Kobe: This ain't working; we need to get back to basics

[kblo247]

"We need to go back to basics," Bryant said. "We need to put guys in positions to do what they do best. We need to strip it down. Steve is best in pick-and-roll. Pau is best in the post. I'm best from the free-throw line extended down. Let's go back to basics.

"We've got to evaluate what's going on. Management is looking at it. The players are looking at it. I'm looking at myself. I'm a shooting a low percentage right now, and I've got to look at that. It's on me to make shots, but I'm having to make tough shots, getting the ball 30 feet from the basket and [expletive] like that.

"Listen, no one is more critical of their game, of how they're playing, than I am. And right now, I've got to shoot at a higher percentage, have to play better. "

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--ko...101830224.html

His point stands. We misuse Kobe and Pau to promote Nash and Dwight. We need balance and back to basics which win us games. Kobe with ball in the triple threat, Pau on low block ... Nash and Dwight playing off that, winning and championship basketball. We need some triangle like sets and floor balance, as well as defined roles.

As a matter of fact I really think we need defined roles, none of this big 4 bs, straight pecking order, lets keep it real, guys knew when and how they would eat on title teams and even Miami had to establish one last year with Bron, then Wade, and a bosh getting scraps



You got a team of post up players playing pick and roll because the system fits Nash who has never won anything or got the conference playing that way. Nash needs to be Kerr or Fisher, a spot up guy, which is what Phil would have made him over a wannabe Showtime revival artist. Kobe, Metta, and Pau should post up. Dwight should flash to the goal and clean up the trash ala Horace Grant and young Bynum on the title teams. Fact is Phil was a better fit as was the triangle and Princeton O for everyone but Nash, and it shows as we have no floor balance and don't play inside out not just with bigs but with Kobe either except for spurts to get us back in games. And for gods mercy when Nash and Pau are on the floor with Kobe, MWP, and Dwight play a zone over man D.

[jsthornton7]

Thats great, but none of this fixes our awful defense.

[Raidaz4Life]

Thats great, but none of this fixes our awful defense.

I'm pretty sure that D'Antoni has convinced the team that the Defensive side of the ball is a myth.

[DayZ]

How does that fix our horrid pick and roll defense and stupid rotation patterns?

[AIRMAR72]

kobe just dont get IT at all, NOBODY on this laker TEAM likes him(tobe) his teammates are NOT going to do the things that winning basketball TEAM does look how he plays even on defense there is NO communication LAKERS finish

[kblo247]

Well if we post up guys, mainly putting Kobe in the triple threat and Pau in post, with proper spacing you have floor balance. Floor balance and minimizing possessions while maximizing your look sets the pace of the game. That makes teams take the ball out over running it at you, so you can set up a d. Phil used to dictate pace, and really that's how brown, both Larry and Mike were top teams defensively, they played a low possession game

[Tymathee]

Bring back bernie bickerstaff!!!!

[Big Moves03]

How does that fix our horrid pick and roll defense and stupid rotation patterns?

It fixes it because we get floor balance and rhythm and those things translate over to the defensive side of the ball. Our defense was fine under bernie because he played to the players strengths. People on here were saying that our offense was fine and it was the defense. But our offense wasn't fine, our offense is what lead to our bad defense and kobe putting up huge numbers is what masked how bad the offense really was.

[JEbin]

It fixes it because we get floor balance and rhythm and those things translate over to the defensive side of the ball. Our defense was fine under bernie because he played to the players strengths. People on here were saying that our offense was fine and it was the defense. But our offense wasn't fine, our offense is what lead to our bad defense and kobe putting up huge numbers is what masked how bad the offense really was.

I completely agree. Turnovers/bad shots have led to a lot of semi-transition baskets for our opponents.

[Big Moves03]

His point stands. We misuse Kobe and Pau to promote Nash and Dwight. We need balance and back to basics which win us games. Kobe with ball in the triple threat, Pau on low block ... Nash and Dwight playing off that, winning and championship basketball. We need some triangle like sets and floor balance, as well as defined roles.

As a matter of fact I really think we need defined roles, none of this big 4 bs, straight pecking order, lets keep it real, guys knew when and how they would eat on title teams and even Miami had to establish one last year with Bron, then Wade, and a bosh getting scraps



You got a team of post up players playing pick and roll because the system fits Nash who has never won anything or got the conference playing that way. Nash needs to be Kerr or Fisher, a spot up guy, which is what Phil would have made him over a wannabe Showtime revival artist. Kobe, Metta, and Pau should post up. Dwight should flash to the goal and clean up the trash ala Horace Grant and young Bynum on the title teams. Fact is Phil was a better fit as was the triangle and Princeton O for everyone but Nash, and it shows as we have no floor balance and don't play inside out not just with bigs but with Kobe either except for spurts to get us back in games. And for gods mercy when Nash and Pau are on the floor with Kobe, MWP, and Dwight play a zone over man D.

We don't even emphasize dwight. He needs to get the ball in the low post about 30 plus times a game and needs about 15 plus shots and he doesn't get that. Playing the way kobe is suggesting will still allow for plenty of pick and roll with nash. For some reason d'antoni just refuses to play inside out, we have the best post up players in the entire league and we have them try to run and take 3 pointers and long distance 2's.

[lakers4sho]

too bad the lakers have sold their soul to the devil by making resigning howard their priority

[shep33]

He's right. We need to play slow and throw it in the post to create matchup problems. Slow the pace down.

[duane v]

He's right. We need to play slow and throw it in the post to create matchup problems. Slow the pace down.

Tough to do that when your starting PG (Nash) is trying his best to dribble the air out of the ball

[midwestlaker75]

Basically the offense will lead to better defense, This is a subtle knock on the D'Antoni offense. The run and gun is not working. We need to slow it down work the ball through our bigs and allow him to post more. Too many 3's and we are too slow to get back in transition and also too slow to make the rotations in the half court. And since D'Antoni doesn't stress defense in the first place. Then you have this! Countdown to Death Stare....1 week

[LakerSemper]

Kobe thought that by D'A coming in he could take as many shots as he wanted without the coach getting upset. Well he got his wish and it's not working for him and his star has lost some luster. He's saying it ain't working and he's part of the problem that started this mess, this snowball, and now nothing seems to be able to stop it.