Notice that I did not say “reload.” This is not a squad that is able to slightly tweak the roster and get right back into contention. Players were brought in to go after one or two more titles.
As Kobe Bryant has said, it isn’t working.
Column: As Lakers struggle for solutions, Kobe Bryant tells Yahoo! Sports, "Obviously, this isn't working." tinyurl.com/a559ncb
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) January 22, 2013 Time to rebuild.
So much energy has been expended on analyzing coaches, offenses and playing styles. All of those elements are certainly factors. However, there are some glaring realities about this team.
This team is old. Slow. Lacking in chemistry. Unable to play consistent defense.
Since the beginning of the year, there has been hope that the Lakers would “figure it out.” Somehow the veterans were going to mesh, create a new defensive identity and regain the swagger that has historically been such a part of franchise success. Unfortunately, time is ticking away.
It is now late January, and meshing does not appear to be in the cards. Pau Gasol is on the bench. Dwight Howard still can’t shoot free throws. The Lakers are giving up 101.4 points per game, which is currently 26th in the Association.
Just a few days ago, I wrote about the odds of Los Angeles making the playoffs. At the time, Hollinger’s NBA Playoff Odds gave the Lakers a 34.3 percent chance of making the postseason. After the most recent losing streak, that has dropped to 19.3 percent.
How does this team rebuild? There are a myriad of ways, but any strategy has to start with a realization that lateral moves may not be possible.
In other words, let it go. Move on. Accept that teams go through cycles. This is normal...at least for most teams.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
