LA Daily News They won't be playing Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom for only a half each. They won't be facing the same team on back-to-back nights. They won't have had just 12 practices to get to know each other from total strangers on the court. But the Lakers at least had to wonder after Wednesday night's 112-81 exhibition loss to the Golden State Warriors in Honolulu just how long it will take to get the triangle offense together, especially with the season opener less than three weeks away. They staggered and struggled with the offense all game, totaling 27 turnovers and managing just one field goal in the fourth quarter. It was a "futile exercise" in coach Phil Jackson's estimation. "When it's not moving fluid, when you look out on the floor, nobody looks like they know the system," guard Aaron McKie said. "That's just a matter of playing with each other a little bit more and getting to know each other a little bit better." By the middle of the third quarter, though, Bryant had to direct his teammates to the right spots on the floor and grew frustrated when he couldn't get fed the ball in the post. He never got in rhythm, finishing with 11 points and taking only eight shots. The Lakers split their two-game series with the Warriors - though they trailed 24-8 in the first quarter Tuesday with their starters on the floor - and returned home Thursday after 10 days of training camp and trade winds in Oahu. It was a trip that did not end on a good note. Odom struggled in his second game playing in the backcourt. Chris Mihm threw away too many passes and picked up too many fouls. Kwame Brown was two steps slow getting to places he should have been. And with Bryant unable to take control as he did Tuesday - scoring 16 of his game-high 28 points in the second quarter - the Lakers never were a threat. Even so, Bryant tried to encourage his teammates to run the triangle despite the score. "I could have broken out of the system and just went nuts, but it just doesn't make sense to do that because it doesn't improve us as a ballclub," Bryant said. "Just stay patient. It will come." Source
I could have broken out of the system and just went nuts, but it just doesn't make sense to do that because it doesn't improve us as a ballclub," Bryant said. "Just stay patient. It will come." I just hope he still goes nuts occasionally, that is fun to watch.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I could have broken out of the system and just went nuts, but it just doesn't make sense to do that because it doesn't improve us as a ballclub," Bryant said. "Just stay patient. It will come."</div> I like his attitude.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting trenchteam:</div><div class="quote_post">I like his attitude.</div> I just hope he keeps that attitude this year. If he does I think the Lakers will be fine.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting mentalman:</div><div class="quote_post">I just hope he keeps that attitude this year. If he does I think the Lakers will be fine.</div> I actually disagree. Kobe should break out but not go overboard in making it him vs the opposition. I think that making Kobe play in a restricted way will get us nowhere. We need Kobe to explode and play the way he play's. The only thing he shouldn't do is be so extreme about it. He should break out in a moderate way. We will only win if Kobe dictates the way we play. By forcing him to pass the ball, we won't win many matches. The responsibility should be in Kobe's hands. So far, he is the only player I trust to win us matches. I would rather Kobe play his natural game, instead of a restricted way to impress the media, coach, spectators and his fellow teammates.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Laker_fan:</div><div class="quote_post">I actually disagree. Kobe should break out but not go overboard in making it him vs the opposition. I think that making Kobe play in a restricted way will get us nowhere. We need Kobe to explode and play the way he play's. The only thing he shouldn't do is be so extreme about it. He should break out in a moderate way. We will only win if Kobe dictates the way we play. By forcing him to pass the ball, we won't win many matches. The responsibility should be in Kobe's hands. So far, he is the only player I trust to win us matches. I would rather Kobe play his natural game, instead of a restricted way to impress the media, coach, spectators and his fellow teammates.</div> What I mean is that he needs to get the team involved in the game. If not then we will see a repeat of last year. Or a repeat of the finals against Detroit. If you can remember the year they won the championship against Philadelphia when during the season he was out for a couple of games and the Lakers beat SA in SA. That year he came back and trusted his teammates and they were beating up on everyone. That team really didn't have any stars outside of Kobe and Shaq. Just a bunch of very good role players. He can definitely take over a game at any time. No doubt about that. But I think he will have an easier time doing it if he is not the only focal point of the team.
I totally agree with the article. The loss really made it apparent that the Lakers are having trouble with the triangle offense but it was obvious in the game that they won as well. Half way through the first quarter, when all starters for both teams were playing, the score was 24-8 and the Lakers just couldnt score even against the Warriors mediocre (at best) defense. The game got closer as each team began subbing in different players and when Kobe did "go nuts" the half ended with the Lakers only down one. Odom didn't play well in either game and I'm guessing that its not because of Mike Dunleavy's defense. Odom only had 7 points and 4 rebounds until he came in and lit up the scrubs in the last 3 minutes of the game (he ended with 16 and 5), in the second game he scored 4 points and grabbed 9 boards. Until the team gets the triangle down, I believe they would be better served to allow Kobe to heat up and "go nuts" and hope for the best.
If Kobe were to go nuts too often the Lakers will have less in-game experience of the triangle, which will hurt them eventualy if Kobe cant play.
more triangle, less cowbell i think the triangle really should not be that difficult for the team to learn. i have run in offenses way more elaborate. and i am not giving myself props or anything, i am just saying. if you are a player on the lakers and you hear (however long ago) that phil jackson is back, why in the world would you not drudge up old lakers or even bulls footage to examine the offense before you actually get to try it on the court with the team?! if i were in laker front office somewhere, i would have acted as soon as this was even a whisper in the offices toput together something for players to start digging their teeth into. it is like studying for a test... but your test is 82 games long... that is just part of the game they should work on while they are working out in the offseason...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting clanq fu:</div><div class="quote_post">i think the triangle really should not be that difficult for the team to learn. i have run in offenses way more elaborate. and i am not giving myself props or anything, i am just saying. if you are a player on the lakers and you hear (however long ago) that phil jackson is back, why in the world would you not drudge up old lakers or even bulls footage to examine the offense before you actually get to try it on the court with the team?! if i were in laker front office somewhere, i would have acted as soon as this was even a whisper in the offices toput together something for players to start digging their teeth into. it is like studying for a test... but your test is 82 games long... that is just part of the game they should work on while they are working out in the offseason...</div> I agree, the Triangle offense isn't complicated at all. I think a lot of the players on the team, just don't have the instincts and enthusiasm to move without the ball in their hands. Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown have always faced players of up, and taken them off the dribble. Chris Mihm has hands of stone and is clueless when it comes to positioning, passing the ball, and creating angles to get an entry pass into the post. Quite frankly, he's dumb when it comes to basketball fundamentals. The first 30 games are going to be a frustrating learning experience for the Lakers this season. I think they will be very inconsistent night in and night out, and will really have to depend on their defense to win ball games. If they can manage to win 16 to 18 of those games, they'll be in good shape. The Lakers cannot afford let down games against weaker teams this season.
The Lakers should let Kobe play his game, but not in the preseason. The whole point of the pre season is to get your game going the way you want it, and breaking out of the triangle and lighting up the Warriors wouldn't of been productive. However, during the season, their going to need Kobe to take over games, they always have.
