Lakers coach Jackson remains critical of bench

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Lakers coach Jackson remains critical of bench

"When they are playing well, when they are scoring and playing sound defense and providing highlight-reel plays, the Lakers' second unit is as valuable as any group of backups in the NBA. When their backups aren't playing well, they are more hindrance than help. Asked about the lackluster play of the bench players near the end of a fairly routine victory Tuesday night over the New York Knicks, Lakers coach Phil Jackson did not sugarcoat what he believed to be another in a string of lackluster showings. "Right now they're just filling minutes for guys who are getting a rest on the bench," he said. "We have to do better than that. I think they've done OK in the middle part of the game. I think (Tuesday) night, there just didn't seem to be leadership from the right sources out there." Lamar Odom had five points on 2-for-8 shooting, plus 12 rebounds and five assists in almost 31 minutes. Jordan Farmar added two points on 1-for-7 shooting and Shannon Brown had two points on 1-for-3 shooting. And that was it. Jackson had hoped to turn over the game to the reserves, the so-called Bench Mob with the Lakers ahead by 25 points. They faltered, however, and the Knicks got back into the game, so Jackson had to bring back starters Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest. By game's end, the Knicks' substitutes had outscored their Lakers counterparts by a hefty 41-9. It wasn't the first time the Bench Mob had been badly outscored. Houston's backups

 

outscored the Mob 48-18 in the Rockets' victory over the Lakers on Nov. 15. Jackson didn't have an answer when asked when the Bench Mob's inability to play consistently and finish off opponents would cease to be a mere annoyance and start to be a source of greater concern. "I don't know," he said. "That's a really good question." Jackson didn't have an answer, though. At least not one he cared to share"

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http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_13871499