Los Angeles Lakers Must Solve Their Depth Dilemma

[Originally published on BleacherReport.com]

With a combined 10 titles, 15 all-star selections and numerous all-NBA nominations, the Los Angeles Lakers’ starting five is without question the most lethal lineup in the NBA.

But when the second unit is called upon to supplant the starters, you might as well have your stress ball in-hand.

On Friday’s Christmas Day collapse, L.A.’s bench was the subject of scrutiny yet again— and for good reason. The Cavalier reserves outscored those of the Lakers, 31-17, including 19-2 in the first half. Truth be told, L.A.’s bench has been outscored 184-96 in five losses this season.

The Lakers’ bench, however, is not their problem. Instead, L.A.’s problem is the inability to find a viable medium between a near-flawless starting five and a subpar supporting cast.

For one, it is simply unrealistic to expect the bench mob to produce the same results as the current starters, especially when you replace two superstars (Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol), a lockdown defender (Ron Artest), a potential all-star (Andrew Bynum) and a gritty veteran (Derek Fisher) with a bunch of unproven players who, aside from Lamar Odom, are no less expendable than the truth is to a politician.

Naturally, there is going to be a considerable decline in production.

So how can Phil Jackson employ a more balanced attack rather than the “all in” approach he has used thus far?

It starts with benching Andrew Bynum, who has taken a major backseat to Pau Gasol since the Spaniard returned from a hamstring injury that sidelined him at the start of the season.

For whatever reason . Intimidation? Lack of touches? Not enough room to operate? Bynum has proven to be much less comfortable with Gasol on the floor.

While his numbers are indicative of this—the 22-year-old’s averages have dropped almost five points and four rebounds in wake of Gasol’s return—Bynum’s passive play and overall lack of involvement on both sides of the ball are more mind-boggling than his drop-off in stats.

By delegating him to the bench, Bynum becomes the second unit’s primary low-post option, a role in which he flourished while Gasol was out for the first 11 games, when he posted 20 points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots per game. Furthermore, Bynum's presence will open up the floor for Jordan Farmar, Shannon Brown and even Sasha Vujacic if and when Bynum commands a double-team.

So with whom do you replace Bynum?

I’m glad you asked. Lamar Odom.

In theory, L.O. is your prototypical sixth man. He can play power forward or point forward, which creates matchup problems for most opponents, and he makes plays for both himself and for his teammates equally well.

But in reality, Odom has struggled as the Lakers’ sixth man. Since being designated back to the bench now that Gasol has resumed his starting role, Odom’s minutes have expectantly decreased, causing a shift in his MO.

Instead of allowing the game to come to him and playing within the offense like he was accustomed to doing as a starter—when he nearly averaged a double-double—Odom has been caught between trying to do too much on some nights and not doing enough on others since coming off the bench.

By reinserting him into the starting lineup, Odom provides the Lakers with more spacing in the triangle offense, a three-point threat (at least compared to Bynum) that will make opposing defenses second-guess sending a double-team to Bryant and Gasol, a player who can go coast-to-coast on any given possession and a defender who is effective both on the perimeter and in the paint.

Sure, the Lakers have won 16 of their last 18 games on their way to a Western Conference-best 23-5 record, but they are just 3-4 against the West’s top eight teams. And unless they can discover an equilibrium from beginning to end, starters to subs, the Lakers may win some battles, but they certainly won’t win the war.

Josh Hoffman is a college junior working to become a sports journalist. You can contact him at jhoffmedia@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter here.

Tiger Woods: Booking It

[Originally published on BleacherReport.com]

Tiger Woods wrote a book, did you hear?

It is called, “How to Completely Mismanage Your Life after You’ve Been Caught Committing Adultery—For the World’s Richest Dummies.”

And he wrote it to supplement the money he is losing from his suspicious sponsors, some of which have flushed him down the toilet like he is the byproduct of a stomach-wrenching meal. That is how knowledgeable Woods has become on this subject.

You would assume that, with the amount of dinero he has pocketed since turning pro in 1996—Woods has been the PGA Tour money leader nine times, not to mention his numerous endorsers which derive from almost every sector of the economy—he could find the right people to give him the right advice, like verbally acknowledging his mistakes and vowing to become a changed man.

Aside from that quivering voicemail Woods left one of his now-countless mistresses, we have yet to hear from him. Instead, all he has done is publish written statements with perfect English and perfect wording—like “transgressions” and “infidelity,” two words half of America probably had to look up in the dictionary—that embody the seemingly perfect person he was once perceived to be.

Guess what Tiger, you are not perfect. No one is. Wake up and smell this realization. In fact, don’t just smell it. Cut it up and snort it so you can feel it in your icy veins. And once you have done that, come out from behind your website and fess up.

But no, Woods is too much of a wimp to face the public and admit his imperfections. He can pump his fist in victory and throw his clubs in frustration like Mr. Testosterone, but when it comes to confessing his faults, Woods is hiding in the thickest of rough, nowhere to be seen.

Some say he should appear on Oprah. I say: spare us. Unless he wants to be called Panda Woods for the rest of his life.

Others suggest he should start with “60 Minutes”. I suggest he files a restraining order against anyone who has any relation to CBS. “60 Minutes” is more cliché than the saying, “Money can’t buy you love.” (Well, on second thought, it probably can’t—just ask Elin.)

Tiger, if you are reading this, do yourself a favor and call your own press conference. Invite every media outlet who plastered your fist-pumping, red-shirt flaunting self on their newspaper, website, TV airwaves or magazine when you won one of your 71 PGA Tour events. Invite every sponsor, past and present, that placed their financial future in your hands. And most importantly, invite Elin.

Invite Elin because, even if she declines your invitation, at least you can tell us that you wanted to issue her the apology she deserves, that you wanted to promise her you will pour all of the time and energy into being the husband of husbands and the father of fathers that you used to pour into being the golfer of golfers.

And then answer the questions, the who, what, where, when, and why’s—because those questions will never go away, even if you decide to keep quiet for the next five years.

After all, you are Tiger Woods, the first billion-dollar athlete, which is essentially code for: The greatest athlete of all time. You transcended golf from a white man’s game into a multiracial sport. You are known by people who have never even picked up a golf club, simply because at one time your endorsements ranged from American Express to Accenture, two companies that have absolutely nothing to do with golf—or any other sport for that matter.

And to sum it up: You had extramarital sex with perhaps as many women as you have emerged victorious in Majors (14). People do not forget things like that. We may forgive you for them—and probably will—but only after you come forth with the truth. And nothing but the truth.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get going.

I have a book signing to attend.

Josh Hoffman is a college junior working to become a sports journalist. You can contact him at jhoffmedia@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter here.

Fishing for a Sidekick

[Originally published on SportsTalkBuzz.com]

Batman has Robin, Mario has Luigi and Kobe Bryant has Derek Fisher, his under-the-radar sidekick who has been through the trenches and title runs with him from day one of his NBA career – literally.

Bryant and Fisher were both drafted in 1996, Kobe by the Charlotte Hornets and Derek taken 24th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers.

After Bryant was traded to Los Angeles, they instantly developed a friendship and would eventually become great teammates and even better friends, despite Fisher’s brief stints with the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz from 2004 to 2007.

Off the court, Fisher served as Bryant’s crutch during his 2003 sexual assault case. Bryant mostly kept to himself during those tough times, but when he needed a confidant, Fisher provided that support system.

Fisher’s support, however, has largely been levied on the court.

In 2007, Fisher returned to Los Angeles after the Jazz admirably granted his request to be released from his contract in order to relocate to a team and city that would have the “right combination” of specialists to help fight his daughter’s rare eye cancer. That summer, the Lakers signed Fisher in hopes of calming down the then-furious Bryant, who asked to be traded after the Lakers were bounced from the first round of the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

Even though they would go on to lose in the Finals the following year, the Lakers emerged as the favorite to win the West in the 2008-09 season with a full year of Pau Gasol and Trevor Ariza, as well as a healthy Andrew Bynum. And that is exactly what they did, en route to their 15th Larry O’Brien Trophy and Bryant and Fisher’s fourth ring together.

While Bryant won his first Finals MVP award that season, it was Fisher who knocked down two clutch threes – one to send the game into overtime and another with 30 seconds left in the extra session to break a tie – sealing Game 4 and paving the way for the series-clinching blowout in Game 5.

Two weeks ago, with the Lakers down four at home against the Heat, Fisher nailed a trey that cut Miami’s lead to one with just over four seconds remaining in regulation, setting up Bryant’s game-winning, three-point circus act that extended the Lakers’ winning streak to eight games.

And then on Wednesday night in Milwaukee, a double-teamed Bryant deferred to his wide open partner-in-crime, who calmly knocked down a jump shot to give the Lakers a 95-93 lead with half a minute to go in a game the Lakers would ultimately win on Bryant’s overtime buzzer-beater.

Amid his aforementioned assault case, his feuds with Shaquille O’Neal and his transition from a teenage NBA player to a world champion, MVP and Olympic gold medalist, Bryant has come a long way in hopping over the “All-Time Greatest Players” fence.

Without Fisher there to give him a boost, Bryant may still be struggling to get over it.

Josh Hoffman is a college junior working to become a sports journalist. You can contact him at jhoffmedia@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter here.

Golf's Major Disappointment

[Originally published on SportsTalkBuzz.com]

By now you’ve probably heard about his single-car accident during the wee hours of the night following Thanksgiving, his extramarital affairs that keep surfacing like grass after it’s been fertilized and the latest of all, his indefinite hiatus from the PGA Tour.

Yeah, that’s right, Tiger Woods is taking an indefinite hiatus from professional golf, the sport that paved the way for him to become the overwhelmingly-lucrative athlete he is today.

Prior to his decision to take a leave of absence, I really could care less about this story. Heck, people get in single-car accidents and have affairs all the time – big deal. But then Woods announced his sabbatical from golf, and suddenly I care more about this story than I do about getting a much-needed haircut.

I’ve never been one to judge public figures as people because, just like you and I, they’re not perfect. Do I agree with some of their decisions? Of course not, but I understand their imperfections, just like I understand my mother’s questionable and at times nerve-racking driving. After all, she’s a Goff Girl (translation: my mother and her sister, both of whom bear the maiden name Goff, are notorious for being subpar drivers). Instead, I judge public figures on why they’re in the limelight. In this case, Woods is a public figure because he’s the greatest golfer – and arguably athlete – on Earth. Thus, I judge him on what he does with a golf club, not what he does with his you-know-what.

Now Woods won’t be playing on the PGA Tour anytime soon, and that’s what bothers me.

It bothers me that Woods, amid his “transgressions” and “infidelity,” seemingly never took the time to realize how he became the world’s first billion-dollar athlete, how he had his own type of Gatorade – you know, the most recognized drink in all of sports – and how he worked his way into the “Greatest Athlete of All-Time” conversation. But most importantly, Woods seemingly never took the time to realize the crater-like impact he has on the game of golf.

Other great players in other professional sports have come and gone, and the transition away from those players has been rather seamless. For instance, the NBA continues to thrive even after Michael Jordan’s two retirements. But without Woods, professional golf merely returns to the group of irrelevant sports, which includes Canadian football, bog snorkeling and toe wrestling. (Yes, bog snorkeling and toe wrestling are actual sports.)

Woods was once the picture-perfect athlete: the ultimate competitor, a philanthropist (see: the Tiger Woods Foundation) and a family man whose relationships with his parents, especially the one he had with his father, are well-documented. He dominated golf so much that, when he didn’t play on the PGA Tour, TV ratings fell 50 percent.

During his hiatus professional golf will surely suffer, but at least the drop-off is mutual, because Tiger Woods is half the man he used to be.

Josh Hoffman is a college junior working to become a sports journalist. You can contact him at jhoffmedia@gmail.com.

A USC Football Fanatic

I had the great opportunity of meeting Roy Nwaisser, who has attended over 200 straight USC football games. My video below delves into his streak:

'A' for Effort

[Originally published on SportsTalkBuzz.com]

If the beginning of the 2009-10 season for the Los Angeles Lakers was a school exam, it would be a take-home quiz comprised of multiple choice and true-false questions.

Up to this point, eight of the Lakers’ first 14 opponents currently have losing records, and two of them are just one game above .500. To put dressing on the salad, they’ve won their last six games by almost 18 points per contest (and by “contest” I mean cake walk).

But like a take-home quiz counts toward the final grade, the Lakers’ 13-3 start counts toward their record at season’s end, a record that could determine home court advantage throughout the playoffs for them (see: last season’s championship run) or for their potential Finals opponent (see: their 2007 title tailspin) should they reach that round for the third straight year.

While some of their true tests don’t begin until a few weeks from now – when the team embarks on a five-game road trip – the Lakers are wisely taking advantage of their favorable schedule, much like most students utilize a take-home quiz to improve their grade.

For one thing, Phil Jackson can straighten out his crooked bench, which has struggled to maintain large leads and keep Mr. Momentum in purple and gold. Furthermore, Jackson has time to establish a consistent rotation now that Pau Gasol is back from injury.

What’s more, Lamar Odom – who is averaging just six points, six rebounds and three assists since retreating to his sixth-man role in wake of Gasol’s return – can use the next handful of games to figure out how he can be more effective as the second unit’s go-to guy.

But perhaps the greatest advantage of playing lesser opponents at the start of the season – not to mention hosting 17 of the first 21 games – is the ability to rest veterans like Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher and Ron Artest during most of the fourth quarter (if and when the Lakers are handily defeating teams late in the game), thereby preserving their legs and limiting injuries for the second half of the season, which features an eight-game roadie at the end of January and 11 of 15 games in March away from Staples Center.

Sure it’s hard to accurately assess the Lakers as it pertains to the long-run, just like it’s hard to assess a student’s overall performance based on a take-home quiz, even if that student achieves an A on it.

But as far as I’m concerned, an A is an A – and that’s exactly what the Lakers have earned thus far.

Josh Hoffman is a college junior working to become a sports journalist. You can contact him at jhoffmedia@gmail.com.

Once the 'Answer', Now a Question

[Originally published on SportsTalkBuzz.com]

If you look at his accolades alone, Allen Iverson is one of the greatest players of his generation.

For starters, he was named Rookie of the Year after being drafted number one overall by the 76ers in 1996. Then, during the 2000-01 season, A.I. averaged 31 points per game en route to his second of four scoring titles, notched the league MVP award and almost singlehandedly took his team to the Finals. What’s more, his resume also includes 10 all-star selections – two of which concluded in MVP honors – and three All-NBA first team tallies.

Pound for pound, Iverson may be the most successful scorer in NBA history (his 24,020 career points are good for 17th all-time), and while it’s impossible to tangibly measure heart and desire, it’s also impossible to question whether or not those of the Answer are up there with the best of them.

But as much admiration and respect as I have for Iverson and his “Leave it all out on the court” mentality, A.I. deserves to be in the “Greatest Players of His Generation” discussion as much as George W. Bush deserves to be in the “Greatest U.S. Presidents in the Last Century” debate.

In basketball you’re primarily judged by the number of rings on your fingers, not the number of individual awards hanging on your wall or in your trophy case. Either Iverson never got that memo, or his legacy means about as much to him as physical abuse prevention means to Rihanna.

You see, Iverson has always had the talent it takes to win a ring – or three – but it’s his me-first, team-last attitude that has been his biggest burden throughout his 14-year career. That, and his unwillingness to adapt to the team’s needs, embrace its philosophy, make personal sacrifices and do everything else that characterizes an NBA champion, let alone a champion in any team-oriented sport.

Everywhere Iverson has played – Philadelphia, Denver, Detroit and most recently in Memphis – he has never bought into the team concept, which the sport of basketball is basically all about. Unlike football and baseball, you have a small number of players who play both offense and defense. And everyone has a defined role: the go-to guy (or girl), the lockdown defender, the beast on the boards, the floor general, the shot-blocker, the spot-up shooter, the low-post threat – you get the point.

Championship-caliber teams have players who are both willing and able to adapt to the team’s needs, embrace its philosophy and make personal sacrifices. For instance, on the Lakers, everyone and their neighbor knows that Kobe is the go-to guy – including Ron Artest, who played that role on the Kings and Rockets (at least when Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady were both sidelined). Accordingly, Artest has become Los Angeles’ lockdown defender, allowing Kobe to save more energy for the offensive end – and as a result, the Lakers are an even better team now than they were a year ago. (Scary, I know.)

On the 76ers, there was never a shadow of a doubt that Iverson was the go-to guy. That was what the team’s needs called for and that was what the role in which he excelled. But when Iverson was traded to Denver three years ago, head coach George Karl needed him to be the floor general (AKA a pass-first, shoot-second point guard) since Carmelo Anthony already was the designated go-to guy. Iverson was incapable of meeting Karl’s needs, the Nuggets never reached their full potential and the Answer’s career from there on out was questionable at best.

Yesterday it was reported that Iverson plans to announce his retirement from the NBA – this coming after he signed a one-year deal with the Grizzlies, which resulted in a three-game stint and subsequent mutual termination of his contract. After being left unclaimed on waivers, the Knicks were rumored to have interest in signing Iverson as a free agent, but less than a week later word out of New York was that he isn’t the answer to any of the Knicks’ many problems (pun intended).

Allen Iverson used to be an all but guaranteed future Hall of Famer. Now, the Answer’s once-rightful place in Springfield, Mass. is in serious question.

Josh Hoffman is a college junior working to become a sports journalist. You can contact him at jhoffmedia@gmail.com.