2010 NBA Predictions: 10 Reasons Why The L.A. Lakers May Not Three-Peat
With the 2010-2011 creeping closer, the anticipation is at the highest for most NBA' fans, especially those living in South Beach and Los Angeles.
For the Lakers, this will be the ultimate test, with the new "Big Three" on the block and young teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder on the rise. This will be without a doubt the hardest year for Kobe and the Lakers and there are many aspects to the season that could go wrong, that could make the difference between another three-peat and going home.
Here are 10 reasons why the Lakers could come up short in this years NBA season, I hope you enjoy.
Ego
1 of 10
Arguably the biggest problem for last years champions, was their egos. The inconsistency was unbearable at times and it was so obvious that the Lakers, some nights would decide to not show up, merely because they are the Los Angeles Lakers.
Well, it better not happen again because if it does, teams such as the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic, or the Oklahoma City Thunder, will eat them alive. This season isn't a time for fooling around, waiting until the last moments of the game to try and "flip the switch on", that just won't cut it this year.
In order for the Lakers to be at their full potential, which is as we know out of this planet, they need to come into the season fresh and ready to go with a completely new attitude toward every team. If they don't, there is no guarantee that the Lakers can win games just by showing up, times have changed whether the Lakers like it or not.
Injury Prone
2 of 10
Another huge problem for the Lakers, was the amount of injuries suffered throughout the season. Kobe with his finger, Bynum with his knee, and Walton with his back, it wasn't a mystery why the Laker' bench steadily lacked during stretches of the season.
If Bynum continues on the trail he's on, the center position will be a huge weakness for the Lakers not only on the defensive end, but the offensive. Bynum is a huge key to the Lakers success and it will be essential that Bynum stays healthy for most of the season.
Injuries will happen, it's just part of the game, but for an injury prone Laker' team, minimal is the key word when it comes to injuries this season.
Outside Shooting
3 of 10
Oh how the Lakers struggled from the outside last season, it was unbearable. When your supposedly best three point shooter shot around 25% throughout the season, your team is bound for failure in the outside game.
Every team needs at least one solid knock down shooter that can make open shots when open to be successful not only in the regular season, but the playoffs. The problem is, I don't know if the Lakers have improved too much in respects to the outside game. Yes, Sasha seemed to show flashes of his glory days and yes, we added a veteran sharp shooter, Steve Blake, but it's going to take a lot to make the Lakers a good outside shooting team.
The advantage the Lakers have is, that they are so dominate in other areas of the game, sometimes it can make up for horrid performances from the outside, but like I said, this season, every team needed to improve on their weaknesses in order to win championship.
We'll see if the Lakers have improved at all in this aspect of the game.
Motivation
4 of 10
It may sound funny, but there have been many teams in the past that have felt satisfied after winning a couple championships and it usually led to their downfall.
The Lakers have now repeated and they are fighting to defend their title once more, but have some players lost the competitive drive to kick themselves into that extra gear one more time? I'd like to believe that the Heat are as big a motivation as there can be, but as we know, it's can usually take more than that to motivate millionaire athletes who have already been successful.
So out of the 10 reasons, why the Lakers may not win, this may be one of the biggest. The Lakers will either have that extra urge to win once more, or they won't and this could make a huge difference down the road.
Team Chemistry
5 of 10
With the already infamous feud between Kobe and Barnes in last years playoff match-up, it would be foolish not to consider possibilities of these two not getting along.
Newly acquired Matt Barnes has known to be one of the modern day "Kobe Stoppers" and knowing Kobe, it could either be another great fit like Ron Artest, or it could be fatal.
It also doesn't help that Barnes has already gotten into some trouble with he law and the season hasn't even started. This is definitely not a good way to start off with the team.
Don't get me wrong, I hope this works, just like every Laker' fan out there, but Barnes isn't helping the issue.
On a different note, Barnes isn't the only new player on the team. Steve Blake and Theo Ratliff, both veterans have been added to the roster. There hasn't been any confrontations in the past that I know of and I hope these players can blend into the Laker' culture.
Come on guys let's put aside our differences and histories and go get another championship.
Outside Distractions
6 of 10
With fame comes more and more distractions. For someone like Ron Artest, it has been a huge miracle that he hasn't gotten into any real trouble yet and I salute him for that. But can we be sure that the rest of the team can sustain themselves throughout the season?
When new players switch into cities like Los Angeles, their behaviors can change very quickly. Los Angeles is one of the most sought after basketball cities and for the Lakers, there are distractions after every corner you turn.
There is also going to enormous amounts of outside distractions from the media. This NBA season is going to be filled with drama, the Lakers and Heat will be right in the thick of things the whole season. The question is, can the Lakers handle both the media and themselves?
I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
New Offense For New Guys
7 of 10
One of the most common questions asked when new players arrive to Los Angeles is, will they be able to learn the Triangle Offense?
The famous Triangle Offense is known to be one of the most complicated offenses known to the game of basketball. Of course we have the Zen Master to teach it, it is no question that it will be hard for Blake, Ratliff, and Barnes to learn.
Ron Artest was an exception, he struggled the whole year without fully understanding the offense, but he survived with defense and hussle. For these new players, it might be a good idea to actually know what your running, so learn well.
Point Guard Issue
8 of 10
It's not a secret that veteran guard, Derek Fisher is over the hill and it only gets worse as the years go by. Adding Steve Blake was a huge get for the Lakers, but I'm afraid that the point guard position will once again be a question.
The most likely scenario for the Lakers is to start Fisher and to limit is minuets. Blake is a very viable back-up, but it really depend on how Fisher does this season. Another inconsistent season will not be an option this year.
Blake and Fisher will really have to raise their games to another level this season as veterans.
The Zen Master's Health
9 of 10
Every year it seems to be a yes or no type situation for Head Coach, Phil Jackson. It makes sense that Coach Jackson is rapidly losing his days of coaching and this may be his final year.
During last years season, Coach Jackson suffered some health issues and decided to purposely miss some home games to get some rest. With no indication that he is going to do so again, it will be crucial that Coach Jackson maintains a healthy season because the Lakers will need him more than ever.
Only time will tell if Coach Jackson is well enough to remain on the bench.
Kobe's Physical and Mental State Of Mind
10 of 10
This may be a long shot, but as we speak the great Kobe Bryant is also human, which means he is aging. Though Kobe really hasn't shown much signs of aging, injuries have slowly creeped up on him in recent years.
The biggest question for Kobe will be his finger. He did play tremendously well with the injured finger all year, but the human body can only take so much.
Having said that, Kobe's mentality, though it is argued that he has an unbelieveable "killers instinct", can he maintain it for the rest of his career?
I'd say that he will, but nothing is ever for certain and as always this season will be on Kobe's shoulders.
