The Lakers’ performance in their 120-96 loss to Utah was downright embarrassing.The Jazz dominated Los Angeles in every aspect of the game—and that was without Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur, who were both out with injuries.
Instead of taking advantage of their hosts' health woes, the Lakers played lethargic, passive basketball. The contrast with Utah's aggressive, unselfish, and creative style was as wide as the Pacific Ocean.
In fairness, every NBA team has a few nights a year where nothing clicks. I understand that—and I won't overreact to this particular defeat.
Still, the drubbing does raise a number of troubling issues for Kobe Bryant and Co.
Offense
The Laker offense tallied 82 points over the first three quarters, but most of these were the result of fast-break opportunities and Kobe Bryant mini-spurts.
In reality, the O routinely sputtered in a half-court set.
Kobe had nice numbers (10-19 FG, 3-5 3FG, 28 PTS), but most of his points came in inconsistent bunches. A two-minute hypernova in the second quarter, for example, saw Bryant score 12 points on the strength of his one-on-one playmaking abilities—not because of anything having to do with the Los Angeles offense.
Rarely did Bryant look to be a creator. Rarely did he catch the ball in motion, and rarely was he put in a position to make plays for his teammates.
Instead, he'd typically receive a pass on, or dribble to the right wing, where he'd look to take Ronnie Brewer one-on-one.
Brewer hung close to Bryant for the most part—and every KB drive was met by a swift double team, which usually resulted in forced shots or out-passes.
And when Kobe wasn’t going off, the Laker offense stalled.
Deron Williams' pressure prevented Derek Fisher (1-8 FG, 1-5 3FG 2 AST, 0 TO, 3 PTS) from running efficient half-court sets. Instead of properly triangulating the Laker offense, Fisher was often forced to try to create something on his own.
His failings may have been the biggest factor in LA’s demise.
Lamar Odom (3-5 FG, 7 PTS) was a complete non-factor. At his best, Odom is a very talented baseline scorer with good range. But he's not the kind of player who fits into the triangle because he doesn’t excel at moving without the ball—and he’s notoriously soft to boot.
The physical Jazz bullied Odom into oblivion.
Jordan Farmar (8-13 FG, 3-7 3FG, 3 REB, 3 AST, 4 TO, 21 PTS) gave Los Angeles a spark off the bench. Despite his youth, Farmar made several veteran moves, including using the rim to shield Andrei Kirilenko on a block attempt and making a smooth backdoor cut and layup early in the fourth.
That said, Farmar also made a number of poor decisions with the ball—specifically picking up his dribble in congested areas of the court. That’s the main reason for his four turnovers.
Though he's not quite a pure point guard yet, Farmar is at least a player Phil Jackson can trust to provide key minutes at the 1.
11 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Michael Whittenberg about 1 year ago
They'll make it to the playoffs, but will lose in the 1st round for the 3rd straight year.
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Dave Metrick about 1 year ago
This team is what I thought they'd be... terribly inconsistent. They play great one night (Denver last Thursday) and then horribly the next night against the Jazz.
I hope Kwame Brown stays hurt. He's horrible. And to think, Kupchik and the Buss Family decided it was a good idea to trade Caron Butler (an all-star last season and kicking ass this season) for this stiff.
The front off moves of the last 5 or so years just illustrate what a genius Jerry West is.
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Dave Finocchio about 1 year ago
I agree with Dave...this team is consistently the most inconsistent team in the league. At least they're capable of playing at a high level.
With the following teams looking like shoe ins to make the playoffs: Spurs, Suns, Mavs, Hornets, Jazz
And the 3 other teams that are clearly better than the Lakers: Warriors, Nuggets, Rockets...it might take a Tracy McGrady, Baron Davis or Carmelo Anthony injury for Kobe to sneak in.
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Matt DeNicola about 1 year ago
Erick I hate to say it, but this analysis is absolutely nothing new. Any Laker fan could have told you this verbatim - before the season even started. It is a sad sad time in Lakerland.
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Erick Blasco about 1 year ago
Matt, don't be too condescending of the Lakers. I think they've played reasonably well to date and that many aspects of the Utah game are abberations. Not the fact that Odom and Bynum were helpless defending the paint, nor the fact that Derek Fisher wasn't athletic enough to shake Williams' pressure---those are key factors that will affect the season for Los Angeles.
But the Lakers have done many things well.
The offense runs much better this season with Fisher and Farmar instead of Smush Parker.
The Lakers offense is a touch less Kobe-centric than it was over the last two seasons.
Kwame Brown's straight up post defense has been solid all season.
Kobe is slightly more balanced as a scorer and creator---over the past few year's he'd either be totally into scoring or totally into creating, and the Laker offense would suffer.
I haven't watched the Hornets yet, so I still don't have any first hand knowledge of how good they are (though I do like how they've played this season). And I don't think the Lakers are significantly worse than the Warriors, Rockets, Nuggets, and Hornets at all.
I just think that the Jazz, Spurs, Suns, and Mavs have solidified themselves so much as quality teams, that the Lakers (as well as the Rockets, Nuggets, etc) are on a platform below.
While Kupchik and Buss are probably one of the worst GM-Owner combonations in the league, I'm not too enamored with Jerry West's ego with dealing with Phil Jacksonl, and also how he's crippled the Memphis franchise. Still, West ( or any GM not named Isaiah Thomas) would be a huge upgrade for the Lakers.
In all honesty, the downfall of the Lakers isn't completely Kobe's fault, especially with how Kupchik and Buss sold to Kobe the idea that the team would contend for Championships under his reign, and then sold out to a hardcore youth movement instead. I'd be pissed too if I was Kobe.
And again, Matt, while more in-depth than some other analysis(es?), I didn't expect my conclusions of the Lakers to be some kind of earth-shattering relevation. I just watched a game, used my prior understanding of the team, and tried to see A) how the team would go about trying to beat a talented opponent such as the Jazz, and B) if the game offered any indicators or truths as to how the season would unfold for the Lakers.
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Matt DeNicola about 1 year ago
I feel you, man. Wasn't meant to be a knock, but rather a long expiratory sigh of futility from a Laker fan slowly watching his time melt into oblivion. This team has absolutely not chance of contending for a title, or even making noise in the playoffs. I know plenty of fans have to deal with that from their teams, but it isn't supposed to be like that for the Lakers. Not with how the roster had been set up. Say what you will about West, but the guy knows what he is doing. Buss is Buss, and always has been. Everyone wants to blame him, but this is the same guy who has continually put a championship product on the court for nearly 30 years. The person to blame is Kupchak, with a painfully sluggish trigger finger, draft day mediocrity, and a complete air of incompetence to him.
Lamar Odom is hands down the most over-rated player in the NBA. Yes, I said it. I know no one things he is much good. And he is STILL the most over-rated. That is just how bad he is. He is the anti-role player. He does all the little things ... and he does them all wrong. Bad help defense, bad pick-roll defense, poor boxing out, doesn't fill the lanes right, always out of position, terrible passes, completely unintelligible decision making, etc etc etc. He is truly a horrific player to watch from a fundamentals standpoint, and it is painful when you realize he is Kobe's sidekick.
You are certainly right about Smush. I was saying it middle of last year, getting rid of him is immediate addition by subtraction. It is good to see Fish back in purple and gold, and aside from Kobe, Farmar is the only thing on the court worth watching.
I may be Kobe's last defender, but the guy deserves more. I know you watch a lot of games ... so you gotta see it more than most - the guy is just plain beastial. Even on his off nights, even in his childish moods, the guy is simply phenomenal. It is sad to watch it go to waste. We are seeing what a little talent can do for a guy like Garnett ... well Kobe is even better. I actually get angry every time I think about Kupchak's inability to get Garnett. Or anyone for that matter. Just plain sad.
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Erick Blasco about 1 year ago
Kobe's easily the most talented wing player since Jordan. Nobody will ever knock him of that. And he's not this scourge of evil that people make him out to be. What Kobe is, is a very talented, very driven, very motivated, but also very immature player.
And because of his ridiculous ego and his circumstances of playing with a flawed roster, Kobe often tries to do too much all on his own, as if he has to prove that he's a player that will win games all on his own.
He's not a great player without the ball, and he struggles finding a balance between trying to be assertive on the scoring end or trying to be too much of a facilitator. He comes off as way too aggressive or way too passive.
If he had another monster to play aside, he wouldn't be under so much pressure to do everything for the Lakers night in and night out. That means he'd be in control offensively, and he'd bring more to the defensive end.
Kobe has his flaws, but he's proven that he can be a Championship player. Honestly though, I'm not sure if he'd succeed with another premier player simply because of his desire to do everything himself.
But if, say the Lakers traded for Rasheed Wallace, or Ron Artest, or (gulp) a Shaquille O'Neal, or another talented player with an overbearing ego, then that chapter of the Kobe soap opera could be the most exiciting (and explosive) chapter yet!
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Matt DeNicola about 1 year ago
"Honestly though, I'm not sure if he'd succeed with another premier player simply because of his desire to do everything himself."
I guess we just disagree on this point. I, for one, am 100% convinced that Kobe is 1 player away from making a team immediate championship contenders. Of course, it doesn't matter, because it doesn't look like I will be proved wrong/right any time soon. I know you probably as much if not more NBA games than anyone on this site, but I think I might just have seen a little more of Kobe over the years. This guy is a phenomenal basketball player who is being asked to do too much. He can hit any shot, from any where, at any time on the offensive end. I have seen too many ridiculous turn around jumpers, too many 35 foot 3-pointers with a hand in his face, and too many asinine layups that go in for anyone to convince me otherwise. You don't have to agree, but you won't win a hater out of me. When he doesn't have to produce 100% of the Laker offense, as well as make up for the -20% that Lamar Odom takes away from the team, he has the skills to be a premier defender. I have seen him shut down player after player when he puts his mind to it.
He is still quick, he is still strong, and he can still jump. Catch that 360 jam yesterday, flu and all? He hasn't lost the steps that people claim he has. Give him 1 guy. 1 guy. Then it will be my turn to win some converts.
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Michael Whittenberg about 1 year ago
What Kobe and the Lakers need is dominant big man. If he had a big man that could score about 17 points and grab 10 rebounds a night, I think the Lakers could be contenders. Lamar Odom would definitely have to raise his playing level though.
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Erick Blasco about 1 year ago
Kobe can definitely do anything, but it's impossible for a player to do everything. And unfortunately, it always seems like Kobe wants to do everything. He can make them no doubt, but Kobe too often settles for 35-foot 3-pointers, turnaround jumpers, and asinine layups. I don't hate the guy either, but he plays with an incredible desire to prove his brilliance by taking impossible shots on offense. And since he does everything on offense, he's often too spent to play more than token defense. Kobe definitely CAN do anything, but his ego worries me so much.
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