The Lakeshow starts strong
The two-time defending champions are off to a hot start following a relatively quiet summer in Hollywood. The Lakers have been able to lay low as the media has been swarming South Beach ever since the creation of the “Super Friends.”
The Lakers have battled questions regarding Kobe Bryant’s health, Andrew Bynum’s knees, and Phil Jackson’s last hurrah. While no one has doubted their control over the Western Conference, not many predicted them to be in mid-season form right out of the gate. Following their 108-103 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night the Lakers improved to 6-0 and look to continue their torrid start.
What the Lakers have done well:
Offensively, the Lakers have been firing on all cylinders. Kobe and Gasol have both scored over 20 points in all six games, and both are averaging almost 25 PPG. Kobe has showed very little signs of decline with his statline of 25 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists and his unwavering ability to beat any player one on one.
Gasol has been used as the primary attack on offense for much of the first six games and it has paid off. Gasol is extremely efficient on the offensive end and is also one of the best passing big men in the game today.
Meanwhile, the biggest story has to be the effectiveness of Lamar Odom. Odom has been notorious for being extremely inconsistent, but up until Friday’s game against Toronto, Odom has been very effective and consistent. Even after Friday’s poor shooting performance, Odom is averaging 15 points and 11 rebounds a contest while shooting 62% from the field.
Ron Artest has also been quietly doing his job defensively, averaging two steals per game and taking on the challenge to guard the opposition’s best scorer. Derek Fisher has played his role well and is shooting very well en route to almost 10 points per game on 48% shooting from the field and 64% shooting beyond the arc.
The bench has been anchored by Steve Blake, Matt Barnes, and Shannon Brown this season. All three have played well and Blake and Barnes have managed to fit in seamlessly. Just imagine how good the Lakers will be when Bynum comes back and Odom joins this bench mob. The Lakers have the number one scoring offense in the NBA, and with all these weapons don’t expect that to change.
What the Lakers need to work on:
Defense wins championships and right now the Lakers aren’t playing much of it. They have given up 100+ points in five of their first six games, and let’s be honest, the competition hasn’t been all that great so far.
The Lakers need to cut off the driving lanes better and defend the paint with more energy in order to limit the number of lay-ups the opposition gets. Following the victory over the Raptors, Lakers forward Matt Barnes had this to say about the Lakers defense, “We gave them too many layups. It was kind of a layup drill there for a little while, and we can’t have that.”
Of course half of the problem will be solved with the return of Andrew Bynum, but the Lakers need to close out on the ball better and not get beaten off the dribble so easily.
The Lakers look to continue their unbeaten season as they play host to the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night. This will definitely be their toughest competition yet and will be a big game for the Lakers. If they come out and execute offensively and are able to play better defense, then they should be fine.
Who would have thought the Lakers would have had a better record than the Heat through the first six games of the season?
This is just an opinion…so please Pardon My Bias.
