Can the LA Lakers Win a Title With Their Top Six Players?

The Los Angeles Lakers' reserves were outscored 20-4 in their latest loss to the San Antonio Spurs, and the poor performance continued a season-long trend for the horribly inconsistent bench players.

It's no secret that the Lakers depend less on their reserves than any other NBA title contender in the league, because their top six players may be the most talented to roam the hardwood.

In Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, Los Angeles has arguably the best two players in the NBA at their respective positions, and in Lamar Odom they may have the league's most versatile talent.

Andrew Bynum, although inconsistent, is still one of the better young centers in the league when he is healthy, and Ron Artest has begun to display the defensive promise that was envisioned when he signed.

Derek Fisher may be the weakest link of the Lakers' top six players, and although he brings veteran toughness and clutch ability, his physical skills have eroded to the point of no return.

Fisher's poor defense from the point guard position has been a major concern for most of the season, but the players behind him have left little to be optimistic about.

Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar are usually the first two players off the Lakers' bench in Bynum's absence, but they have yet to live up to the potential as Los Angeles' most important reserves.

In fact, it seems Farmar has regressed and his failure to grasp the most basic principles in the Lakers' scheme has been disappointing and revealing.

The past two games Farmar has been abused offensively by the likes of Deron Williams and George Hill, but more troubling is his tendency to get lost in the flow of the game.

Some of that has to do with lack of focus, but at this point in his career, the ability to stay centered should not be a problem, and it is likely Farmar will play in a different zip code next season.

Brown has the athleticism and size to be the Lakers' top guard off of the bench, but he lacks the defensive discipline and natural instincts to be the type of player his skills suggest.

Talent is not a problem for Brown, but he has a tendency to get beaten off the dribble because of poor footwork and his offensive decision-making and shot selection is questionable at best.

After Brown and Farmar, the Lakers' bench devolves into a smorgasbord of players whose skills are probably better suited for the NBA's developmental league, and are not likely to have a significant impact in the postseason.

Sasha Vujacic has seen his role steadily decrease as his defense and jump shot have become less reliable.

Additionally, while Josh Powell and D.J. Mbenga possess talent, it's not comparable to some of the league's other big men.

But if Bynum returns healthy, then the Lakers still have a more than reasonable shot at repeating their title feat of 2009, because more than any other team, the truth of their chances lie in their first six players.

Despite having one of the least-effective benches the past two years, the Lakers have still managed to reach the NBA Finals.

Meanwhile, other teams around the league have definitely improved, and upgrading the reserves has been a point of emphasis among contenders such as the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic.

Regardless of who Los Angeles plays in the postseason, they will likely face a disadvantage in terms of reserve players, so the health and performance of their top six players is paramount.

The bench can only be counted on to give a little rest to the players who matter the most, and once Bynum returns he will play a major role in an immediate upgrade to the reserves.

It's not known whether Odom will be relegated to a bench role once Bynum returns, but either he or Bynum will be a facade for an issue that is embedded deep within the Lakers' fiber.

The issue of the Lakers' bench problems, coupled with an inability to defend the point guard position, has been used as evidence of cracks in the armour of the defending champions, but these are familiar concerns.

In terms of perspective, Los Angeles still leads the Western Conference by a comfortable margin of five games, and their approach to the postseason is tested and true.

The Lakers' bench can hurt Los Angeles in the playoffs, but the same can be said for 2008 and 2009. The determining factor for the Lakers in their quest for a championship will rest in the hands of their most talented players.

Some point to the Lakers' bench as a flaw, and there is truth in that statement, but the Lakers' success in the past few seasons can hardly be attributed to the reserves' performances anyway.

After all, this is virtually the same group of players who acted as complementary players in last season's championship march, and if they have anything going for them at the moment, it's the experience of the accomplishment.