Howard, Paul, Other?

[King Glorious]

I know it's not fair to completely judge this since Bynum hasn't played yet but everything I'm seeing from Howard makes me feel I was right in what I was saying we'd see if he was in LA. He's not a dominant player. He has zero offense. Chicago single covered him with Taj Gibson at times tonight. He's a liability because of his free throws. Howard doesn't give you as much as Bynum was giving you last year.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I know it's not fair to completely judge this since Bynum hasn't played yet but everything I'm seeing from Howard makes me feel I was right in what I was saying we'd see if he was in LA. He's not a dominant player. He has zero offense. Chicago single covered him with Taj Gibson at times tonight. He's a liability because of his free throws. Howard doesn't give you as much as Bynum was giving you last year.

Really? Maybe its not really fair to judge Howard because he is coming off of back surgery and has only been back for about 90 days (he wasnt even cleared to run till the end of the preseason) or because he is playing with a torn labrum? He has no offense but somehow managed to score 19 points a game while shooting 58% from the floor for his career? His foul shooting is certainly a big issue but that isnt something new. Plus Howard is giving the Lakers ALOT more than Bynum is giving the Sixers which would be zero.

[Cannon Shell]

Not much has been said about Steve Nash who is setting all kinds of records as possibly the worst defender in the league. The Lakers bigger problem than the controversy over the offense/coach is that they are a horrible defensive team with no speed and an inability to stay healthy.

[geeker2]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Not much has been said about Steve Nash who is setting all kinds of records as possibly the worst defender in the league. The Lakers bigger problem than the controversy over the offense/coach is that they are a horrible defensive team with no speed and an inability to stay healthy.

.....and old

Nash 38
Kobe 34
Gasol 32
MWP 33

They are painful to watch.

[King Glorious]

Obviously, if you look at it from the standpoint that Bynum isn't playing, everyone that is playing is giving you more than he is. The discussion was based on if both were playing, which would give you more. Howard is extremely limited on offense. His numbers come on a lot of lobs and putbacks. He doesn't have a go-to move that is consistent. You can't need a basket in a crucial situation and just throw it down to the big man. Very rarely is he able to create a good shot for himself and since you don't have to double him, teammates are finding fewer open lanes. Dwight was only averaging around 20 as the first option in Orlando. It was clear that he would have to give up a number of shots playing with the league's top gunner and with Gasol. I actually think his average this season is higher than I expected. When I say it's unfair because Bynum hasn't played, I mean that we haven't gotten a chance to judge him in Howard's old role, as top dog. It may be a role he can't play but I'm confident in saying that Howard can't play Bynum's role as well as Andrew did.

[King Glorious]

The Lakers went out and took a weak area and made it much worse by signing Nash. He couldn't stop me from getting around him. It's a huge problem and it was made worse by bringing in a coacb that can't spell defense. But to me, the biggest problem comes from an inability to find a way to make use of two of the best big men in the game. D'Antoni has stated that he doesn't like slow, post it up kind of team and he's never coached an elite post player. He's unable to adjust. Any system that puts Earl Clark in and takes Gasol out is wrong.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

The Lakers went out and took a weak area and made it much worse by signing Nash. He couldn't stop me from getting around him. It's a huge problem and it was made worse by bringing in a coacb that can't spell defense. But to me, the biggest problem comes from an inability to find a way to make use of two of the best big men in the game. D'Antoni has stated that he doesn't like slow, post it up kind of team and he's never coached an elite post player. He's unable to adjust. Any system that puts Earl Clark in and takes Gasol out is wrong.

The coach is not the biggest problem in LA. True his system doesn't work with the players that are on the roster but what system could work with two incompatible big men (both who have been injured), a 38 year old PG (who has been injured), a 34 year old Kobe, a slower MWP and pretty much nothing else. What system exactly would make this roster work?

Lets face facts, Nash needs to be hidden on defense AND he cant play 35 minutes a game anymore. An NBA game is 48 minutes long and the dreck that has to play 30% of the game when Nash is on the bench is putting LA at a big disadvantage. Nash is still a great shooter who is finding his legs but at this stage he is what he is. Funny thing is Kobe is in a similar spot as he is already wearing down from overuse being that LA has nobody even replacement caliber to give him a rest. His defense is where he is taking rests and with Nash on the court...well you know. Gasol is a really good low post player that would be most effective if the offense was run through him which is like the antithesis of the D'antoni system (irony is that they rarely even run that system the way it has been traditionally run because they have nobody that can shoot save Nash). Plus gasol seems like he has been ass hurt by almost being traded last year and the constant criticism from Kobe and the coach (and the front office behind the scenes). Howard SHOULD benefit from playing with Nash and playing the pick and roll game but he just doesnt look like the same guy and he wants nothing to do with the ball down the stretch because of his FT shooting.

Everyone says that they should be able to utilize the two big men to their advantage but the problem is that they are more or less incompatable on the court at the same time and even when they arent, they have completely different low post games. It is really hard to have too many variations of offensive schemes especially when the entire team hasnt been healthy and the reserves are god awful.

Of all the issues that the Lakers have the bench is the absolute worst. Remember when the Cavs added Jamison a few years ago to get them over the top? LeBron who makes everyone better couldnt help that corpse. Now a few years later he is a rotting corpse. Steve Blake got hurt which meant that they have been using Chris Duhon and Darrius Morris to run the offense when Nash isn't in the game. Duhon is in his 9th year of poor PG play and Morris who started 17 games this year has 67 assists and 42 turnovers despite not being asked to do anything but get the ball to the other guys. Earl Clark who was recently made a starter is still the same Earl Clark that couldn't get minutes for Orlando. At least he isnt ancient and can guard wings decently. Jodie Meeks only skill is shooting and he is currently shooting 38%. Devin Ebanks is shooting 32%. Jordan Hill was actually coming around but is now out for the season.

In the end there is no system that can keep guys healthy. The Lakers have no reliable perimeter shooting, nobody that can guard quick PG's or shooting guards except for Kobe who hasnt been choosing to do that much. They are slow. They dont appear to like each other very much. And everyone forgets that they got bounced out of the playoffs on their ass in Phils last year. He is not a miracle worker, he never won anything (outside of his fine work with the Albany Patroons) without having 2 of the best 3 or 4 players in the league and the current version of Kobe, Nash, Howard or Gasol arent that. Kobe wasnt good enough 2 years ago to carry a team on his back, he hasnt gotten better and this season has a long way to go.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

Obviously, if you look at it from the standpoint that Bynum isn't playing, everyone that is playing is giving you more than he is. The discussion was based on if both were playing, which would give you more. Howard is extremely limited on offense. His numbers come on a lot of lobs and putbacks. He doesn't have a go-to move that is consistent. You can't need a basket in a crucial situation and just throw it down to the big man. Very rarely is he able to create a good shot for himself and since you don't have to double him, teammates are finding fewer open lanes. Dwight was only averaging around 20 as the first option in Orlando. It was clear that he would have to give up a number of shots playing with the league's top gunner and with Gasol. I actually think his average this season is higher than I expected. When I say it's unfair because Bynum hasn't played, I mean that we haven't gotten a chance to judge him in Howard's old role, as top dog. It may be a role he can't play but I'm confident in saying that Howard can't play Bynum's role as well as Andrew did.

If scoring and one on one play were the only measures then you'd be correct in your hypothesis. However you also just described Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell neither of whom would be to be inferior to Andrew Bynum. The fact is that pre injury Howards offensive game was evolving, he had gotten a nice post up game going and had been utilizing the 12 ft bank shot pretty effectively. The problem with Howard (like Shaq and Wilt before him) has always been that down the stretch his horrid FT shooting was a big negative. The biggest strength that Howard has always had that Bynum doesnt have is elite athletisim which made him the easily the best defender of the rim in the game and also allowed him to be the leagues top rebounder as well. He obviously hasnt recaptured that athleticism yet and who knows may never get back to where he was. His all around play at Center including things that are important to post players like defense, shot blocking, and rebounding made him a superior player to Bynum who perhaps had a bit more refined offensive game. Howard has never been the smartest player on the court but Bynum was not exactly Bill Walton either.