Lakers 96, Trail Blazers 107: Wallace & Vomit

…that is learning a new system. They’ll be fine.

The result dropped the Lake Show back down to 0.500 and confirmed their status, at least for the time being, as a second-tier Western Conference team.

And there don’t appear to be lots of options for changing things. Just hope the team gels over time with the new coach and new system. What else can we hope for?

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We really need a real P&R point.

We didn’t even stand within 4 feet of him each time if I remember correctly. We would score, and he would hit that long shot and it would keep the crowd alive.

Someone in the game thread mentioned the Spurs and how they started 6-8 in the lockout shortened 1999 season; they went 31-5 the rest of the way and went on to win the title. I don’t think we’ll go on a tear like that, but I have to think the longer the season progresses, the better we’ll get, especially given the new coach, new players, new rotations, etc. I’m not an idealist, but I’m not a cynic either: this team can definitely get better the more they play together.

We need to string a few wins in a row — perhaps starting with the next homestand — and get on a roll.

confirmed their status, at least for the time being, as a second-tier Western Conference team.

SECOND TIER?!?!??!

Well, at least this was our last visit to Portland for the year

I’m a fan of Mike Brown’s enthusiasm, and still pretty damn confused by him.

Troy Murphy: 0-1, 27 minutes, 2 rebounds, 0 points, 3 turnovers.
If a guy isn’t playing well… Why play him? Gasol only played 30 minutes, and it’s not like the Trailblazers outsize us.

MWP’s basketball IQ is occasionally as big as my dog’s. My dog licks glass doors for long periods of time, and spent the game tonight on his back gnawing on his tail while rolling from side to side.

This was his game. The game where he would somewhat shut down Crash and keep Aldrigde somewhat contained. He was an excellent defender and anyone who thinks the Lakers made the right move based upon how he is playing now is sorrily mistaken. He does not want to be in Dallas even though he chose there to go. He wants to be wanted and needed by the Lakers. He never wanted to go and when he met with the front office and they in effect told him that he would be traded again if the right opportunity presented itself, he officially checked out as an NBA player. LO is human just like all of us. If you significant other woke up tommorrow morning and told you he,she,it was leaving you, how would you feel? Would you show up to work like nothing happened or would you sulk for a couple days (or weeks). Exactly, those of us who have been through this understand the sensitive man that was the glue of our championship teams LO.

But he’s gone now, so we must move on. We need to trade for Iguadola (MWP, Blake, Barnes), trade for OJ Mayo (TPE+ whatever they want), sign a back-up big (Mbenga or Gadzuric will do), go after Earl Clark (for Caracter because Clark has the length to replace Odom defensively) and Anthony Randolph (TPE – see Clark), and lastly get any good point guard that gets released or is available at the trade deadline (Mo Williams, Ramon Sessions, Beno Udrih, or Goran Dragic will work). If Houston is willing, I would take the big nothing Haseem Thabeet for Walton just to see if we can turn him into Bynum light (block shots, get rebounds, post up and we’ll throw it to you). If you simplify the game, he might just catch on (unlike Kwame).

Portland was stuck with TNT only and missed the entire first half because the morons in charge there won’t schedule the first game earlier…

Kobe 6-25(?) all-time in Portland

Gasol is having a nice year shooting the ball, but…is it just me or is he having a hard time holding onto the ball? So many fumbles, can’t catch the passes in traffic, and rebounds strongly when noone is around but tips the ball alot when he is trying for a offensive board. Just frustrating to watch.

I think McRoberts was missed tonight on a similar level as LO was. Another hustler to get to those loose balls and rebound.

Lets take it to the much smaller Warriors tonight!! Biedrins and the great Kwame Brown trying to stop Bynum down low is heaven to the ears.

KevinDing KEVIN DING
Sign in Portland crowd: “An ARTEST by any other name is still nuts!”

They didnt let Bynum catch it and just go to work. They mixed their coverages…slow doubles and just beating him up in the paint. I dont think we adjusted accordingly and the game got away from us in the third…the loss hurt.

I used to want the Lakers to sit Kobe and let Bynum go to the post every time. But I realized that Bynum needs Kobe in the game because without a 2nd offensive threat on the perimeter it makes it that much harder for him to be effective. When Kobe was out and Portland denied the post to Bynum they were left with a player like Kapono to dribble and create his own shot. In other words, they had absolutely no one who could handle the ball and create his own shot. The team needs to do something to add that player.

The Blazers figured that out after halftime and pushed the ball every chance they got make or miss. I think we’ll see more of that going forward so its up to Brown to figure out a way to slow it down. Along with the runouts when we take 3’s. It shows up in our defense, where we cant put any pressure on the ball because we lack the footspeed to keep up with perimeter players and hope they drive and get lost among the trees.
On offense we dont get many easy buckets on the break which puts even more pressure on an offense that is new and we havent mastered yet which is understandable. I dnt know how successful we can be without someone else who can run the pick n roll and create offense. Morris should get a chance to at least try and contribute as well as G-Lock over Kapono and Ebanks over Barnes/Metta Bricks. I hope Mitch has a trick up his sleeve