Discussion: Can anything salvage the Lakers?

The Lakers are slowly sliding down the Western Conference standings, while it is possible that Vinny Del Negro of the Clippers could actually coach the Western Conference in this year’s All-Star game.

Has the world gone topsy turvy? What is happening? What can the Lakers do to turn things around, and are the Clippers really this good?

Those are just some of the topics tackled by Times Lakers reporter Mike Bresnahan, Clippers reporter Brad Turner and NBA editor Barry Stavro in a discussion of the two teams on Wednesday.

You can watch a replay of the show above. For a taste though, check out what Bresnahan wrote earlier this week:

“When Mike D’Antoni first arrived in Los Angeles, he hobbled to the table at his introductory news conference and uttered the words that gave every Lakers fan hope.

“We would love to be able to play ‘Showtime’ basketball,” he said back in mid-November, a few weeks after his knee-replacement surgery and a few days after being hired instead of Phil Jackson as the Lakers’ new coach.

“After further review, it might be time to slow this offense down. Trying to run is making this team crawl.

“Since D’Antoni’s first game on their bench, the Lakers are 12-19 and averaging 103.3 points a game. Problem is they’re giving up 103.4 points.

“We’re going to have to change something . . . probably going to have to post the ball a lot more, slow the game down a lot more,” Kobe Bryant said Monday after the Lakers lost to Chicago, 95-83. “I am a big history guy. Playing here in this arena with these incredible fans, you’re in the house M.J., [Scottie] Pippen, P.J. built. To put this kind of brand of basketball on the floor is just not acceptable.”

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