Battle of Los Angeles – Act II by Jeff Little

The (10-8) Lakers host the (9-5) Clippers tonight as the tenants of the Staples Center resume the renewed hallway series. The Lakers are 20-4 all-time against the Clippers at home, 9-1 in their last 10, winners of the last eight. The Lakers are 6-4 in their last 10 games overall. The Lakers lost game one and trail the Clippers in the season series after winning the series last year (3-1).

As expected, Chris Paul has literally changed everything in this series. If the Lakers do not come out on top tonight, the Clippers will win the season series against the Lakers for the third time in franchise history, as the L.A. Clippers did in the 1992-1993 season and the Buffalo Braves in the 1974-1975 season.

The Clippers are a confident group playing good basketball and enjoying their best 14-game start since 2006-2007.  The purple and gold are 9-2 at the Staples Center this season. The Lakers have struggled mightily to score points so far and everyone is frustrated.  The Lakers – on a three-game-losing skid – have gone 11-straight games scoring under the century mark, exceeding 100-points only once this season.

L.A. is searching for answers. Normally this would be a great time to exhibit some patience with the new-look Lakers; however, it is doubtful with a shortened season that the purple and gold have the luxury of time to be patient. The loss of Lamar Odom has increased the workload of Pau Gasol. Gasol is a team player who has made several adjustments this season and has been truly professional throughout the process.

Due to the lack of speed, athleticism on the perimeter and guards that are skilled at running the pick-and-roll play; head coach Mike Brown is using Pau Gasol more as a facilitator/jump shooter further away from the basket.

The former NBA Rookie of the Year (2001) is also a two-time NBA champion dealing with decreased production, increased scrutiny and more than likely not participating in this year’s all-star game.

Gasol has not drawn a line in the sand and demanded more touches in the post, but who could blame him if he did? He needs to be selfish and aggressively attack the basket when he gets the ball there. The Laker has posted 4 triple-doubles, 326 double-doubles, 40 30+-point games and 2 40-point games. However, the state that the team is in seems to scream out:  ‘Go back to the triangle offense.’

 

It is evident that Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss’s son, Jim, wanted to scrap the triangle offense and the loss in last year’s playoffs provided him the perfect opportunity to act. A move back to the triangle would be a quick fix to what ails the purple and gold. A move back to the triangle would mask the Lakers’ weakness at point guard because you do not need a traditional point guard to run the system.

Making a case for a change; a move back to the triangle is something that your core players already know, are highly productive executing and who have won championships utilizing. A move back to the triangle would allow the Lakers to go to their strength in the post more fluidly; players would be more productive knowing where their shots will come from. It is a way for both Metta World Peace and Luke Walton to be more productive. Lastly, a move back to the triangle would give the Lakers an offensive foundation to easily attack on the interior and to fall back on when the play breaks down.

The triangle offense is based on spacing (15-20 feet apart) which keeps passing and cutting lanes open. It affords constant ball movement, constant player movement and versatility since any player can pass or shoot. The ball constantly moves from weak to strong, making the defense work.

It is a known fact that Indiana Pacers’ associate head coach Brian Shaw would have been the perfect fit to take over for recently retired Lakers’ coach Phil Jackson, due to his knowledge of the system. This is not an indictment of Coach Mike Brown. Brown is a solid coach who has established a phenomenal defense. Everyone has bought in and the Lakers are a top-five defensive team. However, this is at the detriment of the offense. The coach has not had the luxury of time to install his offense.

The Lakers need to do a solid job defending the pick-and-roll play, stop the dribble penetration of the guards, control the tempo, get back in transition, rebound and quickly rotate out to open shooters.

Lakers: D. Fisher, K. Bryant, M. Barnes, P. Gasol, A. Bynum

Clippers: C. Paul, C. Billups, C. Butler, B. Griffin, D. Jordan

Tip-off: 7:30 PM PST

Television –

• Los Angeles: FS West (Bill Macdonald & Stu Lantz)
• Los Angeles: Prime Ticket (Ralph Lawler & Mike Smith)

Radio –

• Los Angeles: 710 ESPN (John Ireland & Mychal Thompson)
• Los Angeles: KFWB 980 (Ralph Lawler, Mike Smith & Brian Sieman)

Injuries –

Lakers:

• Derrick Caracter (Torn Lateral Meniscus, Left Knee) Out
• Kobe  Bryant (Torn Lunotriquetral Ligament, Right Wrist) Probable
• Pau Gasol (Sprained Right Shoulder) Probable
• Steve Blake (Bruised Ribs) Out

      Clippers:

• Chris Paul (Hamstring) Game-Time Decision
• Caron Butler (Knee) Day-to-Day