Los Angeles Lakers: 5 Reasons Lake Show Can Take the Western Conference

The Los Angeles Lakers went into the 2011-2012 with lower expectations than previous years. With Lamar Odom getting traded to the Dallas Mavericks for virtually nothing, the Lakers seemed to have lost a big part of their team that helped them win back-to-back championships.

The Lakers have a record of 14-11 and are in a tight battle with the Los Angeles Clippers for the Pacific Division. Let's take a look at how the Lakers can win the Western Conference this year.

1. Kobe Bryant

Just when you think Kobe Bryant is going to slow down, he gets faster. Bryant is having a remarkable year for the Lakers and has carried the team for the most part this season.

He is averaging over 29 points a game, along with averaging over five rebounds and assists per game.

Bryant still has the drive to win a championship. In fact, the argument can be made that his drive is even greater now since he is at the end of his career.

Bryant shoots too much at times, as evidenced by leading the league in shots per game. However, sometimes the Lakers need Bryant to shoot 25 times a game to give them a chance to win. He is the only player the Lakers have at the guard position who can make a play on his own. He also has the ability to make a shot with a defender tightly guarding him. When he is in rhythm, Bryant is still as deadly as they come.

The Lakers have a solid group of players. Throw in Bryant to the mix, and that is a recipe for a championship-caliber team.

2. Defense

When Mike Brown was hired as the new Lakers coach, it raised some eyebrows. However, if there is one thing Brown is good at, it's coaching a defense.

The Brown led Lakers have the fifth best scoring defense in the league, only allowing 91 points per game. Also, the Lakers are holding their opponents to shooting just 41.8 percent from the field.

Defense is forgotten when it comes to the Lakers. Discussions around the team revolve around Bryant or Pau Gasol and how they are playing offensively.

Looking at the Lakers as a team, they have a solid corps of defensive-minded players. At the small forward position, they have two players with that mentality with Ron Artest (Metta World Peace) and Matt Barnes.

Andrew Bynum is another player who is a very good defensively. His size alone is something that players need to fear as they enter the lane. He is in the top 10 in blocks averaging two per game and averages nine defensive rebounds a game.

This corps of defenders, along with an offensive player like Bryant, is a good formula for bringing the championship back to L.A.

3. They Still Have Size

When the Lakers traded Lamar Odom, many people thought they lost a big advantage: their size.

This year they have proven that the still have their size. The play of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum has been great. They have proven once again that they are the best power forward and center combination in the league.

Gasol has been accused of not playing aggressive enough this year. However, that hasn't stopped him from averaging over 16 points and over 10 rebounds per game.

Bynum is having the best year of his young career. He is averaging 17.1 points and 12.4 rebounds per game. His ability to dominate the floor on both sides of the ball is an advantage any team would like to have out of their big man.

Gasol, along with Bynum, have helped the Lakers average 56 rebounds per game which is first in the NBA. Rebounding in the league is obviously a big part of the game. The Lakers rebounding ability helps limit opposing teams in possessions and can help them have more scoring opportunities.

4. Clutch in the Fourth Quarter

After watching the Lakers play the Philadelphia 76ers, the word clutch wouldn't come to mind if the Lakers were brought up. They were awful down the stretch, especially Bryant, as Lou Williams and the Sixers did everything right.

Through this past decade including this year, the Lakers played their best at the most crucial part of the game.

On offense the team is about the same in all four quarters. They average around 22 points per quarter. On defense, the team averages about 23 points per quarter during the first three, which is good enough to rank in the top 10. In the fourth quarter, the Lakers are allowing an average of 21 points per game which ranks them second in the league.

The later the game goes, the harder the defense plays. This keeps the games tight for the Lakers and gives them a good chance of winning games.

Also, if the game comes down to a last-second shot, they have plenty of options. Bryant, without a doubt, is the guy you want to have the ball. However, Derek Fisher and Artest have shown they can knock down a clutch shot if they have to.

Having those type of clutch shooters will help the Lakers in the closing minutes of games. Not to mention the fact that they can still go down low to Bynum or Gasol if they want to win the game.

5. A Weak Field

This is not something that most people will agree with me on.

The Western Conference has been the dominant conference in recent years. However, this year is different. The better teams this year seemed to be in the Eastern Conference.

The West does have good teams. In fact, nine teams in the Western Conference have a winning record. What helps the Lakers is the fact that not one team stands out besides for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The San Antonio Spurs are second in the West with a record of 18-9. This is impressive considering most of the season has been without all-star Manu Ginobli. The problem for the Spurs is that they are old and might have a hard time staying healthy.

Going into the playoffs, the Lakers should do well against any team they face. No team currently slated to make the playoffs is a team that scares them. The teams that are older and have more veterans, like the Spurs, are in the same boat as the Lakers. Teams like that will know what it takes to win and know each other well enough to win.

As for teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, they do not have any experience in the playoffs. The Clippers will have to go through some growing pains before they make a serious run at the playoffs, especially with Chauncey Billups out.

The Lakers may not be as dominant as they were a few years ago. This doesn't mean though that they are not going to be a contender to win the Western Conference.