One question that arose about the new Pau-ered Lakers is how effective they can be with Lamar Odom at the three. Some evidence is provided by the 82games.com's five man units page for the Lakers. Their most popular lineup this season has been Fisher-Bryant-Walton-Odom-Bynum. Second most popular has been Fisher-Bryant-Walton-Odom-Brown. But their third most popular lineup -- Fisher-Bryant-Odom-Radmanovic-Bynum -- has actually been more effective than either of those two. And Pau Gasol is a clear step up from Radmanovic, so I think they'll be fine.
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Odom at the Three
03 Feb 2008 10:14 am
Comments (18)
The problem, if there is one, is going to be defense.
Hmmm. If Odom and Radmanovic are on the floor together playing the forward spots, is Radman guarding the other team's PF? Or is Radman guarding the SF and Odom guarding the PF? Does 82games.com know the difference?
Interestingly (to me, at least), the Lakers were already a top-5 offensive team, prior to getting Pau. (Top 5 in offensive efficiency so far this season: Phoenix, Dallas, Utah, GS, LAL.)
To answer Al's question: Odom guards whichever forward is better. If Radman ever plays any non-garbage time again this year, it's because the Lakers are in trouble. On the forward depth chart, he's behind Gasol, Odom, Walton, Turiaf, and Ariza when he comes back.
And I know that contradicts what Matt just posted about Radman being part of their 3rd-most-popular lineup, but I'm pretty sure that's due to Radman getting a lot more minutes earlier in the season. He averaged 20 mins a game in November, and now he's at 17 overall.
odom has a lot of pippen in his game, and as we know, pippen handled the 3 perfectly well for some championship teams.
you can put me down as a second that the big question is whether the lakers can play championship defense, not whether odom can play the 3.
Unless I've done the math wrong, Rad was at about 15 min. per game in Nov., 14 min. per game in Dec. After that, I think he's been injured.
You can help defend bigs by denying entry passes and the Lakers have a great defensive backcourt in Jordan Farmar/Kobe to do just that. LA will rotate Derek Fisher (offense) and Farmar (defense) according to their needs and be fine defeding the post.
If we were simply talking about a more conventional offense, Odom at the 3 is fine. But in my opinion, Gasol, Bynum and Odom can't play the three front court positions together in the triangle.
Don't you think now that Kobe has Gasol to absorb more of the offensive load, he can focus more on defense, as Paul Pierce is now doing in Boston?
I initially read the title of this post as "Obama at the Three" and found myself thinking "hmm...I'd picture him as more of a point guard."
Odom should be a great three in the triangle, because he has Pippen's broad skills. Also, the best thing about the Pau trade, assuming that works, is that it sets the Lakers up to fuck Kobe pretty good should he act up down the line. He has already lost a full step.
The problem will be spacing. Neither Gasol nore Odom has reliable 3pt range, Radmanovic does (and little else). Having all three frontcourt guys need to work in the painted area on offense will be trouble. Kobe and Odom's drives will be much less effective if the middle is clogged. Trading Odom for a lesser talent, like Battier, would almost surely be good for the Lakers.
Odom has been really struggling with his jumper of late, which probably does not help him at the three. He is also a pretty good rebounder for a light PF. However, being the fourth best player on his team is probably the best thing that could happen to Odom. The guy has a lot of Robert Horry in him. A world of talent, but he drifts a bit during the regular season.
Doesn't that stat show Odom playing the power forward position almost all the time? In fact, Odom doesn't play the "3" until you get all the way down the list to 8th, when it's Brown-Turiaf-Odom on the front line. If Odom is playing with fellow forwards Walton, Radmanovic, Ariza, or Bryant, he plays the "4," and rightfully so.
The point is that the Lakers got an All-Star for not a whole lot more than the contractual obligation to pay Gasol. Odom may get fewer minutes, if Shawn Marion or Josh Howard or other quick forwards gives him trouble. Or he may enjoy be able to back them down and give them as much trouble as he gives them.
But with numerous other options on both offense and defense, the Lakers should be just fine, thank you.
The nice thing is that Odom's contract will expire (and they can trade him or let him walk) right around the time Bynum gets a big extension.
http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries/la_lakers.htm
Please read.
http://coachmac.vox.com/library/post/how-pau-gasol-fits-into-the-triangle-offense.html
It states everyone in the traingle should know every position to be effective.
Comments closed February 17, 2008.
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Heads in the Sand
They will be able to have effective units on the floor. I still will have to be convinced that they are a legitimate championship contender. Kobe hurts his team so often, and the West is so good. Eight straight weeks of team play may be more than he can handle.
Posted by Curtis | February 3, 2008 10:37 AM