Hello,
The Lakers have the 12th best record in the Western Conference. So if the playoffs started today, the Lakers wouldn't be in them! How enjoyable that would be!! The Lakers play the Knicks in New York tonight, a team with one of the best records in the NBA. (Notice how I didn't say one of the best teams in the NBA.) Since both teams can't lose, I'll be cheering for the Knicks. The Lakers are awful on the road, they are only 2-7. Also it's likely they'll be playing without The Big Stiffy for the 6th straight game- it's not like that's a big loss. Meanwhile the Knicks are 8-0 at home. If I was a betting man, I would put my money on the Knicks tonight.
The Lakers lost to the woeful Cleveland Cavaliers last night 100-94 to fall to 9-13. Yes, I realize that the Cavs Kyrie Irving was back. I also realize that the Big Stiffy, Pau Gasol, and Steve Nash weren't able to play for the Lakers. All that being said though maybe the Lakers are just as bad as they look. I don't care if Irving was back for the Cavaliers, the Lakers should still beat what's now a 5-17 team. For hell's sake CJ Miles started for the Cavs, so how good can they be? But yet the Lakers still found a way to lose to them.
It seems that most people assume that the Lakers will be much better once Steve Nash gets back. He probably won't be back for at least two weeks. Even when he comes back, how much gas is left in the 39 year old's tank? Also how durable will he be for the rest of the season? Also how much of a help will the Big Stiffy help the Lakers? He may hang on in the NBA for a couple more years, but I think his effectiveness as an NBA player is almost gone. If I was the Lakers I would do everything I could to dump Gasol, even if they get very little back. The Lakers are an old team, trade Gasol for draft picks.
So even with those two back, how much help will they provide? Nash obviously is the one that seems to be the one the Lakers miss the most.
I also think that the Lakers are realizing that trading for Dwight Howard was a mistake. Sure his stats look shiny, but he has no heart. (I've heard others say this, so it's not just me.) It also seems he hasn't fully recovered from last season's back injury. He's still pathetic from the free throw line. Although Howard did make 13 of 22 free throws last night. That's 59% Dwight, good job! (He's now shooting .488% from the line this season.) My favorite Howard play of the season occurred against the Jazz. He was nearly alone on the baseline and tried a spin move, he lost control and ended up traveling. It was very entertaining.
Thanks to espn.com: "The good news for Mike D'Antoni? His 4-8 start is not the worst by a head coach in Lakers history. The bad news? None of the other coaches on this list won an NBA title with the team and only two of them finished that season -- and that's probably because they replaced other coaches during the season."
D'Antoni is just not a fit for the Lakers. The Lakers are 4-8 since he become their coach. Even more disconcerting than their record is how bad the Lakers look. I know it's only D'Antoni's first season, but the Lakers don't accept mediocrity. How long will they put up with LA's poor play? Is it possible that the Lakers will make another coaching change this season? Whatever the over/under is on games that D'Antoni will coach, I'm taking the under. Remember this is the same Lakers team that didn't hire Phil Jackson when they could have. To my eye the Lakers looked the best under interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff.
JA Adande, I'm sorry I don't agree with you:
This foul shooting rule shouldn't be changed. Isn't that the point of sports to attack a team's weakness? The Lakers glaring weakness many times is Howard's poor free throw shooting. Why shouldn't the opponent be allowed to take full advantage of that? Howard makes almost $20 million this season, he should make his free throws. Why even bring the subject of possibly changing this rule? You can't change the rules for one player. The Lakers already get enough breaks and love from the NBA.
I'm sorry but Dwight just needs to start making his free throws. It just comes down to a strong desire to improve and constant practice. The Rifleman, Chuck Person, should have Howard shooting 500 free throws a day. There's no reason for him not too. Dwight instead of taking time to call Mike Golic and wishing him a happy 50th birthday, practice some damn free throws. Honestly Howard should have had this skill mastered a long time ago. Either that or D'Antoni needs to pull him from the lineup when the game is on the line.
(Since I'm not a so-called ESPN insider I wasn't able to read Tom Haberstroh's full article about the Jazz's Paul Milsap and Pau Gasol possibly being traded for each other. However that's the dumbest thing I've heard from the Jazz's perspective. Why would the Jazz trade one of their hardest working, athletic and healthy big men for the over-the-hill, injury prone Big Stiffy? Hell to the no!!!)
themusicaddict
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