Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Well some things you would have learned about the Lakers if you were watching them for the first time this week: Andrew Bynum sucks, is a big baby mentally, and has the processing power of a diplodicus. Kobe Bryant is overrated and in decline, self satisfied and his ego is writing checks his skills can no longer deliver. Their "guards" can't guard anyone, and Pau Gasol is the only quality player they have on their whole roster. And as a whole they are soft and passionless, laughing on the bench as they get punched in the nose again by one of the league's worst, and absolute roadkill for the express coming down I-95 out of Beantown. I metaphorically fart in their general direction.
And then you realize we still lost to them.
Cisco ( B ) -- in the early going still playing with verve against the Lakers SFs, who just do not match up (Ariza aside). But not as much energy and slowed offensively as the game went along (although he did splash in a well timed three). Made some of the old classic Cisco mistakes on defense, getting over enthusiastic and fouling guys out 23ft away from the hoop. Walton obviously did not do much on offense with his scoring against Cisco, but hurt us considerably with his passing. Cisco also had some spots against Kobe, but no real chance to renew their pleasantries. Did make a lot of mean looking faces however. Solid game sort of perched on the precipice between a B and a B- for me. Started fast, slowed, but never really hurt us, and made various minor contributions across the board.
Hawes ( C+ ) -- grade made tough here, because what you have is a guy who struggled almost the entire game, and then tried to make up for it all in a hot three minute stretch in crunchtime. Again struggled to finish in the early going, and maybe Gasol's length bothers him. Did not board, and was also battling foul trouble all night long, and picked up several unnecessary ones. Picked up his 3rd fouling Josh Powel of all people -- I mean, let him shoot. He clanked both FTs, so you could say Spencer saved two points. But it was Josh Powel, on a fadeaway post move..the two points weren't going in anyway. Have to know your opponent. Later Spencer just got unlucky in picking up his 5th -- Salmons fouled Kobe, which somehow was not called, but hit him hard enough that he knocked him into Spencer, who was just kind of standing there. And it was foul on Spencer for #5. Could of almost ended his night right there, and we are maybe talking about a C- or D type grade. Pau has worked him pretty well in both games, and those long arms seem to have Spencer perplexed. But he did get to finally return in the 4th, and he made a major contribution that sent his grade shooting upward. Went on a run in the final minutes where he scored 7 quick point, drawing a flagrant foul on a strange play where Bynum more or less just decided to tackle him for his 6th foul, hitting a jumper, and then capping the spurt with a corner three (yes I know) that brought us within three wiht three minutes to go. As close as we would get. So...what do you do wiht the grade? Well I am not going to just ignore Pau outplaying him again, the poor rebounding, the 3-9 shooting...but there is something to be said for timeliness, and with several other Kings trying to find ways to lose this one, Spencer stepped forward.
Miller ( C- ) -- back to sleep again for no apparent reason, and was missing his early jumpers and doing precious little else. Fortunately for him Bynum looks about as coordinated as Greg Ostertag whenever he plays us, so he was not getting destroyed in there, but he did nothing other than try to space the floor by standing outside and doing nothing. Can I get paid $12mil a year to do that? Just tell me where to stand. Began to come alive a little in the early third running pick and rolls with Beno, then disappeared again as we started to get blown out, including chippping in a pair of bricked free throws. Was not heard from again as Mikki "Big Game" Moore took over for the crunch time and ferociously defended his minutes against all comers.
Salmons ( A- ) -- not as much luck slowing Kobe this time and was off to a fairly slow start himself offensively with Kobe apparently having been told to cut out the hippity hop retarded rabbit defense he was playing on John in Sacramento. But Kobe began missing in the second, and John himself woke and began to get whatever he wanted unless the bigs help showed up to smother him. The lanes closed up in the third as the Lakers got serious, but by the 4th the Lakers store of actually giving a damn was re-exhausted and John was able to get open looks both inside and out once again. Down the stretch even started notching assists, setting up both of Hawes' shots, as well as one of Beno's. Lost the battle tonight against Kobe, took too many shots perhaps, certainly had several of his you-will-have-to-pry-the-ball-from-my-cold-dead-hands 1 on 5 drives. But hey, with Kevin out he is the onyl player on the team who has proven he can consistently score more than 15ppg. He;s going to take the shots. And while he may have lsot the battle, and we lost the game, it was not a blowout. He was again working hard, and Kobe again failed to truly seperate himself in I Kobe, you mortal fahsion. So not as good, but as good as you probably had reason to hope for going in. Lakers might do well to hope we don't move John to one of their competitors -- John's knack vs. Kobe means little given our status, but put him on New Orleans for instance and have them meet the Lakers in the WCF...
Udrih ( B ) -- had a couple of nifty drives either for layups or setting up teammates, but otherwise fairly quiet in the early going until he came on strong down the stretch of the second quarter. Again exposed the Lakers weakness at PG, where Fisher simply can't stay in front of him, and Farmar had to suspend the game of H.O.R.S.E. he and Bynum were playing last week because neither of them can spell it. Was playing a strong game as the #2 thorn behind Salmons, when once again disaster struck, and Beno Benoed himself. He had actually managed to go an entire game without a turnover. No phantom passes to non-existent players. No attempts to dribble between the legs of three opponents. And then, boom, he did just that at a critical point in the final minutes, with us down 5, with the ball and a chance to close...Beno decides to get stupid and try to split the double team. Duh. And then to make matters worse, he comes down a couple of possessions later, gets fouled, and promptly chokes both FTs. So what do you do with this one? Kind of the anti-Hawes tonight. Good most of the game, then screwed up, again, in the clutch.
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Thompson ( B ) -- modestly effective hustle in the first half, think it was something like 4pts 4rebs. Similar production after half, but felt like he was having more of an impact with the boardwork. Mixed in a few assists as well. The midrange jumper was shaky tonight, and as usual anything around the rim that was not a dunk was an adventure. On defense lookedmore comfortable against Odom at 6'10" than he did against the length of the rest ofthe Lakers frontline. Got pulled midway through the 4th after fouling Pau wtih defense that was more enthusiastic than artful. Was replaced by Spencer as Reggie's solution ot his frontcourt minutes distribution issues for the night was basically to have one old guy spot (Brad/Mikki) and one young guy spot (Jason/Spencer).
Brown ( B- ) -- a tale of two stints again makes for an interesting grade. In the early going hit a pair of shots to help draw us back near the end of the first quartter, playing off the ball to Garcia even as mostly an OG. And still seems no Laker can or will stay with him. Came back in at the very end of the third quarter, and unbelievably had more of his turnover problems at the end of a quarter/half, turning it over not once, but twice in the last 30 seconds of the third to give the Lakers an extra push going into the 4th. that has to makrk at least half a dozen times this season where he has made bad errors to close out a quarter and gve the other team points. Very bizarre. While he has to learn, maybe Reggie should consider bringing him int to start the next quarter rather than finish out the current one?
Greene ( C+ ) -- brief empty stint in the first half, in the third grabbed a couple of boards and missed a three, but came back with a big baseline dunk off a scramble play. Along with the Ciscoesque scowl. Lasted for all of 45 seconds of the 4th quarter as he got out of control in the open court resulting in a turnover and Cisco's quick return.
Jackson ( B- ) -- not much in a short first half stint -- hit a layup, grabbed a board, that was pretty much it. Was moderately effective down the strech of the third quarter -- gave us some toughness and got a trio of FTs in the final minute or two of a technical after the Lakers whined their way right out of focus, and then on a bizarrely stupid play by Farmar who hipchecked Bobby out near halfcourt with something like a tenth of a second to go to end the quarter. Not much in the early 4th before being replaced, and then was back in the final minute as Reggie worked on his 10pt plays.
Moore ( B ) -- struggled inside in the first half and you expected the 4th quarter stint to be short -- maybe 4 minutes, maybe 6, just to spell guys. But instead Mikki Moore became Mr. Crunch, and I think ran the entire 4th quarter out there in place of a sluggish Brad. More amazing still, it kind of worked. Not that Mikki actually did anything -- Mikki never actually does anything. But while John was doing something, or Spencer was doing something, and all the other little somethings it took to get back semi-close in this one, Mikki was just solid over at that other spot. Not spectacular, but just solid. Made the right rotations, set the right picks, and generally contributed solid frontline play throughout the 4th while the Lakers struggled to find two frontcourters who wanted to play against his fearsomeness.
And then you realize we still lost to them.
Cisco ( B ) -- in the early going still playing with verve against the Lakers SFs, who just do not match up (Ariza aside). But not as much energy and slowed offensively as the game went along (although he did splash in a well timed three). Made some of the old classic Cisco mistakes on defense, getting over enthusiastic and fouling guys out 23ft away from the hoop. Walton obviously did not do much on offense with his scoring against Cisco, but hurt us considerably with his passing. Cisco also had some spots against Kobe, but no real chance to renew their pleasantries. Did make a lot of mean looking faces however. Solid game sort of perched on the precipice between a B and a B- for me. Started fast, slowed, but never really hurt us, and made various minor contributions across the board.
Hawes ( C+ ) -- grade made tough here, because what you have is a guy who struggled almost the entire game, and then tried to make up for it all in a hot three minute stretch in crunchtime. Again struggled to finish in the early going, and maybe Gasol's length bothers him. Did not board, and was also battling foul trouble all night long, and picked up several unnecessary ones. Picked up his 3rd fouling Josh Powel of all people -- I mean, let him shoot. He clanked both FTs, so you could say Spencer saved two points. But it was Josh Powel, on a fadeaway post move..the two points weren't going in anyway. Have to know your opponent. Later Spencer just got unlucky in picking up his 5th -- Salmons fouled Kobe, which somehow was not called, but hit him hard enough that he knocked him into Spencer, who was just kind of standing there. And it was foul on Spencer for #5. Could of almost ended his night right there, and we are maybe talking about a C- or D type grade. Pau has worked him pretty well in both games, and those long arms seem to have Spencer perplexed. But he did get to finally return in the 4th, and he made a major contribution that sent his grade shooting upward. Went on a run in the final minutes where he scored 7 quick point, drawing a flagrant foul on a strange play where Bynum more or less just decided to tackle him for his 6th foul, hitting a jumper, and then capping the spurt with a corner three (yes I know) that brought us within three wiht three minutes to go. As close as we would get. So...what do you do wiht the grade? Well I am not going to just ignore Pau outplaying him again, the poor rebounding, the 3-9 shooting...but there is something to be said for timeliness, and with several other Kings trying to find ways to lose this one, Spencer stepped forward.
Miller ( C- ) -- back to sleep again for no apparent reason, and was missing his early jumpers and doing precious little else. Fortunately for him Bynum looks about as coordinated as Greg Ostertag whenever he plays us, so he was not getting destroyed in there, but he did nothing other than try to space the floor by standing outside and doing nothing. Can I get paid $12mil a year to do that? Just tell me where to stand. Began to come alive a little in the early third running pick and rolls with Beno, then disappeared again as we started to get blown out, including chippping in a pair of bricked free throws. Was not heard from again as Mikki "Big Game" Moore took over for the crunch time and ferociously defended his minutes against all comers.
Salmons ( A- ) -- not as much luck slowing Kobe this time and was off to a fairly slow start himself offensively with Kobe apparently having been told to cut out the hippity hop retarded rabbit defense he was playing on John in Sacramento. But Kobe began missing in the second, and John himself woke and began to get whatever he wanted unless the bigs help showed up to smother him. The lanes closed up in the third as the Lakers got serious, but by the 4th the Lakers store of actually giving a damn was re-exhausted and John was able to get open looks both inside and out once again. Down the stretch even started notching assists, setting up both of Hawes' shots, as well as one of Beno's. Lost the battle tonight against Kobe, took too many shots perhaps, certainly had several of his you-will-have-to-pry-the-ball-from-my-cold-dead-hands 1 on 5 drives. But hey, with Kevin out he is the onyl player on the team who has proven he can consistently score more than 15ppg. He;s going to take the shots. And while he may have lsot the battle, and we lost the game, it was not a blowout. He was again working hard, and Kobe again failed to truly seperate himself in I Kobe, you mortal fahsion. So not as good, but as good as you probably had reason to hope for going in. Lakers might do well to hope we don't move John to one of their competitors -- John's knack vs. Kobe means little given our status, but put him on New Orleans for instance and have them meet the Lakers in the WCF...
Udrih ( B ) -- had a couple of nifty drives either for layups or setting up teammates, but otherwise fairly quiet in the early going until he came on strong down the stretch of the second quarter. Again exposed the Lakers weakness at PG, where Fisher simply can't stay in front of him, and Farmar had to suspend the game of H.O.R.S.E. he and Bynum were playing last week because neither of them can spell it. Was playing a strong game as the #2 thorn behind Salmons, when once again disaster struck, and Beno Benoed himself. He had actually managed to go an entire game without a turnover. No phantom passes to non-existent players. No attempts to dribble between the legs of three opponents. And then, boom, he did just that at a critical point in the final minutes, with us down 5, with the ball and a chance to close...Beno decides to get stupid and try to split the double team. Duh. And then to make matters worse, he comes down a couple of possessions later, gets fouled, and promptly chokes both FTs. So what do you do with this one? Kind of the anti-Hawes tonight. Good most of the game, then screwed up, again, in the clutch.
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Thompson ( B ) -- modestly effective hustle in the first half, think it was something like 4pts 4rebs. Similar production after half, but felt like he was having more of an impact with the boardwork. Mixed in a few assists as well. The midrange jumper was shaky tonight, and as usual anything around the rim that was not a dunk was an adventure. On defense lookedmore comfortable against Odom at 6'10" than he did against the length of the rest ofthe Lakers frontline. Got pulled midway through the 4th after fouling Pau wtih defense that was more enthusiastic than artful. Was replaced by Spencer as Reggie's solution ot his frontcourt minutes distribution issues for the night was basically to have one old guy spot (Brad/Mikki) and one young guy spot (Jason/Spencer).
Brown ( B- ) -- a tale of two stints again makes for an interesting grade. In the early going hit a pair of shots to help draw us back near the end of the first quartter, playing off the ball to Garcia even as mostly an OG. And still seems no Laker can or will stay with him. Came back in at the very end of the third quarter, and unbelievably had more of his turnover problems at the end of a quarter/half, turning it over not once, but twice in the last 30 seconds of the third to give the Lakers an extra push going into the 4th. that has to makrk at least half a dozen times this season where he has made bad errors to close out a quarter and gve the other team points. Very bizarre. While he has to learn, maybe Reggie should consider bringing him int to start the next quarter rather than finish out the current one?
Greene ( C+ ) -- brief empty stint in the first half, in the third grabbed a couple of boards and missed a three, but came back with a big baseline dunk off a scramble play. Along with the Ciscoesque scowl. Lasted for all of 45 seconds of the 4th quarter as he got out of control in the open court resulting in a turnover and Cisco's quick return.
Jackson ( B- ) -- not much in a short first half stint -- hit a layup, grabbed a board, that was pretty much it. Was moderately effective down the strech of the third quarter -- gave us some toughness and got a trio of FTs in the final minute or two of a technical after the Lakers whined their way right out of focus, and then on a bizarrely stupid play by Farmar who hipchecked Bobby out near halfcourt with something like a tenth of a second to go to end the quarter. Not much in the early 4th before being replaced, and then was back in the final minute as Reggie worked on his 10pt plays.
Moore ( B ) -- struggled inside in the first half and you expected the 4th quarter stint to be short -- maybe 4 minutes, maybe 6, just to spell guys. But instead Mikki Moore became Mr. Crunch, and I think ran the entire 4th quarter out there in place of a sluggish Brad. More amazing still, it kind of worked. Not that Mikki actually did anything -- Mikki never actually does anything. But while John was doing something, or Spencer was doing something, and all the other little somethings it took to get back semi-close in this one, Mikki was just solid over at that other spot. Not spectacular, but just solid. Made the right rotations, set the right picks, and generally contributed solid frontline play throughout the 4th while the Lakers struggled to find two frontcourters who wanted to play against his fearsomeness.
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