Props to Lakers, curses to Danny Crawford.

[Guest]

Randy as follow, run over to NBA.com and check the results of the season series.  Had one game against GP where he hit for 9, Payton for 7.  Apart from that he absolutely lit up GP with games of 17, 26, and 28.

I wouldnt go as far to say that Payton cannot guard him......most of the 'lighting up' came behind a screen.  Which made it pretty impossible for Payton to contest the shot.

[jn]

What's your point?  Payton couldn's stop a healthy Cassell this year, period.  Who cares if he gets the points on screen roles, pull ups on drives, or post ups.    

[westkoast]

What's your point?  Payton couldn's stop a healthy Cassell this year, period.  Who cares if he gets the points on screen roles, pull ups on drives, or post ups.

It makes a big difference when you say he personally torched Payton.  Screen roll is something the team defends not just one player.  Payton cannot shut him down but to act like he burns him one on one is just not true.

[jn]

Well that might make a difference to Payton's bloated ego, about which I don't care even the slightest.   Again what's your point? This started with the Randy's idea that Darrick Martin was better for the Wolves than Sam.  That's the ludicrous point here, not the definition of "torch".

 

[WayOutWest]

Well that might make a difference to Payton's bloated ego, about which I don't care even the slightest.   Again what's your point? This started with the Randy's idea that Darrick Martin was better for the Wolves than Sam.  That's the ludicrous point here, not the definition of "torch".

It's obvious you're NOT a post 1st round "playa".

Spurs/Kings fans are much better at dealing with "slippery" Laker fans and our teflon arguments.

[westkoast]

Well that might make a difference to Payton's bloated ego, about which I don't care even the slightest.   Again what's your point? This started with the Randy's idea that Darrick Martin was better for the Wolves than Sam.  That's the ludicrous point here, not the definition of "torch".

The point is that you are taking point totals...and then using those to say Payton has a ice cube's chance in hell of guarding Cassell because he is lighting him up.  He is lighting the Lakers up because the screen roll is a play the whole team has to defend.   Im not here to defend Payton's ego.  Im here to explain to you that Cassell is not exactly lighting Payton up himself.  Payton is getting screened out of the play 8 times out of 10.  The other times he slides under the screen and no one comes to close out on Sam going to the mid-range area.

 Since we are on point totals I guess Cassell shuts down Payton every night because he has yet to score a decent amount of points against him.  :ding:

Forget what Randy said......im still waiting for him to give Wally props for last night :lol:

[jn]

You got something to back up that 8 out of 10 figure besides your powerbait fume addled memory?    Off to reality's for a film watching session then?  :up:

And no I won't put the credit for GP's low totals on Sam's D.  That would be the fact that Gary, unlike Malone, is almost a hollowed out shell of his former greatness.  

And WOW  how about this?  ArrogantPhilZenBS!! Stern Fixed this for ratings!! Flopping Fisher!! Shaq 3 seconds!!!  

[westkoast]

You got something to back up that 8 out of 10 figure besides your powerbait fume addled memory?    Off to reality's for a film watching session then?  :up:

And no I won't put the credit for GP's low totals on Sam's D.  That would be the fact that Gary, unlike Malone, is almost a hollowed out shell of his former greatness.  

And WOW  how about this?  ArrogantPhilZenBS!! Stern Fixed this for ratings!! Flopping Fisher!! Shaq 3 seconds!!!

Im talking about in the half court set.  Sam and Garnett are running alot of screen roll.  Obviously because the Lakers are still one of the worse teams in the league at defending it.  Most of his points are comming off a screen.  Thats all I am saying.  Maybe 8 times out of 10 is a little off because Sam does operate in the post.....but id say with the way his back has been acting lately that he is a little quicker to come off a screen and shoot a jumper than he is to have an arm bar in his back.  More times than not he is comming off a screen to create something.  You know Im not knocking him because as you can tell I like his game quite a bit and that is why I want to see him play.

Nice comeback......for once I cannot think of anything to reply with haha

[Guest_Randy]

Well that might make a difference to Payton's bloated ego, about which I don't care even the slightest.   Again what's your point? This started with the Randy's idea that Darrick Martin was better for the Wolves than Sam.  That's the ludicrous point here, not the definition of "torch".

Now THIS is funny!  Someone defending Sam "ego maniac" Cassell while referring to GP's bloated ego.  GP DOES have a bloated ego but Cassell head is JUST as big -- it's a good thing these arenas are so large otherwise there would be head clearance issues for BOTH of these players.

GP CAN handle Cassell -- Cassell isn't going to penetrate down the lane -- which IS the thing that kills the Lakers.  Cassell is going to have to use screens to free himself up and, frankly, the Lakers like the TWolves shooting jumpshots.  My point is still this -- with Cassell in the game the Lakers can continue to run their best lineup -- GP, Fish and Kobe -- without Cassell in the game, the TWolves go big and that causes us trouble with this lineup because neither GP nor Fish can guard Spree or Wally World and that means that we have to bring in George or Fisher (since Kobe can't guard them both).  I would rather Cassell play than a lineup with Spree and Wally World.

Forget what Randy said......im still waiting for him to give Wally props for last night

Are we dreaming or what?   :alcohol:   Wally was shooting very well -- he still is WAAAYYYY overrated as a player and one-dimensional -- also, how many points did he score when Kobe started playing him?  It was pretty easy to shoot over GP and Fish, huh?

[jn]

Randy we all have our weak points as debaters on this board and yours, my friend, just came into play.  

Where exactly, did I say ANYTHING to defend Cassell's attitude?  When his acquisition was announced I was the first one on this board to call him a whiny ballhog.  The point is that he has outplayed GP all year.  

[Guest_Randy]

Okay, you are right, you didn't defend Cassell -- merely pointed out GP while ignoring Cassell.  

As for outplaying Cassell all year long, that's not a fair comparison for GP.  IF the Lakers had played their offense the way we did against the Spurs after the adjustments, GP would have a much improved year but in the triangle, he is only going to get spot up shots -- not exactly GP's strength (although he isn't a bad shooter if you allow him to get himself going).  But the fact is that with Kobe and Shaq, GP isn't even going to be a third option on a team that also has Karl Malone (who is usually going to be left open when the opposing PF goes over to double team Shaq).  GP isn't the player that he once was but he is still a tremendous offensive player if he played within a system designed for him -- which is exactly where Cassell has played.  However, Cassell's absence hasn't changed anything -- the Lakers would have still beaten the TWolves -- they already beat the second best team in the NBA.  The one player who COULD have made things tougher for the Lakers ISN'T Cassell -- but Troy Hudson.  It wouldn't have changed the end result but I think the Lakers would have had to work much harder than they have in this series.