I’m not here to make excuses for anybody, especially the Los Angeles Lakers, but being asked to play a League high ten games in fifteen days to open this NBA season would be a challenge for anybody. It’s even more of a challenge if that Lakers team is trying to replace a Hall Of Fame Coach, implement a completely new offensive and defensive system, and work through that Chris Paul trade thing that just about had the team’s second best player on a flight out to Houston in order to join the Rockets a few weeks ago.
Former Players Union President turned Lakers Point Guard Derek Fisher admitted that the learning curve in LA right now is challenging heading into Tuesday’s game with the Suns too, especially when coupled with the time they’ve had to do so. Former trade bait Pau Gasol acknowledged as much as well, and Head Coach Mike Brown even readily admitted that he’s struggling with the compacted start to the season himself. As could be expected in my opinion.
This according to The Los Angeles Times:
When Coach Mike Brown stepped out toward the Lakers’ practice court, Fisher said the following within earshot: “This week, we say we wish we had more practices, but when the practices come next week, we’re going to say we need more rest.”
Brown, Fisher and a small group of reporters laughed at the thought process, but it epitomizes an approach to this year’s compacted schedule that Brown admits he’s struggled handling.
“I’ve been trying to teach and learn and all that, while not trying to do too much,” he [Brown] said. “But I have done that at times.”
That’s included three-hour practices. A few that were open to reporters included hourlong shooting sessions. After training camp started Dec. 9, the Lakers didn’t have a single day off until Dec. 28, after playing three games on consecutive nights.
Brown initially wanted an even more intense schedule, but scrapped some of those plans. Instead of having six two-a-day sessions during training camp, the Lakers had three. Brown reduced the playbook to a third of its original size, and he has tried to limit recent morning shootarounds to no longer than 90 minutes.
“We knew it was going to be a challenge,” Lakers forward Pau Gasol said. We knew we would face adversity first. We knew all that coming in.”
In response to that adversity, the Lakers posted a 7-4 so far. Not too bad, but kinda un-Lakerlike at the same time. Mike Brown isn’t the only coach who’s struggling to implement a new system in his first year as a Head Coach during this Lockout-out shortened season though. Just maybe the only one willing to admit as much to The Los Angeles Times.
While it’s fair to argue the talent with regards to the rosters that Kevin McHale has to work with in his first season with the Houston Rockets (3-6), Mark Jackson in Golden State (3-6), Dwayne Casey in Toronto (4-6), Lawrence Frank in Detroit (2-8), and Rick Adelman in Minnesota (3-7), the fact still remains that none of those five other coaches have even so much as a .500 record as of Tuesday evening. In total, those other five first year coaches besides Mike Brown have a combined record of 15-33. So not too good.
At some point though, the Lakers will get to regroup as much as possible this season. The way Mike Brown handles that, along with his full season of work, is the way his team should be inevitably judged. Tough to get a real measuring stick at this point however.
