It's amazing how good the Lakers are. In just over 13 months, the NBA power-structure has been turned upside down. The Lakers, who were barely making the playoffs for many years, have gotten to the top of the mountain over the course of just one season. They started the 2007 season as just another team and they ended up in the Finals in June. Now they can't lose this season. They are so good, Kobe is not even in the top 3 scorers in the league and they are still 13-1. Though, to be fair to Kobe, he is still jacking up the same number of shots :-) He is playing 5 minutes less per game, shooting less 3's and taking lesser number of free throws per game.
In any case, Mitch Kupcake has really built some team. He might have gone from the laughing stock of the league to a perennial Executive of the year candidate. It started with his commitment to Bynum and things really came together with the Gasol trade. Since that trade, it seems like the Lakers truly believe they can't lose to anybody. Goes to show you how much of the game is mental. The same guys have been playing much better since last year, though some of it is young guys getting better. Of course having a personality like Kobe on the team sometimes doesn't help the confidence of the kids, but ever since they started winning last season, this team has just been firing on all cylinders. I mean, Lamar Odom comes of the bench and Luke Walton doesn't even play much anymore. Thats how good this team is.
I can't believe I am saying this, but I don't think there is anybody in the West thats in the same class as the Lakers. The Champs are a robust 16-2 in the East and we may be looking at another Lakers-Celtics finals come June. The East is no longer the LEast and the other true contender may also be playing there. King James is the other big news of this season. Dude has been awesome and is probably a year or 2 away from overtaking Kobe as the best player in the league. I mean he may already be the best player in the league and if you were to draft one player for your team, he is the clear choice today. But it's hard to argue against the sheer scoring dominance of Kobe and you still have to say Kobe is the best player in the league. But the evolution of LeBron is going in the right direction for sure. And his exposure to superstars like Kobe in the Olympics has made a better defender and helped make him a more complete player. Cleveland is 14-3 and they may ride the King all the way to a championship this year. Thats how good he is.
Much like the MJ-era, I want to watch Sportscenter everyday just to see LeBron's monster blocks and nasty dunks.
1 comment:
Finally, you acknowledge something that was not being done for a couple of years. Hardly making the playoffs the last few years. Lets see, 2004/5 - missed the playoffs, 2005/6 - I would say made it comfortably and lost a tough series against the can never get it Duns ;) and scrapped it through in 2006/7 but all these years it was all Kobe. At last, you acknowledge his greatness!
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