Los Angeles Lakers: Can They Repeat with Kobe Bryant's Bad Knee?
After starting the 2010-11 NBA season by winning their first eight games, the Lakers have had their fair share of ups and downs as of late.
Kobe Bryant, the Lakers' star shooting guard, has been plagued by injury for much of the year, and just doesn't look like the Kobe Bryant that fans have been accustomed to seeing. Recently, Bryant went on record as saying that he hasn't had a full-strength practice all season because he has very little cartilage under his right knee cap.
Bryant has had three separate operations on the knee, and it has noticeably slowed him down at times. Nonetheless, we are talking about one of the best players to ever play the game who, regardless of injury, always seems to be at his best when the postseason roles around.
I'm going to break down five reasons why the Lakers can repeat with Kobe's bad knee, and five reasons why they will not repeat as NBA champions.
Yes: Monitor His Play and Rest Him When Needed
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With Kobe in the lineup, the Lakers are one of the best (if not the best) teams in the league. Without Kobe in the lineup, the Lakers are still a pretty darn good basketball team.
It is no secret that the Western Conference is strong yet again, but the Lakers have the talent to make the playoffs even if Kobe is not in the lineup every game.
If he needs to rest the knee for a period of time, the Lakers should give him that option. Knowing Bryant's competitive nature, he probably wants to be out there on the court whenever he possibly can. But if the Lakers were smart, they would listen to what doctors say, and if that consists of giving him time off, they should do so.
As long as the Lakers make it to the playoffs, Kobe will take them from there.
No: It's a Hard Road If They Don't Keep Winning Now
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The Lakers are currently 25-11 and sit atop the Western Conference's Pacific Division. However, they are only 6-4 in their last ten games and have had some miserable performances as of late, including a 19-point home loss to the Grizzlies, in which they were booed off their own court.
The West is good yet again this season, and the Lakers' road to the playoffs might not be as easy as it has been in the past, considering they might have to play some games without Bryant. While teams such as the Suns and Blazers might not be as good as they have been in the past, other teams like New Orleans and Oklahoma City are on the rise and could very well push the Lakers for first-round home court advantage.
If the Lakers continue to struggle like they have as of late, their record will suffer, and they could put themselves in jeopardy of missing out on a top seed and home-court advantage. Having to play a second-round series against a team like Dallas or Utah, with the possibility of a Game 7 on the road, would not fare well for Kobe and the gang.
Yes: They're Still a Talented Team with Championship Experience
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If you are the Lakers, of course you want your franchise player to be at full strength come playoff time. But it's not like the Lakers don't have other talented players on this team.
Pau Gasol is one of the top three big men in the game today. He was the missing link that has played such a crucial role in helping the Lakers win the past two NBA titles. Lamar Odom is one of the most versatile players in the league, who can score in a variety of ways and is always solid on the defensive end. And then you have guys like Andrew Bynum, Ron Artest, Derek Fisher and Shannon Brown—guys that have been here before and played huge roles in the Lakers' finals runs.
Without Kobe in the lineup at all, the chances are not in the Lakers' favor. But even with a 50 percent Kobe Bryant in the lineup, the Lakers do have surrounding talent and proven winners that can get the job done.
No: You Can't Win If You Don't Practice
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In a recent interview with the New York Post's Peter Vescey, Bryant revealed he hasn't practiced all season "because I have very little cartilage under my right knee cap, it's almost bone on bone."
That has to be worrisome for the Lakers organization. After the Lakers were dismantled by LeBron James and the Heat in their Christmas day matchup, Bryant said the way to turn around the struggling champions would be to "kick butt at practice."
That's obviously not going to be the case if Bryant has yet to practice at full strength once this season.
Yes: They Have Done It Before
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The Lakers have won two consecutive NBA championships without Kobe Bryant being 100 percent healthy.
He wore a bandage on the index finger of his shooting hand. He had to get this same knee drained during last season's playoff run. And in the end, it didn't matter. He still led his team to victory on the biggest stage.
What makes anyone believe that he won't be able to do it again this year?
No: They Need His Perimeter Scoring
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Make no mistake, Pau Gasol is an NBA superstar. There is no doubt about it. Lamar Odom is a very good player who can score in bunches.
But Phil Jackson's triangle offense starts and ends with the play of his perimeter scorers. It was that way in Chicago with Michael Jordan, and it is that way in LA with Kobe Bryant. Without Bryant in the lineup, the Lakers do not have that dominant scorer on the perimeter who can take over a game from the outside or with his driving ability.
Bryant means so much to this offense, and if he is not able to contribute on the offensive end like he has in the past, the Lakers chances of completing a three-peat does not look too promising.
Yes: Adrenaline Takes Over in the Playoffs
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Has there ever been a player in the NBA who plays with the type of emotion that Kobe Bryant does come playoff time?
If you said Michael Jordan, that is fair, but there aren't too many beyond that. We have seen it before, that when an NBA championship is on the line, Kobe Bryant gets that look in his eye that he is going to win, no matter what.
Bryant has proven time and time again that he is one of the most clutch players in NBA history come playoff time. He has a will to win that is simply unmatched. So, injury or no injury, if the NBA championship is on the line, there is no other guy any team would want with the ball in his hands.
No: Difficult To Give High Level of Effort on Both Ends of the Court
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When playing with a nagging injury, like Kobe Bryant's knee has been to him, it is going to slow him down at times.
He is simply not going to be able to play game after game with the same level of speed and quickness at both ends of the court. As dominant as Bryant has been in his career on the offensive end, he has also been one of the leagues top defenders.
It will be difficult for Bryant to play with this injury and give the same high level of effort on both ends of the ball. While the NBA is not particularly known for being a defensive-minded league, when it comes to the playoffs, defense is often what makes the difference between moving on or going home. The Lakers are going to need their superstar to be able to play at a high level on both ends of the court if they are going to repeat as NBA champs this season.
Yes: He Is Still the Best
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LeBron James might be the most talented player in the NBA. Dwight Howard might be the most physically dominant player in the NBA. Kevin Durant might be the best pure scorer in the NBA. But, what separates Kobe Bryant from all of those guys, is that Kobe has the rings.
Bryant has won five NBA championships and is going for his sixth this season. He has shown time and time again that he can deliver in the biggest moment on the biggest stage.
He has heard all the comparisons to Jordan, but the one thing that supposedly separates him is that Jordan has more rings. Bryant will make sure that isn't the case after this season.
No: Too Much Talent at the Top
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This season might very well feature the highest number of talented teams that the NBA has ever seen.
Right now, there are 5-8 teams that have a legitimate shot at winning the NBA title this season. The Eastern Conference is the strongest it has been in a long time, and the West remains top-heavy as always.
Without a fully-healthy Kobe Bryant, the Lakers could very well struggle getting back to the NBA Finals. The improvement of so many teams means that playoff series are going to go longer and more will last seven games. This is not good news for Bryant, unless he can get healthy come playoff time.
Conclusion
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Kobe Bryant is hurt. His knee is bothering him, and he has not been the same player as of late. All that is true.
But in the end, Bryant has shown that he can overcome injury and perform at a high level when it matters most. He is hands-down the most proven winner in the NBA.
As it stands right now, the Lakers are the defending NBA Champions, meaning that Kobe Bryant is the best player on the best team in the NBA. His coach Phil Jackson came back for one reason this season, to win another NBA championship. That is what is expected of this team, and when it comes down to it, we all know that Kobe Bryant will be ready when the playoffs roll around. Injury or no injury, he's still the best in the game today.
