2014-15 Official Lakers Season Thread, Vol: We Love Each Other

[darthska]

Kobe's on Jimmy Kimmel tonight. I expect him to bring the lol's

I expect @Th3RealF0lkBlu3s &@DarthSka to cuss Kobe out in the thread over whatever he says, even if it's him announcing a million dollar donation to charity.

"He's only doing it for PR. Selfish prick."

Nah. My beef with Kobe is largely his basketball persona. I'm sure he's a decent person to meet.

If he were to donate a mil to charity, he would get both props and criticism from me; props because whatever his intentions, he still did it, and that is definitely to be praised, and criticism because...

... let's just focus on the positives. I'd give him praise; run w/ that. 

 

[grandtheftbike]

let's hear it

Freeze is a savage man. Yeah I've seen your post from the Moments of Truth thread

Elaborate on this

 

[pmatic]

From DraftExpress:

6 L.A. Lakers
Marcus Smart PG
20 years old; 6'4"; 200 lbs.
Oklahoma State, Sophomore

The Lakers have needs at every position, and will assuredly be looking to draft the best talent available. Adding a long-term starting point guard will likely be high up on their list, as will shoring up the NBA's third worst defense last season. Smart can help with both.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/DraftExpress-Extended-2014-Mock-Draft-1-4503/

 

[had pants]

 

[pmatic]

Oh no.

Lakers Insider: Mike D'Antoni's Departure May See Lakers Turn to Past for Coach

This is your chance to be the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Polish up that resume. If it includes a degree from the University of North Carolina—same as Mitch Kupchak—you’re practically in. If you’ve never been a basketball coach before, that really might not matter, because there is a strong school of thought in the Lakers front office that it’s time for a less experienced, still-rising personality to grow with the team.

Could you be the guy? The Lakers brass truly is open to all sorts of possibilities in hiring Mike D’Antoni’s replacement—young or old, earthy or flashy, recognizable name or a hotshot new kid on the block. Maybe you have a chance.

And many fans would be quick to point out that you couldn’t possibly do worse than Mike Brown and D’Antoni just did.

D’Antoni might even be able to get the job back if he shaved off his mustache, came in with a good pseudonym (Mark DDDDDDDDD’Antoni?) and repackaged himself as 2016 free agent Kevin Durant’s USA Basketball assistant coach instead of 2006 NBA MVP Steve Nash’s Phoenix Suns head coach.

The Lakers had been struggling to pull the trigger and flat-out fire D’Antoni until he made it easier on them. D’Antoni, who also resigned from the New York Knicks in 2012 in what was considered a mutual parting, was uncomfortable entering the final season of his Lakers contract with so many people, including one named Kobe Bryant, wishing he would disappear.

And the Lakers’ response to D’Antoni’s ambivalence certainly wasn’t to put up the "STAY" billboards.

Where does the club go from here? The Lakers are more than a week into the post-D’Antoni era and are prepared to go perhaps another month without a head coach as they consider their options deliberately.

There’s still time to get those resumes in, and it’s entirely possible that the team's next head coach could be someone who has a job currently but will become available.

Considering the Lakers’ initial list remains a work in progress that might wind up being 20 names long, it’s obviously premature to focus on any specific candidates. But given that the team is coming off its worst season in L.A. Lakers history and recently went outside the family for Rudy Tomjanovich, Brown and D’Antoni to a great net loss, this is an opening for which the Lakers would like to tap back into their illustrious history.

Consider that the finalists for the job that Brown got were Rick Adelman, Brian Shaw and Mike Dunleavy. For Dunleavy to be among the candidates demonstrated how much goodwill Lakers management feels toward its own. (Dunleavy coached the Lakers to a 101-63 record from 1990-92.)

Where it gets dicey is whether anyone from the Lakers' past fits right now for reasons beyond nostalgia.

Derek Fisher, 39, not only has no coaching experience, but he has always indicated he’d rather go into business than join the coaching carousel when he’s done playing.

Quin Snyder, 47, is a tremendously viable option given his intelligence, experience and cool factor, but he was only a Laker for one season—and that was as an assistant coach on Brown’s staff in the Lakers’ forgettable era.

Without question, Byron Scott, 53, makes the most objective sense to blast in from the past.

He grew up in the shadow of The Forum, he won three NBA championships playing with the "Showtime" Lakers, and he played with Kobe and Fisher on the 1996-97 Lakers. (Funny thing about that last part: The guard from that team who is a current NBA coach isn’t any of those guys. It’s Nick Van Exel, who just finished his first season as a Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach.)

As an opposing coach, Scott has regularly met up with Bryant for private time after Lakers games over the past decade. And Scott has had success: He led the Jason Kidd-led New Jersey Nets to the NBA Finals in 2002 and '03 and was named NBA Coach of the Year in 2008 with the New Orleans Hornets.

It’s a safe assumption that Jerry Buss would have made Scott the Lakers head coach instead of Brown upon Phil Jackson’s 2011 departure if Scott, eager to get back to work a year earlier, hadn’t accepted the daunting task of coaching Brown’s old Cleveland Cavaliers with LeBron James about to bolt.

In Cleveland, Scott connected quite well with young Kyrie Irving, who said upon Scott’s firing: "I’m trying to get over the loss of my basketball father." In New Orleans, it had been similar with young Chris Paul, who said after Scott left: "Coach was more than a coach to me. He was my mentor. He made me the player I am today."

Scott’s ability to project confidence and communicate clearly would be big after D’Antoni failed in those areas. It’s common that the strengths of replacement coaches fall where their predecessors were lacking, and if he fits into any particular category as a coach, Scott actually views himself to be a rebuilding specialist.

The question, fundamentally, is whether Scott has the drive (critics say he might actually prefer golf to basketball) and the strategic savvy (how do you ever lose 26 consecutive games, as the 2010-11 Cavs did?) to take the Lakers where they need to go—and do it fast.

Those are fair questions the Lakers will have to answer, and if the answers are wrong, it’s good that they are being open-minded to all the possibilities. If the answers are right, well, it’d be downright poetic for Scott to move from Lakers TV analyst, as he is now in the Time Warner Cable SportsNet studio, to become the Lakers’ next great coach—much like a broadcaster-turned-coach named Pat Riley once did.

Back in November 2009, Buss hinted that someone he and son Jim had "a special fondness for" was already in mind to become the Lakers head coach.

Even more in 2014, that extra feeling counts for something with the Lakers.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...rompt-lakers-to-delve-into-past-for-new-coach

 

[suberzat1]

I hope the lakers do not hire Byron Scoot as the coach. Didn't like him with the Hornets.

 

[CP1708]

Oh no.

Lakers Insider: Mike D'Antoni's Departure May See Lakers Turn to Past for Coach

This is your chance to be the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Polish up that resume. If it includes a degree from the University of North Carolina—same as Mitch Kupchak—you’re practically in. If you’ve never been a basketball coach before, that really might not matter, because there is a strong school of thought in the Lakers front office that it’s time for a less experienced, still-rising personality to grow with the team.

Could you be the guy? The Lakers brass truly is open to all sorts of possibilities in hiring Mike D’Antoni’s replacement—young or old, earthy or flashy, recognizable name or a hotshot new kid on the block. Maybe you have a chance.

And many fans would be quick to point out that you couldn’t possibly do worse than Mike Brown and D’Antoni just did.

D’Antoni might even be able to get the job back if he shaved off his mustache, came in with a good pseudonym (Mark DDDDDDDDD’Antoni?) and repackaged himself as 2016 free agent Kevin Durant’s USA Basketball assistant coach instead of 2006 NBA MVP Steve Nash’s Phoenix Suns head coach.

The Lakers had been struggling to pull the trigger and flat-out fire D’Antoni until he made it easier on them. D’Antoni, who also resigned from the New York Knicks in 2012 in what was considered a mutual parting, was uncomfortable entering the final season of his Lakers contract with so many people, including one named Kobe Bryant, wishing he would disappear.

And the Lakers’ response to D’Antoni’s ambivalence certainly wasn’t to put up the "STAY" billboards.

Where does the club go from here? The Lakers are more than a week into the post-D’Antoni era and are prepared to go perhaps another month without a head coach as they consider their options deliberately.

There’s still time to get those resumes in, and it’s entirely possible that the team's next head coach could be someone who has a job currently but will become available.

Considering the Lakers’ initial list remains a work in progress that might wind up being 20 names long, it’s obviously premature to focus on any specific candidates. But given that the team is coming off its worst season in L.A. Lakers history and recently went outside the family for Rudy Tomjanovich, Brown and D’Antoni to a great net loss, this is an opening for which the Lakers would like to tap back into their illustrious history.

Consider that the finalists for the job that Brown got were Rick Adelman, Brian Shaw and Mike Dunleavy. For Dunleavy to be among the candidates demonstrated how much goodwill Lakers management feels toward its own. (Dunleavy coached the Lakers to a 101-63 record from 1990-92.)

Where it gets dicey is whether anyone from the Lakers' past fits right now for reasons beyond nostalgia.

Derek Fisher, 39, not only has no coaching experience, but he has always indicated he’d rather go into business than join the coaching carousel when he’s done playing.

Quin Snyder, 47, is a tremendously viable option given his intelligence, experience and cool factor, but he was only a Laker for one season—and that was as an assistant coach on Brown’s staff in the Lakers’ forgettable era.

Without question, Byron Scott, 53, makes the most objective sense to blast in from the past.

He grew up in the shadow of The Forum, he won three NBA championships playing with the "Showtime" Lakers, and he played with Kobe and Fisher on the 1996-97 Lakers. (Funny thing about that last part: The guard from that team who is a current NBA coach isn’t any of those guys. It’s Nick Van Exel, who just finished his first season as a Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach.)

As an opposing coach, Scott has regularly met up with Bryant for private time after Lakers games over the past decade. And Scott has had success: He led the Jason Kidd-led New Jersey Nets to the NBA Finals in 2002 and '03 and was named NBA Coach of the Year in 2008 with the New Orleans Hornets.

It’s a safe assumption that Jerry Buss would have made Scott the Lakers head coach instead of Brown upon Phil Jackson’s 2011 departure if Scott, eager to get back to work a year earlier, hadn’t accepted the daunting task of coaching Brown’s old Cleveland Cavaliers with LeBron James about to bolt.

In Cleveland, Scott connected quite well with young Kyrie Irving, who said upon Scott’s firing: "I’m trying to get over the loss of my basketball father." In New Orleans, it had been similar with young Chris Paul, who said after Scott left: "Coach was more than a coach to me. He was my mentor. He made me the player I am today."

Scott’s ability to project confidence and communicate clearly would be big after D’Antoni failed in those areas. It’s common that the strengths of replacement coaches fall where their predecessors were lacking, and if he fits into any particular category as a coach, Scott actually views himself to be a rebuilding specialist.

The question, fundamentally, is whether Scott has the drive (critics say he might actually prefer golf to basketball) and the strategic savvy (how do you ever lose 26 consecutive games, as the 2010-11 Cavs did?) to take the Lakers where they need to go—and do it fast.

Those are fair questions the Lakers will have to answer, and if the answers are wrong, it’s good that they are being open-minded to all the possibilities. If the answers are right, well, it’d be downright poetic for Scott to move from Lakers TV analyst, as he is now in the Time Warner Cable SportsNet studio, to become the Lakers’ next great coach—much like a broadcaster-turned-coach named Pat Riley once did.

Back in November 2009, Buss hinted that someone he and son Jim had "a special fondness for" was already in mind to become the Lakers head coach.

Even more in 2014, that extra feeling counts for something with the Lakers.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...rompt-lakers-to-delve-into-past-for-new-coach

Congradu ******* lations everybody. Way to think ahead.

 

[darthska]

Hope to based you ain't talking about us, like we got a dang thing to do w/ that.

 

[CP1708]

Everybody.

From fanbase, to player, to FO, to Magic's big ******* mouth.

Everybody.

 

[pmatic]

ska worships the Based God too?

 

[grandtheftbike]

#rehiremda

 

[licensed to ball]

Some of You are mad depressing.
I'm glad next season is far away.
Tired of the constant pessimists crying.

 

[kal-el-8]

#rehiremda

 

[darthska]

[quote name="CP"]Everybody.

From fanbase, to player, to FO, to Magic's big ******* mouth.

Everybody.[/quote]What I do?

 

[Johnny_Cakes]

You're not pinning this on me, CP.

 

[essential1]

Some of You are mad depressing.
I'm glad next season is far away.
Tired of the constant pessimists crying.

Pessimism makes the world go round.

 

[darthska]

Actually, centripetal force does.

Actually.

 

[MVP]

I thought the sun did.

 

[grandtheftbike]

suns are too cheap to do that

 

[licensed to ball]

 

[senorroboto2k5]

I forgot about Quin Snyder. I'd be open to that.

 

[sea manup]

Everybody.

From fanbase, to player, to FO, to Magic's big ******* mouth.

Everybody.

 

[essential1]

Actually, centripetal force does.

Actually.

Tony Yayo told me it was money that does it.

 

[pmatic]

The ceiling for one Noah Vonleh.

Chris Bosh Doesn’t Block Shots, But Who Cares?

The Miami Heat have a tight grip on their second round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets. The Heat have a pair of double-digit victories, and the Nets have yet to break 90 points.

After Game 1, much was made of the Nets attempting a season-low 12 shots in the restricted area (making half). Brooklyn did a better job getting into the paint in Game 2, but once it got there, the Heat were waiting. The Heat defended 20 of the Nets’ 28 shots at the basket Thursday night, according to NBA.com’s SportVU Player Tracking Box Score. Of the shots the Heat contested, the Nets made just four (The SportVU system defines shots defended at the rim as ones when the defender was within 5 feet of both the rim and the shooter).

The Heat have tightened their defense in the playoffs. During the regular season, they ranked 10th and 13th, respectively, in opponent shot attempts in the restricted area and opponent field-goal percentage in the restricted area. And they were frequently accused of saving energy for the playoffs. Although we can’t directly measure energy expended, the results would seem to indicate that the Heat have shifted into their playoff gear.

The Heat’s defenders are connected by taut strings — one player moves and pulls another into a different position. To make the system work, a team needs mobile big men who can blitz a pick-and-roll and challenge a shot at the rim, often on the same possession. It’s become increasingly obvious over the past three seasons that Chris Bosh has grown into an ideal cog for this system.

Bosh isn’t considered a devastating rim defender; he ranked just 28th in the league in blocks per game this season, behind suspect defenders such as Terrence Jones, Al Jefferson and DeMarcus Cousins. But blocks only capture a small portion of rim defense. On Thursday night against the Nets, Bosh defended nine shots at the rim, of which the Nets made just one. In these playoffs, Bosh has been defending an average 7.5 opponent shots per game at the rim, allowing opponents to shoot just 42.4 percent on those shots. Of players who have defended at least 40 opponent shots at the rim in these playoffs, only Tim Duncan, Roy Hibbert and David West have allowed a lower field-goal percentage.

Bosh may not block a ton of shots, but he gets in the way. In the Heat’s system, that’s enough to give them one of the most destructive defenses in the league.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/chris-bosh-doesnt-block-shots-but-who-cares/

 

[pmatic]

Pelton and Ford.

Projecting Jabari Parker

Chad Ford: Jabari Parker is such an interesting player from a draft perspective. He clearly looks to be the most NBA-ready of the players on our Big Board. His offensive game seems like it will obviously translate. Everyone uses words such as "NBA-ready" and "low-risk" when describing Jabari.

In short, he clearly passes the eye test offensively. When people see other players like Andrew Wiggins or Joel Embiid or Dante Exum going ahead of Parker on our Lottery Mock Draft, they flip out. (And right now, it's just Wiggins). How can Jabari not be the runaway choice as the No. 1 pick?

I have my own ideas about this, but let's start with you, Kevin. What do the numbers say about where Jabari stacks up, both in this class and perhaps more interestingly, historically compared to other top picks.

Kevin Pelton: Right now, Parker's most elite skill is his ability to create shots. He used 32.7 percent of Duke's possessions this year, putting him in the top 25 nationally and far ahead of other top freshmen like Wiggins (26.3 percent), Embiid (23.4 percent) and Julius Randle (25.4 percent). In my database, just five freshmen who have entered the draft have had a higher translated usage rate: Michael Beasley, Kevin Durant, Tyreke Evans, Kris Humphries and O.J. Mayo.

In the context of that large role, Parker's efficiency was decent. He's not yet a great 3-point shooter (35.8 percent) and was only decent inside the arc (50.4 percent), but among the group of high-usage one-and-done players, only Beasley was notably more efficient in college. In time, I think Parker will grow into a high-usage, high-efficiency player, not unlike his most similar statistical comparison: Carmelo Anthony.

How do you see Parker developing as a scorer?

Ford: Well, that Anthony comp has been floating around for a while, and that might be the best-case scenario for Parker. A lethal scorer who can get buckets both inside and outside. I think the thing that appeals to scouts about Parker is that he's more of a team player than Anthony. He cares more about winning than just scoring.

This whole draft class is highly regarded from a character standpoint, but Parker is right there at the top. He checks out as a wonderful, grounded, committed and disciplined human being. He's the sort of player any coach would want leading his team. So whereas Anthony had scoring ability on par with anyone in the league, Parker's leadership ability could be the thing that makes him a more consistent performer on good teams.

But I think the whole Anthony discussion leads us to the other part of Parker's game. The reason he isn't No. 1 on my Big Board and others around the NBA: defense.

There was that notable opening round of the NCAA tournament when Coach K was subbing Parker out on defense. It looks pretty bad to the naked eye. What are the analytics saying?

Pelton: Box score metrics don't shed much light on Parker's defensive limitations. His steal and block rates are fairly average, and his rebound rate isn't terrible for a tweener forward.

To see where Parker struggled requires going a bit deeper. According to Synergy Sports, opponents averaged 0.99 points per play when Parker was the primary or closest defender, which ranked him in the 27th percentile of all NCAA players. By contrast, Wiggins allowed 0.82 points per play. That stat is by no means definitive, but it does suggest Parker struggled one-on-one.

The bigger worry, however, might be Parker's help defense as a post player. Duke's defense ranked 116th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency, per KenPom.com, and the biggest issue was interior defense. According to Hoop-Math.com, opponents made 62.7 percent of their shots at the rim, higher than the NCAA average of 60.9 percent. The Blue Devils were thin up front, which forced Parker to play center at times, a spot he'll never man in the NBA. Still, I think the numbers confirm that Parker's defense will be an issue. If he's going to play power forward in the NBA, he'll need a good shot-blocker alongside him at center.

Can Parker defend wings, or will he have to play the 4 spot?

Ford: I've been asking that same question to a number of GMs and scouts. Typically when fans talk about positions, they are thinking about what position a player plays on offense. But most NBA scouts and GMs are referring to what position they can guard.

Virtually everyone has Parker projected as a 3 right now, but you might be right that 4 could be the position he'll be better at defending. I don't think he has the lateral quickness to guard most 3s. He'd be a bit of an undersized 4, but he has strength and a solid 7-foot wingspan. I think the issue will be standing reach. When NBA scouts look at size for position, they look at wingspan for guards and wings and standing reach for bigs. Parker's standing reach is 8 feet, 8 inches. That's pretty undersized for a player at his position. Typically teams are looking for someone with around a 9-foot standing reach to play the 4.

Looking back at our measurements database, I couldn't find one power forward prospect who was successful in the NBA with that small of a standing reach. Blake Griffin is the closest with an 8-foot-9 standing reach. But he's so explosive athletically that it makes up for much of his lack of length.

So, in short, everyone thinks the defense will be an issue for Jabari. Maybe, if he gets in better shape (another small red flag for him) his lateral quickness will improve and he can guard 3s. But I think right now the basic stance is that as good as he is offensively, he's going to struggle to play defense in the NBA.

OK, forget about team needs. You have the No. 1 pick. Parker or Wiggins?

Pelton: I've been torn on this question all season. Statistically, Parker is the choice. His WARP projection (2.6, third among likely draft prospects) is much better than Wiggins' (1.5). Yet I think that Wiggins' ceiling is much higher because with development he can overcome his weaknesses on offense, whereas I don't think Parker has the physical tools to be anything better than average defensively. If I had to make the choice today, I'd go with Parker. But if I were really in that spot, my decision would probably come down to workouts, interviews and everything that will transpire between now and the draft.

Ford: I think I'm less torn. I love Parker and think he'll be the leading candidate to be Rookie of the Year. But I think Wiggins offers so much upside at both ends of the court. He needs to polish some of the skills that Parker has already mastered, but Wiggins can do things on the court that Parker will never be able to do because of size and athletic ability for his position. If you are asking who will be the best player the next two years in the NBA, I'd probably go Parker. But if you are asking who will be the best player in five? I think it will be Wiggins.