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• Lysol4Real said October 09, 2008

  Damn, overreact much? What other teams wouldn't give to have problems like this. Do they take their versatile 6'10" forward and run him at point? Off the bench?
  
  Phil always throws stuff like this around, and it isn't the first time one of his players has reacted like this.
  
  And between Pau and Odom, one of their fifteen-footers is going to fall. Odom should be working on his 3 in the offseason because he can easily anticipate playing more minutes at the swing position.

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• theoneandonly said October 09, 2008

  Yes, he does overreact way to much... Problems in LaLa land... To much talent. DANG! That stinks!

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• orions said October 09, 2008

  I hear ya, above dudes...not an LA Fan, but love the rivalry with BOS...hope it's round 2 in that quintessential NBA Rivalry...point: LA is loaded In 09', Bro...Team looked good the other night...it's the meaningless pre-season, where by game 6-8, and of course, later on, you know what you've got...I fully expect LA to reach Finals with that Roster...Phil shaved and has stepped up experimental, and Quadruple Triangle Zen...LA will be the pick by Vegas, or is?...yeah, hope all goes well for both teams, and keep the fueled Rivalry going, i.e. RSox-NYY...."can u dig it"...so, don't worry about Lakers, the team is just gelling and trying stuff...they do need to Master the Team D to A Levels is only critique I have...but, chill, a little opposing Fan's realism for ya...I mean, how can U question that Roster...if healthy, the most stacked since last Bulls run, and/or, I hate to give these bastards props, the Spurs

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• theoneandonly said October 09, 2008

  Thanks orions! lol
  
  But seriously I would love to get the shot at taking down the Celts this year. I wish the celts and the lakers were in it every year. Last year was the best thing that happened to the NBA in awhile in my opinion. They really needed that old school rivalry with all the scandals that went down.

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  • orions replied October 10, 2008

    agree, 08' helped NBA...sure, we get heated at times if they are both in it, but it's two intelligent fanbases...it's good for all to see another rematch...me, I just have to take it chunk by chunk this season, as C's will be pushed to limits in conference...a lot of teams have appeared to catch up...LA should get there pretty easily...I just can't see any other threat out there, given the fact the West still stacked...but NO/PHO? whoever, nah...also, the East will be the wacky conference this year...a roller-coaster ride
    • theoneandonly replied October 10, 2008

      I am worried about the Rockets more than anybody. Jazz should be pretty good, and I think the Clippers make the playoffs this year, but we will have to wait and see. Should be a great season coming up. I am very excited. Spurs are getting older and older, Mavericks I think could be a work in progress for a year. So I kind of agree, but there is good competition throughout the league. I think that is another reason why NBA is starting to make a comeback, because of the talent. Also they started calling walks again!!! Always a plus. lol
      • orions replied October 10, 2008

        of course, competition will be rough at times during season, but I still can't see anyone in that conference stacking up, 1-12...trust me though, I know the feeling of being a Fan of a Quality team, that is hyped by media, etc...can cause perpetual nervousness, lol!, as the actual season unfolds...yes, quality is better in both conferences, but LA has shown it can handle Utah, et al. and now with Bynum back?...I really can't think of a major threat to 09' LA still...I have to see it to believe it...playing RealPolitik here, so saying 65 wins easy, for LA...LA v. Blank in June
• JohnPaulsen said October 10, 2008

  Say what you will, fellas, but there's a problem when three of your four top players can't be on the court at the same time. I think the Lakers will be very good, but the point of the column is that things aren't going swimmingly right now. As a fan, I'm not one to shut my eyes, cross my fingers and hope that everything is going to be okay with my team.
  

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• theoneandonly said October 10, 2008

  Things are not going 'swimmingly' in the first week of preseason. I think I would rather have tiny problems right now then have problems in the February and later.

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• Lysol4Real said October 10, 2008

  The impact of Phil's comments show that this is the product of an NBA fan populace that is ready for the new season, but has relatively little to talk about beforehand. I remember Jackson doing a very similar thing with Rick Fox.
  
  We won't know whether or not there are problems until the season starts. I wouldn't categorize this as a problem, even. More of a concern, a worry, etc. There is no current problem except that we have to wait to start proving ourselves all over again this season.

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• speedwell said October 11, 2008

  The problem with the Lakers is not their overabundance of 7' players, but their inability to play hard nosed defense. Derek Fisher, as much as I love his tenaciousness, has never been quick enough to guard this league's premier point guards. Deron, CP3 and others ALL have their way with them, penetrating to the rim at will. Odom and Pau, while multi-talented on the offense front, are not defensive minded enough to guard the inside against guard penetration. Hopefully the return of Andrew Bynum will shore up this problem.
  
  I do agree that Pau and Bynum have a long way to go to learning how to play with each other. Not to mention finding a place for Odom in this mix. Early pre-season reports indicate awkwardness on the floor, but it IS the pre-season, and these games are more about trying out new things and new players than any indication of how the regular season will go.
  
  This being said, the Lakers remain the team to beat in the West (along with the Hornets). We'll see how the team is doing in February, then decide if its time to worry or not.

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• Lysol4Real said October 13, 2008

  Defensive PG's and an effective pick-and-roll defense is the only thing stopping the Lakers. But I'm most worried about the Hornets. Houston has to do everything absolutely right, or the whole house comes crumbling to the ground. Portland is still a year away from contending for a title. The Spurs might stay hurt two years in a row, and every other team will decline a little bit in value from last year (Jazz, Suns, Mavs). This year it's the Hornets and the Lakers in the West.

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