Lakers Thread

[Mandich]

Given his USG and general selfishness, that's a good way to put it.

[NovU]

Here is some food for thought. You participate in a team meeting to discuss about next important project. Some senior guy tells you to get the fuck out of his way, he's got this. Then some Suck Up guy high fives him, amused.

[Patr1ck]

Or is it the coach? Did he even have a play drawn up?

[NovU]

Probably he did. Probably told Lin to get the fuck out Kobe's way.

[Mandich]

Here is some food for thought. You participate in a team meeting to discuss about next important project. Some senior guy tells you to get the fuck out of his way, he's got this. Then some Suck Up guy high fives him, amused.

Exactly my mentality about the Lakers.

[Patr1ck]

"Kobe was amazing tonight, man -- dropping dimes to everybody, rebounding, shooting it and being a great playmaker," Boozer said. "When he plays like that, we all get involved. He's amazing every night, but tonight was something special."

When Kobe plays like that they all get involved? So are they just waiting for him to play well before they step up?

[Mandich]

This Lakers team is completely built so that Kobe can score as much as he wants(because currently nobody wants to play with him) and that 5-10 years from now people will say he was still the best scorer in the game even at the age so-so but he just didn't have enough help around him to win that 6th title.

It's just that Kobe is surprised people don't suck him off as often as they did a while back and his huge ego just keeps telling him to be a cocky pompus bastard and to shoot 50 shots per game with a bellow average percentage. He's Kobe, he's certainly helping the Lakers. A legend can't do anything else but help a team he's stuck(and didn't force the best big man out, and didn't want a trade, and didn't force an elite big man out) for his whole career.

True greatness isn't just how you play on the court, at least by my standards.

[Bruce]

I would think I would be very difficult for anyone else on the team to tell Kobe otherwise, the man these days goes into every game and sets a new record. Even if everyone knows Kobe is gunning hard for MJ's spot as 3rd leading scorer all-time, of course this is quite selfish. But if Kobe really wants to another ring, he should not be patterning his play with MJ, but Clyde Drexler on a team with Olajuwon. Too bad though that Dwight was and never will be close to Olajuwon.

[NovU]

He's a similar player to 38 years old Michael Jordan. Michael Jordan was a flawed player by then offensively especially in scoring. But he did facilitate better. Kobe otherwise has more focus towards scoring.

Michael Jordan (38 yo)
20.7 PER / 36 USG

Kobe Bryant (36 yo)
20.8 PER / 36.4 USG

Jordan was simply awful in his first season with the Wizards. But the team didn't have a better player to play so MJ did improve the team. The team won 18 games in previous season but with addition of Jordan, wins increased to 37. Ironically the team matched 37 wins in their last season with Michael Jordan as well. 39 yo Jordan was a better player than 38 yo Jordan. His efficiency increased but role decreased significantly. The team was still shit at that time just with different looks, developing RIP gone, old man Stackhouse in with more rookie Kwame.

Note that Kobe's arguably surrounded by better talent than MJ was. Lakers' last season roster was shittier but still won 27 games. This shows Lakers are underachieving and it's no surprise fingers are pointed at all directions. I kinda see this more as a chemistry issue revolving Kobe system in the center of mess.

[shadowgrin]

Here is some food for thought. You participate in a team meeting to discuss about next important project. Some senior guy tells you to get the fuck out of his way, he's got this. Then some Suck Up guy high fives him, amused.

Great, less work for me then. It's not like the senior guy is stealing my ideas anyway so I'd stay the fuck out of his way.

Flawed analogy you got there. Too much boxscoregeeks for you I guess with their shitty analogies.

[NovU]

Has anyone been watching Lakers lately? Can you guys share thoughts on Jordan Clarkson?

[Kevin]

Has anyone been watching Lakers lately? Can you guys share thoughts on Jordan Clarkson?

Meh.

[[Q]]

hes putting up Jeremy Lin type numbers now that he's getting most of the minutes as a starter

[Jackal]

He's athletic and a young guy. He seems to have a floater which he tried at the beginning of the season and could make it a "go to" shot down the road.

It's a pain watching the games though. Better than last season thanks to Tarik/Clarkson & Davis though. Boozer though..damn.

[Stress Fracture]

Clarkson might just be a draft steal for the Lakers. Tall PGs are becoming normal nowadays.

[Andrew]

Magic Johnson thinks Kobe Bryant should retire if the Lakers fail to add a superstar this summer

Somehow, I doubt he does. I expect he'll return to play out the final year of his contract, and retire on his own terms.

Speaking of Kobe, Karl Malone apparently still has issues with him.

[Jackal]

To them both:

[Andrew]

Kobe Bryant did not enjoy Lakers' silly celebration after win vs. Celtics

I agree with Freeman's take. It's a rough season for the Lakers, but they managed to pull out an overtime win against a long-time rival (though admittedly at a time when the rivalry doesn't mean a whole lot). Nothing wrong with enjoying a bright moment in an otherwise dismal year.

[Bruce]

Kobe is a hard man

[NovU]

I'm not surprised Kobe not enjoying goofy celebration.

I tried teaching Dwight. I tried showing him. But the reality is that when you have a perception of what it is to win a championship - and most perceptions of what it's like to win are a very outgoing, very gregarious locker room where you pick each other up and you're friends all the time. That's the perception. And I think that's what his perception was of what the idea is. But when he saw the reality of it, it made him uncomfortable. And it's very tough to be able to fight through that, to deal with that challenge. And I don't think he was willing to deal with that uncomfortable and combative nature.

Err... wtf did he just say?

[Patr1ck]

He said Dwight is a pussy.

[stereoxide]

And now you see why Bynum and Odom became pussies after they left Kobe.

[Jackal]

I tried teaching Dwight. I tried showing him. But the reality is that when you have a perception of what it is to win a championship - and most perceptions of what it's like to win are a very outgoing, very gregarious locker room where you pick each other up and you're friends all the time. That's the perception. And I think that's what his perception was of what the idea is. But when he saw the reality of it, it made him uncomfortable. And it's very tough to be able to fight through that, to deal with that challenge. And I don't think he was willing to deal with that uncomfortable and combative nature.

Err... wtf did he just say?

Translation:

[NovU]

I haven't watched the Lakers for awhile now(since Kobe's injury) but Jordan Clarkson's numbers have been pleasantly surprising for awhile now.

Seems like he can score though, mostly through pick and roll and transition. But can he create offense moderately via dribble in ISO? Also his AST% is way too low for a PG which is the area he'll definitely need to improve on. Looks like he enjoys playing with Boozer as well. He did mention having Boozer helps his game, perhaps this is why Boozer is playing now as a starter to be a mentor. Overall this kid's recent number translates pretty decent for a rookie. What do the Lakers fans think?

Next season, Kobe imho needs to take a back seat a bit and think about being a mentor to younger players. Randle, Clarkson, and a top 5 to come, the Lakers are not in a bad position in terms of rebuilding.

[Mandich]

What do the Lakers fans think.

That bandwagon is long gone man.