NBA: Kobe Bryant May Be Looking At the Boston Celtics Too Soon

The Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant recently referred to the Boston Celtics as the Lakers’ most daunting obstacle standing in the way of a possible three-peat.

In the first meeting between these two teams on Jan. 30, the Celtics proved Bryant's point with a convincing 109-96 victory in LA. Perhaps this is why Bryant and the Lakers considered last night’s rematch as something far more significant than a regular season game.

While the Boston faithful were riveted by Ray Allen’s quest to surpass the three-point record set by legendary sharpshooter Reggie Miller, the Lakers were focused on another matter altogether by reestablishing their supremacy as the team to beat.

The Lakers exacted their revenge against a shorthanded Boston team and major media outlets tagged their victory as a signature win, but are the Boston Celtics really the most daunting obstacle facing the defending champions?

While Boston is a formidable challenge for the Lakers, they are not the most daunting.

The teams the Lakers should be most concerned about are those that can truly exploit their weakness at the point guard position. Not that Boston can’t, but as long as Rajon Rondo refuses to take wide-open jump shots and allows the Lakers to pack it in like they are going on a lengthy sabbatical, the advantage will shift to the Lakers in any series.

The Lakers have 16 losses on the season, and in every game they were outplayed at the point guard position. Teams with point guards who have the ability to score present the biggest challenge for the Lakers' backcourt, triggering a defensive domino effect. When the opposing team is able to exploit this weakness, either by dribble penetration to the basketball or for pull-up jump shots, it forces the Lakers into the uncomfortable position of providing help, which leads to the kick-out pass for open shots.

Here are the numbers highlighting LA's difficulties against some elite NBA point guards that ultimately ended with a victory for the opposing team:

Nov. 14:  Steve Nash (Phoenix) 26, Derek Fisher 6

Nov. 26:  Deron Williams (Utah) 29, Fisher 4

Dec. 10: Derrick Rose (Chicago) 29, Fisher 7

Dec. 28:  Tony Parker (San Antonio) 23, Fisher 2

Jan. 19:  Jason Kidd (Dallas) 21, Fisher 9

Jan. 30:  Rajon Rondo (Boston) 10, Fisher 5

Feb. 3:  Parker 21, Fisher 2

Of course one cannot simply focus on the Lakers’ weaknesses without addressing their strengths, namely their frontcourt size and housing one of the most prolific scorers of all-time. LA has two seven-footers in the starting lineup, and one of the more versatile power forwards in the league when Lamar Odom steps onto the court.

However, more often than not, good teams are finding a way to neutralize the size advantage.

In their first meeting (and loss) to the San Antonio Spurs, Tim Duncan, DeJuan Blair and Matt Bonner played Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Odom to a virtual draw. The Spurs’ front court combined for 24 rebounds and 27 points, while the Lakers' frontcourt produced 24 rebounds and 28 points.

We also saw similar numbers in the Lakers' loss to another Texas team leading them in the conference standings. Dallas' frontcourt trio of Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler and Shawn Marion went for 22 rebounds and 42 points, opposed to LA's 22 rebounds and 43 points.

Until the Lakers are dethroned, they are the champions and deserving of the proper respect afforded a championship-caliber team. We have little more than two months of basketball before the money season kicks into effect, so it is possible the Lakers will take it up a notch between now and then.

Nevertheless, we should not view this team as unbeatable.

What we should understand is that teams able to neutralize the Lakers' strengths and exploit their weaknesses are the ones that should be viewed as the most daunting obstacle standing between them and a three-peat.

Could the Boston Celtics be that team? Time will tell, but for now the Lakers should focus their attention on their conference rivals from Texas who may prove to be an obstacle too large to overcome.