Wmc 15/16: We are finally at the END! BYE BYRON!!!

Lucky thing we have a defensive coach.

 

I sure hope that something changes, whether it's the coaching or something finally clicks with the players cause at the rate the Lakers are going we can expect another summer of missing out on the top FAs.

 

I pity him too....

 

So there are lots of humorous calls for tanking (10 wins for Ben, LessWinninsforSimmons etc) already after 2 games. Things look THAT bad. Would it be better in the big picture to actually tank the season? Let's assume that tanking is actually an active decision that could be made instead of the inevitability it would appear to be with Byron Scott running the team.

Consider that we would only have a 66% chance to keep the top 3 protected pick if we have the worst record this season (I think). How would you even balance tanking and developing our young guys (because it would seem that those things might be fundamentally opposed)? Although, one could argue JC developed quite well despite all the tanking last year.

I think I will always be against active tanking, but I don't know that it can be avoided should things continue on this, admittedly early, trajectory

 

We can't tank. I'm so sick of that and hearing about that. We're the Los Angeles Lakers. We don't tank games. This team needs to show that they can get better than the atrocity that they've been the last three seasons.

Superstar free agents like KD and Westbrook the year after the only way to attract guys like that is to be able to prove and show that you can be a championship contender once again and how do you that? By having a SIGNIFICANT improvement over the course of this season.

We can have all the young talent in the world and no star is gonna wanna come play for this franchise if they don't show they can start winning again. Players wanna win and why come to LA when they can get the same amount of money elsewhere if you're not coming to a winning situation? The draft doesn't even look that strong for one.

I'm sick and tired of losing. I'm sick of getting made fun of for being a Lakers fan. I live in the San Antonio area and it KILLS me seeing how successful the Spurs have been while the Lakers have faded into obscurity the last three years. Absolutely sickens me. I wanna get back to the winning ways. I wanna see improvement. I want some hope.

I was so hyped for this season because I really thought with some of the vets we signed along with having some terrific young talent that I really believed would grow and blossom as the year went could potentially be much improved team.

There is still plenty of time to turn things around, but we can't just not give effort. I can live with losses if I see great effort out of these players, but last night was just embarrassing how we just didn't even look like we wanted to play a basketball game last night.

Byron needs to go, but for the time being he's our coach and it's unfortunate. However the effort has to improve. Battling on the boards, getting back in transition, husting and going after loose balls, being in tune defensively, switching, fighting through screens, not making careless turnovers, closing out, boxing out, communicating out there. These are things the Lakers can control despite the horrific coaching.

Kobe stop chucking up three's. You're right on point about Russ needing to be the point guard, but you have to help this team out. I know this guy can still play the game at a high level. In both games he shot a combined 9/16 from two point range. Clearly that tells me Kobe can still score at an efficient level inside the line. The dribble marathons at and beyond the line have to stop. It is killing this team. Go in the post, on the wing, use your mid range game which is still top notch. The less dribbling the better. These young kids can get you easier opportunities both in transition and in half court offense.

I love what I'm seeing offensively from Jordan Clarkson. His defense needs a lot of work, but this kid is basically still a rookie. He only played half the season last year basically. He will get better. He's a tremendous worker, but offensively man he has really come a long way. He looks like a young and more athletic Tony Parker. That tear drop is a thing of beauty. His jump shot has gotten better. Constantly on the attack. Nightmare in transition. Just such an explosive and dynamic player.

Russell and Randle clearly need to be more aggressive, but also more involved. Randle has no semblance of a consistent jump shot and obviously with his lack of size that needs to change if he wants to be the superstar power forward we know he can, but for the time being stay your a** in the paint. Use that big body to seal guys inside and get him the ball. He's already shown he can take guys off the dribble and will battle on the boards and get second shot opportunities. He can run the floor as well. We know what he can do with the basketball in his hands, but when he leaks out if Clarkson and Russell can lead the break he can get some easy dunks on in transition.

Russell showed glimpses of what he can be. Thought he made some really nice, on target passes. Guys are having a hard time catching them so perhaps D'Angelo needs to have a little softer touch on those passes. His smooth jumper was apparent. Thought he moved better without he ball and we finally got the ball he had some pick and roll success with Black. Defense was atrocious, but with his lack of lateral foot speed he's never gonna be a lockdown defender not like Clarkson could potentially be. Still he has the size and length to somewhat attone for that and still cause issues for point guards. Thought he played a little too uptight on Rondo instead of backing off like Kobe has in he past.

 

I can not and WILL NOT endure another season of tanking.

 

We should never tank, especially this early.

 

Bad idea. We have too much offensive talent to tank with this team. We will not get the 3rd pick.

The only choice we have is to improve our defense.

 

Something has to give, even after 2 games. No heart out there, and the attitude will continue out there if something doesn't change. Let's hope for some progress this week.

 

I cannot physically take another season of tanking.

 

This.

 

I had high hopes for Byron as a coach. Former Laker. Championship pedigree. Swagger. Former coach of the year....

But he has shown that his lifetime coaching record is no mistake. He is who he is. Stubborn, resistant to change, spends more time on conditioning than poorly conceived X's and O's, willing to throw players under the bus, won't accept blame for poor performances, and a poor ability to make in game adjustments. He's shown he's not what we need.

Expecting his to change now is like expecting Kobe to give up iso ball and become a facilitator only. I'm sure the ability is there, but just don't see it happening.

 

It's not surprising. This is why some of us opposed the hireto begin with. Then he coached us to our worst record last year but it was justified because he was tanking.

He's just a bad coach and has taken teams backwards his last 2 coaching stints.

 

^ I firmly believe he wasn't tanking. He tried to win as many games as possible...