However, like most laid plans of mice, men and any basketball executive named Buss, things did not turn out the way it was dreamed of for the Lakers' brass. The regular season kicked off, and suddenly, reality set in; there was dysfunction among the five powerhouses, which resulted in a lack of results on the court.
For a brief moment, the projected dominance that was the Lakers' starting unit began to diminish.
In a surprising turn of events, Gasol began experiencing constant injuries, which began limiting his playing time. In what seemed to be an act of desperation, head coach Mike D'Antoni decided to start Earl Clark, a lesser-known part of the blockbuster trade that brought D12 to LA.
Strangely enough, the subtraction of Gasol and the addition of Clark to the starting lineup proved something that almost no one saw coming: It was actually working. The Hollywood lineup (all puns intended) was not-so-Hollywood anymore, and that was OK.
Clark seized the opportunity to prove himself as the proverbial little fish in basketball's version of Lake Superior, immediately demonstrating that he can indeed hang with the big boys, which includes a surefire future hall-of-famer in its ranks.
Since adding Clark to the starting five, the Lakers have gained some serious momentum, dating back prior to the all-star break, boasting wins over the Boston Celtics, the Dallas Mavericks and the Atlanta Hawks, in true Lakers fashion.
As a whole, LA's five-man unit has finally begun to mesh. Bryant is accepting his role as the team's facilita...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
