Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

[WTF]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

I'm excited for the Lakers this season as well. As long as everyone can stay healthy, I can see them having a great season. Radmonovic was a great pickup by them IMO... someone who can really make you pay if you double.

I'm looking for Kwame to have a good year finally. Like you said, they don't need him for scoring, other than garbage points. I can see it coming together for him this year.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

Welp, the Lakers are now on a three game skid, dropping them to 2-3 in the pre-season. I wouldn't put much stock into the record though, considering the amount of injuries they have suffered.
-Kwame Brown: Three to four weeks with a banged up shoulder
-Chris Mihm: Says he doesn't have any idea when his ankle will be strong enough to play on.
-Brian Cook: Sprained ankle
-Vladamir: Sprained ligament in his shooting hand
-Kobe: Last night he wouldn't give any sort of timetable for a comeback.. which is somewhat disturbing.
-Players who are playing through injuried include Lamar Odom, and Sasha.

The Lakers have 16 of their first 20 games at home, a PRIME oppurtunity to get a headstart on their division. With all of these injuries though it isn't looking too good.. I would hate to see a favorable home schedule at the start be wasted due to injury.

Positives:
+Jordan Farmar continues to shine. If Farmar was the shoe in backup point, I'd predict at least a second-team all rookie team selection.. but I have doubts he'll find enough time behind Sasha, Evans, and Smush. He's such a player though that I think he'll get limited PT at some point.
+Sasha is shooting over 60%, 11 PPG at only 21 MPG. Between Sasha, Cook and Vlad, Kobe should have some outside shooting this season.
+Ronny Turiaf looks like he's earned the starting job if Mihm and Brown can't make it a go. His rebounding was him calling card, but his presence in the paint offensively has been a pleasant surprise. Kupcheck's rare positive moves when it comes to the draft.

Lamar Odom is still working off the rust of not doing anything during the off-season, but he'll be ready to roll.

Andrew Bynum scored 15 points last night against the Clippers but it's apparent that he's not ready to play major minutes. Jackson should give him time though this season, in spots.

[23]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

Honestly, preseason means absolutely nothing to your regular season. The teams main concern is to get healthy so that they dont have an early skid that they can't recover from.

BTW, they stopped kobe's knee rehab because of his ankle. How did he injure his ankle?

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

I wouldn't go that extreme in saying the pre-season means absolutely nothing. But pretty much even if teams go undefeated, it obviously doesn't guarantee anything. With certain teams, they already know what they have and who they're going to roll with once the season hits.. but teams like the Lakers, spots are up for grabs. So this pre-season has been at the very least, watchable compared to previous ones.

Bryant's ankle must be a minor note because the only thing I've heard on that was about two weeks ago on the Cannons.. and haven't heard anything on it since. In the Times this morning, he was quoted in saying his operated knee felt ginger.. but he might actually play this Sunday.

[23]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

I heard he may play but they said yesterday, or was it the day before, that his rehad was put on hold.

I didnt say preseason means nothing, I said or meant to say, it means nothing as far as results in your regular season. An undefeated preseaon could be the exact opposite of your season.

Anyhow, Kobe should have a good season but it might take him some time to get there. The last knee surgery he had took him a minute to get back in shape

[NoSkillz50]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

The Lakers can win game with Odom and Bynum. If Bynum gets the minutes and the looks he could be a huge force as early as this year with all the injuries to start the season. The Lakers can hopefully win a couple off of the guys they have now and should really be able to turn it on when Kobe and everyone else gets healthy. Im definately looking forward to this season and if everyone recovers and stays healthy I think we could make a push for the Finals.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

Don't kid yourself with Andrew. He's got defintely on the right track but he's no where near being a consistent starting or even backup center. Jackson NEEDS to play him in spots though this season. With their frontcourt decimated with injuries Bynum will be thrown into the fire to start.

Defense and rebounding are the main issues for the Lakers as I see it. The West has a ton of teams with high powered offenses. So far this pre-season, and from last season it seems like the Lakers are comfortable on the offensive side.. and with the additions of Mo Evans plus Vladamir, scoring should be there. If the Lakers can somehow get healthy and get past their injuries (Kobe, Kwame, Vladamir, Mihm) they'll be in the thick of the playoff race.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

Bryant was on the Loose Cannons today and says he's 85% sure he'll play in the opener. He said his knee feels great, he's worked out hard three straight days with no pain in between days and no pain today. He also said he's able to perform "explosive movements", but unfortunately he also said he doesn't yet have the same elevation that he had last year.. but says it'll come back, just will take some time. He's not going to play tonight in the final pre season game but he was confident that he'd be ready by Tuesday.

Earlier in the interview, I believe he addressed his "tanking" in game seven last year. I didn't get to hear his story though.. oh well. If anyone heard what he had to say about T.J. Simers, let me know.

[Jano]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

I think that we have offense on lock this year so, hopefully they will be able to come through on the defensive end so we can close out a few more games and mayve surprise a few people by slipping into the 5th or 6th seed.

[jfsolo]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

I think that we have offense on lock this year so, hopefully they will be able to come through on the defensive end so we can close out a few more games and mayve surprise a few people by slipping into the 5th or 6th seed.

I think the all early(lingering) injuries(including Phil) have, IMO, made that almost an impossibility. Had everyone been healthy and all the newcomers gotten up to speed quickly, then I might have, could have seen it, but I think we may actually struggle to make the playoffs. I hope I'm wrong though, but we'll see.

[Jano]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

Yeah thats true but hopefully we don't have to take on too many good teams so we can maybe have an easier time winning a few games without a few key players

[Chip Douglass]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

The season opens this Tuesday against the Suns, can't wait.

[driddy]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

I love Halloween, the Lakers seem to always have a game, and the NBA begins in full force. Being on the east coast, I have to plan my next days around the Laker games giving me a little more time to rest.

[Boltman]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

2 - 0


Off to a good start, we take the Suns, then Suns beat the Clips!?

I'm glad to see Luke playing well, many bench players in general. Will be an interesting season I'm sure.

[bateman11]

Re: Official Lakers 2006-2007 Thread

This should be a fun season. Is it just me or does Smush just seem kinda lost out there? He just seems like he isn't playing that hard or something.