Don't Sweat Preseason Losses

Before the Lakers first preseason game last week in Anaheim, I asked Phil Jackson a question that a lot of coaches would be offended by, but I knew he wouldn't:

"Do you care if you win these games?"

Jackson, who is always honest and refreshingly candid, basically said no.

"I think if you check my preseason record over the years," he said, "it's not very good."

He went on to say that he uses the preseason for a lot of things, and winning isn't on the top of that list.  He wants to experiment with different line-ups, try some things defensively (mostly pressing), and reward some of the guys who won't be around when the season starts with a little playing time.  Does that sound like a recipe for winning?

That's why I surprised when I was driving home from the Forum the other night after the Lakers fell to Golden State.  If you listened to the callers to Brian Long's Lakers Line show, you would have thought it was a huge loss that threatened the Lakers chances to repeat.  Trust me, it's not.

Two years ago, when the Lakers reached the NBA Finals before losing to Boston, they started the preseason with four straight losses and finished 3-6.  Last year, when they won the title, they lost their first two preseason games, including a 27-point blowout at the hands of the Clippers.

I can't overstate how little the final results of these games matter.  You can, however, gain some insight as to what the Lakers might be working on over the next few weeks.

For one, they have always had trouble with quick point guards.  Tony Parker, Allen Iverson, Chris Paul, Jameer Nelson, Rajon Rondo, even Beno Udrih, have all had career nights against LA.  The fact that Monta Ellis had 24 points in 29 minutes isn't good.  And Kelenna Azubuike, who plays a similar game to Ellis, added 18 points on seven of nine shooting.  The Lakers need to develop a "stopper" for guys like this, especially now that Derek Fisher is getting older.  Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar are auditioning for this role, and I wouldn't be surprised if Ron Artest doesn't slide over and take these guys if the Lakers are really having trouble. Kobe is still probably the team's best on-the-ball defender, but he's only going to take those guys in the final minutes if the game is on the line.

The 25 turnovers are another red flag, but I think there might be an explanation for that.  The Lakers are trying to jam the ball inside to Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, especially against teams that don't have a true center (like the Warriors). Opponents are going to collapse on the big guys when the Lakers try that, and so LA is forced to make a choice.  They either try to force the ball into the middle and risk a turnover, or they can shoot over the defense.  They tried both at the Forum.  Shooting three-pointers was a disaster--they made just two of 18.  That forced the ball inside, and the end result was that the Warriors were ready.  For those reasons, the 25 turnovers are something that I'm not all that worried about, especially if the Lakers are making their outside shots.

Most of all, the thing you should remember if you're a Lakers fan is that the guys who were on the court in the fourth quarter won't even be on the team when the regular season starts.  That's when the real games are decided, and if they've got Kobe, Gasol, Artest, Odom and Fisher/Bynum on the court--I like their chances.  

Comments

[buy drugs online]

I think Gregg Popovich will agree to Phil Jackson..

[Nick]

I don't see a lot of comments on here so just wanted to let you know that we appreciate your insights to the team John! Keep them coming!

[tramadol]

What Phil Jackson had said are all true. Games are really decided on the final minutes of the game. And they have the most accurate player in the NBA on the situations like that. Kobe Bryant, no doubt, he is an outstanding player and deadly in every range. Together with the other 5 players, I can see that Jackson somehow knew that they can repeat it this year.

[Robert]

I agree with you to an extent. The preseason games are for 1) Experimentation- like you said and 2) To play games in places (Ontario or Vegas) to increase the appeal of the team.

However, a very good coach once told me, "Dont just practice but practice perfectly". The Laker must remember that they have the bulls-eye; that every team, from the Clevelands to the Memphis', are going to be gunning for them. So, if I were Phil, I would use this time to ensure that every member has their timing down- especially with a new player and the increased presence of Shannon Brown.

Phil, if you're reading this: listen to what Mr. Miyagi told The Karate Kid. He told him that wasn't just about "wax-on, wax-off" but practicing your early steps to victorious journey.