Am I crazy to think this about the Lakers...

pearfruitboy · Post #1 » by **pearfruitboy** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 5:46 am

Hi! I'm a new poster on RealGM, and DIE HARD Laker fan. =D I don't know if I'm crazy to think this, but I really don't like the Lakers defense, especially against Forwards that can shoot. (and also especially after the win against those Bloody Celtics) For example, in the Christmas game, I remembered Garnett had about 8 open shots and scored every single one of them. In the Laker loss against Detriot, Rasheed was wide open in a lot of his shots also. And I'm not a good analysis in anyway but, especially when the Lakers are in their INTENSE MODE during the crunch times of the game, the guards especially Kobe and Fish tend to LEAVE their man wide open to go help out, and a lot of the times the person thats beneath the paint kicks it out to the shooter for a wide open three. Don't you think that the forwards (Gasol, Bynum, Odom) can guard their man without the unneccasary help from Kobe and Fisher? Sometimes I just shake my head when I see it because clearly the forwards of the Lakers can defend the offensive player 1 on 1, but the guards just tend to help out when its not necessary the best option to defend that possesion. Please bear with me if I don't seem to make sense since this is my first day on REALGM=D

Post #2 » by **dockingsched** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 6:30 am

here is a pretty long thread where people vent their frustrations with the lakers defense, so no, you arent crazy.

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=858723

DEEP3CL · Post #3 » by **DEEP3CL** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 7:38 am

The Laker philosophy is to clog the paint so they won't give up penetration to guards.

pearfruitboy · Post #4 » by **pearfruitboy** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 7:56 am

DEEP3CL wrote:The Laker philosophy is to clog the paint so they won't give up penetration to guards.

I know they want to clog the paint, but what about the shooters? This is the NBA. If they want to leave the shooters wide open, 80% of the time they are gonna knock it down. And with the talented front court that we have, isn't it possible to play without kobe and fisher leaving the shooters wide open? Cause most of the time I always get the impression that Kobe and Fisher is too EAGER to go for the steal when helping out, instead of playing discipline defense.

EHL · Post #5 » by **EHL** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:02 am

Forwards that can shoot (KG and Duncan last postseason) have been held to less than 43% shooting and ~ 21 ppg. I wouldn't say that's cause for too much concern. The issue is anchor D and rotation, which the Lakers didn't have with Gasol busy guarding MVPs like TD and KG last postseason. Bynum's absence hurt a lot in that regard, and hurt on the boards too.

pearfruitboy · Post #6 » by **pearfruitboy** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:15 am

EHL wrote:Forwards that can shoot (KG and Duncan last postseason) have been held to less than 43% shooting and ~ 21 ppg. I wouldn't say that's cause for too much concern. The issue is anchor D and rotation, which the Lakers didn't have with Gasol busy guarding MVPs like TD and KG last postseason. Bynum's absence hurt a lot in that regard, and hurt on the boards too.

But I'm talking about this season espeically. Don't you think its weird that we held MVPs like TD and KG to less than 43% without bynum? This season should be the season where we can stop big men more efficiently. And also, last season Fishers defense was substantially better than this seasons. IMO the Lakers need to get that first 15-ish games in the season out of their mind. THe first 15-ish games, the Lakers had everything going their way. Every steal attempt by Kobe, Ariza, Fisher had worked when they left the shooters to help out in the paint. The good start had blinded many people (espeically TNT, ESPN) into believing the Lakers had played EXTREMELY good defense at the start of the season, which now they seem to be scratching their heads as to why the Lakers arent performing as well right now. Right now the Lakers defensive mentality problem is completely exposed, as you said it, the anchor D and Rotation problem.

Erik Eleven · Post #7 » by **Erik Eleven** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:21 am

I agree that they overload on the ball a bit too much at times. I'd like to see some straight up man defense from time to time.

pearfruitboy · Post #8 » by **pearfruitboy** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:31 am

Erik Eleven wrote:I agree that they overload on the ball a bit too much at times. I'd like to see some straight up man defense from time to time.

Ok then I guess I'm not crazy since someone is buying to what I'm saying HEHE

The coachs of the Lakers need to tell the guards to have faith in the forwards in guarding the opposing player. Not only that, when they help out (espeically Fisher) they often bail out the opposing player by reaching in, when Pau or Odom, or BYnum had already gotten in position to contest the shot.

Erik Eleven · Post #9 » by **Erik Eleven** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 8:44 am

Phil says the team is still trying to find their way within this defensive scheme. If I understood him correctly, there is a shift that is supposed to happen — shifting from semi-zone/strong side overload to man defense. He said that shift isn't really there just yet, that they''re still learning how to run this defense.

kevin_405 · Post #10 » by **kevin_405** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 3:42 pm

In the NBA all teams good or bad play help defence .. The problem for us was recognition on who to help off and whom not to help off.. It is basic scouting..
The Boston game was a good indicator.. Both Ray and Paul were being manned up and the help was coming from Kobe..

This year we are defenitly playing better defence..

kevin_405 · Post #11 » by **kevin_405** » Sun Dec 28, 2008 4:34 pm

In the NBA all teams good or bad play help defence .. The problem for us was recognition on who to help off and whom not to help off.. It is basic scouting..
The Boston game was a good indicator.. Both Ray and Paul were being manned up and the help was coming from Kobe..

This year we are defenitly playing better defence..