Tag: Byron Scott

Byron Scott thinks Russell Westbrook can work with Lakers

Former Lakers player and head coach Byron Scott thinks Russell Westbrook could work very well with his old team this season.

Most, if not all, Los Angeles Lakers fans are down on Russell Westbrook and want him traded before training camp starts.

But a few observers actually think the former league MVP can play well with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, even after an ugly 2021-22 season.

Former Lakers star Norm Nixon said recently he has faith it can all work out for them. Byron Scott, the man he was traded for in 1983, seems to feel the same way.

Via Lakers Nation:

“Them just trying to force that whole situation to work, it was just chaos from the start. And the fact that Anthony (Davis) wasn’t healthy enough to really have any type of cohesiveness or chemistry between those three. I’m hoping this year that they’re healthy, I’m hoping that they’ve been working out and getting ready for the season, getting ready for the preseason and all that stuff because I think those guys together could be dynamic. But it’s gonna be one way or another, it’s gonna be really good or really bad, no in between.”

If Westbrook is still on the roster when the season starts, he will at least have the benefit of one season with the Purple and Gold under his belt.

Bad roster construction was a major reason last season’s Lakers missed the playoffs, and although this season’s roster doesn’t look a whole lot better, it isn’t quite as bad as it was months ago.

[mm-video type=video id=01gaw7q51cepg51pw6tf playlist_id=01f09kz5ecxq9bp57b player_id=01f5k5xtr64thj7fw2 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gaw7q51cepg51pw6tf/01gaw7q51cepg51pw6tf-3c9dfa13232b0900f6cbe6622d3122fe.jpg]

[listicle id=85345]

In a recent appearance on the ‘Getcha …

In a recent appearance on the ‘Getcha Popcorn Ready’ podcast hosted by Terrell Owens and Matthew Hatchette, the ex-Lakers coach went off after being asked if he felt that the modern analytics movement “ruined the game”: Via fubo Sports: “Absolutely. I really started to see a change when I got to the Lakers as a coach because they used that so much as a weapon, ‘well, the analytics tells us..’ I understand the analytics. You’ve got to shoot more threes. But you can’t more threes if you have guys that can’t shoot. I said, ‘So what does that analytics telling you?’”

Ex-Nets coach Byron Scott: Black coaches don’t get jobs with ‘built-in superstardom’

Former New Jersey Nets head coach Byron Scott thinks NBA players need to do more to help Black coaches.

Stephen A. Smith may be the loudest voice among those saying the Nets’ hiring of Steve Nash as Brooklyn’s next head coach is an example of white privilege, but he’s not the only one who’s expressed that opinion.

Byron Scott was the latest to state his frustration with Black coaches getting passed up for the job.

Though the former New Jersey Nets head coach “wasn’t surprised” or “shocked” by the hire — and spoke kindly of Nash — he does have a question for Brooklyn’s front office:

“My first thought was ‘why didn’t Mark Jackson or some other African-American guys who have coached in this league get an opportunity to at least go and do interview with the Brooklyn Nets?'” Scott told TMZ.

With the Nets announcement of Nash’s hiring, general manager Sean Marks expressed the organization met “with a number of highly accomplished coaching candidates from diverse backgrounds.”

Scott, who stated Kobe Bryant helped him land the Lakers job back in 2014, also explained what type of opportunities Black coaches typically get in the NBA.

We don’t get those jobs. When I’m talking about ‘we,’ I’m talking about Black coaches. We don’t get jobs that are that set and that good — when you got two All-Stars like Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. … We don’t get those jobs where you have built-in superstardom guys on that roster right away.

We get the kind of jobs where you have to make something out of nothing and when you don’t or you’re not able to do it, they’ll say, ‘Well, we gave him the opportunity.’

From his vantage point, Scott thinks the players need to do more to help Black coaches:

Our players don’t do a good enough job of advocating for Black coaches. That’s just something we have to change, as well. It’s just one of those things that’s going to take time. We all know that, but I think it’s something we have to pay attention to.

I wouldn’t say the onus is directly on them. I don’t wanna put that type of pressure on the players. I do want them to stand up for Black coaches though. I think they should be a little bit more involved in the process. … I think they understand that they do have a voice and they have a platform where they will be heard if they do voice their opinion. But I don’t want them to do nothing that doesn’t feel right to them.

Scott says he wants to see more …

Scott says he wants to see more powerful NBA players go to bat for Black candidates. “Our players don’t do a good enough job for advocating for Black coaches and that’s just something that we need to change as well.” Scott says when he was up for the Lakers head coaching job back in 2014, it was Kobe Bryant who had his back with upper management … and lo and behold, he got hired.

Why hasn’t the name Byron Scott been …

Why hasn’t the name Byron Scott been brought to the table? He is in my estimation a viable candidate. — Michael Whittaker When he led the Nets to two Finals, there were rumblings assistant Eddie Jordan was the Xs and Os mastermind. When Scott was fired, conflicting reports existed on Jason Kidd greasing the skids. Scott last coached the Lakers during their down period from 2014 to 2016. His 38–126 (.232) record is the worst of any of the 16 Lakers coaches with two seasons. One source says Scott wasn’t the hardest worker nor a fan of film study.

Byron Scott: Now I can really say that …

Analyzing the top five 3-point shooters in Los Angeles Lakers history

Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher are two of the best 3-point shooters in Lakers history

The Los Angeles Lakers have some of the top 3-point shooters in NBA history, with three former players and one current ranking among the top 40 all-time for 3-pointers made.

The late Kobe Bryant, Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones are the three former players who rank within that group. LeBron James ranks 14th all-time in 3-pointers (1,860).

As one of the league’s most historic and successful franchises, the Lakers have 10 former or current players who’ve made at least 350 3-pointers with the franchise. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ranks 10th in franchise history with 397.

Here are the top five 3-point shooters in Lakers history. All stats are from Basketball Reference and NBA.com stats.

1. Kobe Bryant 

When Bryant stepped on the floor, he had nearly any shot imaginable in his arsenal. The turnaround fadeaway was his signature, but Bryant is a legend because of how he got a variety of shots off.

If his team was in a pinch, Bryant was trusted to score. Hitting 3-pointers was a part of that. He’s No. 1 in Lakers history for 3-pointers made (1,827). Bryant shot 32.9% from deep for his career, but he ranks 17th in league history for 3-pointers.

Bryant and James are the only former or current Lakers players who rank in the top 20 for all-time 3-pointers.

Bryant shot 21.6% of his field goals from the 3-point line during his career, as he also ranks first in Lakers history for 3-point field goal attempts (5,546).

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5