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The LA Times reported about Odom possibly shifting back to guard next season. Now, some people are thinking, wait a minute, if Bynum returns, doesn’t that push Odom to SF? Why would he play shooting guard - isn’t that Kobe’s position?

Positions in the triangle offense are different than those of conventional offenses.
—you may skip this paragraph is you know what I’m talking about—

The triangle offense really employs a 2-guard front (no true point guard in theory), consisting of a lead guard and a lag guard. The purpose of having a 2-guard front is to react better to what the defense is doing. The purpose of the guards is to set up a sideline triangle (thus it’s namesake), made up of a post player (forward), guard (on the perimeter), and the wing (on the perimeter but close to the corner baseline). The purpose of this is to create an overload offense, to create a high percentage shot based on what the defenses do. On the opposite side, unrelated to the triangle, is the offside guard and offside forward. These guys should be good shooters because it’ll prevent defenses from overplaying the sideline triangle (coming to help, double-team, etc.). But upon ball reversal, they can either go to a 2-man game, isolation for the offside post, or they can set up another triangle on the opposite side (using the wing cutting baseline).

—end triangle jargon—

Odom did play more guard than forward in his first year under Phil Jackson, the 05-06 season. That year, Kobe played more on the wing, when Kobe averaged 35 points a game. This was also the year when Kobe scored 62 points in 3 quarters against the Mavs, and 81 against the Raptors.

There’s no question Kobe is most productive and lethal when he plays more at the wing and high post.

But Odom had struggled to organize the offense effectively, he wasn’t as proficient in that facilitator role, and the Lakers’ offense became too dependent on Kobe to do everything (Odom would just pass him the ball at the top of the key almost every time). On top of that, Odom wasn’t proving himself to be a capable 2nd scorer, especially on the perimeter.

Thus, Phil Jackson couldn’t think of a better solution than put Kobe Bryant back at guard FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE TEAM, since Kobe knows the offense and has the ability to throw entry passes, read defenses, run the pick and roll, drive and kick, etc. The proof was in the pudding. In 05-06, Kobe dropped 50 points on the Suns twice in that season (once in the reg season, once in the playoffs), and the Lakers lost both games. The limitations of a one-man wrecking ball and the demands of a sputtering-team offense pushed Kobe out of the interior and onto the perimeter, to a more playmaking, facilitating role in the following seasons.

So Phil moved Kobe back to guard in 06-07. But that year was even worse, showing that his teammates simply weren’t good enough - regardless of whether Kobe played the scorer or playmaker. Lamar had struggled facilitating the offense in the previous year, but when he moved into the frontcourt, Odom also struggled to consistently score. The conclusion was that Odom simply wasn’t consistent enough to be a 2nd option in any context

Luckily, after Gasol’s arrival, Odom embraced his role as the offside forward - and as the 3rd option. But how would he fare back at guard and as the fourth option when Bynum returns?

Odom’s move back to guard will be a bit different than in 05-06. It won’t be as demanding, since Fish can handle some duties (rather than the bit player Smush was), as well as Gasol in the high post, as well as Bynum in the low post, and of course, Kobe.

This time around, Odom won’t have to be the Scottie-Pippen type of facilitator to Kobe’s Jordan. Because we’re not the Bulls, we’re not the championship Lakers, we’re something entirely different. We have quality at almost every position, everybody is a willing passer and a scoring threat. No longer are the Lakers relying on Kwame, Smush, and Luke. Having the right kind of talent at every position is conducive to fully realizing the potential of the triangle offense.

Also, this time around, Odom also doesn’t have to be the 2nd option. So his role changes. Rather than a primary ballhandler at guard, Odom will be more of a trigger man and ball-mover. Rather than pulling up for the jump shot, he’ll have to catch-and-shoot.

As a whole, the guard role that Odom will have to play would be less demanding, but at the same time, these simpler demands aren’t his natural strengths, so he’ll have to adjust.

And anyways, the offense relies on a certain level of interchangeability, and of course, Kobe’s the ultimate bail-out card, so Odom will have ample time and wiggle room to acclimate himself with a modified role at guard.

Then again, why go through the trouble and risk of putting Odom through the adjustment, when they could probably acquire a more conventional catch-and-shoot small forward who could play perhaps even better defense? All at a cheaper cost? The Battiers, the Poseys, the Bowens, the Raja Bells, they don’t make max-money. They make MLE money.

A proper analogy would be Matt Damon in the Ocean’s movies. Matt Damon is an excellent actor, a leading actor, a serious actor. Wtf is he doing as a bit comedy actor in the Ocean’s movies? Clearly it’s really a Pitt-Clooney vehicle, everybody else is just along for the ride. Which is fine, because most of the supporting cast are role players. But Matt Damon? First of all, he’s not very funny but he’s trying really hard to be, and second of all, it’s kind of a waste of his talent.

Then again, he’s from Boston, so…figures.

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 22nd, 2008 at 1:10 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.