The Potentially Unstoppable Los Angeles Lakers

Size, speed, versatility, defense, and the best player in the world are characteristics of an unstoppable team.  For the Los Angeles Lakers, this would be "potentially" unstoppable. 

There is one team that has this potential. That is the Los Angeles Lakers.

Let’s examine the factors. Kobe Bryant needs no explanation, besides he is the MVP and the best player in the world. Size is one of the key aspects of their style, and Phil Jackson loves big guards to run the triangle offense.

Kobe stands at 6-foot-6, Andrew Bynum is 7-foot-0 at center, Pau Gasol is 7-foot-0 power forward, Derek Fisher is the starting point guard. Their future starting point guard, Sun Yue, is currently playing in China and stands at 6-foot-8.

The x-factor in the lineup is Lamar Odom. At 6-foot-10, the small forward has a wingspan that definitely gives him the edge over any traditional small forward in the league.

Most big small forwards are strictly shooters, but Odom is more of a big point guard with the ability to post up and shoot the 20-foot jumper. He is most effective in the open floor where he can maneuver around bigger, slower players.

See how he played at the beginning of game four of the finals. The bench and role players are areas in need for improvement. Jordan Farmer and Ronny Turiaf are instant sparks off the bench.

Treva Ariza needs to have a role defined, and with his flashes of shooting and energetic play in the finals, he may take some time away from the overrated Luke Walton.

With the potential emergence of the next great Lakers’ center, there is a starting five that can over power, out speed any starting five in the Western conference alone.  They also match well speed for speed with most Eastern conference teams as well.

Bynum brings the aggressiveness that the Lakers have lacked since the early Shaquille O’Neal seasons. If he continues on the terror that he demonstrated before his injury, then the decision to draft him in the lottery out of high school will have been a good one.