The Lakers and the regular season record.

(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

           The answer is “yes” and “no”.  The Los Angeles Lakers are undoubtedly the most talented team in the NBA.  The team is coming off two consecutive years of championship title series, the latter in which they won. 

            Based on talent, I would have to say “yes”, this Lakers team is able to break the 72-10 Chicago Bulls team of 1996, featuring Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and Coach Phil Jackson.  This Lakers team, however, features a young and upcoming 7 footer in Andrew Bynum.  Bynum is not yet near his peak, but he doesn’t have to be yet.  He has a few more years of Pau Gasol being an elite power forward/ center shoulder most of that pressure.  Pau Gasol was instrumental in the Lakers winning the title last year because of his versatility and his improved strength and defense.  Then there is Lamar Odom, the most talented sixth man in the league (by far in my opinion.)  He is able to rebound at a elite level, run the break, play defense against talented two guards and small forwards (and power forwards at times), while being able to facilitate the offense when the starters are on the bench.  Last year, the Lakers had a reliable defender in Trevor Ariza.  During the playoffs, the team was able to capitalize on this improved three point shot.  This year, the Lakers have a great all-time defender and a capable scorer in Ron Artest to replace Ariza.  Ron Artest has been an all-star and an Defensive Player of the Year so this is an improvement based on talent.  Like Rodman, Artest is quite the personality and not as understandable as others but with Phil Jackson, I doubt that will be a problem for team chemistry.

            Then we have the best player in the league, still, and most importantly, the most lethal closer in the game in Kobe Bryant.  Bryant no longer has to shoulder the load of the team for the first 44 minutes of the games; he can finish them off.  He doesn’t have to exhaust all of his energy in guarding the opponent’s best shooting guard (Ron Artest will take care of that role), but he will still be able to roam the court, disrupting plays and creating turnovers.  For these reason, I say “yes”, the Lakers can win at least 73 games next season. 

            But I am hesitant to stick to that answer, because the Lakers are on the West coast.  Like Phil Jackson himself said, it is extremely hard for a team on either coast, but especially the west coast, to win over 70 games (like his Chicago Bulls team did in 1996.)  The Bulls reside in the Midwest and because of it, most of their trips to the coasts are half the time in comparison to those coastal teams.  That’s a reality that the Lakers have to deal with, and I just don’t see Bryant or Jackson caring about a regular season record enough to jeopardize their energy, which is so essential for a successful post season run. 

            So there lies my answer, “yes” because they are so talented, and “no” because they are on the West Coast and too experienced enough to jeopardize a chance at a ring for a regular season record.

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