Seattle @ LA Lakers: Official Game Thread

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllNet:</div><div class="quote_post">This is their forum they can express when they want to when facing Kobe's team. Kobe can state he doesn't want to dominate the ball all he wants but the fact is he does dominate the ball and If he truely didn't want to control the offense non stop he wouldn't be. Lamar Odom was at his best with the ball in his hands last year and thats why he was so effective. He is bring used all wrong in L.A and that has alot to do with Kobe.

As for being jealous of the success? please...</div>
Odom is playing out of position, but I disagree his is being used wrong and it has nothing to do with Kobe. Before Kobe was injured, I would agree with your statement, but the Lakers have made adjustments to give Odom an expanded role on the team and more responsibility to handle the rock. However, if you watch the Lakers play, you'll see how passive Odom is this year. He can't wait to get rid of the basketball, it's like he's playing hot potato instead of using his amazing talent to take advantage of mismatches. Every night the Lakers put him in iso situations where he can beat his slower or shorter defender off the dribble and take them into the post. The Lakers then run a player to cut to the basket to give Odom a passing option as well. Instead Odom catches the ball and either takes a flat jumper or dribbles once and passes out of the play designed for him. Somehow that's Kobe's fault right?

Kobe dominates the ball? Not by his design or his preference. The Lakers defer to Kobe, even during that span of games when Kobe was scoring over 30 PPG, the players said he needs to do more. That's the mentality of the Lakers this year. It's ridiculous, plus encompasse that with their refusal to play any defense. No matter what he does Kobe is going to get ribbed by haters and the sheep who listen to the media instead of watch the games. If Kobe doesn't take a lot of shots and hit the game winners he's called a failure and isn't doing enough, and is the leader he should take those shots. If he does take the shots, he's a ball hog and he dominates the ball and he's selfish and he's a glory hound.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Iron Shiek:</div><div class="quote_post">No one is jealous of the Lakers. We are just tired of people making irrational comments about the state of the franchise. The Lakers are a team on the decline and no matter what other team that Laker fans try to compare themselves to, it won't change that fact.</div> Thank you. Those irrational comments are what makes people hate the Lakers and their fans. The Lakers are a middle of the pack team, and struggling to even hold on to that. Bringing up the their history, doesn't change a person's perception of the current Laker team. The current team stinks, not because it doesn't have the talent, it's because the team has given up on themselves and is just counting the days until the season is over.