When I was a freshman at the University of Montana, I used to hate my life when it involved waking up before noon. If it happened to be cold outside, and I was up before noon, I hated my life to its very depths.
One day, I was walking to take a mid-term, grumbling as usual. “Woe is me,” I mumbled, “I have to go take this mid-term.” These are things that can seriously weigh on your mind as an 18 year old.
On this particular day, I happened to notice the British kid down the hall had posted a list on his door. I stopped to take a peek. “Things That Will Happen Today” read the title.
It was a list of all the cataclysmic things that, on average, will happen on any given day. (X) amount of children dying of preventable diseases, (X) number of people dying due to lack of drinking water, etc. etc.
For some reason, the first line always stuck out to me: “13 Chinese Miners Will Die Today.” I thought about that for a second. Sure, I was walking to a mid-term, unprepared, in the blistering cold. But at least I still had my life. At least my fate wasn’t to die in a mine digging pieces of metal out of the ground for rich people.
The lesson was, nothing is ever as bad as it seems. What do Chinese Miners have to do with the Lakers recent four game skid? Lakers fans are absolutely notorious for over-reacting and this four-game losing streak is a prime example. Look, the Lakers are two-time defending champions. I shouldn’t be reading articles with the word “panic” in them–except to describe Ron Artest’s face the other night in Memphis when Kobe gave him the ball with the game on the line.
Next: Phil’s Never Lost 4 Straight and Won the Title….So? I know, I know. “Phil Jackson’s championship teams have never lost four in a row.” So clearly, we’re doomed.
But I’m going to go ahead and let you guys in on a little secret—the Los Angeles Lakers could lose the next 10 games and they’re still going to win the title. The only way they won’t win the title is if Kobe Bryant somehow loses a leg. And even then, Garry Vitti might be able to come up with some crafty hustle to get him back onto the court.
Who is seriously going to challenge the Lakers in the course of a four game series? Boston? As if Shaq–who these days, is simply the old sweaty guy at the rec embarrassing himself in some futile attempt to prove to himself he can still run with the young dogs—is going to be a difference maker come July? Trust me: The Boston Celtics want no part of the Los Angeles Lakers come June. I know they’d say differently and their moronic fans will be like “WE ADDED SHAQ AND THE ARTIST FORMERLY KNOWN AS JERMAINE O’NEAL—WE CAN PROTECT AND REBOUND”—please, Boston. In their heart of hearts, in the darkest alleyways of their tiny little minds, the Boston Celtics and their fans know–they have no shot in July.
Tell me this: name the hole the Lakers have? What weapon don’t they possess? Other than the white 12th guy who’s only in the league to “stretch the floor” on last minute possessions? The only thing they lack right now? An inside banger to counter somebody like Dwight Howard or Shaq.
And—what’s that? We have a 23(!) year-old, 7 footer coming off injury? And he’s pretty good? Well, you don’t say.
Next: Time to Relax and Prepare for June
This is a team of veterans. And right now, they’re not bringing the effort for four quarters every night. Why? Because it’s November and championships aren’t won in November. This is their job, and sometimes, you simply don’t bring you’re a-game to work every day (or in my case, any day).
You can tell Pau is tired from his extended minutes, which will be eased with the return of Bynum. Also, everybody talking about the inconsistency of the Lakers bench? They do realize, Lamar Odom, who won a FIBA World Championship as the starting center this summer, will be joining them in the near future, right? Why is this never discussed when people bash on the Lakers bench?
The Lakers are the deepest, most talented team in the league. They know Miami is a joke. They know they can beat Boston. They certainly know they will destroy Orlando. And really, who else matters? The Lakers know they’re the team to beat and they’re on chill mode until after the All-Star break.
And fans can whine and complain all they want—it’s what we do—but I’d suggest Lakers fans lean back and let the league have their time bashing us; because we all know, once July comes around, there won’t be too much Lakers bashing going down.
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