EL SEGUNDO – Phil Jackson’s explanation for not playing Andrew Bynum more in the second half of the Game 2 loss was that Denver started a small lineup for the fourth quarter.
“That put a little different twist on what we wanted to do,” Jackson said, implying his concern about Bynum’s ability to match Chris Andersen’s energy level at center.
Jackson didn’t use Bynum to start the fourth quarter of Game 1 either, but Bynum did come in to give Pau Gasol a rest soon.
Overall, Jackson wasn’t too concerned about his team before leaving for Games 3 and 4 in Denver.
“We’re OK,” Jackson said. “We’re going to play all right. What we have to do is get more physical with this team.”
Kobe Bryant was not panicking either, although he prioritized limiting the production of Denver’s big men, joking that a close loss has people wanting the Lakers to “reinvent the wheel.”
Bynum reiterated his postgame questions about the Lakers’ defensive scheme that has left no one helping against Denver’s big men after the Lakers’ bigs go to zone up. He suggested the Lakers “live a little bit more with guys hitting jump shots.”
i haven’t won 9 nba championship rings, but…
phil says we have to get more physical, yet his reason for not playing bynum is because denver went small? how do we get more physical by playing smaller? our size is our biggest advantage, and somehow linus kleiza changes all of that? if they go small, shouldn’t we counter big and force them to adjust to us?
phil’s giving excuses, not answers. i hope they figure it out before game 3.
I won an NBA championship ring. In a raffle. Turned out to be fake.
Linus is a perimeter guy. You go big, no big wants to guard the 3 point line. 3’s for him are virtually layups especially wide open when he’s hot.
If Pau can run around with Dirk he can guard Linus and move him off the 3 point line.
kleiza shot 32.6% from three point land this season. unless you’re referring to derek fisher’s ill-advised forays into the lane, i wouldn’t call those “layups”. but, that’s not even the point here. are we seriously changing our entire game plan around KLEIZA???
Bull, Bynum could have guarded Anderson and Pau could have taken on Kleiza. Not buying that. If Odom can guard Kleiza then Pau can. On the other end then can Anderson and Kleiza guard Bynum and Pau? Fisher needs to be one who gets his minutes cut.
GO DENVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!