Teams Standing in Lakers' Way

With the Lakers exiting the playoffs in the second round again last season, it was clear that changes needed to be made to the roster. Signing Nash and Jamison have made the Lakers one of the most improved teams in the league for the upcoming season; however that is only half the battle in their quest to win a title. Many teams improved this offseason, some perhaps even more so than the Lakers, making their run at a 3^rd title in 5 years all the more difficult. There are 5 teams that finished better than the Lakers last season and 3 of those 5 made it to their conference finals. The 4^th team that made it to the conference finals, the Celtics, looked great when it mattered and continued their tradition of success without making a serious effort in the regular season. Therefore it is fair to say that the Lakers had 6 teams finish better than them last season and I would like to examine the offseason each of these teams had and how they could stand in the Lakers way of a title in next year’s season.

6. Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls had the best record in the NBA last season even with the reigning MVP sidelined for several stretches of the season. Last year the Bulls showed their depth and toughness while Luol Deng emerged as a leader in Rose’s absence. Unfortunately for Chicago, their season came to a screeching halt when Rose injured himself again at the end of their opening game in the playoffs.  The Bulls failed to escape the first round and lost to a rejuvenated 76ers team. Word around the league is that Rose won’t be returning to the team until March and as a result, the Bulls will not have the best record in the league. Although they are probably good enough to make the playoffs in the East, without him it seems unlikely that they will even get home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Bulls will miss not only Rose, but Omer Asik, CJ Watson, Ronnie Brewer, and Kyle Korver all departed during the offseason. The NBA’s deepest team lost great roles players and even with Rose probably wouldn’t win the Eastern Conference.

Eastern Conference teams usually aren’t much of a concern because only one of them could meet the Lakers in the Finals, but the Bulls were a very tough team last season. Assuming Rose can come back at full strength, this team could make some noise in the playoffs depending on matchups. However it seems incredibly unlikely that the Bulls will win the Eastern Conference and as a result are the least threatening team that finished ahead of the Lakers in last year’s campaign.

5. Indiana Pacers

Playing in the opposite conference and considered one of the less popular franchises in the league made the Pacers one of the best kept secrets in last year’s season. Despite a very solid record in the regular season, it never seemed as though they were going to compete for the NBA championship. All of that changed when they took a 2-1 lead over the Miami Heat in the second round of the playoffs. However the Heat responded by winning the next three games and eventually the NBA Finals. The Pacers are a tough team and showed that in last year’s playoffs, but they will look very different next season.

One of the few teams that got worse in the offseason, the Pacers made a bizarre trade for Ian Mahinmi with Dallas, giving the Mavs Darren Collison and Dahntay Jones. They kept Roy Hibbert, a positive although they overpaid him, and let Leandro Barbosa walk. The acquisitions of DJ Augustin and Gerald Green will do little in terms of helping this team replace those losses.

Although the Pacers could be the 3^rd seed in the Eastern Conference it is very unlikely that they will be able to beat the Celtics and Heat, who will both stand in their way of making the NBA Finals. Don’t expect anything from the Pacers other than a solid regular season and a second round exit again.

4/3. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder were just 3 wins away from the NBA Finals and yet they find themselves as the 4^th/3rd biggest threat to the Lakers’ championship hopes. After beating the Lakers in the second round of the playoffs, it would seem bizarre to see the Thunder anything less than 2^nd, but there is a method to the madness. For the Lakers to reach the NBA Finals, or at least make the return significantly easier, they are going to need a little help.  Despite being the standout as the best team in the Western Conference last season, the Thunder faltered at the end of the year and didn’t earn the #1 seed. As a result the Lakers had to play the Thunder and if they had won, would have had to play the scorching Spurs. Even if the Lakers had gotten by OKC, winning against the Spurs in the following series was going to be difficult. Bottom line is the Lakers need to try and avoid playing San Antonio and OKC, if they would like to win the NBA Finals. Although the West is deep, there weren’t any major upsets in this year’s Western Conference playoffs, and it seems unlikely that there will be any next season. With little changes to their roster, the Thunder are just a tad less scary then the Spurs only because they have been a historically less successful team in the regular season.

3/4. San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs looked as though they were never going to lose again after their game 2 blowout win against the Thunder. When reality set in, it set in hard as the Spurs crashed into Earth losing 4 consecutive games and watching their historic season come to an end. The Spurs retained everyone and have made it clear that they believe they can win with the group of players that they had last year. The Spurs have been better in the regular season than the Spurs and as a result should pose a bigger threat although there is a catch. If the Lakers aren’t the #1 seed in the west and have to go through the Spurs and the Thunder in order to make the Finals, the Spurs are a more favorable match-up. That’s why that Thunder and Spurs received two numbers as the first number represents their likely to effect the Lakers winning the regular season crown in the West and the second number represents their likelihood of preventing the Lakers from getting to the Finals if they were to meet in the playoffs. The Spurs are no slouch, but the Thunder have a couple miserable matchups and the Spurs are just a more favorable matchup. The Spurs along with the Thunder will easily be the two biggest threats to the Lakers winning the Western Conference Finals and it is safe to say that one of these 3 teams will advance to the Finals from the West.

2. Miami Heat

LeBron James finally showed how dominant he truly is and the Heat showed the NBA what all the hype was about. Returning everyone and adding Rashard Lewis and Ray Allen, it is impossible to make a claim that Heat got worse in the offseason even if they didn’t get much better. Any improvement from t winning a championship is rare and the Heat showed that coupling outside shooters with James and Wade is deadly. That being said, the Heat weren’t all that impressive in the second and third rounds of the playoffs and although they won, they were very close to not making the finals. The Lakers match up pretty well with the Heat because of size and although Lebron is a matchup nightmare, Wade seems to have slowed a bit. I’m a big believer in letting Lebron get his, just play him tight and try to make things difficult. The key to beating the Heat is preventing Chalmers, Battier, Lewis, or Allen to get going. The Heat are the best team in the Eastern Conference and the league, but there lack of size makes a matchup with the Lakers a little easier for LAL. It’s definitely not a matchup that you would want if you were looking for an automatic NBA Finals ring like when the Lakers played Orlando, but the Heat aren’t the biggest threat to the Lakers in the upcoming season.

1. Boston Celtics

Being a Lakers’ fan means that you hate certain players and teams and at the top of that list is the Boston Celtics. That being said the Celtics were an incredible surprise in the playoffs last year and showed how good they really are against the Heat. Losing Ray Allen isn’t a factor with the additions of Jason Terry and Courtney Lee. That combo should easily match the production of Allen and even surpass what he brought to the team. Getting Jeff Green and Avery Bradley back and healthy is going to be huge as well as getting Jared Sullinger and keeping Bass and Garnett around. The Celtics have star power as well as depth and are good on both sides of the ball. They are the most complete team in the league and could very well beat the Heat. Although the Heat are probably a better team, the Celtics are a tougher matchup for the Lakers and would be the least desirable matchup in the Finals.

Many teams improved during the offseason and these 6 teams are just the teams that finished ahead of the Lakers last year. Teams like the Clippers, Nuggets, Grizzlies, Knicks, Nets, and others will all be tough teams throughout the year and could make some noise in the playoffs. The season definitely is shaping to be exciting after this eventful offseason.

Better Team from 2004

                                                  

The moves that have been made by the Laker front office this offseason have resulted in a great deal of hype for the upcoming campaign. While there are those who look at Nash, Jamison, and the returning players and salivate, there are naysayers who believe that this team is similar to the 2003-2004 Laker squad. Perhaps more painful than losing to the truly superior Boston Celtics in the 2008 Finals, the Lakers boasted a lineup with Kobe, Shaq, Gary Payton, and Karl Malone yet they lost to the much more team oriented Detroit Pistons. Defense beat offense in that NBA Finals and that loss was the last straw in the deteriorating relationship between LA’s biggest stars.

Don’t let anyone fool you; this Laker team has just one attribute in common with the 2004 team, age. Malone was 40 and had really just signed on to the Lakers to try and win that elusive championship. Few remember that he was hurt for most of the year as well as the NBA Finals and didn’t end up being a factor. Gary Payton was still a pretty solid NBA player at the age of 35 and put up 15 PPG along with 5 APG during the regular season. Kobe and Shaq were both in the prime of their career and played well throughout the season. That Laker team was old and the success hinged on two new acquisitions, but that is the only similarity amongst the ’04 Lakers and the present.

Steve Nash will play the role of Gary Payton and despite some similarities in their game, they are very different players. Payton, the Glove, was a fantastic defender and was known for his airtight defense. He was still a productive offensive player in LA and showed that throughout the year.  Nash is the inferior defense player, but all around is a better player than Payton and will have a much large impact on these Lakers. He is one of the greatest pure point guards of all time and his passing ability and clock management will make this team incredibly successful.

Kobe Bryant isn’t the young pup he was 8 years ago, but he is still one of the most feared players in the game and probably receives more attention from defenses on the offenses end than any other player. He is going to flourish with a pass first PG like Nash and although his scoring numbers may drop, his shooting percentages should be up and his energy level should be higher than last year. Saving some energy on the offensive end will allow Kobe to focus more on the other end of the court where his underrated defense will be crucial on this Lakers team.

Bynum will play the role of Shaq on this team and although he won’t be quite as dominant as Superman 1.0, he will be solid. Assuming that he will keep his head in the game, which seems reasonable since Nash will get him looks, Bynum can be deadly on the offensive and defensive end. Gasol is better at this point in his career than Karl Malone was during his time in LA and should be able to elevate his game the most, thanks to Nash. For all of the shortcomings that Metta World Peace possesses on the offensive end, he is still better than Devean George was and solidifies that the Lakers’ starting squad is improved.

The bench is just as strong as it was in 2004, but it could be even better if some of the Lakers’ younger role players can rise to the occasion.  Antawn Jamison is better than anyone that was on that ’04 bench and Jordan Hill and Steve Blake have both shown signs of brilliance. Hill in particular has shown solid consistent play since Brown began using him in the rotation. Guys like Ebanks, Goudelock, Morris, and Eyenga could be called upon to make an impact, and although it won’t be huge minutes, they have to make the most of their time.

Although this Laker team is an older bunch of veterans like the ’04 team, this team is greatly improved. The biggest question mark and area of improvement for this team will be on the defensive end. Although this team isn’t as strong as the ’04 team was on defense, this team has a couple young guys like Ebanks and Bynum who could really blossom into good defenders this year. As the 2010-2011 Mavericks showed in the playoffs and NBA Finals, being the faster, younger, and more athletic team doesn’t necessarily translate in championships. Guys like Shawn Marion, Jason Kidd, and other savvy veterans played major roles in winning that series. Hopefully the Lakers can get the same kind of impact from Jamison and Nash.

Ebanks Needs More Minutes

                                           

The 2011-2012 campaign for the Lakers was a frustrating one as it seemed as though they really couldn’t ever really put a solid win streak together or blow out inferior opponents.   One of the short comings of that team was at the SF position with playing time going to Metta World Peace, Matt Barnes, and Devin Ebanks. Although solid in the regular season, Barnes disappeared in the playoffs and as a result will not be returning to the Lakers for this upcoming season. Without question Kupchak and Buss made the right decision to not resign Barnes as they try to cut costs for the future. Having not adding a real SF, Jamison is a hybrid 4 and thus probably will get some action there; the depth chart will consist of MWP and Devin Ebanks. The addition of Nash has turned the 3 spot into the weakest of all the Lakers starting position and reasonably assuming that the 4 All-Star starters should get 70-85 points a game, whoever starts at the 3 won’t be expected to put up huge scoring numbers. Although it won’t be the flashiest of all the positions, it is this wing position that will decide whether or not the Lakers win a championship.

Metta World Peace is the incumbent and probably will resume his starting role when the season begins. Having been known as one of the best perimeter defenders in the league for years, World Peace is strong and physical and has done a good job on the defensive end during his time in LA. His performance in Game 7 of the 2010 Finals was the reason they won that game and ultimately the series. Although he has shown energy for the Lakers, he has also shown that he hasn’t overgrown his immaturity that was on full display at the Palace of Auburn Hills fight. His elbow to James Harden’s head was probably the dirtiest play of the season and resulted in a suspension that kept him out of 6 games in the playoffs. Without World Peace the Lakers struggled with Denver and the series went the distance to a game 7. Perhaps if the older Lakers had a chance to rest before the Thunder, who swept the Mavericks, the result in the conference semi-finals would have been different. MWP has shown at times that he has a touch from deep, but other nights he is ice cold and sometimes appears to be forcing shots.

Devin Ebanks was the starter at the beginning of the year for Mike Brown and having received little action under Phil Jackson, this came as a surprise to Laker fans. Ebanks is long and quick thus making him a solid defender although he doesn’t have the strength that World Peace possesses. Despite being the starter for the season opener, Ebanks quickly was removed not only from the starting rotation, but from the rotation entirely. It was one of many perplexing moves by Brown who shuffled around his rotation constantly throughout the season. One of the highlights of Ebanks’ season came in what was his best game, the elbow game, where he was able to get major minutes because of MWP’s early exit. Ebanks scored 8 points with 5 rebounds and attacked the basket earning 10 free throw attempts however where he shined was on the defensive end of the floor. Kevin Durant is known for his offensive efficiency yet he shot a miserable 11-34 from the field in large part to Ebanks’ effort on defense.

Although this isn’t a position where there is a lot of depth, the Lakers should have used the amnesty clause on Metta World Peace. The guy is overpaid and isn’t the same player that he was defensively years ago. He struggled against Durant in the playoffs and if the Lakers were to meet the Heat in the Finals, LeBron would be an absolute nightmare for him. Since it is no longer possible to remove MWP from Tinsel town, at least for this year, Brown should adjust the rotation and allow Ebanks to start again. The two biggest threats to Laker title hopes are the Thunder and Heat and despite not having seen Ebanks cover James, he has shown success on the defensive end against Durant. It is pivotal to the Lakers to allow younger players to get some experience and develop, and Ebanks seems like the perfect candidate to start with. Placing him in the starting lineup shouldn’t hurt the team too much and MWP can still see serious minutes and be fresher if he comes off the bench.  Both MWP and Ebanks would be the last option for scoring with the other 4 starters anyway so why is it important to start MWP who gets defensive recognition on previous success rather than his current defending.  Any Laker fan who watched Game 4 of the Thunder series surely remembers MWP backing up off Durant, allowing a great shooter a good look at the game winning shot. Ever since that pathetic attempt at defense, it doesn’t really make any sense to me as to why a 32 year old hot head should start over a 22 year old promising defender.

Nash's Effect on Mike Brown

                                     

The 2011-2012 NBA season was incredibly hectic for every team in the league, but for the Lakers it was the most chaotic. First there was the coaching change from Phil Jackson to Mike Brown which left many people surprised. Brian Shaw was the in-house favorite and had Kobe’s endorsement; however the Lakers front office decided to go with Mike Brown who had success in the regular season with Cleveland, but never in the playoffs. Then of course there were personnel changes as Lamar Odom and Shannon Brown were gone and replaced with new faces like Josh McRoberts, Troy Murphy, and Jason Kapono. Throughout the course of the season, Mike Brown found himself in a predicament as fans were quick to point to his shortcomings, mainly in the offensive end. His teams had been successful defensively, but the Lakers under Jackson had been a finely tuned machine on offense. Given that the players on the Lakers were as gifted defensively, it would have been more effective for the Lakers to be scoring more points, but unfortunately for the team that wasn’t the case.

The addition of Steve Nash will not only help turn the Lakers into one of the best offensive teams in the league, but will help Brown turn the Lakers into one of the best defensive teams.  As a big believer in an extension of the coach on the floor, there is no question that is exactly for Nash can be for the Lakers. As someone who sees options that most people don’t and threads needles that even Aaron Rodgers could only dream of, Nash will allow the Lakers much easier opportunities than they had this season.  It is almost impossible to fathom that a coach who is not offensively minded, like Brown, could ever give advice or coaching to Kobe. However Bryant has the utmost respect for Nash who has shown time and time again that he is a true competitor and an offensive maestro. Although he will have to focus on offense as the head coach, acquiring Nash will relinquish some of the duties and effort that he had last season.

Not spending as much time focusing on offensive sets will allow Brown to be the defensive genius that he can be. The Lakers possess several young players who have physical gifts that could turn them into good, consistent defenders like Bynum, Ebanks, Eyenga, and Morris. Although the Lakers aren’t known for having great homegrown talent, these are cheap players that all have shown they could play quality defense. With sound defenders in Metta World Peace and Kobe leading the way, the Lakers should be a very formidable team on the defensive end. Mike Brown has created a lot of doubt about if he can continue to win since leaving Cleveland and it doesn’t really seem like there should be a problem. Despite not having LeBron James, the Laker team is much more talented than Brown’s former Cavaliers teams and they should be able to compete with the Thunder and Spurs for the Western Conference as well as with the Heat and Celtics for the NBA Championship.

Despite having a good deal of people calling for his head after last season, Mike Brown is a quality coach in the NBA and is going to change a lot of people’s opinions in the upcoming season. There is no doubt that he will have a much more talented group of players, but at the same time, it will be his defense that will dictate whether or not the Lakers will be NBA champions.

Final Tweaks To Lakers Lineup

                                                             

The Lakers’ have had an offseason as productive as just about any team in the league and their changes have thrust themselves back into championship contention.  Apparently the Lakers are on the verge of getting the defensive-minded Jermaine O’Neal. I have read opinions suggesting that this is a good move and others that say it would be a major mistake. I’m firmly in the mindset that Jermaine O’Neal would not add much if anything to the Lakers and is not worth looking into. Jermaine is not at all the player he once was and there is a major reason why the Celtics have no interest in keeping him. He is old, slow, and delusional about his capabilities. According to one source, O’Neal was frustrated with the role and playing time that he received in Boston, who has a much thinner front court than the Lakers.

O’Neal should be the 5^th frontcourt player behind Bynum, Gasol, Jamison, and Hill and as ludicrous as it may sound, how much better is O’Neal than McRoberts. McRoberts can bring more energy and is quicker on his feet, not to mention that he isn’t going to complain about his role which apparently is a problem with Jermaine. Even at the veteran’s minimum, O’Neal doesn’t seem worth it as he would ride the pine and probably complain.

For many of the same reasons, Kenyon Martin is another player that the Lakers should avoid. Although he would probably be a positive locker room influence, this is a team full of veterans that doesn’t need someone like that. As far as his playing ability, Martin is declining and despite decent defense and rebounding, he would be the 5^th option.

Although it is unlikely that the Lakers could acquire Brandon Rush or Leandro Barbosa, those are two players that are worth considering. Acquiring Barbosa would be huge for bench scoring although his defensive would be a major issue. Barbosa is an excellent outside shooter and has also played with Nash in Phoenix. The only way they could get Barbosa would be if he decided to take a major pay cut, not out of the question, but very unlikely. As far as Brandon Rush goes, he is a more complete player and younger than Barbosa, however he is a restricted FA and the Warriors have said that they will match any offer he receives as long as it isn’t obscene. With the Lakers’ cap restrictions, this means that getting him is probably not in the cards.

Two players that the Lakers should look into are Terrence Williams and Jodie Meeks. Meeks is a deadly outside shooter who could back up Bryant and make a major impact playing an inside out game with Bynum and Gasol. Terrence Williams is the athletic wing player that the Lakers desperately need to fill out the roster. As great and productive as the offseason has been, there are still a few couple tweaks that the front office needs to make before this team is ready to compete for a title.

Bynum Can't Be Future

                                                  

News recently broke saying that the Lakers were in talks with Andrew Bynum’s agent in regards to a contract extension. Having spent a good portion of the summer discussing trading Bynum in a deal for Dwight Howard, this could signal the end of that trade. Mitch Kupchak has said that the Lakers haven’t given up on pursuing Howard, but seeking an extension suggests that Bynum will become the next centerpiece of the Lakers franchise.

Although he had a productive season last year, Bynum has been a disappointment in Los Angeles due to his constant injuries. Despite being 24 years old, Drew’s knees have at least 5 extra years on them as he has not held up well in an 82 game season in his career. Any worry about Howard’s back if he were a Laker would be microscopic compared to the current worry about Bynum’s knees. In addition Bynum has shown that he has serious immaturity issues that might point to his inability to be a team leader. During huddles with Mike Brown, Bynum often stands away from the group, a sign that he is disinterested. After taking a terrible 3 resulting in Brown showing Drew the pine, Bynum clearly didn’t learn his lesson and told reporters that he would do it again. Perhaps even more disheartening is the lack of effort that he consistently shows if he feels the game isn’t going his way. This season showed that Bynum is a more talented player than Pau Gasol, but to Gasol’s credit, he always gives 100%, the same definitely can’t be said about Bynum. Any assurances that maturity will come with age are humorous since Bynum plays with one of the game’s greatest competitors and professionals in Kobe Bryant. If Bynum ever were to transform into a mature player who gave every minute his all then it would have happened by now. Simply put, Bynum isn’t a safe bet for the franchise to make its star of the future due to his injury history and mental instability.

The game of basketball is changing and so are the requirements to winning NBA championships. It is much more common to see bigger guys that can serve multiple roles and have athleticism like guards despite having a massive frame. LeBron James and Kevin Durant are both players that combine speed and strength with their large size. LBJ and KD both led their teams to the NBA Finals, a place that Bynum would not be able to lead the Lakers. Dwight Howard is a better center than Bynum and went to one Finals where his team got shellacked. Having a one-dimensional player like Bynum makes it very difficult to win a championship. Ignoring the talent that he will have around him; my point is when your best player is a 5, that isn’t necessarily a good thing. Centers are the only position that hasn’t adapted to the newest form of the NBA. Comparing the greatest pure PG of all-time, John Stockton, to a Derrick Rose, Russell Westbrook, or Chris Paul shows how much the position has changed. Centers have to be able to do more than just score and rebound, now they have to be able to control the paint more. PGs can attack the paint and will score a lot more points than in the past. It is impossible to see predict what the Lakers’ roster will be in 5 years, but it would have to be a team similar to what Orlando had (a dominant inside presence with lethal shooters that can play an inside out game). The problem is that Bynum is the defensive player Dwight is, and maybe he will change, but based on his effort on that end of the floor, it seems unlikely.

Center is a position where you pay for potential, but at some point teams have to accept that a player doesn’t have the ceiling that they thought he did. Bynum is at his ceiling and has shown that with injuries and a terrible attitude, he isn’t that player that the Lakers can build a team around. Hopefully the Lakers don’t extend Bynum quite yet and try to deal Bynum for Howard as soon as possible. I’m not sure that Howard can be the centerpiece of a championship team either; he will need a sidekick like Shaq needed Kobe. Building a franchise around a traditional 5 like Bynum is a mistake and is not the way that the Lakers will win championships in the future. The way the NBA has changed in the past 15 years, Bynum can only be a piece on a championship team, not the centerpiece.

6 Reasons Why the Lakers Will Beat the Thunder

                                 

After the way the Thunder played in the playoffs, it’s understandable why many people consider them to be the favorites in the West, however the changes that the Lakers made puts them back into the conversation. Looking at roster changes as well as making adjustments, the Lakers have 6 reasons why they will beat the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.

6. Antawn Jamison Can Score

Will Antawn Jamison be the same caliber 6^th man that James Harden is? Absolutely not, but for the Lakers, his offense will be a much needed kick for a bench that was terrible last year. He creates interesting matchups with the Thunder because he could help pull Ibaka away from the paint or penetrate if he had Perkins or Collison on him. Either way Jamison is going to be a valuable weapon in the Lakers’ arsenal that they didn’t have this year.

5. More Efficient Offense

The addition of one of the greatest playmakers of all-time is going to make life much easier for Kobe, Bynum, and Gasol. It isn’t unrealistic to assume that those 3 could get 60-70 points per game and make life miserable for opposing defenses. Nash is also going to help spread the floor and can play an excellent inside out game with Bynum or Gasol. Expect more scoring from the Lakers against the Thunder in next year’s WCF.

4. Heat Pointed Out Some Flaws

The Thunder were the favorite to win the crown going into the Finals and yet the Heat beat them with relative ease. In fact for the most part, the Thunder only looked like the better team for one half of Game 1. Two major weaknesses became clear with the Thunder. First, if you make life tough for Westbrook or Harden, you will win. The Thunder bench isn’t as deep as people think, they just have a starter who comes on and plays against reserves. James Harden was the biggest reason the Heat won. At the same time Russell Westbrook, a high volume shooter, needs to be kept out of the paint. If you force him to be a jump shooter, his scoring can be controlled. Second, Durant is a player that you have to attack. The Lakers don’t have that penetration guy like the Heat, but that being said if Durant is on Bynum or Gasol that should be a basket or a foul. He is not a good defender and often finds himself in positions that are dangerous. Any excuse to get Durant off the floor and get a useless player like Daequan Cook in the game should be a major advantage for the Lakers.

3. Ebanks Can Slow Down Durant

When talking about defending elite players like LeBron, Kobe, and Durant, it isn’t a matter of stopping them, just ways to slow them down. Durant has been the league’s leading scorer the last 3 season and is going to score….a lot. If anyone was clear from this year’s series with the Thunder, Metta World Peace is not a good matchup for Durant. In the game where MWP was ejected for the elbow to James Harden’s head, Devin Ebanks showed that his league and quickness is pretty effective on Kevin Durant. Allowing Ebanks to start move MWP and over Durant will help the Lakers immensely as Durant has to work harder to get points.

2. Height Will Matter

Somehow the Lakers were outrebounded by the Thunder despite having 2 7-footers who are All-stars. That is terribly embarrassing and the Lakers need to make sure that when they play the Thunder again they crash hard on the boards. The Lakers are big and need to make sure that they dominate the paint on both ends of the floor. Nash will help make life much easier for Gasol and Bynum, but they have to actively make an effort.

1. Lakers Will Be Hungry

Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest competitors in sports and perhaps of all time. He hates losing and refuses to quit regardless of the obstacles. That being said, the other Lakers were as hungry this year as they should have been. A tough offseason for every team, the Lakers had players unfit for the season’s beginning and with wholesale roster changes, a bunch of guys who weren’t ready to win. As a result the Lakers struggled early and finally turned into a pretty good team at the end of the season, but didn’t show that energy that they had in the 2009 and 2010 championship runs. Andrew Bynum has the tools to be a star in this league and needs to be more aggressive and Pau Gasol needs to quit moping and be the force that he has been since he entered the league.

The Lakers played the Thunder tough but ended up losing the series 4-1 in what didn’t end up being all that close. Bottom line is if the Lakers want to win the NBA Championship then they are going to have to go through Oklahoma City and close doesn’t mean anything.