Are the Lakers title contenders in the future with Byron Scott as coach? He thinks so. [stop laughing].
SCOTT: LAKERS WILL WIN A TITLE WITH ME AS COACH
The Los Angeles Lakers are off to their worst start in their 66-year franchise history. They’re 1-9 and even Jeremy Lin is speechless with the way they are playing.
But coach Byron Scott is remaining positive. Well, he has to, doesn’t he.
Via ESPN:
Before a recent game, Byron Scott said he told his players “doubt kills dreams.” The Los Angeles Lakers coach was just getting warmed up. […] “I told them that I have no doubt that we will win a championship in my tenure here as head coach,” Scott said last week, “because I know this organization. But I do know it’s going to take some patience. It’s a process.”
“I agree,” Lakers star Kobe Bryant said when asked about Scott’s remark. […] “Faith,” Bryant continued. “The Lakers’ track record. This organization is really good about turning around, period. We don’t have many dry years.”
“It’s a lottery,” said Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said during a recent interview in his office. “It doesn’t mean anything. I mean, last year, we got the seventh pick in the draft, and to me, it felt like we lost every game. I don’t know how you lose more games to try to get a better pick. I just don’t know how you do it.” […] “We would never [tank],” he said. “This business doesn’t work that way.”
METTA WORLD PEACE CONFRONTED J.R. LAST SEASON
On the tenth anniversary of the infamous “Malice at the Palace” Metta World Peace, who is releasing a book to commemorate the incident revealed that while at the New York Knicks last season, confronted so-called lazy players.
World Peace, who is playing in China at present is hoping for a return to the NBA at a later stage of this season.
Via the New York Post:
“I don’t understand why they didn’t [sign] me,’’ World Peace said. “But then again, I’m very direct. I think I was too direct in the locker room, too direct to J.R. Smith. It wasn’t from a bad place. I’m older, been on great teams in Sacramento and L.A.
“If someone is not playing defense or not giving effort, that’s my speciality. I don’t hold back on my words. Nobody wants to talk direct to them. We don’t give it to them straight. […] I said some things directly to J.R. Smith in the locker room and he challenged me back, said some direct things to me. But he understood where we came from.”
According to World Peace, on one occasion, owner James Dolan walked into the film room for a bull session. World Peace said he was the only player to speak up about why the team was in disarray. […] “You don’t hold nothing back when things are going wrong,” World Peace said. “You have to tell Melo [Carmelo Anthony] when he’s being lazy. You have to speak about these things, so when the playoffs come, everyone knows where everybody stands.”
“Actually it feels like [The Malice in the Palace] never happened, only the footage keeps me affiliated, ” World Peace said. “Mentally I’ve moved on from it. One of the things I wanted to do was in the book was go through the years before the incident and my mentality that night and the night before. And my relationships with my father, mother, things I couldn’t let go as a kid.”
CURRY IS THE BEST POINT GUARD IN THE NBA, SAYS KERR
Best three-pointer in the NBA: Yes. Best PG: No.
But Warriors coach Steve Kerr believes that Steph Curry is the best point guard in the NBA right now. We don’t echo his statement but it’s his views, right?
Via CSN Bay Area:
That’s as good a point guard job as I’ve ever seen, what Steph did tonight,” Kerr declared. “Managing the game, being aggressive at the right times, taking care of the ball, finding guys.
“The guy has taken another level. I think he’s the best in the NBA right now at that position.”
“The only thing I wasn’t sure about was Steph’s defense at a high level,” Kerr said. “But the level of Steph’s defense this year is beyond what I expected. […] I knew he was better defensively than people gave him credit for, but honestly, what he’s done this year at that end is remarkable.”
