Much of the enthusiasm about Dwight Howard and Steve Nash has waned, as Los Angeles has struggled with injuries, coaching changes and general game flow.
I hear a lot of Lakers fans who start conversations with the phrase, “As soon as.”
“As soon as Nash gets healthy, we are going to start dominating.”
“As soon as Dwight and Pau get into a better rhythm, we will be unstoppable inside.”
“As soon as Mike D’Antoni gets here, we will have Showtime again!”
Perhaps the Lakers are still finding their way and will eventually be a title contender again. After all, the team has essentially been without a point guard for most of the season. In addition, incorporating new stars will always take time.
Still, there are lingering questions that may not have easy answers.
What if this team is just not good enough? What if .500 basketball will be the theme all season?
I know that is not something Lakers fans want to hear, particularly during the last years of the Kobe era. After all, this fan base has had it pretty good for quite some time. It has not taken a great deal of effort to be a Lakers fan, given their ongoing success.
Still, it is difficult for a team in any sport to sustain success indefinitely. Every franchise goes through a time of rebuilding or reloading.
Everyone knows that this team is built to win right now. The front office has sacrificed draft picks and has moved away from developing young players in order to keep a veteran squad around Kobe Bryant.
The statistics are mixed. Los Angeles is seventh in the league in scoring, which is not surprising. Any team that has Kobe Bryant will score. The Lakers are currently sixth in rebounds per game. With Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol in the ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
