Lakers need upgrade at the 3 to beat Celtics....

[lakeshow248]

Vlad and or Ariza not gonna be enough to stop Pierce and it wouldn't be so bad but they are not gonna be able to put pressure on him by scoring on him either.

I think Christmas day Lakers gonna get rude awaking on that front. I hope not but hopefully Odom or Vlad can be moved to land a Rip Hamilton. Their was talks of Rip getting a new two year deal but not sure if it actually happened. Of Course Prince is out their too but Rip is ten times the player and has the ability to score on anyone. And his D on PP in the past has been strong.

Just think what happened in the finals Odom was bad because he can't shoot, Ariza same thing, Fish can't finish at rim and Kobe got boxed right in middle of the floor. Gasol I thought played well but never got enough post touches to put pressure on KG. What I have seen that wasn't their in the Celtics' series is the foul line jumper--Pau been making them a lot more recently which is a product of Bynum in the paint.

Farmar can do well against the C's scoring wise, Kobe and Pau and that's it. Bynum can as well but lets hope Bynum ends up in 4th quarter closing situations soon and Odom gets moved to the bench. Bynum has to be used to those situations come playoff time for rebounding and interior D to keep the "fake" off the free throw line. Not to mention Bynum can make free throws unlike Odom.

At this point 4th quarters should be Farmar, Kobe, Bynum, PAu and Ariza IMO. I think the time has come where Farmar and Bynum have to get their pressure closing minitues.

So an Odom salary dump which is what AI will be for either Rip or Ty Prince would be very benefical to this team on the defensive side and Rip on offensive side would be amazing. Lets hope AI starts bringing down this team more. Man if I was RIp, Sheed and Prince you go from Billups and Flip Saunders running plays and winning to Micheal Curry and AI free lancing it must suck to be part of the old guard. AI is free nxt season, Sheed is as well and if Odom was their it would be huge cap space--like a savings of 50 million.... Lets hope ODom is moved for something that can help come playoff time.

I can see what Phil is doing w/ the overlap of Bynum and Odom together in the second unit and the Gasol mix but, I think Odom is getting his ego stroked by being a veteran by finishing games.

Hopefully, Odom can be moved for a starting 3 that can give PP some trouble--Rip Hamilton would be my dream pick out of anyone in this league. Stephon Jackson would be second pk, Ty Prince third and G Wallace 4th.

Just the addition of a veteran who could get to the line by driving and making free throws down the stretch would help this team so much--not to mention Rip is the best 2 pt shooter in the game today.

[Kobe_for_3]

one player or position isnt the problem w/ this team. they need focus, and every player on the same page. the killer instinct is not there and not playing hard all the time is going lead to bad things.

[DEEP3CL]

So an Odom salary dump which is what AI will be for either Rip or Ty Prince would be very benefical to this team on the defensive side and Rip on offensive side would be amazing. Lets hope AI starts bringing down this team more.

Normally I don't rip my own guys here..........but after seeing this come on man you must be trippin, I can't stand "skinny" dudes like these and Rip is definitely not the defender you think he is, the Pistons played great team defense and he gets credit for defender ? Miss me with that crap. Tayshuan is OK but like I said frail a$$ frame................let'em rot in Motown.

Rip Hamilton would be my dream pick out of anyone in this league. Stephon Jackson would be second pk, Ty Prince third and G Wallace 4th.

You do also understand that two of the guys can't function in the Triangle right ? The only guy that probably could is Prince...........but even he wouldn't keep the floor spaced. And Captain Jack or Wallace aren't defenders. So tell me what is it that you want more offense..........we got enough, we need a Ruben Patterson an actual defensive minded guy not two sting beans and a gunner.

[ReaListik]

I don't think one player's going to make that much of a difference.

Christmas is going to be an interesting game. Both teams will be different from last year's match-up. I am a little concerned because the Celtics are annihilating teams right now, and even with two losses they're still beating people down. I believe this Laker team has what it takes ultimately to defeat the Celtics and be the champs. As LakerFan1976 said the team seems to be without focus and that driving killer instinct for the entire game. That's what's needed more than anything right now IMO.

I know that Boston's going to bring in the illegal defenses like KG had with his 5 illegal screens before he finally got called on it. The toughness has to be with the players from the moment they enter the arena to the moment the last second has passed in game time. The green bastards want to humiliate this team, and they want to show the world that the big 3 are better than the entire Lakers combined, with the added topping of Paul Pierce proclaiming himself to be the best player in the world. This team is reminded of that fact constantly every time they listen to a damn ESPN sportscaster because they bring up the Celtics or LeBron every 5 minutes in their basketball coverage. I'd rather this team get an early ass-kicking to wake them up than during the playoffs again, because at least now it's early enough to be able to take the steps to fix the issues.

It's more a mental game than anything one player's impact can have. I remember seeing the look in Kobe's eyes when they lost, and I remember seeing the look in his eyes when the season was about to start, and the one thing he said was, "Buckle up." They need that fire now.

Lakers motto - "Bring the noise"

[tayzer]

They need a good defensive coach if they want to beat the Celts. Right now they are decent on defense because of athleticism, but not consitant enough, unless they get a coach to show them the proper rotation, spacing, and hand checking technique.

[CITYOFANGELSX3]

Luke, Vlad and a box of cookies for Gerald Wallace.

[G35]

The team the Lakers got should be able to beat anyone in the league......

[TonyMontana]

The team the Lakers got should be able to beat anyone in the league......

Yup........... I agree.
This team is talented and Im seriously sick of hearing what WE NEED TO DO to beat the Celtics.
Who gives a hoot, do you think somewhere in Docs mind he's think what do we need to do to beat the Lakers?
You better believe it.

[Sedale Threatt]

Why on Earth would the Celtics be worried about us? They already know they can beat us.

[The Skyhook]

fish or farmar better be able to defend rondo. Im worried abour rondo more then pierce at this point.

[TruSkool]

trading away radman would be a mistake....its because of him, that we can jump to early leads....his 3 is usually money, and getting rid of him will hurt us...
there is no point of getting a person like prince or rip when we already have ariza....honestly, i see no difference btw ariza and prince, especially on the court...
we have a team that can beat the celtics...if anything, what we really need is for josh powell to body up on pierce, since he's an undersized power forward.
powell can box out and has strong body. he can also hit the 15-20 footer. get him some minutes and pierce will be handled

[AceFresh]

I'm more worried about Rondo right now.

Haven't you seen the PGg's on previous championship teams?
Chauncey Billups, Ron Harper, and Rajon Rondo - while none are stoppers, none are a slouch defensively either.

Now I challenge you to disprove this statement, “no team with Derek Fisher can be a great defensive team.”

[lakersfanatic]

Yup.. defending rondo may be difficult that way he's playing right now..
Our 2nd unit is leaving me with doubts lately.. we're leading by 15-20pts and then gone.. They all have to realize once you dig yourself in that whole, it's hard to dig out..

I realize it's the Lake show that they want show people and i commend them for that. But they just have to watch the turnovers and their defense. By now i would imagine Ariza has knocked some defense sense in the the guys but i guess it has not. The guy hustles, dives, blocks, put backs.. We need more of him, well his mentality.

[shobe_81]

The problem on that 2nd unit is Sasha.

He makes the most dangerous passes in traffic.

[ronnymac2]

I'm more worried about Rondo right now.

Haven't you seen the PGg's on previous championship teams?
Chauncey Billups, Ron Harper, and Rajon Rondo - while none are stoppers, none are a slouch defensively either.

Now I challenge you to disprove this statement, “no team with Derek Fisher can be a great defensive team.”

Actually, the 3-peat lakers had fisher play important minutes at pg, and they were a great defensive team. Harper started in 2000, but for the most part, Fisher was on the floor when it mattered in tight 4th quarter games, when the lakers would turn the d up and get big stops.

[realfung]

What upgrade? How about getting you Marion?

[hermes]

OP you obviously aren't in love with Trevor enough

i suggest you re-evaluate your life

[shobe_81]

OP you obviously aren't in love with Trevor enough

i suggest you re-evaluate your life

Hermes can I please get on the Trevor Bandwagon?

[iamworthy]

OP you obviously aren't in love with Trevor enough

i suggest you re-evaluate your life

Hermes, Can u add me to the ariza list...thanks dude.

[Erik Eleven]

Let's get Butler back somehow.