They're baaaccckkk ...

I will miss the first 2 weeks of the season. I need some real NBA basketball before I leave the country. After these two preseason games the only sport I’ll be able to watch is soccer on ESPN Deportes! GOOOOAAAAALLLL!!!!!!
Don’t let me leave the US without at least a decent memory sports.

were 0 wins and three losses with no turn overs on defense. the fourth game they start a rookie quarterback because the starter and second string quarterbacks were hurt. the first game of the regular season orton had to wear a glove because his finger injury was not healed. because i am originally from chicago i am the only guy in colorado that can remember this stuff. by the time the playoffs come around nobody will remember denver played the lakers let alone what the final score was in preseason. denver will not have a regular preseason because of jr’s 7 game suspension. they have a mini season within the regular season. preparing for that has to be the priority. they have 4 new players that need to learn the offense and adapt to the system. winning 1 or both games against the lakers means nothing if denver gets off to a bad start the first 7 games.

I’m not an expert, these are just my opinions, regarding those questions:

1. Fisher has looked the same so far. Farmar and Brown have actually shared the backcourt together; Farmar’s creativity and hustle have been impressive this season. Brown’s athleticism is still there, but his court awareness and feel for the Triangle is inferior to Farmar’s. Vujacic has been playing a little pg, too. The Machine got a haircut and his stroke is back, so far.

2. There are 3 things about Bynum that have impressed me. First, the effort is there. He’ll try to beat his man down the court and seal him under the basket. Second, the Lakers are making a concerted effort to reward his post-lane-sprints and low-block positioning with touches. Third, he looks remarkably smooth in the low post, combining nifty footwork and subtle head and shoulder fakes to set defenders up for a shot.

Defensively, he has used his length to challenge shots, but at the same time he is having a bit o’ trouble defending pick-and-rolls.

3. Kobe hasn’t looked too “explosive” in the preason. There seems to be a concerted effort on his part to experiment with more skill-based tactics. He has been posting up players a lot with varying degrees of success, and shooting with either hand. He has also made some excellent passes. I don’t know whether the experimenting continues past the preseason.

4. Offensively, Artest and his teammates are still figuring things out. Artest has racked up some big assist totals in a couple of games, but he’s also been criticized for being deferential to a fault. I look for LA to go to Artest when he has a mismatch in the post. Defensively, Artest hasn’t exactly been a game-changer, creating turnovers and such. He has been a very good rebounder thus far, though. With a little more seasoning and experience, chemistry ought to improve.

5. Chinks? Three come to mind. First, injuries to Gasol or Bynum. The former has played non-stop over the last 2 seasons; the latter has missed most of the last 2 seasons. Second, defending the pick and roll and point guard penetration. Fisher isn’t very quick; Farmar looks a little stronger but may not be strong enough to handle a guy like Deron Williams; Brown is strong and quick, so the Lakers hope he can become a stopper. Third, trouble with opponents which slow the game down and like to grind it out. The Lakers are at their best in open court games and have struggled against the likes of the Charlotte and on the road against Portland.