NBA Playoffs 2012: Tough Tests Will Doom Los Angeles Lakers' Title Hopes
The Los Angeles Lakers' 121-97 shellacking at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs was a reminder of just how difficult the road ahead will be for Mike Brown's hit-or-miss contender.
In his first game back on the court after a seven-game shin-related hiatus, Kobe Bryant played well—scoring 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting in just 30 minutes of action. Even Bryant at his best, though, couldn't have stopped a 65-point second half.
As of late, it seems like the Los Angeles Lakers are just too tired, confused or uninspired to play defense—a bad sign for a team ostensibly coached by a defensive guru.
Unfortunately, Mike Brown can't make Andrew Bynum run back on a fast-break defense, a fact made apparent as the 35-year-old Tim Duncan repeatedly beat the young seven-footer back down the court.
Los Angeles gave up 112 points to these same Spurs three days earlier, 125 to the Phoenix Suns on April 7 and 112 to the Houston Rockets on April 6—a game in which Bryant played for 37 minutes.
Even in wins, the Lakers' defense hasn't looked much better.
As it currently stands, Los Angeles will likely have to face off with either the Denver Nuggets or Dallas Mavericks in the first round.
The Lakers beat both teams without Bryant this month, but that doesn't mean a seven-game series would be easy, much less a sure thing.
Both wins came at the Staples Center, and neither was convincing. Sure, the Lakers won them without Kobe, but they weren't the only ones hurting in the Nuggets game.
Denver played without Wilson Chandler, a defender well-equipped to give Bryant some problems (to the admittedly limited extent anyone is really able to do so). Danilo Gallinari shot an uncharacteristic 2-for-9 in just his third game back after a 10-game absence.
Meanwhile, the Mavericks game went to overtime and involved some rare three-point heroics from Pau Gasol.
Los Angeles would have home-court advantage over both teams in the first round, but the road games could be a struggle. The Lakers are a surprisingly bad 15-17 on the road this season.
This is not a team that wants to be running around the high altitude with an up-tempo Denver team. Nor should it look forward to dealing with Dallas' well-coached and energized defense.
If Los Angeles slips to the fourth seed and trades places with the Clippers, the scenario may look even worse.
In that event, the Lakers would be a lock to hit the Memphis Grizzlies, a team that beat the Lake Show on March 25 in Los Angeles. The Lakers beat Memphis 12 days earlier, but still gave up 111 points.
Bynum played well in both contests, but Gasol did not. Memphis' front line has as good a chance as any at matching up with the Lakers' seven-footers. It also comes fully loaded with versatile wing-players capable of bothering Kobe Bryant, including Rudy Gay, Tony Allen and OJ Mayo.
Los Angeles has an excellent chance of beating Denver, Dallas or Memphis—especially with its home-court advantage.
But, those series could take their tolls on a team that has already looked tired from time to time. With the minutes Bryant, Gasol and Bynum have logged in this shortened season, it will be difficult to close deeper teams out and make a short series of it.
The prospect of having to play either San Antonio or Oklahoma City after such a marathon is even less comforting. Los Angeles wouldn't have home-court advantage in either case.
We know the Lakers could win those series as well, but the combination of brutal first-round battles and the need to win on the road against elite teams could prove insurmountable.
Bynum will have to play defense every night. Gasol will have to play like an All-Star for the team that nearly traded him. Kobe must be amazing and efficient nearly every time out.
