2008-2009 Lakers: A New Hope

The 2007-2008 season for the Los Angeles Lakers was an improvement from the 2006-2007 season. The Lakers had not just made the playoffs this year, but they had made to the NBA Finals. Before the 2007-2008 season had started, Kobe Bryant had asked for trades and not asked for trades because he felt like he had lost hope for the organization. However, early in the season the Lakers were playing tremendous basketball. Being one of the top teams in the Western Conference then, many people during the time Kobe had asked to be traded, had very little hope that the Lakers would make the playoffs with all the drama going in the organization. Earlier in the season, Andrew Bynum was the clear cut winner for the Most Improved Player Award, but he had gone down with an injury in January. That was probably a big stinger for the Los Angeles Lakers when they had heard Andrew Bynum was going to be out for the rest of the season until the playoffs.

During February, the Lakers pulled off a big trade getting Pau Gasol on the team. This deal was not just for now to win a championship, it was also for the future because Pau Gasol is still a young player himself. This trade had made Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers a force coming into the playoffs. They were unstoppable, It was extremely obvious that the Lakers were the team to beat in Western Conference during April and May.

By the end of the 2007-2008 Season, The Lakers were the Number 1 seed in the Western Conference and Kobe Bryant had won his very 1st MVP. Kobe Bryant and The Los Angeles Lakers were dominating in the 2008 Playoffs, there first challenge was the Denver Nuggets, a team that didn't play much defense and was all offense. Kobe Bryant had dominated the series averaging 33 Points per game, also having 6 assists per game and shooting exactly 50%. Pau Gasol was no slouch either in the series, he had averaged 22 points per game, 9 rebounds, 2 and half blocks per game and also shooting at 58%. The Lakers had flat out dominated the Denver Nuggets and had an easy sweep to the 2nd round, having Pau Gasol finally getting a playoff win and advancing into the 2nd round. The Lakers next opponent was the Utah Jazz, a young team with a superstar Point Guard in Deron Williams and an All-Star Power Forward in Carlos Boozer. Charles Barkley had said these are the 2 best teams in the West right now and whoever won this series would advance to the NBA Finals. After 6 tough games, the Lakers had advanced to the Western Conference Finals, only having 1 more series behind to advance to the NBA Finals. During the Western Conference Finals, Kobe Bryant had pretty much single handedly defeat the Spurs, Kobe was unstoppable playing like every game was his last. The Lakers had advanced to the NBA Finals, They haven't been there since 2003.

During the 2008 NBA Finals, The Los Angeles Lakers were favorite to win it against the Boston Celtics. A team that has 3 superstar players in the last 5 years. The Lakers had lost game 1 and 2, by the dominating performances of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. In Game 3 However, it was All Kobe All day Kobe Bryant poured in 36 points showing why he was the MVP once again, making it still a series to compete for. During Game 4, The Lakers had blew the biggest lead having 20+ points ahead of the Boston Celtics at one point, but the Celtics had still gone on to win the game and the rest of the Series. It was disappointing but the better team had won the series.

There is still hope for the 2008-2009 Los Angeles Lakers. They will be getting there young potential big man in Andrew Bynum back, coming from an injury. Andrew Bynum should and will bring a lot to the table for the LA Lakers, He is a dominating big men in the offensive side and on the defensive side. Some say if Andrew had played in the Finals, the Lakers would've won it all the way. During the 2008 off-season, the lakers had lost a very great bench player in Ronny Turiaf, this may effect them going into the 2008-2009 season. Ronny had brought in a lot of energy into the Lakers and also was a rebounding force, a very good defensive player and a great finisher. The Lakers will surely miss him, but It's time to move on. The Lakers should be very improved defensively next year with Andrew Bynum coming back having another interior defender with Pau Gasol on the team. Lamar Odom will also play and defend his natural position the Small Forward spot, so Lamar should improve greatly as well. With Kobe Bryant coming off being as the 2008 MVP, there is no doubt in my mind Kobe will dominant teams once again it seems like he improves with age like a John Smoltz type player. It's like even if he loses his athletic ability he still becomes better as a player, and that's what i expect from him next year. With Jordan Farmar improving as a player, we might expect him to see him with more playing time or be more effective as a player. Jordan Farmar is a very good shooter, but he should learn how to play like a PG more often, he would easily be the starting PG for the Lakers.

If the Lakers do not make it to the NBA Finals or win it all this year, the season will be a failure because they haven't improved if they do not win championship.