Just two games into the Los Angeles Lakers 2015-16 odyssey, head coach Byron Scott declared what has been painfully obvious for quite some time now: this team sucks.
Scott admits that he’s quickly losing patience with the youngsters on his roster—two Laker starters are rookies—and that he may start trimming their minutes.
Byron said his threshold for patience has lowered. Same lineup tonight but he said he'd make changes soon if struggles continue
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) November 6, 2015
Byron Scott said it's possible Larry Nance Jr. & Metta will play tonight. Byron suggested his bench rotation will be different tonight
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) November 6, 2015
The winless Lakers kick off a five-game road trip Friday night in Brooklyn.
Per the OC Register:
“I’m going to put guys out there that’s going to bust their butts,” Scott said following shoot around at Barclays Center on Friday, “because all those things we’ve been doing the last six weeks, you’ve got to start getting that and it can’t just be in practice. […] So I told them, pretty much a challenge to them that if it’s not being done I’ll start playing other guys.”
Scott did not get specific about what players could see their playing time reduced if things don’t get better, but his strongest words came for the Lakers young players: Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and D’Angelo Russell. […] “Our young guys got to continue to develop and they will,” he said. “They got to get it a little bit quicker and as a coach you want them to get it now. But you also have to be realistic and understand you have a 19 (year-old) and a 20-year-old in your starting lineup that played one year of college basketball. So, it’s going to take those guys some time. Like I said I just got to continue to be patient. But like I told them, I’m not going to be patient for long. I expect guys to get it on both ends of the floor in a relatively quick manner.”
In order to win games on a consistent basis, the Lakers are going to need better performances from 37-year-old Kobe Bryant. Bryant is shooting just 32.3 percent from the field, and is on pace to shoot more significantly more 3-pointers than in any other season. […] “It’s not a challenge to get Kobe right,” he said. “The challenge is to get the young guys right. I’m not worried about him. He’s the last thing I’m worried about on our team.”
