Bricklayer
Don't Make Me Use The Bat
Tough to find a single scapegoat for our ugliness tongiht. Question of the eveing: Has our lack of athleticism reached such a critical mass that it will undermine all our efforts this year?
Peja ( C+ ) -- just not up to the challenge tonight. Was not awful so much as irrelevant on a night when we needed him to be special. Was taking care of his on defense at least, which set him apart from virtually everyone else on the floor. Missed open shots that we needed him to knock down because everyone from Kobe to Tierre Brown was hitting them for the Lakers.
Webber ( C+ ) -- tonight it was his night to have the nightmare athletic matchup on defense (against Odom). And it did not go well. Actually hsi game kind of felt worse than it really was, because when you got down to it, at the point Webb left the game it was 20pts on 10/18 for Webb, 20pts on 10/15 for Odom. So not a blowout. But Odom's easy scoring and ability to drive and set up his teammates really set the tone for the Lakers. And a point of concern is Webb's boardwork, or lack thereof. He did not board well on the road trip, dropped below 10 a game for the first time all year, and then only nabbed 4 today. He needs to redidicate himself and get back in there. You can tell when he's focused on the glass, and right now he's not. Was one of the only Kings fighting back on offense, but at times was quick shooting.
Miller ( C- ) -- Brad has these games against athletic teams where he just looks like a fish out of water. The bizarre part is that he is rarely able to take advantage of his bulk and dominate the glass in these games. Seems like the whole game goes south. And to make matters worse of course, unlike Webb when Brad gets into these uncomfortable athletic zones, he does not have anything to turn to on offense to take advanatage of his size. Lot of minutes
Christie ( C ) -- made some nice passes, was harassing defensively early. But one of those games against kobe where doug was totally and completely irrelevant. i might as well have been guarding him. Kobe pretty much went where he wanted to, did what he wanted to, and Doug was unable to disrupt anything. Tribute to Kobe's game (now TWICE against us), also a cautionary tale about Doug's declining ability to be an impact defender. Also missed open shots we could nto afford. Nothing stylistically the matter with Douog's game tonight, but the results were flat. There was no pop with him in the game, and Bobby was far more effective in relief.
Bibby ( C+ ) -- started off the game immensely aggressive. Missed his first three shots in rapid succession, and looked like it might be a grim night, but then just attacked and attacked and eneded up as the leading scorer and energy guy in the first quarter. But even while he was hot, there was a cautionary tale as chucky Atkins was able to score back at him on the other front. Mike wasn't playing terrible defense, but neither was he disrupting anything. In the second half he was no longer hot, but ocntinued having defensive issues. Hot start may also have got him too focused on the hoop as he only notched a pair of assists.
BJax ( B+ ) -- Bobby bounced back nicely tonight. Came in with a ton of energy in the early second, and immediately starting grabbing huge rebounds. Also scored 20pts in 22 minutes, and took Kobe for those long stretches when we went with th small guard lineup (with limited success). Was sloppy at times, but easily the best thing we ahd going tonight. Bobby, at least, was competing.
Songaila ( B ) -- solid game by Darius. Particularly appreciated his uncommon tenacity on the boards -- after a pathetic start to the season when he was boarding like a slightly heftier Peja, he has been much stronger in recent weeks.
Tag ( INC ) -- got 1 pukie little minute to start the 2nd period. Not quite sure why, nor why we didn't try him just out of desperation as the lakers were slaughtering us on defense.
Barnes ( D+ ) -- gave us a whole bunch of nothing again. And we know this about him now -- cannot guard Kobe. Slumping in recent weeks at a critical time for him. Have no doubt we'll keep him on the roster, but we have to be taking longing looks at that waiver wire about now with effectively no backup SF or swingman right now.
Evans ( INC ) -- garbagetime, I wasn't paying very close attention, so somebody else will have to fill int he details.
Daniels ( INC ) -- garbagetime, I wasn't paying very close attention, so somebody else will have to fill int he details.
Martin ( INC ) -- garbagetime, I wasn't paying very close attention, so somebody else will have to fill int he details.
Adelman ( C ) -- well, what to say about this one. We just got slaughtered on defense, and never did find an answer. Rick called the appropriate time outs, but they made no difference. He also made the predicatable defensive switches, trying first Brad and then Peja on Odom, and trying Peja and BJax on Kobe after Christie proved ineffective. But none of it worked. Think this is one of those games where Rick's greatest strength -- his calm steady as she goes approach -- just was not conducive to him making the sorts of radical moves that he would have had to to get us back into it (maybe going to a press, quick douobles, zones etc.). But it likely still woudl not have mattered. Tonight was just one of those nights where Kobe grew a brain stem and the lakers played great. And frghteningly when you looked at the Kings, at our lack of athleticism, there just weren't many answers there no matter who was coahcing them.
Peja ( C+ ) -- just not up to the challenge tonight. Was not awful so much as irrelevant on a night when we needed him to be special. Was taking care of his on defense at least, which set him apart from virtually everyone else on the floor. Missed open shots that we needed him to knock down because everyone from Kobe to Tierre Brown was hitting them for the Lakers.
Webber ( C+ ) -- tonight it was his night to have the nightmare athletic matchup on defense (against Odom). And it did not go well. Actually hsi game kind of felt worse than it really was, because when you got down to it, at the point Webb left the game it was 20pts on 10/18 for Webb, 20pts on 10/15 for Odom. So not a blowout. But Odom's easy scoring and ability to drive and set up his teammates really set the tone for the Lakers. And a point of concern is Webb's boardwork, or lack thereof. He did not board well on the road trip, dropped below 10 a game for the first time all year, and then only nabbed 4 today. He needs to redidicate himself and get back in there. You can tell when he's focused on the glass, and right now he's not. Was one of the only Kings fighting back on offense, but at times was quick shooting.
Miller ( C- ) -- Brad has these games against athletic teams where he just looks like a fish out of water. The bizarre part is that he is rarely able to take advantage of his bulk and dominate the glass in these games. Seems like the whole game goes south. And to make matters worse of course, unlike Webb when Brad gets into these uncomfortable athletic zones, he does not have anything to turn to on offense to take advanatage of his size. Lot of minutes
Christie ( C ) -- made some nice passes, was harassing defensively early. But one of those games against kobe where doug was totally and completely irrelevant. i might as well have been guarding him. Kobe pretty much went where he wanted to, did what he wanted to, and Doug was unable to disrupt anything. Tribute to Kobe's game (now TWICE against us), also a cautionary tale about Doug's declining ability to be an impact defender. Also missed open shots we could nto afford. Nothing stylistically the matter with Douog's game tonight, but the results were flat. There was no pop with him in the game, and Bobby was far more effective in relief.
Bibby ( C+ ) -- started off the game immensely aggressive. Missed his first three shots in rapid succession, and looked like it might be a grim night, but then just attacked and attacked and eneded up as the leading scorer and energy guy in the first quarter. But even while he was hot, there was a cautionary tale as chucky Atkins was able to score back at him on the other front. Mike wasn't playing terrible defense, but neither was he disrupting anything. In the second half he was no longer hot, but ocntinued having defensive issues. Hot start may also have got him too focused on the hoop as he only notched a pair of assists.
BJax ( B+ ) -- Bobby bounced back nicely tonight. Came in with a ton of energy in the early second, and immediately starting grabbing huge rebounds. Also scored 20pts in 22 minutes, and took Kobe for those long stretches when we went with th small guard lineup (with limited success). Was sloppy at times, but easily the best thing we ahd going tonight. Bobby, at least, was competing.
Songaila ( B ) -- solid game by Darius. Particularly appreciated his uncommon tenacity on the boards -- after a pathetic start to the season when he was boarding like a slightly heftier Peja, he has been much stronger in recent weeks.
Tag ( INC ) -- got 1 pukie little minute to start the 2nd period. Not quite sure why, nor why we didn't try him just out of desperation as the lakers were slaughtering us on defense.
Barnes ( D+ ) -- gave us a whole bunch of nothing again. And we know this about him now -- cannot guard Kobe. Slumping in recent weeks at a critical time for him. Have no doubt we'll keep him on the roster, but we have to be taking longing looks at that waiver wire about now with effectively no backup SF or swingman right now.
Evans ( INC ) -- garbagetime, I wasn't paying very close attention, so somebody else will have to fill int he details.
Daniels ( INC ) -- garbagetime, I wasn't paying very close attention, so somebody else will have to fill int he details.
Martin ( INC ) -- garbagetime, I wasn't paying very close attention, so somebody else will have to fill int he details.
Adelman ( C ) -- well, what to say about this one. We just got slaughtered on defense, and never did find an answer. Rick called the appropriate time outs, but they made no difference. He also made the predicatable defensive switches, trying first Brad and then Peja on Odom, and trying Peja and BJax on Kobe after Christie proved ineffective. But none of it worked. Think this is one of those games where Rick's greatest strength -- his calm steady as she goes approach -- just was not conducive to him making the sorts of radical moves that he would have had to to get us back into it (maybe going to a press, quick douobles, zones etc.). But it likely still woudl not have mattered. Tonight was just one of those nights where Kobe grew a brain stem and the lakers played great. And frghteningly when you looked at the Kings, at our lack of athleticism, there just weren't many answers there no matter who was coahcing them.
