GT:Clippers @ Lakers Tuesday Oct 29, 7:30 Pm PST

[Jajwanda]

Mannnnn what'd I tell y'all about this bench!?!?! Here are the grades and post game comments

Nash: B-
Young: B-
Blake: C+
Gasol: B+/A-
Williams: B-

Farmar: A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hill: A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kaman: A
Johnson: B (activity on defense in spite of his horrific shooting night but had a clutch 3)
Meeks: A/A+
Henry: A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Comments:
-Starters looked funky at times, but we have to remember that it will get a lot better when Bean Bryant gets back.
-This might well be the best bench in the entire league, no joke, this lineup is SSOL Suns reincarnated
-Farmar's game is so much more mature but he still has that speed and athleticism
-If Henry ever develops a right hand, he'll be an all-star in this league
-Clippers have regressed in some ways IMO. Dudley isn't that great. Reddick can get hot once in a while but you lose extra playmaking/defense. Bledsoe>Collison in terms of bench spark. They lost a key hustle player in Turiaf. Crawford is getting older, etc...
-Was laughing my ass off when Griffin couldn't post up Wes

I love that, I love that ****. Wes Johnson "poor man's Marion" did his damn job on D. He's awesome despite the offense tonight.

[kblo247]

I think with Kobe, where we saw the first unit look funky, we can play more like we did to close last year. Kobe making plays, Nash hitting shots, Pau high post, and Kaman can use his jumper which is money; young also will have it easier as he had to ISO a few times, not just wanted to ISO.

I think Kobe coming back allows Kaman to start, Blake to replace Meeks at backup SG, Hill to be backup C, and both Meeks and Williams to be the 11-12th men and utility guys.

Two separate units, even more effective than before, and with two styles of play

[ardee]

[KB24TBOTB]

Overrated, I was seriously getting tired of that one clipper poster on the GB making him out to be some sort of god

[Mirjalovic]

i told you this team is good.

now we need to wait Kobe. at least in today NBA you need reliable go to scorer to take you far in the PO.

[Mirjalovic]

Lmao Clippers board is talking how we won because we "stepped it up against the Clippers." Why can't a team just lose because another team wanted the win more?

lol why the hell we need stepped it up against them as if they're our archrival for years. once again, whos the clippers ? they didnt achieve something significant yet.

[MadNESS]

Sigh. I was jumping up and down like I was back in middle school watching the Lakers win chips'

The place was going crazy, felt like a playoff game.

Good stuff boys! Keep it up! Love the make up of this years squad, everyone does a part, everyone plays hard!

Salute!

[semi-sentient]

Wow, most bench points since 1988. How many of you were even born?

Make that since '85! Pretty crazy to see our bench go off like that after years of sucking.

''Mike (D'Antoni) did a great thing: He didn't bring his starters back in,'' Rivers said. ''There was a point where I was thinking: 'Please bring them back in.'''

Hah.

[EuroPacer]

I have to hold my hands up, in the general forum I was slating the Lakers for being a lot worse off than they were last season.

It is only one game, there were a lot of moments where the Lakers got points they normally would never have got, but it looked a lot better than the rudderless trainwreck I was expecting.

So, I apologise for my clearly misguided belief that this Lakers team was nothing but a wet bunch of rejects and outcasts. Enjoy this season lads!

[tugs]

going zone was smart imo.

[LApwnd]

its been 1 game but this bench is such a refreshing site to see, everyone on the bench is out there to prove that they belong in this league, everyone did that with exception of Wes, dude just settles for jump shots to much.

[Slava]

its been 1 game but this bench is such a refreshing site to see, everyone on the bench is out there to prove that they belong in this league, everyone did that with exception of Wes, dude just settles for jump shots to much.

Like I said before in this thread, he just kept missing his shots, nothing wrong with that but his defense on Griffin was very good to the extent that Griffin could do nothing on him. Not that Griffin does anything good from isolation attempts offensively but Wes also attacked the pick and roll strongly with Farmar on defense, kind of like a blitz on the opposing PG.

He will come around and I like him more at the 4 than Shawne Williams.

[LApwnd]

its been 1 game but this bench is such a refreshing site to see, everyone on the bench is out there to prove that they belong in this league, everyone did that with exception of Wes, dude just settles for jump shots to much.

Like I said before in this thread, he just kept missing his shots, nothing wrong with that but his defense on Griffin was very good to the extent that Griffin could do nothing on him. Not that Griffin does anything good from isolation attempts offensively but Wes also attacked the pick and roll strongly with Farmar on defense, kind of like a blitz on the opposing PG.

He will come around and I like him more at the 4 than Shawne Williams.

Williams had the same affect on Griffin too with HELP, both guys got abused though when Griffin got deep post position and a double couldn't come soon enough. Williams got 2 blocks on Griffin from what I recall.

[Slava]

its been 1 game but this bench is such a refreshing site to see, everyone on the bench is out there to prove that they belong in this league, everyone did that with exception of Wes, dude just settles for jump shots to much.

Like I said before in this thread, he just kept missing his shots, nothing wrong with that but his defense on Griffin was very good to the extent that Griffin could do nothing on him. Not that Griffin does anything good from isolation attempts offensively but Wes also attacked the pick and roll strongly with Farmar on defense, kind of like a blitz on the opposing PG.

He will come around and I like him more at the 4 than Shawne Williams.

Williams had the same affect on Griffin too with HELP, both guys got abused though when Griffin got deep post position and a double couldn't come soon enough. Williams got 2 blocks on Griffin from what I recall.

Not really. Griffin was posting up Williams and backing him down with relative ease. He had a couple of chase down blocks but Johnson was very good on Griffin, not backing down and like I said his ability to disrupt the pick and roll by switching over to the PG aggressively is very good. Likely the only reason he stayed on the floor with that unit.

[Kilroy]

I think they did a good job on Griffin, but I think Griffin is off his game a little too... Doc wants more half-court sets and that's not Griffin's (or CP3's or Jordan's) game, so he's bound to not look as potent.
I think the Clips slowed themselves down somewhat which played into our new, more athletic, forwards' hands.

It was a fun game to watch, but it was the first game. I wouldn't make too many assumptions based on this.

Our Bench is not going to play like that all season, and we are going to need a hell of a lot more from our starters if we want to continue to win games.

That said, I just want the guys to keep playing loose and see what happens. No expectations, no pressure, just ball... And hope Kobe comes back on fire.

[iamworthy]

Love what I saw from kaman, X, gasol, and Farmar. I feel a lot better when Farmar is running the point. Can't wait to listen to the Max and Marcellus show...lol

[IamBBAnalysis]

And as far as I'm concerned Jordan Farmar just showed why he should be the starter. The evidence is concrete. Period.... case close.

Although he did play fantastic I think he fits better in with the bench. He can run with those guys and they can all play some choking defense together

True, but the starting thing will have to come to some conclusion soon. Nash just can't ramp up that unbound energy he has back in his prime.

If Nash cannot at some point start playing better then he is now he really should not play at all. However, I'm just not sure how much is age and how much is injury. It could be more of a combination with him trying to work back into game shape. I've seen him play like this before (to a lesser degree) and he has looked "done" but then he gets healed up and starts running around more.

He looks trapped in a buddle of glue out there...which doesn't make sense. You don't get slow that quickly in one offseason. I'm 40 and I run as fast as ever. I just tend to get injured more and don't recover as well.

[IamBBAnalysis]

This Henry guy is a steal, I'm tellin ya..

H just got hurt and basically missed a year in Memphis and then worked his way back in NOLA. He's healthy and a steal. Young didnt shoot well but those ft drawn were useful. Hill beasted, Kaman hustled, and Farmar reclaimed staples

The bench isn't really "nobodies". They are talented. Farmar, Johnson, Henry, and Hill are great athletes and always have had lots of ability. It looks like they are might be rounding into form at just the right time for the Lakers. How about Kupchak this offseason? I really liked all the "cheap" signings. I thought it was extremely impressive but it is looking even better then could be imagined.

Kaman, Young, and Williams will have their big games this year as well.

[crazyeights]

Really liked the way Meeks played with that 2nd unit. Almost don't want an old Blake to play with them and spoil it.

[ROballer]

Earl gets lucky on his GT yet again

Guess some things never change