After Clipper Performance Byron Scott Calls Lakers “Soft”
Despite match-ups that didn’t favor the Lakers, Byron Scott was furious after the Clippers loss.
The Clippers, in their matchup with the Lakers on Wednesday night, displayed all of their athletic talent. They ran they floor. They were explosive around the rim as they blocked five shots. They moved the ball. They contested every Lakers shot in the paint and around the rim. “They are a better team”, Kobe Bryant said. “They have better players.”
But the Clippers were helped tremendously by the Lakers laziness. It was, by far, the Lakers worst defensive effort of the season. Every Clippers shooter was wide open, barely touched. The Lakers didn’t rotate to the perimeter, nor run back in transition. They had that glazed look of a team that was playing their third game in four nights.
Jan 7, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (6) tries to pass the ball away from Los Angeles Clippers forward Ekpe Udoh (13) and guard C.J. Wilcox (30) during the game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Like they did last year, the Clippers handed the Lakers a humiliating defeat, 114-89.
Byron Scott was fuming afterwards, his veins were pulsing. He called the Lakers “soft.” Byron refused to tell the media what he told the team at halftime but it was something along the lines of “man up.”
Of course, a month ago, Kobe called his team “soft” and it made headlines. Byron omitted the Charmin Tissue reference that caused a stir when Kobe’s comments went viral. Byron is too old-school for that, too much of a straight shooter to be bothered with metaphors. There was no beating around the bush. He just came out and said that the Lakers had no heart.
Byron wasn’t finished either. Because the Lakers showed little interest or desire in playing the game the right way, Byron promised that during practice tomorrow his wrath would be felt.
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To start the game, the Lakers had to adjust their lineup because of Wesley Johnson (hip) and Ronnie Price (nose, stitches). It was Ronnie Price they missed. He plays with an edge, a chip on his shoulder, like someone just killed his dog. Without his example, the Lakers were far too casual as they stood in line watching Chris Paul.
Chris Paul’s eyes lit up every time he saw Jeremy Lin. Conveniently, and quite easily, Paul destroyed Lin, dribbling past him and scoring uncontested jumpers. The Lakers were able to cut the lead to six when the Clippers bench, the weak link on their team, was asked to maintain the double digit lead. They couldn’t and Doc Rivers inserted Chris Paul back into the game. The lead mushroomed again. The Clippers explosiveness was more than the Lakers could handle.
Chris Paul, who had a miserable game against Jeff Teague and the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, capitalized on the Lakers unwillingness to contest shots, and directed the show. It was one Blake Griffin dunk after another. Or, one Blake Griffin wide open mid-range jumper after another. For the Clippers, and Griffin especially, it probably felt like practice.
As for the Lakers, they looked like a deer in headlights. Kobe Bryant missed all his shots in the first half and in the second half he wasn’t much better, finishing with 4 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists. Jordan Hill was effective in the first quarter but the Clippers took away his advantage by going to Blake Griffin again and again. Jordan Hill was neutralized and then invisible.
The bright spot for the Lakers was that Tarik Black got minutes in the 4th quarter. Surprisingly, he has moves off the dribble and can get to the rim. He’s a big body but is not very explosive. Jordan Clarkson got into another game which is a plus. He needs as many minutes as he can get. Other than that it was a forgettable game. The gulf between the two teams is larger than the Pacific Ocean.
The Clippers don’t have a first round draft pick this year. That goes to the Celtics. And the way things are shaping up, the Lakers will have a top 5 pick plus Houston’s first rounder.