The Lakers have finally found some consistency and momentum while riding a cool five-game win streak. If the Lakers can come out on top of their next four-game road swing with games against San Antonio, Atlanta, Miami and Dallas, it could be the perfect confidence booster heading into the final games of the regular season and more importantly into the playoffs.
There are still a few burning questions that have been lingering among Laker fans, some valid concerns and others not really worth losing sleep over.
Next: Seeding isn’t everything, but it does have its advantages
Who do the Lakers really need to catch in the standings?
The Spurs are the first team to 50 wins. Great. Dallas is riding a seven-game win streak and are 9-1 over their last 10 games. Peachy. With about 20 games left in the regular season, the Lakers are currently third in the Western Conference standings, with Oklahoma City a near fourth. Both San Antonio and Dallas are two of the best road teams in the NBA, each with a 22-9 and 22-8 record, respectively.
Ideally it would be great if the Lakers could get the top seed, no question. Realistically even if the Lakers went on a tear and the injury to Tony Parker causes San Antonio’s record to fall slightly, they still have Dallas acting as a hurdle. If they could catch Dallas, or even tie, the Lakers would be awarded the second seed heading into the playoffs.
For one, it would place them in a different bracket than San Antonio and Oklahoma City. No doubt, the Lakers could beat either team, but let’s face it, with the Lakers player’s collective ages and the fact that they’ve played a ton of playoff games over the past three years—having to only face one of the two transition-offense heavy teams would be heaven sent.
Second, assume that Portland will be teetering between the five and six spots in the Western Conference standings. That last overtime win at the Rose Garden was encouraging, but the Lakers don’t want to face the Blazers in the first round of the playoffs, regardless of home-court.
Another great advantage to catching Dallas in the West is that the Mavs’ record is near identical to that of the Celtics. If the Lakers are planning on getting through the West to the Finals, they’ll either meet Miami or Boston. Boston currently is atop the East, with a few weeks left to go. If the Lakers can catch them, they’ll have home-court for the Finals. That trumps all.
Next: Who needs buy-outs anyways? Not the Lakers
Are the Lakers missing out on the “buy-out” class of 2010?
They’re a lucrative bunch of guys these buy-outs. They fell from the good graces of their respective rotations, have had so-so years and now all of a sudden they’re the final pieces to a championship puzzle? Don’t kid yourself. If they were that great, their coaches would have found a way to plug them into the lineup.
Corey Brewer is probably the best of the bunch, but he’s young and may not want to take a seat on the bench like a veteran would. Then there’s the all-important money factor. A guy like Brewer will try and get a multi-year deal somewhere around the $2 million per year range and the Lakers just don’t have that to spare.
Other options include Mike Bibby, Troy Murphy, Eddy Curry and Carlos Arroyo. Bibby is Miami bound and Murphy is about to sign with Boston. Don’t give Eddy Curry a second look—he’s only on the list because he’s a buy-out—not because he’s applicable. Carlos Arroyo makes some sense as a back-up to both Derek Fisher and Steve Blake, but he’d have to learn the triangle. As a few guys on the team could attest to, that’s easier said than done.
For better or worse, the Lakers squad you see is the squad you get. The core players who were involved in obtaining the Lakers’ last two titles are all still there and that’s not bad. There’s no point in compromising team chemistry to take a risk on someone that may not even make an impact.
Next: Road ‘Renegades’ and the ideal finals matchup
Will “The Renegades” ever find their edge on the road?
For the majority of the season, Kobe Bryant’s favorite associates, Brown, Barnes and Blake haven’t been performing at a high-high level on the road. Seeing as how the Lakers could potentially be seeing a lot of play time on the road, the bench’s road splits could be cause for concern. Okay, so maybe Steve Blake hasn’t really been the guy we all thought he’d be for the team when the Lakers signed him last summer. Perhaps Shannon Brown’s jumper has lacked luster of late. Barnes hasn’t played in weeks. Will he regain his rhythm come playoff time? All valid concerns, but then again remember how Ron Artest played over the later stretch of last season. There were huge red flags over how he would perform during the playoffs and he ended up making the deciding shot in game 7 of the finals. Guys raise their intensity during the playoffs, so the bench could surprise us in the end. Only time will tell.
If I had it my way…
Last year when the Celtics limped into the playoffs and somehow found the tenacity to knock-off all the East then-powerhouses, Orlando and Cleveland, I was beside myself with joy. Another Celtics/Lakers finals matchup was like a dream come true. The Lakers would finally get to avenge their 2008 loss to the Celtics.
This year, it’s a different story.
Not that the Celtics and Lakers meeting in the finals wouldn’t be phenomenal, but I’d much rather see a Lakers/Heat finale to the 2010-11 season. Hear me out. Kobe 2010 might as well be Jordan 1998. The basketball world would be cheated if it didn’t get a chance to see LeBron James and Kobe Bryant go head-to-head over the course of a seven game series. James might be peaking, but Bryant is still top-tier. With the lockout looming, how many more chances do we have to see a playoff series between two of the greatest players this generation has produced? Even if the Lakers meet the Heat way down the road, is Kobe still going to be the same player? Some nights he’s vintage, other nights he shows his mileage. He’s admitted to his own mortality, seeing a decline and subsequent exit down an ever-increasingly shorter road.
It would just be a great matchup and a shame if it never happened while both players were still performing at a high level, particularly Kobe.
And finally, the big seven-foot elephant in the room…
I won’t dare say we could finally see a healthy Andrew Bynum in the playoffs from start to finish. Okay, so maybe I just did. The best part is that it isn’t just about Bynum’s health. He’s been performing well over the past few games and is looking more consistent on defense. Don’t translate big and strong for offensive prowess.
If Andrew Bynum isn’t scoring 20 points a night, it’s because he doesn’t have the opportunity to. His role on the team, for now, is to be a rebounder, shot blocker/changer and suffocate the paint to prevent easy baskets for the opposition.