How does a team with four franchise players lose so much?

[SpecialQue]

This is the most baffling thing about how the Lakers are playing this season. Theoretically, you should be able to add Kobe, Dwight, Steve or Pau to any other team in the NBA and see a dramatic increase in their winning record. Who the hell do you blame for this?

inb4Kobe

[BGriffin's Dad]

when all four of those star players are playing like shit and you dont have a good bench or coaching system

[Kiddlovesnets]

Age, bench, mobility, Chemistry.

[chips93]

its because kobe is rapist

[Pacers4ever]

There is a chucker trying to be like lebron and thinks he can create shots for his team mates but fails hard. The art of passing rejects him.

They also have junk food for a coach.

[IGotACoolStory]

Four?

Not sure where you come up with that number.

[BGriffin's Dad]

Four?

Not sure where you come up with that number.

Nash, Kobe, Gasol, Dwight all have been/can be franchise players, but not in their current states

[SpecialQue]

Four?

Not sure where you come up with that number.

Unlike the majority of ISH, I think Pau is a great player and can lead a team.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

chemistry/coaching/egos.

[IGotACoolStory]

but not in their current states

Right.

The "Franchise" tag is something you earn and something you can lose. No team in their right mind would start a franchise building around (what I consider a franchise player) Nash or Gasol right now. Ergo, they aren't "franchise players" anymore.

Is Jason Kidd still one?

[Purch]

Nash is a couple years past being a franchise player, mainly because he's not a penetrator anymore.

[Kiddlovesnets]

Unlike the majority of ISH, I think Pau is a great player and can lead a team.

I think he is good enough to lead a team too, although right now hes pretty much a scapegoat on the Lakers team.

[SpecialQue]

Nash is a couple years past being a franchise player, mainly because he's not a penetrator anymore.

:kobe: does not approve.

[SpecialQue]

I think he is good enough to lead a team too, although right now hes pretty much a scapegoat on the Lakers team.

A big reason why I'm constantly at odds with most Laker fans here.

[Myth]

its because kobe is rapist

Karmabe?

[lebeast666]

Chuckbe Cryant

[knickswin]

A big reason why I'm constantly at odds with most Laker fans here.

pau's not and probably never has been a "number 1" guy but I think I agree that he still could be a great number 2 on the right team. he's being marginalized and there's not much he can do to change the situation.

I think the lakers' problems are as follows
1.) no youth which means bad perimeter defense and not enough dribble penetration
2.) kobe's jupiter-sized ego. he should average ~20 shots, not ~25!
3.) weak bench
4.) dwight's a hack

[ClutchOver9000]

pau's not and probably never has been a "number 1" guy but I think I agree that he still could be a great number 2 on the right team. he's being marginalized and there's not much he can do to change the situation.

I think the lakers' problems are as follows
1.) no youth which means bad perimeter defense and not enough dribble penetration
2.) kobe's jupiter-sized ego. he should average ~20 shots, not ~25!
3.) weak bench
4.) dwight's a hack

5.) shit coach

[STATUTORY]

bunch of past "franchise" players that don't know how to defer

[Lebron23]

Lakers are a poorly constructed team. You are not going to win some games with just outscoring your opponents. They need to play some tough defense. Kobe being the leader of his team needs to get his teammates involve in the offense. He also needs to take smarter, more efficient shots.

[knickswin]

Lakers are a poorly constructed team. You are not going to win some games with just outscoring your opponents. They need to play some tough defense. Kobe being the leader of his team needs to get his teammates involve in the. offense. He also needs to take smarter, more efficient shots.

and he's not going to do that. kobe's been this way since 1996. actually, he's been this way since at least high school. there is no way he will adjust.

[clayton]

Kobe thinking stats first killed the team.

[LebronairJAMES]

Chemistry!

[miller-time]

Kobe thinking stats first killed the team.

Once he falls out of first place in scoring maybe he might change his mindset. Right now he has "everything" to lose. If it matters to him, once he has lost his position he might be able to focus on other things. Like playing actual basketball.

[TheBigVeto]

Blame Kobe - he isn't that great.

[Tycriss]

Defense

[jstern]

Chemistry. I think that if Kobe took less shots they would much better off.

[livingby3's]

how about if you switch 2 of your supposedly big 4 for 4 other very good role players. something tells me it's not easy to mesh 3 star players on 1 team, let alone 4. U got to have balance on a team. Penetration, shooting, man defense, help defense, slashing, play making etc, to add to that balance u got to factor in chemistry and age. A team ain't just about a few big names. the Lakers not playing as a 'team' is what will drag them out of the playoff picture

[ZenMaster]

Too many open jump shots missed, basically by everyone.

Too many forced shots by Kobe in the last few games, he often shoots a 1 jab wing shot instead of passing into the post etc.

Terrible defense by 3 starters Nash, Kobe and Pau.

[Mr. I'm So Rad]

It's all Kobe's fault. Replace him with Alan Anderson and the team would be doing much better.

[Rekindled]

Nash is a couple years past being a franchise player, mainly because he's not a penetrator anymore.

really?
just last season he was an allstar leading his team to .500 record with gortat as the 2nd best player and dudley as 3rd best player.

[I<3NBA]

How does a team with four franchise players lose so much?
Kobe.

[chazzy]

Their defense. Too slow and no communication

[alleykat]

Well everybody said this was gonna be special team, unprecedented in The NBA....well there ya go

[TheBigVeto]

3 Franchise Players: Nash, Howard, Gasol.

[jaydacris]

its cuz they have no heart and soul :(

[maybeshewill13]

Kobe.
This.

[CarlosBoozer]

StackBe

[senelcoolidge]

duh, they have no bench, their guys are old, and they are playing in a system that doesn't fit the players. Their coach also doesn't believe in defense.

[LakersForlife]

too early wait after the allstar game lakkers will beast

[hawkfan]

This is the most baffling thing about how the Lakers are playing this season. Theoretically, you should be able to add Kobe, Dwight, Steve or Pau to any other team in the NBA and see a dramatic increase in their winning record. Who the hell do you blame for this?

inb4Kobe

1. Injuries.
2. Lack of time to gel together.
3. Bad coaching, which is more focused on the system rather than on melding talents.
4. Stubbornness from players.
5. Lack of someone to can get to the rim.
6. Lack of speed on the wings.
7. Age.

[Cermet]

Nash is a couple years past being a franchise player, mainly because he's not a penetrator anymore.

But we all know Kobe penetrates well. Whether people want it or not

[I<3NBA]

But we all know Kobe penetrates well. Whether women want it or not
fixed

[Knoe Itawl]

Kobester.

[tazb]

ChuckBe still taking 30+ attempts :lol

[Droid101]

Defensive Chemistry.

It doesn't help that everyone keeps getting injured and we're technically still missing our first point guard off the bench.

[red1]

Long answer kobe. Short answer kb

[red1]

seriously though just poor focus and communication on defense, the offense is fine

[STATUTORY]

Long answer kobe. Short answer kb

:roll: dis fakkit

[red1]

:roll: dis fakkit
:oldlol:

[AussieG]

It's sort of why NBA teams.. the elite ones.. are better than Olympic or All Star teams.. because every team needs to have chemistry.. and defined roles.. and to trust each other. You need role players. More talent doesn't mean more wins. Elite NBA teams are the best teams in the world.

[JellyBean]

This is the most baffling thing about how the Lakers are playing this season. Theoretically, you should be able to add Kobe, Dwight, Steve or Pau to any other team in the NBA and see a dramatic increase in their winning record. Who the hell do you blame for this?

inb4Kobe

To me, it all begins and end with the leadership; The owners, the front office folks, and the head coach. People always laughed at Phil Jackson and said that all had to do was throw the basketball outs and let them play. Phil was a leader andit showed. No coaching is way undervalued in the NBA. If there is no leadership the teams suffer greatly.

[Artillery]

Defensive Chemistry.

It doesn't help that everyone keeps getting injured and we're technically still missing our first point guard off the bench.

:roll:

Using Steve Blake as an excuse for why the Lakers suck.

The real reason is that the Lakers are decrepit, slow team with no youth on the wings. Defensive chemistry...lol. Shitty excuse. Lakers are done.

[Droid101]

:roll:

Using Steve Blake as an excuse for why the Lakers suck.
I guess you missed the part where Steve Nash missed half the season, Dwight missed games and isn't 100%, Pau missed games, our best big off the bench is out for the season, and the first PG off the bench missed games.

But yeah, keep pointing to one part of my statement and not the rest of it.

[Artillery]

I guess you missed the part where Steve Nash missed half the season, Dwight missed games and isn't 100%, Pau missed games, our best big off the bench is out for the season, and the first PG off the bench missed games.

But yeah, keep pointing to one part of my statement and not the rest of it.

:oldlol:

Excuses. Dallas was missing Dirk for most of the season and they're still closer to a playoff spot than your garbage team. lol at Lakers being the fourth worst team in the Western Conference.

[outbreak]

There's no team in Kobe.

[konex]

Unlike the majority of ISH, I think Pau is a great player and can lead a team.

He never won a playoff game till he came to LA.