Coach Mike D'Antoni does not appreciate the strategy (via ESPN), but it should not surprise him. After all, he experienced the same thing when he coached Shaquille O'Neal during his stint with the Phoenix Suns. The thought process is the same, and in the NBA it can be a boring but necessary defensive scheme.
Line up the big men, and load up the fouls.
Fans may not respect this defensive strategy, and for good reason. However, if you are an opposing team, what would you do? Maintain the honor of playing standard, straight-up defense? It certainly doesn't do it any good to put Kobe Bryant on the line (83.8 percent for the season).
Winning any sports contest is about strategy. Find your opponent's biggest weakness. Exploit that weakness. Simple.
What are the most significant weaknesses of the Lakers? Defense and Dwight Howard's free-throw shooting.
D'Antoni is right when he was quoted as saying, "We're an entertainment business. That's not entertaining for anybody."
This is true. Who wants to watch a big man clank his throws? However, when it comes to key games, the goal is to win. Teams may recognize that the NBA is a business, but winning translates to earning power for individual players in the future.
An ugly win is still a win.
One could argue that one of D'Antoni's comments is only partially true. He said, "I hate it for the fans. They can come to practice for free and watch them shoot 40-50 foul shots. They don't even have to pay for tickets. I'll invite them all." You heard it, folks. Everyone is invited to Lakers practice.
Realistically, D'Antoni is not just worried about the...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
