Lakers’ Thomas Robinson brings energy to the court
A home crowd’s excitement in a game can help boost the team on the court. But Lakers forward Thomas Robinson sees that dynamic a little bit differently.
“It’s my job to get them loud,” Robinson said. “I don’t feed off the crowd. I usually try to come in and get the crowd into it.”
His energy is part of what allowed him to fight his way onto the Lakers roster this off-season. It’s also something Phoenix Suns Coach Earl Watson remembers from playing with Robinson during the 2013-14 season in Portland. Watson remembers Robinson being particularly important against the Houston Rockets in a playoff series Portland won in six games.
Portland took a two-game lead to start the series, then Watson recalls then-Rockets center Dwight Howard having a dominant performance in Game 3. With their center in foul trouble, the Trail Blazers finally turned to Robinson.
“He came into the game and changed that series,” Watson said. “A lot of people, they don’t really appreciate that unless you’re actually on that team. He didn’t get a lot of credit for that series but to me he changed that series.”
Robinson recalls that series fondly.
“I remember Earl being in our ears the whole time telling us to be confident,” Robinson said. “Act like we’re at home. Don’t worry about it. It was the playoffs so every little thing you did was magnified. We got a layup, everybody went crazy. We just wanted to keep doing good. I just remember trying to create that the whole playoffs.”
Watson nearly returned to L.A.
That year with the Trail Blazers was Watson’s final year as a player.
“I kind of secretly retired,” Watson said. “I was going to do an interview with the San Antonio Spurs for a D-League position.”
He spent three days meeting with Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich and General Manager R.C. Buford for a job coaching the Austin Spurs. Having gone to UCLA, Watson still had ties to Los Angeles and the Lakers had gauged his interest on joining their Development League affiliate, the D-Fenders.
Watson was in Los Angeles when the Spurs offered him a coaching job with their D-League affiliate. He verbally accepted the job. An hour later the Lakers called to offer an interview. Having already committed to the Spurs, Watson declined.
According to Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak, who said he has little to do with the D-Fenders’ operations, the Lakers do keep an eye on players they think could be successful coaches. How they approach the game as a player can offer hints to how they will be as a coach.
“Same qualities if they decide to coach,” Kupchak said. “But everybody wants to coach. And it’s not the easiest thing in the world either. But I’m not surprised he’s in coaching and he’s a good coach.”
Starting guards still not available
Lakers guards Nick Young and D’Angelo Russell did not play Friday night against the Suns, but both participated in shootaround that morning.
Shootaround does not include contact, but Russell and Young both were able to run and cut successfully, Lakers Coach Luke Walton said.
Russell is recovering from a left knee injury for which he had a platelet-rich plasma injection on Nov. 23. He was able to resume on-court activities after seeing a doctor on Tuesday.
Young is recovering from a calf strain in his right leg, which he suffered against the New Orleans Pelicans on Nov. 29. The Lakers expected Young to be out for between two and four weeks with the injury.
Walton wants to see both players go through more than a shootaround before allowing them to return to the game, be that a practice or a two-on-two or three-on-three scenario.
“We need to see them go live, really cut and fight over screens and stuff before we’re gonna let them back out there,” Walton said.
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