Haven't posted in a while, but need to vent a bit. This isn't so much about playing Sasha - not like he's so awesome or anything - but it's more about breaking up that garbage combo of Farmar and Brown (which I will refer to as dumb and dumber going forward in my post, to avoid dignifying them by calling them by their given names), and if it takes playing Sasha to break up that combo, then so be it! dumb and dumber are just terrible times two. All this garbage about the zone defense giving the Lakers trouble, and while it has made them work a bit harder to get baskets, they are still shooting like 55% against it if you take away dumb and dumber's shots. Unfortunately, we can't just subtract them. But Phil NEEDS to! Fix your damn rotation! They were awful during the season, and with the stakes higher, they are even more awful. He didn't play this combination that much last year, and we won the freakin championship! Say what you want about Sasha, he still has a shooter reputation. He'll probably miss shots like he always does, just like dumb and dumber have been doing, but he'll at least space the floor in between missing shots, which is not happening with dumb and dumber, who aren't respected. And at least Sasha gets after it defensively. And Pau played like a bitch tonite. He didn't get his first rebound until late in the 3rd quarter, and that was off a FT miss. That's totally unacceptable. He was beaten to the ball numerous occasions, and torched on the defensive end. That's two wasted strong efforts from Kobe. I'm still confident the Lakers take this series, but i'm pissed that it's going to create unneeded anxiety in the process.
But Why Sasha? He shot worse this year and can't defend. Let's see on Thursday and I'll try to add more thoughts.
Sasha Vujacic became available for the Western Conference Finals after recovering from an ankle injury. So far, though, he's only seen the court for 1:23 in Game 1. Yet, it might be time for Phil Jackson to start giving him more run, something Kenny Smith brought up during TNT's postgame coverage of the Lakers' loss to the Suns Tuesday night. Simply put: The Lakers have settled for jump shots against the Suns' zone the last two games, and they've lost both contests. The Suns are giving guys like Ron Artest and Lamar Odom open threes; they just haven't converted them at a high clip. Smith said on the broadcast that Vujacic could come in and knock down open shots. But it might not be so simple. Vujacic only shot 30.9 percent from three this season, and 40.2 percent from the floor. Artest shot 35.5 percent on threes this year. However, Vujacic is a career 37.1 percent shooter from three, and shot an impressive 43.7 percent from distance during the 2007-08 campaign. And Artest is only converting on 25.3 percent of his threes in the playoffs. Vujacic may have some rust from only playing a little over one minute in the entire playoffs. But if he's left alone on the perimeter to take open shots, he might be able to catch fire and exploit the Suns' zone. Before their loss in Game 4, Andy Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles wrote this: "It also wouldn't be outlandish for Sasha Vujacic's number to get called in hopes of hitting a few threes to discourage the zone altogether, but I'd like to think a strategy where the Lakers bomb their way to victory is more last resort than first."
Because that would break up the Brown/Farmar combo. Anything that breaks up that combo is a plus plus. And he defends better than both Brown and Farmar. He at least fights through screens and harasses people. Farmar is an awful on ball defender, and Brown loses his man on every other possession. I understand the percentages aren't great for Sasha, but guys like Artest, Farmar, and Brown, they get left open intentionally and dared to shoot. No matter how bad Sasha has shot, I dont ever remember an instance of anyone intentionally leaving him open. As I said in my original post, reputation alone is enough to play him honest. And while he will likely miss most of his shots, it would be no different than Brown and Farmar, but with better spacing (and better defense on the other end)! And best case scenario, in the off chance he finds his stroke that day, that opens up the option to play him with Kobe and Fish, if Ron is bad Ron on that day.
I understand the frustration after two road losses, but look at it from a larger perspective. :] http://www.82games.com/0809/playoffs/0809LAL.HTM Sasha was our second worst defender in our title run, only behind Powell. And he shot 26% from the field, 31% from the three point line. Fisher wasn't even at Shannon's level last year, the kid does have skills. Sasha has regressed a lot. Jordan Farmar is 7/12 from the three point line in this series. Ears is a much better long distance shooter than Sasha. Sasha shot 31% during the season, Farmar shot 37%. Shannon also shot 33%, and is of course still more efficient. Sasha is done, he never had it again after 2008. It happens to much better players and it happened to him.
^ you missed the whole point of the thread, but I'm glad you're not coaching. I'm not saying he's better than Farmar or Brown, I'm saying they need to break that combo up, because they suck TOGETHER ... and Sasha is that guy to break them up. Phil did that, but then played them together at the end of the 3rd and they got smashed again .. Sasha played great tonite, totally took Dragic out of his game ...
I've been advocating giving Sasha more minutes all year long, at Jordan's expense. But Shannon Brown has just played like a fucking idiot, the two knuckleheads destroy us each time they come in the game. I won't miss either of them if they leave this summer. I thought I liked Shannon, but he's dumber than a rock.
You missed the entire point then, it isn't about one game dude. Shannon is a SG on this team. Sasha missed two open threes, he was average. Congrats, he had one average game.
LOL - you're one of those - the ones that cant admit when they're wrong. Dude it's not a big deal, I dont understand you people, it's not like we're judging you, so don't get all butt hurt and condescending. We just talking hoops, sometimes you're right, sometimes you're wrong And he played very well today, can't believe you're cutting him down. It isn't about one game? It's the playoffs! Every game matters. You can say he played average, but he played better than Brown has in weeks, and they won by the slimmest of margins. In the playoffs, ever little bit matters.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore;_ylt=AvgQPuS8ku7.N1b13oOtzSdrPaB4?gid=2010051713 http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore;_ylt=AmxIufwDpuWJR731LsDLmhdrPaB4?gid=2010051913
Why would I be insane to say, our worst playoff player last year sucks? I don't care about your opinions, just a large body of statistical evidence that supports your position. Give me that and I'll admit I'm wrong.
Admit you're wrong then. I don't see the issue? "It isn't about one game? It's the playoffs! Every game matters. You can say he played average, but he played better than Brown has in weeks,"
I've learned from years of posting, 'you people' are impossible to have discussion with, so i'm done here. I'll just say a role player's game goes beyond points scored. But to conclude, Yes I do believe Sasha made a huge difference in this game in slowing that bench down, which was more impressive than Brown hitting a couple of shots in a blowout.
I only try to report, not give opinions, when possible of course. If Sasha has a larger net value than Brown, I'd be the first to say Sasha > Brown. Now you said this as well: "It isn't about one game? It's the playoffs! Every game matters." Yet Sasha's string of bad games last year don't matter, and Brown's solid effort's don't matter. But one average game does? I am confused.
Don't get all "butt hurt" right? Brown played all throughout our first two home games, not just in garbage time. Clearly this season he's been on par defensively, and a better shooter. Now if I am incorrect, I'll be the first one to apologize.
ok ok, i can't help myself. I'll try to unconfuse you .. follow along okay? so .. it's not about Brown .. it's not about Farmar .. its that they dont play well TOGETHER. Get it? Meaning, they can play Brown + Sasha .. or Farmar + Sasha .. or Farmar + ME .. whatever, just NOT Brown + Farmar .. follow so far? .. okay, now ME is not an option, so Sasha is the guy .. did not say Sasha is great .. I said we need to break up the combo .. and Sasha happen to come up with a good (or 'average') game ..