Catching up ...
I felt the need to catch up to the present without ignoring the first 10 games of the season to do it. Even though I'd probably prefer to ignore most of what I saw, there were some good things too. I'll try my best to comment using only the information I had at the time. Here goes:
Game 1 @ Nuggets
Whew an OT win, thanks to a nice Kobe shot, a real nailbiter. There were flashbacks of last season when this one was over when the Lakers beat Denver in the 1st game of the season. Although, Chris Mihm didn't put up monster numbers this year. However, Smush Parker did. It was a pleasant surprise to see him play so well. This could be really easy to get used to. LO didn't put up monster numbers but Jason Kidd ones, very close to a triple double. And how about our 6th man? George had 14pts and 8 rebounds. Defensively, they were just ok. They looked lost at times. Although this is expected at the beginning with a young team with mostly new players. As for other things of note, it would have been nice to see Bynum work into the rotation a bit more. Oh ya, that number 8 guy was pretty good too. I guess I kind of expect that from him.
Lakers win 99-97, Record 1-0
Game 2 vs Suns
Back to the basics. What happened to the defense? It was terrible. Believe it or not, the good news is that the mistakes can be fixed via coaching. The rotation and commuication were both horrible. This game has to be an aberration. Phil Jackson teams are generally always good defensively. Right? ... Bright spots? Smush had another great game. I see a fan favorite in the making. LO had a monster game, 23 pts 16 rebs. We might have found our Pippen. ... Other notes, did someone forget to call Kwame and Mihm and tell them that there is a game tonight? I don't remember seeing them. Also, I didn't like Phil changing the starting lineup after winning the first game. What happened to making the other team adjust to us? Phil got too cute. Let's stick to the same starting 5.
Laker lose 122-112, Record 1-1
Game 3 vs Nuggets
Aren't these games fun? You gotta love blowing out good teams every once in awhile. The Lakers played great. At this rate, maybe they should play Denver 82 times. Kobe was awesome once again, scoring 37 pts while shooting better than 50% from the field as he dished 5 assists and grabbed 8 boards. Welcome Chris Mihm, he must really like playing the Nuggets at Staples. His numbers resembled game 1 of the season last year. Smush came down to earth, oh no. The fans still love you though! Keep up the hard work. As for Kwame Brown, someone needs to tape a cheat sheet to his wrist as they do for QB's in football, he just looks lost out there.
Lakers win 112 - 92, Record 2-1
Game 4 @ Hawks
The start of a 4 game road trip. Phil's goal, go 2-2. Kobe went off again and SSSSMMUUSSSHHH!!! came up big, chipping in 21 points. Hey, has anyone seen LO? Mihm disappeared again too. Kwame is bound to have a break out game right? At least he defends his man fairly well, fouling aside. In his defense, there are some cheapies being called against him, Mihm too. At the end of this one, Kobe sets fire (literally) to the scores control with 37 and LO has a decent game with 13 pts 11 rebs 6 assists. Great start to the roadtrip!
Lakers win 103-97, Record 3-1
Game 5 @ T'Wolves
Great start to this game with the Lakers crusing to a 23-14 1st quarter lead after and 11-2 start. It looked like it was going to be a blowout. Wishful thinking, eh? The Lakers defense was horrible in the 2nd quarter as they allowed 31 points. Tied at 45 at the half. In the 2nd half it only got worse. Their offense was non-existant. Too many guys standing around and not going to the correct spots. The 4th quarter was beyond ugly as they only scored 13 points and were lucky to get that many. Kobe had a terrible quarter as he was beyond frustrated. Did I mention that it got ugly?
Lakers lose 88-74, Record 3-2
Game 6 @ Sixers
The two leading scores in the league, AI and KB face off. Iverson scores 34 to Kobe's 17, although Kobe added 9 rebounds and 7 assists. In the end, it was Iverson hitting a big shot while Kobe went 2-7 in the 4th quarter as the Lakers only managed 12 points in the 4th. Two nights in a row they stink up the 4th quarter. Closing out games is a sign of maturity. I hope they are able to figure it out soon. In the seasons they won championships in recent years, they could go into the 4th quarter down by 10 and I would feel comfortable. I just knew they had the ability to shut teams down while scoring at crucial times at the end of games. Hopefully, they can develop this killer instinct sooner rather than later. Lakers had their chances even with a poor 4th quarter. They are now 1-2 on the roadtrip.
Lakers lose 85-81, Record 3-3
Game 7 @ Grizzlies
I think Phil said it best, "pathetic". This was really ugly. Does anyone remember how the Lakers used to beat up on the expansion Grizzlies before Jerry West switched teams? Someone needs to teach our young guys that a motion offense will create open shots as long as players and the ball keep moving, neither of which happened in this one. The Lakers shot horribly. Ugly, ugly, ugly. It would be really nice to see Bynum get more time. The kid has tons of raw talent Phil, give him more minutes. They just escaped tying the worst offensive ouput ever. Not pretty ... So much for 2-2 on the roadtrip. It started off well before they lost 3 in a row. The offense is in a funk.
Lakers lose 85-73, Record 3-4
Game 8 vs. Knicks
Phil Jackson vs. Larry Brown meet again. It was just what the doctor ordered for the Lakers, a struggling team. Someone the Lakers can score on and get their offense back in sync. Scoring is exactly what the Lakers did, 97 points in all. It was nice to see Kobe get out of his mini-slump to score 42. It was nice to see Mihm play well, if we could just get him to put you consistent numbers. I think he's getting better so I'll do my best to remain patient. Speaking of which, it would be nice to see Odom start consistently playing like we know he can, although, his numbers were decent in this one.... Curry went off, he'll make Isiah look like a genius if he can always be this good. Marbury was shut down as the Lakers starting backcourt outscored the Knicks equivalent 52-7.
Lakers win 97-92, Record 4-4
Game 9 vs. Clippers
It seems like everyone wants to dub this the battle for LA. The Clippers have improved and many think they are LA's team now. I refuse to believe this regardless of the final score. Although, I have to admit that the Clippers looked good. They got balanced scoring from all 5 starters who all logged heavy minutes. This last tid bit doesn't bode well for the Clippers in the long run. You need a solid bench to go places. You can't expect your starting 5 to each play 40 minutes every game. For the Lakers, Lamar Odom logged another nice game. Kobe scored 36 but needed 35 shots to do it. This is not ideal. Jordan always averaged around 25 shots a game. The Lakers need to get better at running their offense so other guys can get more shots and so Kobe can get more shots in the flow of the offense. His shooting percentage will go way up if they can make those 2 things happen. Unfortunately, Kwame got hurt and will be out 2 weeks with a hamstring injury. ... The Clippers controlled this one throughout.
Lakers lose 97-91, Record 4-5
Game 10 vs. Bulls
Next up the Bulls, ever since Jordan retired, this is a game you expected the Lakers to win. After a loss to the Clippers and dropping below .500, it is nice to play a struggling road team at home or is it? Even with a Jordan-like performance by Kobe, the Lakers let one slip away. Kobe had 43 points on 17-34 shooting while adding 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. The Lakers choked again in the 4th quarter. After going on an 11-2 run and leading 87-79, the Lakers laid an egg the rest of the way. What happened to Lamar Odom? He pulled a huge disappearing act. After posting nice numbers the past few games, he scored just 6 points. Not a very Pippen-like performance. It was nice to see Sasha hit a few nice shots in the 4th, I hope he can build off of that. The Lakers need help with their 3 point shooting so it will open up the lanes for Kobe and Lamar to drive to the basket. By the way, what's up with Aaron Mckie and his 15 min uneventful mins? 5 million well spent? Time will tell. While on the topic of money well spent, What's up with Devean George? Is he ever going to be consistent? He definitely hasn't earned the last contract he signed. We'll see if he can make up for it this year. He's got a long way to go. ... Down the stretch, the Lakers blew their lead thanks in part to poor shot selection. A frustrating loss. One of those you might wish you had come playoff seeding time.
Lakers lose 96-93, Record 4-6
Game 1 @ Nuggets
Whew an OT win, thanks to a nice Kobe shot, a real nailbiter. There were flashbacks of last season when this one was over when the Lakers beat Denver in the 1st game of the season. Although, Chris Mihm didn't put up monster numbers this year. However, Smush Parker did. It was a pleasant surprise to see him play so well. This could be really easy to get used to. LO didn't put up monster numbers but Jason Kidd ones, very close to a triple double. And how about our 6th man? George had 14pts and 8 rebounds. Defensively, they were just ok. They looked lost at times. Although this is expected at the beginning with a young team with mostly new players. As for other things of note, it would have been nice to see Bynum work into the rotation a bit more. Oh ya, that number 8 guy was pretty good too. I guess I kind of expect that from him.
Lakers win 99-97, Record 1-0
Game 2 vs Suns
Back to the basics. What happened to the defense? It was terrible. Believe it or not, the good news is that the mistakes can be fixed via coaching. The rotation and commuication were both horrible. This game has to be an aberration. Phil Jackson teams are generally always good defensively. Right? ... Bright spots? Smush had another great game. I see a fan favorite in the making. LO had a monster game, 23 pts 16 rebs. We might have found our Pippen. ... Other notes, did someone forget to call Kwame and Mihm and tell them that there is a game tonight? I don't remember seeing them. Also, I didn't like Phil changing the starting lineup after winning the first game. What happened to making the other team adjust to us? Phil got too cute. Let's stick to the same starting 5.
Laker lose 122-112, Record 1-1
Game 3 vs Nuggets
Aren't these games fun? You gotta love blowing out good teams every once in awhile. The Lakers played great. At this rate, maybe they should play Denver 82 times. Kobe was awesome once again, scoring 37 pts while shooting better than 50% from the field as he dished 5 assists and grabbed 8 boards. Welcome Chris Mihm, he must really like playing the Nuggets at Staples. His numbers resembled game 1 of the season last year. Smush came down to earth, oh no. The fans still love you though! Keep up the hard work. As for Kwame Brown, someone needs to tape a cheat sheet to his wrist as they do for QB's in football, he just looks lost out there.
Lakers win 112 - 92, Record 2-1
Game 4 @ Hawks
The start of a 4 game road trip. Phil's goal, go 2-2. Kobe went off again and SSSSMMUUSSSHHH!!! came up big, chipping in 21 points. Hey, has anyone seen LO? Mihm disappeared again too. Kwame is bound to have a break out game right? At least he defends his man fairly well, fouling aside. In his defense, there are some cheapies being called against him, Mihm too. At the end of this one, Kobe sets fire (literally) to the scores control with 37 and LO has a decent game with 13 pts 11 rebs 6 assists. Great start to the roadtrip!
Lakers win 103-97, Record 3-1
Game 5 @ T'Wolves
Great start to this game with the Lakers crusing to a 23-14 1st quarter lead after and 11-2 start. It looked like it was going to be a blowout. Wishful thinking, eh? The Lakers defense was horrible in the 2nd quarter as they allowed 31 points. Tied at 45 at the half. In the 2nd half it only got worse. Their offense was non-existant. Too many guys standing around and not going to the correct spots. The 4th quarter was beyond ugly as they only scored 13 points and were lucky to get that many. Kobe had a terrible quarter as he was beyond frustrated. Did I mention that it got ugly?
Lakers lose 88-74, Record 3-2
Game 6 @ Sixers
The two leading scores in the league, AI and KB face off. Iverson scores 34 to Kobe's 17, although Kobe added 9 rebounds and 7 assists. In the end, it was Iverson hitting a big shot while Kobe went 2-7 in the 4th quarter as the Lakers only managed 12 points in the 4th. Two nights in a row they stink up the 4th quarter. Closing out games is a sign of maturity. I hope they are able to figure it out soon. In the seasons they won championships in recent years, they could go into the 4th quarter down by 10 and I would feel comfortable. I just knew they had the ability to shut teams down while scoring at crucial times at the end of games. Hopefully, they can develop this killer instinct sooner rather than later. Lakers had their chances even with a poor 4th quarter. They are now 1-2 on the roadtrip.
Lakers lose 85-81, Record 3-3
Game 7 @ Grizzlies
I think Phil said it best, "pathetic". This was really ugly. Does anyone remember how the Lakers used to beat up on the expansion Grizzlies before Jerry West switched teams? Someone needs to teach our young guys that a motion offense will create open shots as long as players and the ball keep moving, neither of which happened in this one. The Lakers shot horribly. Ugly, ugly, ugly. It would be really nice to see Bynum get more time. The kid has tons of raw talent Phil, give him more minutes. They just escaped tying the worst offensive ouput ever. Not pretty ... So much for 2-2 on the roadtrip. It started off well before they lost 3 in a row. The offense is in a funk.
Lakers lose 85-73, Record 3-4
Game 8 vs. Knicks
Phil Jackson vs. Larry Brown meet again. It was just what the doctor ordered for the Lakers, a struggling team. Someone the Lakers can score on and get their offense back in sync. Scoring is exactly what the Lakers did, 97 points in all. It was nice to see Kobe get out of his mini-slump to score 42. It was nice to see Mihm play well, if we could just get him to put you consistent numbers. I think he's getting better so I'll do my best to remain patient. Speaking of which, it would be nice to see Odom start consistently playing like we know he can, although, his numbers were decent in this one.... Curry went off, he'll make Isiah look like a genius if he can always be this good. Marbury was shut down as the Lakers starting backcourt outscored the Knicks equivalent 52-7.
Lakers win 97-92, Record 4-4
Game 9 vs. Clippers
It seems like everyone wants to dub this the battle for LA. The Clippers have improved and many think they are LA's team now. I refuse to believe this regardless of the final score. Although, I have to admit that the Clippers looked good. They got balanced scoring from all 5 starters who all logged heavy minutes. This last tid bit doesn't bode well for the Clippers in the long run. You need a solid bench to go places. You can't expect your starting 5 to each play 40 minutes every game. For the Lakers, Lamar Odom logged another nice game. Kobe scored 36 but needed 35 shots to do it. This is not ideal. Jordan always averaged around 25 shots a game. The Lakers need to get better at running their offense so other guys can get more shots and so Kobe can get more shots in the flow of the offense. His shooting percentage will go way up if they can make those 2 things happen. Unfortunately, Kwame got hurt and will be out 2 weeks with a hamstring injury. ... The Clippers controlled this one throughout.
Lakers lose 97-91, Record 4-5
Game 10 vs. Bulls
Next up the Bulls, ever since Jordan retired, this is a game you expected the Lakers to win. After a loss to the Clippers and dropping below .500, it is nice to play a struggling road team at home or is it? Even with a Jordan-like performance by Kobe, the Lakers let one slip away. Kobe had 43 points on 17-34 shooting while adding 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. The Lakers choked again in the 4th quarter. After going on an 11-2 run and leading 87-79, the Lakers laid an egg the rest of the way. What happened to Lamar Odom? He pulled a huge disappearing act. After posting nice numbers the past few games, he scored just 6 points. Not a very Pippen-like performance. It was nice to see Sasha hit a few nice shots in the 4th, I hope he can build off of that. The Lakers need help with their 3 point shooting so it will open up the lanes for Kobe and Lamar to drive to the basket. By the way, what's up with Aaron Mckie and his 15 min uneventful mins? 5 million well spent? Time will tell. While on the topic of money well spent, What's up with Devean George? Is he ever going to be consistent? He definitely hasn't earned the last contract he signed. We'll see if he can make up for it this year. He's got a long way to go. ... Down the stretch, the Lakers blew their lead thanks in part to poor shot selection. A frustrating loss. One of those you might wish you had come playoff seeding time.
Lakers lose 96-93, Record 4-6
posted by Lakers Courtside at 10:59 AM
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