Sasha's Time Has Arrived

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>NEW YORK - For Sasha Vujacic, it was not a joking matter.

For the Lakers coaching staff and his teammates, it was.

Vujacic made shot after shot in practice, which usually started around 11 a.m. But when the games started at 7:30 p.m., Vujacic couldn't make those same shots.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who seems to find humor in most things, joked that Vujacic was a noon shooter and not a 7:30 p.m. one.

"I never said that, by the way," Jackson said. "Some other people have said that."

Jackson was then reminded, he said it was 11 a.m.

Jackson smiled and said, "OK."

Nowadays, Vujacic is not the brunt of those jokes.

The reason is simple: He's making shots when they matter.

"I think the most important thing is that I'm getting consistent minutes from the coaching staff," Vujacic said. "That's the best thing. Unfortunately some people got hurt, and then I got in the rotation. That's how I kind of fight for my spot on the team."

Vujacic is averaging 14.6 minutes per game. He is making 47.4 percent of his field goals, 41.9 percent of his three-pointers, tops on the team, and is averaging 7.4 points.

Vujacic's contributions, especially of late, are no laughing matter.

"The important thing for him was for it to happen during the game," Kobe Bryant said. "He worked so hard in practice, coming in the evenings to shoot and shoot all the time. I think the important thing for him was to start seeing results. Once he started seeing those on a consistent basis, then he got really comfortable shooting the ball."

Vujacic missed seven games with a sprained left ankle that led to back spasms.

But when he returned, his stroke had not deserted him.

Vujacic has sizzled in the nine games since his return, making 54.2 percent of his shots and 43.4 of his three-pointers.

He is averaging 10.7 points in 21.2 minutes during that span.

"I think in order to be a good, successful player, you've got to love the pressure. You got to know how to deal with it," Vujacic said. "But, what's most important is my coaching staff is not taking me out for one mistake.

"Last year, I'd make one mistake and I was on the bench. ... Now when I make mistakes, these guys trust me that I'm going to take the ball back and do something good the next time."

Injuries to Luke Walton and Trevor Ariza forced Jackson to use Bryant more at small forward, which opened the door for Vujacic.

"He's getting more minutes. Unfortunately I have to put him in there," Jackson joked. "Luke's been out and Kobe's moved down to the three. That puts him back in the guard spot and gives him some opportunities. He's done a good job."

This is the final year of Vujacic's contract in which the 6-foot-7 guard from Slovenia will make $1.756 million.

He's showing the Lakers and others in the NBA he's worth another contract.

"Sasha has always been a real conscientious ball player," Jackson said. "He comes and shoots and works on his game. From that standpoint, I would give him a chance, many times -- second chances and third and fourth chances to prove himself because I know how dedicated he is to it.

"Anybody who cares enough about something, I usually think they are going to find success at some point. He's starting to be a factor now for other teams to have to watch and play attention to. ... I don't know if it has anything to do with being a free agent. I don't want to throw that out."

When the Lakers drafted Vujacic, 23, in 2004 after he had played three seasons in the Italian League, he played the point and shooting guard.

He looks more comfortable as a two guard.

After all, he is a shooter -- and not just at noon.</div>

Source: Press Enterprises

 

I read this article while on my break at work today....

I don't know, I'm not buying the Sasha hype. He's played good lately, but I want to see him do this for a month or so. We've seen spurts like this from him before, and then he returns to being that 11AM shooter.

I also don't like the fact that when he hits a shot, he thinks he's Kobe Bryant and tries creating his own shots. I understand shooters have to shoot, but I don't like it when Sasha becomes a chucker.

 

Because he shouldn't be chucking, it can interrupt the flow of the offense. He needs to be floating around the perimeter and hoping Kobe, Odom, Gasol, Bynum can get him a decent look. I don't want him creating his own offense, it's not his game.

I also want to see a consistent stretch of games from him, not a week's worth...I'm talking like a month's worth. We've seen flashes from him like this before, I want it to be permanent.

 

I'd rather Luke take those shots!

 

I still don't think he should be creating his own shot. It's not his game. His game is a shooter, he needs to lurk around the perimeter and let things get set up for him.

Those stats are nice, but how much of an impact did he actually have on any of those games? How many big games did he have in January?/