Who Gets Crunch Time Minutes for the Lakers?

by musser7 on Dec 6, 2009 6:35 PM PST

Through the first 20 games of the season the lakers really haven't had a close game where everybody was available to play. Since Gasol returned from his hamstring injury we have had only one close game. In that game Lamar Odom was ejected with 5 minutes left to play.

So who do you guys think will get the crunch time minutes between Odom and Bynum? Last year the Lakers won a championship with Odom playing with Fisher, Kobe, Ariza, and Gasol. This year, however I like how Artest/Gasol/Bynum can play keep-away around the rim until the ball goes into the hoop. This line-up also creates matchup problems for nearly every team in the NBA. During last year playoffs I think (correct me if I'm wrong) Phil Jackson made a quote about Drew having to improve his defense in the post to get crunch time minutes. While his defense in the Miami game was awful; he has been solid so far this year. Lamar Odom has accepted being LA's sixth man so far, but would he still be happy if he was sitting on the bench in the fourth quarter? Personally, I would go with the line-up in crunch time that won us a NBA championship last year.

(just wanted to know what every else thought about this)

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depends on the strenghts and weakness of the oposition

LO is fast and long enough to guard the perimeter but Bynum is long enough and combined that with Gasol they are very hard to beat in the paint.

"These young guys are playing checkers. I'm out there playing chess" - Kobe

by PURPLE AND GOLD FOR LIFE on Dec 6, 2009 6:38 PM PST reply actions

Neither

Adam Morrison dude.

by nilwnah on Dec 6, 2009 10:03 PM PST reply actions

Vujacic

That is all. lol.

by Marty Mart on Dec 6, 2009 10:22 PM PST reply actions

Both of you are completely wrong

DJ Mbenga.

Leave Chad Billingsley alone!!!

by shaqfor3 on Dec 6, 2009 10:25 PM PST reply actions

in that case

I guarantee you all that B. Shaw will do a better job than them. And I do mean right now.

"These young guys are playing checkers. I'm out there playing chess" - Kobe

by PURPLE AND GOLD FOR LIFE on Dec 6, 2009 10:28 PM PST reply actions

in his suit

by stephens on Dec 6, 2009 10:33 PM PST up reply actions

with dress shoes on? lol.

by Marty Mart on Dec 6, 2009 10:55 PM PST up reply actions

can we get brian shaw to come out of retirement?

maybe he can drain some 3s in the corner hehe

Leave Chad Billingsley alone!!!

by shaqfor3 on Dec 6, 2009 10:56 PM PST up reply actions

He can do it

"These young guys are playing checkers. I'm out there playing chess" - Kobe

by PURPLE AND GOLD FOR LIFE on Dec 6, 2009 11:01 PM PST reply actions

Shaw!

couldnt find a pic of the Shaw-Shaq redemption

Leave Chad Billingsley alone!!!

by shaqfor3 on Dec 6, 2009 11:38 PM PST reply actions

awesome

I couldn’t find one either..

"These young guys are playing checkers. I'm out there playing chess" - Kobe

by PURPLE AND GOLD FOR LIFE on Dec 7, 2009 6:55 AM PST up reply actions

our best crunch time lineup is:

Fish, Kobe, Ron, Pau, and LO

I say Lo because he does a better job at creating mismatches and spreading the floor. Sure Bynum is a mismatch for most big men anyway, but there is almost nobody in the league that can match odom’s size and speed.

In Kobe we trust!

by robi s on Dec 7, 2009 12:45 AM PST reply actions

agree

Shaquille O'Neal: "Tell him Shaq doesn’t respond to juvenile delinquents without a college degree. Tell him to get his degree, and we can talk. In the meantime, he should call me Dr. Shaq because I’m working on my PhD." (Referring to 17-year-old rookie Andrew Bynum, who compared himself to Shaq…except that he can make free throws.)
(courtesy of www.shaqquotes.com)

by KobeisGod on Dec 7, 2009 4:35 PM PST up reply actions

Nothing to do with crunch time.

The Lakers are kicking everyones butt all over the place but really haven’t been tested. I think the true test will be the 19 of 28 games on the road. Yes they had the best road record in the league last year but teams have improved. Boston is better this year with the addition on Wallace. Orlando appears to be better with the addition of Vince Carter. The Nuggets have gotten much needed experience and Dallas is playing well. I think Cleveland is about as good as last year. When the Lakers hit the road the test will begin. I will be there watching a tough Jazz home team play the Lakers on Saturday. This is the beginning of a few tough road games. Utah and Phoenix in December and Portland, Dallas, Cleveland, and Boston in January. If the Lakers play respectable on the road in Dec. and Jan. this will be good for them. I don’t think we have seen the Lakers at their very best yet!

by jdcrosier on Dec 7, 2009 6:56 AM PST reply actions

You are 100% correct in regards to them being tested

BUT! the Lakers have also gotten better with Artest. It’s amazing how much younger Ariza was then Artest yet Artest seems to be even better one on one defensively. Boston didn’t really loose anyone and added Wallace so they are better. But Orlando isn’t better with Vince compared to Hedo. Hedo was their 4th qtr player and Vince is stil questionable until they get into the playoffs to see if he can fit that role. Also there are a lot of teams in the NBA that are “tough” but the Lakers length seems to be their biggest advantage. As long as Bynum stays out of foul trouble I dont’ see any team without length beating them. They lost three without Gasol but they could easily be undefeated or at least have lost to only Denver.

"These young guys are playing checkers. I'm out there playing chess" - Kobe

by PURPLE AND GOLD FOR LIFE on Dec 7, 2009 7:07 AM PST up reply actions

TNT mentioned this

I think when the Lakers were playing Chicago on TNT NBA thursday a couple weeks back, the commentators were saying how the Lakers can go big (very big) and play Kobe at the 1, Artest at the 2, and LO at the 3, due to their versatility.

Do you think this could ever work? Would it work in crunch-time?

(Bynum, Pau, LO, Artest, Kobe)

by junheec on Dec 7, 2009 6:29 PM PST reply actions

no

no spacing of the floor

by matthewmafa on Dec 7, 2009 6:44 PM PST up reply actions

lol there would never be an occasion where we would need to run this type of lineup, funny to watch tho.

Any pg worth anything would be exploiting the screen and roll all day long if we did that.
also on d, other teams would be more comfortable leaving their guys on the perimeter, knowing odom and artest arent gonna be killing them every time like say a ray allen would.

In Kobe we trust!

by robi s on Dec 8, 2009 12:05 PM PST up reply actions