Lakers in the News 11/02/15 - 11/08/15: Lakers fizzle in fourth, lose 99-95 to Derek Fisher's New York Knicks

lakersfreak · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 5:27 pm Post subject:

Julius Randle Showing Great Promise
by Mehdi Bouneb - lasportshub.com

After 14 minutes of action in his first NBA game, Julius Randle broke his leg and was lost for the remainder of the 2014/15 season — this year has been just the opposite.

Can you call it a blessing in disguise? You sure can!

Randle spent the entire year learning the game from the sidelines and by watching film of players he would be guarding.

Now, Randle is showing us why the Lakers picked him seventh overall in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Now entering his second year in the league, Randle is on a mission to make up for lost time.

Through the first four games of the 2015/16 season, Randle is posting averages of 14 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 0.5 blocks per game.

His best came against the Dallas Mavericks where he stuffed the stats sheet – 22 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, and four steals.

The shot chart below shows Randle’s tendencies after four games:

http://lasportshub.com/2015/11/05/julius-randle-showing-great-promise/

lakersfreak · Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 11:55 pm Post subject:

Byron Scott has message for D'Angelo Russell's critics: Cut him some slack
by Bill Oram - ocregister.com

The coach of the Lakers does not operate his own social media accounts. He frequently claims he is unaware of criticism over his decisions or the direction of the franchise he shepherds.

But not even Byron Scott has been able to miss the unrest among fans who fear that rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell will be a bust.

“I hear it,” Scott said, “and it’s disappointing.”

Russell is 19 and only four games into his career. But as other rookies have made an immediate impact, critics have questioned whether the Lakers made the wrong choice in the draft.

“I’m hoping it doesn’t affect him,” Scott said after a practice earlier this week, “but I can also look at him and say, ‘I don’t know why it wouldn’t.’”

The Lakers (0-4) play at Brooklyn (0-5) on Friday, presenting the Lakers’ best chance for a win and, perhaps, the best opportunity for Russell to have a breakout game.

Russell’s first week of the regular season was fraught with frustration. He has been outperformed in three of the four games by other lottery picks.

Those around the Lakers regularly discuss the steep learning curve Russell faces in orchestrating an NBA offense, playing at a faster pace than ever before and against better opponents.

Recognizing this, Kobe Bryant told Russell to show up early to the team’s morning shootaround Sunday. The two sat and watched film for an hour, Bryant pointing out situations when Russell didn’t make the proper play, and offering insight on how to run the team.

“Ever since that meeting I feel better already, just as far as running the team,” Russell said.

Scott said that impromptu film session said as much about Bryant as it did about Russell.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/russell-690846-scott-lakers.html

lakersfreak · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 7:17 am Post subject:

TDIKH: November 6, 2003
by nba.com

Like so many times in their tenured history, the Lakers and Spurs went at it in a classic battle that concluded with L.A.’s perfect record still intact, but only after two overtime periods in San Antonio.

Kobe Bryant was a force, as he racked up a game-high 37 points (16-of-29) to lead the Lakers past the team that ended their season — and chance at four straight titles — six months earlier.

Without reigning MVP Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, the Spurs were carried by Manu Ginobili, who dueled Bryant with a then career-high 33 points (9-of-21; 11-of-13 free throws), 12 rebounds and seven assists.

But L.A. simply outgunned the defending champions, as Bryant was complemented by stellar efforts from Shaquille O’Neal (35 points, 20 rebounds, six assists), Karl Malone (15 points, 19 rebounds) and Gary Payton (16 points, seven rebounds, six assists).

http://www.nba.com/lakers/tdikh/1106

PLATNUM · Star Player Joined: 17 Dec 2002 Posts: 7382 Location: L.A.

Hector the Pup · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 9:00 am Post subject:

lakersfreak · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 9:19 am Post subject:

Finding The Positives And Keeping Sight of the Goal
by Hannah Kulik - lakeshowlife.com

The Lakers lost their fourth straight game to start the 2015-16 season, this time to the Denver Nuggets 120-109, but fans should focus on the positives at hand.

The situation is dire on many fronts, not the least of which is the fact that this was supposed to be the softest part of the Lakers’ schedule. None of the four teams they’ve played so far is expected to make the playoffs, three of the games were at home, and they are about to start an extended stretch where they will be on the road for most of the next six weeks.

The team is giving up an astounding average of 117 points per game. They made the Nuggets, who are not exactly an offensive juggernaut, look like the Golden State Warriors.

Until the defense improves, it is unlikely that the Lakers will win many games. Since Coach Byron Scott has preached defense for two years without a lick of success, one should not anticipate that he and his staff are capable of finding the key to turn things around.

The team is engulfed in negativity right now, and it is easy to pile on when things are this bad. But weren’t fans warned early on that this was going to be a rebuilding year, that things would get worse before they get better, and that the team’s record was secondary to allowing the young players to play and mature?

http://lakeshowlife.com/2015/11/05/lakers-analysis-finding-positives-keeping-sight-goal/

lakersfreak · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 9:21 am Post subject:

Childhood Coach Has High Praise For Marcelo Huertas
by Jabari A. Davis - lakersnation.com

The man affectionately known as “Marcelinho” — or “little Marcelo” — by those closest to him, Los Angeles Lakers’ reserve point guard Marcelo Huertas already appears to be staking a claim as one of this team’s early “fan favorites” and he’s just, finally getting his NBA career started at the age of 32. The 6’3″, Brazilian-born floor general was a solid Euroleague player through 11 seasons with various teams and was very good for his native country’s national team during their 2012 Olympic tournament run.

Outside of YouTube highlight packages and perhaps his Olympic play, many fans wondered just what to expect from the veteran guard when the Lakers decided to sign him over the summer; and the limited, but impressive time he was able to play during the preseason shifted the discussion from whether he could make the roster to having a desire to see just what sort of role Huertas might be able to carve out for himself with this team?

“He’s a true point guard,” Becheli told Buscarini. “He wants to get the team involved as much as he can. I’m not going that far, but he can be a little bit like John Stockton as a pass-first [mentality]. If he scores two points, but gives like 8-10 assists, that’s what he lives for.”

http://www.lakersnation.com/childhood-coach-has-high-praise-for-marcelo-huertas/2015/11/05/

LoyalLakerfan44 · Star Player Joined: 09 Jun 2010 Posts: 3219

lakersfreak · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 12:05 pm Post subject:

Byron Scott glad to get this show on the road
by Broderick Turner - latimes.com

The five teams the Lakers will face on their upcoming trip don't exactly strike fear into anyone based on their records.

But the Lakers are 0-4 and they aren't exactly making opponents stay awake at night.

The Lakers start the trip Friday night against the 0-5 Brooklyn Nets.

Then it's on to play the New York Knicks (currently 2-3) Sunday, at Miami (2-2) on Tuesday, and Orlando (1-4) Thursday before the Lakers end their trip at Dallas (2-2) Nov. 13.

"It's a tough task any time you play on the road in the NBA," Lakers Coach Byron Scott said after practice Wednesday. "I don't care how much experience you've got, and obviously we don't have a whole lot of it.

"It might be the best thing for us to get on the road at this particular time just to kind of bond as a team. It's almost that 'us against the world' type thing because now when you go into other arenas, you don't have a whole lot of fans."

The Lakers were a horrible team on the road last season, posting a 9-32 record that led to a franchise-worst 21-61 mark.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-report-20151106-story.html

lakersfreak · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 9:06 pm Post subject:

Lakers get first win of season with 104-98 victory over Nets
by Eric Pincus - latimes.com

The Lakers (1-4) finally got their first victory of the 2015-16 season, defeating the winless Nets (0-6) in Brooklyn, 104-98, on Friday night.

Kobe Bryant made probably his last NBA appearance at Barclays Center, in front of a mostly adoring crowd. In 31 minutes, Bryant scored 18 points on five-of-16 shooting to lead the Lakers.

Guards Jordan Clarkson and rookie D'Angelo Russell scored 16 apiece, a career high for Russell, who made six of nine shots. Russell also had three steals but didn't log an assist in 23 1/2 minutes.

Both teams seemingly tried to lose the game in the final minute, with the Lakers turning the ball over while inbounding with a three-point lead, followed by the Nets failing to get even that far because of a five-second violation.

The Lakers had yielded 116.8 points a game going into Friday, but were able to hold the Nets below triple digits. While that's a step in the right direction, the Nets are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league.

With defense in mind, Coach Byron Scott changed his rotation, giving rookie Larry Nance Jr. and Metta World Peace their first opportunities to play. Tarik Black also got backup minutes at center, which meant a more limited role for Brandon Bass (just 3 1/2 minutes) while Marcelo Huertas and Ryan Kelly did not play.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-lakers-beat-nets-20151106-story.html

lakersfreak · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 9:16 pm Post subject:

Byron Scott threatens to bench players unless they improve on defensive end
by Baxter Holmes - espn.com

Los Angeles Lakers coach Byron Scott said he wants the team's young players to progress at a faster rate -- or they'll be sitting on the bench.

"I think when you make a mistake over and over again, sometimes that wood has a good way of talking to your butt a little bit, too," Scott said Friday before the Lakers' 104-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. "Getting a couple splinters here and there, sometimes that has a great way of communicating how important it is to play on that [defensive] end of the floor."

The Lakers entered Friday's game ranked last in the NBA in defensive efficiency.

Scott was asked whether he was specifically referencing rookie point guard D'Angelo Russell, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft, who has been benched in the fourth quarter in two of the team's first four games.

"I'm saying that he has to start getting it, just like the other young guys have to start getting it, and if they don't, they won't play as much," Scott said.

The Lakers allow 116.7 points per 100 possessions with Russell on the court this season, compared to 109.2 with Russell off the court, entering Friday's game, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Does that mean sitting Russell for entire games?

"I don't know about sitting him for games," Scott said. "But I do know that all these guys have to start progressing a little bit faster. Playing time in this league is a very precious thing, and I don't want our guys to take that for granted. So missing assignments on a continuous basis is not going to go unnoticed. You've got to start developing and doing a better job on [the defensive] end of the floor."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14070057/byron-scott-says-bench-younger-players-progress-defensive-end

LakersMDGurl · Franchise Player Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 18015

lakersfreak · Posted: Fri Nov 06, 2015 10:25 pm Post subject:

Russell told to step it up or take a seat on bench
by Bill Oram - ocregister.com

The message to D’Angelo Russell was crystal clear.

He could either start to play better, or he could expect to take on a reduced role until things improved.

“He has to start getting it, just like the other young guys have to start getting it,” Coach Byron Scott said, “and if they don’t they won’t play as much.”

Scott can yell, he can coax. But the one motivational tool he has not yet elected to use with impunity is the bench.

“I think when you make the mistakes over and over again,” he said, “that wood has a good way of talking to your butt a little bit, too.”

Entering Friday’s game, Russell had averaged 8.5 points and 2.8 assists in 24.3 minutes per game. He responded against the Nets, scoring a career-high 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting, but Scott still pulled him for the final minute of a narrow 104-98 Lakers win.

Threatening to limit the playing time of the No. 2 overall draft pick might seem severe, particularly in a season that most believe should be about development.

However, Kobe Bryant, who can draw on his own experience, said making Russell work for his time on the court will pay off.

“I had to earn it,” Bryant said. “I think that does something. When you start to make your mark in the league and know you had to earn something, and know you actually had to earn your position, and it wasn’t handed to you.”

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bryant-691059-time-russell.html

joeblow · Star Player Joined: 24 Nov 2008 Posts: 3113

Runway8 · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 1:53 am Post subject:

Heed your own words Byron.

lakersfreak · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 7:06 am Post subject:

Metta World Peace gives Lakers defensive aid in win over Nets
by Bill Oram - ocregister.com

The Lakers were down 11 points to a team that hadn’t beaten anyone all season. Winless themselves, they were in no position to judge.

But they needed to figure something out quickly.

Coach Byron Scott summoned Metta World Peace, the 35-year-old New York City native who last appeared in the regular season some 622 games ago.

He had an immediate impact on the defensive end, and after the Lakers rallied and held on to win 104-98, World Peace drew the most praise from Scott and his teammates.

“He came in and gave us a lift,” Scott said.

Watching from the bench, World Peace’s longtime teammate Kobe Bryant marveled.

“I think Metta did a great job of changing the tempo of the game,” he said. "He was everywhere. At one point I leaned over to Julius (Randle) and said, ‘Imagine him when he was 22.’ Because he covers so much ground.”

World Peace said he's still able to be successful because of an emphasis on the mental side of basketball.

“People don’t understand that part of the game,” he said. “Then when they look at you, they say Metta World Peace’s average is down, and stuff like that. But that’s people who don’t really understand basketball.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/lakers-691062-need-ocregister.html

lakersfreak · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 8:48 am Post subject:

Kobe cheered in Brooklyn as Lakers get first win
by Bill Oram - ocregister.com

What’s a guy have to do to get a good boo?

With four minutes left in the fourth quarter Friday in Brooklyn, Kobe Bryant got up off the Lakers bench and walked toward the scorers’ table. The announced sellout crowd at Barclays Center cheered and began chanting, “Kobe! Kobe!”

Before the 104-98 victory, the Lakers’ first of the season, Bryant said his favorite thing about going the road was the hostility from fans.

“If you’re showing respect for what I’ve done,” he said, “show it that way.”

Instead, the crowd tensed every time he touched the ball, hushed when he rose to shoot, erupted gleefully when he made a basket.

Bryant compared the love to “an uncomfortable hug.”

It reminded him of the 2003 NBA All-Star Game, Michael Jordan’s last. The outgoing legend told Bryant, “I want you to compete against me just like it’s any other game.”

Bryant said he responded, “Michael, what the hell about me made you think I was going to appreciate this any differently?”

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/final-691052-lakers-nets.html

lakersfreak · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2015 4:19 pm Post subject:

Byron Scott won't stop publicly reprimanding D'Angelo Russell; why?
by Adi Joseph - sportingnews.com

The Los Angeles Lakers are not good, and they do not want to admit they are not good, and that is their right in early November. But Lakers coach Byron Scott probably is taking that a few steps too far — and too publicly.

Scott has been very vocal in recent days (and really, throughout the past month) in his criticism of rookie guard D'Angelo Russell, whom the Lakers drafted second overall and basically plan to build their next empire around if everything works out. Scott has not seen what he wants from Russell and he has no problem telling the news media all about it.

Here's a sampling, from Friday evening (via ESPN): "I think when you make a mistake over and over again, sometimes that wood has a good way of talking to your butt a little bit, too. ... I'm saying that he has to start getting it, just like the other young guys have to start getting it, and if they don't, they won't play as much."

But that came before Russell scored 16 points on 6-for-9 shooting in a 104-98 victory against the Nets. After that win, the first of the season, Scott basically changed his entire tenor.

http://www.sportingnews.com/nba-news/4660467-byron-scott-dangelo-russell-lakers-los-angeles-kobe-bryant

fubby1 · Starting Rotation Joined: 21 Sep 2010 Posts: 317

It's one thing when a rookie is making mistakes, almost to be expected. Another thing to ignore the more obvious mistakes of season vets chucking it up and making some bad decisions both on offense and defense. Sounds like a coach that is afraid to address more "popular" players . Or even admit to his own lack of coaching ability. Very disappointed , had higher hopes for Byron used to be a big fan of his back in the day.
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ReaListik · Star Player Joined: 08 Jun 2008 Posts: 6575

Byron comes across like he's very much in over his head with being the coach of a team like the Lakers. As a player, no problem. As a coach, where everything is on your shoulders and you get scrutinized.....yeah I'm sure he thought he knew what he was getting into, but the reality is very different. Can't continue to lose in this town.
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lakersfreak · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 1:11 am Post subject:

Laker kids are all right, old guys not so much
by Mark Heisler - latimes.com

Just when it looked like it might not come this month ... or the one after it, with every team they face the rest of 2015 expected to be favored ...

The Lakers win, the Lakers win, tra la.

Oh, sorry, I forgot how to act.

The Lakers’ hopes for this season, which seemed to have sailed off the Earth as if it was flat, are back!

Well, they’re are back, at least, until the team plays the Knicks today, as an underdog, as the Lakers were in Brooklyn and figure to be through Jan. 1, with 20 of 28 on the road.

Happily for the Lakers, there’s every chance of developing a young nucleus with Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle looking good and D’Angelo Russell — finally — providing the first glimpse of why they drafted him at No. 2.

It was only Russell’s fifth NBA game, but that seemed like a lifetime in Lakerdom with Jahlil Okafor averaging 19.8 points in Philadelphia.

(Jahlil’s also averaging 5.6 rebounds and 0.8 blocks, as the Lakers foresaw when they passed on him.)

Of course, Lakers being Lakers and their fans being their fans, everyone wanted so much more.

The dream, or expectation — in Lakerdom they get confused — was to be good enough to attract a free agent star with the initials KD next summer.

Laker reality is dewey youth alongside hoary age, with a schedule that means things will get even worse if they can’t put it together fast.

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20151107/heisler-laker-kids-are-all-right-old-guys-not-so-much

lakersfreak · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 1:14 am Post subject:

Kobe: ‘If you asked me today, this would be my last year’
by Mark Medina - dailynews.com

Kobe Bryant flashed an infectious smile as he stood side by side with a handful of students here at John Jay College. The Lakers’ 90-minute practice concluded with an impromptu photo session featuring Bryant and adoring fans.

Off to the side, Lakers second-year guard Jordan Clarkson borrowed a camera from a team staff member so he could take some pictures of his own. It might become one of several mementos in what could mark Bryant’s final season with the Lakers after 20 years.

“If you asked me today, this would be my last year. But you never know,” Bryant said. “We’ll keep it open.”

Bryant is in the final year of his contract worth $25 million. But the Lakers’ star has kept his future open-ended, other than ruling out ever playing for another NBA team.

Those around Bryant believe the success or failure of the Lakers’ development would strongly dictate whether he would want to prolong his prolific career that already entails five NBA championships and a third-place standing on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

“He’s a huge part of the success that we’ll have,” Lakers second-year forward Julius Randle said.

There’s other variables, too. The Lakers (1-4) enter Sunday’s game against the New York Knicks (2-4) at Madison Square Garden with Bryant averaging 16.2 points on a career-low 32.1 percent shooting in 28.6 minutes per contest. Bryant also stood after Saturday’s practice with ice wrapped around his surgically repaired right shoulder and legs, personifying the constant maintenance his 37-year-old body needs following three season-ending injuries in consecutive seasons. Bryant also missed two weeks of training camp because of a bruise in his lower left calf.

Hence, Bryant reported waking up most mornings nursing pain in his back and feet.

http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20151107/kobe-bryant-if-you-asked-me-today-this-would-be-my-last-year

lakersfreak · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 8:48 am Post subject:

LA Lakers Ready For MSG
by Corgin Warnock - lasportshub.com

The LA Lakers will be taking on the new-look Knicks in Madison Garden today at 12:30 PT.

We see the Knicks as a team who are always in last place and always rebuilding.

Back in the past, they were making the playoffs and even won an NBA championship 40 years ago.

You, as well as I, would think after being one of the worst teams in the league last year there would be reason to keep attaching the negative poor play stigma to them.

However this year, unlike last year, there have been moves that are more significant and the players have had time to connect and gain chemistry together.

They are a young team — minus Carmelo Anthony.

Therefore, there is reason for them do good this year with the players they drafted and traded for.

You are probably wondering why I am talking about the Knicks a lot instead of the Lakers.

The reason is that New York Knicks president Phil Jackson led the Lakers to quite a few championships as a head coach.

A fun fact is when the Lakers travel to Madison Square Garden many guards seem to have historic nights.

Including LA’s very own Kobe Bryant.

For the Lakers this is good news.

http://lasportshub.com/2015/11/08/nba-la-lakers-in-madison-square-garden/

LakersMDGurl · Franchise Player Joined: 24 Jun 2005 Posts: 18015

If the Lakers are not careful Byron is going to turn Russell into Kwame Brown. Dude was never able to recover after his rookie season with MJ. These are 19 year old kids, you need to be a bit careful with them. Byron should be ashamed of himself. He is busy faulting everyone else but himself. He CAN"T COACH at all!!!! MAN!!!! I thought i hated MDA
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lakersfreak · Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 5:27 pm Post subject:

Lakers fizzle in fourth, lose 99-95 to Derek Fisher's New York Knicks
by Bill Oram - ocregister.com

Derek Fisher slowly made his way toward the locker room, while Kobe Bryant waited at the free throw line, smirking.

A five-time champion as a player with the Lakers, Fisher, the Knicks second-year coach, had just been ejected for arguing a foul called against rookie Kristaps Porzingis that was giving Bryant three free throws.

Bryant played in perhaps his final game at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, a possible farewell to the building where he scored his first points 19 years ago, and where he once notched 61.

The Lakers lost 99-95, while Bryant finished with 18 points. As he attempted the free throws in the third quarter following Fisher’s ejection – with the two technical fouls, he got five shots – the Garden swelled with chants of “MVP! MVP!”

Bryant was far from the MVP player he was on so many of those previous visits to New York, shooting just 6-of-19 from the field and making only four of his seven free throw attempts.

The feel-good narrative of Bryant returning to New York to take on his former teammate (Fisher) and coach (Knicks president Phil Jackson) was watered down by the Lakers inability to score in the fourth quarter, allowing the Knicks to score 11-straight points and take a 98-90 lead.

The Lakers led 90-87 after a Bryant free throw with 3:02 remaining, but were already ice cold. They had not scored a field goal since Metta World Peace made a 3-pointer with 7:18 left in the game.

The Lakers did not score until a couple of meaningless baskets in the final minute, once the Knicks had the game in hand.

http://www.ocregister.com/lakers/new-691212-york-fourth.html