Mitch: Problem is the players' effort, not coach

[minifang]

Bring back Mike Brown. He is on the payroll anyway. How is all that we need to play fast stuff now. Lakers were playing a system that got everyone involved and the only problem was the turnovers were killing the defense. Instead we go to a coach that thinks Jodie Meeks should shoot every time he touches the ball. Posting up your all-star big men are bad plays.

As much as I disliked Brown and his HORRIBLE rotations, I have to agree. The Princeton was beautiful when we actually ran it correctly. Everyone was getting great looks and the TOs were our only issue. Also, Nash never really "ran the show" because of his injury and his focus on making sure we got the Princeton down first. If the management gave Brown that 6 game home stretch to see what he was made of, I think things would have worked out better than where we are now.

Of course, Phil would have been the answer but there's nothing MDA really brings to the table that I like. We're so deep into the season now that we kind of just have to stick it out...I don't mind Bernie running the show as Bernie said but another coaching change at this point could completely ruin us. (It's a gamble I guess)

[minifang]

On a brighter note, if we hire Phil at this point, the Buss family isn't "losing" money since they would be paying their own family now that he and Jeanie are engaged.

[ahunterknight]

Lakers messed up big time they played there best basketball under him I know it is only a small sample but they actually looked like a team

[Optms]

obvious troll thread is obvious

[gotokyo]

People really calling for them to go BACK to mike brown?

Alright I'm done. Later.

[TheKiteDesigner]

The problem with the current Laker team goes beyond the coach. The best way to become a contender is not to sign a bunch of aging guys. You have to have very good ascending players. Players age quickly in basketball, one minute you're at the top and if you stay with a constant roster the rest of the league will catch up to you. The Lakers still have yet to solve their bench, energy, and athleticism issue and its cost them 2 early exits the past 2 seasons in the playoffs and that's not going to change this season. It's not an offense problem, it's defense. They are too slow and too poor at rotating and help defense.

[minifang]

I'm not calling for it and I don't like Mike Brown, but I honestly preferred his system and brand of basketball over MDA's. The main issue was turnovers and had we stuck with him, it probably wouldn't be an issue at this point of the season. Sure, rotations were questionable but so are some of MDA.

[minifang]

The problem with the current Laker team goes beyond the coach. The best way to become a contender is not to sign a bunch of aging guys. You have to have very good ascending players. Players age quickly in basketball, one minute you're at the top and if you stay with a constant roster the rest of the league will catch up to you. The Lakers still have yet to solve their bench, energy, and athleticism issue and its cost them 2 early exits the past 2 seasons in the playoffs and that's not going to change this season. It's not an offense problem, it's defense. They are too slow and too poor at rotating and help defense.

That's the reason why I thought we should have never disassembled the bench mob (Farmar, Brown, Ariza, Sasha, etc.). Our starters play slow so we need a bench that can play at a faster pace.

[TheKiteDesigner]

The problem with the current Laker team goes beyond the coach. The best way to become a contender is not to sign a bunch of aging guys. You have to have very good ascending players. Players age quickly in basketball, one minute you're at the top and if you stay with a constant roster the rest of the league will catch up to you. The Lakers still have yet to solve their bench, energy, and athleticism issue and its cost them 2 early exits the past 2 seasons in the playoffs and that's not going to change this season. It's not an offense problem, it's defense. They are too slow and too poor at rotating and help defense.

That's the reason why I thought we should have never disassembled the bench mob (Farmar, Brown, Ariza, Sasha, etc.). Our starters play slow so we need a bench that can play at a faster pace.

The fact that Kobe and Nash are the only guys who can make 3s at an efficient rate. The fact that they make opposing avg guards look like all stars. They are too slow on the perimeter defensively. They hired DAntoni but I'm not seeing the DAntoni system out there. The bench is atrocious. They are playing their stats way too many minutes. The roster overall is poorly constructed. Teams over .500 are killing the Lakers and it doesn't help that they lose from time to time to teams under .500. There's really too many issues with this current team. They were scoring at a high rate with Mike Brown as well. Their biggest downfall will always be defense.
Last season in the playoffs they couldn't get a stop to save their life's vs OKC at the end of games. They were coughing up games at will. That's not going to change, Father Time has caught up to their championship core.

[NOODLESTYLE]

That's the reason why I thought we should have never disassembled the bench mob (Farmar, Brown, Ariza, Sasha, etc.). Our starters play slow so we need a bench that can play at a faster pace.

In hindsight, Lakers could have brought back Ariza and still sign Artest, as long as the Lakers were willing pay the luxury tax money and his agent wasn't playing hard ball but it didn't happen. Farmar wanted out because he was tired of playing under Phil Jackson's system, which he gave hints during his exit interview. Phil was there for one more season, which is why the Lakers ended up signing Steve Blake and let Farmar sign with NJ. Sasha became expendable because of Shannon Brown's emergence with Sasha also barely getting any PT his last season with the Lakers. Matt Barnes doesn't come back either because of Mike Brown and Lamar was already gone. They had a nice run but it's over.

[thinktank]

This thread makes me happy.

[Run-MKE 311]

Although a lot of people would probably agree with you, I think Mike D'Antoni probably quits like he did in NY before he gets fired. Kurt would bring back the triangle, along with Brian Shaw, but if the Lakers orginization wanted that they would have hired Phil Jackson from the get-go.

This hits the nail right on the head, Baby Jimmy Buss has really put this organization in a jam with his coaching/system ideals.

[Jetset]

Although a lot of people would probably agree with you, I think Mike D'Antoni probably quits like he did in NY before he gets fired. Kurt would bring back the triangle, along with Brian Shaw, but if the Lakers orginization wanted that they would have hired Phil Jackson from the get-go.

This hits the nail right on the head, Baby Jimmy Buss has really put this organization in a jam with his coaching/system ideals.

oh here we go it was only a matter of time, let's start pointing the finger at jim buss for all of this. this falls on buss if phil didn't want complete control to go along with head coaching duties, which is contrary to what was said. if that's not true and phil would've just settled on the hc spot then this is on jim, but if it's true like i think it is seeing as phil was rumored to be somewhat interested in front office positions in orlando and portland, then no i don't want him. you don't tell mitch to step aside and go to the back burner after he just hand delivered howard and nash for someone who has no idea how to build a team and play the games that gm's play. sorry but in the position of a gm, i value mitch over phil and all 11 of his rings.

[Danny Darko]

how long until the next Magic Johnson outburst on this subject?

[Jetset]

whenever the next nba night is for espn.

[Jetset]

nevermind, it was 3 hrs ago

Despite his job as an ESPN analyst, Magic Johnson never hides his love for the Lakers.

After all, he's a vice president for the team even though he doesn't get paid for it.

So just as the Lakers were arriving for their Monday morning practice, Johnson sounded off on Twitter. Nobody was spared. Maybe Robert Sacre.

Johnson started his lengthy rant (by Twitter standards) by complimenting Times columnist T.J. Simers for a Sunday column that panned the job Coach Mike D'Antoni had done this season.

Then Johnson went another direction.

"I'm tired of blaming the coach, the responsibility is on the Lakers players," he wrote.

He was only just beginning.

He said Dwight Howard needed to "stop complaining and start dominating on offense." Howard received plenty of attention for noting the Clippers' on-court chemistry was better and eminently more fun than the Lakers.

Johnson then added that Pau Gasol needed to "stop playing soft" and start getting 18 points and 10 rebounds a game.

Then he said that Kobe Bryant was "having an MVP season but the team needs him to be a better leader."

Also, Metta World Peace has to "stop making great quotes and start playing great defense" and Jodie Meeks has to "start making better shot selections."

The Lakers' big men should stop giving up easy offensive rebounds and their perimeter players should get back more quickly on defense, Johnson added.

Johnson couldn't quite keep his word, however. He ended up blaming the coach as well.

"Coach D'Antoni has to start teaching better pick & roll defense and better defensive rotations," Johnson wrote. "He also has to make sure that every Lakers players role is defined."

Johnson has often criticized the Lakers on Twitter, including their decision to hire D'Antoni instead of Phil Jackson after firing Mike Brown two months ago.

Finally, there was a parting request.

"Above everything else the Lakers players need to start having fun on the court!"

[Train]

I would be so gutted if the Lakers got Rambis.

[Danny Darko]

well that was predictable

[aguifs]

I told you... a few months ago... Do you remember the "Fire Coach Pringles Campaign"?...

[Ckay]

DO IT!!!! lol