Los Angeles Lakers Greatest Foe Will Be the Pressure of Expectations
On paper the Los Angeles Lakers look like a good bet to clinch their third consecutive NBA title, but history has shown us that the Lakers' journey to a second three-peat in 10 years will be anything but simple.
The Chicago Bulls and the Lakers are the only teams in the NBA who have ever successfully completed a three-peat since the Celtics' teams of the 60's, and even though numerous franchises have come close, none have achieved the feat.
The 2010-11 Lakers may have more depth and talent than at any other time during Phil Jackson's tenure, and Kobe Bryant should benefit from an offseason of rest to cure the variety of ailments he suffered last season.
The Western Conference is as strong as ever, but considering the manner in which the Lakers ran away with the conference the last three seasons, who really stands as a legitimate threat to their throne?
The Dallas Mavericks look just as good as the Lakers on paper, but have yet to find the mentality necessary to succeed in the postseason.
The San Antonio Spurs are always a threat, but the Lakers present a bevy of matchup problems and can counter the Spurs' depth with equal talent off the bench, and they may be a better team defensively as well.
Denver and Oklahoma City could also challenge the Lakers but both teams lack size in the paint, and it's doubtful either team's front line can stand up to the Lakers superior size during the course of a seven game series.
Other teams such as Portland and Utah could also make noise, but ultimately the Lakers are bigger, stronger, more talented, and more experienced than any team in the NBA. But all those superlatives do not necessarily equate to a championship.
Last season many people, myself included, felt the Lakers were talented enough to challenge the Chicago Bulls' regular season record of 72 wins, but that fantasy went up in smoke before the first minute of basketball was played.
Pau Gasol suffered a hamstring pull and missed the first two weeks of the season, and that was only the beginning of a string of injuries to Bryant, Gasol again, and Andrew Bynum which affected the Lakers throughout the year.
Injuries are always the great unknown when it comes to any sport, and the Lakers' ability to persevere and win a title despite injuries that could have crippled them says a lot about the character and resolve of the team.
Consistency issues also plagued the Lakers, but the irony in that perception is that last season was the first time Los Angeles lost three consecutive regular season games in almost three years.
The Lakers garnered that reputation based on the sometime uneven play of the offense, but the defense was a constant throughout the season and figures to be even better this year.
Matt Barnes and Theo Ratliff were huge defensive upgrades and Ron Artest should be more comfortable with a full season under his belt and a shiny new NBA championship ring on his finger.
Anything less than a championship will be seen as a failure in the eyes of Lakers' fans, but besides the dangers that lurk in the Western Conference, Los Angeles will be faced with the perils of whomever they might face in the Finals from the East.
The Boston Celtics were tantalizingly close to winning last season's championship, and with a rested Kevin Garnett and a healthy Kendrick Perkins, they should be more than capable of reaching the NBA Finals again.
The Orlando Magic should also field a formidable team with the NBA's most dominant interior player in Dwight Howard leading their charge, and a glut of perimeter shooters to complement him.
And of course the Miami Heat shook the foundations of the NBA with their historic free agency coup that landed LeBron James and Chris Bosh to play alongside Dwyane Wade.
Miami's move changed the Heat from first round playoff doormats to legitimate title contenders overnight, and perception around the NBA seems to be that the Heat and their superstar trio are the most logical foils for the Lakers.
However, Los Angeles still holds an edge in talent and experience over the East's top teams, but it will take an even more concerted effort for the Lakers to succeed in a league where the level of competition has improved.
The pressure to three-peat will be tremendous for the Lakers, but it's something the team is familiar with, and they have the right blend of chemistry and experience to realize their goal.
Focus will be the key for the Lakers in 2010-11, and if a proper level is maintained and the team can remain healthy, another notch in the record books of NBA history is not out of reach.
