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angrypuppy Retired Number
Joined: 13 Apr 2001 Posts: 32902
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 6:17 am Post subject: |
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GoldenThroat wrote: | Wait, what? |
Uhm, lighting. You know. The players are getting a lot of static from Byron. |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 7:24 am Post subject: |
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Byron Scott maintains faith in Lou Williams despite shooting struggles
by Mark Medina - dailynews.com
The Lakers’ new point guard has not shot the ball as well as he has liked. He has also admittedly experienced adjustment issues in the Princeton-based offense that Lakers coach Byron Scott oversees.
But Scott has shown patience in his new player. Scott predicted his new point guard will fix his shooting struggles soon. He argued his point guard has still found ways to become effective despite his shooting inaccuracies. Most notably, Scott has granted his new point guard numerous opportunities to close out games.
That person is not rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell, whom the Lakers selected second overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. Instead, Scott has shown more faith in 10-year NBA veteran Lou William, who signed with the Lakers last summer to a three-year, $21 million deal.
“He’s got a couple of opportunities so far early in the season and he’s going to get a lot more,” Scott said about Russell closing out games. “For me in the fourth quarter, in the last six or seven minutes, it’s really who has been playing the best at that time. That’s the guy I’m going to go with.”
Yet, the Lakers (2-9) enter Friday’s game against the Toronto Raptors (7-6) at Staples Center with Williams averaging 12.9 points on only 33 percent shooting and 2.8 assists in 25.9 minutes off the bench. But Williams has still closed out seven of the Lakers’ 11 games ahead of Russell, who has averaged 9.5 points on 39.3 percent shooting and 2.7 assists in 24.8 minutes as a starter.
“I don’t worry about Lou that much,” Scott said. “He’s one of those guys that knows how to create opportunities for himself. When he’s not shooting well, he can still get up numbers for us.”
The numbers pale to when Williams posted 15.5 points on 40.5 percent shooting in 25.2 minutes last season in Toronto, where he won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award. But Williams has offset his decreased scoring by converting on 85.1 percent on his team-high 67 free-throw attempts, something that Scott called “an art.”
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20151119/lakers-byron-scott-maintains-faith-in-lou-williams-despite-shooting-struggles |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 7:25 am Post subject: |
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TDIKH: November 20, 2001
by nba.com
Fresh off their second of three championships in a row, nothing was about to stop Kobe Bryant and the Lakers from improving their record to 9-1.
Bryant dropped 25 points, including 11 in the second quarter, while handing out 12 assists in a 98-93 win on the Clippers’ floor at Staples Center.
Kobe was feeling it from distance, as he went 7-of-14 from the field with six of his buckets coming from 17 feet or farther.
This included cashing all three of his 3-point attempts — which looked even better compared to the Clippers’ combined performance from downtown (1-of-15).
http://www.nba.com/lakers/tdikh/1120 |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 8:24 am Post subject: |
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Scott says young players have to make him 'want to trust them' to gain more responsibility
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott has taken criticism during the team's 2-9 start for a variety of things, from his heavy reliance on a 37-year old Kobe Bryant, to his rotation choices, and his defensive schemes. What has angered the most fans, however, has been Scott's usage (or lack thereof) of Lakers rookie point guard and second overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft, D'Angelo Russell.
Scott has previously defended his usage of Russell by saying he does not want to push the 19-year old rookie into more responsibility than he is ready for, while also stating that he puts winning games right now ahead of developing young players. Scott has additionally cited Russell's defensive mistakes as a reason for sitting him during close games.
After the team's practice on Wednesday, Scott was asked how a rookie could build trust with him (transcription via Serena Winters of Lakers Nation):
"Players have got to make me want to trust them," Scott responded when asked about how he builds trust with rookies. "He's (D'Angelo Russell) one of those guys that I'm getting to that point where I'm trusting him, but I still want him to continue to learn and not try to do things on the fly just try to stick within the system as much as possible."
Scott also detailed how he has outlined "sticking within the system" to Russell:
"He's trying to find his niche and trying to find out what he can do within the offense to be successful," Scott said of Russell after Wednesday's practice. "And as I've I told him, I'm not looking for you to average 20 points a game, I'm looking for you to be our facilitator and get everybody where they need to be, but also to be aggressive when you have the opportunity to be aggressive. I think he's trying to figure out that happy medium."
http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2015/11/18/9759562/la-lakers-byron-scott-trust-coaching-rookies |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2015 8:25 am Post subject: |
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What Is Larry Nance Jr.’s Ceiling?
by Corey Hansford - lakersnation.com
With the Los Angeles Lakers season getting off to an uninspiring start, there hasn’t been many positives for fans to hang their hat on. One unexpected development has been the play of rookie Larry Nance Jr. since being inserted into the rotation.
In the preseason, Nance didn’t get quite as much attention as his fellow rookies. D’Angelo Russell, as the second overall pick, was always going to have plenty of eyes on him, and even second-rounder Anthony Brown garnered plenty of praise when he stepped into the starting lineup for Kobe Bryant. Nance’s dunk over Festus Ezili was on all of the highlight reels, but he still seemed to be further away from contributing.
That turned out not to be the case as Nance has impressed coaches and fans with his energy on both ends of the floor as well as his basketball IQ, especially on the defensive end. Nance has proven himself to be one of the best Laker players when it comes to off-ball defense and rotations.
Nance has also shown off a much better jumper than anticipated and made all six of his attempts in the Lakers loss to the Orlando Magic. Needless to say, expectations for Larry Nance Jr. have gone up recently.
So we asked our panel of experts what they believe is Larry Nance Jr.’s ceiling. This is what they had to say:
http://www.lakersnation.com/lakers-nation-roundtable-what-is-larry-nance-jr-s-ceiling/2015/11/15/ |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 6:47 am Post subject: |
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Byron Scott knows D'Angelo Russell, 19, has to grow up in a hurry
by Janis Carr - ocregister.com
It’s hard to forget D’Angelo Russell is 19 years old when he rolls out of the players’ lounge on a purple exercise ball the size of a small car. Yet, that’s what Coach Byron Scott needs to do if he has any hope of molding the talented guard into the Lakers’ floor leader.
Russell can’t buy an alcoholic beverage or rent a car, but the rookie point guard is expected to lead the Lakers to at least a few victories this season. Scott realizes that he needs to grow up quickly.
“You have to treat him like a man. He has to learn,” Scott said. “Sometime that might be a little harsh, but like I told the guys last week ‘NBA stands for No Boys Allowed.’ It’s a man’s game.
“But I understand his situation. I understand how young he is. I will go up to him and hug him and talk to him about some things, but at times I have to let him figure things out.”
Scott’s lessons have included leaving Russell on the bench during the fourth quarter four times this season. The prized rookie has used the word opportunity, or the lack of, in comparison to the other rookies in the league.
He was on the floor for nine minutes of the fourth quarter Friday, scoring three of his 17 points in the Lakers’ 102-91 loss to Toronto.
One area Scott said Russell needs to work on is his play away from the ball, especially if Kobe Bryant is on the floor. Scott said many times Russell tends to stand around and watch when Bryant is bringing the ball up.
“He just has to get better at cutting and understanding that when the ball is in someone else’s hands you can still be effective,” Scott said. “That’s just part of growing up.”
Russell isn’t alone. It’s a habit Scott is trying to break of all of the young players on this season’s roster.
“These guys are so used to having the ball in their hands,” Scott said. “If they don’t (have the ball) most times they don’t know what to do.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/scott-693242-season-black.html |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 6:56 am Post subject: |
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Kobe Talks 20th Season
by Joey Ramirez - nba.com
After the Lakers’ loss to Toronto on Friday, Kobe Bryant spoke with the media about his playing time, enduring his 20th season and the Lakers’ young talents.
Below is a full transcription from Staples Center.
Q: On how he feels after playing 37 minutes:
Bryant: I feel great. Those days off did wonders. I was able to lift weights, get my legs stronger. I feel great.
Q: On the difference between playing 27 minutes and 37:
Bryant: Right now, none. I feel good. The challenge is trying to get my legs back underneath me and get my strength back. We’ll see how we feel tomorrow, but I do therapy around the clock, so I felt great tonight.
Q: On whether it’s something that accumulates over the course of a game:
Bryant: It’s just having a foundation. When you get into the season, sometimes what happens is you just break you’re body down so much — no matter how old you are, (although) older is a bit more difficult — because you never really get a chance to recover or get stronger. Having some days off, I’m able to get stronger and build a more solid foundation as the season goes on.
http://www.nba.com/lakers/news/151120_kobebryant |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 6:58 am Post subject: |
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Byron Scott isn't worried playing Kobe big minutes
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com
Kobe Bryant played 37 minutes in the Los Angeles Lakers 102-91 loss to the Toronto Raptors. That is over his average of 34.5 minutes per game last season, an average Lakers Head Coach Byron Scott had previously said Bryant would not exceed. When asked if he "anticipated" playing Kobe over his minutes limit, Scott said "No, but I also was thinking 'let's see if we can cut this lead, let's see if we can get this win.' We got a day off before we get going on Sunday... I know he'll be ready for Sunday."
"I know the minutes," continued Scott "That was big for him tonight, but again I'm not worried about it still. From an average standpoint he's still at about an average of 31 minutes a game. They were pretty much where I wanted them until the fourth quarter."
Scott had previously told Bill Oram of the OC Register during a preseason interview that he "felt bad" about playing Bryant as many minutes as he did last year and that he would "stick to his guns" to keep from Bryant exceeding his 2014-15 minutes per game average.
"I don't do it," Scott told Oram in the sit down. "This is what we talked about, this is what we felt would be the best way to use you and to make you the most efficient that you could be, I'm going to stick to it. Win or lose, I'm going to stick to it."
After the loss to the Raptors, Scott painted a different picture. "I worry about [Kobe's minutes] now," the coach said, but explained that during the game "[Bryant and I] didn't even talk about it. I just left him out there. Because I knew we needed him out there."
"At the time when we're trying to win the basketball game you try not to worry about it," Scott went on, "but obviously after the game you worry about it."
http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2015/11/21/9774044/la-lakers-kobe-bryant-minutes-limit-byron-scott |
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foshowtime Star Player
Joined: 08 Nov 2012 Posts: 4448
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Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 1:13 pm Post subject: |
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lakersfreak wrote: | Byron Scott knows D'Angelo Russell, 19, has to grow up in a hurry
by Janis Carr - ocregister.com
It’s hard to forget D’Angelo Russell is 19 years old when he rolls out of the players’ lounge on a purple exercise ball the size of a small car. Yet, that’s what Coach Byron Scott needs to do if he has any hope of molding the talented guard into the Lakers’ floor leader.
Russell can’t buy an alcoholic beverage or rent a car, but the rookie point guard is expected to lead the Lakers to at least a few victories this season. Scott realizes that he needs to grow up quickly.
“You have to treat him like a man. He has to learn,” Scott said. “Sometime that might be a little harsh, but like I told the guys last week ‘NBA stands for No Boys Allowed.’ It’s a man’s game.
“But I understand his situation. I understand how young he is. I will go up to him and hug him and talk to him about some things, but at times I have to let him figure things out.”
Scott’s lessons have included leaving Russell on the bench during the fourth quarter four times this season. The prized rookie has used the word opportunity, or the lack of, in comparison to the other rookies in the league.
He was on the floor for nine minutes of the fourth quarter Friday, scoring three of his 17 points in the Lakers’ 102-91 loss to Toronto.
One area Scott said Russell needs to work on is his play away from the ball, especially if Kobe Bryant is on the floor. Scott said many times Russell tends to stand around and watch when Bryant is bringing the ball up.
“He just has to get better at cutting and understanding that when the ball is in someone else’s hands you can still be effective,” Scott said. “That’s just part of growing up.”
Russell isn’t alone. It’s a habit Scott is trying to break of all of the young players on this season’s roster.
“These guys are so used to having the ball in their hands,” Scott said. “If they don’t (have the ball) most times they don’t know what to do.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/scott-693242-season-black.html |
DLO may have to grow up, but Byron has to grow a brain!
(I wonder which is more likely to happen... hmmmm) _________________ Llluuukkkeee |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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Julius Randle Dealing With Sore Big Toe, Listed as Probable for the Lakers’ Sunday game
by Cody Williams - lakeshowlife.com
Julius Randle has a sore big toe and is listed as probable for the Lakers’ Sunday game
The Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Toronto Raptors on Friday night, but the loss didn’t come without the instillation of some hope for the Lakers. The young trio of Lakers in Julius Randle, D’Angelo Russell, and Jordan Clarkson all shined in the loss, specifically on the offensive end where Randle regained his early-season form and Russell showed much-needed aggressiveness.
However, Randle’s return to form on Friday night may slow him down for the Lakers’ upcoming schedule.
According to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters, the talented big man is dealing with a sore big toe and is listed as probable for the Lakers’ matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers:
http://lakeshowlife.com/2015/11/21/lakers-injury-julius-randle-big-toe-probable/ |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2015 8:16 pm Post subject: |
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D'Angelo Russell Flashes Aggression Team Needs
by Anthony Yassa - lakeshowlife.com
D’Angelo Russell has been the subject of much criticism during the beginning of his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers. A confident floor general in college, Russell’s demeanor has been far more demure in the NBA. This has concerned many Laker fans, many of whom feel that he lacks the killer-instinct needed to become a true star in the NBA.
On Friday night against the Raptors, Russell began to show the confidence and swagger that convinced the Lakers he was the right pick in last year’s draft. Scoring 17 points, Russell showed much greater aggression than he has in previous games.
In college, Russell played with supreme confidence, controlling the offense for his team while taking and making shots from all over the court. This was the Russell Lakers fans expected and they were understandably disappointed with his early performances. However, it was only a matter of time before the young floor general regained his footing and demonstrated his tremendous upside.
Against the Raptors, Laker fans got to see D’Angelo Russell play the way they have hoped he would since he was selected. Shooting with much more confidence, Russell drained a trio of three-pointers in the game, showing that it was only a matter of time before his exceptional shooting in college translated to the pros.
The Lakers’ second-overall pick also showed much more determination in getting to rim, even keeping the ball in transition for a nice finish. He also showed his value in the mid-range game, pulling up and hitting shots on the baseline and in the middle of the court. His length is especially valuable in this area, as he can simply shoot over opponents who would block most point guards.
Although Russell still struggled at times on the defensive end, getting lost or simply falling asleep, he showed flashes of increased intensity on that side of the floor as well. One sequence in particular, in which D’Angelo got a steal and quickly finished with a right-handed layup, showed that he has the potential to be a troublesome defensive presence.
http://lakeshowlife.com/2015/11/21/lakers-dangelo-russell-flashes-aggression-team-needs/ |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 7:40 am Post subject: |
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D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson face big test against Portland
by Broderick Turner - latimes.com
The lessons for the Lakers’ young backcourt of rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell and second-year guard Jordan Clarkson will continue on Sunday.
Russell, 19, and Clarkson, 23, will face two of the best guards in the NBA when they go up against Portland’s Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum at Staples Center.
Lillard is averaging 25.2 points a game and McCollum is averaging 20.1.
“They put up some numbers,” Lakers Coach Byron Scott said. “Both of those guys are very offensively gifted. They can score. Our two guys are going to have their hands filled. But I hope they look at it as a great challenge.
“Damian is obviously one of those guys that’s an All-Star-caliber point guard and McCullough was one of those guys in college that you knew was a big-time scorer. It’s taken him kind of three years to ... to blossom.
“But he’s one of those guys right now that has a lot of experience and he’s playing extremely well. So as a backcourt, they’re tough. And our guys have got to be ready.”
http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/lakersnow/la-sp-ln-lakers-russell-clarkson-20151121-story.html |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 7:42 am Post subject: |
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TDIKH: November 21, 2006
by nba.com
From the very beginning, it was clear that this was one of those nights when Kobe Bryant could get what he wanted.
He hit his first three shots and poured half of his 40 points in the first quarter alone to push the Lakers to a 105-101 victory over the Clippers.
Bryant shot 12-of-23 from the field, while also pitching in five assists and three steals. But other than a double-double from Kwame Brown (10 points, 14 rebounds), he didn’t get much help from teammates, as the Lakers shot just 37.1 percent — 11.1 percent worse than the Clippers.
In fact, the Lakers went scoreless for the first half of the fourth quarter, allowing the Clippers to score 11 straight and take a two-point lead.
But Bryant, who added 10 more points in the final period, helped the purple and gold respond with six unanswered points, and they never surrendered their advantage from there.
http://www.nba.com/lakers/tdikh/1121 |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 7:46 am Post subject: |
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Bench Missing Marcelo Huertas' Playmaking
by by Anthony Yassa - lakeshowlife.com
The Lakers bench is feeling the blow of Marcelo Huertas’ diminishing role.
The Lakers made an interesting and unexpected move in the off-season when they signed Marcelo Huertas. A player who had excelled for years overseas, Huertas had never played in the NBA. The signing was interesting particularly because Huertas is 32 years old and, therefore, didn’t make much sense for a rebuilding team looking to create a long-term core.
Despite this, Huertas quickly endeared himself to fans, playing exceptionally well in the preseason. His flashy passes and efficient mid-range game were reminiscent of Steve Nash, who Laker fans never got to truly enjoy.
However, Huertas has seen his minutes steadily decline since the season began , even missing games entirely. This is mainly the result of the fact that playing Huertas with Lou Williams, is exceedingly difficult.
First of all, Williams and Huertas are both fairly small players, with Williams standing at 6-1 and Huertas at 6-3. Huertas’ size is fine for his position as a true point guard, but Williams’ size is much more problematic. As a shooting guard, Lou Williams represents a significant defensive liability if he is forced to guard his position.
In order to play Lou Williams at the two, the point guard playing alongside him must be able to guard the opposing shooting guard. As Huertas is far from a defensive specialist, putting him on a shooting guard is a liability as well. The Lakers have dealt with this issue by simply playing Lou Williams out of position at the one, which has caused as many problems as it has fixed.
http://lakeshowlife.com/2015/11/21/lakers-bench-missing-marcelo-huertas-playmaking/ |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 8:16 am Post subject: |
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Byron Scott on D’Angelo Russell - ‘The kid is starting to get it’
by Abbey Mastracco - dailynews.com
Los Angeles Lakers coach Byron Scott is patient when it comes to the development of his young players and even tolerant of some youthful mistakes.
But if there’s one thing he’s not going to tolerate from his rookies, it’s a bad reputation.
“I’ll tell you what I did the other day, as far as relaying messages: I said there’s a couple of things you don’t want to be known as in this league,” Scott said. “You don’t want to be known as soft, you don’t want to be known as a guy who doesn’t play hard and you don’t want to be known as a guy that they can go at every single night.”
In a loss to the Toronto Raptors on Friday night, Scott liked the aggression that his young players showed, even going so far as to say that it was point guard D’Angelo Russell’s best offensive game yet.
“I looked at it like, ‘This was a sign.’ This is a good sign of things to come. The kid is starting to get it,” Scott said. “So after 12 games, having his best game last night from an offensive standpoint - and even defensively I thought he played pretty good - you look forward to the next 12 to see if he can continue that process of developing.”
That tough-guy mentality that Scott has been preaching will be put to the test against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night. The young backcourt will try to keep that effort and intensity up when they face the high-scoring tandem of Damien Lillard and C.J. McCollum.
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/20151121/byron-scott-on-dangelo-russell-the-kid-is-starting-to-get-it |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 8:18 am Post subject: |
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Kobe - D’Angelo Russell’s Biggest Challenge Is On Defense
by Ramneet Singh - lakersnation.com
The Los Angeles Lakers faced a very talented Raptors team Friday night, but showed some greats signs of improvement. Los Angeles played quite well throughout the game, but a dismal fourth quarter left them with a 102-91 loss, its tenth of the season.
Despite a career night from rookie D’Angelo Russell, the Lakers could not muster enough in the final period to come away with the victory. After the game, Kobe Bryant provided some critiques for Russell and what he needs to focus on in order to become a great player.
Bryant understands the role defense has not only for individual success, but also team success, and he wants Russell to focus on improving on that end of the court viavia Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Kobe said D'Angelo's biggest challenge is on defense: "When guys see him their eyes light up & they're trying to go at him pretty hard."
Kobe: “Defensively is where he (D'Angelo) wants to start making his mark, you don’t want to get a reputation as being a guy who can’t guard”
http://www.lakersnation.com/kobe-bryant-dangelo-russells-biggest-challenge-is-on-defense/2015/11/21/ |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 8:19 am Post subject: |
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Kobe Wants Young Lakers Core To ‘Speak Tactically’
by Corey Hansford - lakersnation.com
After Friday night’s loss to the Toronto Raptors, the Los Angeles Lakers fell to 2-10, the second worst record in the Western Conference. Even though it is early in the season, the Lakers playoff hopes seem to be fading quickly and it seems as if it’s only a matter of time before the development of the team’s young players takes precedence over everything else.
Kobe Bryant recently spoke about his main responsibility being to help the team’s young players and in a one-on-one interview with James Worthy on Time Warner Cable SportsNet, Bryant delved into some specific lessons he is imparting on the young core:
It’s about tactics. Don’t get emotional about situations, speak tactically […] So if Julius and D’Angelo are having a conversation about something that took place, don’t make the conversation about ‘you need to get over here, you need to do this that or the other.'
Rather than those questions, Bryant says they need to focus more on problem solving questions:
Okay you want the ball in the post. How exactly do you want the ball in the post? How can we get it to you?
http://www.lakersnation.com/kobe-bryant-wants-young-lakers-core-to-speak-tactically/2015/11/21/ |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 9:35 am Post subject: |
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Kobe On Pushing Himself: ‘If The Wheels Fall Off, The Wheels Fall Off’
by Corey Hansford - lakersnation.com
For all intents and purposes, this looks like it will be Kobe Bryant’s final season in the NBA. If that is the case, Kobe and the Los Angeles Lakers are determined to make sure he makes it through the entire season and not have a fourth consecutive season-ending injury.
In order to prevent that, Kobe put in a lot of work in the off-season to get his body ready. As he revealed to James Worthy in a one-on-one interview on Time Warner Cable SportsNet, Kobe decided to do the opposite of what he has witnessed with other older players, and has no fear of the possible negative outcome:
The more research I did on players when they got older, they started transitioning their training programs to more of a recovery program. It was more like trying to catch up […] I decided to do the opposite. I decided to push myself just like I did when I was younger and if the wheels fall off, the wheels fall off, there’s nothing I can do about it, but I have to be strong.
http://www.lakersnation.com/kobe-bryant-on-pushing-himself-if-the-wheels-fall-off-the-wheels-fall-off/2015/11/21/ |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 9:36 am Post subject: |
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Kobe says his workload has been 'really light'
by Bill Oram - ocregister.com
Kobe Bryant has logged 55,694 minutes over the course of 1,509 games, including the playoffs. Until recent years, his minutes were not a stat of primary concern.
He was the Lakers best player, so of course he would be on the court for most of the game. But as his body has worn down, been battered by injury, his coaches have taken measures to reduce his workload.
But on Friday, the ninth game of Bryant’s 20th season, Coach Byron Scott seemed to go off script by playing Bryant a season-high 37 minutes. Scott argued that Bryant’s 31.1 minutes per game were the more important numbers, while others wondered if the greater risk wasn’t in the high toll on a given night.
Bryant for his part, doesn’t see what all the fuss is about.
“My workload has been really light,” he said prior to Saturday’s practice.
Bryant was at the Lakers’ practice facility to receive treatment. Scott said Bryant will play Sunday against Portland at Staples Center.
Following Friday’s 102-91 loss to Toronto, in which Bryant played all but the final 24 seconds of the fourth quarter, Bryant said his body felt “great.”
“I don’t really think about it too much,” Bryant said Saturday. “I just go by how my body feels. We (Bryant and Scott) communicate constantly about it, so if my body feels OK I’ll play more, if it doesn’t, I won’t.”
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/bryant-693315-game-minutes.html |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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Byron Scott concedes he needs to be more disciplined with Kobe's minutes
by Mark Medina - insidesocal.com
Two days after remaining defiant about surpassing his self-imposed minutes threshold on Kobe Bryant, Lakers coach Byron Scott has since admitted he needs to stay more disciplined with monitoring Bryant’s playing time.
“It’s really really hard,” Scott said following morning shootaround at the Lakers’ facility in El Segundo. “I know when he’s out there, we have the best chance to win. But I have to give him rest.”
That’s not how Scott viewed things during the Lakers’ win last week in Detroit and in Friday’s loss to Toronto. Bryant played 36 minutes against Detroit and 37 minutes against Toronto despite Scott’s insistence at the beginning of the season that would never play more than last season’s average of 34.5 minutes per contest. In fact, Scott had previously aimed to keep Bryant’s minutes lower around 28 to 32 minutes per game.
But Scott defended the increased workload, mindful that the Lakers (2-10) could collect any victory they can. Scott also argued Bryant could handle the added minutes since he skipped Monday’s game in Phoenix before mostly resting before Friday’s game against Toronto. Can Scott show more discipline in any future games that will not be decided until the final moments of the fourth quarter?
“I have to fight myself on that,” Scott said. “I don’t want to get to the point where we have so many games left in the season and only 20 games out, hes’ already worn out.”
http://www.insidesocal.com/lakers/2015/11/22/lakers-byron-scott-concedes-he-needs-to-be-more-disciplined-with-kobe-bryants-minutes/ |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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Caron Butler Credits Kobe For His Success In NBA
by Ryan Ward - lakersnation.com
Veteran forward Caron Butler only played 77 games for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2004-05 NBA season and in that short time made a lifelong bond with Kobe Bryant. Although a fan favorite and close friend of Bryant’s, the Lakers brass traded Butler to the Washington Wizards in August of 2005.
Despite his short stint alongside Bryant in Los Angeles, Butler says his time learning from one of the greatest players to ever play the game led a long NBA career. The journeyman credits Kobe for giving him the knowledge to be successful in this league, via Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times:
Being up under the wing of Kobe Bryant and the relationship that we built over that time, I learned a lot about the game of basketball,” Butler said. “I took the things that I learned from him, and that’s why I had the success that I had in my career.
http://www.lakersnation.com/lakers-news-caron-butler-credits-kobe-bryant-for-his-success-in-nba/2015/11/22/ |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 5:29 pm Post subject: |
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Kobe: When I've become ball-movement voice, you have an issue
by Ananth Pandian - cbssports.com
In what could possibly be his final season, Kobe Bryant is still playing heavy minutes but is shooting a career-low 34 percent from the field and 21.5 percent from three. Bryant has been well aware of his limitations this season which is why he is making a point to help his young teammates like Julius Randle, D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson.
So how is Bryant helping his teammates? He is trying to get them to pass more.
Yes, you heard them correctly.
From ESPN's Baxter Holmes:
"I'm just trying to help these young guys, honestly," Bryant said Friday after the Lakers' 102-91 loss to the Toronto Raptors, during which he scored 10 points on 5-of-13 shooting during a season- and game-high 37 minutes.
"I feel good enough that I could go out there and score 25 or something like that, but what the hell is that going to do for these guys? It's not going to do a damn thing."
One element Bryant particularly preached Friday was ball movement, which he felt was lacking against the Raptors.
"When I've become the voice of 'ball-movement reason,' you know you have an issue," Bryant said. "I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be the one preaching that stuff. That's crazy.
He added, "I can't believe I'm saying this s---. Are you kidding me? Like a kid that grows up and just starts sounding like his parents."
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25385629/kobe-bryant-when-ive-become-ball-movement-voice-you-have-an-issue |
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
Joined: 11 Apr 2001 Posts: 12389 Location: Riverside Rescue
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lakersfreak Franchise Player
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Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2015 3:35 am Post subject: |
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Byron Scott wants Julius Randle to play harder
by Mike Bresnahan - latimes.com
It was almost 1 a.m. earlier this month, a few hours after another Lakers loss. It wasn't sitting well with Julius Randle.
He didn't like the way he played against the Denver Nuggets, so he called Metta World Peace and asked the veteran to join him for an impromptu workout at the Lakers' training facility.
World Peace was just finishing a late sushi dinner and agreed to meet with Randle, the education continuing for the second-year power forward who cared about getting better the right way. By working hard.
"He's one of those guys that I think takes it pretty serious," Lakers Coach Byron Scott said Sunday. "He's not a guy that I think parties and all that stuff. He's a pretty mild-mannered type guy. He comes into the gym, gets his work in, stays a little later. I don't worry about him as far as that's concerned."
Randle continues to have good games and then not-so-good ones.
It's entertaining to watch his hard-charging efforts when he turns a defensive rebound into a fastbreak opportunity. He's fearless as well, in case his nose-to-nose with Kevin Garnett didn't prove the point earlier this season.
But he's over-reliant on his left hand and still hasn't developed a consistent midrange shot. He made only five of 14 attempts from eight to 16 feet before Sunday's game. He was seven for 26 beyond 16 feet.
Scott wants something else from him too.
"One thing that I've been talking with him about is just playing harder for long periods of time — trying to carry it out there for the whole time he's out there and not taking plays off," Scott said. "The one gift that he has, besides being able to get to the basket, is his quickness and he's got to use that to his full potential."
http://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-1123-lakers-report-20151123-story.html |
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