What's most exciting about living in Southern California, is being a big fan of the LAKERS! I believe that this year is Lakers year. Although it has been 3 games, they remain undefeated. The most entertaining game would have to be Battle of LA. Between Los Angeles Clippers (LAC) and Los Angeles Lakers (LAL). Me being a girl, I didn't even know the Clippers were still alive. They managed to play a good game towards the Lakers though. The Lakers has 3 great players (listed in the article), yet Fisher decided to take Odom off the bench. I found this article that seems really interesting.
There’s a big problem brewing in Los Angeles. As in, too many bigs. The Lakers have future All-Star center Andrew Bynum back from a knee injury, along with former All-Star Pau Gasol at power forward. Then there’s 6-10 forward Lamar Odom, a guy so versatile he has averaged as many as 5.9 assists in one season and 10.6 rebounds in another. But coach Phil Jackson only wants two of the three to start, which has meant the Lakers must bring Odom off the bench.
Such a dilemma. “Yeah,” said Portland coach Nate McMillan with a roll of the eyes, “that’s a problem every coach would like to have.”
Indeed, the Lakers seem to be dealing with it just fine. Odom initially bristled at the bench idea — he had started 369 straight games before coming in as sixth man on opening night — but he has come around, and Jackson is anticipating no problems from Odom. “He is going to handle it professionally,” Jackson said.
Just as big a concern as Odom’s new role is the ability of Gasol and Bynum to play together in the starting lineup. At least, it’s a concern within Lakers circles. For those of us looking in from the outside, it sure looks like putting Gasol and Bynum together is not much of a problem at all. Don’t tell Gasol that, though.
“We play in the same area a lot, so, of course you have to worry,” Gasol said. “It will work out. We are two dominant 7-footers, and we need to prove to everybody that we are a force. But it’s not like we can just go out there and everyone will be afraid of us and get out of our way.”
It’s only two games, but the Lakers have yet to receive much of a challenge, and that’s thanks to an overlooked benefit of having Bynum and Gasol on the floor together — the defense is impenetrable, with Bynum’s big body clogging the lanes and Gasol’s gangly arms slapping harassing players in the high post. Throw in tough perimeter defenders like Kobe Bryant and Trevor Ariza, and the Lakers have gained a defensive ferocity that they seemed to be missing last year.
Original Article
Featured Product from Bayho: Los Angeles Clippers NBA Round Clock
Category: NBA store
No comments:
Post a Comment