The Lakers’ overall defense failed. Their perimeter players didn’t step up—not even Kobe Bryant. Andrew Bynum was the only consistent player from their frontcourt, since Pau Gasol and Ron Artest were nowhere to be found and Lamar Odom returned to his old habits of inconsistency.
The Mavericks did a great job of exposing all these weaknesses. People say that Bryant’s teammates were the reasons they lost; they don’t blame Bryant. They say that even Michael Jordan would’ve been swept.
Those people are wrong.
Jordan had the heart of a champion. No one can ever beat his will to win, his competitiveness. If Jordan was playing for the Lakers, I believe they would’ve done a better job. If you ask me, they would’ve won the series, and the championship.
The Lakers are a talented team. I can’t imagine Jordan losing a playoff series with teammates like Gasol, Bynum, Odom, and Artest, let alone being swept. Not to mention with a coach like the one the Lakers have in Phil Jackson. Let’s see how they performed in these playoffs.
2011 Playoffs:
Gasol – 13.1 ppg (42.0 FG %), 7.8 rpg
Bynum – 14.4 ppg (54.3 FG %), 9.6 rpg
Odom – 12.1 ppg (45.9 FG %), 6.5 rpg
Artest – 10.6 ppg (44.3 FG %), 4.6 rpg
Against the Mavs:
Gasol – 12.5 ppg (42.2 FG %), 9.3 rpg
Bynum – 13.3 ppg (52.4 FG %), 8.5 rpg
Odom – 12.3 ppg (46.5 FG %), 7.3 rpg
Artest – 8.0 ppg (32.0 FG %), 3.7 rpg
Now, Bryant fans say that Jordan couldn’t have done a better job with teammates playing like that. They say that if Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc, and Ron H...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
