Los Angeles Lakers: What Is the Team's Biggest Issue Entering the Postseason?

The Los Angeles Lakers clinched the Pacific Division crown for the fifth straight year by virtue of the Los Angeles Clippers' loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night, but predicting the team's fate going forward is much more difficult than past years.

For the first time since 2008, the Lakers will not be favored to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals, and there are even some people who think the Lakers will not make it out of the first round.

The Lakers certainly face a long list of obstacles to overcome if they hope to reach their fourth NBA Finals series in the past six seasons, but which one of their numerous issues stands out from all the rest?

At a glance, the most troubling concern facing the Lakers would appear to be their bench, especially when you consider they are statistically the worst reserve unit in the NBA in terms of points scored.

But it's hard to quantify the contributions of a player like forward Matt Barnes who is versatile enough to play four positions, or the heady, steady contributions of a backup point guard like Steve Blake.

And when you throw in power forward Jordan Hill, the plot really thickens.

As far as the bench is concerned, Hill has to be the X-factor since his 14-point, 15-rebound performance in his first extended minutes against the Oklahoma City Thunder opened up a new realm of possibilities.

If Hill can even half-way consistently replicate his performance on that night, most of the Lakers' interior questions are immediately answered.

The Lakers have been looking for a player to replace former forward Lamar Odom, and while Hill is not blessed with Odom's versatility, he more than makes up for it with his heart, hustle, grit and desire.

The Lakers bench may be inferior when compared to other playoff teams in the Western Conference, but they do have the talent and athleticism to compete, and maybe even hold their own.

However, the second unit holding their own is inconsequential if the first team fails to play solid defense, and this is where the roots of the Lakes' troubles lie.

Early in the regular season the Lakers were one of the NBA's top defensive units, but since the All-Star break their defense has looked like vintage videos of the Keystone Kops.

The Lakers can't guard anyone off the dribble, protection of the rim is non-existent and they still can't decipher the pick-and-roll to save their lives.

And Metta World Peace's seven-game suspension only makes the situation worse.

The player formerly known as Ron Artest is the Lakers' only true shutdown defender, and he may not be available when the Lakers need him the most.

Assuming the Lakers can avenge last season's four-game sweep at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks, their second-round opponent will most likely be the Oklahoma City Thunder.

World Peace's absence will make defeating OKC a much harder proposition, but the Lakers might benefit from the change of pace in the postseason.

The tempo of the game usually slows down in the playoffs and a higher premium is placed on each and every single possession.

A slower-paced series would always favor the Lakers since their seven-foot duo of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol would be hard to deter in a half-court game. But in the end, it will all boil down to coach Mike Brown.

Brown's rotations, strategy and adjustments will ultimately decide how far the Lakers advance in the postseason, and I haven't even mentioned Kobe Bryant.

After a little rest Bryant may be as focused and determined as he has been in the past 10 seasons, but unless Brown can dictate a clear path, the Lakers' journey will not go much further than it did last year.

Based on talent, the Lakers are a clear contender for the NBA Finals, but the last time they faced this many issues entering the postseason as a potential favorite was 2004.

And we all know how that turned out.

This year's team has as much promise as that one did even without Shaq, Gary Payton and Karl Malone, but I wonder if these Lakers have enough fortitude to carry themselves to the NBA Finals.