The biggest difference with last year’s NBA Champs and this year’s team is the deeper bench. One through twelve (excluding Sasha Vujacic & Luke Walton) is solid, therefore on any night the hottest combination of five will finish the game. Within the bench mob, the standouts so far have been the Killer B’s: Steve Blake, Matt Barnes & Shannon Brown.
Steve Blake: A NCAA champ that has been on a few teams in his career was a steal in free agency. He is a steady floor leader with a deep knowledge for the triangle offense. He runs the second team as if he was raised in this system. Steve finds angles on his passes and finds the best open option. Best of all he is a team player that can defend speedy point guards better than Derek Fisher.
Matt Barnes: He seems to bounce from team to team, but what others don’t appreciate, the Lakers do. Matt hustles, can defend the opponents’ best player and hit the open three. He has the same defensive mindset as Ron Artest with a leaner, more athletic body. Barnes greatest attribute is what drew praises from Kobe: his tenacity. Other teams didn’t value his contributions, but he has found a home with the Lakers.
Shannon Brown: Kobe has taken him under his wing since they acquired him a couple of years ago. He’s been known as a dunker, but this summer he did work on his jumper and has come out swinging. Shannon’s athleticism is second to none, but his aggressive style on both ends of the court adds energy. Personally, I believe he was held back the past years because of his selfish former backcourt mate – Jordan Farmar. Once they let Farmar walk, Shannon was able to step into his own.
This year’s team has gotten off to a fast start because of their balanced attack. Some games the starters have played great, then other times the bench stole the show. It’s scary to think that Andrew Bynum and Theo Ratliff will return soon and strengthen the already stronger (than last year) champs!
Lakers Youngsters Making The Difference Early
The biggest difference with last year’s NBA Champs and this year’s team is the deeper bench. One through twelve (excluding Sasha Vujacic & Luke Walton) is solid, therefore on any night the hottest combination of five will finish the game. Within the bench mob, the standouts so far have been the Killer B’s: Steve Blake, Matt Barnes & Shannon Brown.
Steve Blake: A NCAA champ that has been on a few teams in his career was a steal in free agency. He is a steady floor leader with a deep knowledge for the triangle offense. He runs the second team as if he was raised in this system. Steve finds angles on his passes and finds the best open option. Best of all he is a team player that can defend speedy point guards better than Derek Fisher.
Matt Barnes: He seems to bounce from team to team, but what others don’t appreciate, the Lakers do. Matt hustles, can defend the opponents’ best player and hit the open three. He has the same defensive mindset as Ron Artest with a leaner, more athletic body. Barnes greatest attribute is what drew praises from Kobe: his tenacity. Other teams didn’t value his contributions, but he has found a home with the Lakers.
Shannon Brown: Kobe has taken him under his wing since they acquired him a couple of years ago. He’s been known as a dunker, but this summer he did work on his jumper and has come out swinging. Shannon’s athleticism is second to none, but his aggressive style on both ends of the court adds energy. Personally, I believe he was held back the past years because of his selfish former backcourt mate – Jordan Farmar. Once they let Farmar walk, Shannon was able to step into his own.
This year’s team has gotten off to a fast start because of their balanced attack. Some games the starters have played great, then other times the bench stole the show. It’s scary to think that Andrew Bynum and Theo Ratliff will return soon and strengthen the already stronger (than last year) champs!
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