Los Angeles Lakers: Will Phil Jackson & Kobe Bryant Author Another 3-Peat?

THE VECCHIO FACTOR SAYS... 

February 4, 2011.  Final Score: San Antonio 89...Los Angeles 88.

Another home game, another loss...this one a heartbreaking defeat.

I've been watching Los Angeles Laker basketball for over 30 years, and only during their limited "down" years in the post Magic 90's, and post Shaq 2000's, have the Lakers gone through an up and down, win-loss stretch like they have over these past 2 months. 

To be more specific, none of their past championship teams experienced such a long period of uneven, uninspired, mediocre play for this long.

It's not just losing games to opponents, some good, some bad, but rather it's how, why, and the way they're losing them, as in their recent defeat to San Antonio at Staples Center this week.

The San Antonio loss was particularly unsettling because the game was the Lakers to win, only they forgot to execute a simple fundamental, "blocking out." 

The Spurs had 4 shots at the win, getting 4 straight rebounds, starting with 22 seconds left, and finally scored on a rebound & tip-in by (50 year old?) Antonio MvDyess at the buzzer when Lamar Odom failed to block him out, a fundamental rebounding mistake.

Playing hard every game for 48 minutes, playing with intensity, urgency, and determination, and playing with the heart and will of a champion, hasn't been happening with this Laker team, up until last night.

After last night, add playing sound fundamental basketball to the list! 

Can you think of a time in Laker history where they barely eked home wins out, were blown out in others (4 times on their home court in the past 6 weeks), and lost a "must game" against San Antonio last night in the race to win home court in the West? 

Is it age or the league's parity that has finally caught up to the Lakers? 

Looking at the composition of this year's Laker edition, it's obvious that Kobe Bryant has lost a step or two,  And Derek Fisher can't guard his mother, looking old, slow, and pretty much finished as a starting point guard, except for spot duty,

Ron Artest has been in a perpetual daze, seemingly lost on the court.  Lamar Odom is an enigma, mostly playing well this year, but still inconsistent at times as witnessed by his 'daydream' moment while Antonio McDyess got into position to beat the Lakers.  

Pau Gasol gets regularly out-toughed by younger, stronger, big post players, as in the recent 13 point home loss to Boston,

Andrew Bynum's health and durability, coupled with his still developing skill level, make him a question mark, and there aren't any young, athletic, impact players on the Laker roster to fill the void created by all of this unevenness and uncertainty, except for injured Matt Barnes..   

The trend in today's NBA, started by Boston's "Big Three," and mimicked by Miami's "Big Three," is to accumulate 3 or more star, impact players to play unselfishly together, as a means to an end to win NBA championships.  

The LA Lakers simply don't have that type of make-up on their team.   

They're mainly a "BIG ONE" (man gang) starring Kobe Bean Bryant!   

Interestingly, this past off-season, LA went from a somewhat younger team to a somewhat older team, and the added age, coupled with the Bynum, Ratliff, Barnes injuries, is a factor.   

For example, in a recent game at Staples Center, Memphis had 28 fast break points to LA's 5.  That tells you that they are being "out-quicked" by younger, quicker, more athletic players who are playing faster than they can play.

Didn't Magic Johnson say as much the other day when he said: "  Unfortunately we're looking old and we're playing old," Johnson said. "We're not responding to the more athletic teams and the quicker teams.

I am not privy to all that's available talent-wise (except for an super impact player like Carmelo), and/or what Dr. Buss's marching orders are for acquiring new talent, but as things stand, I question how the Lakers can repeat with this present team, let alone getting out of the West, especially since they now are in a second place battle for home court in the West.   

In many games recently, we have seen their opponent's youth being served, and it's up to the Laker brain trust, Mitch Kupchak, and Jim and Jerry Buss, to find a way to infuse some athletic, IMPACT talent who can take Kobe out of his habitual, "one on one" mentality, and relieve him of the pressure of putting the team solely on his shoulders. 

Simply stated, he needs H-E-L-P!   

The fact is, Kobe's singular style, "me-me," "take over the game" method doesn't work as well anymore due to the fact that his age and assorted injuries simply won't allow him to take over games like he used to.

Adding to the mix, there's just too much good, young, athletic talent in the league, which prevents him from dominating teams and players, game in-game out, like he once did when he was younger.   .

Is it possible they might need a young, quick, true point guard to penetrate the paint, break down opponents defensively, and dole out assists??? 

Not to panic, but Laker management has some decisions to make, not only for now, but for the future. 

I have urged them to do this since I suggested trading Bynum for Bosh last year, prior to the trade deadline.. 

My question now is, is it time to trade Bynum & Brown for Carmelo and Ty Lawson?  Should they try and get the tough rebounder/scorer, Carl Landry, from Sacramento?  Or PG Kyle Lowry from Houston?

Or should they wait 3 years and make a run at Kevin Durant?

Yes Jerry West, 46,000 minutes is a lot of minutes. but I believe Kobe still has some tread left on his tires, if he gets some H-E-L-P!. 

However, I do agree with the Logo that the Lake Show is getting "long in the tooth," and whether it's this year or the next, it's not too early to plan for the future of Laker basketball.  

To sustain the Laker brand, it's imperative that LA begins the process of bringing in younger, impact players, starting asap, to change the team's aging dynamic. 

Time waits for no one.  24 is not the same player he once was.  His skills are slowing, he's showing some slippage, and someone needs to be able to shoulder the scoring responsibility besides him. 

Laker Brass, are you listening.  Once more,I repeat, 24 NEEDS H-E-L-P!  

Which brings me to my next topic.  As much as I've talked about Bryant and scoring, the defending champions have had serious defensive problems, especially against young, high octane, transition teams like Miami and Oklahoma City. 

A plethora of NBA point guards consistently penetrate the Laker paint, scoring easy lay-ups or "kicking" to wide open shooters.   

Why is it that Boston, Chicago, Miami, etc. can play a physically tough, low-scoring, lock-down defensive scheme, game-in, game-out, and the Lakers can't?   

I have suggested bringing in a Defensive Coordinator a number of times to Laker management.  Football teams have them, yet the Lakers are still without a defensive coach, e.g.,Tom Thibodeau, who can install a system that can improve LA's defense.   

As important as offense is, it's not ONLY about offense and the Triangle.  Winning teams must play solid defense & rebound. 

As Pat Riley used to say when coaching the Showtime Lakers, "No Rebounds, No Rings!" 

Yes folks, it's true the Lakers have won back-to-back championships, but the league's make-up has changed dramatically this year with more competitive teams to challenge the Lakers.   

Because a number of teams have improved and gotten much better, it's hard to imagine Kobe Bryant outscoring James, Wade, and Bosh, for example.   

A solid, strong defensive system becomes the best chance to stop teams with newly stacked rosters such as Miami, Boston, Chicago, San Antonio, and Dallas. 

Take notice Laker Nation: this year's NBA has ushered in a "new era" of teams and players willing to sacrifice their individual talents for the sake of their team in hopes of winning an NBA championship.     

Watching the Lakers on defense, they still employ a basic, rotation-based, defensive concept that works sometimes, when they are committed to play defense, and doesn't work other times when they don't commit.   

Could it be that most of Los Angeles' players are mostly offensive-type, offensive-minded players, and don't embrace playing tough defense???   

Or is it the fact that they are a confused bunch defensively without a set defensive system/scheme in place to rely on?  

As it now stands, the Lakers have serious issues before them, and something needs to happen to change things because, in my opinion, the make-up, and confidence, of this present team is NOT good enough on both ends of the court to win it all again.   

Additionally, there are things internally, chemistry-wise within the team, that the press & public don't know about, and if that's the case, Laker management will have to do what's necessary to rectify them.  

If that means trading dissatisfied players, so be it.   

In a season of perplexing moments, Lamar Odom took the blame for Antonio McDyess' tip-in to beat the Lakers Thursday night,

"I've got to make that play towards the end," Odom said. "I got caught watching Duncan take the shot and didn't box out. McDyess got position. He beat me."

It's fundamental mistakes like this, ongoing internal personality issues, and an overall disjointedness that this Laker team has exhibited so far this year that makes me a non-believer that they can 3-Peat.

However, something inside me also says the Lakers can 3-Peat, even overcoming what looks to be like a major disadvantage of not having at least 2 home court advantages. 

There are still two and a half months left in the regular season, and stranger things have been known to happen. 

Bottom line, DO NOT underestimate Phil Jackson's ability to get this team in position to play in June, and NEVER doubt Kobe Bryant's tenacity in leading LA to his second, and Phil's fourth 3-Peat!!!

JOE VECCHIO

THE VECCHIO FACTOR