Play Kobe 8 min at PG, please.

[Erik Eleven]

I know that Odom might be back in a few games, but this injury stretch we're going through right now still scares me a bit. I don't worry about our ability to win games, but I worry about the minutes Kobe and Fisher are logging. I'd hate to see an injury due to lack of foresight and smarts. I'd also hate to see season fatigue becoming a factor in March/April.

In my opinion, Sasha and Ariza should carry most part of the extra responsibility and work load during these injuries, not Kobe and Fisher.

But, how to cut their minutes and still win against Houston and San Antonio?

Until Odom comes back, this is the type of minute spread I would like to see:

PG: Fisher[32] Kobe[8] Ariza[8]
SG: Kobe[24] Sasha[16] Ariza[8]
SF: Radman[20] Ariza[16] Sasha[12]
PF: Gasol[22] Powell[22] Radman[4]
C: Bynum[32] Gasol[10] Mihm[6]

Fisher[32] Kobe[32] Ariza[32] Sasha[28] Radman[24] Gasol[32] Powell[22] Bynum[32] Mihm[6]

We need to play efficiently right now, so we don't lose any ground to Cleveland and Boston. I have a feeling we have another thing coming on this Texas road trip. Those teams will exploit us where we're weak: point guard defense. The rotations above eliminate defensive bonehead mistakes at the top of the key, as long as every player takes great pride in executing their role in each position.

Kobe can run this offense better than anyone else. If I got to decide, no more Sasha at point, period. Ariza's PG minutes at the one should be shut-down minutes with Kobe at SG. Ariza can bring up the ball and then let Kobe initiate.

• Sasha's PG defense is utterly lame and ineffective. Sasha also makes horrible offensive decisions at PG, despite supposedly being a naturally talented playmaker. In my opinion, he can only be on the floor if there is a solid defensive Laker point guard next to him. He's a spot up shooter, period. In his case, that talent can best be utilized at two positions — SG and SF. Stop the experiment, he's not smart and calm enough to be a good initiator.

• Ariza is an excellent defender on any point guard in the league. He and Kobe makes for a wet dream defensive back court duo. They're smart, quick, long, intense, strong physically, and rock solid mentally. However, Ariza is not the initiator I thought he could be. At least not yet. Play Ariza at point, but only when we need some serious defensive disturbance at the perimeter.

• Fisher simply shouldn't have to log over 40 minutes per night (like he has the last three games) at this stage of the season and his career. Through these injuries, we can't just recklessly pile more minutes on Kobe and Fish.

• Kobe, see Fish ^ .

• Sasha, Ariza, Radman can cover all SF minutes as above until Odom comes back.


Thoughts?

[Asianiac_24]

Ariza is not good enough of a ball handler to bring the ball up. He just looks really uncomfortable doing it.

[hermes]

Ariza is not good enough of a ball handler to bring the ball up. He just looks really uncomfortable doing it.

full court alley oops to himself, problem solved

[lakersfanatic]

yeah, i don't like seeing kobe and fish logging that many minutes this early in the games even though phil doesn't have much choice when the others are not doing their job well. We don't have much in our PG position unless they sign someone real soon... Right now, we have fish and bonehead sasha...

I don't mind kobe being PG but he won't do well against other solid PGs, they'll blow right thru him, plus i don't want kobe exerting so much energy for defending them that he's exhausted down the stretch of the game... but giving him about 8 mins i don't mind. hehe

[TylersLakers]

Ariza is not good enough of a ball handler to bring the ball up. He just looks really uncomfortable doing it.

He's brought the ball up fine the last couple games when he's had the opportunity.

[DoctaJ]

I had the exact same thought when I woke up this morning, EE. Great thread. I agree completely.