Say this Once: Relax

[Gervin]

Quit Panicking, Relax, its the Lakers, we are still contenders...it'll be ok

that is all

[KB24Gold]

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1078754

[DEEP3CL]

Ahh sorry to burst ya bubble........but no we're not. Our play is indicative of that.

[Slava]

Gervin!!

[slifersd]

We will get better, that's for sure, we have the personnel for it. But this team has some serious serious issues that needs to be fixed before we can talk about championship again. If we ignore that, then we will be very disappionted come next summer.

[TruSkool]

i did really think we were 'ok' after the miserable milwaukee and miami losses, but the failure to regroup for san antonio is putting doubts in my mind

[Gervin]

Slav wasup

This "slump" is just another story that will be looked back upon on another championship run

[blix]

Ahh sorry to burst ya bubble........but no we're not. Our play is indicative of that.

Not really, all it indicates is that we're not playing good basketball right now. Blame falls on everyone top to bottom, but it hardly means we won't be there in the end.

You've been a Laker fan forever, as have I. It seems like every single year there are stretches that make me want to pull out whatever remaining hair I have left. But when it starts to mean something (ie playoffs) they'll get it figured out. Mentally and physically there are teams built for the regular season and teams built for the postseason - you're fully aware of what LA is built for without me telling you.

Is it frustrating? Of course it is. And I for one was hoping that last night was going to be a 'send a message' kinda game. It didn't turn out that way. Frustrating, yes. A sign that they're not built to win it all? Not in my opinion. One of the most challenging things about repeating, much less threepeating, is acting like every game means something. Especially when as a player you know damn well that it doesn't. Simply taking the last 2 games into account - the Spurs and Heat have much more to prove and play for right now than LA does. Much more. For Miami they're working out their roster, building continuity and confidence, etc. The Spurs are trying to remind everyone that they're not done yet. Combine that element of urgency with a lackadaisical Laker team in December and this is the result you get.

82 games is a long time, I trust they'll get it figured out eventually.

The main problem right now is Kobe with his 'I can put this team on my back' mentality. He isn't capable of that, and more importantly, he needs to stop thinking that he has to. I believe we are undefeated this year in games where he shoots the ball 20 times or fewer. Undefeated. Are there other factors that play into that? Of course, but that is a very telling statistic. You have to take the bad with the good in regards to Bryant, but when his shot isn't falling he needs to trust the guys around him. Not so much when you're surrounded by guys named Smush and Kwame, but his supporting cast is light years ahead of where they were 5 years ago. When he starts going iso against opponents it is bad on so many levels - he's usually not scoring, it wears him out on defense, it takes his teammates out of the game, and maybe most importantly, it makes LA predictable.

So ultimately it boils down to this - there's probably several things going on right now:

A) Everyone always wants to beat LA
B) As long as they're at or near the top of the playoff picture they really don't care until March
C) Kobe thinks that by acting hardcore he can make them care - that translates into him taking too many bad shots
D) Phil uses the regular season to see what he's going to do in the post season

I honestly think it's as simple as that. This is the same team that looked unbeatable out of the gate, and a better team than the one that just won B2B rings.

Frustrating but expected. And as the OP said, everyone should probably relax.

[H00PDREAMS]

This one dedicated to all the band wagoners and those Laker fans of little faith. Shout out to all my Laker Fans out in the UK this ones especially for you!!!

PANIC!!!!
Panic on the streets of London
Panic on the streets of Birmingham
I wonder to myself
Could life ever be sane again ?
The Leeds side-streets that you slip down
I wonder to myself
Hopes may rise on the Grasmere
But Honey Pie, you're not safe here
So you run down
To the safety of the town
But there's Panic on the streets of Carlisle
Dublin, Dundee, Humberside
I wonder to myself

Burn down the disco
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music that they constantly play
IT SAYS NOTHING TO ME ABOUT MY LIFE
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music they constantly play


On the Leeds side-streets that you slip down
Provincial towns you jog 'round
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ

[stunnar0b]

good post blix

[H00PDREAMS]

[Kalidogg24]

HoopDreams that is a Morrissey track right? LoL






As for Gervin and D3's comments, I agree with both of you guys if that is even possible. LoL

Deep's comments are right.
If we don't address our issues soon were not gonna win anything in the playoffs.
It's all about our intensity and drive right now. Teams know were down and out as of lately and they all would like to add to their resume kicking the defending champs in the ribs while were laying on the ground.

As for Gervin's comment , he's right as well. :D
Mentioning Complacency about this team is getting tired.
We had plenty of rest before we played the Heat and Spurs. So fatigue is not an excuse.
There just flat out not bringing their "A" games to the table as of lately. Other teams are just wanting it much more and the Lakers are playing it off like ,
"Ahhh, it don't matter we will turn it up later. " SMH
On Cruise Control right now and horrible to watch but it's definitely not the end of the world for our Back to Back Champs.

I hate to bring up the Lakers/Bulls comparisons up again but here it is.

First 31 Games into the season going for the 3-Peat
(All Coached by Phil Jackson)

93' Bulls
22-9

98' Bulls
21-10

2011 Lakers
21-10

[Slava]

2002 Lakers

25 - 6

I'll also look to see if there were any injuries on those Bulls teams at that time.

[Kalidogg24]

Yeah Slava ,
25-6 is actually a good record for a team going for the three peat in the first 31 games of the season.

Not a great comparison to justify my point.

[blix]

complacency and fatigue aren't the same thing. complacency is closer to being bored than tired.

[Jase]

This is about the most frustrated I've been with the Lakers for years. You can just feel the tension on the team. You can feel everyone tip-toe around Kobe as to not piss him off. There is no effing way Pau should only have two shots in the second half. I don't doubt for a bit that we'll pick it up, get some confidence, and start running the show again, but this is getting ridiculous.

[H00PDREAMS]

Serrious PAU needs to stop passin Lamar and Kobe the ball.. And go to the fugn hole! Sorry kids!

[kobeaki]

This one dedicated to all the band wagoners and those Laker fans of little faith. Shout out to all my Laker Fans out in the UK this ones especially for you!!!

PANIC!!!!
Panic on the streets of London
Panic on the streets of Birmingham
I wonder to myself
Could life ever be sane again ?
The Leeds side-streets that you slip down
I wonder to myself
Hopes may rise on the Grasmere
But Honey Pie, you're not safe here
So you run down
To the safety of the town
But there's Panic on the streets of Carlisle
Dublin, Dundee, Humberside
I wonder to myself

Burn down the disco
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music that they constantly play
IT SAYS NOTHING TO ME ABOUT MY LIFE
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music they constantly play


On the Leeds side-streets that you slip down
Provincial towns you jog 'round
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ

wow, i wouldve never pegged you as a smiths/morrisey fan...

[kobesmyhomie]

I hate to bring up the Lakers/Bulls comparisons up again but here it is.

First 31 Games into the season going for the 3-Peat
(All Coached by Phil Jackson)

93' Bulls
22-9

98' Bulls
21-10

2011 Lakers
21-10

Even though I don't like the way we're playing, this makes me feel a lot better. I always look at what's happened in the past because history does tend to repeat itself.

[LA Forever]

For all the people concerned about the Laker's chances this year, check this out. These are all of Phil Jackson's championship years. The third year of each 3-peat were by far the hardest, and each one required at least one series in which his team did not have home-court advantage. I did not research these stats by myself. I saw this in the General Board.

bolded = without home court

1991
Won Eastern Conference First Round vs. New York Knicks, 3–0
Won Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 4–1
Won Eastern Conference Finals vs. Detroit Pistons, 4–0
Won NBA Finals vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 4–1

1992
Won Eastern Conference First Round vs. Miami Heat, 3–0
Won Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. New York Knicks, 4–3
Won Eastern Conference Finals vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 4–2
Won NBA Finals vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 4–2

1993
Won Eastern Conference First Round vs. Atlanta Hawks, 3–0
Won Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 4–0
Won Eastern Conference Finals, vs. New York Knicks, 4–2
Won NBA Finals vs. Phoenix Suns, 4–2

1996
Won Eastern Conference First Round vs. Miami Heat, 3–0
Won Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. New York Knicks, 4–1
Won Eastern Conference Finals vs. Orlando Magic, 4–0
Won NBA Finals vs. Seattle SuperSonics, 4–2

1997
Won Eastern Conference First Round vs. Washington Bullets, 3–0
Won Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. Atlanta Hawks, 4–1
Won Eastern Conference Finals vs. Miami Heat, 4–1
Won NBA Finals vs. Utah Jazz, 4–2

1998
Won Eastern Conference First Round vs. New Jersey, 3–0
Won Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. Charlotte Hornets, 4–1
Won Eastern Conference Finals vs. Indiana Pacers, 4–3
Won NBA Finals vs Utah Jazz, 4–2

2000
Won Western Conference First Round vs. Sacramento Kings, 3–2
Won Western Conference Semifinals vs. Phoenix Suns, 4–1
Won Western Conference Finals vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 4–3
Won NBA Finals vs. Indiana Pacers, 4–2

2001
Won Western Conference First Round vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 3–0
Won Western Conference Semifinals vs. Sacramento Kings, 4–0
Won Western Conference Finals vs. San Antonio Spurs, 4–0
Won NBA Finals vs. Philadelphia 76ers, 4–1

2002
Won Western Conference First Round vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 3–0
Won Western Conference Semifinals vs. San Antonio Spurs, 4–1
Won Western Conference Finals vs. Sacramento Kings, 4–3
Won NBA Finals vs. New Jersey Nets, 4–0

2009
Won Western Conference First Round vs. Utah Jazz, 4–1
Won Western Conference Semifinals vs. Houston Rockets, 4–3
Won Western Conference Finals vs. Denver Nuggets, 4–2
Won NBA Finals vs. Orlando Magic, 4–1

2010
Won Western Conference First Round vs. Oklahoma City Thunder, 4–2
Won Western Conference Semifinals vs. Utah Jazz, 4–0
Won Western Conference Finals vs. Phoenix Suns, 4–2
Won NBA Finals vs. Boston Celtics, 4–3