Whats up fellas? How's everyones offseason been?
Finally the season is upon us, i hate not having any hoops to watch but the Olympics were fun and that gold medal game was a classic.
I like what the Lakers did over the offseason, they made the finals without Bynum and with him back in the lineup our defense will improve dramatically. Having Pau at the 4 spot is perfect to as he has the face up game and he is such a good passer from the high and low post. The dilemma seems to be the SF position, i still think Lamar is the best option but Ariza has been impressive in the preseason. Lamar's problem is that the defense sags off him because he doesnt have an outside shot, but that just means that you make sure he stays in his sweet spots and away from the 3pt line. Gasol has a solid jumper so that could open up the paint for Lamar to cut to the hoop. Lamar's main strength is that he can cover any spot on the floor for foul trouble or injuries, his versatility will be important in the long NBA season. Offense is not our problem though, the Celtics demonstrated that defense is what wins championships and we have to have that mindset if we are gonna win it all this year. Bynum will help anchor the defense but we have to change our mentality to be a team that defends even if the offense isnt clicking. With the length we have on the team we should be able to trap full and half court and we should also be able to disrupt pick and rolls as long as we stay active. These are all things that i hope we are practicing in training camp rather than offensive execution, everyone knows the triangle well enough now anyway. I like the addition of Josh Powell as a back up 4 to, he rebounds like a mad man and provides some toughness to the frontline. I was sorry to see Turiaf go but i think Powell will be even better.
I have said for a while now that i love what Portland has done over the last few years reshaping their roster, this year with Oden back they have a chance to make a playoff run. I love that they get after it on defense and with players like Roy, Fernandez and Aldridge they should score plenty. Im looking forward to seeing Bynum go up against Oden, that will be a great matchup for years to come.
How do you guys feel about your teams this season?
Evening friend
Lakers will be a force for many years to come. I hope the sillyness with Jackson, Los Angeles announcers will cease with Lamar. He can be a wonderful addition at point or 6th man. Just play strong all the time. Josh is the tough guy the Lakers missed during the playoffs. Healthy Mhmm and if only Phil will play more than 8 men, Kobe and the starters can get valuable rest
As it stands right now, i think the Lakers either let Lamar walk at the end of the season or they try and sign him to a cheaper deal if he has a good season. If we trade him then we are taking back another big salary which will be a problem if Kobe opts out (and signs a new contract) and also with Bynum and Ariza's new contracts. I think Lamar's versatility will be key for us this year, we have a very deep team and if Lamar ends up coming off the bench then it shows how strong our starting five is. Our second unit tends to play at a faster pace so this might suit Lamar's game better as he excels at grabbing the board and pushing the break. Either way we have a lot of talent on the team but if we dont buy into that defensive mentality then we will come up short again.
Finally the season starts, why does the off season seem to take longer than the actual season?
Big test for my Lakers tonight, the Blazers are looking good this year and i would not be surprised to see them upset a few teams if they make the playoffs (health being the key).
We looked pretty good in the pre season, Gasol and Bynum are starting to find those combinations in the triangle. I can see Pau averaging way more assists this year because of his great vision and Bynums great hands. Our defense is coming along and its great to see us playing Gasol and Bynum as a two man zone guarding the paint, now zones are legal it seems stupid with our length not to use them. Our second unit has been the highlight for me, Farmar, Sasha, Ariza, Lamar and Mihm/Powell play really well together and really change the speed of the game when they come in. We have our starters that play power post up ball and keep the floor spread with Vlad and Fish, then the bench mob come in a force turnovers and run the ball down the opponents throat. I love our versatility, we can play any style and match up with anyone.
I pleased Lamar has embraced his role on the bench, their play suits his game much better than the starters. Off the bench he can play free and just push the ball off the boards, Farmar and Ariza are great on the break and Sasha will keep teams honest with his outside shooting.
Add to all of that the best player in the game and its easy to see why so many Laker fans are excited to see this team in action. I think there will obviously been some bumps in the road, tonights game for example will be a huge test. Portland are young, versatile and hungry, they'd love to beat the favorites in the opener to announce that they are for real. So we need to bring it from the opening tip of the first game.
NBA action is back guys, i love it!