Lakers - Magic Preview: Take A Look At All That Green Grass
by C.A. Clark on Jan 20, 2012 12:23 PM PST
in Game Previews
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PrintThere could only ever be one prevailing storyline about tonight's game, because tonight's opponent is the Orlando Magic, a franchise that has been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers for the last 15 years. That's when a dominant center left Orlando with nothing and came to the Lakers to cash in on his super-sized ability. Fast forward to the present day, and it appears as if history is primed to repeat itself. This time around, however, the only way Dwight Howard leaves the Orlando Magic for the Los Angeles Lakers is if the Lakers provide a pound of flesh themselves, in the form of (at least) Andrew Bynum.
Tonight, both teams get a first hand account of what exactly their possible future teammates look like. Will Andrew Bynum attempt to impress against Dwight Howard? Will Orlando's bevy of outside shooters entice the Lakers to be more willing to part with Pau Gasol? Or will both team's weaknesses make themselves apparent, leading one or both sides to wonder if a deal is in their best interests? They say the grass is always greener on the other side ... tonight, you have both teams looking across the pasture at each other and wondering just how true that cliche is.
The Lakers, for their part, come in somewhat desperate to prove they aren't a complete bottom feeder on the road. At 10-6 on the year, the Lakers are just short of the winning pace they've displayed in each of the last two seasons, but any encouragement drawn from that fact quickly dissipates when one considers how terrible the Lakers have played on the road. The purple and gold are 1-5 in contests not played on their home court (including a loss in Staples to the LA Clippers), and have often looked pretty despondent in those losses. One could point out that the Lakers have faced some primo competition on the road, with losses against the Nuggets, Trailblazers, Clippers and Heat all understandable when considered as single game entities. But, at some point, a good team finds a way to be competitive against good teams on the road, and the Lakers have failed that measure pretty significantly.
The task doesn't get any easier tonight. Orlando, for all the potential for drama and turmoil in a squad that has to know it's days are likely numbered, is a team filled with decent players who (and this is an important lesson the Lakers could probably learn) compliment each other perfectly. Scratch that, they don't compliment each other perfectly, they compliment Dwight Howard perfectly. As in they can all shoot. ALL of them. When Dwight gets doubled, and the ball gets kicked out to the perimeter, it doesn't matter which guy ends up open from the perimeter, chances are that guy has the skills necessary to bury the shot. Contrasted with the Lakers, and their historically bad, league worst, three point shooting, and one has to wonder if acquiring Dwight Howard is even a good idea for this team. I already have.
The Lakers do have an advantage over the Magic, however. A numerical one, as it turns out, as in the Lakers have two great big men, and Orlando only has one. Therefore, Pau Gasol should be able to do work against Ryan Anderson and friends while Dwight Howard is occupied with Andrew Bynum. One hidden gem of last night's drudge was that Gasol was as aggressive as he has been all season, putting up season highs in points and field goal attempts. If Gasol can do the business once again, and Bynum can keep Howard from demanding the double team, well, let's just say the Magic might be a much better, more manageable, matchup for the Lakers then that other Florida team.
Let's hope so, because the Lakers are pretty desperate for a win that stands out on the road. Hell, they're pretty desperate for a win period.
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Great read C.A.
I wonder how SCG is feeling about today lol
AMMO carried the Lakers to back-2-back titles and we couldn't even get LEWIS MONROE for him...
I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. None.
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe. - Albert Einstein
Tweetness
Great preview, C.A.
Not a fan of the fact that “Green” is in the title in a good sense, though :P
"It ain't Chinese algebra. If you get stops and you execute on offense, normally that team wins." - Tony Allen
"One thing LeBron James has won that Kobe Bryant never has, and never will: A bronze medal."- Josh Tucker
Pau should be able to pwn Ryan Anderson and Big Baby.
Kobe has advantages on the wing and Bynum and Dwight should cancel each other. Hopefully, the Lakers win.
I have this odd feeling Ryan Anderson is gonna end up with wide open 3's because Pau not going out to the arc :(
AMMO carried the Lakers to back-2-back titles and we couldn't even get LEWIS MONROE for him...
by Q.Calloway25 on Jan 20, 2012 12:57 PM PST up reply actions
People keep saying we need Ryan Anderson, but if he gets owned by Pau, why would we want him?
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe. - Albert Einstein
Tweetness
Three point shooting and a starting PF to replace Gasol when he gets traded for Bynum?
"I'm a little worried about being a slut"
~ Bobby Hill
But if he gets owned by Pau, he can get owned by a lot of other players.
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe. - Albert Einstein
Captain Obvious, er, MagicJohnson: Kobe, Bynum & Gasol all must step up big to beat the @Orlando_Magic.
Tweetness
Well Pau did a good job on Dirk the other day.
Ryan Anderson isn’t a world beater, but he’s having a good year, and he adds a dimension we have absolutely none of at the current moment. I wouldn’t be signing up for a one on one swap of Gasol and Anderson, but I think if we can add Howard, Anderson, and Reddick it makes our team better.
"I'm a little worried about being a slut"
~ Bobby Hill
Ryan Anderson puts forth the effort defensively.
He isn’t an utter train wreck. Anderson is McRoberts with better shooting and less weakside shotblocking. We want him for his shooting because there is a lack of it.
by E-ROC on Jan 20, 2012 2:33 PM PST via Android app up reply actions
Bynum
will be at Orlando for today, the all star game, and the next 5 years
Nope
0-4 in his career. TRADE HIM
TROLL ON YOU BEARS. - atoms
even if it does snow, we’ve got plenty of laker championship banners to keep us warm! - raptorapocalypse
I think the Drew-Howard matchup will live up to the hype
Anderson is gonna get open looks and work us from behind the arc..I also think the magic will kill us with the 3 ball and send our old slow unathletic Bricklayers back to L.A. looking for answers they wont find even if they googled it. Id give us a good chance to win If we were playing at home but on the road? People in hell have a better chance of getting ice water. I hope Mitch is rethinking his view on using the LO tpe.
See me on Twitter follow me @ EddieCheeze, Catch me on FB friend me Eddie Cheeze, See my group on youtube listen to us Hood Platinum, want me ta kill a track email me Cheeze2k11@gmail.com....Im errwhere
by EmmCeee on Jan 20, 2012 2:32 PM PST via Android app reply actions
Is Bynum laughing hysterical
hysterically like Jim Carrey, in pain, or doing his impersonation of a dinosaur in that picture?
"I'm a little worried about being a slut"
~ Bobby Hill
Make the trade Jim Buss. Waiting is wearing on these guys.
We are too Long,
too slow,
and too old.
Clippers/Heat are:
Not too long,
Not too slow,
Not too old. Waiting for a 5th place seed and a first round departure is frustrating Jim.
And it’s not Laker basketball…..Or is it? Hmmmmmmmm
Go Lakers!
Is it possible we can get a trade done by halftime?
And then each player will simply change locker rooms and jerseys. Sounds like a good idea to me lol
"In this league, you gotta learn to run on empty. Fuel level at zero, but still you run." -KB
trade possibilities
that would be a smart move in order to secure Howard………..trade one or 2 bench players and fish plus a first rounder for williams, send drew and artest for howard and turk……..figure out a trade for paul pierce (who i don’t like) with combo of bench players, late pick(s) and use odom exception and what ever else is left to fill the gaps with younger and faster players……..
Laker Starters would look something like this…….
PG= Deron Williams
SG= Kobe Bryant
C= Dwight Howard
PF= Pau Gasol
SF= Paul Pierce
6th man = Matt Barnes
or make one last trade Pau for Love and Beasley.
Which would look like
PG = Deron Williams
SG= Kobe Bryant
C= Dwight Howard
PF= Kevin Love
SF= Paul Pierce
6th man = Barnes
7th man = Beasley
Either way would make L.A a little younger
Entertaining ideas, but LOL
"If you're a basketball player, you've got to shoot" - Oscar Robertson
by Funkensteinn on Jan 20, 2012 3:04 PM PST up reply actions
you're not getting enough value for Pau
get rubio as well
MN: Pau
Lakers: Rubio, Beasley, Love
"If at this stage of our careers we're the boring team, then we're the boring team. As long as we get results." - Kobe Bryant
"I like jewelry. ... I like winning," - Kobe Bryant
understandable but...........
MN would only want Pau to help Rubio’s transition…..
Personally I thought Pau for Love and Derrick Williams but I thought that was stretching it a bit….
How about Pau for Love, Beasley, and Luke Ridnour.
or instead of Luke we could choose from either Ellington or Malcolm to help reduce kobes mins, add youth speed and athletic ability
I'm just going to assume you're joking...
Seriously though, I think we need to get a third team involved in a D12 trade, with Dwight and a good pg coming back our way…
by x Nightwing x on Jan 20, 2012 4:54 PM PST up reply actions
Ready for some awesome?
Celtics 3rd team
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=73kmbqr
Rockets 3rd team (I didn’t do this one Chris Hines did)
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7pttucg
Nets 3rd team
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7565py3
LOL
by x Nightwing x on Jan 20, 2012 4:58 PM PST up reply actions
look above
the way I was thinking we would get dwight and D-williams……we can get d12 for bynum straight up….i knows that sound crazy but think about what Smith is thinking…..either that or nothing for Dwight and Drew is the closest thing to D12 right now in the NBA…..
lol
don’t make me make a fantasy line-up for you………its dreamable and still pretty realistic………the only true problem I see for the lakers concerning draft picks (giving them up)is the fact that for at least the next couple drafts they will be alot stronger than the draft since When Rose and love was drafted…….
Sorry, you are completely out of your mind if you think we can get Dwight and Deron without giving up Pau Gasol.
TROLL ON YOU BEARS. - atoms
even if it does snow, we’ve got plenty of laker championship banners to keep us warm! - raptorapocalypse
im not
we can just wait for free agency and get d12 for free….lol but drew for d12……and yes we could pull D-Williams without giving up Pau…….New Jersey is rebuilding and D-williams will want a trade…….the way we could pull it off is a 3-team trade LA, MIN, and NJ…..
Pau, Artest and couple later Picks to min……from L.A
D-williams, Love, and Beasley to L.A.
A hand full of draft picks from L.A and MIN to NJ, plus a player from Min….(LA first rounder next season + some other combo of picks from Min or both teams)….something like that would make such a deal happen
correction.....
we would give up Pau just not to NJ
in that trade
Min could send NJ Derrick Williams as a possible player I mentioned above
ewwwwwww....please no
http://www.lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-paul-pierce-a-possibility-for-lakers/2012/01/20/
Kobe: "Listen, if you told me at the beginning of the year that we’ve got two games at home to win a championship, yeah, I’ll take that shit"
Trying hard to look past all the rivalry stuff...
Pierce is exactly what we need in terms of a player who can create for himself. No idea how we would get him. I’ll kill Mitch if he gives up either Pau or Bynum for him…
"If you have a debate with a scholar, you can win. If you have a debate with an ignorant person, you will definitely lose."
Lamar Odom - "Half Swiss-Army knife, half Pez-dispenser" Meriones
Do we have enough wheelchairs in staples center for this guy
Kobe: "Listen, if you told me at the beginning of the year that we’ve got two games at home to win a championship, yeah, I’ll take that shit"
He'll have to bring his own.
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe. - Albert Einstein
Captain Obvious, er, MagicJohnson: Kobe, Bynum & Gasol all must step up big to beat the @Orlando_Magic.
Tweetness
um yes
if pierce was added….and you followed what I laid out above…..I think Kobe and him would be the only 2 players over 31 on the team, maybe even 30. LA would become a team that would rank round 15th for age……
i hear you there
that would be stupid cuz Paul is toward end of career……hes not worth more than a second round pick and a bench scrub or two
YOu have consider what Ainge is thinking which is to get younger. He isn't trading PP for a veteran or older player. He wants youth.
When you think about that, you have to ask, which young player could the Lakers possibly trade that would be enough for the C’s to consider it. I think none of the young players are worth a trade for the C’s to do it.
Ainge said he would consider trades if they would net younger talent.
I don't consider myself a hoarder just a person who loves to save things
yes i have and
if they did receive young players for him they’d be average at best………pierce is too old and too injury prone for any team to give true talent for………I like ebanks and character but in my opinion considering all the factors of pierce and the upside on both, one of those players and a second round pick would be appropriate…….but i personally would try to be slick and instead not offer a draft pick but someone like artest or walton (example)…….
you know what they say
you can wish in one hand and sh$t in another….guess what Ainge gets??? A hand full of sh$t. lol He’s smart enough to know that somethings gotta be done otherwise he’ll receive nothing
This would be his reaction to being traded to the Lakers.
TROLL ON YOU BEARS. - atoms
even if it does snow, we’ve got plenty of laker championship banners to keep us warm! - raptorapocalypse
Great stuff. One thing that I am wondering about is regarding the following comment:
One hidden gem of last night’s drudge was that Gasol was as aggressive as he has been all season, putting up season highs in points and field goal attempts.
What is more important, in terms of Pau’s contributions, his offensive aggressiveness or his defense. Now, I don’t mean him locking someone down. I am referring to him being a beast on the boards. I don’t know how many rebounds he is averaging but I do wonder which Pau gives this team a better chance of winning. I rather see him get his number on offense but I prefer to see him beasting and trying to get as close to 15 boards per game. Thats just me.
I don't consider myself a hoarder just a person who loves to save things
I can answer this
Kevin love……think about it…..way better rebounder, way better scorer, alot younger, and not as soft as Pau…….but Pau is best all around PF in game he can do it all……Pau’s edge over love consists of better shot blocker, better passer, and playing D is better, but Love has a bigger heart….
Celtic Fans having a fit over the Pierce to the Lakers rumor. LOL at the thought of Pierce for Bynum
Seeing Pierce in a Lakers uni is the kind of ish that’ll give you an aneurysm…
I don’t think its gonna happen, but if any of you needed a heart attack today, you’re welcome!
will never spend a dime on the Celtics ever again
But Pierce for Bynum (if he is healthy finally) would be a interesting trade I think if it can be worked out as Bynum is one of the elite centers in the NBA and is still young.
Also Pierce grew up in LA, was a big Laker fan and hated the 80 Celtic teams including Ainge so you never know…lol
But PIERCE to the LAKERS? That’s a nightmare. The fans might riot. The Lakers make me sick as it is. Ownership and management must know a trade involving this particular set of circumstances is nothing less than a personal insult to the Boston fans who fill up the seats, cheer hard and support this team.
I don't consider myself a hoarder just a person who loves to save things
Pierce for Bynum = worst. trade. ever.
Seriously, did any Celts fans at least respond and point out how ridiculous that is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by x Nightwing x on Jan 20, 2012 4:45 PM PST up reply actions
trust me I am no fan of pierce and your crazy
an idiot would make that deal………..drew is like 15 years younger, better defensively while paul has maybe 2-3 years left………..I wouldn’t even take any 2 combination of Boston’s big three and picks for drew…………
hindsight is 20/20
but we shoulda took that love and pick for pau deal last year. We would b a much different team.
See me on Twitter follow me @ EddieCheeze, Catch me on FB friend me Eddie Cheeze, See my group on youtube listen to us Hood Platinum, want me ta kill a track email me Cheeze2k11@gmail.com....Im errwhere
by EmmCeee on Jan 20, 2012 4:50 PM PST via Android app reply actions
Yes, that would've been good.
But at the time it certainly wouldn’t have seemed so. How were we to know what was about to happen in the playoffs?
by x Nightwing x on Jan 20, 2012 4:51 PM PST up reply actions
A lottery pick plus adding a young pf...
I was for it at the time too
See me on Twitter follow me @ EddieCheeze, Catch me on FB friend me Eddie Cheeze, See my group on youtube listen to us Hood Platinum, want me ta kill a track email me Cheeze2k11@gmail.com....Im errwhere
by EmmCeee on Jan 20, 2012 4:54 PM PST via Android app up reply actions
here's a stretch.....
players like John Wall or Brandon Knight and a couple 1st round picks for Pau….example only…i’m just trying to list pg/g’s who would help LA doesn’t have to be them directly….thosetype of teams are bad now and Pau’s presence would automatically earn those type of teams a few more wins……..
I have seen Knight play for the Cats
and one thing I’m certain is that he’s not a PG
"One thing LeBron James has won that Kobe Bryant never has, and never will: A bronze medal."- Josh Tucker
"Fisher's defense is called escort service in my country, just accompany" -Ibou
42-1 on Barebones TDM classic ... BEAT THAT XBOXERS
i have too
thats why i was just throwing some different names and teams up….just to have you all come up with some Ideas other than whats already being talked about…..knight was a bad example I agree…..i’d take nolan smith from duke/portland before knight anyways……he’s a better player on average on both sides of the ball
Geez. How fast...
FROM YAHOO SPORTS: “Ron Artest is on the steep decline and Derek Fisher can no longer possibly be the starting point guard for a contender. The Lakers need speed, athleticism and dependable shooting. Ownership is leery of spending money and must understand: Unless they make a deal, these Lakers are doomed.”
I thought we were defending champs just last year? My fears are realizing — back to the Vlade / Van Exel days. Crap.
What do you mean "fast"? This has been coming all season.
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe. - Albert Einstein
Captain Obvious, er, MagicJohnson: Kobe, Bynum & Gasol all must step up big to beat the @Orlando_Magic.
Tweetness
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