Posts Tagged ‘Carlos Boozer’

Byron Scott to Make Lakers Starting Lineup Changes: Who’s In, Who’s Out?

December 7, 2014

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Coach Byron Scott ponders lineup changes.

Newsflash. Lakers still stink. They show quick glimpses of hope by way of a few wins and then they go back to losing. They have dry spells, 3rd quarter lapses and 4th quarter meltdowns. They have minimal help for Kobe on offense, their defense creates layup lines, players look disinterested at times and Byron Scott has had enough.

So guys gotta sit the bench.

But is this going to work? It’s certainly worth a try. The Lakers for the first time in a couple years has had the benefit of starting lineup consistency and have squandered it. This lineup is bad, real bad– Michael Jackson (#kanye)!

Let’s look at it this way. If Byron is truly in harmony with Lakers management, which I think is true, players should take note when coach benches you. This should create an urgency to earn your minutes or be benched, waived or traded. This is important because the concern with benching players is this drops morale and can create friction and negative energy. Management needs to back the coach. Because this is necessary. They are losing bad! You’d hope players are on board with doing anything for the team.

So how should Byron do this? Who’s benched? I’m on the edge of my seat and here’s what I hope for.

Lin is NOT the starting point guard. Everyone has said it. He and Kobe cannot coexist. Mainly because Lin can’t be alpha dog mentality with Kobe. He won’t. That’s not his persona on a consistent basis. So chemistry suffers. Defensively, he’s still not quite there either. He’s not that dude. So somebody has to replace him. In pre-season Price and Kobe did well because Price simply set Kobe up. Price doesn’t feel pressure and didn’t seem to cave in to it. Upgrade? Not really but it also gives Lin an opportunity to run the offense in that second unit.

Carlos Boozer is NOT the starting power forward! Mainly this is a defensive issue. The fouls, the getting beat on defense, it’s becoming an issue. Maybe he’s not working well with Kobe either. Something is lacking though. He needs to join the bench mob. I love the Lin – Davis connection, so perhaps it’s time to put Sacre at center and move Hill to power forward. I also am for Davis starting too. This actually helps Kobe and Hill with Davis being the big man down low and Hill and Kobe with the mid-range game. Either move will help defensively. How Booz will take it? I don’t know but it’s necessary that he finally take a seat. (Wish Randle was here).

Wesley Johnson was given ultimate trust by Byron Scott and we didn’t see that new Wesley. Wesley Johnson is NOT the starting small forward. Purely for that inconsistent play. With Lin going to the bench, you can either have Lin and Young on the wings on that bench, or bring Young in as starting small forward. The Lakers need energy in the starting lineup AND consistency. Now Swaggy P has been known to falter a bit as a starter, so I’m on the fence about this. Kobe can also move to small forward to replace Johnson, inserting Ellington to the 2. No matter what Johnson is going to join the bench mob.

The only two guys guaranteed a starting position are Kobe Bryant and Jordan Hill. I’d be shocked and disappointed if I didn’t see 3 new guys alongside them.

I’m also not opposed to Byron developing his youth. Maybe we bring Roscoe Smith and Jordan Clarkson from the D-league and give them some minutes. Also, sign Earl Clark immediately as another small forward option.

Chemistry and wins also develop faster with better players. Lakers are mum about trades but I’m sure there’s something on the horizon. It’s not like Byron has a plethora of options to choose from. Overall they don’t have players that would ever really start on a championship contender. Grant it, any player can shine given the opportunity. This is what we have left to hope for in the case of our beloved Lakers, that somebody steps up.

With the Lakers being this horrible right now, there is still nowhere else to go but up. Let’s start with the starting lineup and see if Byron can at least find a competitive combination and go from there becase you just don’t get killed by the Boston Celtics!

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The Redemption Season Begins for Lakers

October 28, 2014

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“….Flush it. Next season will be epic”
–Kobe Bryant on Twitter

Lakers fans endured a long summer watching other teams not named the Lakers compete for basketball royalty, waiting to see what happens to D’antoni, watching to see what pick we get in the lottery, watching to see who we pick, waiting to see our roster and watching to see who will usher in the new Laker era.

Now it begins. The redemption season.

Starring Kobe Bryant. Redemption for him is to be the dominant force he was before the season ending injuries. He wants to prove it to himself, but personally I want him to shut up the pundits and the haters. He has something to prove and nothing to prove all as once.

Also starring Jeremy Lin. Jeremy Lin has put LinSanity to rest in favor of Lintertaining. Redemption for Lin is returning to relevancy as a top tier point guard. In Houston they benched him for poor defense. Lin wants to show he is in fact a good defender. The opportunity is his for the taking.

Featuring Carlos Boozer. Much like Lin, Boozer was benched in Chicago for lack of defense. Boozer has been considered aging and on a downturn. Perhaps his redemption is to prove he is that spring chicken he claims to be. Byron’s given him that starting role to do that.

Add in Ed Davis who fought for minutes in Memphis, Julius Randle who should’ve gone earlier in the draft and Jordan Clarkson who should have gone in the first round.

The Lakers have always had their haters and this year the pundits are wasting countless articles on negative views and predictions. I know because I read them.

This year is will be different. Yes. Very different.

The pre-season saw a Laker team that really moved up the learning curve quickly. The team has begun to take on a defensive identity. Lin and Price are proven solid point guards that were missing for years. Ed Davis has proven himself to be a rim protector. Hill has been Hill. Kobe is back. Really. Randle is settling into the game.

The team is buying into Byron’s philosophy and taking on his personality.

This team will be dangerous even as they await the return of Nick Young, Xavier Henry and Ryan Kelly. Kobe and Lin’s ability to create their own shot will create problems for defenses. Boozer and Hill will create havoc on the glass. Davis off the bench will patrol the paint and Price will provide a tenacious 2nd unit defensively. Randle will grow to be a confident offensive threat.

The Lakers will have to maintain as much familiarity within their rotations. Chemistry is huge. They have to minimize defensive breakdowns and really consistently contest shots, create havoc and muddy up the game.

Every game is a statement game. This first one is no different. I don’t believe Kobe has to run this offense. Kobe doesn’t believe that either. This is a team game and expect that this season. Expect team defense. And I expect them to win a bunch of games, starting tonight.

Lakers play Houston tonight at 7:30. Let’s see how the Scott-Bryant era begins.

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Question Marks For Lakers This Season – My Answer is Yes!

August 23, 2014

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Lakers will shock people this year

The Lakers are expected by everybody to stink again! This is a view held by both Lakers fans and Lakers NOTfans. The question is why. If I may be so cryptic, question is the answer.

QUESTIONS. There are questions about almost every aspect of the Lakers team, and because there are no answers until about 10 games into the season perhaps (maybe even all-star break) many are either being pessimistic in true Lakerhaters form or cautiously pessimistic to protect themselves from disappointment.

But forget all that! I’m the Lakers Optimist! So I’m going to answer your questions the only way I know how.

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Kobe will be Vino this year

1. Kobe: Will he be Kobe? Yes. Kobe will be extremely effective, adjusting his game to be a very dominant post player. Look, Kobe hasn’t played but 6 games last year. The last thing anybody wants is a rested and justifiably vengeful Black Mamba. He will motivate his team, shoot when he needs to, command double teams and effectively pass out of them, creating open looks and highlight reels for the other rim-attacking teammates.

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Nash will finish his career strong

2. Nash: Will Nash be useful? Yes. Nash will finish his illustrious career strong mostly in a catch and shoot role. The nerve irritation is an afterthought and he is ready to contribute to this team in 25 minute bursts whether starting or coming off the bench. I expect Lin to be the main man, but in Byron’s offense, both guards are ball handlers. Needless to say, Nash will be Vino Blanco (did i say that right?)

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Byron Scott poised to lead Lakers

3. Byron: Can he be the guy? Yes. The two important factors for a successful coach is making players buy in and making your stars buy in. A great resume and experience are what contribute to that. Byron Scott is a Laker great so he’s invested. He has three championships so he knows how to get em. He has won coach of the year, working with Chris Paul. He took Jason Kidd and the Nets to two straight Eastern Conference titles. Lastly, he played with and mentored Kobe is his rookie year. I fully expect players to listen to and respect B. Scott from Kobe on down. I expect Byron to lead players like Wesley Johnson and Jeremy Lin to extremely successful seasons. Bear in mind that he saw this team all last year as an analyst for TWCSportsnet. Byron Scott is not only the guy for now. He’s the guy for later and the guy to bring Lakers back to where they belong. So I’m saying he’ll pick up where Phil left off.

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Rookie of the year?

4. Julius: Is he the future? Yes! Julius Randle is going to ease into valuable minutes with this team, creating a tenacious scorer and rebounder. I expect him to make a strong case for rookie of the year. According to Byron, you might see him play alongside Boozer for a formidable frontcourt. Boozer, Hill, Randle? Uhoh!

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Chicago's loss is L.A.'s gain

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LinSanity returns to Cali

5. Boozer/Lin: Will they shine in L.A.? Yes! I find it downright disrespectful that the media didn’t see what valuable pickups Mitch made, simply because they weren’t LeBron or Carmelo (By the way guys it’s getting old. Leggo). Boozer’s numbers dipped because he saw a heavy decrease in minutes in favor of Taj Gibson. The same happened with Lin in favor of Patrick Beverly. These guys are bonafide stars when given the responsibility. Look for both to play with a chip on their shoulder. Boozer is still a super solid low post threat with a sound mid range game, plus a beast on the glass. I remember what he’s done to my Lakers in the past. Lin is a true point guard who gets to basket with ease, has a solid jumper and can create great looks for oh… I don’t know…Kobe? These were no chop liver pickups and the league will learn soon.

6. Defense: Will they play better defense? Yes! First and foremost there’s nowhere else to go but up from D’antoni. (Don’t say a word about Cleveland because their roster was not good post-LeBron when Byron took over.) Byron’s first order of business will be defensive sets! That is music to my ears. This team will have to buy into his philosophy and they will, to stay on the floor. They have pitbulls on the glass in Boozer, Randle, Hill and even Wesley Johnson so they’ll finish the job of stopping the opponent and securing the rebound. I expect solid defense and rebounding to be their identity.

This list doesn’t include the fact that Nick Young will continue to be a great scoring threat with Xavier Henry. This doesn’t include the expectation that Ryan Kelly will crush the softmore slump. This doesn’t include my expectation for Jordan Hill to have a monster year as starting center.

Any team playing the Lakers will learn that this team is pesky on defense. They will be attacking the basket and killing the post. They will be in the top 5 in rebounds. They will play smash-mouth 80s style basketball with a 2014 flair (you like that, huh?).

With these questions answered, they will make the playoffs and from there, it’s 16 games to glory and who knows?

So don’t listen to Charles Barkley, please! Listen to The Lakers Optimist.

Go Lakers!

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