The Los Angeles Lakers are playing some great defense. Unfortunately, that strength is not translating into wins. Kobe Bryant is leading the league in scoring, but the team is not finding an offensive flow and the team has lost three straight games as of January 22. Can this team figure it out, or is this losing streak a sign of things to come?
Team strength?
It is hard to pinpoint the strength of the Lakers right now. Obviously, Kobe Bryant is able to score at will and he seems all the more determined to lead this team. However, the Lakers also have a tremendous inside presence that does not seem to be maximizing their ability. Andrew Bynum is having a great season, and he is staying healthy. However, Paul Gasol seems to losing his role in the offense. Obviously, Pau is not going to be the focus with this team, but should the Lakers get him more touches? Pau seems to think so. Of course, after the big three there is little offensive production from the rest of the team.
Not a simple solution
At least one writer thinks the Lakers should bring back the famous Triangle offense and cut back on Kobe's minutes. First of all, if the Lakers brought back the Triangle, Mike Brown might as well admit that his offensive strategy has failed. In addition, can anyone cut back on Bryant's minutes except #24 himself? Given the offensive struggles of the team, would it make sense to cut the minutes of the leading scorer? Or, should the Lakers be getting others involved and resting Kobe anyway?
Have a little patience
Obviously things are not going particularly well for the Lakers, but it is a bit early to panic. The season is shorter, and Los Angeles does need to figure out their offensive woes. However, it is very normal for a team with a new coach to go through a period of adjustment. Kobe and Pau are veterans, and I suspect that they will figure out a way to balance their scoring. Laker fans may just need to have a little more patience.
Sources:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-pacers-20120123,0,4700201.story
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/nba/lakers/la-sp-lakers-20120124,0,3081428.story
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7492652
http://www.nba.com/statistics/
The author grew up in Seattle and now lives in Los Angeles, where he waits patiently for the Sonics to return to the Pacific Northwest. In the meantime, he roots for the Clippers to become a winning franchise, and perhaps even the most popular team in their own city. You can follow him on Twitter @tpheifer.
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