Byron Scott Discussion 2015-16 - FIRED!!! (PAGE 172)

"He wanted it."

I'm not questioning Russell's competitiveness, but I'm questioning his readiness right now to do things that make him uncomfortable. We've seen Clarkson and Randle dive in head first. Meanwhile Russell is still dipping his big toe in the water. Different situations for those two guys, but still an important distinction in their personalities.

 

But charging in among the NBA trees is part of his job description and would open up the game for the rest of his teammates. You (or someone) was talking about all the perimeter passing we do with hardly anything inside? Russell is a huge part of that.

The quick leash certainly has something to do with his hesitation, but not in the way most people think. I think the more time D'Angelo has on the floor the more chances he gets to finally jump right into the water. Right now the Lakers AND Byron (Pincus made it clear that Byron is not alone in this assessment) want Russell to just do it. Just dive in. Take control of the offense, run pick and rolls, put Kobe on the block or in the corner, space things to get Julius going to the basket. They want Russell to WANT to do it and so far he's been extremely timid. Does the leash help? I don't know honestly. A short leash can either make him angry enough to go hard at the rim or make him meek enough to fade even more and continue to let the offense run itself. I know most people think it's the latter, but most people are also so focused on hating Byron/Kobe they kind of skip over some serious issues with Russell thus far.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm still fairly happy with what we've seen from Russell because I clearly see an NBA level PG when he plays. He has the size, length, and ability to do a lot of things really well. I am however frustrated with his lack of fearlessness. I know a lot of people attribute his lack of fearlessness to him being afraid he'll get pulled, but that's kind of the point right? Just go do your thing and don't worry about getting pulled. Great players do it. It's only been a handful of games so there's plenty of time, but that's what I'm looking for and I think that's what the Lakers are too.

 

I hate to say this, but the rotations look better tonight.

 

Mudiay sucks. DA is better. Wish Byron had a brain in his skull.

 

They were awful. Bass plays center the entire 4th quarter. A guy that can't rebound, can't defend the rim. Dlo plays the first what 7 mins of the 3rd, then sits the rest of the game?

 

Ha ha that's why you don't say this at halftime. Gotta give Byron time to screw up. It took him like 45 mins to get there vs NY, but he did get there.

 

It's been happening every game lately. It's like Byron is on a one-man mission to make me go on a homicidal rampage. I've never wanted to bypass the swear filter so badly in my life.

I'm ok with Lou, but Byron's bewildering insistence on playing him the last quarter & a half straight even if he's chucking up bricks and playing ZERO defense is beyond infuriating. I keep playing the same game with myself: It's called waiting for D'Angelo to check back in at the 9 minute mark of the 4th and gnashing my teeth every second that I wait for something that will never happen. I've worn them down to the gums.

Like, even if you're a brain dead moron of a coach like Byron, and you think it's better to play Lou freaking Williams significantly more minutes than a vital part of our franchise's future in D'Angelo, what kind of sense does it make to not stagger his minutes? You leave him out there for the last 18 minutes of the game straight without a blow? Sure, let him get gassed.

I mean, just wow, it takes a special level of incompetency to screw up screwing up this team, but somehow, Byron has accomplished that. So glad he's scraping for wins and we're 1-7. Definitely a much better plan than giving the future of our franchise invaluable crunch time minutes.

Fire Byron. Now.