With the new additions of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard signed to the Lakers line-up before the start of this NBA season, Lakers fans excitedly and fanatically claimed good things were to come.
With illustrious and celebrated Lakers duo Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol alongside the new additions, it all seemed as though it was nothing but forward and up from here on.
But once the season started all those hopes were soon quickly crushed.
The Lakers franchise looked as though it hoped to produce the next Miami Heat type side, a big three with the help of a few experienced veterans. At this stage they don’t look like even making the play offs.
With a new look team, a fired Mike Brown, a new coach and a largely veteran line-up, it’s not a surprise that team chemistry and team belief hampered and burdened the Lakers season start.
Beginning 0-3 this season was the Lakers worst regular season start since 1978-79, and after a loss yesterday to the rising New York Knicks the Lakers now stand at 9 – 14, placing them 12th in the Western Conference standings.
There are a lot of fingers being pointed at different people for the Lakers downfall. It seems as though the Lakers thought that they just needed a quick change, so it was out with Brown, but still the Lakers continued to fumble.
Some say trading away Lamar Odom was a big no no, something that cut the depth out of the squad, but then some would say there are still Bryant, Bynum and Gasol.
These three mentioned are the Lakers veterans, patriots, they know the Lakers game, but since the new arrival of former Phoenix coach Mike D’Antoni plus Howard and Nash, you can pretty much sum up the LA roster as just an old, non-defensive team now.
Bryant and Nash are both in their 17th NBA seasons and Gasol was nearly out of the Lakers squad before the season even began. Back up to Nash is point guard Steve Blake, who is also getting older and less confident.
Big man Howard has been decent in the post for the Lakers but still hasn’t been 100 percent since his back surgery, Gasol an 11-year pro has been out with tendonitis in both his knees, Nash has missed 19 games and continues to stay out with a niggling leg injury.
There is no quick change that can help the Lakers, no quick fix or buy. All the Lakers will need is a profound amount of time to regroup and gel into a new era.
The Lakers have a lot of inner issues and inspiration and motivation is lacking. They have been criticised for their lack of willingness and drive.
But you can’t put it all down to psychological factors, there are also the fundamentals in both defence and offense that have created issues.
Team defence has gone hay wire, Antawn Jamison who has replaced Gasol is known as one of the worst defensive players in the league. Both Bryant and Howard have been ordinary and defensive analysts say they are both not up to scratch to what they are expected to be.
There has been a lack of transition defensive, which is due to their veteran status, old and slow to get back on opposition fast breaks.
D’Antoni is known for having teams that play ordinary defence, so it will be long road ahead before their defence becomes up to scratch.
The Lakers have the names, the experience, are newly welcomed coach, but until their inner issues are dealt with in the amount of time needed, will the Lakers be capable of contesting in the playoffs?
Too old and too shaken, it is perhaps too much to expect.
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