What sort of changes can you........

[TonyMontana]

I couldnt put the whole title on the heading of this thread so here it is.

What sort of changes can you or would you like to see in the second half of the season after the Allstart break?
I think we need to give Kobe, Pau, a little more time to rest and hopefully they dont get burned by the playoffs.
I would like to see Josh get more minutes.
Maybe have Sasha play the point and switch with Kobe and have both of them on the court more at the same time.
Im hoping that Bynum breaks his funk and play a bit more aggressive.
Looking forward to having Jordan return healthy and eager to take on the second half of the season.
I like to see Luke/Vlad traded for a solid S.F.
I like to see a better rotation by Phil J.

All I can say is I cant wait for the playoffs to begin.
FTW and FTC

GO LAKERS

[semi-sentient]

1. Consistency at the SF spot, particularly when it comes to the starting lineup. Radman was playing pretty good for us in the beginning of the season, then suddenly he had a couple of bad games which led to him getting benched. Now he's back in the lineup and has yet to find his shot, which is a result of him not being given consistent playing time. Given our need for floor spacing, I'd like to see him be left at the starting position for the rest of the year. We know what we'll get from him in terms of shooting, so the only question is can he continue to give effort on the defensive end. I like what Luke has done recently, but we need better spacing out there to open things up for our bigs. His shooting just isn't going to cut it.

2. I'd like to see Phil and Kobe getting on Bynum about his level of play (energy, focus, etc.) so that he understands what his role is by the time the playoffs come around. We need him to be our defensive anchor and to play with high energy on a nightly basis. Snort some cocaine if you have to, but play with more energy.

3. Kobe needs to elbow Vujacic again (this time blood needs to be drawn) and remind him that unless he's making shots he's not adding any kind of value to the team. It's inexcusable for him not to be shooting at least 40% from downtown, which is precisely what we signed him for.

4. Hire a real defensive coach.

[fareweatherfan]

Great points. Although we differ on Jordan and Phil's rotations. I hope to see Jordan traded (as for an upgrade at either PG or SF, of course). Also, I don't mind Phil's rotations. A lot of people were up in arms about his decision to start Luke and it turned out to be a good call, IMO.

I have a feeling (or maybe just a hope) that our front office will be holding a press conference or two before the deadline.

[Slava]

Need a PG. Someone smart enough and savvy enough to run the point and take some pressure off Kobe in the playoffs. Steve Blake would be so perfect!

[TylersLakers]

1- A trade to get Radmanovic off the team. After watching the last couple games, he just doesn't care about this team. He cares about his own success, and that's it.

2- For our guards to learn how to throw a re-entry pass into the bigs, so Andrew and Pau can do what they're capable of.

3- Kobe to continue with the alterations to his shot that is making him shoot around 48% from the field. Especially over 50% the last couple weeks.

4- Lamar to get healthy and become aggressive. Take charge and leadership of the Bench Mob. Drive to the rack, finish with authority.

[iamworthy]

1. Phil Jackson to actually call some plays that involves Kobe and both bigs with some kind of double high screen with one diving to the basket and the other (Gasol) going to the high post and Kobe making the decsion on who's open and that person finishing the play. That should be bread and butter.

2. Bynum to learn how to get post position and stop taking the position thats giving to him which is 13 feet away from the basket. I hardly ever see Bynum actually fight for position, he should be getting to the rim alot easier with his strenght and footwork, but instead he settles for a 5 foot jump hook thats not falling yet this year. It pretty obvious why the team is more willing to dump the ball into gasol and not Bynum at this point. Gasol isnt even half as strong as Bynum but somehow gets to the rim.

[crazyeights]

1- A trade to get Radmanovic off the team. After watching the last couple games, he just doesn't care about this team. He cares about his own success, and that's it.

I have to disagree. Did you hear PJ's radio interview the other day? I always thought he hated Vlad, he could have easily thrown him under the bus, but instead he sounded like he genuinely cared about Radmanovic.

No coach would like a guy who is purposely not trying. Also the last couple of games disprove that he only cares about himself. The dude is in a funk, gets benched, only to eventually play well for a few games as a reserve, then Luke gets injured but he doesn't start, then goes for 16, then gets the call to start again.

So what? Why, if you only care about yourself, would you play hard off the bench, work your way back to starting and then play bad? Seriously that is completely backwards that you use the "last couple games" as your evidence. It makes zero sense. If anything, if he had played like **** all the while on the bench and then he played awesome when starting then you could maybe swing that, but even then it's flawed.

Why is it flawed? Because he does care. Guys can't just play great whenever they want to and sometimes they want it too much. "A shooter has no conscience." That's what a coach told me before and he's right. Vlad is playing like a guy who is too aware of his situation. That he has to play and play well if he's going to keep that starting spot. So being his "space cadet" self he's playing poorly.

But enough with the bashing of I don't think he cares. He's a shooter who has lost his bearings and thus is ineffective. Just don't think that means he doesn't mind sucking. And don't think that if three games from now he's back to being the guy we signed again that people won't be posting "Vlad should start over Luke" sentiments.

That said, if we could trade him for a tough, wing defender? Sure I'd do it. But I'm bored of reading these Vlad bashings.

They're too easy.

[El Hardee]

1. More time for Powell, Sasha, Vlad, Luke.
2. Less time for Kobe, Pau, Fish they need to rest for the playoffs.
3. Less time for Farmar, cause he sucks.
4. Bynum to grow a pair and start playing like a angry black man (see Charles Oakley).
5. If we havent forgot I would love to see a pick and roll from time to time.

[b shaw20]

1- A trade to get Radmanovic off the team. After watching the last couple games, he just doesn't care about this team. He cares about his own success, and that's it.

2- For our guards to learn how to throw a re-entry pass into the bigs, so Andrew and Pau can do what they're capable of.

3- Kobe to continue with the alterations to his shot that is making him shoot around 48% from the field. Especially over 50% the last couple weeks.

4- Lamar to get healthy and become aggressive. Take charge and leadership of the Bench Mob. Drive to the rack, finish with authority.

+1 Tylers,

Especially on point 2, but I am convinced that our guards (fish, jfar, sash) are incapable of doing this.

Fish - not a savvy passer and his height prevents clean looks into the post. 80% of the time he opts for the easier pass, swinging the ball back. This kills drew when he is open and in good position. Frustrates the crap out of me and I can imagine drew.

Jfar - a tad better than fish, but not much. Size issue and he often opts to go bye his man a/ dribble penetration.

Sash- too impatient and is programmed to launch when given an inch.


I'd like for the team to know their roles and play within themselves (eg fish thinking he can create his own shot or appoint himself as a scorer for this team), LO jumshots a no no, etc.

Kobe, Gas, Bynum hiarchy then everyone else in terms of scoring.

Consertive effort on D vs good teams too. I don't think it's asking too much.

[TonyMontana]

I think we can all agree on here that everybody wants Bynum to step up his game.
We need this kid if were going to make a run in the playoff as well as the finals.
I mean what happen to all the hype he made with his video of him training and practicing while driving around to the bowling alley in his droptop 6 series?
Get your ass in gear Mang and quit B.S.
14 million for what your doing is a JOKE.

[TylersLakers]

I think we can all agree on here that everybody wants Bynum to step up his game.
We need this kid if were going to make a run in the playoff as well as the finals.
I mean what happen to all the hype he made with his video of him training and practicing while driving around to the bowling alley in his droptop 6 series?
Get your ass in gear Mang and quit B.S.
14 million for what your doing is a JOKE.

I feel you Tony, but I seriously don't think it's all his fault.

Yeah, he needs to make a more consistent effort. Consistent activity level. But at the same time? Our guards have to do a better job of giving him the ball when he's in good positions to score. The constant response to that is "well, his role is defense and rebounding." That's BS. Every player in this league wants to score especially when they work hard to get the ball on the offensive end.

Golden State was a start for the team. They finally got the ball into Drew for 12 shots, and he converted just like the Drew of last year. When you have 3-5 attempts a game.. let's face it. Sometimes you won't shoot over 50%.

So it's a team effort when it comes to the bigs. Tyson Chandler seemed like a bust in Chicago. He doesn't seem like much of a bust anymore now that he has guards that can get him the ball when he's in position.

And Andrew's an offensive player; No matter which way you slice it. He's got a real soft touch for a big man, and natural instincts for him are to score.

[TonyMontana]

I think we can all agree on here that everybody wants Bynum to step up his game.
We need this kid if were going to make a run in the playoff as well as the finals.
I mean what happen to all the hype he made with his video of him training and practicing while driving around to the bowling alley in his droptop 6 series?
Get your ass in gear Mang and quit B.S.
14 million for what your doing is a JOKE.

I feel you Tony, but I seriously don't think it's all his fault.

Yeah, he needs to make a more consistent effort. Consistent activity level. But at the same time? Our guards have to do a better job of giving him the ball when he's in good positions to score. The constant response to that is "well, his role is defense and rebounding." That's BS. Every player in this league wants to score especially when they work hard to get the ball on the offensive end.

Golden State was a start for the team. They finally got the ball into Drew for 12 shots, and he converted just like the Drew of last year. When you have 3-5 attempts a game.. let's face it. Sometimes you won't shoot over 50%.

So it's a team effort when it comes to the bigs. Tyson Chandler seemed like a bust in Chicago. He doesn't seem like much of a bust anymore now that he has guards that can get him the ball when he's in position.

And Andrew's an offensive player; No matter which way you slice it. He's got a real soft touch for a big man, and natural instincts for him are to score.

Then whos fault is it brah?

He is suppose to be the future of this team, we dumped a lot of money hoping that he would come through, he is young playing for a franchise that has a history of championships, he just recieved a phat contract, he is playing alongside of the best player in the league contending for a title.

If those arent good reasons for him to get his ass in gear and step up like he claimed he was worth his contract when him and his agent made him out to be then I dont know who else is there to blame, but him.

[Erik Eleven]

There's still a lot of room for improvement before this regular season is over. These are my top-3:


DEFENSIVELY:

1) If you don't absolutely have to funnel and trap, why not stop the guy yourself for once? I love the defense they play now (even if only for half games), but they double a bit too much for my taste. Weak side three is still too open, and that can allow teams to get back quickly, late in games. I'd like to see them shut that down better in crunch time.

2) Bynum and Gasol need to clean up our defensive glass. I mean clean up like they could if they were possessed about defensive rebounding like they should be. I want to see double figures from both of them in every game, rest of season. That's not too much to ask. Both of them are 7 feet tall and very long and athletic. Both of them have a 7 ft team mate helping them box out opposing bigs. The two of them should work on developing a rebounding-duo strategy and chemistry. A total of 25 boards per game for them should be expected from here on out, not looked upon as a surprise.

3) Mental discipline. Defend hard without fouling. No more stupid fouls as follows: late in the shot clock, on the wrong side of the court, on three point attempts. Let the shot clock help you play defense. And no more girly whining to the refs, please. It's a detriment to momentum as it builds ill will from the officials and the crowd and the team mates. Hear that, Sasha? It's a detriment to momentum and good vibes.



OFFENSIVELY:

1) Inside out, feed Bynum/Gasol in the low post — on every single half court possession. The double team will come, just make sure to spot up for the kick-back. It beats me why they can't do this. Is this why Phil played four guards with Bynum on the floor against GSW the other day? To force them to feed Bynum? Guards must slow down the pace after turnovers to let Pau and Bynum set up deep down low. Bynum must run much harder and set up better position earlier.

2) Improve off the ball movement, create for easier passes, select the easiest pass at all times, get in better collective rhythm by swinging the ball around even more. Handle the ball safely and wait for the moment to strike. Inside out is the easiest way to do all of that.

3) Control the tempo. That is best done by not turning it over. Inside out. Simple passes, see above.



If I were Phil, I'd stress these things really hard. I'd probably even come up with a penalty system: give each player an allowance of mistakes in their respective individual area of weakness. If they surpassed their allowance in the last game, next practice they're wearing a tutu.



Seriously though, I think it's looking good despite the injuries. The thing is that this team hasn't even played close to its best yet. Not for more than short stretches anyway. I'd like to see them build on this and just make small improvements in every game. Game by game until the playoffs.

Bynum can and will come around all of a sudden. I'm still not worried about him not finding his form yet. I have a feeling the nickel will fall down very soon and when it does, watch out. Bynum and Gasol will be talked about as a two headed beast, it won't be "just" Gasol anymore. It will be the big three, not the big two.