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The Home Stretch

March 4, 2016

WARNING: I HAVE ALOT TO SAY!!!!

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Larrybrownsports.com

The Lakers have been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention and are on their way to breaking more dismal records as far as losing goes.

The focus as a team has been the same: Kobe’s retirement tour and develop the rookies. As the year winds down, coach Byron Scott has brought D’Angelo Russell back into the starting lineup and has given rookies like Anthony Brown and Tarik Black more meaningful minutes. He has also implemented a new offensive set that has not only given the players more freedom, but has created more ball movement. Much like last season, this is the time to truly figure out what your post-Kobe squad is made of. And I gotta say, the future looks bright.

D’Angelo Russell had his official breakout game in a win against the hapless Brooklyn Nets (who broke thier first losing streak early this season), dropping 39 points and raining 8 threes. We even saw some genuine swag from Dloading as he drained a Curry-esque deep three in the closing minutes.

Julius Randle is the official double-double machine and really is becoming potentially unstoppable in the post. Larry Nance Jr. is being cautiously used amid a knee situation, but has become a defensive force, contesting and blocking shots. Of course, we can’t forget the high flying dunks we are now growing accustomed to. Anthony Brown is comfortably stepping up to his 3 and D expectations when given the minutes.

Let’s give Jordan Clarkson his own paragraph. Jordan was given the team the latter part of last season where he emerged and made the All-Rookie team. This year he has continued to improve and has been very consistent. Am I a tad biased? Yes. I feel he has fallen by the wayside amid the Kobe retirement tour and the hoopla surrounding D’Angelo Russell and Julius Randle. The Lakers better be careful not to lose him in the shuffle. He is up for free agency next year and he knows that he is going to be a hot ticket next year. That being said, the potential for this team to be virtually unstoppable in a matter of a couple years is high.

If you are a veteran on this team, this is very tough position. The Lakers have seen a 44 point effort from Lou Williams who is now suffering a hamstring issue. I honestly felt like he could be thier star leader post-Kobe and then he became inconsistent. Now that remains to be seen. Brandon Bass has really come out this year offensively and defensively, which begs the question: do you keep him? Bass will surely be coveted by contenders looking for a solid bench player. Right now, Bass shares the same skill set as the seldom used Tarik Black.

Swaggy P is in a funny place. His minutes are inconsistent and his shooting percentage and scoring average is way down. Is he being misused? Of course! His value has diminished greatly, but teams would be foolish to not consider him as a come off the bench gunner. See: Cavs, Grizzlies, etc. Roy Hibbert is one person I can see the Lakers holding onto, yet I can also see them letting him go. The days of him starting may be behind him though. Let’s not overlook the fact that a contending team wouldn’t mind having a defensive gem like Hibbert anchoring thier defense. See: Spurs, Thunder.

The Laker fans are looking at two major things in the off-season. The first one is the draft. The Lakers are off and running in the Ben Simmons sweepstakes second only to those horrible Sixers who have made losing and getting draft picks and losing a franchise staple. Having said that, fans and front office alike are looking to see which additional piece they can add from the draft. They will no doubt need to look for a center.

No matter who they get in the draft, none of these guys are going to be game-changers. This is where free agency (once again) becomes paramount. Kevin Durant and Demar Derozan are two key players the Lakers will be coveting this off-season. Both players are on teams competing for rings, but following what may be a conference semi or conference finals result at best, both players may seek a change of scenery. Kobe is leaving a gaping hole that only a select few will want to fill. Regardless of what anybody says, being the star on the Lakers is a HUGE honor that sells itself…if anyone is willing to buy.

Having said that, the Lakers may come away with nothing but small but valuable complimentary pieces. The Lakers can very well give the team keys to…Russell? Clarkson? Randle? (note: last franchise guy was a SG. The one before that? PG.) The Lakers will have to decide who. I honestly don’t think that missing out on a big ticket star would necessarily be a bad thing.

As we head into the close of the season, our last point of focus is the coach. Byron Scott. Is he the coach to weather the storm or your coach to return them to glory? At this point, I think he was the best for the situation. I don’t agree with the way he has used his players or rotated them. I don’t think he’s had the easiest of situations. Part of me says give him a clean slate like the 2016-2017 Kobe-less season and see how he does. He deserves a good team minus the drama. Part of me says he had a team perfectly capable of winning 30-40 games and screwed that up. His players aren’t buying what he’s selling. His coaching style does not work with THIS team. Then again look at the progress of the rookies. Metta World Peace isn’t complaining about minutes which could speak to his team management.

I’ll leave that alone and let the Lakers brass decide. In the meantime, let’s enjoy the Kobe show, watch the young guys gel and look to another pivotal off-season.

Stick with your team, Lakers faithful.

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Low End Theory: Lakers At 9-41

February 1, 2016

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The Lakers continue to reach new lows, hence my play on words— Low End Theory. The Lakers are 9-41. They have lost 10 straight games en route to making history again. The longest streak in franchise history is 10 games. The fans are booing. The players are frustrated or confused or both. The interviews are depressing.

I’ve seen enough. The only optimism at this point is that the season is halfway over. Ben Simmons here we come!

But seriously.

There has to be two theories to consider. Either this team lacks talent or this team is not playing well. I’ve said time and time again that this team is not playing well. This means that there are fixes that can take place. First there needs to be a problem determined. I have a couple.

1. They don’t score enough. The Lakers are I think the worst scoring team in the league. Is it because of bad shots or are they missing good looks? I’d say it’s both. The Lakers started to embrace the three point shot, for better or worse. The problem is they don’t make enough. They force quite a few. They sometimes make plays toward the basket in spurts and they do not post anybody enough. They also hardly move the ball. However, the Lakers biggest issue is they have no defined roles. They have 4 one on one players in the starting lineup and have not determined who the head of the snake is. They have nobody expected to score consistently if not guarded. NO LAKER DESERVES A DOUBLE TEAM. Ball movement is effective when you have scoring threats. The defense will move to respect a scoring threat. If there are none, forget about whether or not you move the ball. Right now no Laker commands that attention. I blame that on strategy. When Kobe was Kobe, the plan was for either Kobe to get his and then get others involved or vice versa depending on the flow of the game. Now who is the guy for that job now? Lou? Jordan? Julius? If every other play a different guy is trying to be the man it just makes an unorganized mess on the offensive end.  They need to decide who’s going to be the offensive number 1, 2 and 3.

Lakers don’t score enough because they don’t ever go into the low post consistently. How many times have we seen Julius Randle have his way with his defensive man? However, whereas most teams would milk a match-up until the other team figures it out or throws a double team, the Lakers do NOTHING with consistency. Clarkson will get to the basket and create and then never do it again for the next 7 minutes. Nance Jr had a mismatch when the Clippers went small recently and this was NEVER exploited. These are offensive strategies that are purely an indictment on not putting your personnel in a position to be successful. When entering the post they should do it early in the shot clock.

Lakers don’t score enough because they wait way too long to get into their offense. I’ll add to that the fact that they do not push the ball off of a defensive rebound. Observe how many times this Laker team is walking the ball up the court. As a young, athletic team that lacks dominant halfcourt ability, they should be keeping opposing defenses on their heels and getting into their offensive strategies before the defense sets up. Typically time is wasted on the shot clock because the ball sticks or moves to slowly, starting with the trot into halfcourt and the meaningless 5 seconds of dribbling.

2. Lakers don’t rebound well. How many times have you just about pulled your hair out after the Lakers have surrendered yet another offensive put-back or rebound? Part of the issue is pure effort. The other is perimeter breakdowns. Bigs leave their man to collapse on the the scorer. However, the Lakers usually fail to help the helper. This is a huge issue for a team who’s defense is lacking. Whenever they do make a stop, they give the team a second and third chance.

3. The Lakers have awful rotations. I can’t speak to why Metta World Peace hasn’t seen the court or why Tarik Black doesn’t play. Nick Young sits for about 7 games and then plays the next 4. The Lakers have changed their starting lineup only a few times, not including the Kobe situation when he sits a game out. But the bottom line is there are players playing that should be playing and then vice versa. There are not enough minutes for everyone, but it would help knowing what to expect as a player. This doesn’t include players being sat down when they are hot or benching certain players in the 4th quarter. Consistency builds chemistry.

As a huge Byron Scott fan, I still don’t know what the game plan is. During this Kobe farewell, the players should be urged to give him the proper send off. This isn’t it. The plan to develop the youth should be balanced with the desire to win games. This Lakers team doesn’t look like they know how to win. The effort reeks of confusion and they bottomed out by losing by 20 plus points to an average Charlotte Hornets team that was INJURED.

They have a right to be frustrated and fans have a right to boo. But until a change in strategy happens or a game changing superstar comes on board, we can expect more of this. When the Lakers win, they are sharing the ball and their big three, Clarkson, Russell and Randle have big games. They get out in transition and they hit 3’s. This has only happened 9 times. Something has to be done.

Until then we will be wondering what kind of team Kobe has left behind to carry the torch.

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New Year…New Team? A Lakers Optimist Quickie-Blog

January 9, 2016
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Nba.com

Have the Lakers developed an identity? I think what the Lakers have embraced is a halfcourt slow tempo offense with plays and attacks toward the basket…an inside out team. This team is developing into a team that defends and then effectively scores in transition. IF they accept and run with this identity and stick to the script they will be dangerous. The reason they almost beat OKC last night is because they contested shots, effectively got in lanes and forced turnovers and created transition opportunities. Players like Bass and Nance are not afraid to dunk and contest shots. Stay tuned to see if this consistent identity becomes the face of Lakeshow 2016.

Now don’t get mad, Laker fans, but the picture up top could very well be the face of your Los Angeles Lakers. Unless you’ve been under a rock, the Lakers backcourt has been Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson with Kobe and Nance in the front and Hibbert in the middle. Sometimes a star might be right under your nose. Lou Williams has been one of the most consistent scorers on this team. He has also ramped up his defense. As Kobe rides off into the sunset the Lakers will be left with Lou Williams, who has showed that he can take over games. Let’s consider that he poured 44 on OKC. With nobody to share “run the team” duties with, he could propel into the stratosphere on a GOOD Lakers team. Yes, expect Lakers to court a superstar like Durant (he ain’t coming over here.) but please oh please don’t let Lou Will go ANYWHERE.

As this Laker team looks toward the future and continues to improve, we can easily spot our consistent players. Larry Nance Jr. has quickly become a high fly act, offensive paint weapon, decent and improving perimeter shooter and good defender with brimming confidence. He has all but solidified his place in that starting lineup. Jordan Clarkson is my poor man’s Russell Westbrook and has been consistent as a shooter, attacker, finisher and passer. He’s developing on defense as well. He’s quickly establishing his own identity and stardom.

So your big three might actually be Lou Williams, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. But let’s consider that D’angelo Russell is quickly developing into a little monster…so big 4? Randle for me needs to come off the bench a little longer because of his inconsistent offense, but you have to have strong bench players anyway. Randle shares frontcourt duties with another consistent bench guy in Brandon Bass. This guy plays HARD. He’s an active body on defense and is also an energy guy.

I know I said that Lou should come off the bench, but I can change my mind. Perhaps Randle will return to early season form and change my mind as well. Either way, Mitch Kupchak has his core. Hibbert might be up for debate but your post-Kobe starters might be Clarkson, Russell, Williams, Nance and Hibbert.

Let’s watch as the season unfolds and look for the Lakers to either embrace this identity and start winning games or resume searching for one while losing.

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Great Lake-spectations

August 22, 2015

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Alright folks we are on the verge of training camp, pre-season the 2015-2016 NBA season. The Los Angeles Lakers have once again retooled and yet again, nobody expects anything out of purple and gold.

The funny thing is, they are not necessarilly basing thier opinion on how bad the Lakers are, as opposed to how good the West is. Okay, but let’s look at it differently. Let’s actually take a look at these Lakers.

The pundits, stars-or-bust fans and Lakershaters can confidently say before every season that the Lakers will suck because there are “too many questions.” How illogical is that? If there are too many questions then how does that lead you to make a definitive answer? Secondly, they continue to overlook the fact that the Lakers have not been fully healthy since the year they were eliminated by Dallas in the second round! My favorite part is where they say even if healthy they would have still been just as bad. Based on what facts or sample size? Much like any other team in the league, your success is banked on the fact that a large percentage of your key players are HEALTHY enough to make a substantial contribution (see OKC and Pacers) The healthiest team wins the ring.

I just had to get that off my chest for what it’s worth. So what do the Lakers have this year? Lakers have a combination of untapped youth potential, budding stars, recent all-stars and effective veterans— and Kobe.

Looking at their potential starting five, let’s just assume that this team can develop chemistry quick enough to eek out some wins as they are learning to gel. In the middle at the 5 is Roy Hibbert. Roy is an elite defender and is chiefly responsible for the defensive prowess in Indiana. Roy’s expectation is to defend and to remove the swiss cheese defense plaguing the Lakers over the last few years. Byron will have him on the block to rebound and catch and dunk as needed. For the first time since the botched Dwight experiment, they have a true center. Major upgrade.

Hibbert will share the frontcourt with our number 4, Julius Randle. Julius is now back. Julius posseses mini-LeBron capabilities as a one man fast break. He creates contact and can get to the paint in a hurry. Offensively he is expected to control that area just around that free throw line and below. He is also a decent passer out of double-teams. His deciding factor is finishing consistently at the rim and hitting that mid-range jumper. His brand of bully ball should help him grab plenty of rebounds as well.

Small forward, the 3, has been a questionable area for Lakers. I like that Kobe will be manning that wing spot. Kobe will find himself in the post and on the recieving end of some passes to hit some open threes as well. From that vantage point he can still create closer to the basket rather than bringing the ball upcourt. We know Kobe, so expect great. Period. Defensively this will be a concern and a question of matchups from night to night. However the Lakers have shored up this position to give Kobe a break with Nick Young, Lou Williams, Anthony Brown and Johnathan Holmes, all possibilities to fill this spot.

Alternating most likely at the 4 and 5 are 2nd pick D’angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson. D’angelo has already been touted for his playmaking ability and shooting. He is going to make several mistakes which is why it’s great that 2nd year softmore Jordan “Fearless” Clarkson will share point guard duties. Clarkson has become a deadly paint attacker and pretty effective from outside. He also is a very good finisher and rebounder. Your wings can pretty much be Clarkson and Bryant. As a backcourt, expect glimpses of a dangerous duo in Clarkson and Russell. Defense will be a question, but the instant youth injection can boost Lakers perimeter defense on athleticism alone and allow them to stay in front of the ball much better to keep Hibbert from doing too much bailing out.

The defense will get better, how much better will remain to be seen. However, offensively, there will be two guards essentially able to get to the basket and hit the open three. Also they can set the table for each other, as well as Kobe, Randle and Hibbert down low. Kobe will have that post and will feast in that area. Randle will also be a bully on the block and in that mid-range. Hopefully Russell and Clarkson can effectively space the floor by hitting open threes. Spacing within Bryon’s offense is key so defenses will have to remain honest. Lakers potentially can have quite a few weapons.

Oh yeah that bench! Potential gunners working side by side are newly signed Lou Williams and Swaggy P himself, Nick Young. Brandon Bass will bring toughness on defense and a good jumpshot. Lakers also have another potential standout guard in Jabari Brown who showed flashes of point guard brilliance. Tarik Black is almost a shoe-in for backup center for Hibbert and is just tenacious on both ends. Lakers have also picked up big man Jeremy Tyler and guard Michael Frazier. Lakers have shored up their three point shooting this year.

It’s funny nowadays that to assume health and chemistry for the Lakers is to assume alot, but to assume doom gloom and 26 wins before the first tip-off isn’t.

Well this team right here, regardless of the way the West looks, is a very solid team that will only get better. I do expect no less than 40 wins– MINIMUM. In April they will compete for 7th or 8th. That’s honestly in my opinion being modest.

So I guess I’m saying ESPN doesn’t know what they are talking about.

But remember, I’m The Lakers Optimist.

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New Look Lakers…Again

July 23, 2015

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Well, ladies and gentlemen, here we are again. We are a few weeks away from training camp and the subsequent 2015 pre-season. Last year the Lakers accepted a consolation prize in Carlos Boozer and Jeremy Lin after Melo, Lebron and Pau kindly refused thier offers. They added a few more pieces and drafted Julius Randle at number seven and were expecting a healthy Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash. The Lakers Optimist expectations were that we had a paint focused and defense oriented team with solid point guards running the offense, Kobe being Kobe and the Lakers would redeem themselves from a miserable 27-55 season…

But then the injuries came… Nash hurt his back carrying luggage. Swaggy P hurt his thumb trying to steal the ball from Kobe. Jeremy Lin tweaked an ankle. Julius Randle broke his leg in the first game. Ryan Kelly had hamstring issues… Then Kobe hurt his shoulder… And by the middle of the season it was time to tank— ahem, test out our youth. The Lakers ended up with a depressing 21-61 record.

So we turn the page, but not before asking ourselves what happened? Okay injuries aside, the Lakers were overmatched at virtually every position. But if you look more closely, the Lakers lacked any perimeter defense. Once that defense was broken down there was no rim protector outside of Ed Davis occasionally. They had no true center and got outrebounded routinely every night. The small forward position was all but none with the sometimey Wes Johnson and the struggling Nick Young…and Ryan Kelly…really?

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Well the off-season rolled in. Lakers got the 2nd pick which became D’Angelo Russell, addressing a glaring need for a floor general. Jordan Clarkson also proved that he can run the team. They also increased in youth at that position to hopefully keep up with the fast-paced guard centric league. Lakers then addressed the gaping hole in the middle by trading practically nothing for all-star Pacers center Roy Hibbert. Hibbert is an instant upgrade defensively. In spite of his underwhelming performance last season, all we need for Roy to do is play defense and catch and dunk. Additionally, the Lakers picked up undrafted elite shot blocker Robert Upshaw. He was one of few bright spots of summer league, so much so that he signed a contract with the Lakers. Depth in the middle is official.

Lakers addressed their small forward issue by drafting 3 and D guy Anthony Brown who shot 40% from distance and also showed promise in summer league as well. Furthermore, Kobe Bryant being moved to small forward this season will give them a star at that position.

Lakers then added some toughness and depth to thier frontcourt by signing free agent Brandon Bass and drafting energy and defensive gem Larry Nance Jr. Not to mention Julius Randle is back and poised to bring bully ball to that power forward position. They also gave a major boost to thier bench by signing 6th man of the year Lou Williams. It’s quite possible you’ll see Nick Young and Lou Williams giving teams fits defensively on that 2nd unit.

This does not include potential break out combo guard Jabari Brown and Tarik Black who are both returning for thier second year.

Gone from these Lakers are Jeremy Lin, Carlos Boozer, Ed Davis, Wes Johnson, Ronnie Price and Wayne Ellington. But I like who remains.

I’d be surprised if the Lakers dont at miminum hit 45 wins and really shake up the western conference. The key is for this team to be healthy. My starting lineup looks like this from 1 to 5.

Russell
Clarkson
Bryant
Randle
Hibbert

Stay tuned for more blogs as we get set for an exciting training camp and pre-season!!

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State of the Lakers: The Youth Movement

January 27, 2015

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We started off the season with Laker Optimist hopes. We had a rising star in Julius Randle– the face of the future. We had seasoned veterans Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash to lead. We had a gameplan implemented by coach Byron Scott to focus on defense. We added Jeremy Lin to bolster the backup point guard position. Swaggy P returned to provide scoring punch from the bench. I liked the Lakers to be a 6-8th seed and I was excited.

Then the season began. Then the injuries happened. Then the losses piled up. Lost Nash. Lost Randle.

We saw a team that couldn’t quite find a way to play defense. They have flashes of brilliance, but continued to falter in the 3rd and 4th quarters. There was a lot of Kobe watching at the beginning of the season and a whole bunch of Kobe shooting and scoring. We were losing, but Kobe was winning.

Byron made a lineup change in favor of defense. Booz and Lin go to the bench. They showed signs of improvement and then more injuries started to affect the team. The team, for whatever reason, still couldn’t get it going. More importantly, Kobe Bryant hit a wall. This wall caused inconsistency in lineup and rotation in order to preserve Kobe.

Inconsistency of lineup chemistry. Inability to fight over screens. Poor rotations. Inability to make shots in the 4th quarter. This team is the bad team that fights for 3 quarters and falls flat in the 4th. Sometimes this time starts flat and fights from behind for 3 quarters and then finally succcumbs in the 4th quarter.

So the Lakers are totally out of the playoff picture. Aside from a blockbuster trade involving a game changing point guard and a game changing center, or a complete turnaround by this team, things won’t get any better. This team has a defensive inconsistency that is only eclipsed by its inability to score at times. When they can’t defend, they can’t score and when they can score, they can’t defend. With this reality, including Kobe’s recent possibly season-ending injury, Coach Scott has gone to youth development.

I’m excited, I must say. The Lakers have a great recipe for future success. Jordan Clarkson’s poise, quickness and energy has made him easily one of my favorite rookies. Tarik Black’s defensive mind, Ed Davis’ shot blocking and paint shooting acurracy and Ryan Kelly’s shooting and ability to create off the dribble when given the opportunity present a bright future. Byron has gone with Clarkson, Ellington, Kelly, Hill and Sacre to start games. It’s important to start developing these guys as they figure out who will be added in the off-season to provide that competitive starting unit.

I haven’t given up! I’m the Laker’s Optimist! But I do see the writing on the wall. With the All-Star break around the corner, which is a great time to determine whether your team is a competitor, championship team, or bottom-feeder, we know what kind of team we are dealing with. Now we watch to scout players, see what works and what doesn’t, and see what improvements can be made towards the end of the year.

It’s a good time to see where some of these players fit in now and for the future. This includes Boozer and Lin. Lin is arguably the best PG on this team and has to at some point step up and prove it. Boozer has proven to be a very solid bench player as far as offensive production. I hope that after about 20 more games to give you another blog about this very topic.

So sit back, relax, get your popcorn and enjoy the glimpse into the future of the Purple and Gold.

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Are the Lakers Truly Better Than Their Record?

November 29, 2014

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3-13. That’s the current record for the Lakers this season so far. It’s wise that the Lakers keep a positive outlook by seeing improvements in losses and saying things like they are better than their record.

But are they better than their record?

Bad teams spend a season getting blown out on some nights (Golden State) and showing some fight on others (Memphis, Clippers). After the close losses one starts to think, “well if they put forth that type of effort every night… ”

But it never happens with bad teams. It didn’t happen against the cellar-dwelling Minnesota Timberwolves last night. They can never seem to put together the closing effort good enough pull out victories rather than moral victories. Good teams play with the bad teams and win at the end because they are that good. Lakers fans know that because we’ve been on the other end of that.

We are now 16 games into the season with the season with the question being which team is this Lakers team?

In most cases you are your record. But Oklahoma City is not their record because of obvious injuries to their star players. Do the Lakers have any excuses why they are dismally 10 games below .500?

No. Not really.

Their starting five is healthy and has had ample opportunities to build chemistry.

Right now we are witnessing a team that cannot play defense. When they do, they can’t score. They can lead but can’t close out. They blow big leads because they lack killer instinct. They look…well…like a bad team.

Against Minnesota they gave up 120 points. Byron is mad. He said the team lacks focus. What can possibly take away your focus? What could be more capable of creating a sense of urgency and focus than being 9 games under .500? And they didn’t have it? So is it focus or talent??

I have to believe that they are better than their record, but at the same time that record isn’t a mistake. They kinda stink right now. Really bad. The question is can they turn it around?

So where’s the optimism? They have about 30 games to figure it out. By all-star break, the team you are is the team you are.

The Lakers haters and the Lakers lovers are both watching. Let’s see what happens.

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Lakers A Work in Progress?

November 7, 2014
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http://kfwbam.com

Nope! It’s still not time to panic. The Lakers have jumped out to a historically bad start and even as we fans have reason to freak out, we have to keep things in perspective. Seriously, perhaps I’m only living up to my name. But remember, I’m the Lakers Optimist.

The Lakers hobbled into the season after a myriad on injuries robbed them of their time to gel. Lin did not play in the starting lineup until the last couple games on pre-season. Chemistry is still settling in.

The Lakers, ready or not, took on a well prepared Houston Rockets team. During that drubbing they lost Julius Randle and took a deflated effort to Phoenix where Phoenix fully took advantage. They then proceeded to take on the Clippers and Warriors in back to back games, really learning on the fly. 4 games in 5 nights against playoff contenders. Hey, they could have won those last two.

So it’s not the fairest sample size, is it?
The question is, should Lakers fans panic? Nah. Each game they are getting better at playing together. Defensively they need a lot of work, but notice an increased effort each game. The team isn’t incapable. It’s learning. The learning curve is extremely high being that it’s the season, but they will get better and hit their stride.

What must happen?

Lin and Boozer must help Kobe. Lin and Kobe must help Hill and Boozer on defense. Lin has to attack relentlessly and keep defenses on their heels. Boozer must run towards the basket and stop settling for that jumpshot.

Price needs to run the offense and lead the defense of the second unit. The bench mob has to back up the starters. They completely floundered against Phoenix when the starters actually did well!

They have an opportunity against the Hornets on Sunday to start the winning culture. I fully expect them to turn it around. Lakers fans are the most impatient fans in the league, but we’ll have to be.

Don’t panic yet. Byron, Kobe and company will get it right.

Stay tuned!

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Lakers Upgrades to Look For

October 6, 2014

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http://www.nba.com/lakers

Contrary to what the pundits have said, the Lakers have serious upgrades from last year which promises a significant turnaround from last year– a playoffs type of turnaround. And here’s why:

Byron Scott. The coaching change is already paying dividends simply in the changed culture of the team. D’antoni was very much an more passive coach, who never seemed really sure of himself. Pau Gasol many times complained of discipline lacking. This team needed something very different for a place like L.A. and a team like the Lakers. The conditioning and defense-first approach will affect the personnel that takes the court first and foremost. Whether or not they are a team of defensive specialists, they will put forth efforts, implement defensive schemes and play defense by committee. Just watching practices and interviews point a new attitude and a changing culture. Look for that to translate onto the court.

Byron Scott as an analyst noticed time and time again how players like Wesley Johnson and Jordan Hill were not used where they could be successful. Wes guarded power forwards and stayed around three point line. Hill saw fluctuation in playing time in favor of a stretch four. Bigs just were not used correctly. D’antoni force-fed run and gun offense on a team that needed to feed the ball down low to control tempo and keep teams from easy transition buckets. Expect the change in offense to put players in a position to be successful, decrease transition and increase paint points. Not as exciting as D’antoni but wins are much more fun.

The Return of Kobe and Nash. Funny how those words mean nothing to the pundits. There will be a huge increase in offensive production as well as more control of tempo. These guys are a step slower but there’s no doubt that this is a major upgrade.

Point Guard Position. The point guard position got much younger and faster. Jeremy Lin is not far removed from Linsanity. He brings an ability to create his own shot, get to the basket quickly and create shots for others. Nash will start but Lin will see plenty of minutes. The Lakers also managed to nab Ronnie Price and Jordan Clarkson who will both add more depth at that position and back up Nash. Needless to say, there is less likely of a chance for blow-bys on the perimeter with these younger, quicker point guard additions.

With the loss of Gasol, Lakers still managed to shore up the power forward/center position with future star Julius Randle, all-star forward Carlos Boozer and newly added Ed Davis. Scoring may have dipped but rebounding and paint protection took a major upgrade. Rob Sacre also can provide an effective 7-footer in spurts.

Look for a more controlled, organized, defensive-minded team that can rebound effectively. Look for a priceless mentorship from Nash, Kobe and Boozer that will show up on the court. Goran Dragic was a product of being under the tutelage of Steve Nash. Look for less transition by the other teams and increased post play.

Finally, look for a stunned panel of naysayers who placed the Lakers in the nba cellar. The Lakers Optimist said so.

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Lakers Will Take a Page from Poppovich’s Book This Season

September 14, 2014

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Lakers coach Byron Scott is getting close to penciling in his starting 5. He has hinted that Kobe and Nash would be starting backcourt, Boozer and Hill in the frontcourt and maybe Wesley Johnson at small forward.

Then we heard that Nash may not be starting. Then we heard, and this makes the most sense, that the starters would be confirmed after training camp.

Everybody expressed their discontent with Byron’s decision to choose veterans over youth to start games. They complain that players won’t be able to develop coming off the bench, namely Randle, Lin and Clarkson.

On a smaller level, we have the potential for a Spurs type of rotation, where the starters, namely the vets will be relied upon to start the game and to finish games and the bench will indeed receive the bulk of the minutes to keep Kobe, Nash and even Boozer fresh throughout the season. This is perhaps why they loaded up on power forwards, guards and point guards.

So it really doesn’t matter if the veterans start. Jeremy Lin and Julius Randle will get plenty of minutes to develop. More importantly, the Lakers bench will get the opportunity to become that benchmob that we saw last year before they were decimated with injuries.

I expect to see Nash play only 25 minutes maximum, giving Lin the bulk of minutes. Clarkson should be seen in spurts. An increase in Clarkson minutes should only come if he earns it, not because of last resort. Kobe will also see 30-35 minutes tops in favor of Nick Young taking the bulk of those minutes. Lastly, Randle will also be seeing valuable minutes backing up Boozer.

Lakers possess a young athletic group that will be called on to support the veterans throughout much of the season. Whether or not they can do it is going to be huge.

Do we have the talent to accomplish this? The jury is out on that. But I’m The Lakers Optimist so I expect greatness. Stay tuned. Pre-season begins October 6th against Denver Nuggets.

Let’s see who starts.

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