Once again the Lakers are down in a tough series against the only team that matters, the Boston Celtics.
The Lakers have been out hustled, out rebounded, out prepared, and most of all, the Lakers have not been mentally prepared for this series.
If someone sat down and really thought about it, it would actually make perfect sense why the Lakers are playing so timid.
It's because this Laker team was designed to fit around Kobe.
Now lets not rag of Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Ron Artest, and Derek Fisher, I mean without them this team is obviously nothing.
Whats wrong with this picture though?
Whats wrong is: no one on this Laker team has the "kahunas" to stand up to Kobe and no one has the "killer instinct" that can take over a game when the team isn't doing well.
I guess it's ironic that I am writing this article just after Kobe went ballistic on the Celtics by himself during the second half.
I'm guessing that last nights game is still fresh in your memory so lets go back in time and take a look at what happened.
At the beginning of the second half, the Lakers were down six at half and everyone could see that "look" in Kobe's eye that, this half was going to be the "Kobe Show."
Right off the bat Kobe started to take over the game.
One shot after another the ball hit nothing but net.
The Celtics could do nothing but continue to return punch for punch, and they did.
When I said Kobe took over the game, I literally meant that Kobe took over the game BY HIMSELF.
Where was Gasol, Artest, Bynum, Fisher?
Oh, they were sitting back watching Kobe do his "thing."
This is the biggest problem the Lakers have.
Not rebounding, shooting free-throws, and defense, it is the Lakers lack of mental toughness.
Like I said it's not the other players fault...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
