Lakers Dilemma: To Dial Down or Not To Dial Down?

Kobe Bryant is resolute. Pau Gasol is wavering. Phil Jackson is undecided. And me? Well, I’m definite, but I don’t count.

With only eight games remaining before the playoffs start, the main question for Phil Jackson is whether or not he should dial down his starters’ playing time.

At 35, Derek Fisher, the eldest starter, has been on a relatively short leash all season. Fisher has rarely logged more than 40 minutes in a game. He is averaging 30 minutes on the season.

But what about the Lakers’ big three—Bryant, Gasol, and Lamar Odom?

Both Gasol and Bryant have been averaging over 40 minutes per game since Andrew Bynum went down with a torn MCL on Jan. 31.

That, coupled with the fact that they both practiced and played this summer for their national teams in the Olympics, makes a good case for resting them ahead of the playoffs.

While Odom, like Fisher, has only averaged 30 minutes this season, he was coming off the bench before Bynum’s injury. Since then, he has been logging more minutes as a starter.

In this seven-game road trip that ended last night in Milwaukee, it was quite evident that all three were mentally and physically fatigued.

When asked if he thought Jackson should reduce his playing time over these last eight games, Gasol responded, "I’ve been playing quite a bit since Andrew went down."

Oh, really? Tell me about it.

In the last two games, for example, Gasol had to stay on the court for 45 and 43 minutes respectively.

The Spaniard, who says he likes to play and doesn’t like to be sitting on the bench, admitted, "But at some point, we need to get a little rest, especially when the schedule’s so tough."

And then there’s Bryant, who may be a little too macho for his own good.

Bryant says he doesn’t think about rest, just about playing. "I don’t worry about it. Lace them up and play."

One thing in Bryant’s favor is his sensitivity to economic conditions facing NBA fans. "People spend their hard-earned money to come watch us play," Bryant stressed. "I’m going to play."

No one said Bryant shouldn’t play. What I’m saying is Bryant and the other key starters should be on a relatively short leash this time of year like Fisher has been. No more than 32 minutes maximum.

What does Jackson think of that idea?

"I’m undecided," Jackson said after the game in Milwaukee last night.

Well, let me see if I can clear things up for the Lakers’ head coach.

Despite the Cavaliers' loss tonight in Washington, they still hold a full two-game lead on the Lakers for the best overall record in the NBA. As far as which way Jackson leans, that will depend on how Cleveland does in Orlando tomorrow night.

That game is the first part of an ESPN double-header with the Lakers and Houston going in the second game from the Staples Center.

So, let the starters play all out tomorrow night against the Rockets. If the Cavaliers lose and the Lakers win their respective matches, then let your starters battle it out in the remaining seven games.

However, should Cleveland remain two or more games up on the Lakers after tomorrow night’s games, then Jackson should definitely limit the minutes for his big three.

What’s my rationale?

The Rose Garden in Portland has been a bed of thorns for the Lakers. They have lost seven straight there. They also have to close out the regular season with the Jazz who are one-and-one with the Lakers.

Even though Cleveland has to face Boston, no matter what happens in that game, it is unlikely that the Lakers can go undefeated in their last eight games and overtake the Cavaliers.

Also, Jackson needs to give his bench more playing time to work out their inconsistencies.

He needs to show more trust in them and hope that they will respond. Though that could mean losing a couple more games, it is far better to lose them now than in the playoffs.

The bench, namely Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar, Luke Walton, and Josh Powell, has really struggled as a unit over the past month. They showed some signs of snapping out of their funk against the Bucks in Milwaukee, but Jackson needs to give them more opportunities to see if they can get their game going.

Of course, there is one wild card in all this: Bynum. No one is really sure if he will return, when he will return, and in what condition he will return. But at this juncture, I would not want to speculate.

If Jackson still has any doubts, the Zen Master can always consult the I Ching.