2014-15 Lakers Season Thread (21-61) KAT

[kal-el-8]

View media item 1319473
Wiggins knows

 

[pmatic]

 

[lovehateself]

I feel really bad for you P.

It's evident how much emotion you have invested in this quest for a top 5 pick.

This teams gonna be just good enough to not get there guys... You can tell by seeing them last night.

They're a horrible team, but not horrible enough to not have a few lucky streaky shooting nights and get just enough wins to make them bottom 6-10.

I wish they were bottom 5 bad... But they're not

if scott keeps his word and starts giving Kobe days off. 

i doubt the lakers can play as good as they did last night on those nights that kobe sits.

does j smith better our houston pick now that theres word thats where he wants to sign? 

 

[pmatic]

Ding:

Byron Scott's Kobe Bryant Plan Leaving Los Angeles Lakers in Dangerous Position

Here’s one thing Byron Scott has accomplished.

He has left no question about it, and it’s good to know: Kobe Bryant no longer can do everything and be everything for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Chalk it up to Bryant’s career mileage, sure, but consider this, too: Bryant never really had a chance to show if he still had it.

That might sound crazy considering Bryant’s league-high 35.8 usage percentage (Russell Westbrook’s is higher, but he has barely played half of Oklahoma City’s games) and 37.2 shooting percentage.

Because of how his coach over-trusted and overused him, Bryant never got to ramp himself up for all to see what would’ve been his peak performance—and therefore the Lakers’ peak performance.

By building a team that was all about Bryant, asking him to do more than he was ready for, and casting him in the role of leading man based on past history instead of current reality, Scott guaranteed that Bryant would falter.

So the Lakers played at Staples Center on Tuesday night, and Bryant didn’t. Like an old uncle too tired to leave the house, Bryant stayed home, no helicopter powerful enough to lift those weary bones up.

Bryant has been so bad and slow recently that even Scott’s blind spot couldn’t miss it.

Scott said he will consider resting Bryant for more games—in addition to cutting back on his 35.4 minutes per game as “the next step.” After separate consultations with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and trainer Gary Vitti, Scott decided to give Bryant this break. The goal, Scott said, is not to "wear him completely out."

When Scott told Bryant about perhaps sitting him out, Bryant’s reply to Scott was: “Whatever you want to do.”

That’s a veritable cry for help from a control freak and achiever such as Bryant.

Scott got a graphic look at what it looks like to empower a whole team instead of a single superstar with the Lakers delivering intensity and teamwork en route to a season-high 22-point lead through three quarters against the previously 23-3 Golden State Warriors. (For the record, it was the second night of a back-to-back set and a look-ahead trap before Christmas for a Golden State team overdue for letdown without defensive anchor Andrew Bogut.)

Just one victory, but let's see if it moves Scott to build a team instead of a shrine to Kobe.

The Lakers actually had played similarly well with Bryant low on energy early in their last home game—before Bryant missed at the buzzer in a 104-103 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The share-the-wealth way is how teams should play at home—where role players feel more comfortable with all the fan support—but the Lakers have leaned on Bryant here, there and everywhere.

Yes, Lakers ownership paid Bryant a league-high wage, but everyone except Scott knew that was a business decision as much as a basketball one. Everyone except Scott suspected Bryant couldn’t be the same: The guy is not just 36, not just in his 19th NBA season, not just coming off two major injuries, he has played more than 55,000 combined regular-season and playoff minutes (fourth in league history).

Then again…when last we left Bryant in his fully healthy mode pre-Achilles rupture, he was playing 45 minutes for Mike D’Antoni against the Warriors—after playing 48, 41, 47, 43, 47 and 48 in the preceding games. The Lakers went 6-1 in a stretch that feels like forever ago but was actually only a little more than a year-and-a-half ago.

Bryant proved then in pushing the Lakers successfully to a playoff berth in their lone Dwight Howard season that Bryant could play outsized minutes, dominate the ball and win.

That was D’Antoni riding a style that he didn’t prefer but was winning. Scott invested in something from the start—and stuck with it, despite red flags that Bryant even uncharacteristically offered up himself—until Bryant wilted.

More than a month ago, I used the word “unhealthy” to describe what Scott had made his relationship with Bryant. He needs coaching; everybody does. Scott was coming in with a unique opportunity, a voice that Bryant inherently respected as a Lakers legend who was his mentor as a rookie.

But Scott didn’t come to Bryant now as his coach—with broader vision, honest dialogue or clear authority.

Without that assistance, Bryant tried and tried and tried.

And now we know he failed.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ving-los-angeles-lakers-in-dangerous-position

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

When Scott told Bryant about perhaps sitting him out, Bryant’s reply to Scott was: “Whatever you want to do.”

Damn |I

Lately I've been thinking kobe may not make it through the season. Just some of his quotes have demonstrated that his time is coming and he's giving up, so to speak. The will isn't there like it was. The same way he doesn't want to be a role player he also can't stand being a shell of himself. He hasn't been improving at all as the games go by. I keep thinking of how duncan looked completely washed a few years ago only to come back strong but I'm just not finding any flashes of that potential from kobe. As a fan it hurts to see kobe going out like this

 

[darthska]

See, there's many ways to say, "Whatever you wanna do."

Could have been all happy to be a part of the team, willing to do whatever it takes.

" 

 Whatever you wanna do. I've had my burn, and I can help out in tons of other ways. Do your thing, coach. I got your back. "

Could have been all depressed, like it's sad to be at a point you're at but also understanding that it's definitely that time.

" *sigh* Whatever you wanna do. 

 Sucks, but.. I mean... if you think it will help, I'm down. 

"

Could have been like an arrogant diva, challenging whoever said the crap that just hit your ears, all defiant.

" 

 Whatever you wanna do. 

" Like, "I dare ya. Dude. Do it. Whatever you wanna do. G'on ahead."

I'm... I'm sure it was the first one. 

 Positive.

 

[licensed to ball]

Doubt Kobe was really that genuinely mad to collect a $300,000 check to chill and eat donuts for a night.

 

[grandtheftbike]

How many times has Kobe practiced with the team this season?

 

[pmatic]

Better question: How many times has Kobe showed up to practice? Helicopter fuel ain't cheap.

 

[laker4lifeman]

It runs on Body Armor

 

[grandtheftbike]

It's a trade he'd take 8/8 times to keep his body fresh

 

[alexody]

 while Hill and Lin (hopefully) will be moved for picks by Feb.

Unless you talking bout first rounders them dudes aint going nowhere and the knicks gon be trash all season

 

[essential1]

Merry Christmas




2002 Debut of the Sunday Whites

View media item 1320285

 

[bravelude]

watching timeless lakers. that front court!!

 

[Vincent Van Goat]

That game where Kobe posterized Jackson with his busted up hand.. that was memorable 

 

[senorroboto2k5]

Merry Xmas everyone and happy belated CP

Looking forward to the Pau and Kobe reunion. I know TNT will play it up

 

[sea manup]

J Lin gave the team custom headphones 

"wes coast"

 

[essential1]

Jeremy Lin wasn't too creative in the nickname department... I guess Harvard doesn't have a Marketing Class?


I'm glad Erectile Dysfunction is on our team... E.D.



Weezy is Wayne Ellington... Come on why hasn't a Play on Duke Ellington caught on and call him North Carolina Ellington. Because he attended UNC and Duke is a horrible place.

 

[sea manup]

is randle just "JU"?

thats turrable 

 

[tay1]

That's cool of Lin. Even through all the subliminals thrown towards Kobe, he still got him some headphones he most likely wont wear.

 

[essential1]

That's cool of Lin. Even through all the subliminals thrown towards Kobe, he still got him some headphones he most likely wont wear.

Kobe's reaction

He'll likely throw them in the back of his teammate gifts closet at his house next to the prayer beads Dwight Howard gave him and a Hot Wheels version of the Smushcalade from Smush Parker.

 

[vrai1]

Merry Christmas

I switched sides & became a Laker fan after this dunk.

no regrets.

 

[sea manup]

 

That's cool of Lin. Even through all the subliminals thrown towards Kobe, he still got him some headphones he most likely wont wear.

Kobe's reaction



He'll likely throw them in the back of his teammate gifts closet at his house next to the prayer beads Dwight Howard gave him and a Hot Wheels version of the Smushcalade from Smush Parker.

is this the secret room in his house behind the bookshelf of phil jackson books he's never read?

 

[MVP]

Merry Christmas family. May the annual massacre continue today.

 

[CP1708]

Merry Christmas to all Laker fans and family.

And rck.


NBA Day.


Be good to see Kobe and Pau on the court together again. Relive some glory day highlights they'll likely show.