Lakers Limp Into All-Star Break
Halfway through the first season of the Mike Brown regime and the Los Angeles Lakers look like a team headed for an overhaul. Normally we’d hear the Lakers reassuring everyone willing to listen than they’ll dial it up when the time is right. However when Andrew Bynum isn’t even sure what the teams’ record is then it is pretty obvious that if the Lakers did have a switch they wouldn’t know hot to flip it.
The combination of the hectic schedule combined with the team adjusting to a new coaching staff has created an over dependence on Kobe Bryant. At times it feels like the Lakers are back to where they were prior to the arrival of Pau Gasol. Kobe’s minutes are good for third most in the league and he’s also leading the NBA in scoring. Yet the Lakers can’t win on the road and they’re still struggling to find an identity.
To make matters even worse is that the West is packed with teams jockeying for playoff position. A team like the Lakers can easily go from 4th as potential Pacific champs or slide all the way down to 7th. Either way the route to a title is daunting especially if said route runs through Oklahoma City. Then again, as long as that route takes the Lakers anywhere outside of Staples then the championship hopes are pretty much on ice.
When a veteran team like the Lakers can’t win on the road and has trouble closing games it speaks volumes to the team’s mental state. The horrific road woes are even more concerning when you see the Lake Show is 0-11 on the road when trailing after three quarters.
Think about that for a second. That just about tells you all you need to know. This team knows they can’t win it all. Their many meltdowns have echoed that and how this season ends will certainly paint a clear picture.
The goods news is that this team, along with most of the league, will be getting some much needed rest. The bad news is that once the season gets going again the games will mean even more. If the Lakers are up for the challenge then it would be nice to see a more consistent effort. The title hopes might be gone but the pride should still remain. We’ll see soon enough what this team is made of or we’ll just be constantly reminded of what they’re lacking if no changes are made.