Game Thread 11: Lakers vs. Pistons

Shapecity · Nov 17, 2009

Records: Lakers 7-3 Pistons 5-5
Offensive points per 100 possessions: Lakers 104.5 (18th in league), Pistons 106.8 (14th in league)
Defensive points per 100 possessions: Lakers 102.5 (10th in league) Pistons 104.7 (15th in league)
Projected Starting Lineups: Lakers: Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest, Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum
Pistons: Rodney Stuckey , Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Ben Wallace. Jonas Jerebko

The Lakers Coming in: Let me do my best Hawkeye impersonation with today’s M*A*S*H* update (picture me with a martini glass filled with bathtub gin): Luke Walton is out six week with a pinched nerve in his back. This hurts our depth — to me Walton is a solid NBA player. He is not spectacular, but he does one thing very well (pass, the second unit’s motion is much better with him in there) and he is a decent shooter and can defend bigger bodied players pretty well. From where I sit he is what he is paid — right at the league average. But he fits the Lakers system well and fits well in the locker room. Those aren’t little things. With him out, the second unit needs to work on moving and passing more.

Kobe Bryant practiced yesterday and will play tonight, a surprise to… nobody. This is Kobe. Pau Gasol also practiced yesterday and may return against the Bulls Thursday or maybe Sunday. Although, at this point until I see him on the court I’m not betting on anything.

On a separate note, Kevin Ding had the best article I’ve read so far this season on the Lakers start and issues.

They have not held themselves to a gold standard from within. They are not particularly motivated and they are not actively seeking opportunities to make immediate improvement.

There is Pau Gasol’s injury return at some point, there is Ron Artest’s full indoctrination coming and there is plenty of time. True, true and true. No question that the Lakers can be the NBA’s best team at the end, because the standings now certainly can’t be believed with paper-thin Phoenix lording above all others.

The point is that that the Lakers haven’t been committed to ongoing excellence right now – or even committed to playing offense from the inside out. Whether you call it mental weakness or complacency or human nature, it has already happened.

The Pistons Coming in: Kwame Brown’s back in town. I just dropped a ball in honor of his return.

As banged up as the Lakers are, the Pistons have it worse. Tayshaun Prince is out for a while with a ruptured disc in his back, and Rip Hamilton will miss the game (and many more) with a sprained ankle.

This Piston team is dramatically different looking than last year’s version. There is the addition by subtraction by ditching Allen Iverson. Then they went out and spent $85 million on Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva — both of whom have played well so far. Maybe not $85 million well, but well. Gordon is giving the Pistons a solid 22 points a game with a 57% True Shooting Percentage. Villanueva is giving them 17 points a game at the same shooting percentage, but just four rebounds a contest.

Dumars has taken a lot of heat for what he spent on those two, but to me it looks like he was trying to build a team in the mode of 2004 — a lot of good players that mesh instead of one great one. It just becomes much harder to make that work with Prince and Hamilton out, now you are asking Gordon and Villanueva to carry the load. That is a lot for them.

Rodney Stuckey handles the ball at the point, and he is a player I just enjoy watching. That said, he is not now nor has he ever been a great shooter, which is one reason the fans love Will Bynum off the bench, that and his numbers are just better across the board. Bynum is much more the type of player that gives the Lakers fits, he is very quick and he is their spark plug. And, he is like Shannon Brown in that he comes off the bench but is the best dunker on his team.

One other thing — Ben Wallace is playing like the Ben Wallace that was good in Detroit the first time around. Don’t think he’s just a pushover (like he was last year).

Blogs and Links: For Pistons info, check out Piston Powered, and Need 4 Sheed remains a gold standard for that team.

Also, stats fans, there is an interesting article over at Hoopdata where they modify PER to better account for assisted field goals. This APER likes Kobe better, by the way.

Keys to game: While we do a lot of Xs and Os on this site, I think tonight is really more about focus, passion and execution. The Lakers have pretty much been sleepwalking lately — maybe it’s a title hangover, maybe it’s a lot of things, it doesn’t matter what it is. The Lakers need to find their competitive edge again, Phil Jackson realizes the team needs to find that for itself, and he is letting the players find their way. Hopefully those two losses last week help speed the process. Especially because even with the injuries, the Pistons can win this game if the Lakers slack off.

Detroit plays at the slowest pace in the league, and they have the fewest assisted baskets in the league. Which is to say — welcome to 1990s isolation offense. Tonight will be about man-to-man defense and the bigs making good defensive rotations. Both things lacking against Houston.

Also, the Lakers should be able to run and get some transition buckets tonight.

Detroit will go to a three-guard lineup at times when Bynum comes in, and they count on teams not being able to match that quickness. The Lakers need to make them pay by posting up Kobe on offense some when this happens, but this will be there biggest team defensive test of the night.

This game features two of the worst teams in the NBA so far this season on the defensive glass — both teams are giving up a ton of offensive boards, which is leading to second chance points. If one team can clean that up, if one team puts in the effort to rebound, they will have a big advantage.

Where you can watch: This game tips off at 7:30 pm Pacific, on Fox Sports television and ESPN 710 on radio.
Click to expand...

Source: ForumBlueandGold

Shapecity · Nov 17, 2009

On the scale of sportswriter adjectives, the Los Angeles Lakers hover somewhere between "shorthanded" and "injury-ravaged." Pau Gasol is improving but still out of commission. Kobe Bryant is playing, but with a hurt groin. Luke Walton has an aching back and is likely out until 2010.

And yet, their Tuesday night opponent, the Detroit Pistons, might be worse off still. Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince, who together dropped the guillotine blade on the Shaq-era Lakers in the 2004 Finals, are both shelved with injuries, and point guard Rodney Stuckey left the Pistons' Sunday night game early with a strained something. (It was either an ankle or a calf, depending on who you ask.) Stuckey will play tonight, but Detroit still runs only eight deep.

And that's only if you count Kwame Brown.

Despite their injury-ravagedness, the Pistons haven't looked too bad so far. In fact, they're the very model of a middle-class NBA team. Their record is 5-5 against an average slate of opponents, and they're 15th in the league in net points. Nothing in those results should embarrass new coach John Kuester. Especially since he's had to give 15 minutes a night to Kwame and 20 to Jonas Jerebko, the only Swedish player in the league.*

And here you were thinking the Lakers' bench sucked.

Prithee take a closer look at the Pistons' team stats, below.** All terms and their significance explained here. League rankings are in parentheses.

The Pistons play at a slow pace, as they've seemingly done forever. The offense runs through four perimeter players: Stuckey, new acquisitions Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva and backup PG Will Bynum. Though he's the only one to come off the bench, Bynum might be the best of the group. He's an efficient scorer and has the potential to wreak Aaron Brooks-like havoc on the Laker D.

Stuckey and Gordon throw some different looks at you. The former is a big power guard in the Rajon Rondo mold, while Gordon loves shooting like Kwame loves cake. It wouldn't surprise me to see Ron Artest spend time checking these guys, both to give Kobe a rest on defense and because the Pistons don't have a small forward worth guarding. (Jerebko hardly ever shoots. I told you he's Swedish.)

Speaking of nobody worth guarding, Ben Wallace is back as the Pistons' starting center. He's the same Ben Wallace you remember, but worse. This doesn't mean, though, that Andrew Bynum gets the night off. Stuckey and the other Bynum are both adroit at getting shots in the lane, and as the numbers above show, Detroit's a good offensive rebounding squad. The Lakers are next-to-last in the NBA in defensive rebounding, so... you know. If they feel like hitting the boards tonight that'd be great.

The Laker offense has been a disaster two straight games now. Their shot selection has been bad, their shot making even worse, and not nearly enough effort has been made to pound the ball in to Bynum. The Pistons don't have amazing inside defenders, so Drew could have another big night if the other Lakers don't forget he's on the team. Except for whoever's guarding Fish (most likely Gordon and Will Bynum), there's no position at which the Lakers don't have a matchup edge on offense.

It's unclear, though, exactly how much of a problem Kobe's groin will be. He practiced fully on Monday and says he's OK, but you and I know he hasn't looked the same the last couple games. Detroit doesn't have a Battier-caliber defender, so Tuesday should bring us closer to knowing whether Kobe's just been off lately or, alternatively, whether the groin is a real concern.

We'll also find out how Phil Jackson adjusts the rotation for Luke's absence, which opens up about 10 minutes of playing time. Technically Adam Morrison is next on the small-forward depth chart, but Phil must know he'd be exposed in a bigger role. Instead I expect to see more small lineups, with incrementally more run given to Shannon Brown, Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic.

(Feel free not to explode with delight at this prospect. Until Pau returns, allowing Lamar Odom to spend more time at three, there aren't a ton of great options here.)

Detroit's a team the Lakers should beat, even at less than full strength. If you combined the two teams' rosters, only one Piston (pick one of the guards) would start, and a couple Pistons who get real minutes (Jerebko and Kwame) would play not at all. The Lakers have been so bad the last six quarters, nothing can be taken for granted, but the first three-game losing streak in the Era of Gasol for now looks pretty unlikely.

* - I was going to write that Jerebko is the only Swedish player in NBA history, but it turns out Miles Simon was born there as well.
Click to expand...

Source: SilverScreenandRoll

Shapecity · Nov 17, 2009

Kwame did a decent job on Bynum last year. This is going to be a tough matchup for us because of all the talent Detroit has in their backcourt in the starting rotation and off the bench. The Lakers need Lamar Odom to step up tonight and be more assertive on both ends of the court. Without Prince, Detroit doesn't have anyone to matchup with him and he should be able to create for himself or a teammate.

Kobe didn't have any setbacks in practice so he'll start tonight for the Lakers.

Mamba · Nov 17, 2009

Kwame plays decent man defense, I think he might be able to give Big Drew some issues tonight.

Lost One · Nov 17, 2009

I have a feeling Ben Gordon's gonna light us up tonight. Lakers still win though (hopefully)

Sex Panther · Nov 17, 2009

dear kobe,

please start rebounding

Mamba · Nov 17, 2009

Drew's 2 boards shy of another double double.

I think he's got 13 and 8 so far.

Lost One · Nov 17, 2009

Laker domination. Kobe is completely destroying everything.

Mamba · Nov 17, 2009

Joel Meyers just re-affirms his stupidity. Farmar was wide open for a three and the shot clock was running down, and he passed up on the three. Everyone on the floor groaned about it and Kobe hits a buzzer beater.

Meyers goes, Farmar not going for the 3 tonight, I'm loving the development. You fucking idiot Meyers, he was wide fucking open with the clock running down, you take that fucking shot...God, I hate that ass clown.

Lost One · Nov 17, 2009

Idiotic goaltend call on DJ. Kwame got his shit blocked.

Lost One · Nov 17, 2009

Pau's a good actor.

Must be great playing in LA instead of Memphis.

Pau hopeful for Thursday!

Mamba · Nov 17, 2009

Maxiell and Bynum getting into it.

Kobe 3 points away from his 100th 40 point game.

Lost One · Nov 17, 2009

Kobe's killing the lead right now by trying to get his 40.

Mamba · Nov 17, 2009

Shannon Brown closes the Piston rally with a dunk.

Drew with 17 and 12.

Mamba · Nov 17, 2009

Kobe with his 100th 40 point game!

Lost One · Nov 17, 2009

Kobe's a beast

huevonkiller · Nov 17, 2009

Kobe with the monster effort tonight.

Lost One · Nov 17, 2009

Watching Kwame Brown play today just made me realize how lucky we are to finally have him off the team. He is not a basketball player period.

Lost One · Nov 17, 2009

lol

kung fu ninja teaches pussycat doll how to fight

just a cool pic, Phil is intense

Mamba · Nov 17, 2009

Kobe looks Darius Miles dark in that picture.

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Game Thread 11: Lakers vs. Pistons

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