Lakers fans, don’t give up hope. The Lakers are 0–5, but their opponents are a combined 15–4. Name another team that has had a tougher opening schedule. The first two games were blowouts, but the Lakers were competitive in their last three games, minus the final quarter versus the Warriors.
It’s normal to struggle out of the gate with eight new players on your roster plus a new coach with a completely new system. Both Byron Scott and Kobe Bryant have preached patience even though neither of them has that gift. It’s a process of learning and experimenting, but to be fair the Lakers have been hit like a set of new parents. The hardest part of the schedule came when they were the least prepared.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers have gotten off to much worse starts than expected also and their competition hasn’t been nearly as tough. But it’s not about making excuses, it’s about having perspective of the overall picture of a long season ahead.
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Despite Kobe’s usage rate and shooting percentage, what he is doing at his age and post-injuries is amazing. This isn’t getting nostalgic about the past, but appreciating what he’s doing in the present.
One of the main reasons why Kobe takes so many shots is because he’s given the ball late in the shot clock. His teammates haven’t earned his trust yet, but once they do his shot attempts will go down.
Kobe is being taken off the dribble easily, but it’s not for a lack of effort. He’s always played defense like a “safety” in football and he’ll adjust his expectations as his conditioning moves into game shape. Kobe is still the leader of this team both in the locker room and on the court, so there’s hope because there is nothing he cares about more than winning.
[divide]Kobe Bryant On Michael Jordan Comparison, Late In Career
PAGE 2: Why It’s Too Early To Give Up Hope On The 2014-15 Lakers
Nick Young’s absence is huge as he is probably the only comparable player who is able to get his shot off without help. Kobe has taken Young under his wing this season which should only help. The Lakers are missing their best bench player and last season’s leading scorer.
Don’t forget Nick can replace Kobe in the lineup or play alongside of him and shoulder the load of scoring readily. Kobe has touted Young as an extremely important piece to the Lakers success and rightly so.
Besides his scoring, Nick is an energy guy. He was positive force in the locker room last season despite their struggles. Similar to Derek Fisher’s analogy of “good cop” to Kobe’s “bad cop,” Young brings positive vibes that will be a boost for morale when he steps on the court.
If you’re not familiar with Nick Young’s charisma, just search on YouTube or watch clips of his media day appearance. It was noted Dwight Howard didn’t like the bright lights, but Nick loves them. But there is reason for hope. Young’s cast is off and his return looks to be only a couple of weeks away.
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Chemistry takes time. The Lakers coaching staff and players aren’t familiar with each other yet. Byron’s defensive strategy is sound, but any time you implement a new system it takes time, look at Cleveland’s struggles. They have the most talented threesome in the league, but they don’t know how to play together.
Last season Grizzlies head coach, David Joerger, tried to change Memphis’ style of play, but got overruled by the players because if it ain’t broke why fix it? Think of building chemistry like growing pains. The Lakers have to hit the bottom before they can climb to the top. That’s why at this point it’s unfair to point blame at anyone yet.
“Fit” is the reason why Byron hasn’t made lineup changes yet, because he’s giving the players time to figure out their role. Chemistry can trump talent when all the pieces are working together efficiently. When half your roster hasn’t played together before, on top of learning a new system, the learning curve on the fly is steep. Over time the rotation will shrink, guys will learn individual tendencies and a defined style of play will be established.
So consider the factors above when judging the Lakers so far. The record indicates a lack of execution, not turmoil. In fact, besides being discouraged and upset the team unity is quite strong.
For once the Lakers attitude inside the locker room is on the same page. Any losing streak is tough to endure and at least the Lakers don’t have the lofty expectations of other teams who are underachieving at the moment. The Lakers organization has never been used to losing and neither have the fans. But there’s reason to believe things will get better soon. There’s nowhere to go, but up.
[divide]Kobe Bryant On Michael Jordan Comparison, Late In Career