NBA 2012: Running thread

Carlisle is such a better coach than Brown. Sigh.

 

OK, I declined to watch any of the Laker/Mav game after seeing that Dirk wasn't playing and how pitiful the Mavs lineup looked. Now I see the final score indicating precisely the opposite of the result I assumed.

What the hell happened?

 

Reminded me of this night:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199311050LAL.html

Season opener, 1993-94, Lakers put out easily the worst Opening Night lineup of my lifetime, and beat the Suns, who were coming off a Finals appearance.

Hack a Dwight is coming. Just like Shaq, I see him at the line and just think he's an asshole who won't work.

 

I think DD summed it up perfectly

 

Good call. Now that you mention it, I do vaguely remember that game, and it is indeed analogous.

And, after that startling opening day smoke had cleared, things basically returned to the expected that year: the Suns ended up at the top of their division, and the Lakers had about their worst season in my lifetime. So maybe this will just be a one game anomoly as well.

Still, I wonder if age might be the fly in the ointment for the Lakers' grand plans this year, they've four starters (Nash, Kobe, Artest World Peace and Pau) who are playing well past the normal expiration date for their position. Perhaps this might end up being remembered as the equivalent of the 04 Karl Malone/Gary Patyon season when the Lakers thought they'd put together a dream team, but instead discovered they'd imported a couple washed up old timers right after they'd lost the mojo that once made them great.

 

As sour as our memories are of that 2004 team, the did make the NBA Finals with Malone and Payton (And if Shaq had taken fitness seriously for the final three years of his LA career, I still think they could have beaten that Pistons team.) If this team made the Finals and lost, I'd consider that a pretty good run.

I actually thought Jamison looked like a really good addition at times tonight. I think they'll be OK if Howard gets healthy. Watching him tonight, it made me wish he wasn't playing. Why push it? Let him get fully healthy again. When a 3-time defensive MVP is letting Eddie Curry fake him out down low, it's not a great sign that his back is ready to play 38 mins.

 

Bring on the hack-a-Howard and listen to him whine.

 

When they are 20-5?

 

The best part of the game was the soundbite from Pau telling Howard: "Remember, elbows up, and follow through." Howard then drained two free throws. He finished 3-14 from the stripe.

Hire Pau to player/coach the Lakers.

 

Cowherd this morning: "We'll be talking more NBA today than we did about about the entire World Series."

STFU. Like these October/Novemeber NBA games are so memorable and important.

 

Lakers were dreadful AFTER the 1st Qtr. when they were playing monkey in the middle with Pau/Howard; high/low. Hey Mr. Brown, how about playing some high/low with Pau/Howard? Forget the Princeton offense, that's for teams like the Nuggets with 5 interchangeable parts.

Talk about neutralizing a great player; they took the ball out of Nash's hands and he was CJ Watson. Metta is well past the expiration date (on the offensive end at least.) Howard needs to accept help on FTs because he's got no clue; he's chucking it up with pure wrist. Then of course there was Kobe going mano v mano. 22 pts; 1 reb, 0 assists.

I love Nash and hope he breaks out.

 

OK, Laker fans, WTF?

Yesterday could be passed off as an opening day fluke. But the same thing the next day? Both at home. Both to lineups that, at least on the surface, appeared to be far inferior to LA. So what gives?