5-5 Since Merry Christmas Since, Rally Cap Time

[Mamba Venom]

The Lakers are a mere 5-5 since Christmas. We were 24-4 before Christmas. Those injuries to Artest, Gasol and Kobe (even though he has played through them) have hurt this team some.

Lets get out those rally caps (no I din't want to turn my hat inside out) and not lose home court advantage against any team in the league. Remember we started 1-1 too.

Go Lakers!!!

[bobobolas1]

Since Xmas and since gasol signed his new contract :S

[semi-sentient]

Kobe is averaging 30.6 FGA during that 8 game stretch, and that number would be even more obscene if I didn't include the Dallas game where he shot only 12 times.

In 3 of the 4 losses he shot extremely poor percentages and tried to do way too much (11-33, 10-30, 14-37). We failed to reach the 100 point mark in each game, so clearly offense was an issue -- and it wasn't just because no one else was doing anything (how could they?). If he's going to try to carry the team on his shoulders by ignoring everyone else on the floor, then the least he could do is shoot a respectable percentage.

I realize that sometimes our guys struggle, but Kobe is a really good playmaker when he wants to be. He needs to try to do a better job of getting others involved and creating easy shots for them like he did yesterday in the 3rd quarter.

[iQon]

Anybody else see the similarities to last year's Ch(u)mps, Boston? Blown out on Christmas after a great start and tailspinning into January?

Of course, there are differences here and there, and I think we will recover before All Star Weekend. But it comes off as a bad omen.

[TonyMontana]

Our bench sucks balls. Bench Fisher start Shanon, trade Farmar and Sasha. Problem solved.

[semi-sentient]

Anybody else see the similarities to last year's Ch(u)mps, Boston? Blown out on Christmas after a great start and tailspinning into January?

Of course, there are differences here and there, and I think we will recover before All Star Weekend. But it comes off as a bad omen.

I don't think there many similarities. Our struggles are related to injuries more than anything, with chemistry being secondary. Once Pau gets back we'll start playing better, but I'm still concerned about the chemistry issues which are primarily Pau/Bynum being able to play well together.

[iamworthy]

Kobe is averaging 30.6 FGA during that 8 game stretch, and that number would be even more obscene if I didn't include the Dallas game where he shot only 12 times.

In 3 of the 4 losses he shot extremely poor percentages and tried to do way too much (11-33, 10-30, 14-37). We failed to reach the 100 point mark in each game, so clearly offense was an issue -- and it wasn't just because no one else was doing anything (how could they?). If he's going to try to carry the team on his shoulders by ignoring everyone else on the floor, then the least he could do is shoot a respectable percentage.

I realize that sometimes our guys struggle, but Kobe is a really good playmaker when he wants to be. He needs to try to do a better job of getting others involved and creating easy shots for them like he did yesterday in the 3rd quarter.

Man, I was complete wrong about Kobe this year. I came into this season saying Kobe would be able to coast through this season then turn it up in the playoffs. I thought we would play alot less minutes, and average around 22 pts per game. There no way in hell with a team this stacked that Kobe should even be in the MVP discussion. But as of now its the exact opposite, the twin tower thing is not working and its becoming a problem that whenever Kobe has a bad game so does the team. This team is far better then they are showing right now.

[Jakay]

Phoenix and Cleveland are just good teams who were motivated to beat a somewhat unmotivated Laker's team. The last two just show how important Gasol helps stabilize the team's play.

It's nothing. Only Gasol, Kobe, and Fish are mature enough to know how to bring it every night, and only Gasol and Kobe are good enough to do it. Artest... he's... I don't know... he hasn't been a game changer, but he could improve this season still. Maybe if he stops deferring so much.

[iamworthy]

Phoenix and Cleveland are just good teams who were motivated to beat a somewhat unmotivated Laker's team. The last two just show how important Gasol helps stabilize the team's play.

It's nothing. Only Gasol, Kobe, and Fish are mature enough to know how to bring it every night, and only Gasol and Kobe are good enough to do it. Artest... he's... I don't know... he hasn't been a game changer, but he could improve this season still. Maybe if he stops deferring so much.

Ive been saying this all year. Stop passing the ball to Kobe and shoot.

[Mamba Venom]

As far as the similarities of this team and of Boston last year... I would say Boston is doing the same thing as last year. They may have won on Christmas but they still lost their swag. Lakers are just adjusting w/o Artest, Gasol and a healthy Kobe.

Kobe & Landry are the Iron Men of the NBA

[thefranchise03]

3 words.... PLAY ADAM MORRISON