Minute Distribution

[DNP-Old]

Looking at our individual stats you can see the impact of the new offense on a number of our players. Clarkson is shooting over 50%, Randle is shooting much better, Lou is even Young is near a career high. This is due to getting easy shots, shots in the paint and transition scoring. Only Russell and the SF duo are not shooting well... or improved. My thoughts are that Russell is more exposed in this offense and is taking more difficult shots and that Deng is hurt and Ingram needs to adjust.

Russell needs to find ways to take his shots closer and less contested. Right now he's the only one of our young guys not taking a step forward in terms of taking advantage of the new offense.

Defensively we've looked below average most of the season. The D at the point has been the worst part. If we can get that fixed we could truly surprise and make a significant jump.

I think the minutes are working out as they should. Until Russell and Clarkson fix their defensive issues I think bench time down the stretch is appropriate.

One interesting thing I saw when looking at our schedule was that in none of our games so far this year has any Laker been the high scorer. Only a couple times did we have the leading rebounder and once did we have the leading assist player. This is a sign of a balanced team. This is good for a low level playoff team but we could use the Alpha closer type of player to push us higher. Rarely if ever do you win consistently with true balance in the NBA. Is that Alpha guy on the team now? I don't see him. If we can get him without destroying the balance elsewhere we could make a serious jump in the next year or two.

You and Warrenpeace should start a club.

[Vae Victus]

Can Nance or Randle play/guard the 3? I think old man Deng needs to start playing stretch 4 in order to get him out of his rut. This is the BIGGEST reason why i didnt want him on our squad, we already had 2 young PFs who need alot of PT. Both are playing very well and thus no mins at the 4 to be found for Deng.

Deng has lost another step and now his offense is totally in the tank playing the 3. He's simply paid too much money to be utterly marginalized. If we want to have a prayer of trading him we need him to step up. I hope its just mental and that a simple switch to "playing" the stretch 4 will see him put up the numbers he was giving the Heat last year.

[larry14r]

Can Nance or Randle play/guard the 3? I think old man Deng needs to start playing stretch 4 in order to get him out of his rut. This is the BIGGEST reason why i didnt want him on our squad, we already had 2 young PFs who need alot of PT. Both are playing very well and thus no mins at the 4 to be found for Deng.

Deng has lost another step and now his offense is totally in the tank playing the 3. He's simply paid too much money to be utterly marginalized. If we want to have a prayer of trading him we need him to step up. I hope its just mental and that a simple switch to "playing" the stretch 4 will see him put up the numbers he was giving the Heat last year.

Well it doesn't matter because Ingram is not ready to start yet. Also blame his former coach Thibs for running him into the ground.

[Princeinrevolt]

Can Nance or Randle play/guard the 3? I think old man Deng needs to start playing stretch 4 in order to get him out of his rut. This is the BIGGEST reason why i didnt want him on our squad, we already had 2 young PFs who need alot of PT. Both are playing very well and thus no mins at the 4 to be found for Deng.

Deng has lost another step and now his offense is totally in the tank playing the 3. He's simply paid too much money to be utterly marginalized. If we want to have a prayer of trading him we need him to step up. I hope its just mental and that a simple switch to "playing" the stretch 4 will see him put up the numbers he was giving the Heat last year.

it has nothing to with playing the 4, he is shooting 7 percent on wide open threes


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[Kilroy]

Can Nance or Randle play/guard the 3? I think old man Deng needs to start playing stretch 4 in order to get him out of his rut. This is the BIGGEST reason why i didnt want him on our squad, we already had 2 young PFs who need alot of PT. Both are playing very well and thus no mins at the 4 to be found for Deng.

Deng has lost another step and now his offense is totally in the tank playing the 3. He's simply paid too much money to be utterly marginalized. If we want to have a prayer of trading him we need him to step up. I hope its just mental and that a simple switch to "playing" the stretch 4 will see him put up the numbers he was giving the Heat last year.

Young is probably our best bet at starting 3 playing next to Randle/Mozgov for support.

I think our best starting lineup right now is Lou/Russell/Young/Randle/Mozgov... That's a compromise from the best over-all lineup IMO of Clarkson/Lou/Young/Randle/nance... But if you ran that lineup, our Bench would go from great to ass...

I agree that Deng isn't looking like a starter at any position right now... I think it may be the pace we're driving.

And I think Russell is either in some sort of funk or he didn't work as hard this summer as he indicated in all those tweets... But he needs to turn it around quick if he want's to keep starting. His efficiency may be improving but his focus and effort on both ends of the court needs a big boost.

[Landsberger]

My take on Russell is that this offense exposes his issues with quickness and athleticism. What he was able to get away with passing and ball handling in college isn't working at this level either.

Shooting % for him wasn't outstanding in college against inferior talent. 40%, give or take a percent or two seems about right for a guy who isn't going to break down a defense and get easy buckets. The offense has opened up for the athletic guys like Clarkson and Randle who have both increased their shooting quite a bit because of their ability to get the easy buckets in the paint.

That can be compensated for given time to adjust. What has bugged me about him from the beginning is his effort and focus. Those issues are much more innate and usually persist. He's got the system many said he needed.... he's got a longer leash that many said he needed. He needs to show the same effort and drive that a guy like Randle shows. He's often completely mentally checked out on the defensive end and off the ball on offense he just goes through the motions.

[Tiesto_Lakers]

Deng shouldn't be getting any minutes by the way he's been playing, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt because he's a vet and plays decent defense.