Ex-Coach Luke Walton Discussion

In the last 15 years, "Coaches of the Year" have been guys like Mike Brown, Sam Mitchell, Byron Scott, George Karl(Got fired the same year), Avery Johnson. I used those 5 because they aren't even coaching in the NBA anymore and 4 out of the 5 are relatively young and could still be coaching.

Duane Casey got George Karl'd last year as well which made two coaches of the year in the last 6 years to be fired the same year they won the award.

There isn't a more difficult job in pro sports than NBA head coach. They are the least valued and least respected, especially by players, young or old. I remember the Pistons after all their b******* in 2004 and how Larry Brown coached this TEAM and how great they were as a TEAM, even the greatest TEAM without a true star got tired of Larry Brown.

Phil Jackson had to do 2 stints because Kobe couldn't stand him. Pat Riley in 1990, everyone got tired of him, etc etc.

The only coach who was able to sustain a run that was way beyond expectations was Pop and that's because he had the greatest team contributor in NBA history as his lead in Tim Duncan. And then you sprinkled Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili whom were in their own right not only amazing players but almost mimic'd Duncan in the same manner of listen to the coach and be a team player before being selfish. I do not think those 3 players get enough credit for how unselfish they were. To have one star is one thing, but 3 on the same team? Pretty amazing how that came together and I do not see that ever happening again. Imagine if Shaq and Kobe were unselfish in focusing on winning before "who's team it is" and all that crap? Duncan would likely still be sitting with a couple titles instead of 5.

In conclusion, hating Luke Walton and saying he sucks because he isn't playing the right lineups, yah, we all fall into that because we watch every minute of every game so the criticism the second their is a 8-0 against the Lakers, we become the instant gratification schmucks and complain because we aren't getting 100% from the team at that very moment.

Lakers have 3 starters whom are 21,21 and 23. STARTERS in the NBA and playing on THE biggest stage in pro basketball. There is no bigger stage than the Lakers. Sorry New York, you may be the mecca of basketball but there isn't a basketball franchise on the planet that is ahead of the LA Lakers. The other guy, who's my favorite player, is a 23 year old. Luke Walton has a really tough job this year compared to anything he has dealt with and they were two games away in the waning moments, that they eventually lost, from having the best record in the west. The Lakers are in great shape, they just need to work out a little more of the kinks and we should know around February where everyone stands, especially with Luke Walton.

 

Yes.

Hell yes!

 

Again, he played Zo and Bron the entire 12 minutes. That's idiotic, especially since he already knew BI won't be available.

Why staggering only was applied in the second half?

That's indicative of his entire tenure. He is to slow to adjust. To what happens within a game, a stretch of games, a season.

Randle last season. Hart last season. Kuzma this season.

You have to call a spade a spade at so.e point. We've been making excuses for the last 3 years.

 

Zen, your hate for Luke is stronger than my hate for the C Bags
I don't think a trophy this year, would change your mind about Luke...

 

Well my thinking is maybe this game against the pissed off Spurs he did not want to fall way behind again in the first quarter. BI gone. Poor Josh just screwed and gone. It was back and forth already and so he opted to as mentioned by Zen instead run Bron and Zo the whole 1st quarter. In the hopes that lineup you're referring to could step up like (hey Lance maybe just once try to act like a real emergency PG). Unfortunately it did not click and they were falling behind so he pulled the plug and brought the starters back more quickly than normal. A reasonable thing to try. I really think Lance could do better when we need him to de facto run things for short periods.

 

hate is good when directed in the proper direction

 

Tom Izzo will be our next coach

 

OK. Whatever. I hope we have our coach for the next 20 years. Or you putting a cap on how good Luke can become? Like peeps do all the time around here with 19-20 year old players not even physically developed yet with lots of flashes of amazing talents.

 

I think Lance gets a lot of run with Lonzo just to give Lonzo a ball handler considering he likes to pass out the ball.

 

Luke played some nonsensical lineups last night...in particular, that lineup to start the 2nd quarter is unforgivable. Alternatively, yanking Hart after his 4th foul was also stupid....let the guy play especially with Ingram already out!

The smartest thing Luke did all game was insert KCP in at the end to hit free throws.

Luke really been getting on my nerves lately with rotations...

 

No merit at all hypothetically to what I said above about the start of the 2nd quarter? That is one possibility that is not nonsensical and makes sense to me.

 

That was the nicest thing you've ever written on LB. It was really good too.

 

Ha, signature... It is sure from the darker times. I don't want to change it until proven otherwise. Until the next title, really.

Fun fact - I NEVER hated Luke the player. Never called him Puke back then.