Role Reversal Helps Lakers Win

That Nicka · Post #1 » by **That Nicka** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:54 pm

Role reversal helps Lakers to win
Having Luke Walton come off the bench and Trevor Ariza start pays dividends
against Houston.
By Broderick Turner

9:01 AM PDT, March 12, 2009

Reporting from Houston - On the flight from Portland, Ore., to Houston on
Tuesday, Luke Walton saddled up to Lakers Coach Phil Jackson and made a
suggestion that few probably would have.

Walton had noticed how the second unit had been struggling, had been called out
as a selfish group by Jackson, had been hanging its head.

So Walton suggested a change, suggested that he go from starting to the bench
and that Trevor Ariza become the starting small forward instead.

Jackson mulled it over and made the decision to start Ariza and bring Walton off
the bench, which paid dividends for both players and the Lakers during their
102-96 victory over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night at the Toyota Center.

"I came to him with the idea that it might help the team more if I was playing
with the second unit and was able to facilitate some stuff," Walton said. "He
said he had been thinking about it himself and that it was a good idea and that
he would think about it and let me know. And today, he let me know." The Lakers
got a combined 16 points on seven-for-14 shooting by Ariza and Walton. They
contributed 11 rebounds and five assists.

Walton's idea was to help the bench facilitate the offense more, to get better
movement.

He said the first unit has play-makers in Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom.

"I thought it was a good idea," Jackson said.

Ariza, who had eight points, six rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes, had
been opposed to starting, but he relented.

Jackson was asked if Ariza had to be persuaded to start.

"No," Jackson said, smiling.

Jackson then was reminded that he and Ariza had made a pact in which he would
come off the bench. "Yes, we broke the pact," Jackson said. "It's kind of like
Hitler's [pact] with Russia." Jackson laughed, as did the media, knowing that it
would send people looking for the meaning. On Aug. 23, 1939, Russia and Germany
signed a "non-aggression pact." Jackson said the change worked out "OK."

"It was all right. I don't think they're quite used to the role they are in. But
I think it was OK." Jackson said the team will stick with Ariza starting and
Walton, who had eight points, five rebounds and two assists, coming off the
bench for tonight's game at San Antonio and for the foreseeable future.

Ariza said he'll do whatever it takes to help the team win, even it that means
starting.

"It's fine with me," Ariza said. "Earlier in the season when I was coming off
the bench, I was bringing a little more to the game, changing the pace of the
game. Maybe now that things have kind of slowed down for the bench, a new look
wouldn't be a bad idea. With Luke coming off and playing the way he played, it
can help us out a little bit." Walton played all 12 minutes in the fourth
quarter, something he has rarely done in the past.

He scored four points.

"I was just trying to do my job," Walton said. "It was a good win for us."

broderick.turner@latimes.com

miggs · Post #2 » by **miggs** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:12 pm

That Nicka wrote:"It was all right. I don't think they're quite used to the role they are in. But
I think it was OK." Jackson said the team will stick with Ariza starting and
Walton, who had eight points, five rebounds and two assists, coming off the
bench for tonight's game at San Antonio and for the foreseeable future.

Now i agree, signing Posey would've been a nice addition, HOWEVER, now Ariza being seen as the starting SF perhaps he'll be able to emerge as that wing we've needed badly in the starting unit. I think it'll help Ariza's offensive game by giving him easier looks and more of an opportunity to cut like he likes to do. I hope he stops saggin off his man as much tho, he's been pretty solid, played nice yesterday. Hoping for a nice game for him again tonight, it'll be a great matchup and measuring stick.

TonyMontana · Post #3 » by **TonyMontana** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:17 pm

Im cool with our enforcers.............. Lamar, Ariza, Powell.

miggs · Post #4 » by **miggs** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:27 pm

TonyMontana wrote:Im cool with our enforcers.............. Lamar, Ariza, Powell.

I agree. I just think the Posey signing would've been nice but Ariza came back from last summer with a decent shot so i'm hoping he develops that, i love Ariza's D! :evil:

Dr Aki · Post #5 » by **Dr Aki** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:44 pm

http://my.lakers.com/blogs/2009/03/11/ariza-to-continue-starting/

Prior to L.A.’s win against Houston, Luke Walton approached head coach Phil Jackson with an idea: why not see if L.A.’s flow worked better with Trevor Ariza starting and Walton coming off the bench?

Jackson concurred, and both players were effective in L.A.’s 102-96 win. Ariza scored eight points with six boards, three assists and two steals in 29 minutes, while Walton logged eight points alongside five boards and two assists in 23 minutes.

Jackson said the team would stick with that lineup for the foreseeable future.

Ariza had protested a starting role earlier in the season, but apparently changed his tune when the bench wasn’t producing much in the last few weeks. After the Houston win, Ariza said that “It’s cool” for him to continue starting, as long as it’s helping the team.

KB20 · Post #6 » by **KB20** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 11:09 pm

He has an ugly contract and sometimes pi$$es me off immensely on the basketball court, but Luke is one smart guy.

That Nicka · Post #7 » by **That Nicka** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:52 am

Luke is the ish... I like this move, Ariza has been very active in the starting 5... Luke will also help Bynum when he comes back with the 2nd unit... Farmar and Luke both have a chemistry with Bynum and always get him easy buckets...

Post #8 » by **dockingsched** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:04 am

luke with the bench is working out perfectly. putting the ball in luke's hands was a good thing when smush parker and kwame brown were out there. with pau and kobe, not such a good idea.

Dr Aki · Post #9 » by **Dr Aki** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:10 am

does anyone think that the two different units were balanced initially but when bynum went down, the bench mob lost a playmaker and the starting unit gained 1 too many?

the bench has been suffering since lamar went to the starting lineup giving them too many ball movers (fish, kobe, luke, lamar, pau) and turning the bench into iso-offense with only farmar creating?

could this be the reason ariza and sasha have had lesser impact because they can't do as much moving the ball opposed to "moving off-the-ball"?

Mamba Venom · Post #10 » by **Mamba Venom** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 8:15 am

If it was Ariza or Luke for 5.5 mil a year I 'd go w/ Ariza.

Its one or the other and newsflash there was a fire in Lakers clubhouse, Luke's contract almost went up in flames but Bill was there with a fire extinguisher to save the day.

He said of his heroics "Anything a father can do for his son, peace man throw it down"

dingclancy · Post #11 » by **dingclancy** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 10:46 am

When Bynum comes back Ariza goes to the bench with Odom.

That Nicka · Post #12 » by **That Nicka** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 12:07 pm

Akiho wrote:does anyone think that the two different units were balanced initially but when bynum went down, the bench mob lost a playmaker and the starting unit gained 1 too many?

the bench has been suffering since lamar went to the starting lineup giving them too many ball movers (fish, kobe, luke, lamar, pau) and turning the bench into iso-offense with only farmar creating?

could this be the reason ariza and sasha have had lesser impact because they can't do as much moving the ball opposed to "moving off-the-ball"?

Thats a good point... Hopefully Farmar/Sasha will do better with Luke in their lineup... as for the poster above me, I think Odom will start initially when Bynum first comes back... Bynum may get back into the starting 5 somewhere down the line, but Phil may also be hesitant to change the lineup during the playoffs... It also depends on if Bynum comes back tentative or playing well

hermes · Post #13 » by **hermes** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:33 pm

wiretap

"We talked about it a little bit," Ariza said of a talk with Jackson. "I told him that whatever it takes for our team to win, that's what I'm going to do. That's what I meant by it. It's not anything selfish. It's not anything for my own personal reasons. I'm just really about this team. I want to win.

"I feel we have everything, all the tools we need to win a championship."

DEEP3CL · Post #14 » by **DEEP3CL** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 3:09 pm

TEAM....................it's all about the TEAM.

lakersfanatic · Post #15 » by **lakersfanatic** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 4:19 pm

very adimrable for luke to have done that. Actually both of them. Everyone wants to be starters and both are for whatever that would better the team. I'm glad we have guys like these on our team. Even though people are complaining about luke, it's a smart player.... we just hate to see him dribble all the way to the basketball and then dish it out. lol.
But the D in ariza with the starters help allow the others to attack the basket more. Just sometimes he gambles too much.. i mean he gets his steals but he also allows the other team to get fast breaks... But if he can maintain his defensive mind in tack.. we should be set heading into the post season.... BYNUM.. where r u? hehe jk just come back strong and hungry for that championship!!