The (Arguable) Takeover of Los Angeles
As the Lakers rolled off eight straight wins to open the season—the best start in franchise history—speculation in LA began to run more rampant than Lindsey Lohan in a Bolivian cocaine farm: Is this the greatest Lakers squad of all time? If not, where do they rank among the greats? While it’s obviously too early to say with any certainty, speculating on their place in pantheon of Laker’s history is exciting nonetheless. In homage to the Laker’s 8-0 start (for now, we’re going to overlook that loss to Denver on Thursday night) and in an attempt to find their rightful place in history, let’s take a look at some of the greatest teams to don the purple and gold:
1972 Lakers:
This LA team recorded a franchise best 69-13 regular season record, including a 33 game winning streak; the longest in NBA history. A smart, physical team with the veteran leadership of a 33-year-old Jerry West (25.8 PPG; 9.7 APG) and a 35-year-old Wilt Chamberlain (14.8 PPG; 19.2 RPG; 4.3 women per night) and the firepower of a young Gail Goodrich and Jim McMillian, this team was probably the best regular season Lakers team of all-time. The only other Lakers team in the discussion…
2000 Lakers:
A memorable Lakers team for a few of reasons: Shaq was in his prime (30 PPG; 14 RPG; 3 BPG), a 21-year-old Kobe was coming into his own, Glen Rice was the perfect knockdown shooter to compliment the inside-outside attack of Shaq and Kobe and, of course, this season marked the beginning of the Phil Jackson era with Lakers winning their first title since Magic retired. Despite one of the best regular season performances ever, the playoffs proved to be more difficult for the young team. After posting a 67-15 record, they started the postseason 11-8 and practically handed Portland game seven of the Western Conference Finals before surmounting a 17-point fourth quarter deficit on a unforgettable run capped by a Kobe-to-Shaq alley-oop that nearly brought the Staples Center roof down (Probably the second loudest moment in Staples history, behind game six of the ’02 West Finals when Big Shot Rob collectively murdered the hopes and dreams of everyone in Sacramento). That game has to be the best Lakers game I’ve ever seen that wasn’t on ESPN Classic, heightened by the fact that, thanks to a pitiful Eastern Conference, the Western Finals were effectively the NBA Finals… a truth reinforced by an effortless sweep of the Pacers after battling through the loaded West.
1987 Lakers:
Let me take you back to 1987 Los Angeles: Showtime is in full-effect. Magic is averaging 24, 12 and 6 on the way to his first MVP trophies (regular season and finals). James Worthy is becoming a star in his own right and Michael Cooper (the sixth man) is about to become the defensive player of the year. Pat Riley and two pounds of hair gel are pacing the sidelines. Seemingly, the only weakness is a 39-year-old Kareem hobbling up and down the court managing to pull down less five boards a night despite being 7’2” and logging over 30 minutes a game. But Magic, realizing the Lakers couldn’t defend or rebound inside, decided the only option was to outscore the other team and proceeded to annihilate opponents to the tune of 117 points per game. Today, it’s hard to imagine a 65 win team averaging 117 points a game. Unfathomable, really.
2001 Lakers:
Almost the inverse of the 2000 team, this Lakers squad struggled with complacency issues after winning their first title. They finished the regular season at 56-26 before coming together for one of the best playoff runs of all time: they won their first 15 playoff games in sweeps of Portland, SacTown and San Antonio, respectively. Endued with a little too much confidence after butchering the West (the best conference that year by far) they fell in game one of the finals to a severely under-matched Sixers team (as Iverson exploded for 48) before easily winning the next 4 games. Not only did this team have two of future hall of famers playing some of their best basketball (Shaq averaged 30 points and 15 rebounds in the playoffs while Kobe went for 29.4 points, 7.3 boards and 6.1 assists), they also had a deep supporting cast, featuring some of the greatest role players of all time: Horry, Fisher, Harper, Grant, Fox, and Shaw. Add their ability to gel when it mattered and they have to be in the G.O.A.T. discussion. They were playing so well in May and June; I don’t think the ’96 Bulls would have gotten them. Especially considering Luc Longley would have been guarding Shaq.
1982 Lakers:
In my humble opinion, the best Lakers team of all time. They combined one of the best half-court scorers ever (Kareem) with the best open-court player ever (Magic) to form an unstoppable offensive force. Depending on circumstance, they could bang you inside or push the pace. Kareem averaged 23.9 from the block and a 22-year-old Magic came as close to averaging a triple double as anyone since Oscar Robertson (18.6 PPG; 9.6 APG; 9.5 RPG). Add Norm Nixon (17.6 PPG; 8.0APG), Jamal Wilkes (21.1 PPG), Michael Cooper and Bob McAdoo and you’ve got one of the best six man rotations in the history of the Association. Never again will we see a team with such a high level of versatility. Never again will the best low-post scorer of all-time be paired with the best open-court passer of all-time. It was a once-in-a-lifetime cosmic phenomenon, destined to be unparalleled forever.
So, what about this year? Just being in the discussion with those teams is an achievement in itself. The 2010-11 Lakers are a veteran squad who know how to win. They have two superstars, two semi-stars and what is possibly the deepest cast of role players a Lakers team has ever had. Coupled with the greatest coach in the history of professional sports and you’ve got a team in the thick of the argument. Their ability to claim the “Greatest Lakers Team of All-Time” banner remains to be seen… but I look forward to the argument becoming more compelling over the next few months.
Win Ron’s Bling
Ron Artest is crazy. We all know this. He went charging into the Palace stands in 2004, admitted to getting drunk at halftime when he was playing in Chicago and has been the center of myriad legal controversy, including a 2007 Animal Services case for starving his dog. When he signed with the Lakers in 2009, everyone seemed to think he was a walking time bomb; it was only a matter of time before snapped and strangled a reality TV star sitting courtside or picked up Phil Jackson’s high chair and flung it into the crowd.
Naturally, it was a huge surprise to see Artest fight back the crazy for an entire season, string together numerous brilliant defensive performances in the regular season and then cap it off with a huge playoff run (not only did he score 20 in game seven of the NBA finals, he hit the game winner in a decisive game five victory against Phoenix in the Western Conference finals).
Now, as he raffles off his championship ring for charity, it’s hard not to wonder if Artest has finally come full circle. Has he really matured this much? He’s gone from throwing cameras around at MSG to selflessly offering his championship ring to a worthy cause. Sure, it still seems a little crazy… thousands of NBA players have fought tirelessly in pursuit of a ring, the pinnacle of the basketball achievement, and so many of them have fallen short, leaving their careers feeling incomplete. Artest raffling off one of the most revered and sought after pieces of jewelry in the world is either crazy or hugely altruistic, but you can’t discount the amount of publicity generated for Artest’s charity (Xcel University), an organization created to “support mental health awareness and treatment for children”.
But there was one moment, watching the ring ceremony on opening night, as Artest first saw his ring—you could see his jaw drop and eyes light up—when you could tell he was regretting his decision. I kept thinking he was going to grab Jack Nicholson as a hostage and run out of the Staples Center clutching the ring to his chest, all while muttering, “My precious…”
Alas, it seems Ron-Ron has calmed down a bit. Last season saw him come into his own—as a person and a player. Here’s to hoping the mature, philanthropic Artest stays around a while. For a chance to win Ron’s ring, complete with a 3D sculpture of his face and a piece of the ball used in game seven, follow this link: Ron Artest: Win My Bling Raffle
Under the Radar in LA…
It’s not often that the two-time defending champions get to start the season under the radar. This season, with all the publicity and speculation surrounding the Miami Heat, the Lakers have managed to accomplish just that. TNT decided to have their crew in Boston on opening day, choosing the debut of the Heat over the championship ring ceremony in Los Angeles. Even David Stern, obligated to be in LA for the ring presentation, spoke wistfully of the Heat’s opener at the Garden. Even in Southern California, when it’s about the Lakers, it’s still kinda about the Heat; one of my friends, a life-long Laker fan, stood in line for five hours in Santa Monica last week to buy a limited edition Lakers t-shirt that reads “Bring the Heat” in purple and gold. But as everybody spent the summer talking about the talent in South Beach, the Lakers quietly improved their team, becoming a deeper, smarter, more cohesive unit… looking poised for the three-peat. Miami may have all the hype, but there’s still plenty to be excited about in Laker Land:
1. The Bench
As Kobe enters his 15th season, the need to limit his minutes is becoming greater. Despite his relatively young age, his legs have a lot of miles on them and keeping him healthy and rested come playoff time is a major concern. Fisher, also entering season 15, will be forced into a limited role this year as well, mainly because he can’t guard 90% of the point guards in the league. Add the uncertainty surrounding Bynum and his perpetual string of knee injuries and it becomes obvious how important of a role the bench will play on this year’s team. Fortunately, the front office had a sagacious offseason, resigning Shannon Brown and bringing in new players to fill in the gaps.
In the first two games, Steve Blake has been running the triangle like a wily veteran, setting up his teammates and making open threes. Without the three-point shooting of Blake and Brown (who combined to go 7-9 from behind the arc on Tuesday), the Lakers wouldn’t have been able to shake off the ring ceremony hangover and beat the Rockets on opening night. Brown, who improved his outside shooting during the offseason, looks ready to fill a much bigger role off the bench this year and will be counted on to provide defense in the backcourt.
Matt Barnes has been steadily improving since the season began, finally settling in and knocking down some shots during the second half in Phoenix on Friday night. If they can get consistent play out of Barnes, some decent production from at least one of the rookies (Ebanks and Caracter) and Bynum can get healthy, relegating Odom back to his usual sixth-man role, the Lakers could have one of the best benches in the league this season. Making it even more likely they beat a team like Miami (with no bench at all) in a seven game series.
2. Lamar Odom
A summer with Team USA was the best possible thing LO could have done this year. He stayed in shape, he played against great competition and, perhaps most importantly, as the eldest member of Team USA (by far) he was thrust into a leadership/teacher role where he thrived, becoming a better leader, teammate and a more confident player. He has been much more aggressive early this season, getting to the basket in the half court, rebounding (he had 17 boards against the Suns) and pushing the pace in transition. In the first two games, out of 22 field goal attempts, Odom only took two threes. A virtual walking mismatch, it always seems like a victory for the defense when he settles for a three. Now we just need to convince the TNT producers that it’s not necessary to show Khloe Kardashian’s reaction every time LO gets a bucket.
3. Pau Gasol
Gasol looked dominant in both early games this year, scoring 29 on the Rockets and then hanging a near triple-double on the Suns (21-8-9). He scored effortlessly over the top of Yao Ming and then beat up a young Phoenix frontline with a variety of power moves, getting to the line nine times. His post moves look smooth and polished, especially his left hand jump hook, and he’s been passing out of the double team with precision. Like Odom, he looks more confident in his game and more comfortable in his role on the team than he’s ever been before. If Bynum can get healthy and return to form, the Lakers will boast one of the best frontcourts, best benches and one of the best players in the game… all while somehow managing to fall into an underdog roll behind the Heat. It almost seems unfair.
Nope, doesn't fit.
Zen and the Art of the Three-peat
They say good things come in threes. While I’m not exactly sure who “they” are, it might as well be Phil Jackson. Every time the man wins a ring, you can feel pretty confident chalking up the next two. Without Phil, the term “three-peat” never would have been invented. He is the three-peat. He should legally change his middle name. History is on his side. And it’s hard to argue with history.
So now, heading into what most people believe will be Jackson’s last season, it seems an impossibility to watch him walk away from the game without rounding out the last one. Just trying to imagine such a scenario hurts my head: The greatest coach in the history of the NBA falling one title short of his fourth three-peat and walking away from the game a loser. The alternative narrative seems to wrap up his career much more adequately: The greatest coach in NBA history caps his career with his fourth and final three-peat, two with the Bulls and two with the Lakers, cementing his legacy as the most successful man to don a clipboard on a basketball sideline (See what I mean? A nice little bow on the Zen Master era).
Sure, there’s still a fair amount to be dubious about. The “three am-egos” or whatever they’re calling themselves down in South Beach have a strong case for title favorites heading into training camp this weekend. But as far as I’m concerned, Phil and the Show are still the team to beat. Here are three reasons why:
1) Offseason additions/subtractions: The defending champs had a solid offseason this year, making some nice acquisitions and cutting some dead weight (read: Adam Morrison). Steve Blake will be a nice upgrade over Jordan Farmar, if for no other reason than he’ll actually be able to run the triangle offense. Farmar never fully bought in to what the Lakers were trying to do offensively and he never found his rhythm within the triangle. Steve Blake is a much better suited point guard for the triangle for three reasons (starting to see a theme?): 1) He’s a much better passer than Farmar; 2) his outside shooting is far more consistent and auspiciously timed; and 3) Steve Blake will thrive in the role of a facilitator and understand concepts Farmar had trouble grasping during his time with the Lakers (it’s never a good idea for Jordan Farmar to launch a three with Kobe, Gasol and Odom on the court and 14 seconds still on the shot clock). Having players who know their role within a given unit is an often underestimated quality of all successful teams.
I’m also excited about the addition of Matt Barnes, a player who, along with Artest, can provide toughness and a strong defensive presence on the perimeter. He’s the epitome of a player you hate until he’s on your side, constantly hanging on someone or clapping in their face, all while sporting a myriad of hideous neck tattoos. Let’s just hope he can keep the domestic abuse to a minimum.
The additions of Blake and Barnes will be bolstered by the Laker’s two second round draft picks, Devin Ebanks and Derrick Caracter, who both had quality showings in the Summer League and will add some athleticism to the frontline, which now also includes Theo Ratliff. (Twitter tangent: I’m now one of Ebanks’ 10,000 some followers on twitter and I have to say, I couldn’t be happier. Not only do I always know exactly what time he’s getting up in the morning, yesterday I got to see a picture of his new window tints. Enthralling stuff Devin, keep it up.)
2) Kobe: Explanation would be superfluous.
3) Chemistry: LeBroshade and Co. may have solidified the most talented unit in the NBA, but the chemistry question still remains. As Jackson said in a recent interview, “They got great talent… But talent doesn’t always win… It’s teamwork that does it.”
If the Heat’s attempts at cohesion are still a year or two away, they’re going to have a tough time facing the battle-tested core of the Lakers. Factor in the veteran point guard presence of Steve Blake and Ron Ron’s constant psychiatric attention and the Lakers seem as fortified as ever in the chemistry department. The Heat may win their share of regular season games, but in a seven-game playoff series, my money is still on the Lake Show.
I’ll leave it to the infallible Phil Jackson to further hammer home my point, “I always refer to when Wilt Chamberlain was traded from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and that put [Elgin] Baylor, [Jerry] West and Chamberlain together — three of the top scorers in NBA history — and they never won a championship together the four years they were together.”
Need I say more?
Lakers Beat a Healthy Spurs Team Without Bryant and Bynum
The Los Angeles Lakers beat a healthy San Antonio Spurs team Monday night 101-89 despite the Lakers having key players out with injuries. Both Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum sat out with injuries in the game while Paul Gasol showed every aspect of his game with 21 points and 19 rebounds. He added eight assists and five blocks to help fill the void along with Lamar Odom and Ron Artest. Odom added 16 points with Artest putting up 18.
The Spurs have made it a trend of losing to teams with key players missing as of late. A loss to the Nuggets without Carmelo Anthony and a loss to the Blazers without Brandon Roy. The past few weeks have had to have been a bit frustrating for the Spurs. All of their keys seem to be in place, they just can’t get it done. “Finishing” a game is not in their vocabulary. I think Coach Popovich would agree. Manu Ginobili was the high-scorer for the Spurs with 21 with Tony Parker following close behind with 20. Tim Duncan added 16 points and 15 rebounds in the tough loss.
The Spurs have the next two days off after the loss and will take on the Denver Nuggets on Thursday, February 11. This may be exactly what they need to get it together coming up before the All-Star break. The Lakers will have a day off before they head to Utah to take on the Jazz. Kobe Bryant should be back in the lineup, but with the team playing well without him there he probably won’t be a big rush in coming back too early and hurting his ankle any worse.
As Bynum Goes, So Go the Lakers
To say the Lakers have been struggling so far this season is somewhat of an understatement. The immense lack of passion exhibited on opening night was generally attributed to the ring ceremony hangover. “It’s always tough to play games after those kind of ceremonies,” Phil Jackson noted in the infinite wisdom garnered from experiencing this particular scenario ten times. Unfortunately, it looks like this hangover is a little more persistent than the average. In fact, it seems like the Lakers have been on a Raoul Duke-esque bender for the entire summer. Can somebody please get them some Pedialyte?!?
Sure, Gasol has been out of the lineup with a hamstring injury, but throwing him back into the mix isn’t a guaranteed fix for the team’s chemistry problems and he certainly isn’t going to bolster the team defense much. No, the problem runs deeper than a sidelined Pau Gasol. So far this year, Laker games have gone a little something like this: great start out of the gate, big early lead… followed by a complete offensive meltdown in which the less talented team gets right back in the game.
The acquisition of Ron Artest was a big step for their defense this year. But what about the offensive side of the ball? With the exception of Kobe’s improved post game, it looks like the Lakers offensive development was pretty stagnant this offseason. Apparently Lamar Odom was too busy wooing socialites to get in the gym and shoot a couple free throws (an airball? Seriously?).
In the NBA, complacency gets you nowhere. All of the championship-caliber teams added offensive firepower during the offseason: Boston (Rasheed Wallace), San Antonio (Richard Jefferson), Cleveland (Shaq), and Orlando (Vince Carter). If the Lakers are forced to rely on Kobe to score 40 points every night, it’s going to be a long year in LA.
So what’s the answer? It’s very simple: get Andrew Bynum more involved on offense. Each time the Lakers have gotten out to a big lead this year, it’s been behind Bynum. At the start of every game and the start of every second half, they’ve gone into Bynum and let him throw that unstoppable jump hook across the middle of the lane. Talk about a great way to set the tone. Unfortunately, the Lakers have been establishing Bynum inside early, and then avoiding him for the rest of the half like he’s got N1H1. If the Lakers want any shot at a repeat championship this year, they have to get him the ball on a more consistent basis. It will make everyone’s life a whole lot easier. Everyone knows the best way to open up the perimeter for your outside shooters is to first establish post game. You suck ‘em in, then take it back outside. Not exactly rocket science.
Tuesday against OKC, Bynum looked the best he has all year. I was honestly thinking about writing an entire column dedicated to his apparent inability to dunk a lob until he finally started throwing a couple down on the Thunder. I mean, he is seven feet tall, right? But it just goes to show, he’s getting more comfortable and surer of himself with every game and every touch he gets. Now the rest of the squad needs to start exuding a little confidence in their young center.
If he continues to improve and his teammates start getting him the ball with some regularity–not just at the start of the game and the half, after Phil has pounded it into their thick skulls for ten minutes–the Lakers could be scary this year. But Kobe can’t do it all by himself. Not anymore. He needs Bynum. They all need Bynum. He’s the only shot they’ve got this year. And the sooner they figure it out, the better.
As it is, they look like an imbalanced team with an over-worked star, squeaking out overtime victories against less talented teams. With Bynum as an integral part of the team’s offense, the ridiculous win-loss numbers being thrown around by analysts and announcers may actually be possible. Without Bynum in a large offensive role, a 50-win season seems like a long shot.
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