THE WEEKLY INTERVIEW

[The Wizard of Oz]

This is the beginning of the 2010-11 NBA2k season. The Los Angeles Lakers have relied on a new coach, The Wizard of Oz, trying to reach the Threepeat. It 's the season of two First Overall Draft Pick debut, John Wall (# 1 in 2010) and Blake Griffin (# 1 in 2009), who missed a year due to injury. It 's the season of the Shaq sign with the Boston Celtics. It 's the season of many rookie coaches: Tom Thibodeau (Bulls), Monty Williams (Hornets), Keith Smart (Warriors), Tyrone Corbin (Jazz), Larry Drew (Hawks), Frank Vogel (Pacers) and, naturally, "The Wiz "(Lakers). It's the first season since 1988 without Jerry Sloan as Utah Jazz' head coach. It 's the season of the evocative Carmelo Anthony's return in his hometown of New York. But it's especially the season of The Decision: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh together in the same team, the mighty Miami Heat, to dethrone the Lakers from their Purple Reign.

1
The Lakers will be able to make the Three-peat?
This is a one million dollar question. They are the reignin’ champions, strengthened with the hire of Matt Barnes. Sure, the Lakers are able to win back the NBA title. But ... Veterans (Fish, Kobe, Lamar) have one plus year on their shoulders, Bynum is always at risk of injury and then ... man, last year they only won after a hard game seven against the Celtics. Then there is the question of a new coach, “The Wiz”. It 's a novice. What will be his first head-coaching season? What will be his impact? He will handle the pressure? He will be followed by the players?
2
Right, the new coach. What do you think about him?
We know little about him. Presented himself in a press conference quoting Rudyard Kipling: "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack. " Got it? On the first workout with the Lakers he made another quote, a Mike Krzyzewski’ quote: "A basketball team is like the five fingers on your hand. If You Can Get Them All together, you have a fist. That's how I want you to play. " He is sly. Coach K is a Kobe Bryant preferred coach: 'The Wiz', quoting Coach K, has certainly made an impression in Kobe. Coach 'Wiz' will not make any market movement. This is another indirect message for the team. It means, I have faith in you.
3
Ok, he make targeted quotes. And then?
Be careful not to underestimate him. It 's a good coach. Some say a great coach. Use the Triple Post Offense, relies heavily on the passing game. He has a credo: every pass weakens the defense. He also believes strongly in the bench giving several minutes to the second line.
4
Let's talk about the team
The Lakers have added Matt Barnes specifically to get another defender in opposition to LeBron James and/or Dwyane Wade. They have lost the energetic Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic, both replaced by the streak-shooter Steve Blake; there are not even the useful Josh Powell and D.J.Mbenga, replaced by the veterans Theo Ratliff and Joe Smith, also to prevent any injury to the fragile Andrew Bynum. Hard to say if the Lakers are reinforced or not. Maybe yes.
5
And there's always Kobe Bryant
Exactly. He is 33 years old and is very similar to Michael Jordan: Phil Jackson even said so. Kobe is now a mature player, fully master of the Triple Post Offense: he has no longer the obsession to win an NBA title without Shaq, because he has already won two. He still has the sacred fire to win another one, to reach the 6 titles won by MJ. And if it succeed, he will have the sacred fire for the seventh ring, to overcome His Airness.

[The Wizard of Oz]

LOS ANGELES LAKERS 2010-11
#	NAME	POS	AGE	HT	WT	SALARY
15	Ron Artest	SF	31	6-7	260	$6,322,320
9	Matt Barnes	SF	30	6-7	226	$1,765,000
5	Steve Blake	PG	30	6-3	172	$4,000,000
12	Shannon Brown	G	25	6-4	210	$2,149,200
24	Kobe Bryant	G	32	6-6	205	$24,806,250
17	Andrew Bynum	C	23	7-0	285	$13,700,000
45	Derrick Caracter	F	22	6-9	275	$473,604
3	Devin Ebanks	SF	21	6-9	215	$473,604
2	Derek Fisher	PG	36	6-1	210	$3,700,000
16	Pau Gasol	F-C	30	7-0	250	$17,823,000
10	Trey Johnson	G-F	26	6-5	218	$762,195
7	Lamar Odom	F	31	6-10	230	$8,200,000
50	Theo Ratliff	C	37	6-10	235	$854,389
1	Joe Smith	F-C	35	6-10	225	$1,352,181
4	Luke Walton	F	30	6-8	235	$5,260,000

[The Wizard of Oz]

In Los Angeles they call as early 'The November Rain". The first month of the Lakers coached by The Wizard of Oz has been below expectations. Sharply. In a 29 games season, starting with three defeats in the first six games is a warning. The Lakers were defeated twice at the Staples Center and doubts about the rookie coach are now increased.
1
Coach Wiz is at risk dismissal?
Wait, wait. Not so fast. Losing 3 games on 6 is a very bad start for a team of this caliber, but don't forget that Coach Wiz is a newcomer and still needs to know his team at best. Surely after just 6 games coach Wiz is already "under investigation". In short, he can't go wrong again.
2
Let's talk about the defeats
Well, the first came against Atlanta at Staples Center: Lakers had a +12 lead, then the Hawks have recovered and won 83-87 thanks to a three point shot by Jamal Crawford with 0:25 left in a nightmare night for Kobe (7/29 shooting). The second defeat came in Orlando 90-96: the last stone tomb was put by HedoTurkoglu, a bucket with foul by Gasol and free throw made for the 94-88 with 0:48 left. "I have not understood anything Against Turkoglu. He changed from one role to another, continually. In the same action was both point guard, both forward and center. It 'been an hallucinogenic trip and when we woke up the game was lost." It was the comment by Coach Wiz. The third defeat came home again, at Staples Center against the modest Sacramento Kings: the end result of 110-112 is a liar. Kings have reigned and the game back's in balance in the last minute only with a sci-fi Steve Blake with 5 insane consecutive triple.
3
What was the problem?
Continuity. That is, there were also other problems, but the continuity has been the biggest problem. In these games the Lakers played like they know only for an half. So it's a problem more mental than technical and that, in some ways, is a good news. Remember that we are early in the season and the pace is still bland. Despite all this, however, the 3-3 record is insufficient. No doubt.
4
And the wins?
Very convincing. First came at the seasonal debut in Salt Lake City against the Jazz: an unequivocal 88-74 with a great defensive test (Utah forced to 1/13 behind the arc) and asignificant impact of the Lakers Big Three: Kobe (24 points, 5 assists ), Gasol (15 points, 12 boards) but especially Odom (18 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 7/10 from the field). Another convincing victory came away on the difficult field of the New Orleans Hornets. Bryant, recovering from a bad game against Atlanta, has exploded with an incredibile performance: 48 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds, dragging the Lakers to a 103-96 w. An easy win is then arrived at the Staples Center against the Milwaukee Bucks (100-84).
5
So there is to be optimistic?
Neither optimistic nor pessimistic. We must be realistic. The 3-3 record put the coaches 'Wiz' just under a little pressure (and the next game will be in Chicago, against the leading Power Ranking team), but we are only at the beginning. All games are important, but this isn't the time to be fit. Then, historically, coach 'Wiz' teams have a definite trend: see-saw at first, then begin to heat up in the middle of the season and come into playoff-mode after the All Star Game.