Critical Adjustments LA Lakers Must Make to Keep Their Playoff Hopes Alive

The Los Angeles Lakers are down 2-0 to the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs, and after an injury to Steve Blake and the possible re-aggravation of an injury to Steve Nash, their hopes for advancing are officially on life support.

Losing star guard Kobe Bryant for the remainder of the season is bad enough, but now the Lakers must make what could be their final home stand of the year without their top-four guards.

Blake has been ruled out indefinitely, Nash is visibly hobbled and listed as doubtful for Game Three and head coach Mike D'Antoni says there is a better chance that Nash plays than back up guard Jodie Meeks, who missed Game Two with a sprained ankle.

If none of the above mentioned guards can go when the series shifts to Los Angeles, the only perimeter players standing between a first round sweep and respectability are Darius Morris, Chris Duhon and Andrew Goudelock.

Those don't seem like decent odds when you consider that seasoned veterans Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are on the other sideline.

Thankfully for the Lakers, any success against San Antonio was never going to depend on their back court in the first place.

Even with a healthy Kobe, the Lakers were never going to beat the Spurs without maximizing their biggest advantage. And if the Lakers really want to end this series on a competitive note, following these steps couldn't hurt.

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