The Evil Empire Revisited: Lakers General thread

[bbc23]

Marc Spears reporting that the Lakers signed Chris Douglas-Roberts today
Gotta imagine it's a non-guaranteed contract but I wouldn't be surprised at all if he makes the roster to use as a back-up swing man and possibly move some of Meeks's minutes to the 1, or if he'd be used as the 2/3 with Kobe in a small-ball lineup

 

[Super Nomario]

Just one game, but they don't look very good against a Dirk-less Mavs team.

 

[bball831]

Why did they play Nash off the ball? Mike Brown is a twit.

 

[nighthob]

Nash looked old last night. Especially on the play where Roddy Buckets nigh on sexually assaulted him for a steal and an easy two. I know it's fashionable to blame Brown for not having his forwards set backcourt screens, but jesus if single pressure is giving Nash that many problems the Lakers might have a few bigger ones.

 

[stp130]

Lakers were 12-31 (Howard 3-14) from the FT line against the Mavs. It's going to fun to watch the Lakers try to close out games this year.

 

[Tony C]

Here in L.A. and enjoying the beginning of the Kobe/Dwight/Steve era much more than I thought I would. The last time I listened to L.A. talk radio they were counting off the Lakers' wins and debating if over the first 18 they'd be 18-0 or 16-2. heh. Don't have time to listen now, but would love to hear the panic....

 

[Ed Hillel]

I know this is cross-thread now, but I'm putting this in here for the non-fashion aspect of this. I mean, Steve was always relatively skinny, but...

Is it possible for someone this age and this size to play in the modern NBA? He looks sickly.

 

[Super Nomario]

I know this is cross-thread now, but I'm putting this in here for the non-fashion aspect of this. I mean, Steve was always relatively skinny, but...

Is it possible for someone this age and this size to play in the modern NBA? He looks sickly.

Which horse is he riding in the Kentucky Derby this year?

 

[reggiecleveland]

I liked when Simmons asked Magic what color suit he was going to wear to the lottery draft.

 

[AMS25]

Here in L.A. and enjoying the beginning of the Kobe/Dwight/Steve era much more than I thought I would. The last time I listened to L.A. talk radio they were counting off the Lakers' wins and debating if over the first 18 they'd be 18-0 or 16-2. heh. Don't have time to listen now, but would love to hear the panic....

Whenever I want to cheer myself up, I just visit Lakers blogs. I am really enjoying the Lakers' poor start, but I'm sure they'll win a game sooner or later. All good things must come to an end.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Their bench is absolutely terrible, which does not mix well with a starting lineup full of old people. Now, I'm sure they'll pull off a miracle trade or two to shore it up, but, until then, this doesn't look like a team capable of getting a playoff series with home court advantage.

 

[Tony C]

I know this is cross-thread now, but I'm putting this in here for the non-fashion aspect of this. I mean, Steve was always relatively skinny, but...

Is it possible for someone this age and this size to play in the modern NBA? He looks sickly.

Is he going through a PeeWee Hermann phase or what? Mid-life crisis?

 

[nighthob]

I know this is cross-thread now, but I'm putting this in here for the non-fashion aspect of this. I mean, Steve was always relatively skinny, but...

Is it possible for someone this age and this size to play in the modern NBA? He looks sickly.

Are you sure that's Nash and not Bill Nye?

 

[MakMan44]

Nash has a fractured fibula. http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8588947/steve-nash-los-angeles-lakers-suffers-fractured-fibula

Great start to that 3 year deal huh?

 

[Ed Hillel]

As I was saying...

That frame, at that age, has no chance in this league.

 

[reggiecleveland]

I was never sure how NAsh would fit with this team. He needs the ball and Kobe hoards the ball. About 25% of Lakers possessions are Kobe dribbling around until he shoots or kicks off inside 6 seconds on the clock. Maybe if Nash recovers they will run him off ball screens with some offside action to make Kobe an option. But when Kobe gets a D board he is going to keep the ball.

I also wonder how long Gasol wants to play high post feeding a guy that is an inferior low post scorer to himself.

 

[bbc23]

Rumor mill already has NBA people telling Alex Kennedy that Sloan will be the coach in LA before the month is up

 

[Tony C]

he and Kobe sound like an odd marriage.

 

[Saby]

http://cjzero.com/gifs/KobeStaresBrown.gif

Kobe staring down Mike Brown.

 

[wutang112878]

I had to look to confirm that the rumor was for Jerry Sloan, and not some other Sloan I didnt know about because that seems like an oil and water match. Sloan's offense was always very structured and had to be executed his way, and if Sloan couldnt deal with Deron Williams and feeling ownership backed the player too much, I cant see it working in LA with Kobe.

But, as a Celts fan, by all means please make this happen!

 

[bowiac]

From legendary NBA bettor Bob Voulgaris:

I am not sure which group is being more irrational. The fans who are freaking out over the Lakers slow start, or those preaching patience.

 

[wutang112878]

That frame, at that age, has no chance in this league.

I think this is Nash's choice, albeit a risky one, to stay effective. His game is based on his speed, he is getting up there in years, and he has back issues that he has to manage. So I guess his thought process seems to be that anorexia helps him with these 2 issues. Certainly a risky approach, but he also doesnt play a Rondo type style around the hoop so he generally doesnt take a lot of big hits.

 

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

I had to look to confirm that the rumor was for Jerry Sloan, and not some other Sloan I didnt know about because that seems like an oil and water match. Sloan's offense was always very structured and had to be executed his way, and if Sloan couldnt deal with Deron Williams and feeling ownership backed the player too much, I cant see it working in LA with Kobe.

But, as a Celts fan, by all means please make this happen!

One article I saw said Sloan would be a great fit because Nash and Kobe could run his PNR offense all day with Dwight and Pau.

Probably a better fit scheme-wise than the Princeton offense Brown is trying to run.

 

[MakMan44]

http://m.deadspin.com/5958111/deadspin-nba-shit-list-dwight-howard-the-superman-of-unfunny

Deadspin went off on Howard today.

 

[wutang112878]

One article I saw said Sloan would be a great fit because Nash and Kobe could run his PNR offense all day with Dwight and Pau.

Probably a better fit scheme-wise than the Princeton offense Brown is trying to run.

Scheme-wise you can only get better from Brown, and Sloans structure would be a great thing for them. And I would really love to see Nash and Gasol running the pick and roll, I think that would be very effective. Basketball strategy wise it makes perfect sense, because its very rare that you ever look at a Sloan led team at the end of the season and say think he didnt get the most out of the talent he had.

The only reason I dont think it works is that I just cant envision Kobe and Sloan working together. Kobe has had issues with virtually every coach he had in the NBA, and I cant see Sloan backing down and compromising with Kobe on anything.

 

[Lazy vs Crazy]

Mike Brown fired
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/lakers/2012/11/09/mike-brown-fired-by-lakers/1694785/

No word yet on a replacement.

 

[mandro ramtinez]

My enjoyment of the Lakers' chaos is only dampened by the worry that they'll figure it all out.

 

[Dogman]

Wow, that's something. I wonder if Kobe is clamoring that they have the talent all they need is the coach.

Big news.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Talk about a total panic move and I love it that they did it. This is a Kobe move if I've ever seen one. He didn't like the offense, so he got him out. If they bring in D'Antoni, as has been speculated by Woj, then they are just as fucked as if they kept Mike Brown. That style of offense will not win a championship.

 

[SoxScout]

ESPN saying Kobe and Howard like and want Brian Shaw.

 

[jsinger121]

ESPN saying Kobe and Howard like and want Brian Shaw.

Not surprised. He should have got the job when Phil retired and not Mike Brown.

 

[AMS25]

My enjoyment of the Lakers' chaos is only dampened by the worry that they'll figure it all out.

Me too. My big hope is that, given the Lakers' age, they will wear themselves out trying to figure it out and then be out of gas for the playoffs.

 

[RedOctober3829]

BREAKING NEWS: Lakers fire coach Mike Brown; Chuck Person named interim coach

Yahoo! Sports

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--lakers-fire-coach-mike-brown--chuck-person-named-interim.html

Merely a placeholder for Phil Jackson, Mike D'Antoni, or whoever they decide because Chuck Person isn't going to be the long-term answer.

 

[collings94]

Total panic move. I figured the Lakers would play slightly over .500 till the All-Star break, everyone would freak the fuck out, and then they would come togather and then take over during the second of the season. If they get D'Antoni, they might let up 120 ppg.

 

[wutang112878]

Talk about not backing your coach whatsoever and a stupid organization. I dont think Brown has ever been a good coach, but firing a guy after 5 games? That has to be one of the quickest firings in NBA history. If they had that little faith in the guy, that he could prove to them in 5 games that he wasnt the right coach for the team, they should have fired him in the offseason so the new coach could at least install the new stuff in training camp. At least that is what a smart organization would have done.

Edit, according to this, the Brown firing sets a new record for fewest games before an NBA coach was fired. The previous record was set by Philly firing Gene Shue after 6 games, Westphall is now 3rd on the fastest fire list with just 7 games.

My enjoyment of the Lakers' chaos is only dampened by the worry that they'll figure it all out.

Agree 100%. Brown has simply never been a good coach, and almost any new hire will make the new team better.

 

[bowiac]

Panic moves are a bad thing when you do something you shouldn't have done anyways in response to them. Panic moves are fine when you do something that you should have done long ago. This is a good thing for the Lakers, not a bad thing.

Bad panic would be, I dunno, trading Gasol for Ryan Anderson or something.

 

[Grin&MartyBarret]

Panic moves are a bad thing when you do something you shouldn't have done anyways in response to them. Panic moves are fine when you do something that you should have done long ago. This is a good thing for the Lakers, not a bad thing.

Bad panic would be, I dunno, trading Gasol for Ryan Anderson or something.

Exactly. If they really get Brian Shaw, that's a huge upgrade over Mike Brown and gives them one of the league's best up and coming coaches going forward.

 

[SoxScout]

Mannix says D'Antoni just had knee surgery and will be off his feet for 6 weeks.

 

[NavaHo]

Talk about not backing your coach whatsoever and a stupid organization. I dont think Brown has ever been a good coach, but firing a guy after 5 games? That has to be one of the quickest firings in NBA history. If they had that little faith in the guy, that he could prove to them in 5 games that he wasnt the right coach for the team, they should have fired him in the offseason so the new coach could at least install the new stuff in training camp. At least that is what a smart organization would have done.

Not only firing him this early in a season (which is tantamount to firing an NFL head coach with a minute left in the first game of the year), but allowing him to install a new offense in the first place! If the Lakers brass is this confident it won't work after 5 games, they couldn't have figured that out, say, 6 months ago?

 

[ifmanis5]

:lol:

Heckuva job, Brownie.

It feels so good to watch the Lakers panic.

 

[bowiac]

Not only firing him this early in a season (which is tantamount to firing an NFL head coach with a minute left in the first game of the year), but allowing him to install a new offense in the first place! If the Lakers brass is this confident it won't work after 5 games, they couldn't have figured that out, say, 6 months ago?

Other than a brief amount of media embarrassment, what have they lost? You need to be confident if you're giving up something. They gave up nothing but an empty shirt here.

 

[dolomite133]

Smart move. Brown should never have been hire, and should have been fired before the season. He simply is not an elite NAB coach, and has proven he cannot coach (and manage the personalities of) NBA talent. He belongs at the college level, in my humble opinion.

Phil Jackson would be ideal. Brian Shaw sounds like he's got a bright future. D'Antoni should be a non-starter (defense wins titles, and he can't or won't coach defense).

EDIT: And maybe they should dump Eddie Jordan while they're at it. Has he done anything to deserve staying there?

 

[The Social Chair]

This is as good a panic move as you can make. Mike Brown was an atrocious offensive coach. Probably the only guy in the league who was able to stop Lebron from making his team an offensive force.

 

[AimingForYoko]

Well. That was shorter than I expected. I was at least hoping for a 10 game skid, then a firing.

 

[ifmanis5]

Jason Garrett might be available soon.

 

[bowiac]

Jason Garrett might be available soon.

I think this would be an upgrade.

 

[wutang112878]

Other than a brief amount of media embarrassment, what have they lost? You need to be confident if you're giving up something. They gave up nothing but an empty shirt here.

The opportunity to have another head coach prepare the team in training camp. The new coach wont get much practice time to really install his style of offense and defense, so it makes the transition a bit more difficult

 

[PedroKsBambino]

Panic moves are a bad thing when you do something you shouldn't have done anyways in response to them. Panic moves are fine when you do something that you should have done long ago. This is a good thing for the Lakers, not a bad thing.

Bad panic would be, I dunno, trading Gasol for Ryan Anderson or something.

Don't think they look good for 70 wins anymore---chemistry and age are big factors in such things, and easy to forget

 

[bowiac]

Don't think they look good for 70 wins anymore---chemistry and age are big factors in such things, and easy to forget

Did I say they were gonna win 70? That's an honest question - I very well may have. I was certainly very bullish on them preseason.

 

[Corsi]

Phil Jackson was scheduled as keynote speaker at Schwab event in Chicago next week, in what was called last minute development he pulled out

https://twitter.com/JimBowdenESPNxm/status/267013770902114304