Do The Lakers Miss The Machine?

[Bankshot]

I'm telling you, it's The Machine that they are missing!

Trading Sasha was a big mistake. To me he would be the only one motivated and eager to play right now.

Posted by: Baller | January 02, 2011 at 09:27 PM

And there's more where that came from.

http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2011/01/lakers-vs-grizzlies-live-game-updates.html

The Lakers look disinterested and lethargic.  They traded away their "energy" off the bench and one of their best 3 pt shooters.  

[Snakehead]

lol as much as I'd love to go on about it Vujacic is NOT the issue here.

Kobe being old, the team seeming disinterested, Kobe being unwilling to defer, terrible offensive execution, general age...

These are the things that seem wrong with the Lakers right now.  Part of it is poor bench play but there are much more important players than Vujacic there.

[Bankshot]

lol as much as I'd love to go on about it Vujacic is NOT the issue here.

Kobe being old, the team seeming disinterested, Kobe being unwilling to defer, terrible offensive execution, general age...

These are the things that seem wrong with the Lakers right now.  Part of it is poor bench play but there are much more important players than Vujacic there.

It's like Big Baby.  He's nowhere near as important as the Big 3 or Rondo, but where would the Celtics be without his play off the bench?  Without Baby's energy off the bench, they might look old, disinterested, etc.  Much like the Celtics did when Sheed took some of Baby's minutes. They should have replaced  with some young energy player that can shoot.  Steven Blake is so... blahhhh.

The Machine might have the last laugh, I hope.

[Snakehead]

lol as much as I'd love to go on about it Vujacic is NOT the issue here.

Kobe being old, the team seeming disinterested, Kobe being unwilling to defer, terrible offensive execution, general age...

These are the things that seem wrong with the Lakers right now.  Part of it is poor bench play but there are much more important players than Vujacic there.

It's like Big Baby.  He's nowhere near as important as the Big 3 or Rondo, but where would the Celtics be without his play off the bench?  Without Baby's energy off the bench, they might look old, disinterested, etc.  Much like the Celtics did when Sheed took some of Baby's minutes. They should have replaced  with some young energy player that can shoot.  Steven Blake is so... blahhhh.

The Machine might have the last laugh, I hope.

Lol I wouldn't say Vujacic is nearly as good as Big Baby but if the Lakers fall short this year and we can point to the reason as losing Vujacic I would get a good laugh.

[Bankshot]

lol as much as I'd love to go on about it Vujacic is NOT the issue here.

Kobe being old, the team seeming disinterested, Kobe being unwilling to defer, terrible offensive execution, general age...

These are the things that seem wrong with the Lakers right now.  Part of it is poor bench play but there are much more important players than Vujacic there.

It's like Big Baby.  He's nowhere near as important as the Big 3 or Rondo, but where would the Celtics be without his play off the bench?  Without Baby's energy off the bench, they might look old, disinterested, etc.  Much like the Celtics did when Sheed took some of Baby's minutes. They should have replaced  with some young energy player that can shoot.  Steven Blake is so... blahhhh.

The Machine might have the last laugh, I hope.

Lol I wouldn't say Vujacic is nearly as good as Big Baby but if the Lakers fall short this year and we can point to the reason as losing Vujacic I would get a good laugh.

No not nearly as good as Davis, but he did bring the energy and good 3 pt shooting.  I would love it if they didn't win a 'ship because of those 2 reasons. LOL

[Brendan]

I know you are joking Bankshot, so I wont address the BBD = machine comparison, since I think BBD is much more critical as the team's only backup PF and emergency C, then Sasha was as Kobe's backup.

Plus Gasol and Sasha are wusses IMO. Ever since I saw them playing at a $10 Black Jack table in Vegas (at the Mirage) when I was playing at a $25 table, I knew they were cowards.

I will say - the Lakers have not done a great job with the bench... the pennywise / pound foolishness (big contracts for the space cadet and Walton? Blake? Keeping Fisher... still?), yet letting a guy like Sasha get doghoused and run out (he was IMO one of their better wings) losing Ariza for Artest, etc.

[Bankshot]

I know you are joking Bankshot, so I wont address the BBD = machine comparison, since I think BBD is much more critical as the team's only backup PF and emergency C, then Sasha was as Kobe's backup.

Plus Gasol and Sasha are wusses IMO. Ever since I saw them playing at a $10 Black Jack table in Vegas (at the Mirage) when I was playing at a $25 table, I knew they were cowards.

I will say - the Lakers have not done a great job with the bench... the pennywise / pound foolishness (big contracts for the space cadet and Walton? Blake? Keeping Fisher... still?), yet letting a guy like Sasha get doghoused and run out (he was IMO one of their better wings) losing Ariza for Artest, etc.

I was joking and I wasn't.  They Lakers really don't miss Sasha per se, but they are missing a shooter and young legs.  They traded away their youth for older guys and that's hurting them.  You should check out the Lakers board.  They are in panic mode now, wondering why they traded Sasha and Farmar because they were playing better than what Blake and Fisher are giving them. LOL  They're even saying "at least Sasha played defense." ****

[Fafnir]

I know you are joking Bankshot, so I wont address the BBD = machine comparison, since I think BBD is much more critical as the team's only backup PF and emergency C, then Sasha was as Kobe's backup.

Plus Gasol and Sasha are wusses IMO. Ever since I saw them playing at a $10 Black Jack table in Vegas (at the Mirage) when I was playing at a $25 table, I knew they were cowards.

I will say - the Lakers have not done a great job with the bench... the pennywise / pound foolishness (big contracts for the space cadet and Walton? Blake? Keeping Fisher... still?), yet letting a guy like Sasha get doghoused and run out (he was IMO one of their better wings) losing Ariza for Artest, etc.

Sasha was their third SG even, they used Shannon Brown instead of him all of last year.

[Celtics4ever]

I seriously doubt they miss him.  The dude was a walking foul in two sneakers. 

[Bankshot]

I seriously doubt they miss him.  The dude was a walking foul in two sneakers. 

Yes they do miss him (well not him specifically), but some young legs and someone who can hit the 3.  They miss Farmar too.  I think they'd be better off with him rather than Fisher. Not sure why they don't replace Fisher. He's done.  Replacing young with old looks like a mistake so far.  Artest looks done too.

[Chris]

He certainly is not the reason they are struggling, but Vujacic is a good player, and I do think he could help them at the moment. 

[angryguy77]

He certainly is not the reason they are struggling, but Vujacic is a good player, and I do think he could help them at the moment. 

I've lost all respect for you

[fairweatherfan]

Not sure why they don't replace Fisher. He's done.  Replacing young with old looks like a mistake so far.  Artest looks done too.

Fisher looked done last regular season too, but he stepped up bigtime in the playoffs.  Sooner or later it'll catch up to him, but the Lakers have seen him struggle in the regular season before.

[Fafnir]

Not sure why they don't replace Fisher. He's done.  Replacing young with old looks like a mistake so far.  Artest looks done too.

Fisher looked done last regular season too, but he stepped up bigtime in the playoffs.  Sooner or later it'll catch up to him, but the Lakers have seen him struggle in the regular season before.

He really didn't, he was terrible in the playoffs. When you make a 20+ playoff game run you're bound to have a few decent quarters. Most of the time he was a huge negative for the team.

[Who]

Sasha was/is a good defender on small guards (PGs, combo guards) but a poor defender on shooting guards / wings with average or above average size.