Some were microscopic while others loomed larger than the franchise itself, or so it appeared.
The Purple and Gold began the regular season by losing four of five games but still looked like a team with unlimited potential. Dwight Howard’s back surgery robbed him of his mobility and consequently made the Lakers a porous defensive team.
The Lakers’ front office hardly seemed concerned with these details and fired head coach Mike Brown after five games. The move was every bit as shocking as it was desperate.
However, his dismissal was deemed necessary for a team seeking an experienced and respected coach capable of steering the team to the mountaintop. With Brown gone, the Lakers would bring back Phil Jackson and incorporate the triangle offense.
Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Howard would all blend their respective talents together under the tutelage of Jackson and make a run in the Western Conference. This was a mere formality.
Chants of “we want Phil” rained down in the Staples Center during home games as management held conversations with Jackson and negotiated the terms and conditions of his employment.
And then, reality soon changed. In perhaps the biggest Lakers failure of the season, the franchise reversed course and instead hired Mike D’Antoni.
The D’Antoni signing became the first domino to fall in what would be a series of unremarkable moments for the Lakers.
The new head coach brought his philosophy to Los Angeles, and it barely had any place for Gasol. D’Antoni favored an offense structured with one big man surrounded by shooters. Consequently, the Spaniard was benched and attributed the role of overqualified ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
