A certain part of the Laker woes has to be on the players. I know the coach is suppose set the tone and instill a defensive mindset, and teams are a refelection of the coaches philosophy...etc. But it can't just be "well we don't have a defensive coach, so I guess we won't, or have no clue how to play defense".

Bad defensive coach, given, but at some point, after so many losses, after seeing what the problem is on the court I expect professional players to look each other in the face and say "we're playing defense tonight, period. Forget the coaches lack of emphasis on it, we're D'ing up, helping out, talking, hustling on pick & rolls...etc". Pro's should know those basic defensive pricnciples and at some point, after one embarassing loss to another, just do it.

Unless,....they just can't, unless they just don't have the personel with the needed atheletiscm, speed and quickness to keep up.

Just dumb basketball by the Lakers

Doug Collins : I don't see the Lakers running the D'Antoni system.

Charles Barkley: You see the D'Antoni system on defense!:lol:

Way to MAN-UP Lakers. :roll:

Yeah, "Car crash", train wreck....geez!

[QUOTE="mont13"]

[QUOTE="Master_Live"]Carmelo is just on fire right from the start. No_Hablo_Ingles

Gotta give it to Carmelo, he's been BALLIN' this year.

I've alwasy thought of him as a great player and one of the greatest all-round offensive players. It just doesn't seem as forced (if that's the proper word) this year. Also he seems a bit more focused, serious and zoned in, (watching his mannerisms and hearing his comments this year). But maybe it is just perception.

Took longer to respond because I was distracted by the barrage of 3's raining down on the Lakers! :shock:

Shoot out in the making!

Carmelo is just on fire right from the start. Master_Live

Gotta give it to Carmelo, he's been BALLIN' this year.

Alright Lakers enough of this nonsense , MAN-UP and get a win!

[QUOTE="-Halftime-"]I laught at the people that say give it time. Seriously. This team is going to be sooooooooo far back if you just let D'Antoni keep doing what he's doing and digging holes for the team. No one knows when Nash will be back. He might not be back till January. He has a nerve issue. I'm sick of that excuse. Even without Nash this team should compete, they do not. And if you do give D'Antoni time till Nash comes back then you have to give him a month with Nash to see if it works, and when it still ain't working in February then it's too late. Lakers have far too much at stake here with Dwight. If he leaves, the Lakers will not SNIFF the Finals for ten years. Mark my words.andyboiii

Kobe (as of now) is shooting his highest fg%, his highest 3pt%, his 2nd highest ft% (highest was 86.8%, now 86.1%) ever. His assists, stls and rbs. are close to his career average, t.o.'s are less than 1 above his career average. Also, .5 more field goal attempts than his career average (19.5 fga career, 20.0 fga's now)

Agreed that Kobe is not the problem.

Phil would have this team competing. No doubt about it. There is the personnel in place to run the Triangle. But he isn't coming through the doors after they spit at him pretty much, Any of you guys see D'Antoni at the press conference? This man is an embrassment, snapping at reporters and cussing. Embarrassing to the Lakers organization. He's behaving like a petulant child. TWC had to cut the press conference haha. His days are numbered if Mitch has a brain.-Halftime-

I could be wrong (have been befor), but I don't have faith that the triangle would that effective anymore. But yeah, definitely better than the "hot mess" they run now under D'AnPhoni.

Have to watch that press conference! He won't last much longer doing that.