Eight Reasons the Lakers Won't Be Champions

By trodgers for Clublakers.com 

1. Lack of Athleticism

With Pau Gasol playing the 5 spot, the Lakers can put a fairly athletic team on the floor at the 5, 4, and 2 spots.

Derek Fisher lacks a bit in athleticism, but is a hustle player with good strength. So long as Luke Walton is starting at the Small Forward position, the Lakers are at a (sizable) disadvantage against nearly every team in the NBA. That is a problem.

And while Jordan Farmar brings improved athleticism at the PG spot, I cannot imagine seeing an upgrade to that pivotal SF position at any time soon. Vladimir Radmanovic is more athletic than Walton, but he is no athlete, either.

Cause for concern: slight

The Lakers have many other things going in their favor that can cancel out Walton's lack of athleticism.

2. Inexperience

This is not the same team that was bounced from the playoffs the past two seasons. This is a much deeper team with more experienced players in the starting lineup.

That said, aside from Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher, Lamar Odom is the only other player with noteworthy playoff experience.

Compare this to, say, the Spurs, the Pistons, or the Celtics and the Lakers will be at a disadvantage come playoff time.

Cause for concern: slight

Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher have about as much experience as anyone could ask for. Odom, too, has solid experience. The bench is fairly seasoned from two consecutive trips to the playoffs. Finally, some upgrades (Gasol) have added decent playoff experience as well.

3. The Road to the Finals

The odds of any team winning the Championship are small. Factor in the tough, tough Western Conference that could see the Lakers face Phoenix, the team that has beaten them two years in a row, in the first round.

A victory could send them up against the Rockets, a team with a 18-game winning streak or the Mavericks, arguably the best team in the league last year.

A Western Conference Final game likely against the Spurs would be a true test. And a win would put them up against LeBron James (the only player in the NBA who has a chance against Kobe every night), the Detroit Pistons (who shellacked the Lakers in the last meeting between the two teams in the Finals), or the Boston Celtics (everyone's favorite at the beginning of the season to win it all).

Cause for concern: slight to moderate

It's a tough road, but someone will travel it. I like LA's chances.

4. Not Enough Winners 

The Los Angeles Lakers are not winners. Kobe Bryant is. Derek Fisher is. Lamar Odom is not. Pau Gasol is not. Vlad Radmanovic is not.

If success in college matters, I suppose Jordan Farmar and Ronny Turiaf are, but it really does not matter. This is a different game.

Gasol has never made it out of the first round. In fact, neither has Farmar, Coby Karl, Sasha Vujacic, Turiaf, Andrew Bynum, or Trevor Ariza.

That means just Kobe, Fisher, Odom, Walton, Vlad, and Mbenga have made it past the first round. (Chris Mihm is in limbo.)

Cause for concern:

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