Jerry West: Lakers Getting Old, on decline

[footey]

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=6053767

[Fafnir]

They really need Bynum to keep improving, because Artest/Fisher are huge drains on the team right now.

Sadly for us Celtic fans Bynums is steadily getting back to where he was last year. (assuming he avoids yet another setback knee injury in the second half of the year)

[GreenFaith1819]

I'm sure at the time of LA's defeat of Boston last June, most LA fans believed that the Lakers would compete for the title for next 2-3 years.

I know Charles Barkley was.

Turns out Charles prediction was - Turrible!

Well, right out of Jerry West's mouth comes some reality here.

It is now becoming apparent that LA's window is in fact no larger than ours.

I could hardly get a LA fan to agree with me on this reality back in July. I'm sure they were punch-drunk from the title, but still.........

[nba is the worst]

I'm sure at the time of LA's defeat of Boston last June, most LA fans believed that the Lakers would compete for the title for next 2-3 years.

Well, right out of Jerry West's mouth comes some reality here.

It is now becoming apparent that LA's window is in fact no larger than ours.

I could hardly get a LA fan to agree with me on this reality back in July. I'm sure they were punch-drunk from the title, but still.........

Seems more like a transparent attempt by West to motivate the lakers.

It's pretty obvious that older, more experienced teams are the ones that usually prevail in the playoffs.

As to which team's "window" is open longer, only time (and KG's health) will tell...

[housecall]

My guess its constructive criticism.

[pearljammer10]

I love how the lakers are getting tons of crap for being old and washed up or having a bad year when they are 32 and 13.... I dont really understand.

[Fafnir]

I love how the lakers are getting tons of crap for being old and washed up or having a bad year when they are 32 and 13.... I dont really understand.

They've had the easiest schedule in the league so far, plus some rough stretches.

They're still favorites in the West, but it isn't going to be easy for them. Especially if they slide back out of the two spot as the schedule starts to even out.

[CelticSooner]

I love how the lakers are getting tons of crap for being old and washed up or having a bad year when they are 32 and 13.... I dont really understand.

Their demise is overblown but I like it. Kinda tired of Laker fans taking shots at the C's for being old when they need to look at the age of their own team.

[vinnie]

I love how the lakers are getting tons of crap for being old and washed up or having a bad year when they are 32 and 13.... I dont really understand.

They've had the easiest schedule in the league so far, plus some rough stretches.

They're still favorites in the West, but it isn't going to be easy for them. Especially if they slide back out of the two spot as the schedule starts to even out.

This is the key. The Lakers have played the easiest schedule in the NBA. I believe that the winning percentage of all of the teams they have played is something like .450. The rest of the year, they will have the second toughest schedule. I think the demise is overdone, but like the Celtics, may of their key cogs are aging.

[ManUp]

Yeah there on the decline, but we've been on the decline ever since the big three got here. The Heat are the only contenders who are on the rise. I think the Lakers have atleast 2 contending seasons left in them.

[fairweatherfan]

Yeah there on the decline, but we've been on the decline ever since the big three got here. The Heat are the only contenders who are on the rise. I think the Lakers have atleast 2 contending seasons left in them.

Oddly enough, the Heat are the oldest team in the league (thanks mostly to their ancient front line).

[Assassin70]

I'm sure at the time of LA's defeat of Boston last June, most LA fans believed that the Lakers would compete for the title for next 2-3 years.

Well, right out of Jerry West's mouth comes some reality here.

It is now becoming apparent that LA's window is in fact no larger than ours.

I could hardly get a LA fan to agree with me on this reality back in July. I'm sure they were punch-drunk from the title, but still.........

Seems more like a transparent attempt by West to motivate the lakers.

It's pretty obvious that older, more experienced teams are the ones that usually prevail in the playoffs.

As to which team's "window" is open longer, only time (and KG's health) will tell...

I would say that our window is this year and next then rebuild.  Lakers probably have 1 additional year of being top tier...this  is of course with the current rosters as they stand today.

[Who]

The Lakers will be a contender for however long Kobe Bryant remains an elite player ... however long that may be.

The Lakers should be trying to replace Fisher + Artest with younger, more active, more athletic players in their positions. That would go a long way to fixing this current group's flaws.

[GreenEnvy]

Yeah, this is Morse code for "Mitch Kupchak: Call Chris Wallace."

Don't be surprised when we hear Gay and Randolph heading to the Lakers for Walton, Ratliff and fillers.

[Mike-Dub]

The Lakers should be trying to replace Fisher + Artest with younger, more active, more athletic players in their positions. That would go a long way to fixing this current group's flaws.

Amazing how two summers ago everyone was shocked and fearful of how the Lakers got Artest. 

I find it hard to believe that his game fell off that much in one to two years because he looked pretty bad at times with LA (Other than game 7 and 5 against the Suns... UGH).  I think it has more to do with Artest not knowing the triangle.