Despite escaping the Staples Center with a victory over the San Antonio Spurs' backups, the Lakers provided no glimpses that the slump they’ve been on is over. Worse yet, center Andrew Bynum left the game in the second quarter with another knee injury— something that’s become an all too familiar sight for Laker fans.
Both, Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson, appeared visibly frustrated during the game at the lack of effort and execution of some of the Laker role players.
LA’s roster is already looking thin, especially in the backcourt, where backup point guard Steve Blake will miss an indefinite amount of time with the chicken pox. You know, that thing you get when you’re five years old.
Injuries and illness aside, if Kobe, Ron Artest, Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher and Shannon Brown can’t expeditiously put away a nearly unrecognizable San Antonio lineup, there is trouble brewing in the postseason.
As it currently stands, the Lakers have the two-seed by virtue of a tie-breaker over the Dallas Mavericks. A win over the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night would guarantee the Lakers a first-round matchup with the New Orleans Hornets in the 2011 NBA Playoffs.
This is critical for a Laker squad that desperately needs a playoff series against a weaker team to straighten themselves out. Falling behind Dallas would not only cost them home-court advantage in a prospective second-round matchup with the Mavericks, but also force them to play an athletic and talented Trail Blazer team.
Projecting a playoff run for the Lakers is virtually a fruitless endeavor at this point unless the team starts to play better.
Obviously, we should be hesitant to o...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
