D'Angelo Russell and Julius Randle: Lakers Players Removed From Starting Lineup

[tarheelsxxiii]

Facebook:

Larry Nance Jr. and Lou Williams started Monday's game. Lakers coach Byron Scott told the Los Angeles Times that Russell and Randle will come off the bench for the next five to 10 games.

Per my secondary source of Facebook. What's going on in LA? Motivation for the youngsters? Or a collapse that involves a trade of Lee and Young, following Young's breakout performance tonight? My money is on the latter.

[LarBrd33]

Byron Scott is a nitwit.

It's just tankers tanking.

[colincb]

Byron Scott is a nitwit.

It's just tankers tanking.

I doubt it's something Scott is doing on his own.

Two birds for the owners/front office with one stone: (1) Tankathon and (2) The Kobe Farewell Chuckathon Tour. One last chance for Kobe to help the Lakers.

Tough to see the NBA arguing with that sendoff given what's gone on in Philadelphia.

[kraidstar]

kobe bryant in his current state is an embarrassment to the sport. if he cared about anything other than himself, he'd either retire immediately or surrender his minutes to the youngsters, and commit himself to helping their development.

i've watched the lakers play a few times, and they barely pass the ball at all, i think i partly because they know if they do pass they'll never get it back. IMO kobe is a big part of this. and the defense is even worse, it's like a turnstile going to the hoop, and poor roy hibbert has no chance at stopping the flood.

rumors say the atmosphere in the locker room is beyond toxic.

i read on silver screen and roll that julius randle told a media member that de'angelo russell laughed at byron scott when he learned he was being benched.

what is worse, that a rookie hates his coach so much he laughs in his face, or that a second-year player is reporting said incident to the media, hoping to embarrass his coach?

[SparzWizard]

kobe bryant in his current state is an embarrassment to the sport. if he cared about anything other than himself, he'd either retire immediately or surrender his minutes to the youngsters, and commit himself to helping their development.

i've watched the lakers play a few times, and they barely pass the ball at all, i think i partly because they know if they do pass they'll never get it back. IMO kobe is a big part of this. and the defense is even worse, it's like a turnstile going to the hoop, and poor roy hibbert has no chance at stopping the flood.

rumors say the atmosphere in the locker room is beyond toxic.

i read on silver screen and roll that julius randle told a media member that de'angelo russell laughed at byron scott when he learned he was being benched.

what is worse, that a rookie hates his coach so much he laughs in his face, or that a second-year player is reporting said incident to the media, hoping to embarrass his coach?

With those conditions, I better expect the Celtics to defend home court against the Lakers when they come to town.

Would also be fun to watch the Celtics sweep Kobe and the Lakers for the first time since our championship run.

[SparzWizard]

D'Angelo Russell is just an implanted mole getting ready to implode on the Lakers. He's secretly helping the Celtics 

[LarBrd33]

D'Angelo Russell was disappointed about being taken out of the starting lineup but he found more freedom playing without Kobe Bryant.

“You’ve got to be more aggressive," Russell said about being with the second unit.

“There’s just more ball movement,” said Russell. “No disrespect to Kobe, but you just know you have more opportunity because he’s who he is.”

Russell had nine points, three rebounds and two assists in 21 minutes.

Byron Scott admitted that Russell and Julius Randle not playing alongside Bryant meant they didn’t “defer as much” to Bryant, a volume shooter.

“When KB is out there, they seem to defer a little bit more to him,” Scott said. “I thought tonight they played a little bit more free. They still made mistakes, but they’re going to make mistakes. They’re young. But I want them to continue to play as hard as they played tonight.”

So in other words ...

First Unit:  The Kobe Circus... what people are tuning in for and buying tickets to see.  He can jack up 20+ shots a night next to veteran nobodies who know their role.

Second Unit: The young guys develop and get their opportunities... instead of wasting their minutes dumping it off to the Black Hole, they can try things without Kobe on the court. 

It's dumb... it's tankers tanking...  but I guess I sort of see the logic from a business standpoint.  No team has more incentive to lose games than the Lakers.  They have a real risk of losing their pick if it falls outside the top 3 (50/50 shot, basically)... so letting this Kobe abomination continue probably helps.  Ultimately, Kobe probably gets injured and doesn't finish out the season... so might as well have Russell and Randle get some reps without him on the court now.

[celticsclay]

if people think the Lakers are not keeping their pick (barring some lottery magic with literal odds of .005%) they should invest in Radioshack.

[Mr Green]

Congratulations to Larry Nance Jr on starting his first NBA game, especially after overcoming his troubles with crohn's disease. No doubt it was a proud day in the Nance household.

[Donoghus]

if people think the Lakers are not keeping their pick (barring some lottery magic with literal odds of .005%) they should invest in Radioshack.

What's a RadioShack? 

In all seriousness, I doubt this is Scott just being that inept.  It has to be coming from higher up.  This tank is just as blatant as what's going on in Philly. 

[Rondo9]

if people think the Lakers are not keeping their pick (barring some lottery magic with literal odds of .005%) they should invest in Radioshack.

What's a RadioShack? 

In all seriousness, I doubt this is Scott just being that inept.  It has to be coming from higher up.  This tank is just as blatant as what's going on in Philly.

According to Laker fans? He's that bad.

[Donoghus]

if people think the Lakers are not keeping their pick (barring some lottery magic with literal odds of .005%) they should invest in Radioshack.

What's a RadioShack? 

In all seriousness, I doubt this is Scott just being that inept.  It has to be coming from higher up.  This tank is just as blatant as what's going on in Philly.

According to Laker fans? He's that bad.

You're also talking about the lowest denominator of fandom; Laker "fans"

[tazzmaniac]

if people think the Lakers are not keeping their pick (barring some lottery magic with literal odds of .005%) they should invest in Radioshack.

What are you talking about?  Even if the Lakers finish with the worst record, they still have 35% chance of losing their pick to the Sixers. 

[SHAQATTACK]

if people think the Lakers are not keeping their pick (barring some lottery magic with literal odds of .005%) they should invest in Radioshack.

What's a RadioShack? 

In all seriousness, I doubt this is Scott just being that inept.  It has to be coming from higher up.  This tank is just as blatant as what's going on in Philly.

Yup......their tanking , Magic Johnson said he wanted them to.   

This really no fun IMO ......1/3 way into season ......teams are already playing the tanking game.

I think the lottery system needs to be changed to discourage this type,of behavior . 

Frankly I'd rather see the opposite .......teams that play hardest get the best odds of the lottery .  Rewarding losing is a bad thing goes against FairPlay and common sense.

BTW ......they really luv Brandon Bass .     At least the tankers do..

[LarBrd33]

if people think the Lakers are not keeping their pick (barring some lottery magic with literal odds of .005%) they should invest in Radioshack.

What are you talking about?  Even if the Lakers finish with the worst record, they still have 35% chance of losing their pick to the Sixers.

Yup.  And if somehow they rise even one spot to the 3rd worst record, they have a 55% chance of losing their pick to the Sixers.   Perhaps Clay is one of those folks who believes the lottery is fixed?