Is it possible to win a ring with a bench this bad?

Patterns · Post #1 » by **Patterns** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 11:32 pm

Odom
Farmar
Sasha
Brown
Mbenga
Powell
Morrison

These are all trash! They can't play defense. They give up leads. They are NOT SPARKS off the bench. Our best bench player is Odom but Odom isn't like Jason Terry or Manu Ginobili or even an Eddie House. He's not "instant offense". He's just a matchup player that we can use when we need to speed up the game. When you go into your bench, you're looking for energy and instant offense. We don't have that player.

It's been so bad that I can't wait until Walton comes back...

No, this isn't a reaction thread. This has been an ongoing problem this season and direly needs to be addressed.

Get Nate Robinson here.

Frantik · Post #2 » by **Frantik** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 12:09 am

simple answer: NO. If they improve, maybe. If not, NO.

shiat... we need to trade... seriously

Dr Aki · Post #3 » by **Dr Aki** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 1:20 am

im going to echo patterns' sentiment

I CAN'T WAIT FOR LUKE WALTON TO RETURN

no ball movement, all 1v1, all perimeter... use those big men damnit!!!

KObe Bryant · Post #4 » by **KObe Bryant** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 1:26 am

Walton's gonna be the answer for this. Sasha's nothing. Farmar's an idiot. Shannon is just for dunks and mostly for just energy plays when we have the lead on easy teams. We need a veteran who make plays just like Walton. Well, I recommend that we use more of Josh Powell. I know he can play.

chefy · Post #5 » by **chefy** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 2:13 am

+ the lakers are playing crap and our starting pg sucks

larry14r · Post #6 » by **larry14r** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 5:18 am

And we can't fix it because anything we do will put us in the luxury hole even more and truthfully I don't want to keep paying luxury tax bills.

Minhee · Post #7 » by **Minhee** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 5:54 am

I love witnessing a blowout losses like today, whenever this team disgraces the entire city of Los Angeles it brings out all the fans to start these panic threads. But when the Lakers win one game against the quality teams, all of a sudden we have multiple fans pounding their chest and yelling on top of the lungs "WE ARE THE KING OF THE WORLD BABY"...."72-10" here we come!!!"

But to your efforts this bench is trash and we are very very very very soft. Notice Shaq had a great game against us today, our bigs were afraid of Shaq, big Z and Varajeo. Hickson, Mo Williams, Delonte and Lebron were way too athletic for our guys. We were simply ran out of the gym.

The best way to beat the Lakers is to get physical with them, get their offense so frustrated so they start jacking up jumpshots from the perimeter. Denver, Houston, Utah and now Cleveland has given the rest of the league a blueprint on how to beat LA.

cavsfan_osiris · Post #8 » by **cavsfan_osiris** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 6:08 am

A.Bynum hasn't been himself lately and that has put more pressure on everyone, especially the bench. The Lakers will be fine as Bynum gets healthy and rounds his game back to all-star level.

In the post-season the rotation will shorten and the Lakers have enough off the bench to get it done, even if they don't make a move.

kobesmyhomie · Post #9 » by **kobesmyhomie** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 6:57 am

Minhee wrote:I love witnessing a blowout losses like today, whenever this team disgraces the entire city of Los Angeles it brings out all the fans to start these panic threads. But when the Lakers win one game against the quality teams, all of a sudden we have multiple fans pounding their chest and yelling on top of the lungs "WE ARE THE KING OF THE WORLD BABY"...."72-10" here we come!!!"

This is so true

Post #10 » by **Slava** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 7:13 am

We are running a 8 man rotation and that's never healthy even in the playoffs, not to mention at Dec. in the regular season.

I guess I found the wrong time to stop updating my bench stats thread. Today was just pathetic.

Sasha couldn't score in a brothel.
Bynum & Gasol just got scared by Shaq.
and LO did the customary act of getting himself tossed after a crappy performance.

Post #11 » by **Slava** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 7:18 am

To be fair I'm just scared of Boston's bench if anything. Tony Allen, Marquis Daniels, Eddie House, Sheed and Davis are solid veterans who play responsible basketball and they were just able to cover up for Pierce's absence more than effectively today.

Compare that to Sasha, Farmar, LO & co and we are nowhere near that level of consistency.

ALL HAIL · Post #12 » by **ALL HAIL** » Sat Dec 26, 2009 7:10 pm

Move Gasol to the bench ala Kevin McHale.

Reasons:

A. Bynum can get in a good offensive rhythm to begin the game which, for him, usually leads to better defense and rebounding.

B. Gasol will help our bench and he won't lose overall minutes.

C. Bynum's numbers will go up which will increase his trade value.

Note: This in not a knee jerk reaction, I've been saying this for a year now.

DraftBoy10 · Post #13 » by **DraftBoy10** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 6:34 pm

Talent wise, without a doubt, consistency and production wise it's looking bad.

You guys had a fire last year from the bench, Shannon brought some excitement, Lamar came in and did his thing(albeit not consistently), and you guys seemed like an explosive 2nd unit. Maybe it's time to shake things up there? Get a fire light below these guys asses.

Sedale Threatt · Post #14 » by **Sedale Threatt** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 7:06 pm

Winning without a bench is like pissing with an erection. It's not impossible, just more difficult than normal.

Post #15 » by **snaquille oatmeal** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 7:14 pm

larry14r wrote:And we can't fix it because anything we do will put us in the luxury hole even more and truthfully I don't want to keep paying luxury tax bills.

I am sure Dr. Buss and Mr. Anschutz appreciate your contributions to the payroll.

ROballer · Post #16 » by **ROballer** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 7:21 pm

Sedale Threatt wrote:Winning without a bench is like pissing with an erection. It's not impossible, just more difficult than normal.

iQon · Post #17 » by **iQon** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 7:37 pm

We did last year. Chill out.

Everyone else jumped on the Denver bandwagon, and what happened?
Everyone else took the regular season into account and thought it was routine for the Finals, and what happened?

If you don't trust what Phil Jackson can do in the postseason by now, then I question how long you've been watching professional basketball in the US. Combine that with the best player in the league and a lot of GREAT players beside him. I'm not worried about a useless bench in December. Half of our bums will be in suits for the rest of the year in April.

TruSkool · Post #18 » by **TruSkool** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 8:29 am

josh powell is a serious baller, i dont understand why he isnt in our rotation...dude was a great pickup after turiaf left us, and im tellin ya, he's probably our best bench player after odom. let him play more 4 and let odom play more 3, and seriously we should be good

Dr Aki · Post #19 » by **Dr Aki** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 1:00 pm

iki4life wrote:josh powell is a serious baller, i dont understand why he isnt in our rotation...dude was a great pickup after turiaf left us, and im tellin ya, he's probably our best bench player after odom. let him play more 4 and let odom play more 3, and seriously we should be good

cos he cant play SF and bynum/gasol/odom clog up all 48 mpg in non-blowout/foul trouble games