The new compilation of the Killer B’s, comprised of Brown, Barnes, and Blake, proved to be dangerous at the beginning of the regular season with great contributions off the bench, but this talent seemed to fade as the season progressed. Brown lost his touch from behind the arch, Barnes lost his aggressive attack-first mindset, and Blake lost his ability to make accurate passes.
The heart and leader of the Lakers bench has and will continue to be Lamar Odom. Odom is one of the most underrated players in the NBA, but he finally received the recognition that he deserved with the prestigious award of Sixth Man of the Year. For the 2010-2011 regular season, he was able to produce 14.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3 assists per game. His stellar performance throughout this entire regular season and postseason was more consistent than the previous 3 years, but the rest of the Lakers bench could not match his excellence.
Even though the previous championship teams consisted of players that were not as talented or experienced as this year’s squad, they still had the hunger for a championship. The Lakers are slowly becoming a team filled with veteran players, and in order for them to remain relevant with the younger surging teams in the league, such as the OKC Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies, they will need to either: a) find the fountain of youth or b) acquire a younger bench. The latter seems like a more realistic option, and the Lakers front office are more than capable of making this happen.
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