up night after night. To make matters worse, the Lakers lost seven of the nine games I attended.  I was one loss away from having my season ticket holder status revoked by Jeanie Buss.

*Team Defense. Or should I say the lack thereof.  It was noticeably absent from last year’s squad. We can blame Antoni for the sorry state of last year’s D all we want, but the truth is the roster wasn’t loaded with defensive stoppers. For the past two seasons we’ve been funneling players to the middle where there has been no solid rim-protector (a Lakers staple for decades). There were no players named Wilt, Kareem, or Shaq trotting out of the locker room. Hell I would have taken 2009-2010 Andrew Bynum in the pivot, but alas, we had Chris Kaman and Robert Sacre. Pau could still body up some players, when he was healthy, and Jordan Hill often gave a hell of an effort, but teams still ate us up in the paint. And the perimeter defenders weren’t much better. Even semi-quick guards blew by our defenses.

*INJURIES, INJURIES, INJURIES! Last year the Lakers led the NBA in games lost due to injuries with 319. It was surreal. Kobe missed 76 games, Steve “Built Like Ash” Nash missed 67 games, Pau missed 24 games, Jordan Farmar and Xavier Henry missed half the season, and Nick Young had to be held back 20 games (although he probably would have taken 20 shots a game in street clothes if he could). It was a medical nightmare for the team, and for the fans. They suited up 19 different players last year. I heard the garment district ran out of purple and gold thread for a short period.

*Absence of star power. With the main guys out large parts of the season, the roster was not exactly a championship- caliber group. Dwight “I’m all smiles” Howard decided to bolt like a coward the year before, and Chris Kaman is not the center he once was. Wesley Johnson, Henry, and Young were all former lottery picks that needed to find a new home. Each had their moments, but none could sustain it all season long. Kent Bazemore and Kendall Marshall were discarded players discovered by the scouts. Both received ample playing time, and both may have saved their pro careers thanks to team injuries. We literally became the “resurrect your career” franchise overnight.

*Owner trouble. The ownership seemed in flux. Let’s face it, following the late Dr. Jerry Buss was not going to be an easy chore. Probably just as hard as having to follow Phil Jackson, or how hard following Kobe Bryant may be. But who was in charge? Jim Buss? Jeanie? One of the super fans: Jack Nicholson or that other guy who abuses his game program (Norm Pattiz)? The lunatics we’re running the asylum.

 

*The end result. Last year was as hard of a season as fan should ever have to endure. There was a game they ran out of players because of foul trouble, and often there were games where there were more coaches than players sitting on the bench. The season couldn’t end fast enough.

ENOUGH! That was painful typing out those observations. As I said from the beginning, let’s start fresh!

So here we are on the eve of the 2014-2015 season. We’ve got a new coach (Bryon Scott), some new players, and hopefully a new approach to keep us entertained. Pre-season wasn’t as bad as the record showed (3-5), and certainly not as bad as those two 30 point losses to the Warriors and Jazz. Kobe is back, and so is Nash…oh wait..…umm…...too soon?

We’ve added some young, talented players from the draft in Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson.  I like both of them. I think Randle has a huge upside, and Clarkson was a steal in the 2^nd round of the draft.

Other notable additions to this year’s squad include Jeremy Lin, Ed Davis and Ronnie Price. They each showed a desire to compete during the pre-season and showed they could play under Scott’s no-nonsense defensive approach. That’s good enough for me. I’m not expecting an NBA Finals appearance from this squad, but I would like to see some exciting and competitive basketball.

Unfortunately we lost one of my favorite players in Pau Gasol (and arguably one of the best power forwards, in their prime, to suit up in a Lakers uniform…….debate anyone?), but we gained a Boozer. What Carlos B. lacks in size, he can hopefully make up in girth. He’s solid front court player who’s experienced and can rebound when motivated. Scott should keep him motivated. He’s no Pau, but he can play the game.

We also lost Kaman, Farmar, Steve Blake, and half of the free agents in the NBA, but who’s keeping track? And of course we lost Nash for the whole season. Putting that in perspective, the Lakers paid $28 million for Nash and he’ll end up playing 65 games out of a possible of 246. That’s nice work if you can get it!

The Nash experiment, after the NBA stole Chris Paul from us, seemed worth it at the time. In hindsight, not so much.  The Buss family should make him clean the Staples Center restrooms, or sweep the gym on a daily basis. I think that’s the least he do for the $9 million he’ll receive this season just for polishing the bench with his behind. His injury, a fractured hairline or something like that, will allow more playing time for Lin and Clarkson. They both seem to have something to prove, and both looked competitive, if not overly eager, in the pre-season. I loved their energy.

I think that’s what Bryon Scott is bringing to the table:  the will to make his players compete and play hard.  Scott played in Lakers era where anything less than a Finals appearance just wasn’t acceptable. If this team plays with heart, and they can reinvigorate the fan base, it’ll probably go a long way to attracting future free agents to this fine fair city.

It’s just not possible that they could pull a stinker like last year right? That streak of injuries had to be a freak of nature kind of thing, and not some curse laid on us by a bandwagon Clipper fan. I’ll ignore those rash of injuries that occurred this pre-season. The biggest injury, other than Nash’s, was Nick Young’s shooting hand (because that’s what he contributes to the team, the rest of his body is inconsequential).  But Nick, or should I say his hand, will be back in a few weeks. In fact, until he learns to pass or play defense, in my blog he will be referred to as the “Hand”. Keep that in mind if you dare to stay a reader of this blog all season long. I like his instant offense, but he needs play smart, and he acquire the aforementioned skills.

The biggest thing going for us, and one of the biggest reasons we’ve enjoyed the team’s success for nearly two decades, is Kobe Bean Bryant. Despite the injuries, despite the age, and despite the rash of critics tearing down his game lately, Kobe will be the biggest difference maker this season. He may not propel us into the playoffs, but I boldly predict (while keeping my fingers crossed behind my back) that he’ll help the Lakers get to .500 this year, if not pretty close. Note to detractors and news writers alike: He’s still Kobe!

The man has amazed us for the last 18 years with his talents. His will, his desire, and his ability to recover from injuries quickly still continue to astound the experts. Love him or hate him, he’ll be our main piece for two more years…so just go with it.

The season begins tonight, and I for one, am ready for it. Last year’s blues are tomorrow’s forgotten nightmares. I don’t want an ulcer or unneeded stress this season.  I just want this team to be competitive. I don’t need 55+ wins (although I miss those days horribly), but please, just entertain me.

You and I, we are the diehard fans. The ones that watch every game (you do watch every game don’t you?). The ones that defend our team and its players until reality slaps us in the face. We are the bad drivers who weave through bumper-to-bumper traffic to get to games on time, or finish dinner early to get the best seat on the aging couch. As Lakers fans we are very demanding. It’s hard not to be when you look up at the eleven championship banners hanging up in the Staples Center rafters. But right now, we just want a team will erase our memory of the misery that was the 2013-2014 season. Last year wasn’t a rebuilding, it was a tearing down. This year we just to move on. We want our Lakers back. And you know, I think in the end we’ll all be pleasantly surprised with the results. Or we’ll all be hooked on Xanax. Either way it’s a win/win!

So…let’s see what happen, and come what may, let’s enjoy it. Hopefully you’ll be along for the ride with me. I won’t blog after every game like I used to, but I will speak my mind every four games or so. Perhaps more, perhaps less depending on how the season goes. I hope you stick it out with me until the end. Thank you oh desperate reader o’ mine!

Some last notes before tonight’s game against the Houston Rockets and Dwight “The Brick” Howard:

*The LA Times Sports page today ran an article of LeBron James as its main story instead of a season preview of the Lakers, or their angry stepbrothers, the Clippers. What sellouts!

*My condolences to all the Dodger blue fans out there. I was just as angry as any of you. For some great stories, check out my friend Oscar’s Dodger blog at: http://alltradebait.blogspot.com/, or at the Lasorda’s Lair blog page: http://lasordaslair.com/author/netchuc/

*I’m a little rusty from years of blog-neglect, but I’ll get back up to speed once I’ve seen a few games. Hope you enjoy it!