[:: LAKERS 2014 THREAD | POLL: Who Should Coach Next Year? ::]

[WAKKO!]

metta grandpa looks like a goon 

the guy holding the ball isnt even a grandpa, thats the real steve nash

Wonder if that's ska...that grandpa goon squad would dominate this laker team especially with the real Steve Nash on that goon squad

 

[5am6oody72]

CP, glad you're here, ol' friend.

So if I'm understanding things correctly, THIS guy would have made all the difference for Mike D?

When people talk about the Suns not bringing it home and you mention those "Imagine what could have been" picks... 

... you hyping up this guy?

I know Duncan is a beast, but all he did was square him up and let dude fail. But THAT'S what was stopping Nash/Stat/Marion/Mike D from sealing the deal?!

That was still better than any post moves Dwight had last night How you let ANDREA BARGNANI put the clamps on you?

I just thought about the fact that even though we're not very good right now and Nash and Kobe are out, we still started this year with the same record so far as we did last year when we had D12, Artest, and Kobe playing. I remember telling people "Man I'm not even worried, I'm just assuming we'll win 60-65"

This team is a lot easier to root for, that's for sure. I think Jordan Hill's absence was overlooked last year; he's not a spectacular player but he's got a decent shot for a big man and his effort/hustle, rebounding and touch around the basket are consistently superb. I had a soft spot for Bynum, and was thrilled when we got D12, but man were those guys hard to like sometimes. If either of them approached the game the way Hill does or played with that intensity? :x

 

[had pants]

Kobe shoutout

 

[darthska]

I'll give Bynum a pass, because of the way he moves. Like people have mentioned how Dwight doesn't need to be learning from the likes of Hakeem, because he's more clunky than Hakeem. He needs to hit up the likes of Shaq, or his freaking coach, McHale.

Same with Bynum; he's not a finesse guy. Very clunky. That sort of style, you can't really 'hustle' with his style, you know? I mean, you can, but his movements aren't as free.

But Dwight? I know I just compared his agility to Bynum, but that's not to say that Dwight is un-agile (word help, please). Dude won one dunk contest, and entered like.. what? Three of 'em? Dude is crazy 'athaletic' (no Barkley). If he was out there hustling like J-Hill, it would be CCCCUUUUURRRTTTAAAAAAIIIINS for the league. Lights out. Shut the league down. Sorry, LeBron; O'Brien goes through Dwight. He could be rebounding like Rodman/Ben Wallace, but scoring like David Robinson. And I know people give DRob hell, but that's my dude. Before Kobe's 81, he had the highest game since Wilt (70-something). He has like a handful of near quadruple doubles. MVP. Two championships. Sure, not until Duncan came along, but dude definitely had his time. AND THIS WAS WHEN THERE WERE ACTUALLY OTHER CENTERS IN THE LEAGUE. Hakeem. Shaq. PATRICK. They all took turns collecting rings (well, except Ewing, but he was still an absolute FORCE). 

This SHOULD be Dwight's time.

But no. THERE ARE NO CENTERS IN THE WHOLE FREAKING LEAGUE. It ain't like he's up against Dream, Diesel, & Patrick.

It's SO FRUSTRATING watching him and knowing how long he has been in the league. Like you said, Bargnani freaking clamped him last night. He should be FEASTING when he's facing like 90% of the league, since centers are virtually gone.

Watching him get blocked by Bargnani last night, losing positions for rebounds, watching Lin get through... it's just frustrating watching him, then seeing a guy like Hill be productive despite not being anywhere near as athletic and skilled and [BASKETBALL] smart as Dwight.

 

[blahzee]

I'll give Bynum a pass, because of the way he moves. Like people have mentioned how Dwight doesn't need to be learning from the likes of Hakeem, because he's more clunky than Hakeem. He needs to hit up the likes of Shaq, or his freaking coach, McHale.


Same with Bynum; he's not a finesse guy. Very clunky. That sort of style, you can't really 'hustle' with his style, you know? I mean, you can, but his movements aren't as free.

But Dwight? I know I just compared his agility to Bynum, but that's not to say that Dwight is un-agile (word help, please). Dude won one dunk contest, and entered like.. what? Three of 'em? Dude is crazy 'athaletic' (no Barkley). If he was out there hustling like J-Hill, it would be CCCCUUUUURRRTTTAAAAAAIIIINS for the league. Lights out. Shut the league down. Sorry, LeBron; O'Brien goes through Dwight. He could be rebounding like Rodman/Ben Wallace, but scoring like David Robinson. And I know people give DRob hell, but that's my dude. Before Kobe's 81, he had the highest game since Wilt (70-something). He has like a handful of near quadruple doubles. MVP. Two championships. Sure, not until Duncan came along, but dude definitely had his time. AND THIS WAS WHEN THERE WERE ACTUALLY OTHER CENTERS IN THE LEAGUE. Hakeem. Shaq. PATRICK. They all took turns collecting rings (well, except Ewing, but he was still an absolute FORCE). 

This SHOULD be Dwight's time.

But no. THERE ARE NO CENTERS IN THE WHOLE FREAKING LEAGUE. It ain't like he's up against Dream, Diesel, & Patrick.

It's SO FRUSTRATING watching him and knowing how long he has been in the league. Like you said, Bargnani freaking clamped him last night. He should be FEASTING when he's facing like 90% of the league, since centers are virtually gone.

Watching him get blocked by Bargnani last night, losing positions for rebounds, watching Lin get through... it's just frustrating watching him, then seeing a guy like Hill be productive despite not being anywhere near as athletic and skilled and smart as Dwight.

View media item 655624

 

[darthska]

I didn't mean 'smart' like 'book smart' or whatever; I meant basketball smart.

And he is definitely basketball smart.

Doesn't apply it, and that's the problem, but it's there.

 

[sea manup]

 
I didn't mean 'smart' like 'primitive markings carved into a stone tablet smart' or whatever; I meant basketball smart.

And he is definitely basketball smart.

Doesn't apply it, and that's the problem, but it's there.

yeah dwights defensive basketball IQ is amazing, when motivated he not only is a great onball and help defender but he can also sit in the back and direct the four other players. thats something a guy like hill cant learn. with all that being said i would take effort over brains any day of the week

 

[do work son]

Agreed. I think Dwight could have an even greater impact of he completely dedicated himself to getting every loose ball. Players that have everything given to them usually lack in effort like that. It's conditioned. Doesn't just happen

 

[grandtheftbike]

 
I didn't mean 'smart' like 'primitive markings carved into a stone tablet smart' or whatever; I meant basketball smart.

And he is definitely basketball smart.

Doesn't apply it, and that's the problem, but it's there.

so easy a caveman can do it

 

[darthska]

Agreed. I think Dwight could have an even greater impact of he completely dedicated himself to getting every loose ball. Players that have everything given to them usually lack in effort like that. It's conditioned. Doesn't just happen

Absolutely! That's exactly what I was getting at in my rant a few posts above.

If he committed himself to rebounding with the tenacity of Worm and Big Ben... 

 

[do work son]

I think a lot of it had to do with expectations. People have always expected him to become a dominant post up player, not an unfair expectation, and he's never really become that. In hindsight, he wasted his time working with hakeem. Hakeems game is better suited for undersized big men to finesse tougher defenders.

He can still be a dominant player in this league by just thinking his life depends on getting every single rebound, and ferociously dunking on anyone in his path instead of postup fadeaways and jump hooks

 

[darthska]

^ Exactly. Thank you.

So is that the collective opinion of Rockets fans? Or just your opinion? Because I know when I say it, "Oh, you're just a bitter Lakers fan." 

 

[grandtheftbike]

I think a lot of it had to do with expectations. People have always expected him to become a dominant post up player, not an unfair expectation, and he's never really become that. In hindsight, he wasted his time working with hakeem. Hakeems game is better suited for undersized big men to finesse tougher defenders.

feels like these two go hand in hand

expectations were expected for him because he worked with other big men

 

[do work son]

^ Exactly. Thank you.

So is that the collective opinion of Rockets fans? Or just your opinion? Because I know when I say it, "Oh, you're just a bitter Lakers fan." 

Lol I can't speak for anyone but myself. Like I said, he is what he is at this point and I'm ok with that. If he can give my team 18/12/2/2 on a nightly basis, I'm happy.

The "delusional Lakers fan" thing is stupid. Every fan base had delusional fans, yall just happen to have a larger fan base in general.

 

[darthska]

I mean, you can't say you want to be a franchise player and NOT expect expectations.

You can't demand more touches everywhere you go, and NOT expect expectations.

"No, I want to be given a franchise, and I want to be given tons of touches, but I want to be given the the expectations of Mehmet Okur."

Nah, dude. 

 

[CP1708]

The "delusional Lakers fan" thing is stupid

No it's not.

 

[do work son]

Well I meant expectations as in how he played the game, not necessarily just high expectations in results. People knock him for not being a back to the basket player. Who cares? I think that's what he got caught in. Should've just practiced jump hooks over both shoulders and that's it. No intricate moves. Hook shots, dunks, rebounding, and defense. That's ask he's ever needed to do, imo.

 

[vindeezy]

Kobe still shooting on his tippie toes and pringles playing dumb......sigh...will we ever see him play again.........

 

[grandtheftbike]

I mean, you can't say you want to be a franchise player and NOT expect expectations.

You can't demand more touches everywhere you go, and NOT expect expectations.

"No, I want to be given a franchise, and I want to be given tons of touches, but I want to be given the the expectations of Mehmet Okur."

Nah, dude. 

not what i meant at all. this goes back to before he was even traded to LA. can we not say his expectations went up after working with hakeem after he had already been working with ewing?

can we see it in his game? dont we have the right to have some kind of disappointment from these expectations? or were these expectations unreal in the first place?

People knock him for not being a back to the basket player. Who cares?

people knock him because that is what dwight wants himself

 

[do work son]

I guess the way I see it is, he tried to become a back to the basket center because people wanted him to become one like the centers of the 90s .

 

[had pants]

Kobe still not cleared to practice:

http://www.latimes.com/sports/laker...hilles-20131115,0,2259377.story#axzz2kktOybE5

 

[grandtheftbike]

the system in orlando allowed him to play back to the basket without having to face double teams all the time. so if you were dwight, wouldnt you think you are capable of being a post up player after being in that system? wouldnt you except more out of yourself after working with one of the greats?

i always see you mention that dwight should focus on defense, rebounding, putbacks and still give you 18/12/2/2..which i agree with. the problem is that he does not.

and that block from bargs was a surprise more on bargs part imo, but things like that happen

 

[do work son]

He's averaging 17/15/2/2 right now, though.

 

[sea manup]

He's averaging 17/15/2/2 right now, though.

just from eyeballing the stat sheets while watching games he seems to score 70% of his points in the first half. not sure if its harden shooting more after half time or dwight being less active but if he started to come out strong and aggressive in the third quarter he could easily get 20+ points. not saying thats needed from him or anything but it would be good to have

oh and i see harden is averaging 40 minutes a game, mchale will need to cut that down

 

[do work son]

As the games get later and McHale gets further in over his head, we stop playing inside out and start playing hero ball. He's going to ruin our players before the ASG.