LA Lakers: 10 Flaws the Lakers Must Repair Before Becoming Contenders Once Again
After a promising start to their annual Grammys road trip, the Lakers have looked as bad as possible in their last two games against the Magic and the Bobcats.
While both losses were bad, the loss to the Bobcats was an absolute embarrassment and if the Lakers are going to be considered contenders, there are some obvious areas that need some extra care for Los Angeles to get better before the playoffs.
What are 10 things the Lakers need to work on over the coming months and what exactly does that mean for their playoff and championship chances?
Read on and let us know what you think.
10. Player Rotations
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One problem that the Lakers have been struggling with is who to play in what situations. Obviously that all comes from their head coach but it appears Zen Master Phil Jackson is letting his stars rest before the playoffs.
Odom is an interesting piece for the Lakers because of the fact that he comes off the bench but plays such a vital role on the court.
I understand the matchup problems that Andrew Bynum provides when he is on the floor, but the best lineup the Lakers can put on the floor is Fisher, Bryant, Artest, Odom and Gasol.
9. Sharing Is Caring
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The Lakers are at their best when they have outstanding ball movement and there have been times that they have been better at that than any other team in the league.
However, those moments have not been nearly as often as one might hope.
If the Lakers are going to improve before the playoffs, they need to work on sharing the ball a lot more. Ball movement is key to getting open shots.
8. Recapture That Home Court Advantage
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This season the Lakers have struggled in the friendly confines of Staples Center. Obviously, the season is only half over and the Los Angeles fans could end up showing more support for their team but they have a home record of just 19-8. Last year they were 34-7 at home.
If the Lakers were able to find strength at the Staples Center, it would help give them that sense of invincibility before the playoffs come in a few months.
7. More Structure
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The benefit of the triangle offense that the Lakers run is that there isn't a lot of structure or set plays to score off of. However, that seems to hinder this team.
The offense is stalling, and until they have a little more structure on the offensive end, it seems like it is going to continue.
6. Better Play After Halftime
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One area that has been visibly lacking for the Lakers is their play after the halftime break.
Over the last few weeks, it seems like the Lakers' opponents all have made very drastic halftime adjustments and the Lakers haven't. As a result, Los Angeles has struggled in the second half of recent games.
If they can't adjust that at all, they are going to be in some real hot water come playoff time.
5. Ball Security
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Believe it or not, the Lakers are among the best teams in terms of turnovers this season. But in recent weeks they have been playing very sloppy basketball and, as a result, the turnovers are rising.
The Lakers really need to be more careful with the ball over the second half in order to be considered a favorite again.
Obviously, this is a tough one to characterize but I think if the Lakers were more careful with the ball, it would not only create more possessions but also give them a chance to form good habits during an important stretch.
4. Sayonara Ron Ron
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Ron Artest has struggled beyond recognition this season but in all honesty, I think he has been made into a scapegoat more than he deserves.
However, it is clear from watching Artest this season that he has become a liability on the offensive side of the ball.
Sure, I would gladly have Artest for his defensive prowess, but the Lakers need to find a small forward that can give them a scoring threat. That's why I was wishing to see a Carmelo Anthony trade.
3. Put the Orange Ball Into The Round Hoop
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Honestly, a lot of people have been thinking that the problem with the Lakers is on the defensive side of ball, but the real problem has been scoring.
Yesterday against the Magic the Lakers managed just 75 points and tonight against the Bobcats they scored just 89.
For some reason, the Lakers have been really hit or miss when it comes to their scoring output from game to game. If LA gets more consistency on the offensive side of the ball, I think there is no question that they will be better before the playoffs.
2. Pound Opponents Down Low
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The strength of the Lakers is their length in the post.
They have two seven-footers in their starting lineup in Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, both of whom are skilled offensive post players.
Although Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest shooting guards in NBA History, the Lakers are at their best when they are able to beat teams in the post.
1. Effort
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Currently the Lakers have had a tendency to be caught standing around at key moments of the game. If they really want to win a championship in 2011, there needs to be more effort given in all aspects of the game.
I can understand the lack of effort. After two championships and a long season facing them, it is hard to find motivation every week. But as professional basketball players, isn't that their job?
Luckily enough, this is still something that can be fixed. If you need an example, just look at the Celtics last season. There were plenty of times last year that they struggled to exert enough effort to win, but they came within a fourth quarter collapse of a championship.
