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:
12 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Anonymous about 1 year ago
Josh and Gary,
Your hopes and dreams have been crushed.
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
Have to agree on most points. Perhaps it's not that bad, though - let's hope that Bynum and Ariza make it back on time, and/or perhaps Lakers use (the supposedly black belt?) Mbenga to do some enforcing...
As for Inexperience + Lack of winners: come on, didn't Gasol lead Spain to the REAL world championship (I don't mean the so-called NBA World Champ)?!?
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
Josh and Gary,
Your hopes and dreams have been crushed.
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
This is the poorest sports analysis I have ever read...switch to ESPN.com
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
Dreams are for losers. We are Champions! This year, next year and so on. Can you say 3-Peat.
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
lakers past the suns, yes. Lakers past the rockets and spurs........if they do it will take 6 or 7...if they do. If they do; that would mean Bynum and Ariza are back then they have a shot. This is all if they get past the rockets and spurs. either way it will be fun to watch.
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Marty Susman about 1 year ago
Walton, Rockhead, Mihm,Turiaf all need to go before the Lakers can win it all. Move them for a real point gurd theat jackson says he dosn't need, like a C. Paul and pick up a Dennis Rodman type rebounding forward and maybe a Noah and then you have a team that can win it all.
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
yeah marty! the lakers should sign chris paul tomorrow! it's that simple! while they're at it, why don't they travel back in time and pick up magic, mj, and bird in their prime too? oh, and was this article written by a 6th grader?
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
Hilarious. Better commentary from anonymous#4 and anonymous#7 than anything the site belched out. this is the worst sports piece I've *ever* read. He seems to think that the lakers will win, despite the title. No points proven, other than perhaps the defense. I'm sure pj will bust their chops appropriately. 6th grader? More like someone with a multiple personality disorder, none of whose personalities know much about sports.
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Ralph isaac about 1 year ago
I agree with you point for point. Not only that you forgot to mention how Fisher sometimes tries to do too much and only ends up turning the ball over.
As for Farmar, i do agree, He is too quick to be burned continuously by his man. I hope the lakers draft another PG to get Farmar to improve. heck, even Sasha is a better defender than him.
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Anonymous about 1 year ago
Kobe fears LeBron.
LeBron owns Kobe.
Kobe won't surpass MJ but LeBron has now surpassed Kobe.
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Silas Beyman about 1 year ago
With the length he's been out, Andrew Bynum can't look to come back realistically full strength for a while. That means The Lakers will have to rely on Pau Gasol and Kobe to spread the ball around to the more inexperienced players.
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