BY ELLIOTT TEAFORD, Staff Writer; Article Last Updated:10/08/2007 10:23:20 PM PDT
HONOLULU - Coach Phil Jackson plans to add a new wrinkle to the Lakers' defense in 2007-08: He wants them to play some this season.
"We want to get back in order to prevent fastbreaks," he said. "We want to be in front of the basketball to stop penetration. We want to challenge shots. We want defensive rebounds to eliminate offensive rebounds. That's what we want to do.
"We had a different philosophy defensively. We changed our philosophy this year. We want to put more pressure on the ball in the scoring areas and not so much pressure outside the scoring areas. So our rotations will be a little different."
The Lakers gave up an average of 103.4 points last season, better than only five other teams in the NBA. They scored an average of 103.3, so you can see why they struggled to be a break-even team at 42-40 in 2006-07.
Jackson said he wants his players to be stingy this season, starting with tonight's exhibition opener against the Golden State Warriors (10 p.m. PDT at the University of Hawaii).
He doesn't want his guards chasing the ball from baseline to baseline this season, and he wants his big men to play more forcefully near the basket.
"Like anybody else, they're going to have to be active and get in the rotations," he said. "They're going to have to get away from the basket and challenge shots. Eliminate guys going directly to the basket, challenge guys, and then it's easy to block shots."
It might be easier said than done for two reasons, however.
First, the Lakers' big men are hurting after a week in paradise. Kwame Brown has spent more time wearing ice packs on his surgically repaired left ankle and right shoulder than scrimmaging. Chris Mihm also has been slow to rebound from ankle surgery.
Second, the Lakers' penchant for fouls was noteworthy last season. Foul trouble led to centers entering and exiting games through a rapidly spinning revolving door.
What an exhibition: Jackson made it clear he's no fan of exhibitions, although he acknowledged they serve a purpose in preparing teams for the regular season.
"They used to call them exhibitions," he said, breaking into a sly grin. "Now they call them preseason games because they don't want anyone to know that they're exhibitions. But they really are just exhibitions."
Adopting a more serious tone, Jackson added: "We don't want any players to get hurt. We want a flow to our game, but we also want our players to get into game shape. We'll try to extend their minutes from about 24 to 32 by the end of the preseason."
Kobe or Coby? With two guys named Kobe (or is it Coby?) in camp, you might think Jackson has a bit of trouble keeping them straight when he selects teams for scrimmages.
Since an opening-day mix-up, Jackson has taken to calling free-agent rookie Coby Karl, well, Coby Karl.
"I named the teams on the first day and Kobe (Bryant) said, `You named me on both teams. Which is it, black or white?"' Jackson said.
Asked if he calls Kobe Bryant by his full name, Jackson grinned and said, "No."
Impressing at camp: Jackson said Karl, the 24-year-old son of Denver Nuggets coach George Karl, and Elton Brown, a free-agent forward, were the most impressive players during the first week of training camp. "(But) neither of them has a spot on our roster," Jackson added.
The Lakers have 14 of the 18 players on their training camp roster under contract for this season. General manager Mitch Kupchak said he might sign a 15th before the regular season begins Oct. 30.
elliott.teaford@dailybreeze.com
(310) 540-4201
Copyright ©2007 Los Angeles Newspaper Group.
LAKERS NOTEBOOK: Defense is Lakers' priority this season
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