Kobe puts up 30+ for 4th time in a week...

• sportswizuhrd

  ...and the Lakers get blown out for the 2nd time in a week. Lost 118-103 to the Suns in Phoenix. The Suns led by 6 at the half and were up by as many as 22 in the 4th quarter. Lakers bench got outscored 50-31(alot of their points came in junk minutes because at one point they were getting outscored 48-18)
  
  DJ Mbenga had 0 points in 10 minutes but had a nice block on Earl Clark(2 mins, 0 points.
  
  Love seeing Jared Dudley starting to shine for the Suns. He was one of my favorite players in college when he was at BC. All around nice player and has a high basketball IQ. He is tied with Boobie for first in the league in 3FG% with 50%.
• wildcats20

  

  Ugly 2nd half for the Lakers. Fly back to LA for a game at Staples against Golden State tomorrow night.
• Skyhook79

  

  sportswizuhrd wrote: ...and the Lakers get blown out for the 2nd time in a week. Lost 118-103 to the Suns in Phoenix. The Suns led by 6 at the half and were up by as many as 22 in the 4th quarter. Lakers bench got outscored 50-31(alot of their points came in junk minutes because at one point they were getting outscored 48-18)
  
  DJ Mbenga had 0 points in 10 minutes but had a nice block on Earl Clark(2 mins, 0 points.
  
  Love seeing Jared Dudley starting to shine for the Suns. He was one of my favorite players in college when he was at BC. All around nice player and has a high basketball IQ. He is tied with Boobie for first in the league in 3FG% with 50%.

  
  
  
  
  Got anymore like who won the NBA Championship last year and who was NBA Finals MVP?
• SportsAndLady

  

  ^^Why are you bringing up last year when this is a thread about this year?
• sportswizuhrd

  SportsAndLady wrote: ^^Why are you bringing up last year when this is a thread about this year?

  Hanging on to the past...
• cview

  Well, we can't very well discuss who won the 2010 Finals or MVP yet can we? (Insert some Lakers or Cavs jackass saying something about how we can because they know who will win it.)
  
  Does it really matter that any NBA team is getting blown out or blowing someone out right now? The NBA's regular season is the most irrelevant in all of the major sports. The playoffs are big enough to allow any team in and the series are long enough that the better team is going to win. It isn't baseball where you play for eight months and then get eliminated in a span of three games in four days. It isn't football where one bad game can kill you.
  
  Anyone that pays attention to the NBA knows it'll be Denver or LA coming out of the West and one of the trio of Boston, Orlando, or Cleveland out of the East. In all likelihood it'll be LA out of the West and regardless of who they play, this place will be a fucking pissing match. :rolleyes:
• SportsAndLady

  

  ^^^Record wise, yes, it's pretty irrelevant (assuming they make it to the playoffs)...however, LA has two glaring weaknesses--an average to below average bench and they are thin at the guard position.
  
  No one is saying LA is bad, or that they won't win it, or that they aren't one of the top teams of the NBA, however these 2 weaknesses are starting to show with these losses.
• hoops23

  

  You mean I wasn't crazy when I said the Lakers bench was weak?
• SportsAndLady

  

  I didn't see where you said that, but if you did you were definitely right.
• hoops23

  

  I said it a while ago, but I've been preaching it all week. 2quick and skyhook have both called shenanigans on my claim, because "they won it all last year"...
• cview

  Agreed, their bench sucks and they are pretty thin at guard. Getting Luke Walton back will be big; he's a solid player. I think they'll be ok. I said in the power rankings thread a few weeks ago I thought they'd come back to Earth when they hit the road. Every team in the league has a couple flaws right now. I think you'll see some top teams strengthen themselves even more with seemingly every bottom feeder looking to clear cap space for this summer by dumping any and all EC's and/or veterans while loading up for the FA's and starting over or tanking for a top 5 pick. I'm especially interested in seeing what Cleveland might do...that has to be an agonizing decision as I'm not sure they've done enough to get to the Finals let alone win it. I for one don't think Lebron will leave Cleveland but if there is any team in the NBA that needs to win, win big, and win now...it's the Cavs. I think everyone saw a little bit of that play out on Christmas. Much like the LA/Boston game last year, the team that needed the game much, much worse was the one that went out and got it.
• hoops23

  

  It's definitely going to be a fun and interesting season.
• 2quik4u

  

  Everyone keeps pointing at their bench but they had the same bench last year except Walton being hurt and they won a championship, maybe if they are down 3-0 in a playoff series ill be worried
• hoops23

  

  But again, last year means NOTHING for this year.
  
  LA's bench played well last season, but to expect the same production from some of those guys is foolish.
  
  The starters are logging heavy minutes already.
• se-alum

  

  The loss of Ira Newble has killed the Lakers!
• HiddenGems

  I am one of the biggest Lakers fans in the world. I can sum up the LA troubles in one word.............trust!
  
  Kobe has to get back to getting his numbers more effectively as far as his FG-A's go. The bench and rotation in general has to be a little better but it is not that bad at this point. We need more passing from the whole team I feel. Too much talent for the way we are playing right now. Brown and Farmar are playing like they are going to shoot the other one out of the rotation. I would like to see Gasol and Odom get more touches due to their versatility and unselfishness. That and a better frontcourt piece than Powell or Mbenga for depth there.
• Sonofanump

  Me > Team
• Skyhook79

  

  LTrain23 wrote: I said it a while ago, but I've been preaching it all week. 2quick and skyhook have both called shenanigans on my claim, because "they won it all last year"...

  I never said the Lakers bench wasn't weak, I said its basically the exact same bench they had last year when they won it all.
  When you have the best player in the World you don't need a strong bench to win it all as was proven last year.
  
  
  2009-10 bench support:
  
  35 ppg
  10.5 apg
  21 rpg
  
  2008-09 bench support:
  
  36 ppg
  11 apg
  17 rpg
• SQ_Crazies

  

  This thread=prime example of why you can't have a serious discussion with most Laker fans.
• Skyhook79

  

  SQ_Crazies wrote: This thread=prime example of why you can't have a serious discussion with most Laker fans.

  
  Because we don't agree with the bias,Lebron jock sniffing bullcrap you put out?
• hangonsloopy

  

  The lakers bench reminds me of the Indians bullpen. One year they are lights out, the next they just aren't nearly as good. Not to say the LA's bench won't pick it up but right now they are clearly a big weakness. The starters are playing major minutes.
  
  P.S. I sure am glad I have skyhook blocked so I don't have to read the crap he is most likely adding to the thread instead of having an intelligent discussion.
• devil1197

  The bench really hasn't shown up at all in the losses to Cleveland and Phoenix, both have been losses.
  
  Phoenix 52-31 (+21
  Cleveland 31-17 (+14)
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Skyhook79 wrote:

  SQ_Crazies wrote: This thread=prime example of why you can't have a serious discussion with most Laker fans.

  
  Because we don't agree with the bias,Lebron jock sniffing bullcrap you put out?

  ^^Another prime example.
• 2quik4u

  

  devil1197 wrote: The bench really hasn't shown up at all in the losses to Cleveland and Phoenix, both have been losses.
  
  Phoenix 52-31 (+21
  Cleveland 31-17 (+14)

  When you lose the #'s are going to be down some place
• devil1197

  2quik4u wrote:

  devil1197 wrote: The bench really hasn't shown up at all in the losses to Cleveland and Phoenix, both have been losses.
  
  Phoenix 52-31 (+21
  Cleveland 31-17 (+14)

  When you lose the #'s are going to be down some place

  Exactly, in those losses the bench hasn't showed up. Just pointing out to Sky that in the recent failures of the Lakers it has been the bench not producing.