Mike D'Antoni was struggling early to find a lineup he liked—10 different players have started, eight have averaged more than 20 minutes per game—and the Lakers have fallen to 5-7 to start the season.
But more than anything else, it's a stretch that has showcased their impressive depth, as they have gotten some really solid contributions from guys like Steve Blake, Jordan Hill, Jodie Meeks, Xavier Henry and others.
And with one of the best players in NBA history on the verge of making his return to the lineup, the Lakers, albeit not likely a championship team, will be very compelling over the course of the season.
Mike D'Antoni: Official Party Pooper
On Saturday, Kobe Bryant practiced for the first time since having surgery on his Achilles last April. Couple that with the fact that he told Rick Fox a day earlier he could play—albeit with unknown effectiveness—if it was a playoff game, and the optimism surrounding Mamba's return was growing.
Leave it to Mike D'Antoni to put the kibosh on all of our hopes and dreams.
From ESPN's Dave McMenamin:
"You're dealing with, 'Is he sore today? Is there a setback tomorrow? How [hard] can he go?'" D'Antoni said after shootaround in advance of the Lakers' game against the Detroit Pistons. "That's the first step and there's a lot of steps to be taken. So, I just think we need to be cautious. We best just be cool and chill out a little bit."
No, YOU chill out, D'Antoni! This is Kobe we're dealing with!
The mustached head coach went on to say that "there's going to be a bunch of [games] before [Bryant] comes back," and that "nobody knows" when questioned about how many practices the superstar shooting guard would need b...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
