I honestly believe we’re headed in the right direction. – Jeremy Lin
Jeremy Lin is NOT the authority of the Lakers, but he does have a point.
In the past 10 games the Lakers have experienced several close losses by single digits. This is much different than the Mike D’Antoni era where Lakers fans were becoming accustomed to blowouts. This Lakers team lacks talent and is severely undermanned, yet they’re competitive even with the elite teams.
The catalyst for this recent turnaround was against Golden State. When Byron Scott made the decision to rest Kobe Bryant, NBA fans expected the Warriors to run over the Lakers. Instead, the team relished the underdog role and spearheaded a victory.
Rip City Project
Although the Lakers lost the next two games without Kobe, it gave both the team and Bryant a small case study of how they can succeed going forward.
The Lakers need a balance of relying on Bryant in crucial situations and running an inclusive system that involves each player on the court. In their 11 victories this year, the Lakers usually have at least 5 players score in double figures. Even when Bryant is great, they only win with collective effort and production.
Let’s not forget that Byron Scott decides when Kobe plays or rests. Besides Phil Jackson, what other coach would Bryant willingly submit his fate to? It speaks volumes to Byron’s leadership, Bryant’s willingness to sacrifice for the team and overall that Scott trusts his team enough to survive without Bryant.
Currently their 11-24 record would say otherwise, but the Lakers are trending in the right direction. As the team gains more confidence playing with or without Kobe the close losses will eventually turn into wins.
The Lakers are also active on the trade scene, so that silences all the “tanking” talk since their intention is to get better now.
It takes time to build a winning culture. As an example, Phil Jackson has chosen to run a system, the Triangle Offense, that is too complex for their current roster. Therefore the Knicks are trading and waiving players that don’t fit for their future plans. Byron Scott experienced championships as a player in the 80’s so he knows the formula for winning.
As Lakers fans it’s encouraging to see progress amidst a tough season.
The team is unified.
They are playing for each other.