Post#147 » by Erik Eleven » Mon Nov 3, 2008 6:09 pm
Good posts, miles and Cboywhitey.
Come December, Bynum will start to dominate. I can smell it. He just needs to get back into the rhythm he was in before the injury. Given he's only been in NBA game rhythm for a short stretch in the past, it'll take a little longer for him to find back than it does a more experienced player. Once he gets back into rhythm and stops thinking too much, he'll soon be the beast we saw last January. Watch out when that happens.
Ariza's man defense could and should be improved upon. His positional defense is excellent. His reading the passing lanes is close to perfect. Rarely does he take a risky gamble. He needs to keep working on that shot in order to keep it reliable, and keep improving on that hardnosed lock down man defense, where right now, Radmanovic is actually doing a better job. Shocking, to say the least.
Radmanovic is like a new player. I love his newfound love for defense. But since that type of defense is a mindset first and foremost, I still have my doubts about the space cadet being able to focus and believe for 82 games. He still has to prove that he can body up everyone from LBJ to Paul Pierce. Three games of tough defense is good, but I want to see 79 more games of consistency and never letting up. Then I'll cheer.
To use Phil's words, Fisher is like a solid block. Very few mistakes, good sense of momentum swings and a strong feel for the pivotal moments in games. Great leadership and decision making so far. I'm not surprised at all.
Gasol is also like a solid block. Given that Bynum blooms again soon, he'll be the perfect PF to play alongside Bynum, although he's a perfectly legit big man in his own right. What a luxury to have a guy like him on our team. He's just quietly putting up 13-10 or similar every night, without fuzz.
Odom is thriving off the bench. Since he got here I've been hoping he'll be allowed to play the style he ran in Miami. Making him a sixth man was a great move by Phil because it lets Odom be himself. The fact that he's a sixth man on our team speaks volumes for our depth. Passion on every possession, Lamar!
Farmar is once again showing improvement. He still has hurdles to clear as far as his decision making. Inside outside should be drilled into his head. Although the speed of the second unit is its strength, Farmar must recognize when it's time to run the half court and slow down the pace a bit. He'll soon be a starter in this league, but not just yet. He's the perfect player to run the fast paced bench mob's style of ball, but he needs to learn how to recognize when it's wrong to do that.
Sasha will get back into the swing of things as he gets healthy. He, too, needs to keep working on his shot (if he wants to be regarded the best shooter ever to lace them up) and his man defense, just like Ariza. Too often, Sasha picks up cheap fouls, and it breaks the momentum/pace for the second unit. Body up, deny ball movement, and let the opponent's shot clock work for you. A 24 second violation is more morally depleting than a reach-in steal. It affects the whole team and their coaching staff, not just the one player. Don't reach in and gamble so often. And, consider running a little inside outside instead of shooting everytime.
Powell just needs to see some more floor time, and he'll be a better version of Turiaf. I have great hopes for his contributions this season. I love how he goes after everything off the boards like it's his to lose. And, let's see that little 15 footer more often. It's money. He's calm and collected at all times. I love that.
Mbenga is our better version of Mark Madsen — a bruiser, banger, energy guy. I'm so glad they re-signed him because I love to say "Silent M time". How can you not root for the guy? He has some serious room for improvement, too. He hasn't played all that much, despite his age.
Mihm is easing back into nice looking form. He's still a very potent scorer and his defense is looking better than I remember it being when he was playing his best. There seems to be a newfound grit and hustle. Maybe he's letting out all that frustration.
Luke. Well, like everyone else I loved him that year when he was "yeast in bread", but this is a different team. He has to play amazing defense and simprove his shot in order to steal minutes from Radman, Ariza and Odom. Again, him being our eleventh man off the bench speaks for scary roster depth. Let's just hope he'll get enough minutes throughout the season, so he can get back into the flow of things.
Kobe. The best closer in the game. One of the best defenders in the game. One of the best to have ever played the game. He's still easing into the season, but we can still rest easy, knowing that if all goes to hell in a game, we're still in it. Kobe will take over when it's needed, and we all know what he can accomplish single handedly. Then comes playoffs time, I think we'll see him more at the three, where he's the deadliest.
Sun Yue. Who?
Let's bring on Zo sometime in December and we have a shot at being more physical than the Celtics.
Come trade deadline, it'll be interesting to see what other teams' players want out of their current situation. I'm all for extending Odom at a reasonable price, but if there is a star defensive SF that wants out at that time, Odom's expiring can become extremely valuable. Although, I'm not so sure I want to tamper with the second unit. They look like they can make a great impact next season.
Yeah, I often watch the games twice, too. It's a good way to better understand what goes on defensively and off the ball. You notice much clearer how small, fundamental, seemingly insignificant situational mistakes can lead to consecutive baskets by the opponent, in a hurry. Plus, it's fun to pay extra attention to how and why and when the momentum swings back and forth.
Go Lakers!
