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**Damian Necronamous** · 09-28-2002, 11:19 PM

I give credit to robyg1974 for this idea...

Ok...post what you think the Lakers starting lineup will look like, some projected stats, and some of the key bench guys, and some scrubs that won't get minutes.

Here's mine:

2002-2003 Los Angeles Lakers
C: Shaquille O'Neal (Will still dominate games...28ppg 11rpg 2bpg)
PF: Samaki Walker (Will surprise many...10ppg 7rpg 1.5bpg)
SF: Rick Fox and Devean George(PJ will switch them between games, Rick...7ppg 4rpg, Devean...9ppg 4rpg)
SG: Kobe Bryant (Will have a MVP-like season...26ppg 5rpg 6apg)
PG: Derek Fisher (Will continue to lead the team and shoot lights out 3s...11ppg 3apg)

Key Bench Players (Excluding either George or Fox):
Robert Horry (Will have a better start to the season than he did last year...6ppg 5rpg)
Brian Shaw (Will improve from last year...4ppg 2apg)
AJ Guyton (Will also surprise some...5ppg 3apg)
Kareem Rush (Good Rookie season, will get better over time...8ppg 3apg)
Tracy Murray (Be the Lakers outside sniper...4ppg)

Bench warmers:
Mark Madsen (Will have his moments, but PJ won't let him get big minutes)
Slava Medvedenko (Same as Mad-Dog, but he has a better chance at getting more minutes...maybe 8mpg?)

09-29-2002, 07:47 AM

Roberto Horry should be the starting power forward since I don't really like Samaki Walker and consider him a clown after his poor performances during the playoffs last season. Sure, he was pretty good for the Spurs a few years back so we know he is capable of better things.

I'd give him the first 20 games of the season to prove himself, and make sure Phil Jackson tells him that face to face. If he doesn't perform up to our expectations then he'll just be in the squad rotation system and won't get much minutes, how do you guys feel about that?

**Damian Necronamous** · 09-29-2002, 10:11 AM

I've heard a couple people say that, but the fact of the matter is that Robert Horry never starts consistantly in the regular season.

After the Playoffs, people feel he is the starter, but Phil will still use him as a backup. He gives the Lakers bench a great player that could score double-digits when he needs to. Phil also puts him on the bench so he can be rested for the Playoffs.

Samaki will in all likelyhood be the starter...but I do think that Horry will start SOME games throughout the season (10-15).

**Jamel Irief** · 09-30-2002, 07:53 AM

Guards and centers are pretty much set. Kobe and Fish will start with Shaw and Rush playing a little bit under 20 minutes a game.

Center is pretty much set as well. Shaq plays as often as he can and Samaki moves up when he is out.

Forward is the big question mark. This may not be a popular opinion, but I think Fox might be out of the rotation. IMO the only areas of the game where he is better than George is passing and maybe ball-handling. The Lakers need some more athleticism so that Kobe isn't burnt out. And lets face it, Mitch doesn't give out 21 mill if he wasn't promised more time. Samaki I think is an improving player and is often maligned despite the face that he is by far the second best rebounder and shot blocker on the world champions. He also deserves more minutes than Rick. It goes without saying that Horry needs more minutes than Rick, and I would like to see him backing up Fox as well. After that Fox will battle with a motivatedTracy Murray for minutes, who should be one of the best 3 point marksmen in the league.

PG- Fisher 28 min, Shaw 10 min, Kobe 10 min
SG- Kobe 28 min, Rush 20 min
SF- George 28 min, Horry 10 min, Murray/ Fox 10 min
PF- Walker 20 min, Horry 10, Slava 18 min
C- Shaq 38 min, Walker 10 min

4th quarter line-up-
PG- Fisher
SG- Kobe
F- Horry
F- Walker/George (depending on matchups or who is playing better)
C- Shaq

c_dog · 09-30-2002, 02:45 PM

C - Shaq
PF - Walker
SF - Fox
SG - Kobe
PG - Fisher

Fisher will probably be replaced later in the season by Kareem, though. Fisher really isn't that great, and Kareem would be mature by then.

09-30-2002, 05:13 PM

It will take much more to make Kareem Rush mature enough to start for the world champions, IMO. Rush has the talent and everything there but offcourse when you're only going to get at most 20 minutes a night backing up for Kobe Bryant you won't develop into that big of a deal that quickly let's not fool ourself guys. Fisher gets the job done and would start on many basketball teams, I am an admire of his because even though he does go trough some bad times during the regular seasons but he always has the heart to shoot in big times and mos tof the times he succeeds.

I still don't trust Samaki Walker at all. We should have signed Shawn Kemp while he was available but whatever, we should rotate sometimes between Horry and Walker but none of them we can count on to put consistent numbers on any given night which is going to cause us difficulties if Shaq or Kobe has an off-night.

Wiggum · 09-30-2002, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chris!
It will take much more to make Kareem Rush mature enough to start for the world champions, IMO.

The World Champions...?

We finished in 6th.

<<<D>>> · 09-30-2002, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jemel Irief!
Guards and centers are pretty much set. Kobe and Fish will start with Shaw and Rush playing a little bit under 20 minutes a game.

Center is pretty much set as well. Shaq plays as often as he can and Samaki moves up when he is out.

Forward is the big question mark. This may not be a popular opinion, but I think Fox might be out of the rotation. IMO the only areas of the game where he is better than George is passing and maybe ball-handling. The Lakers need some more athleticism so that Kobe isn't burnt out. And lets face it, Mitch doesn't give out 21 mill if he wasn't promised more time. Samaki I think is an improving player and is often maligned despite the face that he is by far the second best rebounder and shot blocker on the world champions. He also deserves more minutes than Rick. It goes without saying that Horry needs more minutes than Rick, and I would like to see him backing up Fox as well. After that Fox will battle with a motivatedTracy Murray for minutes, who should be one of the best 3 point marksmen in the league.

PG- Fisher 28 min, Shaw 10 min, Kobe 10 min
SG- Kobe 28 min, Rush 20 min
SF- George 28 min, Horry 10 min, Murray/ Fox 10 min
PF- Walker 20 min, Horry 10, Slava 18 min
C- Shaq 38 min, Walker 10 min

4th quarter line-up-
PG- Fisher
SG- Kobe
F- Horry
F- Walker/George (depending on matchups or who is playing better)
C- Shaq

Good Post Jemel.......
I agree with you on the rotation as well

**R-Star** · 09-30-2002, 07:04 PM

Shaq is out till december. So rething that lineup

<<<D>>> · 09-30-2002, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wiggum!

The World Champions...?

We finished in 6th.

OHH PLEASE.....YA KNOW WHAT HE MEANT

Wiggum · 09-30-2002, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by <<<D>>>!

OHH PLEASE.....YA KNOW WHAT HE MEANT

Yeah, I know what he meant...I just think it's a little silly that people are still calling the NBA champions the world champions after a 6th place finish in the world basketball championships.

Anyways, I pretty much agree with the general consensus in this thread, but I don't think Rush will get many minutes. He's playing for a Phil Jackson team backing up Kobe Bryant. This would be my prediction of the team w/o O'Neal.

PG Fisher
SG Bryant
SF Fox
PF Horry
C Walker

...and with O'Neal...

PG Fisher
SG Bryant
SF Fox
PF Walker
C O'Neal

...and, of course, the playoff starters will be...

PG Fisher
SG Bryant
SF Fox
PF Horry
C O'Neal

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