The "Old Guys" Will Be the Key to a Lakers Championship

As the playoffs loom near, the Los Angeles Lakers will once again be the favorites to win the Wild Wild West and make it to the NBA Finals.  Who they will face there seems to still be in question as the Cavs and Boston will battle down to the wire for best record in the East, the No 1 seed, and most importantly home court advantage, which could determine which one makes it out.  However, for the Lakers the picture is clear and the key will be the two old guys in the backcourt. 

Hard as it is to believe, L.A.'s tandem at guard are now 13 year vets, but because of exceptional training and work ethic are still in phenomenal shape.  The return of Derek Fisher to the Lakers last season made an immediate impact and brought the leadership and outside threat they needed to complement Kobe Bryant. 

This season's ultimate success, too, will hinge on the play of D-Fish and No 24.  Fisher must make good decisions with the ball and hit his three pointers and pretty much just be open so Kobe has plenty of places to go when the double teams come...and they will come.  Kobe is once again putting up MVP numbers and has truly become the leader that MJ was during the Bulls championship runs of the 90s.  Every night he takes on the best defenders in the league and comes out on top, even while he's running around himself guarding the best guy on the other side of the ball.  This year, he's also leading the team in assists, being the facilitator to get Gasol and Bynum going. 

Andrew Bynum, of course, could be the x-factor this year that ultimately makes the difference over last year's Finals.  If he gets healthy in time, Bynum will be the inside presence, both defensively and on the boards, that was glaringly missing last June.  To make a significant difference, though, Andrew must bring an intensity and aggressiveness on the offensive end that Gasol did not demonstrate against Garnett and the Celts last year. 

Of course, that's getting a little ahead of ourselves...there are still a couple of teams in the West that could rain on the L.A. victory parade.  If the season ended today, the Mavs would be the first speed bump on the road to the Finals, and they shouldn't be much more than that.  The Lakers have the benefit of a combination of two players in the league that can match Nowitzky in size down low (Gasol), and quickness up top (Odom), and no one else in Dallas poses a matchup problem either. 

The second round is shaping up as a rematch with Utah and this could be a bit more challenging.  Deron Williams is too quick for Fisher up front and dribble penetration will be the biggest problem for the Lakers to contain.  The main advantage for L.A. here will Kobe and Lamar.  Boozer can't guard Odom on the wing and they have no answer for No 24, but this one will still go 6. 

The last hurdle will probably be the No 2 seed San Antonio Spurs and their foreign threats.  Again, dribble penetration and screen roll with Tony Parker will be the Lakers' main concern as the Spurs put 3 knock down shooters (Ginobili, Bowen, and Mason) on the perimeter all the time for kick outs. Of course, if he's healthy, Ginobili is a threat from anywhere on the court, so Kobe will have to hold him to under 20 per for the series.  Gasol vs Duncan is pretty much a wash, so the series will come down to Kobe's leadership and ability to knock down his j against an aging but still effective defender in Bowen...advantage L.A.  

If all the pieces stay (or in Bynum's case, become) healthy, this should be the year Kobe gets his first ring sans Shaq and cements himself in the annals as one of the greatest to ever play the game...if the Old Guys can get it done.