NBA, Team News / Analysis, Player News / Analysis, Indiana Pacers, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Much to the dismay of, well, everyone watching the game tonight, the Lakers looked lost on offense all night. It looked like the Lakers immediately after the Shaquille O'Neal trade, one that completely deferred to Kobe on every single offensive possession because they had not and inkling of what else to do. Kobe dropped 40 and grabbed 10 rebounds. He also turned the ball over 10 times, which is a direct result of handling the ball so often. He scored over 50% of the Lakers points and commit 55% of the Lakers turnovers.
This team misses Steve Nash because he should take the ball out of Kobe's hands so he can deliver the ball to Bryant at an area on the court where he can succeed. That is what a point guard is for, especially one as talented as Nash.
If Nash cannot come back anytime soon, do not expect the Lakers to embody consistency because relying on Darius Morris and Chris Duhon to run the point will just not work. Adding insult to injury, Pau Gasol doesn't appear to have his quickness in the post so he essentially becomes a soft, oversized mid-range jump-shooter who occasionally will be active on the glass.
Mike D'Antoni will not be able to fix the Lakers issues as they currently stand. Terrible team free-throw shooting, a high turnover rate and the inability to run a cohesive offense will be like D'Antoni's Knicks team on repeat: a ball-stopping scorer in Kobe (Carmelo), big men that clog the middle in Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard (Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler) and an inconsistent supporting cast.
If Nash never returns healthy, will this team even reach the conference semifinals?
11/28/12 | jaysinw | 4677 respect
Do not worry Lakers Mike is now there and your offense will be fast pace, just look at the Knicks, wait sorry their offense sucked under him too. Still when Nash gets backs Kobe will be happy to give up the ball, Wait sorry that is not Kobe, but maybe Mike will be able to talk him into it and sit him to prove he is in charge. Nope that wont work either. Ok Gasol looks to soft and over match down low maybe Howard will learn to play the post and become an offensive threat, can get help from Shaq. Oh, that's right Shaq sucked too in the thank goodness with his size he could push his way to within a foot of the basket and get rebounds to score off of. If he had to actually use moves.... well, luckily we did not have to see that side of him every often, it was not pretty.