2011 NBA Playoffs: The Los Angeles Lakers Didn't Possess the Heart of a Champion

The unexpected has occurred. The two-time defending NBA champions were swept straight out of the playoffs by the mighty Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks looked like a team possessed throughout the entire series, doing anything and everything they could to try and score on every possession, and that they walk away the victors from of every game.

They played amazing basketball throughout the entire series and, as a Lakers fan, I would not be embarrassed to be the series' loser right now if it weren't for three reasons.

Those three reasons are a complete lack of effort, a lack of desire and cowardly actions.

Lack of Effort

Throughout the entire series, it was fairly evident to me that the Lakers did not want to win this series.

How many times can a team put forth about 25 percent effort into a defensive stop before they realize that the other team will score if they don't add intensify their play? How many times can a team stand around with the ball in their possession before they realize that they will not score many baskets that way?

If the Lakers were outplayed by the Mavericks throughout this entire series, I would definitely be upset, but I would not be hurt.

Right now, I am hurt! I feel like a guy who has been cheated on by his girlfriend with a much hotter guy.

Why?

The answer is simple: I can't stand it when a roster full of players getting paid seven-digit salaries or more can't put forth 100 percent effort into every possession they play, especially when they are fighting for their playoff lives. I noticed it during the regular season from the Lakers, but I didn't want to focus too much on it, because I figured they were conserving their energy for the playoffs.

That, however, was not the case!

Now, the Lakers got what they deserved. They are going to be sitting at home watching the rest of the playoffs on their televisions instead of competing for another ring to place around their fingers.

They could credit that to the multiple times they decided to stand round while a Maverick stole the ball from them and ran towards his basket for an open layup.

Or they could credit it to the numerous occasions a Maverick shot a wide open three-point basket while his defender decided not to close out on him. 

Lack of Desire

Another thing that was evident to me throughout the entire series was the lack of desire this team possessed. They lacked the desire to make adjustments and to play hard.

The Lakers were constantly getting wide open three point baskets drilled in their faces, and they decided not to do anything about it. The Lakers were constantly allowing J.J. Barea into the paint, basically uncontested, and they decided to let it slide.

I don't know if the coaching staff is to blame for this or if it's the players not listening to the coaching staff, but all of them should be completely ashamed of themselves. It took me a very short time to figure out what the Mavericks' game plan was, and the fact that the Lakers players and/or coaches decided to do nothing about it sickens me.

In addition, it seemed to me that the Lakers had more desire to whine and cry to the referees instead of simply just playing basketball.

I can't stress enough how much it angers me to watch a player complain to a referee on one side of the court while the entire opposition is already setting up their offense on the other side of the court or running a fast break towards their basket. That player is giving his opponents the easiest advantage they could possibly receive.

It exemplifies a lack of desire because it proves to every fan that the players rather stand around and complain, opposed to actually wanting to win the basketball game.

Unfortunately, the Lakers accomplished this feat on many different occasions throughout this entire series, and it angered me every time I had to sit and watch a Laker make a whiny face at the referee!

Cowardly Actions

The cowardly actions committed by three members of the Lakers proved, in my opinion, the two points I just made.

In Game 2 of this series, Ron Artest intentionally grabbed Barea's face in the closing moments of the game, earning him a flagrant foul two and a one-game suspension. Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum must have enjoyed watching that, as they committed their own flagrant fouls in the fourth quarter of Game 4.

So how does exemplify that they were lacking effort and desire throughout the entire series?

All three of these men committed these fouls out of frustration. That frustration was caused by the fact that they were getting out-hustled and outplayed. The Mavericks were playing much harder and with a lot more intensity than they were.

They had already stooped down to a low level by allowing it, but they decided to stoop down to an even lower level by committing cheap fouls and getting early exits.

Now I'm probably not talented enough to be in the NBA, but I know if I was talented enough and I was one of these players, I would want to be out on the court every single second doing anything I can to help this team comeback and win.

Personally, I don't care if a team is down by one point or by 40 points, I always believe that team could still win that game. If a team that I was on was losing by that many points, I wouldn't stop trying to win that game until the final buzzer rang.

Artest, Odom and Bynum obviously didn't believe that the Lakers could comeback, as they decided that it was time to go home a little earlier than the other players.

The main reason why I believe players get frustrated with themselves, like these three players visibly were, is when they know that they and their team is not doing everything in their power to win the game.

I think that is what caused these three men to be frustrated, and as a fan, that is unacceptable. I have invested too much money and time into this team, and watching them not do everything in their power to win really hurts me.

Conclusion

With all this being said, I do not in any way, shape or form believe that this Lakers dynasty is over, nor do I believe that the Lakers should blow up their roster. They are way too talented to do that and could easily compete for titles throughout the next three years if they desire to do so.

There may be some players who may need to do some soul searching over the summer, but if this team decides to play the next few years the way they did to start the season and to start the second half of the the season, the rest of the league still better beware.

Why should they beware?

THE LAKERS WILL BE BACK!