Bench Farmar?

It's no secret who has been the least effective Laker in this series vs. Utah. It's the guy with a +/- that is a combined -32 over the last two games. Jordan Farmar is killing the Lakers.

So what do you do? You're Phil Jackson right now and you know that Utah's gameplan is to get Fisher two early fouls, so that they can play virtually 5 on 4 basketball since Farmar hasn't a shot in hell of guarding Williams. Fisher just picked up his 2nd. Do you:

A. Stick with Farmar. Show the young kid that you still have confidence in him, but risk another game of negative production from him. Or...

B. Bench him. Go with Sasha and Kobe in the backcourt, along with Luke at SF, using a trio of Luke, Lamar, and Kobe to bring the ball up and set up the offense. Risk here is that Farmar loses even more confidence and may not be effective for the remainder of the playoffs.

What do you do?

It's a tough call, but I think I stick with him, although given a very short leash. If he's as ineffective in the first half as he has been, he's done and I use the Kobe/ Sasha backcourt when Fish is not in the game.

Farmar is terrible defensively, we all know that, and that's not changing, but I think his offense will come around on the home floor. Farmar is an extremely hard worker and I bet he's working on his game as I type this. He'll bounce back in game 5 and knock down a couple long balls off the bench.

Nori, you have highlighted what is obviously shaping up to be the key dilemna in this series, but I'd like to offer up one other radical option to possibly consider - a complete 360 on coventional wisdom:

Give Farmar the start on D-Will, at home on Friday night, (in what would be the ultimate vote of confidence) and see how it goes early, knowing that the move would obviously be something that Fisher would have to go along with and would do nothing to errode Fisher's confidence in himself.  I see it as kind of being a win-win situation: if Jordan rises to the occasion and somehow manages to stay in front of WIlliams while holding his own offensively, the problem is automatically corrected...if Farmar struggles early and fails in the assignment, you give him the early hook and send Fisher in knowing that at least you made the best effort to show your faith and confidence in the kid in a big spot.  What is there to lose?  It would be early enough in the game where it really couldn't possibly affect the game's outcome...Fisher would be impervious to any implied slight - he'd ultimately get his minutes in any event while avoiding any chance of picking up any quick fouls to start the game.

This move might also (hopefully) have the added benefit of throwing Utah a little curve ball and perhaps the fresh look would give D-Will pause and throw him off a little.

I don't - it's probably a stupid idea, but thought it worth just throwing out there anyway.

Noriega You read my mind. Ordinarily the back-up PG isn't a team's critical lunchpin.

It happened quite by accident the discovery of a Lakers weakness in game 3.  But, game 4 and the rest of the playoffs will have teams attacking that weakness.

The Jazz simply go on big runs whenever Fisher is out.  Farmar cannot defend Williams.  Kobe gets double-teamed as the jazz dont bother defending an open Farmar.

The jazz seem singularly intent on attacking Derek Fisher early with dribble driving Deron Williams to get him in foul trouble. 

Derek Fisher is the oldest Laker, so he simply cannot play 48 minutes or even close.  Foul trouble can spell disaster.

Maybe, it is the road causing a lack of confidence with Farmar.  But right now, he cannot make the right pass, hit open shots, or defend. 

I think the home crowd in LA should cheer loud and often when he comes into the game.   Give him some confidence.

Jefe, I see what you're saying, but no way do I start him. Even though I said I'll stick with him, I'm giving him as little playing time as possible with no room for error. With Farmar in the starting lineup, Utah would probably jump out to an early lead, not something I want to see in a pivotal game 5.

Horn, confidence is key... which is the only reason I'm sticking with him. Hopefully Fisher is talking him up and getting him ready for Game 5.

...the caveat to my crazy plan would obviously have to be the "quick hook"...and I mean within the first 2-3 mintues kinda hook, if things were to take an early turn for the worse.

Anyway, like I said, it's a radical 3rd option - one that I'm sure no one would seriously consider.