Deep Breathes...

> I saw four preseason and all three regular season games, and let me tell you, the Lakers have been AWFUL.  They are currently the worst team in the NBA (0-3) and have looked the part to a tee.  Much has been made about Coach Mike Brown using Assistant Eddie Jordan’s “Princeton” offense, and while it hasn’t been aesthetically pleasing, the stats aren’t that bad.  LA is shooting 49.8% from the field as a team (3^rd best in the NBA) while averaging 36 made shots per game and 20 assists, which is not a terrible ratio.  What is killing their offense though are turnovers where they are averaging 19.7 a game (2^nd worst) and an astounding 31.5% of their offensive possessions end in a turnover.  That just has to get better because it can’t get worse…right?

As bad as the offense has seemed it’s really the defense that has been atrocious.  The Lakers are allowing the opposition to shoot 47.6% from the field (5^th worst) and only forcing 12 turnovers a game (tied 2^nd worst).  ESPN’s John Hollinger goes into a lot of detail (insider) but my main take is: What gives Mike Brown?  This is supposed to be his calling card and something that could carry the team as they learned the offense and each other.  But instead it’s just a bunch of unathletic players that have no idea how to work together and rotate “on a string.”  I assume this phase of LA’s game will improve quite soon, but you never know.

My main beef with Brown though, and this is a carryover from last year that has not improved, is his substitution patterns and minute distribution.  In one breath he is preaching patience and in the next he is playing Kobe Bryant 43 minutes in the third game of the season because “We need a win, obviously.”  Huh?  After the game Bryant said his bruised right foot felt like it was “about to fall off” and Kobe asked the training staff for an immobilization boot.  Think about that for a second…if The Mamba asked for a boot he must be in real pain.  Then there’s Dwight Howard averaging 36.7 minutes on a recovering back and lawd only know how much Brown will burn out Steve Nash when he comes back from his broken left leg. 

Let me lay out what the Laker rotation should look like for my man Mike.  The first starters off the floor should be Howard and Nash and they should be replaced by Jordan Hill and Steve Blake.  Next off should be Bryant and Metta World Peace replaced by Jodie Meeks and Devin Ebanks.  Last off would then be Pau Gasol with Howard coming back in for him to end the 1^st & 3^rd and start the 2^nd & 4^th quarters.  Brown should bring back Kobe first, then MWP and then Nash & Gasol.  It really isn’t that hard to figure out and keep Nash’s minutes between 28-32, Bryant’s 30-34, Gasol’s 34-38 and Howard’s in the low 30s until he’s fully fit where it can then go up to high 30s.

You’ll notice I didn’t bring up the name Antawn Jamison and that’s because he’s “turrible.”  If he’s not scoring (which he’s not) he shouldn’t play, it’s just that simple.  He can’t defend anyone and brings nothing else to the table, yet Brown has this crazy idea that Jamison is somehow a SF which is completely asinine.  There is no way…NO WAY…’Tawn is a better option at backup SF than Ebanks…NONE.  Jamison can only play PF at this point in his career, and if Hill stinks I don’t have a problem giving ‘Tawn a chance there.  Just to go out on a positive note I really like Mike giving the nod to 21-year old Darius Morris over Chris Duhon at backup PG in Nash’s absence.

> What is really going on with Eric Gordon’s right knee in New Orleans?  According to GM Dell Demps and Coach Monty Williams there’s no structural damage and he’s missing games because “He probably does feel pain” per Williams.  This led to some bizarre quotes from Gordon this week stressing how his knee injury is legitimate and how he’s happy in the Crescent City.  This summer Eric signed a maximum contract offer with Phoenix and made it known publically that his preference was to be a Sun.  What wasn’t known at the time was that his knee really needed microfracture surgery and he didn’t want to have it done just prior to being a free agent.  If this is true, which I bet it is, that makes the Chris Paul deal one of the worst superstar trades ever.  Chris Kaman is already gone for nothing, Al-Farouq Aminu’s fourth year option wasn’t picked up so he’s likely to follow and Austin Rivers (7.60 PER) hasn’t looked ready for prime time.  Gordon just saw a specialist in Chicago who prescribed 4-6 weeks of rehab and strengthening work because…you know…that always fixes serious knee injuries.  I have a feeling this story isn’t going away until Eric finally agrees to the microfracture procedure.

> 10/31 was the deadline for 2009 draftees to sign contract extensions or become restricted free agents in the offseason and seven of them did.

Blake Griffin (Clippers) 5-years/$95 million (max) – Totally worth the money considering all the interest he attracts off the court.

James Harden (Houston) 5-years/$80 million (max) – I didn’t think he was a max player at first but I might have been wrong.

Ty Lawson (Denver) 4-years/$48 million – A very fair deal for both sides but I bet he would have received a max-offer this summer had he waited.

Stephen Curry (Golden State) 4-years/$44 million – He has produced (21.23 PER last season) but this is a bit of a gamble as the health of his right ankle always seems to be tenuous.

Jrue Holiday (Philadelphia) 4-years/$41 million – IF he realizes his upside this deal will be a steal but if he doesn’t approach a 20 PER over the life of the contract then the Sixers WAY overpaid for him.  I would have done 4-years/$32 million with salaries of $6/$7.5/$8.5/$10.

DeMar DeRozan (Toronto) 4-years/$40 million – This deal is BY FAR the biggest head scratcher.  I don’t think he’s even a $6 million a year player much less $10.  I would have certainly let the market set his value in the offseason.

Taj Gibson (Chicago) 4-years/$38 million – I’m not sure how his agent (Mark Bartelstein) let him sign this deal?  This is a total steal for the Bulls at $9.5 million per year.  I’m positive he would have received a max-offer this summer had he waited.  Instead he probably just extended Carlos Boozer’s career in the Windy City.

> Now that James Harden scored 82 points in his first two games as a Rocket, breaking Wilt Chamberlain’s previous record of 79 set in 1959 with the Philadelphia Warriors, can we all agree that he’s WAAAAAAY better than Kevin Martin?