10 Reasons The Lakers Won’t Suck This Season
April 12, 2012 was a tough day for Los Angeles Lakers fans. Kobe Bryant pivoted, winced and fell almost all in one motion, and as the Laker captain went down with a torn achilles, he took the hopes of a real playoff run with him. Bryant walked to the free throw line and made both attempts to help his team win a much needed game before hobbling off into the locker room. But it’s a new season, with some familiar faces and some not-so familiar ones, too. Despite losing a franchise player in Dwight Howard, the Lakers might actually be a better team this season. How so? Read on to find out.
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Steve Nash is healthy
Steve Nash was a part of the big blockbuster moves that shook up the sports world last season, but the two-time MVP ended up as another symbol of what went wrong. At 37 years old, the eight time all-star only played in 50 games last year, averaging 12.7 points and just 6.7 assists (four assists less than in his last year in Phoenix). After a season with injuries to his leg, back, hamstring, hip and back, Nash spent this summer away from hooping and stuck to rehabbing.
To make sure the veteran guard gets his rest, the Lakers brought in L.A. native Jordan Farmar to come off the bench with Steve Blake, a sturdy combo to keep the pressure off Nash and let the the now 39-year-old playmaker get in-game rest and, hopefully, not breakdown.
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Pau Gasol skipped out on playing with Spain
Pau Gasol might be the Lakers most important piece. Unquestionably one of the more skilled post-players in the league, the 33-year-old Spaniard underwent knee surgeries instead of lacing them up alongside his baby brother, Marc and repping for the European favorite Spanish national team.
Spain eventually won the Bronze medal in FIBA play against Croatia, as Tony Parker, Nick Batum and the rest of the French Connection took Gold over Linas Kleiza and Croatia, but a rested Gasol means the Lakers get their top-10 post player in the league back healthy this season.
Photo Credit: sports-kings.com
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Chris Kaman is a better addition than Dwight Howard
Besides LeBron James, there isn’t a better athlete in the league than Dwight Howard. He’s bigger, stronger and jumps higher than just about everyone else. He also cries, complains and hasn’t a clue what a post-move is. Mike D’Antoni could’ve used Howard back in his seven seconds or less days in Phoenix with a younger Nash, but his L.A. squad is too old to anything in seven seconds. Chris Kaman reads the floor, understands offensive schemes and won’t be a distraction in the media.
The one time all-star fits into what the Lakers need, because he doesn’t command the ball to be valuable on the floor like Howard did. Howard took his defensive presence, shot blocking and fun loving demeanor to Houston. More importantly, he also took his headache causing ego.
Photo Credit: www.zimbio.com
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Kobe Bryant will be back by christmas
Or perhaps even sooner. If the Denver Nuggets can continue to be a legit playoff contender without the help of a superstar, the Lakers can stay at .500 or better until their walking 27-5-5 returns. Bryant is way ahead of schedule, at least for a normal person, in terms of recovery time for his achilles injury. He’s back to shooting around, running and has been keeping us up to date with his rehab through his beloved Instagram account. There’s never a point when he touches the floor that he doesn’t believe his team can win and as we’ve seen time and time again, he can will just about any roster to a playoff run.
Anything can happen once he’s back and catches rhythm. You know you wouldn't confidently bet against him.
Photo Credit: www.zimbio.com
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Dwight Howard is gone
Sure he’s the best big in the league, but what is that really saying in a era without any true challengers. Shaq had Yao, Tim Duncan and the tail ends of David Robinson, Alonzo Mourning and Olajuwon’s careers to deal with. Howard has Roy Hibbert, Marc Gasol and.. and? Shit, that’s about it. His effect on the game didn’t equal out to the distraction he was off the court and no one really believed he was the future for the Purple & Gold to build on.
Maybe D’Antoni could’ve done more to fit Howard into his system, although he’s probably best off the pick-and-roll which the Lakers lived off of while Nash was around. And Howard wasn’t as healthy as everyone had hoped he’d be, playing most of last season with back injuries. Still, not even on his gigantic shoulders could he handle the responsibility that comes with being the focal point of the Lakers franchise.
Photo Credit: www.usatoday.com
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The pressure is off
It’s pretty much cut and dry for everyone on the team not named Nash, Nick Young, Robert Scare or Elias Harris (Kobe’s in his last year of his contract but isn’t going anywhere, let’s be real). If you don’t produce this season, you’re expendable. The young Buss’ in charge, Jeanie and Jim, won’t let the family business go bad and are eager to bring in players that will win.
The best news for this year’s roster is that no one expects them to do much, so finishing the season with a playoff seed of sixth or higher is a win.
Photo Credit: www.balloverall.com
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Swaggy P fits the Lakers mold
Swaggy P. Just say it out-loud: SWAG-E-P. Nick Young has the kind of charisma needed to play backup to Kobe Bryant and can fill up the scoring duties while the Laker leader is still sidelined. Young, a Los Angeles native, has a career average of 11.3 points per game, but when given the chance to start (which he’ll most likely do until Bryant’s return) he put up upwards of 17 points per game.
Photo Credit: vlsportysexycool.com
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Jordan Hill back
Jordan Hill has one dimensional game, but what he brings is exactly what the Lakers will need. known as a high-energy player who’s great at rebounding, Hill’s role should increase this season with the Lakers slim front-court.
While he only appeared in 29 games last season due to injury, his resurgence is a part of the new Laker identity. One they never got a chance to truly define last season because of players missing in action and coaching changes.
Photo Credit: geturswurve.com
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KaPau is a match made in heaven
Every team needs a bromance. Whether it’s genuine like Tim Duncan and Tony Parker or seemingly forced like Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, NBA teams need a duo to rely on. With Kobe out and Nash’s scoring days behind him, Pau Gasol’s role as the number option is unquestioned. Even though neither his spot as a starter or his role on the team is defined yet, Chris Kaman fits in the offense with Gasol because of their high IQ’s.
Coach D’An-Pringles face even acknowledged how impressed he was with their chemistry in the Lakers recent pre-season win over the Nuggets, where the two combined for 26 points and 15 rebounds.
Photo Credit: blog.lakers.com
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Gasol is back in the starting lineup
One of the biggest “WTF’s?” Laker fans had last season was the starting lineup D’Antoni went with and why Pau Gasol wasn’t always in it. Yes, MDA likes to play fast and that didn’t exactly fit Gasol’s half-court style, but benching him for Earl Clark was one of the biggest head scratchers of the season. It even prompted ESPN’s Bill Simmons to suggest that “If you're a professional basketball coach and your system is telling you, "I should play Earl Clark more than Pau Gasol," you need a new system.”
Gasol is definitely back in the starting lineup, whether he’s playing the center or power forward is up in the air, and will most likely change depending on the game strategy of the night. But at least benching him is no longer an option.
Photo Credit: www.theranking.com
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