**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins

[Brosizzlew30.23]

I have a theory that NBA coaches are legitimately afraid to critique Russell Westbrook. Russell Westbrook has had 6-7 NBA coaches in his career and he hasn't learned to play defense , improve his shooting or move without the ball. Hard for me to believe any NBA coach is comfortable playing 4-on-5.

I don't think anyone has held Westbrook accountable throughout his career and apparently Vogel isn't either.

That only means one thing, send him to the CBA so he can be the next Starbury.

 

[atlsfinest]

What are you basing this on? If you watch Vogel's interviews he talks about Russ needing to improve his shot selection and limit his turnovers

I'm basing it on the fact that he's been in the league 14 years and hasn't improved on basic basketball skills. I played JV as a freshman and I learned how to move without the ball.

It's either Westbrook hasn't been held accountable or he just isn't willing to improve and hasn't suffered any consequences. Bench him! It's probably what's best for the team anyway.

 

[AventureroMundial]

 

[tupac003]

I'm basing it on the fact that he's been in the league 14 years and hasn't improved on basic basketball skills. I played JV as a freshman and I learned how to move without the ball.

It's either Westbrook hasn't been held accountable or he just isn't willing to improve and hasn't suffered any consequences. Bench him! It's probably what's best for the team anyway.

I really wonder what his next contract will be after next season...would anyone be crazy enough to pay him anything?

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

I'm basing it on the fact that he's been in the league 14 years and hasn't improved on basic basketball skills. I played JV as a freshman and I learned how to move without the ball.

It's either Westbrook hasn't been held accountable or he just isn't willing to improve and hasn't suffered any consequences. Bench him! It's probably what's best for the team anyway.

Yea I was just talking about Vogel. MDA definitely didn't hold him accountable and I don't think Donovan did either since he had him from the beginning

 

[atlsfinest]

So?

Bucks have a legitimate team.

We have 3 "superstars".

We traded depth for a turnover machine that doesn't play defense.

I've never understood This thought process. Whenever some of us bring up the Lakers shortcomings, other people say " well Milwaukee is struggling too!"

Who cares Milwaukee is doing?

 

[Brosizzlew30.23]

guards getting beat to easily and dying on screens too easily
nullifying AD at the 5 lol

bro is getting switched onto guards every time down and then we cant get the board

Exactly.

Our defensive rebounding inefficiencies have little to do with guards not boxing out but more to do with AD being put in hopeless positions having to defend the lane all by himself with no weakside help from any other big because our guards play zero perimeter defense and dont knows how to guard a stinkin PNR.

But when AD is at the 4 and HE is the one helping from the weak side, he then becomes a terror both in rebounding and defending the paint.

But I get it, it's rocket science for the Stats and Analytics Crew.

 

[DLF]

Remember when we had guards who could defend?

Nah man overrated. Defense is not necessary. He can’t shoot like monk. Plus Jeanie needs the money for renovations at the crib

 

[atlsfinest]

I really wonder what his next contract will be after next season...would anyone be crazy enough to pay him anything?

Westbrook is going to be an MLE type player after this contract is up.

 

[MIKE LOWERY]

Another thing about all the early Russ hype posts. Most of them including mine came right after the trade. The assumption was they would then:


A. Resign Caruso

B. Get a Rudy Gay/Otto Porter or solid wing

C. Flip Schroder for something.

Those were all things that were supposed to happen, but didn't. AND all could've happened with Russ contract on the books as well. Completely altered the roster construction and would cover alot of faults were seeing now.


And even still with that being said, it ain't over yet. Healthy Bron/AD is good enough come postseason. Just need the pieces to fit around them by then. Whoever they may be by then.

 

[tupac003]

We all know it isn't over...

But we have had a cupcake schedule and we have been getting demolished by teams and some of them aren't that good.

I don't know what magic turn around you guys see...

But this defense is atrocious....we have a PG that is turnover prone that commits stupid fouls.

Someone that's supposed to be a top 5 player in the NBA who consistently takes fade away jumpers.

An aging Lebron....

This roster is probably the worst constructed roster in the NBA besides the Rockets....

Yeah we got more games. Just sucks we probably a .500 team at best.

 

[MVP]

Nah I think y'all should stake your claims now. When it turns around, y'all shouldn't be allowed to enjoy it.

 

[tupac003]

NT: the season isn't over in 17 games.

Lebron: we don't think about 65 games left. We need to get better now...

 

[tupac003]

Nah I think y'all should stake your claims now. When it turns around, y'all shouldn't be allowed to enjoy it.

I love NT.

MVP you a good dude...but this got to be one of the dumbest things I've seen on NT.

People can have differences of opinion on what this team may or may not do but that doesn't mean a fan can't enjoy thier team either way.

 

[Lizakers]

We need Ariza lol

 

[Brosizzlew30.23]

Even the old 03-04 Lakers with an aging Mailman, Glove, HoraceGrant, BRussell, weren't as bad as this. And that team has key players missing games throughout the season. Malone missed half the season, Fox played 38 games, Kobe and Shaq each missed almost 20 games, Horsce missed 35-40 games.

Big difference tho when you have Zenmaster, Vitti, and Tex. All those games missed and Lakers still won 56 and got to the Finals.

Can't say I see a similar thing happening with this group tbh. First of all Vogel and staff ain't got the know-how and wisdom of Phil and Tex. Secondly that 03-04 team has a bunch of defenders and rebounders. This team doesn't.

If the Lakers keep this team and coaching staff, as currently constructed rn, for the remainder of the regular season, they aren't going to thr Finals based on what we've seen thus far

 

[tupac003]

Apparently all we are allowed to do is say things will get better.....

 

[BIG LEEMELONE]

Even the old 03-04 Lakers with an aging Mailman, Glove, HoraceGrant, BRussell, weren't as bad as this. And that team has key players missing games throughout the season. Malone missed half the season, Fox played 38 games, Kobe and Shaq each missed almost 20 games, Horsce missed 35-40 games.

Big difference tho when you have Zenmaster, Vitti, and Tex. All those games missed and Lakers still won 56 and got to the Finals.

Can't say I see a similar thing happening with this group tbh. First of all Vogel and staff ain't got the know-how and wisdom of Phil and Tex. Secondly that 03-04 team has a bunch of defenders and rebounders. This team doesn't.

If the Lakers keep this team and coaching staff, as currently constructed rn, for the remainder of the regular season, they aren't going to thr Finals based on what we've seen thus far

I know you and Frederick Douglass used to watch games together but it's 2021 bro

 

[Brosizzlew30.23]

I know you and Frederick Douglass used to watch games together but it's 2021 bro

I needed that laugh bro.

You know where my DeLorean at? The future sucks.

 

[Brosizzlew30.23]

I love NT.
People can have differences of opinion on what this team may or may not do but that doesn't mean a fan can't enjoy thier team either way.

Well said

 

[Brosizzlew30.23]

Funny how Lakers kept going inside the paint in the beginning of the game en route to a solid lead and encouraging start then like clockwork the aggressiveness disappeared, evidenced by getting blown out in points in the paint and rebounding battle.

Ntm All the poor 3rd quarter starts.

All of this has the signs of a divided locker room and a team not responding to its head coach.

Vogel will be the scapegoat since Russell being traded is a long shot.

I missed the game tonight but caught the game cast on my computer. Now I'm watching the replay on Sportsnet and I'm surprised they looked this good at the beginning of the game only to get blown out by an inferior ball club. Smh

 

[tupac003]

I doubt they move on from Vogel this year...

But it's crazy that they just completely got away from what was working in the 1st...

 

[drewsone]

Exactly.

Our defensive rebounding inefficiencies have little to do with guards not boxing out but more to do with AD being put in hopeless positions having to defend the lane all by himself with no weakside help from any other big because our guards play zero perimeter defense and dont knows how to guard a stinkin PNR.

But when AD is at the 4 and HE is the one helping from the weak side, he then becomes a terror both in rebounding and defending the paint.

But I get it, it's rocket science for the Stats and Analytics Crew.

**** weird
ad at the 5 is best for offense (even tho it still stinks) but bad for defense
ad the 4 is the flip of that

AD plays well with dwight tho. DAJ just trash lol

I kinda wish ad-5 bron-4 looked better than what it has been lol even when they run bron/ad/melo like the def/reb so ugly lol

 

[Brosizzlew30.23]

I doubt they move on from Vogel this year...

But it's crazy that they just completely got away from what was working in the 1st...

Inside-Out is all they did. And like it does 100% of the time, it leads to Laker leads and W's.

But maybe we're slowly realizing how and why they keep reverting to bad play and finding ways to lose in unexplainable fashion - they're either dumb or divided.

There's no other explanation imo

 

[Lizakers]

good thing we won all those OT games