These Are The ‘New’ Lakers
Everyone knew the script coming into last night: With the tough news regarding Andrew Bynum’s injury breaking just a few hours before tipoff, the Lakers were understandably a bit down. Kobe knew this; Kobe reacted the only way he knows how: The right way. By taking over.
Bryant took a season-high 44 shots (hitting nearly half of them), dropped 48 on the Sonics and knocked in the game-winning jumper in overtime. As far as individual performances go, it was about as good as it gets. But can the Lakers continue to win this way? Only time will tell, I suppose.
Forty-four shots from one player will hopefully not become the norm in Lakerville until Bynum returns, but this is the new reality: Those blissful days of harmonious teamwork and defensive intensity that we’d grown accustomed to in the season’s first 36 games are over. Today, the Lakers are on the top of the world Western Conference. They have won seven consecutive games.
Strange how none of that makes me happy to be a Laker fan this morning.
63 Responses to “These Are The ‘New’ Lakers”
Jan.15 at 10:08 am
Tarzan Cooper says:
these new lakers will drop out of the playoffs. it was nice while it lasted wasnt it?
Jan.15 at 10:15 am
jbn74sb says:
1. The Lakers were lucky to win the last 2 games.
2. Injuries happen. Look at the Clippers - there one and only shot at a decent team in franchise history has been completely ruined by injuries to Brand and Livingston. We really can’t complain too much about Bynum gettig hurt.
3. I have heard of people coming back in 3 weeks from injuries of this nature.
4. Bynum being out will afford Kwame and Turif (and everyone else on down the line) some more playing time, and hopefully they will then be better prepared come playoff time.
5. We (probably) weren’t going to contend for a title this year anyway.
6. Somebody please shoot Lamar Odom - step it up.
Jan.15 at 10:15 am
maio says:
Chris Mihm is not bad either, relax.
Jan.15 at 10:19 am
jj says:
the new advewnures of the old lakers
Jan.15 at 10:20 am
jj says:
that should read ADEVENTURES
Jan.15 at 10:22 am
jbn74sb says:
Corrections: “their”; “getting”; “Turiaf”.
Jan.15 at 10:23 am
white hot eboy says:
Lakers fans are so funny. If not a basketball fan, you would think every player on the roster was from 1-12 was capable of being an All-Star. Let me breakdown your roster for you, shall I? You have a legend, a future great, a rock at point, 2 young point guards with excellent potential, a malcontent at SF, a waste of talent that was a former #1 pick, a horrid backup center, a hustling backup PF who is limited in his skills, an intelligent, solid player in Walton’s son, a decent player, better athlete in Ariza and a couple of other insignificant pieces. Read it. Let it absorb. The team will be sh*t, without the Big Youngster because the word “TEAM” is now an afterthought. Those pieces together gelled well, with Mr. 81 back to his bullsh*tting ways, the team will struggle to be at .500 by the time Bynum returns (which I hope is sooner than later).
Jan.15 at 10:24 am
Russ Bengtson says:
44 shots? Sheesh.
Jan.15 at 10:27 am
Tarzan Cooper says:
24’s attempts will still be high, his makes? not so much.
Jan.15 at 10:39 am
TADOne says:
Kobe is so predictable. Let’s look at his upcoming games. He has in order: Suns, Nuggets, Spurs, Mavs. Other than the Spurs, I say he scores 40+ and jacks 30+ shots in each game. I actually think he might get 50+ against the Suns.
Jan.15 at 10:39 am
jbn74sb says:
eboy - Your breakdown of the team is fairly accurate, aside from your egregious omissions of Sasha “The Machine and Half-Pipe. But struggle to be at .500? What are we now, 26-11? Bynum is currently scheduled to miss 27 games. According to your theory, we’ll struggle to go 6-21 during that time? Dude - we’re not the Heat.
Jan.15 at 10:48 am
white hot eboy says:
Well, no one is quite as bad as the Heat, but really, 9-18, 10-17 is not possible? That would be struggling to stay at .500 if you ask me.
Jan.15 at 10:53 am
white hot eboy says:
And my omissions of Man Pipe and Half Pipe were meant for the benefit of Lakers fans everywhere.
Jan.15 at 10:54 am
jbn74sb says:
Struggling to stay at .500 implies that we’d be lucky to be at .500 when Bynum returns. I’d be happy if we can play near .500 ball while he is out, in which case we’d be somewhere between 10 and 15 games over .500 upon his return.
Yeah, it’s a bummer Bynum’s out, but other teams have had it worse.
Jan.15 at 10:58 am
white hot eboy says:
You’re telling ME.
Jan.15 at 11:00 am
Rasheedionics says:
Does this mean Chris Webber coming to LA?
Jan.15 at 11:04 am
TADOne says:
Actually, Webber is on record that he is coming back in 2 weeks, guaranteed. Of course, not too sure who wants him. I guess the Lakers could be an obvious destination with Bynum out. He could definitely teach Kwame how to catch a pass.
Jan.15 at 11:05 am
white hot eboy says:
If C-Webb goes to the Lakers, their season will definitley be over.
Jan.15 at 11:06 am
TADOne says:
C-Webb would be a better option than Mihm.
Jan.15 at 11:11 am
white hot eboy says:
True, but his invisible D would be unwelcome, at best.
Jan.15 at 11:24 am
TADOne says:
Mihm plays D? Either way, I think C-Webb’s passing ability trumps what the Lakers would get from Kwame or Mihm.
Jan.15 at 11:25 am
Jake says:
:( it was too good to be true. I’ll take the blame for cursing laker nation. I was just talking to my best friend about how good Bynum has been and how I hope he doesnt get injured and then I watched the game,and I literally screamed when I saw him go down.Drats!Oh well,time for the Kobe show.Its that time of year.
Jan.15 at 11:35 am
Slick Nick Da Ruler says:
Cube said today was a good day, the Lakers beat the Supersonics.
Jan.15 at 11:56 am
Winston and the Telescreen says:
anybody else notice that Kobe said that when Bynum is the lineup the Lakers are championship contenders?
Is that his way of saying he doesnt want to be traded?
his whole thing was that he wanted to play for a contender and that the lakers werent one
but now he’s saying that they are
Jan.15 at 12:10 pm
Myles Brown says:
….
Jan.15 at 12:17 pm
Stewie Griffin says:
Nowadays, if you don’t have 2-3 potential or actual all-stars in your team, most of all in the Western conference, you just can’t get to the Finals. Spurs, Suns, Mavs, Jazz, they all have those 2-3 all-star caliber players. Until Bynum becomes the real threat he can and surely will be in the future, you Lakers fans can’t do nothing but wait, cause they surely won’t get any all-star in a trade with that roster.
Jan.15 at 1:02 pm
Myles Brown says:
Which is exactly why Kobe will have to do a lot of heavy lifting for the next eight weeks. People act like he wants this burden on his shoulders. Like he wants to shoot all the damn time. Let’s not forget that it was this type of situation that drove him to want out in the first place…
Jan.15 at 1:46 pm
its just alex says:
Bynum will be back about a month before playoffs. Kobe will play out of his mind to keep the team afloat until then. They’ll drop to 6th or 7th at worst and lose a seven game series to the Suns like usual.
Jan.15 at 2:26 pm
d.Y. says:
… what alex said.
Jan.15 at 2:31 pm
Kevin says:
i kinda wouldn’t mind watching average about 40 points a game the rest of the year.
Jan.15 at 2:31 pm
Myles Brown says:
The same Suns who haven’t beaten the Lakers all year? The same Suns who have regressed as a team this year and still can’t defend or rebound? Bynum will be back in March you know. I can’t wait til spring….
Jan.15 at 2:32 pm
Kevin says:
watching Kobe*
Jan.15 at 2:34 pm
tt says:
if the lakers play the suns this year in the finals with bynum back they won’t lose. The lakers are not the same as last year.
Jan.15 at 3:11 pm
white hot eboy says:
There may not be stars carved in someone’s head at season’s end after all.
Jan.15 at 3:24 pm
Kadavour says:
he’s already shaved the stars off. The only promise Lamar has kept is that of “eating glass” if that’s what it takes to figure out his place on the team. He has really been hitting the boards, he just needs more focus. Again, Kobe took 46 shots when he scored 81. Just a crazy fact of the day
Jan.15 at 3:29 pm
white hot eboy says:
Actually, I was referring to a SLAM staffer, kadavour.
Jan.15 at 3:31 pm
Myles Brown says:
Im not resigning myself to anything less than excellence. Bynum may be gone, but that February schedule is still cake. Even Kwame could handle it.
Jan.15 at 3:54 pm
gdon says:
It’s cool to see Kobe just turn it on like that, but 44 shots is madness. It’s not like it was ALL Kobe and Bynum before the injury. This Laker team, sans Bynum, still has enough talent for Kobe to continue passing. Sure it worked last game……….. against the SONICS. (Durant is utterly overrated. I know his teammates suck lots of ass, but I don’t see why no one gets on him about his fg%. One more game like he had last night, and he’ll be in the 30’s)
But anyway, if Kobe thinks it’s time to shoulder the team, and show everyone that Black Mamba can do it alone too, then Lakers nation is on the brink of disaster.
Jan.15 at 3:57 pm
gdon says:
And by the way, anyone see the nuggets game? Wtf are they doing running a play through klieza/j.r. smith?? Give the ball to AI or Anthony, let them create and try to FIND klieza for the 3 because if they can’t get it to them, at least they can make SOMETHING out of the posession! How can you lose the game by not getting a shot off, with your superstars standing to the side twiddling their thumbs???
Jan.15 at 4:05 pm
TADOne says:
Stars shaved in a Slam staffer’s head? More info please, Eboy.
Jan.15 at 4:14 pm
white hot eboy says:
Am I the only one that pays attention here? It’s Myles bet, btw, so he can explain it, if he feels the need.
Jan.15 at 5:14 pm
Myles Brown says:
It’s Russ’ head. Let him.
Jan.15 at 5:20 pm
white hot eboy says:
Good point!
Jan.15 at 5:35 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I don’t do ‘explanations.’ Was it the Lakers making the playoffs or Lamar making the All-Star team (which I thought was his reason for having the star in the first place)? I honestly can’t remember. Someone needs to find the original post.
Jan.15 at 5:41 pm
Myles Brown says:
50 wins.
Jan.15 at 5:43 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Good deal. Well, it’ll be a good conversation starter if it actually happens.
Jan.15 at 5:45 pm
ak47 says:
Everyone relax. The Lakers will be alright.
Jan.15 at 6:04 pm
TADOne says:
I don’t take serious half of the conversations in here Eboy. But that would HAVE to be posted if it actually happened.
Jan.15 at 6:18 pm
RV says:
i dont understand it, they lost bynum, not half the team, the reason the lakers have played so well is because bryant has involved EVERYONE else and let them step up, not just Bynum. Sure, Kwame isn’t going to match bynum’s numbers every night, but give the team a chance before throwing up 44 shots. Plus, its the sonics, the fact that they went to OT shows how many steps backwards the Lakers took last night
Jan.15 at 6:30 pm
MagicChicken says:
Hey, how come no one’s pointing out how hot Kobe was last night? I mean, sure, he took a lot of shots, but too shoot nearly 50%? dude, that’s better than the rest of the team was doing. When LO and Luke shoots a percentage that reminds you of blood alcohol content, then you might consider shooting in mass too … or just get your own blood alcohol level up.
Jan.15 at 6:47 pm
RV says:
thats true, but kobe did that all the time 2 yrs ago when he carried the lakers into the playoffs, he was shooting fairly well, scoring all over, but the Lakers were barely winning those games, this year they have been winning by a good margin, thats the difference
Jan.15 at 8:16 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
If the Lakers win 50, I’ll absolutely do it (I’m a man of my word, if nothing else) and absolutely post photos.
Jan.15 at 8:25 pm
Free Vick says:
The hell? It’s ironic that the heat fan jumps all over Kobe for taking over a game without his star center and he actually won a game. I wish Heat fans would count how many wins Dwade has won without Shaq this year playing Mr. Pass the ball to scrubs. Well looking at his gross turnover ratio it seems that those passes have been getting to the other team a lil to much huh? Dwade can’t take over a game and win against Minny, Memphis, and he got burnt against the bucks twice so some of these heat fans can really slow down.
Jan.15 at 11:12 pm
Glen says:
Meanwhile Kevin Martin scores 39 on something like 16 shot attempts coming off the bench in his second game back after missing seventeen games while the Kings beat the mavericks by two.
Jan.15 at 11:25 pm
dacre says:
THIS WOULD BE A SUITABLE TIME FOR ZO TO BE TRADED TO LAKESHOW….
Jan.16 at 2:11 am
RIOT says:
this dude under me is dumb..LOl get real homie. Lkaer 4-LIFE
Jan.16 at 2:26 am
bootlace says:
Lebron had a nice little response to Mr. Bryant tonight. One of those two better get MVP this year…I dont care what KG averages.
Jan.16 at 2:30 am
Mike says:
What did i tell you in the other post KOBE is going to erupt for 40 point games but lebron scored 51 today
Jan.16 at 2:47 am
RIOT says:
As good as KOBE is playin and the Lakers, he will never win the MVP. Im the biggest Laker fan around LA, but its the truth. the league hates bryant period. Sad but true
Jan.16 at 4:19 am
Reggie Evans says:
Lebron and Kobe are good.
Jan.16 at 8:58 am
Slobodan Chutzpah says:
“Kobe reacted the only way he knows how: The right way. By taking over.” You are kidding, of course. The “right way” has for the past few seasons been the principal cause the Lakers have been as mediocre as they have and flamed out of the playoffs in the first round.
Jan.16 at 10:30 am
jay says:
make the trade for JO now!!! kobe will be averaging 40+…that is fine!!! dfish is a good enough shooter and trev and farmer just have to step up..i would love to have jO right now!
Jan.16 at 12:15 pm
Amar says:
cant you wait at least a few more games before jumpin onto the kobe hate?
the team was looking and playing bad, and HE willed them to a win against the sonics, to keep the streak and the momentum.
he didnt say anything about doing it every game, it was just necessery this time PEOPLE ARE NEVER SATISFIED WITH KOBE