Earlier today the Lakers completed a season sweep of the defending NBA champs Dallas Mavericks in a thrilling 112-108 overtime victory at Staples. They are now the proud owners of a 4 game winning streak and, get this, Kobe Bryant isn't even playing as he is resting his shins. Bynum, Pau and the boys are 4 of 5 without the NBA's leading scorer and with 2 weeks left in the regular season, many people in LA are excited at the Lakers teamwork and the monster play of Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol and Ramon Sessions.
The Lakers are playing great team ball and are winning games against teams that are expected to compete for the Western Conference title. Drew is simply dominating, Pau is playing very well, Sessions is doing exactly what he was brought here to do and Kobe is resting. Things are looking good heading into the playoffs.
.... Or are they?
I am one Laker fan that is worried and maybe it's just paranoia ... I'll admit that I am a skeptic when it comes to my team not because I don't believe but rather I don't want to get my hopes up to be let down. But I think that I have some pretty good reasons to be skeptical about the Lakers going into the playoffs. Let me see if I can explain this accurately.
1) Kobe is a ballhog. I make no qualms about it. In these last 5 games without him the Lakers have found a chemistry that is working for them. Whether it'll get them through the playoffs is still yet to be seen but for now they are playing well without the Mamba, moving the ball and giving guys chances to prove their worth. When 24 gets back into the rotation, it'll probably throw everything they've gained out of wack. Kobe takes 20+ shots a night and sometimes he is a black hole. Everyone who was forced to step up will be relegated back to giving the ball to Kobe or Bynum and defense. The Lakers balance has always been an issue with Kobe Bryant on the floor. ALWAYS.
2) Andrew Bynum is a punk. Having 2 alpha players on one team is never good ... remember the Shaq and Kobe years. As a player Andrew Bynum is really coming into his own but he has always been a punk. This is a kid who told Kareem that he didn't need his help any more. This is a kid who doesn't listen to his coach takes shots that are not smart at times that are even more ridiculous. This is a kid who always thought he was hot shitake mushrooms but was held back by his constant injuries and now that he's healthy and playing EXTREMELY well, he is starting to act out. I don't know if the Mamba and a big egoed Bynum will bode well for the future of the Lakers.
3) Mike Brown still doesn't have control over the team and the faith of the fans. This point has taken sort of a back seat since they are winning but if they start losing again, everyone will point fingers ... again. Mike Brown is a good coach and is still proving his worth but to most Laker fans you have to prove it before they believe it. Whether or not the players will fully buy in to Mike Brown Head Coach ... I just don't know at this point.
4) Last year the Lakers played VERY WELL directly after all star weekend but fell apart heading into the playoffs. With 2 weeks left in the regular season, there is still some room to unravel. After seeing what happened last year, I'm not holding my breath.
Don't get me wrong, the Los Angeles still has a lot of things going for them. Bynum beasting everyone, Pau filling the leadership gap the D-Fish left, MWP and Matt Barnes playing a lot better, Ramon Sessions and Kobe will be rested going into the playoffs. These are things that will keep the Lakernation hopeful and excited for the playoffs, I won't count my chickens before they hatch.
If you are a Laker fan ... you shouldn't either.
