The Pressure to stay relevant: Kobe Bryant and the Lakers
Posted by Unknown on Monday, October 29, 2012 with 1 comment
By H.F. Blanco
Kobe Bryant is now entering his 17th season in the NBA and currently he is facing controversy on whether if he is too old to win a sixth championship and is he capable of winning said championship without Phil Jackson. In his career, Bryant has always had someone to rely on for support whether it was Shaq, Coach Jackson, and even Derek Fisher. As a matter of fact, all five championships were won with Fisher at Bryant's side which shouldn’t be an eye-opener to anyone because you can’t spell finisher without the Fisher! Consider these circumstances, the normal wear and tear of an 82 game NBA regular season, potential lengthy playoff run and a new playbook scheme has caused many to believe that Bryant's goal of a sixth NBA Championship is out of reach. During last season, Bryant's shooting efficiency decreased and the team chemistry was rarely seen. A prime example of this was displayed during the game four loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2nd round of the Western Conference playoffs. Bryant’s frustration was shown when he placed the blame on Pau Gasol by stating the following “he (Gasol) needs to be much more aggressive and not pass the ball so often.” Anytime there is a dispute between teammates after a loss that becomes public, a truth of disharmony between players is revealed and that never looks good for any organization let alone the Los Angeles Lakers.
With the disappointing end of last season at the hand of the Thunder, the Lakers decided to acquire veteran players Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, and Antwan Jamison, which just adds to an already aging roster. This team is full of wisdom (there’s probably nothing they haven’t seen on the court), but the question is simple...can they stay healthy for an entire season and compete against the youth and athleticism that other championship contending teams have to offer such as the Thunder, Knicks, and the defending NBA Champion Heat? We’ve all seen what happened to the veteran roster of the Boston Celtics when they faced the youthfulness of the Heat in the playoffs the last two seasons; it wasn’t even a match as the Celtics were annihilated. So my question is if acquiring these big name players are just a last ditch effort for the Lakers organization to stay relevant and mentioned in the same conversation as the previous teams listed or are they the real deal soon to be crowned 2013 NBA champions?
Kobe Bryant is now entering his 17th season in the NBA and currently he is facing controversy on whether if he is too old to win a sixth championship and is he capable of winning said championship without Phil Jackson. In his career, Bryant has always had someone to rely on for support whether it was Shaq, Coach Jackson, and even Derek Fisher. As a matter of fact, all five championships were won with Fisher at Bryant's side which shouldn’t be an eye-opener to anyone because you can’t spell finisher without the Fisher! Consider these circumstances, the normal wear and tear of an 82 game NBA regular season, potential lengthy playoff run and a new playbook scheme has caused many to believe that Bryant's goal of a sixth NBA Championship is out of reach. During last season, Bryant's shooting efficiency decreased and the team chemistry was rarely seen. A prime example of this was displayed during the game four loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2nd round of the Western Conference playoffs. Bryant’s frustration was shown when he placed the blame on Pau Gasol by stating the following “he (Gasol) needs to be much more aggressive and not pass the ball so often.” Anytime there is a dispute between teammates after a loss that becomes public, a truth of disharmony between players is revealed and that never looks good for any organization let alone the Los Angeles Lakers. With the disappointing end of last season at the hand of the Thunder, the Lakers decided to acquire veteran players Steve Nash, Dwight Howard, and Antwan Jamison, which just adds to an already aging roster. This team is full of wisdom (there’s probably nothing they haven’t seen on the court), but the question is simple...can they stay healthy for an entire season and compete against the youth and athleticism that other championship contending teams have to offer such as the Thunder, Knicks, and the defending NBA Champion Heat? We’ve all seen what happened to the veteran roster of the Boston Celtics when they faced the youthfulness of the Heat in the playoffs the last two seasons; it wasn’t even a match as the Celtics were annihilated. So my question is if acquiring these big name players are just a last ditch effort for the Lakers organization to stay relevant and mentioned in the same conversation as the previous teams listed or are they the real deal soon to be crowned 2013 NBA champions?
http://www.lakersnation.com/lakers-look-back-kobe-bryant-dunks-on-dwight-howard/2013/07/30/
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