For guys like Kobe Bryant and Metta World Peace who were accustomed to playing for Phil Jackson, a transition period was inevitable when Mike Brown took over the Lakers. No two coaches have an identical style, so any coaching change is bound to take some getting used to. The Lakers have struggled a bit lately, and World Peace seems to think that has a lot to do with Brown’s substitution patterns. Earlier in the week he said Brown focuses too much on statistics and that it was hurting the team. Brown fired back on Tuesday.
“I said, ‘If I was a stats guy, Metta, you wouldn’t be playing at all,” Brown said according to the L.A. Times. “Look at your stats offensively. And then Synergy (Sports Technology) says you’re the 192nd-best defensive player in the league,'” Brown said. “If I was a stats guy, the guy that should be playing at the small-forward spot is Devin Ebanks because he’s shooting better than you and Matt.”
Touche. World Peace was right earlier in the week when he said you can’t measure how many times a team gets away from their best player because he’s covering them. Brown, however, is right about World Peace’s stats being horrible so far this season. He is averaging only 4.9 points and 2.6 rebounds despite playing more than 22 minutes a game. Brown said any inconsistency in his substitution patterns is a result of learning a new system.
“I don’t think it’s any different if you look at a lot of other teams,” he said. “I think a lot of guys, especially teams with new coaches that are putting new systems in, they’ve got to get a feel for what their team can do and what their players can do. God bless anybody that can walk into any situation and after two games figure out what rotation he wants to have and keep it that way for the rest of the year.”
Both Brown and World Peace have some valid points, but the best thing they could do for the team is hash out all the details behind closed doors. Sharing everything with the media can only create headaches.
