# Game 42: Los Angeles Lakers @ Chicago Bulls



## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Amazing fact, if the Lakers win this game they would have EQUALED the record they had last season at this point. 

Last year after 42 games the Lakers top four minutes contributors were Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Metta World Peace and Pau Gasol.

This year after 41 games its Jodie Meeks, Nick Young, Pau Gasol and Wesley Johnson.

Much props to pringles and a special shoutout to Meeks, Sacre, Young and Jordan Hill for being the only players not to get injured.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> Amazing fact, if the Lakers win this game they would have EQUALED the record they had last season at this point.
> 
> Last year after 42 games the Lakers top four minutes contributors were Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Metta World Peace and Pau Gasol.
> 
> ...


The Lakers are bad on offense (wich should be D'Antoni's forte) and one of the very worst defensive teams in the league.
So, yeah, props to pringles.:buddies:


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

PauloCatarino said:


> The Lakers are bad on offense (wich should be D'Antoni's forte) and one of the very worst defensive teams in the league.
> So, yeah, propos to pringles.:buddies:


So you blame him more for that then the fact that we're asking Meeks to run the point, Wesley Johnson to create offense and swagger nick to stop people?




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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> So you blame him more for that then the fact that we're asking Meeks to run the point, Wesley Johnson to create offense and swagger nick to stop people?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Going in, we all knew D'Antoni doesn't know a lick of defense (i forget the reasons the then-championship-aspiring Lakers signed a coach with that kind of handicap), and it's showing in flying colours (even last season, whith D-Ho and MWP, the Lakers were #20 in Def.Rat). And his offense consists mainly in getting quick shots and a plethora of 3pointers.
A recipe for success, 

So you're giving D'Antoni props. For coaching the Lakers to the 7th or 8th worst record in the league.
I don't see many reasons to congratulate D'Antoni. 
Are the Lakers "fun to watch"? Sure. If you don't mind the constant losing.

And does the absence of Kobe, Blake and Farmar hurt? Sure. Maybe the Lakers could have won 2 or 3 more games so far. Cause they sure wouldn't help in, you know, defending people.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

One look at the lakers top minutes producers and their record should tell you that if anything they're overachieving. We are literally starting four guys that probably wouldn't be in the rotation of the top ten teams in the league. That's all I said. 


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

D'Antoni doesn't deserve credit for anything. He's a terrible coach who needs to be let go as soon as possible. 

Winnable game vs. the Bulls.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Basel said:


> D'Antoni doesn't deserve credit for anything. He's a terrible coach who needs to be let go as soon as possible.
> 
> Winnable game vs. the Bulls.


I thought he was your second pick after Phil?


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Jamel Irief said:


> I thought he was your second pick after Phil?
> 
> 
> Sent from Verticalsports.com Free App



When I thought Nash still had it in him and we were going to be healthy, I thought it would be fine and that Howard and MWP could anchor our defense. Plus Kobe seemed to be really behind it and I figured if he likes the coach, that's a good thing. Those guys left, Nash is awful now, Kobe is hurt. Mike can't coach a team like this. His style just doesn't work anymore (not well, anyway). Even if we were healthy, we aren't going to play a lick of defense.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Basel said:


> When I thought Nash still had it in him and we were going to be healthy, I thought it would be fine and that Howard and MWP could anchor our defense. Plus Kobe seemed to be really behind it and I figured if he likes the coach, that's a good thing. Those guys left, Nash is awful now, Kobe is hurt. Mike can't coach a team like this. His style just doesn't work anymore (not well, anyway). Even if we were healthy, we aren't going to play a lick of defense.


So let me ask you this, with this roster and these injuries what record do you think a good coach would of lead us to?

Adelman has Minnesota at 18-20, what would he do with these lakers?


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Jamel Irief said:


> So let me ask you this, with this roster and these injuries what record do you think a good coach would of lead us to?
> 
> Adelman has Minnesota at 18-20, what would he do with these lakers?
> 
> ...



It's not always about the record, though. I would be a lot happier with this record if we at least attempted to play defense and the other team was simply better. But we're not even trying out there. Teams are having an easy time scoring against us. At one point yesterday the Raptors were shooting 70% from the field against us. That's ridiculous. Sure we won the game, but it was still a terrible defensive effort.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Basel said:


> It's not always about the record, though. I would be a lot happier with this record if we at least attempted to play defense and the other team was simply better. But we're not even trying out there. Teams are having an easy time scoring against us. At one point yesterday the Raptors were shooting 70% from the field against us. That's ridiculous. Sure we won the game, but it was still a terrible defensive effort.


I highly disagree with people that say they aren't trying. Until Harris was signed r. Kelly was guarding 3s. Young is guarding 3s. Meeks is guarding points. It's easier to shoot 70% when you have 1 on zero fast breaks after a turnover. 




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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

If they're trying it sure doesn't feel like it.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

If the effort is there on defense and you're not getting results then it falls on the coach and his defensive system.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Also to note that this "small ball" bullshit has the Lakers as the worst rebounding team in the league.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

PauloCatarino said:


> Also to note that this "small ball" bullshit has the Lakers as the worst rebounding team in the league.


What smallball lol. We're playing Meeks at pg, kaman, gasol and scare at center. Hill and Kelly at 4. 


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

King Sancho Fantastic said:


> If the effort is there on defense and you're not getting results then it falls on the coach and his defensive system.


No it doesn't. 

If you and Basel were our starting backcourt and oozed effort would you blame the coach if DJ Augustine drops 30 on us tonight?


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Jamel Irief said:


> No it doesn't.
> 
> If you and Basel were our starting backcourt and oozed effort would you blame the coach if DJ Augustine drops 30 on us tonight?
> 
> ...



I wouldn't let DJ Augustine score 30.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> What smallball lol. We're playing Meeks at pg, kaman, gasol and scare at center. Hill and Kelly at 4.
> 
> 
> Sent from Verticalsports.com Free App


"Small ball" in terms of player disposition, not actual height.
Nor Kelly nor Sacre are rebounders. Hill is OK (not great), but he is in D'Antoni's doghouse. So is Kaman. Wes Johnson, who started 30 games, is averaging 3.6rpg (lol).
Without rebounding the ball, you don't win games.

On the offensive end, things seem awfull: players are shooting 3s without ANY player positioning for the eventual rebound and, if you feed Gasol in the high post, you won't see (for the 5, 6 seconds he takes to put a shot off) a player preparing to hit the glass.

The lack of rebounding, to me (when you have big bodies the likes of Gasol, Kaman, Sacre and Hill), is a clear fault on the coach. 

So, there: "small ball" because our bigs play like midgets


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

Jamel Irief said:


> No it doesn't.
> 
> If you and Basel were our starting backcourt and oozed effort would you blame the coach if DJ Augustine drops 30 on us tonight?
> 
> ...


If Basel and I were NBA caliber athletes, yes I would. Having Dwight and MWP last year should've proven the point that no matter how good of a defender you are, if your system isn't right then it doesn't matter. I guarantee you that if Thibs or SVG coached this group of Lakers they'd be better than they are on that end of the floor. With that said, I believe MDA has overachieved this year. I still don't think he's a very good coach. I'm not on the fire "MDA right now" boat. I'm on the "fire MDA this summer" boat.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

King Sancho Fantastic said:


> If Basel and I were NBA caliber athletes, yes I would. Having Dwight and MWP last year should've proven the point that no matter how good of a defender you are, if your system isn't right then it doesn't matter. I guarantee you that if Thibs or SVG coached this group of Lakers they'd be better than they are on that end of the floor. With that said, I believe MDA has overachieved this year. I still don't think he's a very good coach. I'm not on the fire "MDA right now" boat. I'm on the "fire MDA this summer" boat.


Unlike most of this board, I vehemently opposed hiring Pringles before he was even hired.

I can buy firing him this summer depending on the roster we have going into next season. If Pau walks for nothing and we sign another crop of Young, Henry, Marshall, Kaman and Johnson bandaids I think Pringles has earned his right to fight for his job one more season. 

Otherwise we likely will just recycle a new coach that everyone will want to fire by Christmas again.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

PauloCatarino said:


> "Small ball" in terms of player disposition, not actual height.
> Nor Kelly nor Sacre are rebounders. Hill is OK (not great), but he is in D'Antoni's doghouse. So is Kaman. Wes Johnson, who started 30 games, is averaging 3.6rpg (lol).
> Without rebounding the ball, you don't win games.
> 
> ...


I notice you complain a lot without presenting alternative solutions. So Kelly and Johnson are not good rebounders, what's you solution? Play Kaman at small forward?

This is like when you complained about the Xaiver Henry at point guard "experiment" when there was four injured point guards sitting on the bench.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> I notice you complain a lot without presenting alternative solutions. So Kelly and Johnson are not good rebounders, what's you solution? Play Kaman at small forward?
> 
> This is like when you complained about the Xaiver Henry at point guard "experiment" when there was four injured point guards sitting on the bench.


Are you admiting D'Antoni should be held accountable for the Lakers being the worse rebounding team in the League?


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

PauloCatarino said:


> Are you admiting D'Antoni should be held accountable for the Lakers being the worse rebounding team in the League?


No, I'm not. The opposite actually. 

If Paulo Catarino was the coach how would he fix the rebounding problem? Start all 3 of Kaman, Hill and Pau? 


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Two minutes in and the Bulls have a tom of offensive boards. Only two points to show for it, though.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Ryan Kelly continuing his good play early on.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Doesn't matter how long he's here, I can't stand billy Mac still. What a horrible announcer. 


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Swagger 4 sixth man of the year!


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

All right, just tuning in. How are the Lakers playing? I see Young is scoring...


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

This is the best defense Pau has played all year.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Wes Johnson's game is shot.
And Meeks has to watch those kamikaze fastbreaks. Just blew two in a row.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Shit. Playing like crap right now...


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Lame quarter. But still hanging on!


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Gasol has looked like gasol in 2014!


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Swagger is the James harden of three point shooting.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Damn! Young gets fould and makes the 3 FTs to tie!!!!!

Bulls ball with 4 seconds left!


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Overtime!


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Looks like I tuned back in at the perfect time. Great play, Nick.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Can't protect a lead for shit.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

What's Pau doing?


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Augustine turns it over. Lakers ball with 10.7 left, down 100-98.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Jamel Irief said:


> Doesn't matter how long he's here, I can't stand billy Mac still. What a horrible announcer.
> 
> 
> Sent from Verticalsports.com Free App



Agreed.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Nick Young ties it! 31 points on the night.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Holy shit! Nick ties it!

6 seconds to go!


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Swagger sets the laker season high two games in a row!


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Nice move, Space Cadet! 0.4 remaining!


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Wow.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Incredible.

Just... incredible...


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

What a tough loss. They fought and almost won 3 in a row, even if it was against the least. I could of accepted losing this game, but not on that ****ing play. 


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> What a tough loss. They fought and almost won 3 in a row, even if it was against the least. I could of accepted losing this game, but not on that ****ing play.
> 
> 
> Sent from Verticalsports.com Free App


If it wasn't for Pau screwing up in overtime (3 Tos, 2 lousy shots) that play wouldn't have happened...

F!


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> No, I'm not. The opposite actually.
> 
> If Paulo Catarino was the coach how would he fix the rebounding problem? Start all 3 of Kaman, Hill and Pau?
> 
> ...


Not to beat a dead horse, but:

Lakers: 47 rebounds, 7 offensive (misleading, Pau had 3 in one play - and no basket).
Bulls: 55 rebounds, *19 offensive*.

Chris Kaman: 0 minutes.
Jordan Hill: 18 minutes.

So, yeah...


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

PauloCatarino said:


> If it wasn't for Pau screwing up in overtime (3 Tos, 2 lousy shots) that play wouldn't have happened...
> 
> F!


Why the **** was Harris standing BEHIND Gibson? I'm guessing he wanted to switch on Gibson setting a high screen, but with .9 in a tie?


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

PauloCatarino said:


> Not to beat a dead horse, but:
> 
> Lakers: 47 rebounds, 7 offensive (misleading, Pau had 3 in one play - and no basket).
> Bulls: 55 rebounds, *19 offensive*.
> ...


You're not beating it, you never told me your plan. Would you play hill and kaman 30 minutes each?


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> You're not beating it, you never told me your plan. Would you play hill and kaman 30 minutes each?
> 
> 
> Sent from Verticalsports.com Free App




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I'll teach you tomorrow. Gotta hit the sack.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

Damn. I'm so happy I decided to workout instead of watch that game. After the day I've had at work, I would've killed somebody...


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

#WigginsParkerEmbiidRandleSmartGordon****You


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Jamel Irief said:


> You're not beating it, you never told me your plan. Would you play hill and kaman 30 minutes each?
> 
> 
> Sent from Verticalsports.com Free App


This is what i'd do:
The Lakers need size. They are the worst rebounding team in the league, and that has just cost the Lakers the game against a dreadfull, dreadfull Chicago team.
I'd start Kaman at C. 
Pau at PF and run the offense through him. Right now, Pau gets the ball at the FT line and all others stand around the 3 point line waiting. Not only it's predictable, it's easier to defend. 
Pau is a good passer, and can get the ball to Kaman (who has always been a reliable scorer from close) or the cutter. More often than not, Kaman is also the biggest body in the court.
This way, there will always be a big body to try rebound the misses (valuable due to the 3-point orientation of guys like Meeks, Marshall and Young). Defensively, against plodders like Boozer/Noah/Gibson, that would be a plus.
Pau can also be a good shot blocker from the weak side in a crowded paint, so i'd instruct him to challenge ANY shot attempted (considering Kaman will fight for the rebound). I'd like to see Pau agressively trying to stop cutters and/or low post shooters. 
Pau's pick and roll will be better if there's another body in the paint.
I'd go Pau/Kaman for the first 8, then Hill for PF and Gasol moves to center. Start of the second, it's Hill/Kaman. Sacre only plays a couple of minutes at times, to rest a player.

At the SF spot, thigs get dicey. Wes Johnson is playing like crap. Young can't start (he is needed of the bench). Kelly (IMHO) is better suited as the 7th man. 
I'd give the nod to Wes, but if his shot ain't falling, he will split the minutes with Kelly (strictly at SF with the green light to shoot) Kelly is smart player and a willing passer. You get him at the 3point line and he can pass over defenders to Pau. 

Obviously, this would mean heavy minutes to Meeks. But if i'm playing a Meeks/Young/Kelly backcourt at times, i'd have Nick bringing the ball up.

So, something the likes of (minutes off the top of my head):
Marshall (30) / Meeks (18)
Meeks (17) / Young (25) Harris (6)
Wes (25) / Kelly (20)/ Young (3)
Pau (30) / Hill (18)
Kaman (30) / Pau (7) / Sacre (11)


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