# Brown's Commitment to Starting Blake



## Ron (May 8, 2002)

I am less impressed with coach from day to day...up until tonight's game, people are saying nice things about Brown, and I am generally a supporter...

...but his statement that he is going to continue to start Blake over Sessions for 5 to 10 games or maybe the rest of the season is befuddling to me.

Since the Sessions trade, Blake has a grand total of *ZERO* points in 56 minutes of play, and a -20 overall for both games. He's only taken 3 shots! (!)

I mean, why? Why not start Sessions? At least Sessions is aggressive and taking it to the basket...I see a need for a transition and for Sessions to learn the offense, but we can't continue to get *ZERO *production out of our starting 1 and stay atop the Pacific Division (even as badly as the Clippers are stumbling, that won't continue IMO).


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## ceejaynj (Oct 9, 2005)

Hopefully, Brown's decision will change once Sessions learns the system.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

there definitely is some logic to having blake as a starter to space the floor and let kobe and the post guys carry the load and then bring sessions in off the bench when more of a slashing and creative presence is needed.

though obviously if blake plays terrible like he has for the majority of his time with the lakers, might as well give more minutes to someone playing better than him.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

starting is immaterial - minutes distribution is the real issue


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

I don't mind it. Like rocketeer said the starting unit should be ball dominated by the big 3 so they mainly need shooters and defenders with the other two positions.

Last night the best the Lakers played was the start of the second and fourth quarters when the lineup was Sessions-Glock-Barnes-Murphy-Bynum. If Blake was in there instead of Sessions with his pentration and hitting Barnes on the break I doubt the Lakers would of played as well.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

Wait, what happened to all the Blake jockers telling me how valuable he was?

Start Glock. Sessions off the bench. Glock can also play a little backup 2 or else let Barnes get some minutes there. Heck why not let Ebanks or Eyenga get a few minutes? Wouldn't hurt to have some athletic ability on the wings now that we have Sessions.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

Wilt_The_Stilt said:


> Wait, what happened to all the Blake jockers telling me how valuable he was?
> 
> Start Glock. Sessions off the bench. Glock can also play a little backup 2 or else let Barnes get some minutes there. Heck why not let Ebanks or Eyenga get a few minutes? Wouldn't hurt to have some athletic ability on the wings now that we have Sessions.


Blake's value was in how much of an improvement he was over Fisher - Blake is fine in his current position as a guy who gets the ball up the court and initiates the offense - if anything he's been too timid/passive in his two starts and needs to spot up more and look to penetrate more

Glock is not a point guard - do you know the difference between a point guard and an off guard? do you know how a pick and roll works? do you understand how a point guard facilitates an offense? Do you really think Glock can play that role? no he cant, he can hit a trey, if chased off the line he's got that floater - that's it right now, he is just not a point guard and we dont play the triangle any more


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

e-monk said:


> Blake's value was in how much of an improvement he was over Fisher - Blake is fine in his current position as a guy who gets the ball up the court and initiates the offense - if anything he's been too timid/passive in his two starts and needs to spot up more and look to penetrate more
> 
> Glock is not a point guard - do you know the difference between a point guard and an off guard? do you know how a pick and roll works? do you understand how a point guard facilitates an offense? Do you really think Glock can play that role? no he cant, he can hit a trey, if chased off the line he's got that floater - that's it right now, he is just not a point guard and we dont play the triangle any more


Blake's value was overstated by people who tried to point to our record without him. Ignoring the fact that most of those losses were games we would have lost with him as well. Do you really expect us to beat Orlando and Miami in back to back road games?

And what exactly makes Blake a point guard? He brings the ball up and passes to Kobe or the bigs? He is not a threat to penetrate and he is not a threat on the pick and roll because he can't get to the basket and his outside shot has left him. 

It's ironic that you point to Glock as some kind of triangle point guard when that's what the Lakers brought in Blake to run. He is nothing more than a spot up shooter who can't shoot anymore. Goudelock is shooting it better and is more capable of attacking the basket and playing with an aggressive mindset. 

Goudelock can do whatever it is you think makes Blake so valuable.


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## Luke (Dec 7, 2008)

rocketeer said:


> there definitely is some logic to having blake as a starter to space the floor and let kobe and the post guys carry the load and then bring sessions in off the bench when more of a slashing and creative presence is needed.
> 
> though obviously if blake plays terrible like he has for the majority of his time with the lakers, might as well give more minutes to someone playing better than him.


Summed it up perfectly.


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## Marcus13 (Jul 17, 2002)

Short season to blame again!

Might be a little of a scapegoat, but with games so close togehter, teams are getting very few practices in so for Sessions to come in at this point in the season and play the most difficult position on the floor (although probably a little easier playing next to Kobe) I don't think 5-10 games is too much.


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

Its pissing me off I want the starting guys to have synergy with Sessions as starter not ****ing Blake. I think it does matter the starters really need to gain a familiarity with the starting unit. There is no solid rationale to keep Blake as starter. He's far to scared to make his own decisions about where the ball should go Kobe basically tells him what to do with the ball every time down the floor. 

Sessions plays alot more off feel his penetration with the 1st unit allows the bigs to get offesive rebounds it compresses the defense and can get guys better looks. With Blake the offense gets alittle stagnant alot more catching and holding the defense can sort of space out our shooters. 

Blake is fine off the bench he can look for nhis shot more and if he finds a groove he can say with the starters for awhile. But he doesn't look for his shot that much with the starters. And we need his shot from outside.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

If Sessions is getting 30+ minutes a night (and he should) then it wont matter whether he starts - last night he only played 22 minutes - that's got to change but involving him in the bench rotation in some fashion makes a lot of sense since he can create for himself which is a rare commodity on this team - in his first two games the bench has been more productive than it's been all season and that's not an accident


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## Luke (Dec 7, 2008)

If in ten games Sessions isn't playing 30+ every single night then we've got a problem. 

But it's a lockout season with limited practices guys, we're 5-1 over our last six. Brown is obviously doing something right and if he thinks that Blake should start for a minute then whatever. Sessions will be there when it matters.


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## Ron (May 8, 2002)

e-monk said:


> If Sessions is getting 30+ minutes a night (and he should) then it wont matter whether he starts - last night he only played 22 minutes - that's got to change but involving him in the bench rotation in some fashion makes a lot of sense since he can create for himself which is a rare commodity on this team - in his first two games the bench has been more productive than it's been all season and that's not an accident


Unless it isn't working with Blake as a starter and the Lakers get in a hole in the first quarter...do you really want the Lakers have to chase a team all game long?


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

well two games in and so far it's been ok - or at least it would have been if Kobe wasnt shooting 3 for 20 - if Kobe's going to do that it wont matter who your starting pg is you are going to be chasing

I think the right thing is maybe Blake for the first 6 minutes of each half then sessions into the game for the rest of the quarter and a few minutes into the next - then when you bring your starters back let sessions get a breather and then bring him back to finish the half/game

the one thing I'd like to see from Blake is a little more aggression - he's taken 3 shots in the last 2 games


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## Ron (May 8, 2002)

e-monk said:


> well two games in and so far it's been ok - or at least it would have been if Kobe wasnt shooting 3 for 20 - if Kobe's going to do that it wont matter who your starting pg is you are going to be chasing
> 
> I think the right thing is maybe Blake for the first 6 minutes of each half then sessions into the game for the rest of the quarter and a few minutes into the next - then when you bring your starters back let sessions get a breather and then bring him back to finish the half/game
> 
> the one thing I'd like to see from Blake is a little more aggression - he's taken 3 shots in the last 2 games


That was the problem on Friday, I checked the time carefully since I was at the game and Sessions didn't get into the 1st or the 3rd until the 3:30 mark (about the same for both periods), it really bothered me Blake was allowed to stay in for so long and be a non-factor.

We'll see how this goes but it would be nice (IMO) to have Sessions start and run the offense through Bynum in the center and get him started right away.

Kobe had a horrid night at 3 for 20 and none has been worse but he has been having poor shooting nights more consistently than ever before...6 for 20, 5 for 18, that kind of thing and its only going to get worse as he continues to take very difficult jumpers, spin-around jumpers, etc.

We really need our offense to go through Bynum and then if he can learn to consistently kick it back out to scorers on the perimeter or to Gasol at the mid-elbow I believe our offense would be more fluid.


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

Ron said:


> That was the problem on Friday, I checked the time carefully since I was at the game and Sessions didn't get into the 1st or the 3rd until the 3:30 mark (about the same for both periods), it really bothered me Blake was allowed to stay in for so long and be a non-factor.
> 
> We'll see how this goes but it would be nice (IMO) to have Sessions start and run the offense through Bynum in the center and get him started right away.
> 
> ...


Kobe took good shots last night he just missed them those other nights he toiok some really bad shots last night he played within the offense he just missed point blak shots in the lane things like that. 

The offense ran through Bynum for large chunks and he turned it over too much.He has to realize that he doesn't have to shoot it every time he gets it on the block that he has to kick it out quick and repost. He got it a bunch held it then the double just jamed him up. 

fga's don't tell the story of touches.

He's not ready to have the offense run through him yet. Once he gets better at the double teaming then he will be ready.


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

e-monk said:


> If Sessions is getting 30+ minutes a night (and he should) then it wont matter whether he starts - last night he only played 22 minutes - that's got to change but involving him in the bench rotation in some fashion makes a lot of sense since he can create for himself which is a rare commodity on this team - in his first two games the bench has been more productive than it's been all season and that's not an accident


Blake shot 2 times against the Wolves and 1 time last night he's playing worse than Fisher is. Thats not starter quality play he plays very timid with the starters he is a shot maker but he doesn't play naturally with Kobe he allows Kobe to direct him too much. 

Sessions has that cockiness that confidence even on a bad shooting night he generated 10 pts thats starter stuff. 

Sessions will blow into the lane and create stuff we need that agressiveness for 35+ minutes, 

The defense is only gonna tighten around our Big 3 if we don't make the move soon.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

It really doesnt matter because if he's playing 30+ minutes he'll be in with both the bench and long stretches with the starters - the value of him playing with the bench is that shot makers like Pau and Kobe might get a little more rest - his ability to create is just as valuable and maybe more so when he's playing with the second unit - but you're rightabout Blake, he cant be as passive as he's been these first two games


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

I just think Sessions would help the starters moreso than the back ups. It'll make our starters even more effective than they already are. 

Our bench plays better at home not sure I can draw any conclusion on what our back ups are with Sessions yet the road games will determine that.

But with all the attention our Big 3 draws I can see Sessions just getting ion the lane and wreaking Havoc to start games with his penetration.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

jazzy1 said:


> Blake shot 2 times against the Wolves and 1 time last night he's playing worse than Fisher is. Thats not starter quality play he plays very timid with the starters he is a shot maker but he doesn't play naturally with Kobe he allows Kobe to direct him too much.
> 
> Sessions has that cockiness that confidence even on a bad shooting night he generated 10 pts thats starter stuff.
> 
> ...


I didn't consider this. Maybe Blake isn't being agressive because he feels need to take a complete back seat to the Big 3. Problem is he isn't even coming along for the ride.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

Seems to me like Blake is playing to not make mistake vs being aggressive. He's probably playing that way because he knows Sessions is right there. Which is probably why Brown made those statements. Brown should just start Sessions to solidify the rotations. That way Blake knows where he stands and he can relax out there on the floor.


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

Sessions is the better player. We want him to be our primary PG. We want him to close out games. Sessions should be the starter.

That said, I understand that Brown wants to give him a little while to get comfortable with the new team. I think that he should be practicing the position he will eventually be player, starting PG.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

elcap15 said:


> Sessions is the better player. We want him to be our primary PG. We want him to close out games. Sessions should be the starter.
> 
> That said, I understand that Brown wants to give him a little while to get comfortable with the new team. I think that he should be practicing the position he will eventually be player, starting PG.


so how about this (eventually) - he starts but plays the entire first quarter including the 3 or 4 minutes at the end of the quarter when brown rotates and then he sits out the first 4 to 6 minutes of the 2nd quarter? that way you have the best of both worlds


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## Laker Freak (Jul 1, 2003)

For those of you saying you want Blake to start but guess less minutes than Sessions, that's not how the NBA works. Starters will always play the bulk of the minutes and you rarely see guys who play 30+ minutes of the bench. Even Odom only played 28 MPG last year when Gasol and Bynum were both healthy, and he was the 6th man of the year.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

bull shit, that's 100% up to the coach to control in his rotations - Jason Terry has averaged more than 30 minutes a game for the last 5 years and Odom actually averaged 32 mpg last season and and 31 mpg the season before that, Harden is averaging 32 mpg this season

formulations such as 'that's not the way the nba works' are a sure sign that some one is about to unload a truck full of bull


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

bottom line for me get Sessions in the starting line up. Lets create an identity with him as our big minues starter and move forward. Blake is not the answer he adds nothing by starting. He's best as a limited time back up player get with Murphy and crew get aggressive looking for his shot help bust games open with his and Murphy's 3 pt shooting. 

But get his tenative play out of that starting line up.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Sessions needs to start and get chemistry down with the other starters from the beginning of the game, not mid-way through it.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

e-monk said:


> bull shit, that's 100% up to the coach to control in his rotations - Jason Terry has averaged more than 30 minutes a game for the last 5 years and Odom actually averaged 32 mpg last season and and 31 mpg the season before that, Harden is averaging 32 mpg this season
> 
> formulations such as 'that's not the way the nba works' are a sure sign that some one is about to unload a truck full of bull


What Terry, Harden and Odom have in common is that they can play multiple positions... Sessions can't. Though I'm not fully against having Blake as the backup 2 guard in the second half of games.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

Laker Freak said:


> For those of you saying you want Blake to start but guess less minutes than Sessions, that's not how the NBA works. Starters will always play the bulk of the minutes and you rarely see guys who play 30+ minutes of the bench. Even Odom only played 28 MPG last year when Gasol and Bynum were both healthy, and he was the 6th man of the year.


you're wrong. it's actually pretty common for an nba team to have a bench player who plays more minutes than the starter. i remember a couple years back when portland fans were all getting pissed that blake was starting over andre miller, i kept having to point out that starting didn't matter, playing the most did. and at that time, half of the playoff teams in the league had a 6th man who played more than one or more starters.

just looking at the western conference teams over .500, you've got the thunder(harden), clippers(mo williams), grizzlies(mayo), mavs(terry), and the rockets(courtney lee) with a bench player playing more minutes than at least one starter. that's 5 out of the 10 and would likely be 6 had manu stayed healthy.


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## Laker Freak (Jul 1, 2003)

rocketeer said:


> you're wrong. it's actually pretty common for an nba team to have a bench player who plays more minutes than the starter. i remember a couple years back when portland fans were all getting pissed that blake was starting over andre miller, i kept having to point out that starting didn't matter, playing the most did. and at that time, half of the playoff teams in the league had a 6th man who played more than one or more starters.
> 
> just looking at the western conference teams over .500, you've got the thunder(harden), clippers(mo williams), grizzlies(mayo), mavs(terry), and the rockets(courtney lee) with a bench player playing more minutes than at least one starter. that's 5 out of the 10 and would likely be 6 had manu stayed healthy.


How many of those guys play over 30 MPG when the starter is healthy? And as Jemel mentioned, most guys who play heavy minutes off the bench play multiple positions (which Sessions doesn't do)


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## Wilmatic2 (Oct 30, 2005)

I agree, Sessions needs to start eventually this season. Watching Blake commit some of those turnovers against Utah was a sight for sore eyes.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

Laker Freak said:


> How many of those guys play over 30 MPG when the starter is healthy? And as Jemel mentioned, most guys who play heavy minutes off the bench play multiple positions (which Sessions doesn't do)


of the players i mentioned, none of their minutes are effected by injuries to the starter.

the bench player being able to play multiple positions is irrelevant as long as someone in the rotation can play multiple spots. in the specific case of the lakers and sessions, it doesn't matter at all as you want sessions to be playing 30+ minutes at the pg spot with blake(or whoever can beat him out in the spot up shooter role) playing whatever is left over.


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## ii9ce (Feb 1, 2005)

After watching the Rocket (Blake was timid and turned the ball over countless times) and last night's Mav game, Sessions should start. Blake's lack of confidence gave exactly that to the Rocket guards..they knew if they trapped hard and challenged passes they would get steals and easy baskets. 

I dont know how many of your guys watched the Rockets game but Blake killed us in the 2nd & 3rd qtr. 

How is wish we kept Shannon Brown.


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## Game3525 (Aug 14, 2008)

Blake starting makes zero sense IMO.

He has always been better suited coming off the bench, he is the prototypical backup point guard.


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

I would like to see Sessions play 35 min a night, and close out games. Ive come to realize that if that happens, I dont care who starts.

Im starting to think the best time to rest Sessions is when Kobe is on the court, and the best time to rest Kobe is while Sessions is on the court.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

elcap15 said:


> I would like to see Sessions play 35 min a night, and close out games. Ive come to realize that if that happens, I dont care who starts.
> 
> Im starting to think the best time to rest Sessions is when Kobe is on the court, and the best time to rest Kobe is while Sessions is on the court.


Sessions was gonna win that game for us in HOU....until Kobe came in and s-l-o-w-e-d e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g d-o-w-n


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## Game3525 (Aug 14, 2008)

elcap15 said:


> I would like to see Sessions play 35 min a night, and close out games. Ive come to realize that if that happens, I dont care who starts.
> 
> Im starting to think the best time to rest Sessions is when Kobe is on the court, and the best time to rest Kobe is while Sessions is on the court.


They actually should be playing together.

Kobe's shot selection and efficiency is much better with Sessions on the floor, he doesn't have to facilitate and can just worry about getting to his spots.

http://nba-point-forward.si.com/2012/03/22/ramon-sessions-has-immediate-impact-with-lakers/


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

if he's playing 35 minutes a game they will be on the floor together regardless

but if/when Kobe goes hero like he did against the Rockets it wont matter if he's even in the same building let alone on the floor


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## elcap15 (Aug 8, 2006)

Obviously they should be playing together! How did that get misinterpreted? What I am saying is, we should have at least one of them on the court at all times. This would be harder to do if Sessions starts.


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

Kobe going HERO a stupid term but him doing so didn't cost us the Rockets game our defense did. Sessions admitted to not knowing what we wanted to do down the stretch so I'm pretty sure that contributed to Kobe doing what he attmepted to do. we were one stop from winning which is funny on a play well Sessions got broke down defensively. Kobe had hit 2 prior clutch jumpers. 

Sessions wasn't gonna take over a game with Kobe on the floor late when he doesn't even know what sets we are running. 

I doubt Sessions ever takes over late Kobe and the Big 3 are gonna be the ones most likely deciding games. Sessions makes the game easier for Kobe he can get us easier baskets in transition but most importantly Sessions can score. We need his scoring.


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

elcap15 said:


> Obviously they should be playing together! How did that get misinterpreted? What I am saying is, *we should have at least one of them on the court at all times. This would be harder to do if Sessions starts*[.


that - plus mr bean has it in his make-up to take Sessions (and everyone else in the vicinty) out of the game when he takes it on himself to play the hero


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

jazzy1 said:


> Kobe going HERO a stupid term but him doing so didn't cost us the Rockets game our defense did. .


letting them score 107 points was bad but do you want to see the possessions break down to start the 4th and open a lead

"At the start of the 4th quarter, Mike Brown handed the keys to the Lakers offense to Ramon Sessions in earnest, and Ramon took her out for a test drive that would put him in pole position for the Indy 500. Running a steady and consistent dose of high pick and roll, here are the first nine possessions of the Lakers' fourth quarter:

•Ramon Sessions layup
•Metta World Peace step back foot-on-the-line two pointer (It's funny cuz its true)•Troy Murphy tip in 
•Ramon Sessions misses 9 foot jumper
•Troy Murphy 3 pointer (Ramon Sessions assists)
•Ramon Sessions layup
•Pau Gasol gets free throws (on a Sessions pass)
•Ramon Sessions makes 20 foot jumper
•Pau Gasol layup (Sessions assists)

That's 16 points on 9 possessions. After that, the Lakers inexplicably went away from the same play which had been successful 7 OUT OF 8 TIMES in favor of another step back three from Artest (which missed badly) and a contested 18 footed from Pau Gasol (which went in). Then, Kobe Bryant checked back into the game, and Ramon Sessions' name is not mentioned again in the box score for the rest of the game..."

http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2012/3/20/2889059/lakers-104-rockets-107


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

e-monk said:


> letting them score 107 points was bad but do you want to see the possessions break down to start the 4th and open a lead
> 
> "At the start of the 4th quarter, Mike Brown handed the keys to the Lakers offense to Ramon Sessions in earnest, and Ramon took her out for a test drive that would put him in pole position for the Indy 500. Running a steady and consistent dose of high pick and roll, here are the first nine possessions of the Lakers' fourth quarter:
> 
> ...


again that was before the end of the game how are we supposed to believe Sessions was gonna continue to do that again we gave up 107.

If Sessions is not broken down off the dribble by Lee which contracted the defense then draic doesn't hit that 3 and we have the ball to end the game with Kobe who had just hit the 2 previous clutch jumpers. 

Sessions will not be carrying the team down the stretch of games that will be Kobe. He's the guy at that time. 

If our defense is solid we'd have won the game we let the Rockets go on a 24-9 run to close the game thats inexcusable. 

Sessions said he wasn't sure what our sets were to close the game he was unsure of himself.


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