Should Phil J change Sasha's in Rotation?

[shobe_81]

Sasha plays only with the 2nd unit now.

Please remind me the last time he got an open look and the last time he actually hit a shot with a hand in his face, ok I'm exaggerating but there is truth to it.

The team is paying him what 5 Million? He was a key player last season.

Phil needs to use him with Kobe more, he always subs in for Kobe and then there is no one who provides him with the open look. With the 2nd unit, Sasha hardly gets an open look, and besides the open 3, he cannot do much.

Look at his stats compared to last year:

This season He's shooting 37FG% and 36% from the 3pt line
last year 45FG% and 43% from the 3pt line

So does Phil need to change the rotation in where Sasha gets his minutes? 5 Million for this crap play? We have enough of that in Luke Skywalton

[lakersfanatic]

Like what Phil said in that article...it was poor coaching. I think he should like him play more as well. Before he would play with kobe but now.. strictly 2nd unit.. or else they need to make plays for him more.... Maybe Phil just wants him to defend more like what he said of Bynum..

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=281205027

Lakers coach Phil Jackson's assessment?

"Poor coaching," he said. "That's what it was tonight. Putting too much trust and faith in a younger group -- a second unit. They just can't hold it on the road. They can't withstand the fury or the intensity of the fourth quarter. I'm going to have to change it up a little bit."

[Speedlot]

He needs a haircut. Then he'll get out of the slump.

[crazyeights]

^It's not his hair, bro, it's the lack of half court sets with the second unit. Sasha might be a gunner, but he's not a runner.

[semi-sentient]

At this point, I wouldn't be opposed to giving Walton time over Vujacic. Walton is a better defender and makes much better decisions on offense.

Vujacic is playing like a complete scrub right now (certainly not worthy of the minutes), so it's not like it would hurt us if Walton doesn't do any better.

[shobe_81]

I kinda agree Semi, Walton can play, he needs more time.

He has a decent post game and can run the triangle with the good passing he possesses (completely opposite of Sasha).

I seriously feel that Sasha's success only comes when he plays with Kobe because Kob receives so much attention that Sasha will get plenty of open looks which is all he's good at.

Phil isn't utilizing the team to the best abilities and hopefully he finds out soon.

Start 5:
Fish
Kobe
Vlad
Pau
Bynum

At the 5 Min Mark bring:

Fish
Sasha plays with Kobe
Kobe moves to 3
Odom
Pau moves to 5

At the 1 Min Mark Bring:

Farmar
Sasha
Ariza
Odom
Powell he should get some minutes

Start of 2nd quarter:
Farmar
Ariza moves to guard
Walton in for Sasha
Odom
Bynum in for Powell

2nd quarter 7 min mark:

Farmar
Kobe
Ariza
Odom
Bynum

2nd quarter 5 min mark to finish the half with our starters:

Fisher
Kobe
Vlad
Pau
Bynum

[crazyeights]

At this point, I wouldn't be opposed to giving Walton time over Vujacic. Walton is a better defender and makes much better decisions on offense.

Vujacic is playing like a complete scrub right now (certainly not worthy of the minutes), so it's not like it would hurt us if Walton doesn't do any better.

Though I think Vujacic is suffering from returning late with injury and falling out of the rotation that worked so well with him last year...

I immediately it was a bad idea to put Walton in, but then I remembered one thing:

When Sasha was injured in the pre-season and we had Ariza/Lamar/Luke playing at once...that unit was great. Maybe Sasha shouldn't be benched and can play with the first unit more, but the second unit could always use another playmaker like Luke to push push push.

[shobe_81]

crazyeights, that's what I did in the rotation above for the 1st half.

[crazyeights]

crazyeights, that's what I did in the rotation above for the 1st half.

Yeah, I didn't see that before. But now looking at it I find it funny that Powell gets 1 minute in that rotation Also, Ariza has been so good this year, I just don't see PJ hardly using him in the first quarter. When he comes into the game is when we seem to begin pulling ahead.

[shobe_81]

crazyeights, that's what I did in the rotation above for the 1st half.

Yeah, I didn't see that before. But now looking at it I find it funny that Powell gets 1 minute in that rotation Also, Ariza has been so good this year, I just don't see PJ hardly using him in the first quarter. When he comes into the game is when we seem to begin pulling ahead.

Yea I guess we'd just let Pau play the whole quarter rather than give powell 1 min lol

And Ariza gets 8 minutes in the first half, we could allocate the rest of his 16 minutes in the 2nd half IMO.

And I do this because I feel Sasha's success will only come with Kobe and since Kobe usually subs out at the last minute of the 1st quarter, why not move him to the 3 position especially when Bynum is out and won't take space inside the paint. This way we can work him from the post while Sasha is the spot-up shooter.

[Erik Eleven]

I'd like to trade Sasha, Luke and Radman for a defensive PG, and a strong defensive SF that can challenge Pierce and LBJ, even if just a little bit.

[milesfides]

I'll continue to argue that Sasha should be inserted with the starters instead of Fisher unless better options are available.

[Erik Eleven]

I'll continue to argue that Ariza should be inserted with the starters instead of Fisher unless better options are available.

Fixed it for you, miles.

[shobe_81]

I'll continue to argue that Sasha should be inserted with the starters instead of Fisher unless better options are available.

I'll continue to argue that Ariza should be inserted with the starters instead of Fisher unless better options are available.

Fixed it for you, miles.

What are you two having cause I want some also.

First of all, Sasha has horrible transition offense, he doesn't know when to pass and how to pass. He tries to be Steve Nash with his passing abilities. Fisher might not be producing well but he's the veteran point guard and I'm sure he'll feel really bad that he has been replaced from the starting line-up. That's a no-no, he's the only player next to Kobe with that 3peat Lakers.

Fisher can provide the open jumper and initiate the triangle.

And Ariza doesn't have the ball-handling skills to be the PG of this team either, and he wont space the floor well. Plus we really need his spark off the bench, we might have been .500 if Ariza wasn't being productive off the bench

So go with my rotations

[snaquille oatmeal]

At this point, I wouldn't be opposed to giving Walton time over Vujacic. Walton is a better defender and makes much better decisions on offense.

Vujacic is playing like a complete scrub right now (certainly not worthy of the minutes), so it's not like it would hurt us if Walton doesn't do any better.

the second unit would benefit more with Walton than Sasha and the first unit would benefit more with Sasha than with Radman.

I know radman has been semi hot latetly, but I would rather see Kobe at the SF and Sasha at SG.

[semi-sentient]

I would rather not see Sasha in the game period. His defense sucks (much worse than Radman's) and if his shot isn't falling then he's practically useless. To me, it's really all about defense so I don't care if he's in a shooting slump. He's a poor defender and commits stupid fouls so I don't think it matters who he plays with.

[Sedale Threatt]

I know radman has been semi hot latetly, but I would rather see Kobe at the SF and Sasha at SG.

Not a bad idea. Sasha would get torched defensively, but that's pretty much what Radmanovic does now, so you're trading out one seive for another. Plus, for all of Sasha's flaws at least he plays hard (if not always well, or smart). Radmanovic...I don't know what you'd call what he does, but it's not that. So I wouldn't be averse to this.

I'm usually fairly heartless when it comes to professional athletes -- you're getting paid millions to play a kid's game, so suck it up -- but for some reason I have a tiny sliver of sympathy for Vujacic. I guess I almost feel bad that he's back to scrounging for minutes after he apparently turn the corner last season. Not terribly bad, but a bit.

[tayzer]

Yes, Sasha is a good shooter, but he needs Kobe to feed him those good looks like last year.

[semi-sentient]

but for some reason I have a tiny sliver of sympathy for Vujacic. I guess I almost feel bad that he's back to scrounging for minutes after he apparently turn the corner last season. Not terribly bad, but a bit.

You know, I sort of do as well, but the way he has played this season has just been incredibly annoying to watch. Last season he was really clicking on both ends of the floor, so I don't know if the it's the "Curse of the Contract Extension" or what, but he better snap out of it quickly.

[dockingsched]

but for some reason I have a tiny sliver of sympathy for Vujacic. I guess I almost feel bad that he's back to scrounging for minutes after he apparently turn the corner last season. Not terribly bad, but a bit.

You know, I sort of do as well, but the way he has played this season has just been incredibly annoying to watch. Last season he was really clicking on both ends of the floor, so I don't know if the it's the "Curse of the Contract Extension" or what, but he better snap out of it quickly.

nah, not for sasha. from all reports his worth ethic was bordering on overdoing it. also, when he gets in there his troubles are not from a lack of effort. its usually from trying too hard to make things happen in the limited amount of minutes he's getting. he'll be alright.