Hi NBA World! (NBA – THE LOSING SEASON)
People,
(Firstly a quick update) – I do apologise about my failure to update any blogs over the last two months, this was due to my absence from most things mechanical (it was much needed and it allowed me get back to my roots of just being a spectator of the NBA). So during this absence I should say a belated Happy New Year and I hope you all had a break from it all, like I did.
LET’S DIVE STRAIGHT BACK INTO IT PEOPLE!!!!
What the hell is going on with my Lakers team?
I know all you readers were well aware that I did state in my previous blog’s, ‘that I would not comment about the Lakers struggles and misfortunes until around the All-Star break’ as this would give them enough time to gel and get that much needed team chemistry up and going, but I just can’t bite my tongue any longer. I have reached my limit with this Lakers unit that appear to be on the cusp of dipping out of the NBA Playoffs and I hold coach D’antoni and the Lakers ownership completely responsible as they have made the Lakers hoop 10 feet wider than their opponents.
Watching the Lakers (you can’t call them a team) you immediately see that they are playing like a group of old, injured, tired, no chemistry individuals. When you compare this with teams like the Clippers and Thunder where on a nightly basis you see young guys running and pushing each other to get better on both sides of the floor, you get a sense that these younger units would happily take a bullet for each other.
What can LA do to get back on track?
With the new injuries that have taken out Gasol (again), Howard and Hill they are going to need to wait again and heal as you can’t win championships without a big. My direct concern is getting them to the playoffs, so I would look at trades and teams that are willing to trade in the short-term and I would also look to bolster the bench.
Whilst Howard is out with a shoulder injury (which I still can’t believe considering the size of his shoulder muscles) and as Bruce Bowen mentioned on the 09th of January’s NBA podcast, I would get Gasol to hurry back into the starting centre position which moves him away from the perimeter and that horrible elbow jump shot that he favours over taken the ball to the cup. Having Gasol back in the middle would increase his productivity for the next five or so games which would also increase his market value allowing other teams take more interest, once this happens I would trade him off immediately.
The inside scoop is that Memphis is looking to avoid the CAP and has shown a keen interest in off-loading Randolph and or Rudy Gay. Both these guys I consider would assist in making the Lakers a better defensive unit.
There are other players out there that would be deemed an asset but I think dealing with Memphis is the best bet as they will basically get something for nothing in trades and might be lucky enough to pick up the younger Gasol for the older one.
What else can they do?
The Lakers need players who aren’t afraid of strapping on a helmet and rushing through the paint in an attempt to get baskets. They also need players that can rebound defensively at a high rate and players that don’t need touches to make plays. E.g. people who are good off the ball at setting picks and being a nuisance on defence to the opposing PG. This is why I would look at players with length and great defensive fundamentals like Lamar Odom (yes, him again) he is a nightmare coming off the bench and is proving to be getting back into sharp form for the Clippers. I would also look at snatching up Boston’s Bradley in the defensive guard position as the guy is incredible at getting up in your face and forcing turnovers (let’s not forget that game he had against New York where he single handily shutdown JR Smith).
What is most likely going to happen?
Lakers are probably just going to let their players heal and run the shortened big roster with Sacre starting. They will try and push the ball through Nash and give up 110 points a night on average until the roster fills up which will certainly mean that they won’t make the playoffs this season.
Let’s just hope a shakeup happens.
Blagota's NBA The Real Coach 
Awesome to see you mate Lakers are done.
I’m on the clippers bandwagon.
About time you came back Miami look tired also
We were suffering but there is always hope
Hey boys, good to hear from you bout time I got it going again I would say it was an entire month off. Anyways back to getting my Lakers team back online… 🙂 We will be going for the 8th spot in the West. 🙂
Miami aint’ getting anywhere this season hate LEbrons new game it suks
Kobe getting better
I’m not a fan… of Miami…
I agree with you the lakers need an excellent backup PG who can d the middle and stop penetration to the paint.
That’s why Bradley is my number one pick for the job… agreed good observation Mal!
Hey mate, I dont think the lakers are done yet in terms of making the playoffs, as there is a whole lot of crapola teams in front of them (including my blazers, who have done amazing till this point to be in the playoff picture with worst bench in history).
But your thoughts on the availability of the memphis players seems a bit off (for LA), if there aim is to go under the cap, why would they trade to get some one (Gasol) who makes more money then the players they already have?? As for the other players you mentioned, what players on the lakers team have any value to trade with??
Forget to mention the reason i thought Gasol could get some good minutes was because I thought he would be dwight back from injury as they said that Dwights injury was more serious. Looks like the soft Gasol lost his chance to become trade worthy again. CHUMP.
From what I heard the Grizz were looking to dump 4 contracts that had a lot of money on them.
The fact that I said Gasol was a go-er for LA is based solely on the fact that he increases his minutes as center so he can get some better stats. That’s why I was referring to the next five games.
Portland are solid with there crud bench, Minnesota worries me in that 8th spot as they will be hard to beat when they have a full strength lineup (IF).
What I read in an NBA blog by Sekou Smith was that the Grizz would love to pair the brothers up at centre an dPF… it would be a huge draw for them. I think it may lift Gasol to play better. I don’t know but if that is true I would love Zbo to go to LA or Gay in SF that would help with D. You can lock in the Clippers, Thunder and Spurs for top 3. I’m not sure about the Grizz but they will be up there so will Denver and Warriors especially if that chump bogut comes back. So Houston looks good but they could lose a few. I guess it’s all still speculation but to be safe we need to get rid of Gasol… i’ll keep repeating myself with that one.
You kill me mate I love how you hate teams and players and you never change your tune you know your stuff. Gasol does have to go he is the biggest problem that and having no person to defend the PG. Love reading this stuff.
Why would I change?
Cause some commentator tells me to or because of an article – I base my info on in game facts and watching all the games closely if you do that you can see what the Journo’s are getting at. In game experience counts for alot that’s why commentators like Jalen Rose and C-web are awesome they know the game and give you facts from a players view. I often read the blogs to get the management perspective I look at pre-and post game articles and I read coach’s review and old scouting reports that you can’t find on the web. Oh and you have to play and truly love the game to boot. You can’t comment from an arm chair just on facts alone. So for me the entire experience has to change for me to change my tune.
Preach borther preach!!
Whilst LA has Kobe we have all the options.
Kobe is the Best offense in the League — we need some defenders to go with… he is awesome to have though a game is never lost whilst he is on the court. If only he weren’t so old so we could get more years out of him 🙂
Gasol insnt the problem for LA, well not on his own at least. Doesnt Gasol have 2 rings to his name? Its ultra simplistic to blame Gasol for the Lakers woe’s, but he is more of one of the symptoms rather than the cause. Ultimately the team is unbalanced, and Gasol is forced to play a game that doesnt make the most of his skill set.
In terms of trades, well Z-Bo has a very similar game to Gasol, I cant see him bringing anything that could drastically improve the Lakers, plus Memphis would end up taking more money for a position they have a lot of cover for, as for Rudy Gay, lakers have no chance … Maybe if there was third team involved, Houston has a bit of cap space to absorb some lob sided contracts and are always keen to chase marquee players.
Gasol is a huge problem, this season (if you’ve been watching is one of his worst) – he has been asked to change roles but he’s actually doing far less regardless offense and defense. Howard and him together creates a spacing problem. He should be the 2nd option on O he’s slipped to the fourth.
His decision making whether to pull up a jumper or take the ball into the key is really off and he appears confused. Yes, he was a champion, Yes, he has two championships NO, he’s not the same player. He looks burntout, injured and old.
Lakers wanted (and this was known) Scola or Kevin Martin. Both gone… who would they take from Houston???? Yes, they can afford the big contract but I don’t think the Lakers like sending a player to the West that is in competition with them for the 8th spot? – eh, something to think about.
Lakers officially have shown interest in a few of the Grizzlies players. Gay, Gasol & Randolph.
Lakers need athletic players who can create D stops.
Players also who have played with both Kobe and Nash like Shannon Brown would be extremely helpful as he has that explosive side to his game – he can play D and he can get easy baskets.