Lakers 06-07 Season Thread

[Sky]

Who do you think they should bring in? I didn't think Kidd was the right fit but maybe that is because of the success O'Neil and Kobe had. Maybe it doesn't have to be a big guy but it would be nice (or so it appears on the surface).

 

[OCBucksFan]

Who do you think they should bring in? I didn't think Kidd was the right fit but maybe that is because of the success O'Neil and Kobe had. Maybe it doesn't have to be a big guy but it would be nice (or so it appears on the surface).

It's tough to say "who" more like "what."

We need at least 1 more shooter, Kobe can't be the only real threat, I mean face it, when the rest of the Lakers have the ball there's not as much concern.

Bynum may or may not work out, but I don't have a lot of faith in streaky Kwame brown.

As far as things go, to be honest I think Bynum may work out, and I like Luke and Kobe, I don't feel like the rest of the team, Odom included, contributes as much as they should.

 

[Sky]

Yeah, your take on Odom was right on. His performance night in and night out is below what he should be doing (or what he might be doing on other teams). I don't watch enough to have a take on Bynum but Kwame hasn't impressed me.

I agree they need a scorer and I really thought Odom would have excelled in that position. Jackson has proven how good he is at meshing talent and keeping everyone happy while also producing but it seems like Odom is satisfied with his current position. Franky that doesn't make much sense to me.

I guess I was thinking about the big man because it worked so well with Kobe. If you had a true big man (non-Novitzky) I think it would spread the floor and give everyone more room. Of course, that assumes Bynum pans out and Luke starts asserting himself.

Frankly, no one anyone near the trading block comes to mind. Maybe Darko or Diop but I don't think they are proven enough.

And maybe this will just take time. Time to mature the current talent, pick up a few draft picks, or trade for someone when the time is right. I just don't know how much time Kobe has left. What do you think, 4 or 5 years?

 

[OCBucksFan]

Yeah, your take on Odom was right on. His performance night in and night out is below what he should be doing (or what he might be doing on other teams). I don't watch enough to have a take on Bynum but Kwame hasn't impressed me.

I don't think Kwame has impressed anyone throughout his entire career, he looks promising at at the end of last season but that's about it. Bynum is big enough and looked good at the beginning of the season, we'll have to see if he pans out, it takes a few years to really develop a center.

I agree they need a scorer and I really thought Odom would have excelled in that position. Jackson has proven how good he is at meshing talent and keeping everyone happy while also producing but it seems like Odom is satisfied with his current position. Franky that doesn't make much sense to me.

I guess I was thinking about the big man because it worked so well with Kobe. If you had a true big man (non-Novitzky) I think it would spread the floor and give everyone more room. Of course, that assumes Bynum pans out and Luke starts asserting himself.

True, you can't argue results, when Shaq and Kobe were together it resulted in a 3-pete, since Shaq left the Lakers begin to wonder what it's like to get past the first round of the play offs.

Frankly, no one anyone near the trading block comes to mind. Maybe Darko or Diop but I don't think they are proven enough.

And maybe this will just take time. Time to mature the current talent, pick up a few draft picks, or trade for someone when the time is right. I just don't know how much time Kobe has left. What do you think, 4 or 5 years?

I figure about 5 but not if he keeps playing like he has been, he'll have maybe another 3 before the playing 40+ minutes a night and shooting 50 times a night.

 

[Sky]

I don't think Kwame has impressed anyone throughout his entire career, he looks promising at at the end of last season but that's about it. Bynum is big enough and looked good at the beginning of the season, we'll have to see if he pans out, it takes a few years to really develop a center.



True, you can't argue results, when Shaq and Kobe were together it resulted in a 3-pete, since Shaq left the Lakers begin to wonder what it's like to get past the first round of the play offs.



I figure about 5 but not if he keeps playing like he has been, he'll have maybe another 3 before the playing 40+ minutes a night and shooting 50 times a night.

Well, if nothing else, basketball is the one sport where a single player can drastically change a team. Whether it is a draft pick, player growth, or a trade, changing 20% of your starters can facilitate the type of change you are looking for.

So, don't lose hope my friend, things could turn around quicker than we may predict.

 

[BB73]

Kobe really wants a scoring title. Since they're destined for a 1st-round playoff exit.

 

[OCBucksFan]

Kobe really wants a scoring title. Since they're destined for a 1st-round playoff exit.

I guess, I'd rather have another championship in LA though :(

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Kobe has become unguardable...

If he had any kind of team around him or if he was in the East he and his team would be looked at to win the championship...

 

[Ttown]

Kobe has become unguardable...

If he had any kind of team around him or if he was in the East he and his team would be looked at to win the championship...

Haven't you asked him lately ?? He IS the team.

 

[BB73]

Kobe has become unguardable...

If he had any kind of team around him or if he was in the East he and his team would be looked at to win the championship...

I watched the 4th quarter/OT last night. Lakers were down 3 with about 15 seconds left, and Van Gundy had Kwame Brown fouled when he caught the in-bounds pass. Smart move - he missed both - but the second one bounced way off to the side, where Kobe grabbed the rebound and promptly drained the game-tying three.

He had 25 at the half, then went 1 for 9 for most of the second half, and with less than 7 minutes had just 28. Then he got into the zone, and brought the Lakers from 10 down to force OT. He needed 48 to average 40 for the month of March, and had 45 in regulation, He stayed hot, getting 8 in OT, and the Lakers were up 4 with Odom shooting a free throw with about 1 minute left. He missed, then Kobe fouled T-Mac on a three, which got Houston to within 1. With it a 1-point game, Kobe later traveled just across mid-court - a good call since he slid one foot and took a step with the other after picking up his dribble.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

I watched the 4th quarter/OT last night. Lakers were down 3 with about 15 seconds left, and Van Gundy had Kwame Brown fouled when he caught the in-bounds pass. Smart move - he missed both - but the second one bounced way off to the side, where Kobe grabbed the rebound and promptly drained the game-tying three.

He had 25 at the half, then went 1 for 9 for most of the second half, and with less than 7 minutes had just 28. Then he got into the zone, and brought the Lakers from 10 down to force OT. He needed 48 to average 40 for the month of March, and had 45 in regulation, He stayed hot, getting 8 in OT, and the Lakers were up 4 with Odom shooting a free throw with about 1 minute left. He missed, then Kobe fouled T-Mac on a three, which got Houston to within 1. With it a 1-point game, Kobe later traveled just across mid-court - a good call since he slid one foot and took a step with the other after picking up his dribble.

Yeah I watched as well...It is just amazing the things that he is able to do and just shoot over guys...

 

[melrun78]

Kobe has become unguardable...

If he had any kind of team around him or if he was in the East he and his team would be looked at to win the championship...

I think thats the point though...he doesn't foster an environment that creates a team. ESPN had an article recently that compare Kobe to Jordan. That is the biggest bunch of shit I have ever heard (non-Jordan fan here).

Jordan made his entire team better. Kobe doesn't make the attempt, he just takes over, wins enough games to make it to the playoffs, and then has no support during their first round exit. I wonder why.

He either needs a strong second fiddle or a drastic change in attitude. If nothing else, look at Shaq, he won one w/o Kobe....Kobe should take note.

 

[BB73]

After losing to Denver last night, it looks like the Lakers are going to get the #7 spot, and a first round matchup against the Suns.

That was an entertaining series last year, but I think Phoenix wins it easily (in 5) this time.

 

[OCBucksFan]

I think thats the point though...he doesn't foster an environment that creates a team. ESPN had an article recently that compare Kobe to Jordan. That is the biggest bunch of shit I have ever heard (non-Jordan fan here).

Jordan made his entire team better. Kobe doesn't make the attempt, he just takes over, wins enough games to make it to the playoffs, and then has no support during their first round exit. I wonder why.

He either needs a strong second fiddle or a drastic change in attitude. If nothing else, look at Shaq, he won one w/o Kobe....Kobe should take note.

Well hrm... On one hand I agree, however, Kobe also doesn't have anyone around him that seems motivated. Odom and Brown are both supposed to be the veterans of the team and to actually be able to score, however, they seem content to just sit back and watch #24 throw up 50 shots a night.

As far as the Kobe/Jordon comparison, I firmly believe that comparison isn't fair to any player, all it does is build a lot of pressure. Kobe is one of the best shooters in the game, he can defend and he can set his players up, however, what's the point of setting people up of they aren't going to make the shot?

The days of having Shaq, Rick Fox, Derrick Fisher and Mister Clutch Robert Horry are over, now tell me who you are comfortable seeing shoot? More than Shaq you have taken away the ENTIRE championship team, and still even with that all dismantled, you have shitty contracts and players who are making way too much. If you ask me, keep Kobe, Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, and Andrew Bynum and get rid of the rest, if we're going to have a young team then stop trying to give us crappy veterans who haven't had any success on a good NBA team. Odom may have been great on the clippers, but I think we can dress a lot of players up and have them do well in that environment, meaning that people put their guard down because that team sucks. And Kwame Brown has been called the biggest draft bust ever on multiple occasions.

What the Lakers need is to do what the successful Lakers teams of the past have done. We had a center and built around him, now it's time to find a legitimate big man and start building around that core. Saying that Shaq has a ring and Kobe doesn't isn't really a fair comparison, Kobe got Kwame brown and Shaq got D-Wade (Someone who imo is about on par with Kobe).

 

[melrun78]

Well hrm... On one hand I agree, however, Kobe also doesn't have anyone around him that seems motivated. Odom and Brown are both supposed to be the veterans of the team and to actually be able to score, however, they seem content to just sit back and watch #24 throw up 50 shots a night.

As far as the Kobe/Jordon comparison, I firmly believe that comparison isn't fair to any player, all it does is build a lot of pressure. Kobe is one of the best shooters in the game, he can defend and he can set his players up, however, what's the point of setting people up of they aren't going to make the shot?

The days of having Shaq, Rick Fox, Derrick Fisher and Mister Clutch Robert Horry are over, now tell me who you are comfortable seeing shoot? More than Shaq you have taken away the ENTIRE championship team, and still even with that all dismantled, you have shitty contracts and players who are making way too much. If you ask me, keep Kobe, Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, and Andrew Bynum and get rid of the rest, if we're going to have a young team then stop trying to give us crappy veterans who haven't had any success on a good NBA team. Odom may have been great on the clippers, but I think we can dress a lot of players up and have them do well in that environment, meaning that people put their guard down because that team sucks. And Kwame Brown has been called the biggest draft bust ever on multiple occasions.

What the Lakers need is to do what the successful Lakers teams of the past have done. We had a center and built around him, now it's time to find a legitimate big man and start building around that core. Saying that Shaq has a ring and Kobe doesn't isn't really a fair comparison, Kobe got Kwame brown and Shaq got D-Wade (Someone who imo is about on par with Kobe).

You make some good points. I guess I was falling under the school of thought that the Lakers got those players because they could be solid roll players. I have never thought Odom lived up to the expectations since arriving in LA. However, while I agree no one is stepping up I don't think the problem is one sided. As noted, I don't think Kobe is doing enough to make the rest of the team better. I think both sides have fallen into a rut where everyone else questions their ability to step up and Kobe fills that gap so the situation stays the same.