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.