30 Teams In 30 Days: Los Angeles Lakers

[CelticBalla32]

For those unfamiliar, basically what I'm doing is making decent-sized team previews, one per day in alphabetical order. Today's featured team is the Los Angeles Lakers.

Teaser:

If the 2008 NBA Finals series was any indication, this team is lacking the mental toughness necessary to overcome adversity. Outside of the Game 2 comeback that fell just short, this team displayed excessive mental weakness throughout the series. Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, in particular, lived up to the “soft” label that they’ve carried around for years. Defensively, this team simply was not cutting it. Not because they weren’t properly schooled or physically incapable of getting stops on a consistent basis, but because they figuratively “laid down” when they were nudged.

As the Celtics started to pull away, or as they clawed and grinded their way back from deficits (Game 4 - enough said), you could visibly recognize the frustration within this Laker squad. At times, you could see them mentally collapsing.

The Lakers are as talented as any other team in the league, but if they continue displaying these signs of mental weakness, they’re going to have a tough time raising a banner. That’s not to say that they can’t pull it off, but in order to be a champion, you’re going to have to push back when necessary. That has yet to be seen with this group.

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Tomorrow: Memphis Grizzlies


Previous Entries:

30 Teams In 30 Days: Atlanta Hawks
30 Teams In 30 Days: Boston Celtics
30 Teams In 30 Days: Charlotte Bobcats
30 Teams In 30 Days: Chicago Bulls
30 Teams In 30 Days: Cleveland Cavaliers
30 Teams In 30 Days: Dallas Mavericks
30 Teams In 30 Days: Denver Nuggets
30 Teams In 30 Days: Detroit Pistons
30 Teams In 30 Days: Golden State Warriors
30 Teams In 30 Days: Houston Rockets
30 Teams In 30 Days: Indiana Pacers
30 Teams In 30 Days: Los Angeles Clippers

[Who]

I expect LA to finish with the league's top regular season record, win 65+ games and maybe muster an attempt at 70. Dominance, regular season dominance. I also consider them the frontrunner to win the West and are well capable of winning the title. Boston and LA are the two frontrunners for the title by my reckoning.

Just on the best foursome in the NBA, I'm not sure I'm ready to go far until I see how effective Odom is in new role. They could be the best though, certainly one of the best foursomes in the league.

Other top foursomes - Celtics with Rondo, New Orleans, Houston perhaps (Scola)
Other good foursomes - Detroit, San An with Bowen, Utah, Phily, maybe Portland maybe not.