Tag Archives: Mike Brown

by | November 9, 2012 · 4:20 PM

Lakers fire Mike Brown

Doesn’t it feel good to have a head coach? Doesn’t it feel good to have a front office that doesn’t make knee jerk reactions based on fan and media scrutiny? Do you see what star power does to a team?

Friday, around mid-day, the Lakers fired head coach Mike Brown after the team posted a 1-4 record to start the season. They also went win-less in preseason, but preseason really doesn’t matter. It is, however, an indicator.

Five games are all Mitch Kupchak, the general manager of the Lakers, needed to assess Brown, his newly implemented Princeton offense (championed by Kobe Bryant), and the team’s play. Five games. Apparently, in Lakerland that is an eternity and a sign of the apocalypse. In that short time it was decided that the problem with the Lakers was Brown. He is the scapegoat.

Across television, pundits decry the Princeton offense as absurd and that it doesn’t work at the NBA level. Do not listen to these men. In five games the Lakers ran the sixth best offense in the NBA averaging 104.6 points per 100 possessions. Bryant is shooting 50 percent of his shots inside the restricted area because of the movement the Princeton employs. That figure should terrify opposing defenses. Forcing Kobe to shoot deep twos is where defenses are all smiles and happy thoughts about rainbows and horses. If it goes in, that’s fine. It was a low percentage shot, probably with the clock running down. Kobe getting layups (possibly even dunks)? RUN FOR THE HILLS!

So it’s not the Princeton. It isn’t. Period.

But, even if Kobe, and the rest of the Lakers, are getting plenty of shots at the rim, they cannot live on those shots alone. The Princeton offense opens up various shots through constant movement and high screens. Yet, the Lakers can’t seem to connect on any shot beyond the restricted area. They are dead last in field goal percentage from three to nine feet; connecting on only 18 percent of those shots. Second to last on shots within 10-15 feet. Here they shoot 16.7 percent. Luckily, they shoot better on low efficiency two-pointers (16-23 feet) with a clip of 37.1 percent. Their saving grace just may be the three-pointer. Here they connect 52.2 percent of the time.  Not quite what the Mavericks are doing from behind the arc, 72.8 percent, but nothing to frown at.

Don’t let those numbers confuse you, though. The vast majority of the Lakers’ shots are high percentage ones, either at the rim or beyond the arc. Where the trouble lies in their inability to connect from within nine feet and the number of deep twos they take. However, this is a terribly small sample size. It is unlikely that these trends will continue. And with a new coach comes new trends.

The real issue with the Lakers is their sputtering defense. They are ranked 25rd in the league in defensive rating at 107.6. That’s bad, and it doesn’t help their defense when they have turned the ball over on offense almost 18 percent of the time.

Beyond the numbers, L.A.’s bench is bad. Really bad. Perhaps even historically bad (I have not done research to justify this claim). Jordan Hill has been their best player off the bench, scoring 5.4 points per game but is shooting just 39.1 percent. Steve Blake has been forced into starting duty with Steve Nash being out. One of these Steve’s is not like the other.

This is where I could discuss Antawn Jamison, but I won’t.

These are the real issues that the Lakers face. Not Mike Brown’s coaching. Not the Princeton. L.A. just isn’t that good beyond their four marquee players and Metta World Peace (I’m giving him credit because I like him). If they can solve their turnover woes and play some solid defense, which may be too much to ask at this point despite the presence of Dwight Howard, this team can turn it around.

This was an ill-advised move by the Lakers, predicated by fear mongering and impatience. Five game is a horrible metric to judge a team, let alone a coach. Brown will have a job in the NBA again. Maybe not as a head coach but he’ll be back. As for the Lakers, they have no coach and a lot of problems.

They really are a Hollywood drama.

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by | March 22, 2012 · 6:10 PM

Is Ramon Sessions breakout bound?

Stealing that extra bow

I have always been a fan of Ramon Sessions since his days in Milwaukee and his one odd and humdrum year in Minnesota. I remained a fan as career stagnated in Cleveland post LeBron, though his numbers were quite good during his first season with the Cavaliers. Better than those of Brandon Jennings in 2010-11, for comparison. Now, Sessions finds himself on one of the most storied franchises in NBA history and he is primed for a breakout moment. The moment I have long been waiting for. The moment to leap into the spotlight and get the attention he deserves. Or at the very least the 15 minutes Andy Warhol guaranteed him.

Though his game is at times methodical and probing, knowing when to and where to get the ball to his teammates, he has flashes of quickness and swagger, pulling up for an open, timely, three or driving the lane in order to collapse a defense and find the open man. In his short time with the Lakers, just four games totaling 100 minutes played, Sessions has shot a whopping 56.7 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from behind the 3-point arc, both of which, if they maintain present form, would blow away his previous highs in these categories (though that is unlikely based on the rule of averages). He has done all this to the tune of 17.3 points per 36 minutes. Yes, it is an incredibly small sample size and he is only playing an average of 25 minutes off the bench, so take everything with a grain of salt, but something has certainly clicked with Sessions and his new team.

The Honeymoon period is always is always a forgiving time, though. Look at the Knicks since Mike D’Antoni left: they haven’t lost. But Sessions has shown these flashes of brilliance in the past. He showed the same prowess once he became a starter to finish the 2008-09 season in Milwaukee and last season in Cleveland. This is more than just a grace period. This is Sessions melding into an offense, and team, he is comfortable with.

His average of six assists per contest further illustrate that point. This was most apparent in the Lakers’ win against a depleted Mavericks team on Wednesday night. Sessions totaled nine assists during that contest, 36 percent of the team’s assists for the evening. Since joining the team, he has tallied 27 percent of the team’s dimes and 41.8 percent of them while he is on the court. His effort is paying dividends for the Lakers’ offense as a whole. Zack Lowe of SI.com expands on just that:

…in the 100 minutes Sessions has played, the Lakers have scored 114 points per 100 possessions, a mark that would lead the league by a mile, according to NBA.com’s stats tool. The Lakers have been more efficient in just about every way possible during those 100 minutes…

With Sessions at the helm, Mike Brown‘s offense is finally making some headway. Lowe continues stating that the Lakers are also shooting more three-pointers with Sessions on the court, but this is largely do to his expended play with the second unit that does not consist of the Laker bigs looming in the post, where the ball is likely headed on many offensive sets.

Again, despite my wishful thinking, this is only the smallest of sample sizes. If they were to predicate a trend it would be a phenomenal one. Nonetheless, it has put Sessions on the map, being in L.A. has helped but his performance is what has made him note worthy and far more viable than any of the other point guards that Los Angeles has employed this season. No one is talking about Andrew Goudelock, after all.

Maybe it is too early to declare a breakout for Sessions. Maybe my dreams will have to wait. Whatever the case, he has certainly made the Lakers a scarier team. I have no doubt that he will secure the starting point guard role before season’s end as Steve Blake has been a shell of whatever he once was. There is obviously still a learning curve for Sessions with his new team and Mike Brown will likely keep him in a reserve role until he feels that Sessions has a solid grasp of the offense. That is understandable.

This is Sessions moment. Now is the time my oddly self-serving desire to see him explode onto the national scene can be realized. The interesting thing is, with Sessions, he does not even need to be stellar. All he needs to do is perform well in a major market with consistency. At least then the casual fan will understand the impact he can have on the game, they will understand that he is a solid player capable of running the offense on a playoff team. No, he isn’t Derrick Rose or Chris Paul but he doesn’t need to be. A breakout for Sessions is the notoriety that he deserves. Through four games he just may have gained it.

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by | December 26, 2011 · 5:24 PM

NBA Christmas Wrap

Merry Christmas

With much fanfare and an obnoxious LMFAO ad that was played almost every commercial intermission, the NBA season kicked off in superb, albeit rusty, fashion. Yes, lockout legs could be seen throughout the five games that were aired but that is to be expected with abbreviated training camps. chemistry was also an issue as many teams have a number of new players to integrate into their rotations. Nonetheless, the NBA is back and fans and players are happy. A reaction:

Boston Celtics 104 – New York Knicks 106

Carmelo Anthony looked great in this game. His 17 points in the fourth quarter were the difference and why the Knicks thought it necessary to gut their team to acquire him. Throughout his time in the NBA, Anthony has proven he has a knack for performing in the clutch and he showed it on Sunday. However, the already shaky depth of the Knicks has grown even more unstable with a knee injury to rookie Iman Shumpert which will sideline him for at least a couple of weeks.

As for the Celtics, Rajon Rondo and Brandon Bass, who is finally free from the tyranny of Stan Van Gundy, were the offense with Paul Pierce missing the game. Rondo continually broke down New York’s defense and got to the rim. When Pierce comes back to the lineup the Celtics should be a more rounded offensive unit, until then this will be Rondo’s team.

Naughty: Kevin Garnett choking Bill Walker.

Nice: Carmelo Anthony’s clutch play.

Miami Heat 105 – Dallas Mavericks 94

The Mavericks raised their championship banner but that is all they had to celebrate on Sunday. Dallas came out looking flat and out of sync, in essence, they looked old. That should be no surprise because their entire core is over the age of 30. Rick Carlisle is integrating Vince Carter, Lamar Odom, Delonte West, who played well, and Brandan Wright into the rotation while dealing with key losses across the board. Jason Terry was the only Maverick who showed up to this one.

Miami looked like they were just rolled off of a German assembly line. They were well oiled and fine tuned. What they did to the Mavericks was scary. Say what you will about all the exhibition games this summer but they seem to have kept LeBron James and Dwyane Wade in game shape, that and their complete desire to destroy everything in their path. This was a blowout, like a brand new Mercedes-Benz S-Class versus a Trabant. Not only were the Heat good but they will get better. Rookie Norris Cole turned some heads with his play in 24 minutes of action. If he continues to improve he could supplant Mario Chalmers as the starting point guard.

Naughty: The Mavs’ 37.8 percent field goal shooting.

Nice: LeBron James‘ box score: 37 points, 10 rebounds, six assists.

Chicago Bulls 88 – Los Angeles Lakers 87

Forget Showtime, these are the Slowtime Lakers. That is not a knock on them, however, not in the least bit. This Lakers squad proved to be as scrappy and gritty as any I have seen. Perhaps this is what Mike Brown brings to the team, perhaps this is what a bunch of blue-collar white guys bring to a team, or perhaps this is just what happens when you lose Odom and Andrew Bynum serving his suspension. Nonetheless, I like the Slowtime Lakers. Where they do need to improve is offensive player rotation. Too many times they reverted to Hawks-esque isolation with three players around the perimeter and one near the post.

Chicago played well throughout, with the exception being the third quarter. With the game close, Luol Deng stepped up and made the big plays. It was his defense against Kobe Bryant and his steal late in the game that allowed the Bulls to go on a 7-0 run, capped by Derrick Rose‘s floater in the lane, to win the game. Rip Hamilton started for the Bulls but did not contribute much due to foul trouble therefore his time was split with Ronnie Brewer. Brewer is a solid defender with good court vision and should see more minutes this season.

Naughty: Kobe’s last shot attempt.

Nice: Rose’s floater to win the game.

Orlando Magic 89 – Oklahoma City Thunder 97

Much like the Heat Mavericks game, the final score does not do justice to the thrashing that actually occurred. Like Miami, the Thunder look ready for the season. Very ready.  Oklahoma City pounced on Orlando early and never relented. Their team is largely the same as it was last year so their learning curve is near zero when it comes to knowing each other and how to execute plays…when they are not freewheeling. Speed and athleticism are the monikers of this team and they will serve them well out of the gate. If only they could improve their shot selections *cough* Westbrook *cough*.

Where the Thunder took plenty of questionable shots when they had built their sizable lead, the Magic took even more haphazard shots throughout the entire game. I have said it many times: the Magic’s offense is terrible. There is nothing more that can be said. It looked like they thought that there was a pit of lava inside the three-point line. Get Dwight Howard the ball in the post and let him work.

Naughty: Hedo Turkoglu clearly indulged his gluttonous side during the lockout. Dude is chunky.

Nice: Kevin Durant. Need I say more?

Los Angeles Clippers 105 – Golden State Warriors 86

If ESPN had their way, this would have been a documentary about Mark Jackson and the greatness of his coaching style. Nevermind the fact Chris Paul and Blake Griffin were on the court, this broadcast was about Mark Jackson, hands down (man down). They showed a clip of him quoting Shakespeare before the game. He was the only coach shown in the huddle, mostly saying cliché motivational shit like “execution” and “focus.” That is all fine and good, but he does have a decent team that the broadcast could have talked about. I think Jackson will be a good coach but that much attention is unwarranted, especially on a nationally televised game. His first coaching milestone was the hack-a-Jordan technique he used on DeAndre Jordan.

The final score is not indicative of how the Warriors remained close for much of the game. Clearly, the Wizards of Lob are the better team but last night they showed chinks in their armor. The aforementioned hack-a-Jordan technique stymied the Clippers offense and brought it to a halt. Luckily, the Clippers have Paul, Chauncey Billups, and Griffin. All played well as they were able to outlast the Warrior. The new look Clippers are a work in progress to say the least and last night they showed it.

Naughty: ESPN’s love affair with Mark “Momma, there goes that man” Jackson.

Nice: Caron Butler‘s circus shot.

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by | September 18, 2011 · 8:57 AM

Kobe Byrant still considering Playing Overseas

Asia calling?

Kobe Bryant is skeptical about the ongoing labor strife in the NBA. As the neither the National Basketball Players Association nor the NBA and the owners can come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement the prospects of a regular season grow ever more dim. Bryant knows this and his keeping his options open.

“I could [play abroad],” Bryant told the Associated Press Saturday. “I’m playing abroad right now.”

This summer Bryant has traveled extensively throughout Southeast Asia. He has held youth  clinics in the Philippines, China, and is currently holding one in Singapore. When he says he is “playing abroad” he does not mean professionally in an organized league. At least not yet.

Bryant’s main suitor during the lockout has been the Turkish team Besiktas, where Deron Williams and Zaza Pachulia now play. Besiktas has gone as far as to have meetings with representatives of Bryant but nothing further ever transpired. There has also been interest shown by Chinese teams. However, China is currently barring all players currently under contract in the NBA from playing in the Chinese league. Bryant, even though the owners have locked out the players, is still under contract with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Despite the hurdles that the Chinese have imposed, playing in China would seem like the most likely next step for Bryant if he were to play overseas. He is the most popular NBA player in China and considers it a second home. He would receive superstar treatment and then some everywhere he went and arenas that he played in would be filled to capacity.

He would not be the first NBA player to play in China, if he chose to do so. Wilson Chandler and J.R. Smith have reached agreements with Chinese teams and Patrick Beverley, the one-time future starting point guard for the Miami Heat, played in China last season after he was let go by Miami in order to create room for Jerry Stackhouse on the roster. Former NBAers such as Stephon Marbury and Bonzi Wells have also found success in China, with Marbury still playing there for the Foshan Dralions.

Bryant is, however, open to the idea of joining his Lakers’ teammates for informal workouts that the players must organize themselves. No such workouts have been scheduled yet.

The more protracted the lockout becomes, the more it could hurt the Lakers. Los Angeles brought in Mike Brown as their new head coach this summer to replace Phil Jackson, who retired. Brown is known as a defensive minded coach and will likely replace the triangle with a system of his own. He said as much in an interview with Kevin Ding of the OC Register:

“In Cleveland, I had a guy who liked to come off the top of the floor, liked to play in space and play pick-and-roll and make plays for others. Here, I’ve got two guys similar to what we had in San Antonio; you’re able to throw them the ball on the block.”

So, if the future of the Lakers is post-oriented offensive schemes involving Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum then where does that leave Bryant, the face of the franchise since being drafted by the Lakers straight out of high school in 1996? In China perhaps.

There are plenty of uncertainties surrounding the future of the NBA and its players and Bryant is just one of them. What is known, though, is that Bryant wants to compete against the best the world has to offer. As of right now the only place he can do that is in the NBA. Expect him to only sign overseas as a last resort if he sees no labor resolution in sight. Bryant became the player he is in the NBA and anything else, outside of playing on the U.S. national team in the Olympics, would be a step down.

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by | June 4, 2010 · 3:51 PM

Adios and goodbye.

Danny Ferry built a perenial powerhouse in Cleveland that has done nothing but fall short

The Cleveland Caveliers announced that general manager Danny Ferry would not be renewing his contract with the team.  This comes just two weeks after the team fired head coach Mike Brown.  Both parties have stated that the decision was mutual.

This comes as a shock considering one of the biggest free agent frenzies begins in a little over a month and the Cavs are facing the loss of LeBron James.  Some say that the decision may be tied to Brown’s firing since he and Ferry worked together as well in San Antonio.

Ferry was responsible for building a Cavs team that has become a serious powerhouse in the east.  The team did make the finals for the first time under him but failed to win one game.  Cleveland hired Ferry in the June of 2005 and has had a record of 272-138 with him.

Assistant GM Chris Grant will be taking Ferry’s place and worked under him during his five years with the team.  After Cleveland lost to Boston in the Eastern Conference Semis, owner Dan Gilbert promised to make some changes.  Obviously, with the firing of Brown and this current resignation, he is acting on those words.

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