As the two-time defending champions enter training camp and prepare their title defense against a number of formidable contenders vying to dethrone them as world champs, here are some major developments to follow during the Lakers quest for Trophy No. 17:
Heath Concerns
With all due respect to Ron Artest, the Tru Warier on this Lakers team is Kobe Bean Bryant. Hampered by a balky knee, swollen ankles and mangled fingers on his shooting hand, the Black Mamba inured to injuries by consistently playing at an MVP level in spite of all his encumbrances. However, Kobe still missed 9 games last year, which doesn’t seem like a lot, but considering he only missed 7 games in the previous four years combined, his injuries are a cause for concern.
While Lakers fans are not used to seeing Kobe miss games, they’re getting too accustomed to observing Andrew Bynum sitting on the sidelines. With news that Bynum is likely out until late November, Pau Gasol is a safe bet to start the season at center with Lamar Odom playing alongside him in the starting frontcourt, instead of assuming his role as captain of the second unit.
The reserves must stay healthy and be able to log in some playing time to give the starters rest throughout the year. In Bynum’s absence, the team’s depth will be tested, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing until one thinks back to injuries for Sasha Vujacic and Luke Walton.
The Machine looks healthy and eager to re-gain his shooting form and re-establish his role as the much-needed outside shooter they signed him to be, especially in a contract year. Although it’s difficult to predict whether or not Luke Walton’s back will hold up, his mastery of the Triangle is vital considering all the new players trying to learn the offense.
Ron Artest
In his first season with the Lakers, “To shoot or not to shoot” was the constant conundrum that besieged Ron Artest. And more often times than not, he seemed to make the wrong decision, evidenced by the resounding echo of “Nooooooooo!” from spectators at Staples Center every time he took an ill-advised three-pointer.
To put it kindly, Artest fit into the Lakers offense as well as Ellen DeGeneres did on the judging panel for American Idol. But Ron-Ron redeemed himself during the playoffs, with stellar defensive play, a fortuitous tip-in at the end of Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, and an invaluable contribution in Game 7 of the NBA Finals. When the confetti finished falling and the all the dust was cleared, Ron Artest had Lakers fans singing along to “Champion” and those who were skeptical of his signing were left saying, “Trevor, who?”
In year one of the Ron Artest project, he did his best to be a good teammate, often sacrificing too much of his individual game for the sake of the team. In Year 2, with Ron grasping more of the intricacies and nuances of the Triangle, I think we can count on hearing shout-outs to Queensbridge a lot more frequently at the end of games this season.
Next: New Additions
New Additions
Despite winning another title, bench play was the biggest disappointment for the Lakers, especially since the team lacked a reliable backup point guard and small forward. Management shored up the team’s biggest weaknesses by signing free agents Steve Blake and Matt Barnes with their mid-level exception.
Blake, although not a very dynamic or flashy player, is the ideal fit for what this team requires from the point guard position; his intelligence, decisiveness, steadiness and determined play on both ends of the floor should offset his lack of explosiveness, and splitting playing time at the point will help Derek Fisher maintain fresh legs into the playoffs.
Blake is also a good three-point shooter, making close to 40% of his trifectas in his career. Blake will offer consistency and stability that the Lakers lacked when they had to put up with the erratic play of Jordan Farmar. In Matt Barnes, the Lakers add even more toughness and versatility to go along with hard-nosed defense and sheer nastiness. Barnes’ gritty play and tendency to display a mean streak tend to rub people the wrong way except when he plays for your team, in which it becomes a major asset.
As long as Barnes can keep his attitude on the floor and avoid any further off-court distractions, he should be a key contributor to this year’s title run. Also, by acquiring veteran center Theo Ratliff, the Lakers add an extraordinary shot-blocker to their bench.
Last season, the Lakers did not have any rookies on their roster. This season, they have two: Derrick Caracter and Devin Ebanks. Even though they are both listed at the same height of 6’9”, their playing styles are like night and day.
Caracter will remind many fans of Andrew Bynum. He’s a highly-skilled big who excels in the post and has remarkable touch around the basket. He possesses excellent footwork and surprising finesse to compliment his strong but stout frame. In fact, Caracter had a weight clause in his contract; the Lakers only gave him a guaranteed contract after they confirmed he weighed less than 275 pounds.
For Lakers fans still disheartened by the departure of Trevor Ariza, the Lakers are hoping that Devin Ebanks will remind the fans of the former UCLA swingman, with Ebanks even donning the same number 3 that Ariza used to wear with the Lakers. Ebanks’ long frame and enormous wingspan, coupled with his blazing quickness and tremendous athleticism, gives him the potential to be a lock-down defender in this league.
Guarding Ron Artest and Kobe Bryant during practices and picking up pointers from a perennial all-NBA defensive team guard and a former Defensive Player of the Year doesn’t hurt either. If either of these rookies pans out, it will be another shrewd move by general manager Mitch Kupchak.
Next: The Biggest Obstacles
Complacency
The hardest part of defending a title is maintaining the hunger and drive to succeed the following season. After last season’s All-Star break, the Lakers record was an underwhelming mark of 16-12. But you can be assured this team will not lose its focus and intensity, not as long as Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant are still around.
Remember, the much maligned Fisher managed to come up clutch in the playoffs again last season, as he has done time and time again. What Lakers fan can forget Fisher’s heroics in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at The Garden. With the Lakers locked in a dogfight with the hated Celtics in front of a hostile Boston crowd and less than one minute left in the game, Fisher grabbed a rebound off a missed three-pointer by Ray Allen and prompted to run coast-to-coast, beating every player down the other end of the floor and fearlessly hoisting up a layup over three Celtic defenders converging on him.
It wasn’t just the 11 points scored in the 4th quarter that demonstrated his leadership. After the game, Fisher, who had been so unflappable under pressure, could not hold back the tears in his eyes because of the overwhelming emotions that gripped him, realizing that he came through for his team when they truly needed him. That victory put the Lakers up 2-1 in the NBA Finals, a win that is more magnified when one considers how the Lakers needed all 7 games to finally dispose the Celtics.
The Miami Heat garnered all of the attention in the offseason when LeBron James made “The Decision” that he was taking his talents to South Beach to join All-Stars Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. The question was no longer if LeBron and his super friends were going to win the title, but how many. When LeBron was soundly criticized by Hall-of-Fame players, the media and executives around the league, James declared via Twitter that he was taking mental notes on everybody taking shots at him.
While I would like to take LeBron’s threats more seriously, I have difficulty believing he possesses the killer instinct to actually act upon it. If he really wanted to silence his doubters and haters, he would’ve either re-signed with the Cavaliers, taken his talents to the Windy City, or gone to New York, where he would’ve been the alpha dog on the team of his choosing. Instead, he decided to unite with his buddies in Miami, getting paid lavishly (remember, no personal income tax in Florida) so he can have more fun doing his job.
That description makes him seem more like a cast member of Jersey Shore than the world’s best player in pursuit of greatness. In reality, the latter statement sounds more like Kobe’s M.O. Winning back-to-back NBA Titles and improving the roster in the offseason were not enough to convince the Vegas odds makers that the Lakers are still the team to beat in the upcoming season.
If you don’t think Kobe isn’t taking mental notes on the fact that King James and the Miami Heat are already being crowned NBA champions, then you’re sorely mistaken. Remember when Kobe deliberately rubbed it in when he surpassed Shaq for his fifth ring. As much as Kobe reveres both Magic and Michael Jordan, he’s motivated by individual greatness and he’s thinking about another championship and how it will bring him closer to making the argument as the greatest of all-time.
I’m absolutely certain that Kobe Bryant is hell-bent on winning his 6th ring and you can take that to the bank.
Next: The Man at the Helm
The Last Season
In all likelihood, this will be the final season of Phil Jackson’s illustrious coaching career. No head coach has ever accomplished more, not in basketball or any other professional sport. Since the salary cap was instituted in 1984 as an attempt to ensure more competitive balance, only three teams have been able to accomplish the elusive three-peat.
What do all three teams have in common? They were all coached by Phil Jackson. Even though Pat Riley trademarked the phrased “Three-peat”, Phil Jackson owns it. To put things into perspective, not even the coach/player duo of Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan, the greatest power forward/center of all-time, have ever won consecutive titles, let alone a three-peat. The Zen Master is on the verge of his fourth such feat.
This should be one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory. Let the countdown to the three-peat begin.