**Opening Night- Lakers vs Mavs, 10/30 7:30, TNT**PG 4(NSFW)

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Before the season started, I posted the same things TNT hosts Kenny, Charles, and Shaq said after the Lakers lost last night. My posts were attacked by DEEP3CL when I said I thought the two things that would bother the Lakers would be perimeter defense; and older players having to learn a new system. Taking the ball out of Steve Nash's hands didn't make sense to me. I wondered how much quickness and energy to stop dribble penetration there would be between Nash and Kobe. I also said Bynum can make FTs, and is not a liability late in games. I wasn't trolling, just pointing out my prediction. It is hard to critique a team honestly when some members take things personally. I feel validated somewhat, now.

I am curious to see what adjustments the Lakers will make. Eleven straight losses, preseason included, means for sure something must be changed. LAL is not going to always have problems on offense. Most of the problem was Howard missing FTs. I think playing another guard and moving Kobe to SF might be an answer, because MWP doesn't seem as quick. It was one game, but I think just put the ball in Nash's hands; and let them play whatever they feel, is better than trying to remember things not natural to them. Pau with Dwight Howard will work. Those two and Kobe are fine. Nash is too good and too smart to stay a liability for long. The only player I haven't named is MWP. I think change one starter for a quicker player, and let Nash run it is what needs to happen.

Last, Delonte West is perfect for what the Lakers need if they were to run three guards.

[The Laker Kid]

D-Ho's pathetic FT shooting needs to improve... but other than that, I think they will gel after about 20 games. I still remember when we first got Payton and Malone in 2004, Malone would do a fancy pass and Kobe and Shaq would fumble them. They just have to learn each other's tendencies and nuances. I think they will be fine come mid-season.

One thing I REALLY miss is Bynum's close to perfect free throw shooting

[Danny Darko]

Before the season started, I posted the same things TNT hosts Kenny, Charles, and Shaq said after the Lakers lost last night. My posts were attacked by DEEP3CL when I said I thought the two things that would bother the Lakers would be perimeter defense and older player having to learn a new system. Taking the ball out of Steve Nash's hands didn't make sense to me. I wondered how much quickness and energy to stop dribble penetration there would be between him and Kobe. I also said Bynum can make FTs, and is not a liability late in games. I wasn't trolling, just pointing out my prediction. It is hard to critique a team honestly when some members take things personally. I feel validated somewhat, now.

I am curious to see what adjustments the Lakers will make.

Eleven straight losses, preseason included, means for sure something must be changed. LAL is not going to alway have problems on offense. Most of the problem was Howard missing FTs. I think playing another guard and moving Kobe to SF might be an answer, because MWP doesn't seem to as quick. It was one game but I think just put the ball in Nash's hands and let the play whatever they feel is better than trying to remember things not natural to them.

Last, Delonte West is perfect for what the Lakers need if they were to run three guards.

Pau with Dwight Howard will work. Those two and Kobe are fine. Nash is too good and too smart to stay a liability for long. The only player I haven't named is MWP. I think change one starter for a quicker player, and let Nash run it is what needs to happen.

Finally someone who knows how to disagree with people on the lakers board. Kudos to you, sir!

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Danny Darko, thanks.

It must come from the years of disagreement with ownership and GM of the Washington Wizards. Practice makes perfect. Ernie Grunfeld does so many things wrong you have to find a way to try to be tactful.

[Iamabeasttt]

[TyCobb]

Mike Brown Thizz face

[Doormatt]

lol

[andrewww]

I suspected we were going to lose this game but was hopeful that the Mavs would play poorly. It's really hard to imagine how this team, chemistry or not, can lose to a short-handed Mavs team, but I had a feeling this would happen.

The first few weeks are going to be brutal for us. What looks like an easy schedule suddenly doesn't seem like it's going to benefit us very much. Last night was just an extension of the pre-season where we looked mostly lost and had poor bench support.

Everything hinges on Howard's ability to get back to form at this point. His defense and rebounding were definitely lacking. Kobe needs to step it up on defense as well. He was getting burned left and right. At this point he looks like a real liability out there.

i think struggling early is he best thing to happen to this team, as bad as that sounds.

at least let our weaknesses (lack of coaching) be exposed so we can make the proper changes before it really is too late in the playoffs (assuming we make it haha given how we've lost 11 straight matches in all competitions).

brown's one strength is defense, and unfortunately that hasn't really been visible dating back to last year. he's never shown the ability to make in-game adjustments, and cant even get simple rotations right that EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER can see (eg. nash and kobe DONT have to be on the floor together at all times while blake and meeks are left to create for the 2nd unit for 10 minutes at a time).

hell, even spoelstra on miami was never stupid enough even in the beginning to have lebron/wade on the floor at the same time all the time.

SMH at mr. potato head

[Danny Darko]

[DEEP3CL]

Wow reading the last 5 pages was straight comedy. Glad Double D laid the pimp hand down.I'm all for visitors coming in, but when you get stupid and come with a clear agenda to bait us then you were never trying to be civil to begin with.

Game wise defense has to get better and we' shoot better from the line.

[DEEP3CL]

Wow reading the last 5 pages was straight comedy. Glad Double D laid the pimp hand down.I'm all for visitors coming in, but when you get stupid and come with a clear agenda to bait us then you were never trying to be civil to begin with.

Game wise defense has to get better and we' shoot better from the line.

[leeprettyp]

lol I swear Kobe could go 20 for 20 in a game have less than 3 turnovers and we still will have people that love to point out when he messes up on a play. Here's a lil secret EVERY SUPERSTAR DOES . Our defense overall was a step slow yesterday and that went for all 5 people (including Dwight) not just Kobe. I swear I think these days people aspire to be the next Bill Simmons or Henry Abbott of sports just spit out a bunch of spew begging for attention.

Anyway I expect for us to become more fluid in running this Princeton offense. But, I wishcoach Brown would be more willing to allow Nash to make the decision what were running. The guy has run some of the most efficient offense of the past 10 years why restrict that.