Hypothetical/Polll: Could Popovich lead this group of Lakers to a championship?

[Chris]

Assuming the team played here in San Antonio. Pop would never coach in Los Angeles :lol

[Stalin]

5 star thread will read again and recommend to family and friends

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

As it's currently constructed, with the lack of bench and the variety of issues of age, injury history, ego, etc. in the starting five, that's not a championship team under anyone's leadership. It's not a team that should be under .500 and looking lottery bound, either.

[Chris]

As it's currently constructed, with the lack of bench and the variety of issues of age, injury history, ego, etc. in the starting five, that's not a championship team under anyone's leadership. It's not a team that should be under .500 and looking lottery bound, either.

I think a team with Kobe, Dwight, Pau, Nash, and Artest as your starting 5 could and should win championships. Jamison is your 6th man and you just plug and play from there. Hill and Ebanks give you energy off the bench. It's actually a pretty damned good team tbh

[Mel_13]

I think a team with Kobe, Dwight, Pau, Nash, and Artest as your starting 5 could and should win championships. Jamison is your 6th man and you just plug and play from there. Hill and Ebanks give you energy off the bench. It's actually a pretty damned good team tbh

That's what Buss thought when he signed off on paying 130 million dollars for that team. Should have brought back Phil to protect that investment.

[Chinook]

I don't think so. If he had had an off-season to build a bench, then there'd be more hope. Even if Pop could get the Lakers to get over themselves, that team is still nothing but a collection of aging and injured stars and d-league role players.

[spurraider21]

Pop would be sure to use Pau effectively on offense and teach Dwight to be more disciplined on D instead of chasing stats by running 9 feet out to try to block a low percentage shot. He also wouldn't take any of Kobe's BS on offense and would let the offense work for Kobe. Much less iso and less jacking up contested shots with 15 on the clock. Spacing with Nash too. Pop has shown he can coach many styles, from being a drag it out defensive team to the motion offense we have now. Not to mention even in our slow paced years we would ramp it up vs the Suns and beat them at their own game. Versatile as they come, and he could to wonders with the roster.

[Chris]

That's what Buss thought when he signed off on paying 130 million dollars for that team. Should have brought back Phil to protect that investment.

I guess Mike Brown didn't know what to do with all that talent. He coached a one man show in Cleveland for so many years that it made him a one trick pony.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I think a team with Kobe, Dwight, Pau, Nash, and Artest as your starting 5 could and should win championships. Jamison is your 6th man and you just plug and play from there. Hill and Ebanks give you energy off the bench. It's actually a pretty damned good team tbh

It is a pretty good team, but even if the pieces were to get healthy and gel as a team I think the lack of shooting and athleticism would spell doom against Miami or OKC.

[Chris]

It is a pretty good team, but even if the pieces were to get healthy and gel as a team I think the lack of shooting and athleticism would spell doom against Miami or OKC.

I agree that they are old and perhaps not as athletic, but they are all winners. With the proper motivation this team would be scary as fuck in the playoffs :lol
Plus OKC and Miami are looking a lot more beatable these days imo

[Kidd K]

No. Kobe is uncoachable. Gregg Popovich can only do his job when players are willing to do what the coach asks.

Then there's Dwight Howard, who I think it's safe to say at this point is a locker room cancer. Then there's Metta, another seemingly uncoachable player.

Popovich would have to try doing something with Gasol, Nash, and Jamison who seem to be the only players who will actually listen, and limit Kobe's minutes and shots. Problem is, two of those three are really old and shadows of their former selves, and the other is getting up there.

I don't think even Pop could win with them because of the nature of the Lakers' best two players, Bryant and Howard.

[Mal]

Probably not. This team is not clicking on personal ground. 2 coaches, 2 diffrent ideas on how to win basketball games, and both didnt work out.

[Brunodf]

Having a full training camp Pop would be 34-0

[Juggity]

Nobody can salvage this squad. It is flawed to the core.

[Fabbs]

:lol I laughed a little.

[024]

:lol of course. he would salivate over howard and pau on the same team and start running twin towers 2.0. the lakers won't end up a defensive juggernaut due to nash and kobe but should easily be in the top 5 of defensive teams. pop also has the balls to bench kobe until kobe "gets over himself."

[Koolaid_Man]

Assuming the team played here in San Antonio. Pop would never coach in Los Angeles :lol

A big fat NO !!! Dude couldn't survive in LA....He's too ugly..in fact I read somewhere that he's the ugliest coach in NBA History..and tbh that's hard to dispute

[baseline bum]

This is the wrong question tbh; the only one that matters here is whether Pringles can lead this group of Lakers to a playoff seed.

[Chris]

A big fat NO !!! Dude couldn't survive in LA....He's too ugly..in fact I read somewhere that he's the ugliest coach in NBA History..and tbh that's hard to dispute

Media there would hate Pop, but Jack Nicholson and the rest of the Laker faithful would be all over his nuts guaransheed

[Seventyniner]

Who would Pop bring off the bench? I could see him starting Hill and bringing Pau off the bench.

[TimmehC]

Who would Pop bring off the bench? I could see him starting Hill and bringing Pau off the bench.

Nash. He's the only guy on that team who can make random scrubs(read: Laker bench) around him better.

[Brazil]

if the players had the right attitude, Pop could definitely do wonders with that group. But Kobe, Dwight would never accept a pain in the ass I don't care about your resume you will play off the bench coach

[DMC]

Pop would need an RC Buford type GM and a Peter Holt type owner. It's not just Pop. Flamboyant personalities never fared well in SA, Jax not withstanding but even Jax has his issues. The Lakers are so ego heavy it would be hard for Pop to just go in and change the culture. However, he would do things that earned the trust of the players, like take a fine just to rest them if he thought they needed it, and no way Kobe gets 40 minutes a night under Pop. He'd get the most out of all of them, and we'd actually get to see if what they were capable of. Not all "stacked" teams are capable of playing championship level ball as a team.

[DMC]

Who would Pop bring off the bench? I could see him starting Hill and bringing Pau off the bench.

He'd find a way to bring Bonner off the bench.

[DMC]

Probably not. This team is not clicking on personal ground. 2 coaches, 2 diffrent ideas on how to win basketball games, and both didnt work out.

Neither coach had the foggiest idea how to win a championship. Mike D won games because he had Nash and Amare, and some serious outside shooting. He lost games because other teams could just shut him down and play the scoring game better.

Brown won because he had Lebron James, who's underrated as far as his ability to bring a team together, be unselfish and be basically unstoppable. He also makes his teammates better.

Pop has 4 rings, two of them with a team not greatly different than the one he has now. He has a system that's not a gimmick like Mike D's Italian no defense system. If he had the defensive pieces LA has, SA would be looking like the 72 win Bulls about right now.

[DeadlyDynasty]

No...as stated by others on this forum repeatedly, the role of NBA Head Coach isn't that important in the grand scheme of things. Look no further than last year's CF's for confirmation of that.

[HI-FI]

Media there would hate Pop, but Jack Nicholson and the rest of the Laker faithful would be all over his nuts guaransheed
agreed, I think Jack would love Pop. He'd probably try to get him to hang out, drink wine and do blow with him. It's the new breed/Rapist fans that wouldn't like Pop. :cryWhy aren't you letting Kobe play 40 minutes and shoot 41 times?:cry


Pop would need an RC Buford type GM and a Peter Holt type owner. It's not just Pop. Flamboyant personalities never fared well in SA, Jax not withstanding but even Jax has his issues. The Lakers are so ego heavy it would be hard for Pop to just go in and change the culture. However, he would do things that earned the trust of the players, like take a fine just to rest them if he thought they needed it, and no way Kobe gets 40 minutes a night under Pop. He'd get the most out of all of them, and we'd actually get to see if what they were capable of. Not all "stacked" teams are capable of playing championship level ball as a team.
Truth, RC and especially Peter Holt don't get enough credit. But Pop still is a great leader/tactician and I think he could easily have this team in the playoffs. Watching him bench Kobe would be hilarious, but I imagine Kobe would create all kinds of trouble for Pop.

[Malik Hairston]

Coaching isn't LA's problem, it hasn't been at any point..

Pop wouldn't be able to magically heal Howard's back and Gasol's entire lower body, the two biggest problems with the Lakers..

[Latarian Milton]

pop is known to be a pro in getting the most out of craps but it's still unproven if he can handle more than one superstar on his team tbh

[Chris]

pop is known to be a pro in getting the most out of craps but it's still unproven if he can handle more than one superstar on his team tbh

Got 2 rings with Robinson/Duncan

[KL2]

Can you imagine Pop yelling at Kobe like he does TD and TP? Fuuuuck no, Kobe would cry and demand him out of there, Pau would just cry since he's a pussy, same with Howard, too many big egos.

[Malik Hairston]

I doubt Kobe would have a problem with Pop's yelling, Pau as well, but ya, Howard would not be able to accept it..

[Killakobe81]

Lol great coach but he is not a miracle worker. We have no bench and shitty defense he would help with d but this bench is trash Pop is my third favorite coach all time behind Riles and Phil but none of them was bearing LeBron or Durant with this lineup. Pop hasn't even been to a Finals without a near prime Duncan and solid bench. No one on Laker roster playing close to a prime Duncan level despite a hof resumes

Dumb thread tbh

[StrengthAndHonor]

He would make a difference.

[StrengthAndHonor]

Just to show you guys an example albeit a small one.


Spurs vs Miami.

Spurs almost beat the Heat at home this year without Granger, Manu, TD and TP.


Plain and simple. Players respects Pop. Can't say the same for MDA.

[HarlemHeat37]

Just to show you guys an example albeit a small one.


Spurs vs Miami.


Spurs almost beat the Heat at home this year without Granger, Manu, TD and TP.


Plain and simple. Players respects Pop. Can't say the same for MDA.

:lol the Lakers almost beat the Spurs without Howard, Gasol and Hill..what a terrible argument, tbh..

[Brunodf]

:lol the Lakers almost beat the Spurs without Howard, Gasol and Hill..what a terrible argument, tbh..

Exacly, Lakers bench can play when they get touches

[StrengthAndHonor]

So you're actually arguing that Popovich as a head coach has no impact to his players?:wakeup

[StrengthAndHonor]

Pops will make a difference. He's the primary reason why the Spurs were relevant during those Duncan is done years.

[HarlemHeat37]

Pop would make the Lakers better, but he wouldn't make them contenders..if 2 of your 3 best players, your starting frontcourt, are clearly limited by injuries, your team isn't going to contend for a title, tbh..

[DAF86]

As it's currently constructed, with the lack of bench and the variety of issues of age, injury history, ego, etc. in the starting five, that's not a championship team under anyone's leadership. It's not a team that should be under .500 and looking lottery bound, either.

Pop would develop a bench by actually playing those guys.

[DAF86]

And to answer the OP's question, I don't know if championsip but they would definitely be a good team.

[StrengthAndHonor]

Pop would make the Lakers better, but he wouldn't make them contenders..if 2 of your 3 best players, your starting frontcourt, are clearly limited by injuries, your team isn't going to contend for a title, tbh..


I never said they will be contenders, but I do believe they will be a Top 4 team with Popovich.

[TrainOfThought5]

i think Pop Might just bench one of the super 4 to better fit a scheme, and provide better bench play.

[irishock]

Only PJ can lead the current Lakers to a title.

[Spurs9]

A big fat NO !!! Dude couldn't survive in LA....He's too ugly..in fact I read somewhere that he's the ugliest coach in NBA History..and tbh that's hard to dispute
http://oi47.tinypic.com/2r3gk8h.jpg