The Lakers should definitely start panicking, right?
They have yet to beat a true title contender this season. The Lake Show is a combined 0-5 against the Spurs, Celtics, Mavericks, and Heat.
Let us not forget their blowout losses at the hands of the Bucks and Grizzlies; or for that matter, their defeats at home against the Kings and Clippers.
Ron Artest and Phil Jackson had a full-blown argument via the media, as well as an alleged altercation during practice. Pau Gasol is playing too many minutes, Andrew Bynum cannot stay off the injury list, and Lamar Odom has a reality show coming to town.
Laker Land is made for television, but come playoff time they put on the hardhats and go to work.
Phil clearly came back for a reason. He must believe that this team is good enough to get him his second three-peat as the Lakers head coach.
Has this team proven that they are at championship caliber? Right now, no. In professional and even collegiate sports, the “switch” is always brought up with very successful teams who seem to turn it on come the postseason. The Lakers team from this season will fall under that category come spring.
The regular season obviously carries a lot of importance to it for seeding. However, a veteran laden team like the Lakers has been through every type of game scenario imaginable. The heart of a champion is something that has been tested time and time again, but becomes triumphant in the end.
Derek Fisher epitomizes a champion. He has been criticized for being too small and too slow; yet at the end of the day, he hits clutch shots in the postseason. Guys like Fisher are why the rest of the NBA should still be frightened about the prospect of playing this team in a seven-game series.
In the NBA today, players like Fisher are often overlooked for the younger, flashier players who are all over SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays. Nobody loves playing with Derek Fisher more than Kobe Bryant. Bryant recognizes that Fisher is a pivotal part of this team’s success, whether it is sacrificing his body or hitting a game-winning three pointer.
The Miami Heat are currently taking up the entire spotlight and that must upset nobody more than Kobe. The two-time defending champs have received very little respect from the media, maybe deservedly at times. A motivated Kobe, with a healthy Lakers ball club, will be able to return to the level of prominence they are accustomed to.
The Lakers may be cruising through this year’s regular season with a few speed bumps on the radar, but with the trio of Phil, Kobe, and Fisher, L.A. will be hosting the championship parade come June.
