Lamar Odom...

[The Artesticle]

Aggressive, motivated Lamar Odom:

 

http://onthebuzzer.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/0e44401c-0659-4089-9ec0-b3b6ff13ec6c.jpg

 

 

Why can't he play this way when our team is healthy.

[bigdog17k]

I have him in 2 leagues, lovin' it.

[Check my Stats]

Everyone's play should improve statistically with 20-25 more shots available each night lol...

Edited February 11, 2010 by travesy3

[Real Deal]

He can't because the mindset with this team is that if you don't get your 15 shots per game, you just don't have to play defense, and you don't have to be aggressive at all.

 

Kobe, after 51 games last season...

 

27.5 PPG on 47.6% FG, 5.0 APG, 21 FGA, 3.8 3PT FGA

 

After 51 games this season...

 

28.0 PPG on 46.1% FG, 4.6 APG, 22 FGA, 4.2 3PT FGA

 

Not much of a difference, at all. Last season we were champs, and people wanted to win. This season, I have no idea what their problem is...but it has nothing to do with Bryant's play.

[AboveLegit]

It has to do with the fact that they won it all last year, and aren't as determined this year. Last year was the first title for many of them, this year they aren't as hungry because they already got the monkey off their backs.

[Sky]

This team Kobeless is in the midst of an adrenaline rush and also out to prove themselves. The difference is the defense, and that's due to

 

1. More touches. NBA players are egofreakingmaniacs. More touches more D. A sad but very true NBA fact.

2. Faster reaction and rotation with Bynum out and Odom in.

3. Much smarter and quicker anchoring from Pau at center instead of Bynum.

4. Gasol and Odom flat owning the glass.

 

They look great but when a star goes down a team rises up - short term. The adrenaline fades and then it becomes painfully clear just how much they need Kobe. But imo this can do nothing but good. Kobe sat late season early Threepeat. He saw what the ball movement meant to triangle execution. The light bulb went off, he came back as more of a facilitator and they steamrolled the rest of the season and through the playoffs. He doesn't need an epiphany this time, just a reminder that balance and ball movement can work wonders on both ends.

 

Real - On touches I think there's two things at work. First, fewer halfcourt attempts to go around. Ariza had similar points to Artest but a lot of Trev's points came in transition. Therefore adding Artest plus Bynum relatively healthy means more competition for halfcourt fga's this year. Plus all of the 1's are potential free agents and looking for theirs. Second, bigs are gaining a larger appetite because either Pau or Bynum has been out and the healthy guy goes off. That success then leads to an increased demand for touches. Problem is compounded by only having one guard that's a capable and consistent post entry passer - and he's also your first option.

 

They'll figure it out. This success will hopefully sell Kobe on sharing the ball more. Players will work harder for touches and Kobe will feed them. Before it was one wanted the other to jump through their hoop. Kobe: work hard off ball and I'll feed you. Team: I'm not working hard unless I know you'll share the ball. They get through that by a new path. Team: We've proven we can succeed with the ball, share it more. Kobe: You've also proven you succeed when you stay aggressive, work more. Then the key, both take that new path together in mutual trust. They do that and the joint success builds more trust and the execution elevates.

[Real Deal]

You sure do paint the perfect picture, but I just don't see that happening.

 

You know I want Bynum coming off the bench...but you're spot on about his attitude if that were to happen (hell, look at it now). So that kills the Gasol/Odom combination.

 

In fact, Odom was playing EXCELLENT basketball as a starter the first year we had Gasol, to the tune of all-star numbers, if I remember right. I posted it somewhere, either on OTR or TLN...but he was shooting almost 60% and giving us a clean double-double, almost playing like Gasol is now.

 

I know Bryant is reluctant to pass to his teammates a bit more this season. For me, that's a no-brainer. However, I feel it's warranted after watching these guys disappear in second halves of games, and it was Bynum, Gasol, Artest, Fisher and even Phil Jackson who all stated that the bigs need to be more aggressive and shouldn't be complaining about shots. Bynum admitted he was more focused with Gasol out, Pau admitted he needed to be more demanding of the ball, and Phil questioned our frontcourt physicality, as did Artest just a week or two ago.

 

I will say one thing, though: I'm extremely proud of Ron Artest. His shot attempts have dropped significantly from where they were last season, and the season before, and he's not hogging the ball...yet, he's still working just as hard (if not harder) than anyone else on the team when he's back on defense.

 

I just hope we come out of the All-Star break a new beast.

[Sky]

I can see it happening, given that Kobe has made that subtle change before and won a championship as a result of it. It took him sitting to see what the ball movement meant and the light bulb to go off. Maybe the recent success can have the same effect. The challenge is it requires both to make the change together (Kobe pass more, team keep playing aggressively), which puts this on Jackson to shepherd it through. He's the one that has to set the superordinate goals that get both Kobe and his teammates on the same path. Time to earn the 12M Phil.

 

Agreed on Artest, he's one of the few in the league that doesn't need touches to bring it on the other end. A very refreshing departure from the norm.

[Real Deal]

I think I question Bynum more than I do Bryant, in that discussion. Kobe can run the offense as much, or as little, as Phil asks him to. I'm just not sure how well that will translate, either way, with Bynum on the floor. As I said on TLN, Bynum is quicksand. You throw the ball in, and it's a point of no return...one of the bigger flaws in his offensive game, to be honest.

 

And basically, I think that our problems lie with that (Bynum's lack of aggression on the defensive end due to less touches offensively), in addition to Fisher's inconsistency on the offensive end, and how both of those hurt us as a team. That's why we are 9th in points per 100 possessions this season, compared to 3rd last year.

 

Of course, I left out Fisher's mental and physical roadblocks on defense, but that's a given.

[Newman]

Yeah it's most definitely the mindset. When Kobe stand up and take care of business the others can, more or less, slack a bit but when he is not there, others need to pick their game up and Odom is clearly doing that.

[Kobe24]

I think Phil will realize that he needs to start Odom and Gasol at the 4/5. Hopefully anyway..

[Sky]

Real - Ding has a column today that the assistants are pushing Phil to start Odom and bench Bynum. So it's under advisement. I think it's a move they should make, but tie it to matchups. Some nights Bynum, some nights Odom and then see how each responds. The improved defensive rotation with Odom over Bynum, and improved anchoring of Gasol over Bynum, are quantum leaps forward defensively. As a result they have to consider it.

[Real Deal]

Real - Ding has a column today that the assistants are pushing Phil to start Odom and bench Bynum. So it's under advisement. I think it's a move they should make, but tie it to matchups. Some nights Bynum, some nights Odom and then see how each responds. The improved defensive rotation with Odom over Bynum, and improved anchoring of Gasol over Bynum, are quantum leaps forward defensively. As a result they have to consider it.

Great, great news. Made my morning, believe it or not.

[Lkr]

I feel bad for Bynum. He had been coming on, gets injured again, and now looks to be getting benched again. He has so much promise too