Tag Archives: Luke Walton

by | October 16, 2010 · 10:39 AM

Roster Depth…Who needs It?

Each of these players has more rings than LeBron James

When it comes to team depth, it seems like the average NBA fan is all too ready to dismiss the notion as pure folly. They seem to feel that it is entirely irrelevant. The most common example they bring up is that depth does not win championships. It seems to them that the combination of two to three strong players (I’ll use some examples that were put in front of me by someone else: Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe and Pau Gasol) and a role player or two and you can pretty much guarantee a championship. Signed, sealed, delivered, it is yours. Frequently, those who hold this belief puff up their chests and issue a challenge to prove them wrong. Well, lucky for them. I am always good for a well natured challenge and giving them that example is exactly what this article intends to do. First, however, the issue of roster depth must be addressed appropriately.

The Los Angeles Lakers have won their second title in a row and head into the 2010-11 season as favorites once more. In each of those championship runs, the Lakers rotation was sliced to six players essentially. Bryant, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest (2009-10), Trevor Ariza (2008-09), Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom, and Andrew Bynum were the key cogs that turned the gears of this team. In each of the championship runs the Lakers were paced by Bryant and Gasol with Odom in 2009 and Artest in 2010 logging the third most minutes. Only in 2009, when Ariza played slightly fewer minutes than Odom, was there not a dramatic fall off in the number of minutes played between the “role player” and the rest of the team. Interestingly enough, Bynum was essentially the sixth man, in terms of minutes played, on each of those playoff teams. (Can we call him a bust yet? I will.) There you have it. This is the argument that everyone makes when it comes to roster depth. You do not need it. Look at what the Lakers have done recently and you can see their point. Ah, but not so fast.

This off season, Los Angeles (not the Clippers) was sitting high and Kobe Bryant was simply sitting to rest his knee, heal his finger, ice down his body, and take pain medication. Yeah, he is beat up. Despite the fact that the team had just won its second straight championship with virtually the same roster, Artest and Ariza being the only difference, the Lakers did not seem content to try it again without making changes. So what did they do? They went out and added depth to their roster. “GASP! No, say it is not so! How can we, the Lakers faithful, who have exclaimed from on high that roster depth is a pointless pursuit come to terms with the fact that our team feels differently. Woe is us for our eyes and ears have been deceived. Oh, Zen Master, what did we do wrong to deserve such a cruel fate?”

Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, and Theo Ratliff were brought in and are all blatant roster upgrades over the likes of Jordan Farmar and Didier Ilunga-Mbenga. (No offense to Mbenga, I love that guy. But Farmar should take complete offense.) The Lakers kept Shannon Brown around, signing him to a two-year deal his offseason but will likely see his playing time dip with all the new additions. So why, if a small rotation wins championships, did the Lakers reload their bench. Simply put, their bench was terrible over the past two seasons. Awful, truly awful. Phil Jackson knew it, why do you think he played his starters so much? Sure they are good, but they need to rest at times. The bench was a liability and hurt the Lakers as a whole.

Donkey and Shrek

Look at last year’s finals, it is the perfect example of why roster depth is important. The Boston Celtics were much deeper than the Lakers were and they used it to their advantage. (“But the Lakers won so any point you are trying to make is invalidated.”) The series would not have lasted seven games if it was not for Boston’s bench. Game four is a perfect example of why bench play is important to a team. Boston’s bench doubled the point production of the Lakers’ reserves as they were led by Glen Davis and Nate Robinson. Davis contributed nine points in the fourth quarter which helped to stem a Lakers surge and secure victory for the Celtics thereby tying the series at two games apiece. Yes, the Celtics lost the series eventually, mostly because Kendrick Perkins went down in game six with a torn PCL and MCL, but their bench played a key role in the series unlike the Lakers bench. Depth improves a team.

So where is my example of a team that won a championship with an extended rotation? “Ha, you haven’t found one, have you? I knew it. What a blowhard. This guy over here doesn’t know anything about basketball. I don’t even know why I take time to read this stupid blog anyway. Pssh, I’m gonna go read the latest Bill Simmons and John Hollinger articles. At least those guys know what they are taking about. Get ready for another Lakers’ three-peat. Lakers rule!” Well, now that most of you have probably stopped reading, I can get to the team that defies this notion that depth wins nothing.

They did not need to worry when their starters sat

As a Mavericks fan, I write what I am about to write only because it proves my point. If it were not for that I could never bring myself to do such a thing as this or even admit to having knowledge of it. During the playoffs in 2007, the San Antonio Spurs used not only their star power, but also their overwhelming depth to beat every team they faced on route to a sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA finals. Did they have a better starting five than the Cavaliers? Yes. With LeBron James worship reaching more demigod proportions everyday it would seem hard that a team could beat the chosen man-child. That being said, a better starting five will always have the advantage in the playoffs. Nonetheless, depth still helps.

Unlike the previous two Lakers championships, the Spurs in 2007 do not have a significant drop off in minutes or games played. Instead they have a steady, calculated decline with a complement of ten players receiving quite a bit of playing time. Jacque Vaughn played in all 20 of the Spurs playoff games totaling 208 minutes for an average of 10.4 minutes a game. Only Matt Bonner and Beno Udrih saw less playing time than Vaughn. Contrast that with last year’s Lakers, Jordan Farmar played in all 23 of their postseason games logging 301 minutes for an average of 13.1 minutes per game. Luke Walton, Sasha Vujacic, Josh Powell, Adam Morrison, and Mbenga all saw less playing time than Farmar. Both of these players were their team’s respective back up point guards. The Spurs depth simply out classed each of their opponents, having only seen a six game series once, against Utah, on their way to the championship. Ten of the Spurs’ 12 players played in at least 18 games with eight playing in all 20. Eight of the Lakers’ players from last season appeared in all 23 of their playoff games; however, five of them only appeared in 16 or fewer of them.

Yes, rotations get shorter in the post season. It only makes since for a coach to play his best players more so that the team performs at a higher level when the stakes are greatest. This is a no brainer. Nor should Josh Powell be expected to play near as many minutes as Kobe Bryant. This is not what I am trying to say. What I am stating is that the Spurs team in 2007 breaks the argument that roster depth does not mean a thing in the playoffs. They proved that it does. Yes, Tony Parker and Tim Duncan logged the most minutes on the team but they were not forced to play 40 or more minutes a game because they had help coming off the bench who could maintain the same level of pressure on an opponent without any catastrophic decline in the team’s overall performance on the court.

Is the standard championship model based on the superstar, his sidekick, and a role player or two. For now it appears to be that way. This level of thinking is amateurish, though. The Spurs proved that in 2007. No, my example does not squash the two star player championship combination but it proves that an extended rotation is more valuable than it is generally believed. Ignoring the benefits of roster depth is to fail to grasp the entire point of a roster at all. Basketball is a team game no matter how much the media focuses on individual players. The Lakers are not about Kobe Bryant, they are about the triangle offense in which the team plays. There is absolutely every reason for a general manager to sign players who can come off the bench and replace starters while helping improve the quality of the team. This is why the Lakers signed Blake, Barnes, and Ratliff. (I think the Ratliff signing was in part because they expect Bynum to continue to underachieve and remain perennially injured.) It is why teams like Dallas signed Tyson Chandler. They do not want to see a performance dropoff when their starters leave the floor. A good second unit is a valuable thing to have, especially during the regular season when they can help you get wins to secure seeding in the playoffs.

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by | July 31, 2010 · 8:28 PM

NBA: Free Agency, News, Notes, Trades, Judaism & More

Together at last

As the first full month of full-fledged free agency mayhem draws to a close, we here at the Beef bring you yet another update of what has transpired since our last posting on the subject as well as trades, a few other musings, and bits of news. It is hard to believe that free agency has only been going on since July 1 with so much that has happened so far. It seems like the events that have taken place in the span of one month could fill a span of six months. Without further adieu here are the latest moves:

Movement:

Last time we wrote on the subject of Matt Barnes his future remained in limbo as the Toronto Raptors did not think to adjust for currency exchange rates, or for that matter even look at their cap room, when attempting to acquire him. Barnes, the Canadian faithful believed, would make the team tougher. With this belief the Raptor’s fan base revealed their subconscious belief that what Bryan Colangelo is not meeting with their full approval. (Chris Bosh may have relaxed on the team in the final months but Colangelo is the one to be blamed for not fostering a constructive and successful atmosphere.) Bringing in a player who now gets spotty minutes and frequently sits out games because of an ailing back is a rather unlikely candidate to make a team any tougher. Oh, Canada. At least Torontonians can take solace in their consolation prize, David Andersen. Andersen easily qualifies as the poor man’s Brian Cardinal but since he is Australian it would translate more like this: David Andersen, Australian for Brain Cardinal.

Where the Raptors have failed the Los Angeles Lakers have succeeded. Kobe Bryant, after being denied by Raja Bell, was still on his quest to bring veteran defense to Hollywood. Bryant certainly did not “flinch” at the opportunity in front of him and the Lakers. He found Matt Barnes in his state of limbo and set forth to woo him with the notion of a ring and the Lakers’ remaining $1.8 million of their midlevel exception. One of the NBA’s better known journeymen (he has played on eight teams in eight seasons) is coming home to L.A. Barnes signed a two year deal worth $1.77 million in the first year with a player option worth almost $2 million in his second year. This signing could be seen as another stinging blow that Bryant has dealt the Raptors in his career (*cough* 81 points *cough*) but chalk it up to bad front office management by the Raptors.

The same day that the Lakers signed Barnes, aging veteran Theo Ratliff, signed a one year deal worth $1.35 million. (Do not tell Dale Davis though, he may expect a knock on his door next.) This acquisition could not have come at a better time for the Lakers as Luke Walton appears to be on the cusp of missing the entire 2010-11 season and Andrew Bynum has just had another knee surgery.  It seems like Bynum has had surgery on his knee or had it drained at least once for every year he has been alive by now. Ratliff now has the opportunity to become fast friends with Josh Powell, D.J. Mbenga, Adam Morrison at the end of the Lakers bench.

While the Lakers have been keen at adding pieces to their bench they have also made an effort to unload many of the pieces that we so fondly belittle here at the Beef. Currently, Los Angeles is trying to trade Sasha Vujacic. If they could unload him it would free up room to help entice Shannon Brown, whose overhyped abilities do not work at all in the triangle, to stay with the team. It has been reported that Brown has received an offer from the New York Knicks worth around $4 million a year. That would be a lot of money to turn down for a player who would likely only get spot minutes behind Steve Blake next season.

Just when you thought that David Kahn was done associating the Minnesota Timberwolves with any more point guards, he goes and trades for two more. To Kahn, point guards are pets, not quite domesticated, however. With Jonny Flynn missing three to four months after hip surgery maybe Kahn was actually the cunning one for the first time. Minnesota finally unloaded Ramon Sessions (it was well known that they had every intention to do so for some time) and packaged Ryan Hollins in a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers for Delonte West and Sebastian Telfair. Yet, as is Kahn’s way (he is a madman), the trade is never to be taken at face value. It is likely that the Timberwolves will waive West because his contract is not guaranteed and then try and move Telfair. Kahn is after something, he is going after it with everything he has got as if it were a white whale or the genesis device. What the end goal actually is, only Kahn knows. For now the fans of the Timberwolves will have to remain trapped deep within Regula with only a glimmer of hope and where hours can seem like days.

Eddie House in an effort to remain somewhat relevant has chosen to follow the lead of many other has-been players and ride the coattails of the Miami Thrice. House joins Shavlik Randolph and Carlos Arroyo as the latest recruits to join the Miami Heat. The Heat now have a full 15 man roster and are ready to start the season. As a fantasy basketball roster, the Heat have constructed a mediocre lineup aside from four or five players. Despite this, there will likely be quite a number of W’s for this team in the coming season.

In what equates to a loss for the Dallas Mavericks will translate into a huge win for the Bay Area. Jeremy Lin, the Summer League standout who overshadowed John Wall in their matchup, has signed with the Golden State Warriors. Harvard University is known for graduating future presidents, Nobel laureates, and Supreme Court justices but Jeremy Lin is following another path after graduating from the prestigious institution. He becomes just the fourth player to play in the NBA after attending Harvard, and the first in 57 years. The others were Wyndol Gray, Saul Mariaschin, and Ed Smith. Lin grew up in Palo Alto, California which is 26 miles from Oakland so his joining the Warriors is a homecoming of sorts and has the Bay Area rather jubilant. Also joining the Warriors is Jannero Pargo who inked a two-year deal worth $2.4 million.

Lin proved that he is NBA material with his play during the Summer League

It is unfortunate that Don Nelson appears to be on his way out in Golden State once Joe Lacob, the Warriors future co-owner along with Larry Ellison (I have beef with Ellison dating back to high school, ask about it later), gets his mitts on the team. Lacob has publicly stated that “It’s not really whether Nellie is here this year or not. He’s not going to be here beyond this year, that is clear.” So obviously the writing is on the wall, not only that but it is bold, red, and embossed as well. It is a shame that that is the case. We here at the Beef have poked fun at Nelson’s coaching style and his losing ways but there is something do be said about the way he schemes and plays the most frenetic small ball in the league. Just think of a lineup with Monta Ellis, Stephen Curry, Jannero Pargo/Jeremy Lin, Ekpe Udoh, and David Lee on the court.  That would be pure madness; it would be pure Nellie. At least on video games, the Warriors will still be fun once Nelson has been forced to pack his bags.

Josh Howard seems to be adhering to the trend of former team bashing. Howard has stated that the Wizards have given him the opportunity to play his game that he was never given previously. The one time Maverick signed a one year deal with the Washington Wizards that could net him $4 million if he meets certain incentives. Howard had surgery in mid-March and is on schedule to be ready for the start of the season, according to his agent, Derek Lafayette, but there has been no official word about when he will actually return. To resign Howard, Washington was forced to release James Singleton. Also on the injury front for the Wizards, newly acquired forward, Yi Jianlian, has injured his arm while playing in a competition in China. 哦!

Other signings:

Will Bynum has resigned with the Detroit Pistons, Joey Graham has signed with the Cavaliers, and Von Wafer has signed with the Celtics. The signing of Wafer is likely a response to Tony Allen’s departure to Memphis. Instead of coming back to the NBA and coat-tailing like Eddie House, Stephon Marbury has spurned the Heat preferring instead to sign a three-year deal with Shanxi Zhongyu in China. (There are contradicting stories about whether the Heat actually approached Marbury about signing with the team, but I’m going to give Starbury the benefit of the doubt. Miami needed players bad for a while.) It’s all about the Chairman Mao’s, baby!

Roots:

Shalom

This week Amar’e Stoudemire discovered that he has some Jewish heritage on his mother’s side and has traveled to Israel to learn more. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, Stoudemire has shown interest in Judaism for some time and recently had a Star of David tattooed on his hand. This new tattoo should go along quite nicely with the prominent “Black Jesus” that he has tattooed on his neck. With the news of Stoudemire’s newly found Jewish roots the Knicks have successfully pulled off one of the greatest marketing coups that any sport has ever seen; too bad for them that he will spend the last few years of his playing career in either Orlando or Miami. (I kid, I kid!)

Team USA:

The team trimmed its roster down from 19 to 15 players this week. On the chopping block were Tyreke Evans, O.J. Mayo, JaVale McGee, and Gerald Wallace. Team USA begins training camp August 10 in New York City.

Shaq:

Shaquille O’Neal was once a professional basketball player. Now the “Big Aristotle” is just a reality television star who occasionally sings songs with Justin Bieber.

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by | June 13, 2010 · 10:50 AM

Future in Doubt

How much longer can the Lake Show remain on top?

The recent history of the Los Angeles Lakers has been nothing short of spectacular in terms of a sports franchise. This season marks the third straight year that the team has advanced to the NBA Finals and they are the defending champions. By achieving such heights the bar for the team has been elevated astronomically. However, this success has also had the effect of allowing fans and the media to ignore the problems, both present and future, that the Lakers face. There is no doubt that the Lakers have successfully dodged most, if not all, questions pertaining to the future (…the future, Conan?) of the franchise, its players, and its head coach. Instead the organization has chosen to blindside the media and fans by overachieving their way into the NBA Finals. (Their path there was nothing short of lackluster.) Here they can hide behind the historical ramifications of the series that the NBA and David Stern play up. Just around the corner, though, questions must be answered.

Whether the Lakers win or lose the NBA Championship is of no concern. If they win it will, for a time, be yet another distraction. As for now the Lakers are locked up, tied at two games with the Boston Celtics. As early as next week, answers may begin to be forthcoming about the future make up of the organization. Phil Jackson, who is in the last year of his contract as head coach of the team, has stated that he will make his decision at that time on whether he plans to remain with the team. It is a well known fact that Los Angeles is well over the salary cap and playing quite a bit in luxury taxes. In fact the Lakers will be paying the most out of every team when it comes to the luxury tax. They will pay $21.42 million next year. Perpetual tax payers, the Dallas Mavericks, will not even be paying as much as the Lakers. (Dallas will pay $17.79 million in taxes next season.) For Jackson to remain in L.A. he would have to take a sizable pay cut. There are those who feel that, if the Lakers do win the series with Boston, there is little chance of him leaving the Lakers and a shot of a fourth three-peat. However, Jackson is a smart man, a Zen man if you will (pun fully intended), he likely sees the paint chips forming on the gilded Lakers. He has said that he would not “buy into anything for three or four years…I don’t think that’s in the cards at all.” So what would he be buying into for the next three years if he remained with the Lakers? He would be buying into the aging and injured core group who are Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and Ron Artest. His statement is far from a resounding declaration of confidence in this group of players if it is to be the Lakers’ core from here forward. There are two things that Jackson has shown to be partial to over his career: young superstars and money. Both are out there this summer. He has laid out the groundwork for a potential one year contract, in some of his statements, with the Lakers but after that it is up in the air. For Jackson to declare his intentions with in the week following the finals can only lead to speculation that he has already made up his mind. Pay cuts are not his style and less money is never Zen.

The most pressing question that has confronted the Lakers is the condition of Andrew Bynum’s right knee. He played only twelve minutes, just two in the second half, in game four against the Celtics because of major issues and discomfort (to say the least) with the knee. Bynum said that the knee had swelled to the size of basketball. Now it is medically unlikely that any appendage or joint should swell to such a size but that statement should give some indication of how bothersome his knee has become. Bynum had an MRI and also had he knee drained again on Friday. The MRI revealed no new damage to the tear in his meniscus. As of right now, his status for game five is still very questionable despite Bynum’s intention to play (he has said that he is 100 percent sure he will play in game five), after all this is a decision for doctors, coaches, and trainers to make, not players. This is just the latest injury on Bynum’s growing medical history form. His career has been marred by injury to the point where he has simply become an afterthought on the Lakers’ roster because of all the time he has missed; he is becoming Greg Oden-esque. However, he has shown glimpses of improvement and competency on the court. Despite his protracted growth, everything he has accomplished is far from being labeled as consistent. His erratic play and health have hindered the Lakers since they drafted him. There comes a point in which all investments must be cut loose if their returns do not yield profitable dividends. Bynum has proven to be a subprime mortgage. Los Angeles should begin to actively seek a serviceable replacement at the center position, if they do not then it is likely that they will default and there will be no bailout.

Bynum is not the only injury concern the Lakers have to worry about on their roster. Since the summer of 2007, Kobe Bryant has been Mr. Basketball. During that time he has played for the United States basketball team and the Lakers. With these two organizations he has played 237 regular season NBA games, 64 playoff games (including the current finals), and 28 games with Team USA. In total, he has played in 329 games in a three year span. To say that this accomplishment is insane would take top honors at the understatement awards. With the finals series against the Celtics currently tied at two games apiece, he will have to play in at least two more games, possibly even three so the end number could be as high as 332 games when all is said and done. Simply incredible. This number does not even include practices and hours spent in the gym. Kobe is the one piece of the Lakers that is not necessarily a question going into the future because he signed a three year extension with the team this season but the wear and tear on his body certainly is cause for concern. It would take a fool to question his motivation and his drive to win and this season has been a perfect example of just that. Bryant has been battling injuries all season, some disclosed, others not. Most notably he has dealt with a broken finger, a swollen knee, ankle, and back injuries. What toll has this taken on his body? He is sitting out of the FIBA World Championships in Turkey this year not because he hates America and only plays for money but because he needs a summer off to nurse his injuries. He is banged up. It has been some time since a face of an organization, if not the league, has begun to slow in their career. Bryant has hit his pinnacle and is on the way down, though his play on the court certainly speaks to the contrary on given nights, and the Lakers have not prepared for this sea change at all. (No, Shannon Brown is not the solution. It is befuddling how he has so much hype surrounding him.) He may have a few more years left in him; he will at least will himself to play better than he is capable of. That is what the great ones do. For the Lakers, though, their shortsightedness has hurt them. In three years Bryant will likely retire and Los Angeles will have the unenviable task of filling the biggest roster vacancy since Michael Jordan left the Bulls.

Success has also adversely affected the Lakers. This may seem counterintuitive but when it comes to draft picks it is far from it. Los Angeles has guaranteed itself late first round picks for the foreseeable future. They also dealt several picks to the Grizzlies in the Gasol steal…err, deal. Marc Gasol became one of these picks. The Lakers took a gamble on the untested seventeen year old Andrew Bynum in 2005. He has already been discussed in this article. Since they drafted Bynum tenth in 2005 they have had only one pick in the top 20, Javaris Crittenton. He was drafted nineteenth in 2007. (In 2010 he pulled a gun on Gilbert Arenas.) Of course poor draft position means that a team is winning and that is the goal of every team no matter what sport so the Lakers should not be held in fault for their poor draft history this past decade, but the end result of that poor history is the appalling state of their bench players.

It may seem as though we here at the Beef are beating a dead horse complaining about the Lakers bench ad nauseam but we seem to be the only people who have taken notice until very recently. Los Angeles has a terrible farm system, to make a baseball comparison. They drafted Luke Walton, Sasha Vujacic, and Jordan Farmar and therefore these are the players that they must build around for the future. To this list they added Shannon Brown, Josh Powell (who could see more minutes in game five), and D.J. Mbenga. Mbenga may be a great humanitarian and leader in Congo but on the floor he is still the raw player he was when he was on the Mavericks. (We at the Beef love this guy, seriously.) Each of these players has played an average of four seasons yet none have been able to work themselves into a starting rotation that was rather fluid until this season. Nor have they been able to establish themselves as reliable roll players. Phil Jackson has come to terms with the limits of their skills and no longer plays any of them for any significant amount of time and especially not together. When he is forced to rest a starter he will only put one of these players on the court at a time. It would be a rare sight to see Farmar and Brown in the backcourt again during the finals. If the Lakers are ever forced to hand the reins over to Farmar it will be their Ides of March. He was good at UCLA but his skills as a guard have yet to develop into NBA caliber. The best hope for the mediocrity on the bench would be to package them in various trade deals in hopes of acquiring more talented pieces to build upon.

For now the world can completely ignore the problems that the Lakers will face moving forward. Why should anyone be forced to care about the future? If the Lakers wind up losing to the Celtics, a multitude of questions about their future will rush (like Kareem Rush) to the forefront. Jerry and Jeannie Buss have a ship that is growing increasingly unseaworthy on their hands, it has yet to take on water but rust, corrosion, and barnacles are all becoming serious problems to its structural integrity. The captain is on the verge of jumping ship and each of the crew members has questions surrounding them and their performance. If nothing is done soon, the post Kobe years (a concept and time period that is rarely discussed) will be quite barren. In the world of sports, three years is almost an eternity. Three years is all Kobe is signed on for. The rest of the cast do not matter as much as him. He is the heart of the team and, with all respect to Magic Johnson, Bryant is the Lakers. Kobe and the Lakers have proven doubters wrong on countless occasions but one cannot help be notice that the end is drawing near. Los Angeles has three years, maybe less, to find some answers.

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by | June 3, 2010 · 9:06 AM

NBA Finals

Familiar faces in familiar places

For the twelfth time in NBA history, the Los Angeles Lakers will meet their storied rival, Boston Celtics, in the NBA Finals. No matter which team wins this year’s incarnation of the rivalry the two opposite coast franchises (the Lakers were in Minneapolis before their move to the City of Angels) will account for 33 of the 64 total NBA titles. In their previous eleven meetings in the playoffs, the matchup between the two teams has been quite lopsided with the Celtics having won nine of those encounters. On a variety of levels, the Lakers are looking to seek some semblance of vengeance for history’s and posterity’s sake.  Most recently the two franchises faced each other in the 2008 NBA Finals. For the Lakers, it ended in an embarrassing fashion as they were romped by the Celtics who won the series in six games. Once again the Lakers failed to accomplish the task set before them when matched up against their arch rivals on the NBA’s largest stage. The next season, the Lakers returned to the finals and were rewarded with the jewelry they had grown so accustomed to receiving in the first few years of the new millennia. Now they are back with a chance to redeem themselves, but these are not the same two teams that met two years ago.

During the regular season, the Lakers squared off against the Celtics twice, splitting the series. Each game was decided by a single point and neither team exceeded 90 points. Conventional wisdom states that regular season matchups bare no meaning to what will transpire in the playoffs. This year is no different. However, stats will be used from these games in the analysis of player performance, though at a minimal usage level. Thursday will mark the first time the teams have played each other since Boston beat Los Angeles 87-86 on 18 February. Both teams have taken completely different roads to the finals since that meeting. No matter what has happened though, record wise, is moot now. The Lakers have home court because they have the better regular season record. However this may not be as favorable as it seems because the Celtics are the first team in NBA history to make the finals with a better road record than home record during the regular season.

Returning to the finals, the Lakers relied on the player whom many consider to be the best player in the league if not the world. Kobe Bryant willed the Lakers to victory throughout the playoffs putting on one dazzling display after another. To this point in time, his performance during the last few minutes of game six against the Phoenix Suns has been the icing on the cake. Kobe, however, has a whole bakery at his disposal and there is no shortage of multi-tier cakes ready to be feasted on by players and fans alike. Doc Rivers will do everything he can to slow Kobe down. At this point, though, nothing and no one can do that. He will continue to drain buckets, especially clutch ones, at a rate comparable to the flow of oil coming out of BP’s burst pipe in the Gulf of Mexico. There is no top kill for Kobe. He has his ‘sexy’ matchup which will give him a change for personal vindication and revenge. We know what Kobe will do. He will do everything and he will be remarkable. Coming into the finals, Bryant has averaged 29.4 points per game, 5.1 rebounds, and 6.2 assists while shooting approximately 48.3 percent from the field and 40 percent from behind the arc. Never once has he been the issue. It has always been the players around him that have been the concern. This year it is no different.

Since 2008 and their last encounter with the Celtics in the finals, the Lakers have made very few roster changes. However, they have made one considerable move. The acquisition of Ron Artest has given Los Angeles the desired toughness that they so desperately lacked during the two teams confrontation in 2008. His mentality as a physical defender who is not afraid to bump, swipe, grind, grab, and pull are exactly why the Lakers got him. Surely Kobe and his teammates had had quite enough of him during the Western Conference Semifinals in 2009 when he was with the Houston Rockets. Playing with him is much more desirable than playing against him. Now they have Ron Ron and despite what people have been saying about Trevor Ariza (i.e. he is a better fit for the Lakers and so forth) they will quickly be proven to be yet more nameless faces among the hoards of fake and uneducated fans. If Ariza is truly better than Artest, then Artest looks to average less playing time than Ariza logged in the previous meeting of the last two NBA champions. Ariza averaged seven, yes seven, minutes per game against the Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals. In fact, Phil Jackson thought so highly of Ariza that he gave Vladimir Radmanovic and Luke Walton the main defensive assignments against Paul Pierce, the player that Artest will draw defensive duties against. What do you want to bet that Artest maintains his 36.8 minutes per game average so far in the playoffs? Ariza is not Artest, and for the Lakers that is a very good thing. It is an even better thing that he is not Radmanovic.

In the first round of the playoffs, Artest held the NBA’s scoring champion, Kevin Durant, to 35 percent shooting. Durant went 43-123 from the floor during that series. Ariza is still better right? In the Western Conference Finals, Artest won the two games that clinched the series victory for the Lakers. He hit the game winner in the final second of game five after what had been a poor shooting night. In game six he exploded out of the starting blocks as he dominated the first quarter on his way to 25 points for the game. After that it was Kobe’s game. No other Laker put up significant scoring numbers. Artest came to Los Angeles to play for a championship and now he is getting that opportunity because of his contributions on the court during the playoffs.

Artest will now take his place as the second most important player on the Lakers’ roster during the finals. His role, however, will not be important for his scoring abilities but more for his defensive capabilities, which is why he was brought to L.A. in the first place. He will be assigned to guard twelve year Celtic and Los Angeles native, Paul Pierce. Pierce simply torched the Lakers in the 2008 finals as they had no answer for him. Now, with Artest, they do. Over Artest’s career in the NBA, his ability to shut down some of the NBA’s best scorers has molded itself into part of his reputation if not an entity entirely of its own. Paul Pierce is no exception to the rule although he has not been as adversely affected as some over the course of his career against Artest. Pierce’s career averages, through the 2008-09 season, were 22.9 points per game on 44.3 percent field goal shooting, 33.6 percent from downtown, 6.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 7.8 free throw attempts, and 3.1 turnovers. Against Artest his averages are 21.3 points per game on 43.6 percent field goal shooting, 39.3 percent from behind the arc, 5.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 7.1 free throw attempts, and 3.4 turnovers. Essentially these numbers are fairly consistent with a slight drop in scoring and rebounding with an increase in shooting accuracy from the three-point line. These numbers are nothing notable to really write home about.

However, this season, when matched up against Artest, the story is quite different. This year Pierce averaged 18.3 points per game, 4.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, shot .472 from the floor and .414 from downtown, with 6.1 free throw attempts, and 2.3 turnovers. His scoring production is the lowest it has been since his rookie campaign but with the emergence of Rajon Rondo it is not at all surprising because he no longer has to carry the offensive load for the Celtics. There were two meetings between the Lakers and Celtics occurring on 31 January and again on 18 February. During these engagements there is quite a noticeable difference from his season averages. He averaged 13 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, shot 40 percent on field goals and 36 percent from behind the arc, with four free throw attempts and 2.5 turnovers. That is a dramatic difference from his averages and the Lakers can thank Artest for it and they will certainly be looking for similar production in the finals.

Unlike the first three rounds of the playoffs, Los Angeles’ frontcourt will actually be challenged. Sure Paul Milsap went off on them as did Amar’e Stoudemire at times but neither of those players is a consistent threat to dominate the interior both offensively and defensively. (Carlos Boozer was too banged up to even be a factor). The Celtics have player who excel at just that. With Andrew Bynum playing on an injured knee which he just had drained (draining it produced more than two ounces of fluid, that is a lot) and will inevitably have to have surgery on this offseason the Lakers must get as much production from Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom as they can. Boston just battered Dwight Howard for six consecutive games making him look like an untested rookie for much of the series. How do you think they will treat a hobbled Bynum? They will make mincemeat out of him. Gasol and Odom are the only two legitimate frontcourt options the Lakers have.

Gasol has been the second best Laker thus far in the playoffs averaging twenty points per contest while pulling down 10.9 rebounds. When on the court with Bynum, Gasol will play his natural four position and therefore be matched up against power forward killer, Kevin Garnett. Garnett has shut down every player he has matched up against this postseason. There is a reason that the likes of Antawn Jamison and Rashard Lewis were rarely, if ever, heard from in the second and third rounds in the East. In this season’s playoffs, Garnett’s defensive rating is a 99 so for Gasol to have any chance of success he must be at the top of his game rather than enjoying a siesta. He took the brunt of the criticism after the 2008 finals debacle and does not need an encore performance. In the eyes of many he is still a soft player. Instead of saying that the final’s loss motivated him, he needs to come out and prove that he is a better player than he was then. If he does not, he will be shown to be as soft as flan against the Celtics’ frontline bruisers.

Point guards have run wild against the Lakers. How will Rondo shape up in what is becoming his best playoffs yet?

An interesting set of matchups will also take place in the backcourt. Throughout these playoffs the Lakers have been continually tested by some of the league’s best point guards. This series will be no different. After facing Russell Westbrook, Deron Williams, and Steve Nash, all of whom torched Los Angeles, they must now face Rajon Rondo, who is developing into the face of a franchise. Derek Fisher is no longer the defensive player that he once was and is not able to keep up with young quick guards who probe and slash through the painted area. For this reason, expect Bryant to pick up the defensive assignment on Rondo leaving Fisher to fight through curls and screens while defending Jesus Shuttlesworth. For the Lakers to be successful they must not allow Rondo to continue to average ten assists per game, Kobe knows this which is why he will place the onus on himself of defending Rondo.

Los Angeles has some favorable matchups when their most productive lineup is on the floor. The lineup that is most effective for the Lakers is when Gasol shifts to the center position and Odom comes in at the four with Artest at three and Kobe and Fisher in the backcourt. This would have the effect of putting Gasol against Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis, or a more likely matchup with Rasheed Wallace, who is notorious for pestering the league’s power forwards. It will be imperative that the Lakers physically establish themselves down low if they are to have any chance. However, after that the Celtics have the clear advantage in depth. For the Lakers to remain NBA champions the must execute (partially regret using such a cliché word) at their highest level as a whole. Continuing subpar performances from any of their players not named Kobe will not be tolerated by the Mamba and result in an uphill struggle. Their bench is totally impotent, as we have discussed ad nauseam, in the face of what the Celtics can call on from the bench. Yet, it is always unwise to underestimate the determination and will of Kobe Bryant.

Underestimating the Celtics has become a fool’s game in these playoffs. Time and again they have mustered the spirit of a championship caliber team that knows what it needs to do to reach its end goal. As in 2008, the Celtics’ return to the NBA finals has resurrected old ghosts and fond memories of days past. (The NBA is quick to embellish the historical ramifications of this year’s finals matchup to boost ratings.) Iconic sights and sounds are everywhere in our memories: the smell of Red’s cigar and physical play of Parish, McHale and Bird all come to mind. However, this season’s incarnation of the Celtics is not the same as the teams and players of old. Alas, this is a very different Boston team. A different swagger and different goal drive these green men even though it all comes down to hoisting the trophy as the green shirted and shamrock touting peons of the Garden plan on where to hang the next banner.

Will the Celtics fill the empty banner that hangs in their practice gym?

As opposed to the Celtics of old, these boys are not playing to highlight a dynasty but rather they are trying to establish one.  We all know they won in 2008 but without a ring this year, that season will become a more and more superficial memory of the super-loading done by a team with players desperate not to go down in history as this generation’s Ewing, Barkely or Malone.  Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Peirce all had careers in desperate need of rings but now, a dynasty is the next step and only one ring after the heavy-spending summer of 2007 will not make this group very memorable (or favorable) in the years and decades to come. Certainly they do not want their championship to be viewed in the same light as Miami’s. They would be looked at as a team put together for one banner as opposed to a group put together for all-out dominance.

To win the series against the Lakers, the Celtics have a lot to work on.  First, Doc Rivers and the starters need to prepare for a long haul. This rest should help but it is going to be a long series and in order to beat LA they are going to have to be ready to control the tempo and bang on the inside with the big men. Kendrick Perkins has been a ghost during this postseason but in the two games against LA early this season, he has fared well with 10 points and 12 rebounds a game.  His goal should to stay on Pau Gasol or Andrew Bynum in the post to avoid easy buckets when Kobe attracts the double or even triple team. This is one thing that killed the Suns.

Next, Rajon Rondo says that he is not playing at 100 percent. Boston needs him in top form to be successful.  During the Eastern Conference Finals, he suffered from muscle spasms and a hurt back.  Rondo has been a monster during what is proving to be his best postseason yet.  He was once considered the weak link in this starting rotation but now is averaging 15 points and 10 assists in the playoffs.  His athletic ability is opening up a lot of possibilities for this team to score in several different ways.  He is playing with more confidence than before and is not looking to Doc Rivers with wondering puppy eyes anymore for guidance. The reins are his.

Boston’s bench also has to be as big of a factor as possible even if it does not show up on the scoreboard.  The Celtics are not going to get a lot of consistent or big numbers out of their bench but the effort and hustle that they provide is vital to Boston’s success on the court. Nate Robinson, Rasheed, Tony Allen, and Glen Davis have shown that they can show up but never on the same night. However, they can still be affective in two ways.  Defensive stands are key while the Boston starters are resting on the bench.  They will need to get in there and pester whoever is on the floor for the Lakers and help maintain leads or prevent further damage.  This will not be easy against L.A.’s starters but should be very easy against their bench. Try and name four important rotation players off of Los Angeles’ bench that will come up big. Odom does not count, even though his combined numbers for one game can be the total of four other players off the bench. Predicting the future is an endeavor for Marty McFly and Dr. Brown but when it comes to the Lakers’ bench it is easier than building a flux capacitor. Bynum should be a non-factor in this series due to his knee.  This will shorten Phil Jackson’s rotation so hopefully they will get to see more Luke Walton than even Bill Walton would like to see.  L.A.’s bench is embarrassing and the Celtics will have a chance to wear down the starters and hopefully get a chance to beat down some of those second team players.

Lastly, exploit the mismatches.  Artest and Kobe are some of the best defenders in the league but they cannot guard everyone.  Depending on whom they are covering, one or two other players will be open.  Expect Lamar Odom and Gasol to stay low against Garnett in any sort of post play and Artest and Kobe on the outer fringe of the paint and perimeter.  The jump shot will be challenged by these guys but with this matchup it will leave two players against weaker defenders at all times.  Derek Fisher will not be a factor on defense and will give Rondo a chance to manipulate the court.  Going outside, they will have to find the open man and trust me, there will be one somewhere.  Look for the open three and if not, bang it to the inside.  The refs have shown that they will call fouls on both Bynum and Odom.  Force Phil Jackson to decide on where to place his defenders.  This will always leave someone open.  He will make adjustments over the course of the games themselves and the series.  Track them and adjust.

Phoenix and Oklahoma City had speed.  Boston does not.  They forced the Lakers to play a full-court game as opposed the half-court style they prefer.  Boston is a half-court offense as well.  The Celtics will not be running an offense that will make the Lakers uncomfortable since that would force them to play outside of their style and for a team that is fairly old and beat up like Boston that would be suicide.  Instead, play smarter and exploit the defense whenever possible.  Mismatches will occur since L.A. has such a shortened rotation due to injury and sheer talent.

Last season, without Garnett, the Celtics found their human side in the Playoffs as Orlando steam-rolled them to gain a spot in the Finals just to lose to the blood-thirsty Mamba.  This season, the Celtics were Orlando’s Kryptonite and they can easily be considered one of the hottest teams in the playoffs with series wins against Miami, Cleveland and Orlando.  Outside of the Heat and their one-horse show, it is an impressive playoff resume, to say the least, especially since they only won 10 of their last 20 games in the regular season.  Here at the Beef, we had the Celtics written off by February as their age was beginning to show and it was apparent that Rasheed Wallace was never going to be a factor in Boston.  Now, they are playing for the title and since our predictions for this team didn’t work out before, we are going to throw out some more for this Finals because that’s just what we do.

Let’s just get it out there, Boston will win this series.  I know it sounds hypocritical since we have been dogging this team nearly all season.  But we do have our reasons for a change of heart.  Simply put, Boston is hot.  The pundits and King James himself saw Cleveland as an obvious favorite to win the East and the Finals.  Cleveland lost the last three games in the series by a combined 51 points.  They then went on to hand Orlando their first loss of the playoffs just to lose a commanding 3-0 series lead.  They walked away with the series but not after a big scare. Boston is on a roll and we have doubted them all along. This ends here. No longer will our good name be besmirched by the boys in green.

Plenty of analysts and sports writers are commenting on how the series will be close. Some of the games certainly will be. However, the Lakers have had an easy ride in the playoffs and coasted into the finals. So far their toughest opponent has been the young kids in Oklahoma City. Los Angeles believes itself to be a tough squad but has done little in the way of showing it. They have two tough players in Bryant and Artest but other than them the determination and grit of the team is very suspect.

We are going to have to see the Doc outsmart the Zen Master if Boston plans on hoisting another banner. Yet it will not be up to Rivers or Jackson in the end. What it will come down to is the heart of the players on the floor. Boston has met and toppled each challenge they have faced. They have dethroned kings and taken down reigning champions. Their heart is beating faster as they near the summit but it will not give out. No player on that team will let it slow down or stop until they hold the Larry O’Brien trophy in their hands and are on their way to Disney World.

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by | May 27, 2010 · 8:00 AM

Bench Press

Pheonix has finally learned how to use its bench

The Los Suns (Los Soles?) were looking like Los Losers as this series began as Kobe Bryant and the Lakers were started to show that both defense and experience are needed to get past the Western Conference Finals.  However, those characteristics are starting to come under considerable question after last night’s performance by a bench that has been slowly turning heads over the last few weeks.

Even with the fall of Robin Lopez, this team is still competing despite a tough playoff schedule with series against Portland, San Antonio and now the Lakers.  With the lack of a serious big-man threat with Lopez out, the Suns lucked out against a beat-up Marcus Camby and an old Tim Duncan but the Lakers were suppose to offer more of a threat when it comes to size.  The signing of Ron Artest would allow the big men in Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol to drift away from any sort of serious roll in the defense.  However, last night, they were out-rebounded by 15.  The basic premise is that they will become more predominant in the offense when they don’t have too much to worry about on the other end of the ball with both Artest and Bryant being defensive pests.  However, only Bynum has seen an increase in scoring and yet Jackson has become unhappy with his play.  Dallas’ front court averaged 11 more points per game on the season than the Lakers.

Then comes the Lakers’ bench (Something we have been criticizing for some time).  This group of losers scored only 20 points last night while Pheonix’s scored 54.  Louis Amundson, Goran Dragic, Jared Dudley and Channing Frye are all making names for themselves as of late.  Together, the four have only played in a total of 68 playoff games including last night’s.  To put this in perspective, Kobe has played in 123 since the 2000-01 Season.  Yet, their swagger is untouchable and Alvin Gentry’s trust in them is unfathomable.  Gentry kept all five reserves, including Leandro Barbosa, in during the first nine minutes of the fourth quarter.  They produced an 18-3 run.  The subs had turned an 87-85 deficit into a 103-94 lead.

Frye broke out of a terrible shooting slump by making four 3-pointers.  Barbosa had 14 points on 8-11 shooting.  Dudley had 11 points and Dragic ran the point perfectly with eight points and eight assists in only 18 minutes.  It shouldn’t be any news to anyone that this bench is actually producing.  They have been putting up solid numbers since the All-Star break averaging 34 points, 15.3 rebounds, 7.6 assists and shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arch.  The Lakers’ bench has only been putting up 24 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists per game in that same amount of time.

To be honest though, it all comes down to a matter of will.  Steve Nash says that he has gotten more rest than ever these playoffs and a lot of that can be traced back to Dragic.  He’s healthy and at the cusp of playing in his first finals ever.  Amar’e Stoudemire was let down by not being traded but is showing that he may be worth picking up come July due to his increased hustle.  He seems to care more now than ever now that he knows he has to prove something in order to get the big deal he wants. Having a good bench to utilize is something this team has never really had or really cared to have.  Mike D’Antoni’s system of full-court with a six-man rotation just doesn’t work well in a lengthy postseason.  Gentry and the Suns understand that you can’t run your way through the Western Conference Playoffs with an aging point guard and an extremely small rotation.

On the other end, Kobe has to pick this team up if they plan on finishing this series.  He’s scoring all he can but to be honest, that has not proven to be enough in seasons past.  Just because he wants it doesn’t mean the Lakers get it.  Same goes for Artest.  He has been the black sheep on this squad from day one and players usually don’t turn it around by the playoffs must less the Western Conference Finals.  Ron, if you haven’t figured it out by now, then it isn’t meant to be.

Phoenix needs to stay physical and get to the line.  The refs have shown that they are going to call personal fouls against both Odom and Bynum in this series.  Attack the basket while they are in the game and that will easily open up the 3-point shooting.  Gentry has to realize this and take advantage of it.  The bench is going to offer the matchup problems once personal fouls start adding up and the series gets lengthened.  Time is on Phoenix’s side but only if used right.  Crash and draw fouls or crash and kick out to Dudley, Nash or Frye.  It’s a simple plan that will have the Lakers playing full-court.  This will continue to wear down the LA’s starters and there you have it, Jackson will call on his dismal bench.  If you see Jordan Farmer and Luke Walton being difference makers in this serious, wake up.

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by | March 9, 2010 · 4:10 PM

Land O Lakers Not So Buttery Smooth After All

Trouble in Lakerland? Does the current skid belie certain problems with team chemistry including overall motivation and effort? The analysts across the web and television spectrum seem certain of it now. Especially with their recent three game skid. But to what extent are the commentators, prognosticators, pencil pushers, number crunchers, and casual viewers right and do they see the whole picture? All of this attention will certainly die down, as much as it can with the press and national coverage the Lakers garner, if the team strings together a nice run to close the regular season. Yet, much still is ignored and forgotten while television ratings and short memories reign supreme. What is really going on behind the scenes?

I have said most of the season that the Lakers are a paper tiger. (This being my first entry about the Lakers only my friends can honestly attest to this claim). No, it is not because I am bitter with those teams that hold championships and rings. It is much more. The Lakers, to start the season, played 20 of 31 games at the Staples Center (I’m not counting “road” games against the Clippers) from October 27 through December 29. By far, this was the most favorable beginning season schedule that Emperor Stern and the Association provided. To the victors go the spoils. Early season favoritism by the schedule makers catapulted the Lakers to the top of the standings in the West. During their home stay they also rattled off an eleven game win streak from November 17 to December 11. Only one of the games was on the road, at Golden State on November 28. The rest of the West was left as an afterthought and the Lakers stole the conversations and the spotlight leading no one to seriously question their return to the NBA Finals.

However, things are not always as they seem. More was going on in Tinseltown than the press and NBA wished to look into. Early season triumph at home has begun its sea change to late season road troubles. The Lakers have lost four road games in a row beginning with a 101-96 loss on 24 February at Dallas. To close out the season the season the Lakers have 11 of their remaining 18 games on the road. Of these 11 games, which include a stretch of 5 road games in a row from March 24-31, five are against quality playoff opponents: Phoenix, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Atlanta, and Denver. Four of their home games will be against teams scrapping for favorable playoff seeding. These are Toronto (tonight), Utah, San Antonio (Despite losing Parker for six weeks I still expect them to play well. George Hill is no slouch) and Portland. That’s half their remaining schedule against playoff bound teams.

Recently, the Lakers have played to a level that they have not during the Gasol era. They lost three games in a row. This is not the big story, though. Looking further one can see that the Lakers have lost five of their last nine games all while being at full health. Watching the game against the Magic it was clear that the Lakers lack the focus that is needed to beat certain teams. Focus issues appear to be running rampant throughout the team, even after Kobe’s “Come to Jesus” speech. Ball movement has completely stagnated over the last five losses with Kobe’s seven assists against Orlando being the Lakers highpoint as the team totaled only 16 dimes in forty eight minutes. Against the Bobcats and the Heat they totaled 15 assists in each game. Against the Heat they had an extra five minute frame to play and still the assist total was this low. The Lakers totaled 19 assists against the Mavericks, which was their highest total in the five losses, to go a long with 17 turnovers. Playing at home against Boston their total assist production on the evening was a lowly 14 to go along with 10 turnovers. The average assist high for a Lakers’ player during those losses was four: Artest with four vs. Charlotte, Bryant against Miami, and Shannon Brown in the loss to Boston. Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom had five apiece in the loss to the Mavericks. Four of the five losses came on the road and all of the losses came against playoff teams. Kobe cannot do it all. He certainly tried in the fourth quarter against the Magic though. Is it wise to let Kobe take over? History would remind us that it is not. (Kobe’s incredible, mind-blowing, and downright stupid sick 81 points against Toronto aside. That was a different team.) The Lakers play better as a team, not as a man despite what Sports Center’s Top 10 would have us believe. Kobe’s efficiency rating is not as high as one might think. He is not in the top 10. He ranks 14th teammate Pau Gasol ranks higher at 11th. He shoots .458 from the floor, nice; but only .316 from downtown, ugly. Do Phil Jackson and the Lakers really want to shut it down and hand the ball to Kobe every possession with the game on the line? I wouldn’t. Kobe, as good as he is, I believe him to be one of the best of all time, and the Lakers relationship works well when he is the facilitator and the distributor. Case and point: the recent win over Denver. Kobe went 3-17 from the floor but dropped 12 dimes and had a +/- of +11. He knew he wasn’t getting his shot so he backed into the post and fed dive cutters and kicked out if a double team came. If you are going to lean on Kobe at least do it in a productive manner.

It's hard to swallow the fact that even Adam Morrison got a ring on the Lakers' bench in '09.

When Kobe facilitates the mediocre, at best, bench (outside of Odom) he can actually be productive even if only slightly more than normal. Jordan Farmar’s recent games resemble that of a rollercoaster. In the last 5 games his point production ranges from 19 in a blowout win against the Pacers to 0 in the game against the Magic. Outside of spotting scoring, Farmar contributes little if anything else offensively or defensively. The overhype machine that is Shannon Brown is slightly more consistent than Farmar. Over the past 5 games he has averaged 6.8 points, his high of 12 also coming against the lowly (sorry, but it is true) Pacers. Other than the steady low scoring output he is good for a steal a game. Adam Morrison. That’s it, nothing there other than a name on a roster. Pretty soon he is going to change his name to DNPCD. How does he have a ring? Josh Powell, his numbers do not honestly reflect his hustle. I like the guy. He was drafted by the Mavericks. Yet, over the last 5 games you will find just slightly more than tumbleweeds when you dust off his box score. D.J. Mbenga: see above description of Josh Powell. Luke Walton: kid can pass. He can also drain an occasional 3 pointer which is sure to cause a groan from the opposing team’s fans but as for right now he continues to ride the pine with injuries. (He must have inherited that from his dad). Too bad too, I was looking forward to seeing that Grateful Dead tattoo in action again. These are the players that the Lakers rely on coming off their bench. Yes, they have Odom (odd that he isn’t in 6th Man talk), he is key to the functions of the entire team on both sides of the ball. But outside of him there is not a whole lot to lean on when the playoffs roll around.

When the playoffs do eventually roll around, as they do yearly, the Lakers should be glad that they will most likely have a home court advantage throughout the West playoffs. The Lakers have a decent road win-loss record of 17-13, not impressive but above .500 nonetheless. Of their wins on the road they have beat just seven teams that, if they started today, would be in the playoffs. These teams are the Bulls, Bucks, and Celtics in the East and Thunder, Mavericks, Trail Blazers, and Jazz in the West. The victories against the Bucks and Mavericks came before each team improved dramatically before the trade deadline. Out of 17 wins only seven have come against a quality opponent. But who have they lost to? In their 13 road losses they have lost to 10 teams that would make the playoffs if they started today. In the East they are the Cavaliers (who they have not beaten this year), Raptors, Heat, and Orlando. Out in the West the teams they have lost to are the Nuggets, Jazz, Suns, Trail Blazers, Spurs, and Mavericks. That is six of the eight teams that will make the playoffs in the West. These are the teams that the Lakers will have to face just to get to the finals. This brings the Lakers road record against quality teams to 7-10. Those numbers shouldn’t make anyone scream championship.

The Lakers have a lot to prove to themselves and skeptics like me over the remaining 18 games of the season. Should their play and confidence continue to falter against other playoff teams, there is no reason to believe that they should go far in the playoffs. Numbers and star-power are never true indicators of how a team will perform in the postseason.  What it comes down to is if the team is emotionally capable of handling the pressure (or the referees dictating the game).  A six-man rotation is certainly not the ideal for a team that was handpicked to win it all or at least come out of the West as the favorites. As for now the paper tiger is growling the loudest in Los Angeles.

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