NBA Christmas Day Wish List

As we close in on another five-game NBA extravaganza, we would like to put together our wish list for each of the teams playing on Christmas Day - and maybe one or two that should be playing that day.

Since I have a fellow writer on board (Kunal), we will exchange ideas for six wishes each.

Vijay's Wishes

1.  Rajon Rondo returning to elite form as a new Maverick

Rajon Rondo (right) will make life a lot easier for
Dallas' incumbent primary ball handler, Monta Ellis (left)

Vijay:  I know, I know.  The Mavericks aren't playing that day, but they are a must-mention     right now.  After being mired by trade rumors for seemingly half-a-decade, former Celtic Rajon Rondo finally finds himself on a contending team again in Dallas.  It is worth mentioning on my wish list that I hope Rondo's addition makes for yet another great contending team out West.  In 2007, remember when people were concerned Rondo would not be good enough as a point guard to properly run a team with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen?  They won the first year he teamed up with those guys.  I see him doing great things immediately.  An obvious upgrade over Jameer Nelson, Rondo makes the Mavs instant title contenders.

Kunal:  A trade may have discovered Rondo’s price – but, I agree, we need time to discover whether he makes Dallas a strong(er) contender.  The Dribble, Screen, Dribble Dribble, Screen, & More Dribble Rondo Show isn’t what the Mavs need to improve.  And Dallas surely isn’t seeking a poor-shooting point guard.  Nonetheless, it got both for Christmas.   Ok, ok – I can also admit that, other than watching Rondo hide without the ball, he and Dirk could have made for fun Christmas pick-&-pops, and Chandler’s signature, two-handed slams – via RR dimes – would definitely complement my spiked eggnog.  But the West is loaded with PGs, many of who are playing on Dec 25th, making it worth waiting until Boxing Day to see Rondo withstand comparisons to JKidd and prove whether his playoff iteration of yesteryear is ready for a return.

2.  More Mavericks, Blazers, Pelicans & Grizzlies games, but less Lakers and Knicks

Melo (left) and Kobe (right) have been featured every
Christmas Day in recent memory...but why?

Vijay:  While I am always thrilled to watch five NBA games every Christmas Day, the NBA has got to show us teams that are much more worth watching than two of the league's cellar dwellers in LA and New York.  Those who create the schedule seem to be irrationally stubborn about giving them entirely too much national TV exposure no matter how bad they are.  Ratings are down because these teams are awful and the TV networks keep showing them - not because the league does not have enough good teams.

Portland and San Antonio played an epic triple-overtime game Thursday night.   By the way, that was the Spurs' second triple-OT game in a row!  Although these are both small-market teams, do you think people would have enjoyed that game on Christmas Day,or would they rather kick back and watch the Knicks get blown out at home?  Please.

Kunal:  I get it – Christmas matches are supposed to be between the best teams.  And for the most part (8 of the 10 teams), the best players and teams are playing on Jesus’ bday, with the exception being the Knicks and Lakers (combined record of 13-42).  But before you go wishing for a Rip City or Memphis BBQ Christmas, take a moment to appreciate that the Lakers and Knicks are to Christmas what the Packers and Cowboys are to Thanksgiving: certain to deliver holiday drama like a crazy uncle.  Plus, it could be worse: Adam Silver might have re-gifted a Celtics game.

3.  Pau Gasol showing the Lakers why he was missed

Not surprisingly, Gasol is having a great season in Chicago.  After some crazy disrespectful treatment by the Lakers organization the last few seasons, he is showing us once again why he is one of the best big men in the game.  Under Mike D'Antoni's offense in LA, he found himself as a third or fourth option, and camped out on the perimeter shooting mid-range and three-point shots.  Now, as a focal point in the offense, he is averaging 18.7 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.  Pretty good for a guy who was a scapegoat for the Lakers' shortcomings the past few seasons.

Kunal:  Agreed – the Lakers and its fans definitely miss Gasol.  But not all relationships are meant to be forever, and I too am happy to see Pau thrive.  It’s just a shame that Chicago is the beneficiary.

4.  Miami finding its stride again under a revitalized D-Wade

While Dwyane Wade is having his best season in years, his team's sub-.500 record clearly doesn't reflect it.  Common consensus was that his best years were behind him, but it is great seeing him coming back and playing at an elite level once again.  My wish is for Wade's great season to be fruitful, as he clearly does not have a whole lot of them left.

Problem is, the Heat still stink.  Chris Bosh has been out for four straight games with a calf injury.  Other than him and D-Wade, Luol Deng is the only guy capable of sustaining a consistent offense.  It doesn't look good right now.  Still, with a healthy Chris Bosh, this team should find itself contending for a top-four seed in the very watered-down Eastern Conference.

Kunal:  D-Wade’s resurrection is as unexplainable as Kobe’s shot selection this season.  I mean, I am still recovering from agonizing Finals moments when Danny Green (DANNY GREEN!) and Boris Diaw seemingly embarrassed Wade – defensively and offensively – to the point of awkwardness. But then Lebron migrated north and returned the crown of Alpha Dog of South Beach to Wade. (Bosh is forever omega.)  And with Wade making a alpha money with a cool $18 million this season, it is great for him and the NBA that he’s returned to the play that solidified him as the third-best shooting guard of all-time – like dropping 42 on Utah the other night.  As for wishes, I’m excited to witness Miamians react to the news that Christmas isn’t opening tip to the season.

It will be difficult for LeBron (left) and D-Wade (right)
to be opponents again after four years of success together

5.  An awesome show-down in LeBron's return to Miami

Vijay:  You get the feeling that LeBron's first return to Miami does not quite have the same ring to it as his first return to Cleveland as a Heat player four years ago.  You also get the feeling that this isn't quite a clash of the titans with both teams finding themselves fairly low in the weak Eastern Conference standings.  We know the Heat have their issues post-LeBron, but Cleveland has also been struggling thus far - but understandably so as LeBron, Love, and Irving are in search of chemistry in their first year as teammates.  Overall, this game is not going to get quite the hype as we foresaw before the season started.

Nevertheless, it will be fun watching D-Wade and LeBron squaring off as opponents again.  As of now, Miami is only four games back of Cleveland in the standings, so you never know how important this will be as far as playoff positioning implications go.

Going back to Cleveland's struggles, a stat worth mentioning:  Cavs are 8-2 when LeBron has at least 9 assists.  Once LeBron fully learns his teammates' tendencies, and the offense becomes more cohesive, he will rack up the assists on many more occasions - and the team will win a lot more games.

Kunal:  For part-time NBA fans, the Heat-Cavs game might seem like the best Christmas Day matchup.  But as you said, as soon as one gets past the overdone storyline about Lebron getting back together with his ex, the head-to-head is a bit pedestrian:  both teams are middle-of-the-pack in the feeble Eastern Conference and the bad blood was reconciled by a low-profile Decision 2.0.  But that doesn’t mean that I’m not excited to see isolations of Lebron vs D-Wade, and hopefully LBJ v Bosh, if the Heat forward-Raptors mascot is recovered from a strained calf.  Hell, can I wish for ABC to pay Bob Costas to deliver a theatrical opening narrative to the game that ends with the official song of basketball.

Aside from throwback soundtracks and split-second moments within a 48-minute game, what’s my chief wish for the Cavs-Heat matchup? To see Mario Chalmers.  I haven’t seen Mario since he took vacation days during the Finals.  And with the NBA focused on its #nogifts campaign, I expect Kyrie to stuff Mario’s stocking with lumps of coal.  It might not be on your Christmas list, but highlights that star Mario on the receiving end of dynamic plays feel as good as hearing that Heat “fans” observed OT of Game 6 through the glass doors of the American Airlines Arena.

6.  Stephen Curry overtaking Chris Paul as the league's best point guard

Vijay: With Steve Kerr having his Warriors blaze out to a ridiculously unforeseen 22-3 record, one can't help but credit Stephen Curry for making Kerr look like his former coach Phil Jackson (well, in terms of W-L).  My wish is for Curry to have an epic toe-to-toe battle with Chris Paul - the league's consensus best point guard.  But after seeing Chris Paul failing to come through time and time again - including against the Thunder in Game 5 of last year's playoffs - the window of him being the league's best point guard is closing with the way Steph Curry has come into his own.

The Warriors-Clips game on Christmas Day gives Curry a great opportunity on a national stage to show why he is capable of being the league's next best point guard.  Last season, the Warriors fell short against Paul's Clips.  But they did not have Steve Kerr coaching, or a completely revamped bench, or even this year's version of Steph Curry.  

Kunal:What if, in March 2008, I told you that Dell’s son would end up having mad handles AND definitively shoot better than his daddy?  You’d likely say that one of the two might be possible, but no way to both.  Well guess what:  that high-school-looking kid from Davidson – who then torched a 2-seeded Gtown – has now grown up to be an NBA-shooting assassin masked as a college student.

But before one attempts to hype Steph Curry as the NBA’s premier PG, let’s remember that CP3 will definitely come correct to Christmas dinner to preserve his title as the league’s floor general.  So are we hasty to identify the Warriors-Clipps as a PG-passing-of-the-torch kinda game? Absolutely.

Nonetheless, both players know that we’ll be watching closely and excessively reading into certain plays, since Steph Curry will be advancing his MVP campaign and CP3 (undeservingly) proving his legacy as one of the greatest points guards, which many refuse to give him until he shows up to a conference finals.  Lob City is still exciting and good, but the cool kids in the Bay Area are running game – so here is to wishing for less legacy hyperbole and more point-guard magic this Christmas.

Kunal's Wishes

7.  Splash Brothers’ Green Light

Kunal:  You know the best thing about the Splash Brothers?  Hint:  it’s neither their sharpshooting skills nor college-like comradery.  It’s that they, who electrify crowds like any other duo this league has seen, are no more physically intimidating than the regulars who play on Court 1 at your rec center.  And in today’s NBA – a league of imaginary-like athletes whose wingspans and verticals cause scouts and fans to gawk – it is refreshing to know that someone who could borrow my clothes could also be my favorite player. 

Other than the physical characteristics of an everyday guy, the Splash Brothers deliver us two (very) different doses of sharpshooting.  From Curry, we admire a point guard who resembles the love child of Allen Iverson and Mark Price – the impeccable mixture of handles and range that reminds us the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive.  If you give him an inch, he'll torch ya from downtown.  But if you get up in him, he'll have you on your heels and looking silly.  Good luck with that assignment.  

As for Klay Thompson, he’s the perfect catch-and-shoot compliment, which makes defenses honest, to Curry’s shoot-or-penetrate powerful play; plus, Klay enjoys awkward, self-congratulatory air swings after dunking on 7-foot Sideshow Rob (see video).

For part-time NBA fans, the Thunder did offer the most university-like NBA experience, with an arena of fans who pride themselves and their team for being "name-on-the-front-of-the-jersey" kinda of people.  But now that the Thunder have buckled down – after early season injuries to KD and Westbrook – to restore an honest record, intermittent NBA fans will realize this Christmas that they would be wise to pivot their marginal, regular season interest to Mark Cooper’s homeboys: the Golden State Warriors.

"hey, yo! what's up? where's my theme music?!"

Vijay:  I like how you keep saluting the part-time NBA fans.  But you're right - whether you're a fair-weather or avid NBA fan, the Dubs are an absolute MUST-watch team this year.  Not only are the two "brothers" entertaining, but their supporting cast makes for some entertaining basketball.  Harrison Barnes has supplanted Andre Iguodala as a more explosive starting small forward.  Still, Iguodala and even Mareese Speights are fun to watch coming off the bench.  And by the way, two KEY guys - David Lee and Andrew Bogut - are still hurt.  Just imagine what they would be like fully healthy.  With Steph Curry as the team's engine, there's no telling how far they can go with their lights-out shooting and abundance of athleticism at every position.

8. An I-95 Christmas Dogfight

Kunal:  If you’re from the Northeast, you’re familiar with the settled science that, to a DC resident, an NYC weekend feels like unyielding liquid cocaine and that, to a New Yorker, a DC weekend equates to a BlackBerryville bed and breakfast.  I get it, NY:  you have world-class restaurants, better music and art scenes, and the Garden is to basketball what Lord’s is to cricket.  

But while the jury is still out on regulatory capture between Wall Street and Washington regulators, the verdict is in that the Wizards (19-8) are I-95’s most talented and fun team, led by John Wall’s deserving-of-an-MVP-conversation season and Bradley Beal’s arguable emergence as this generation’s version of Jesus Shuttlesworth.  Shame that Beal went to UF and not Big State.

Looking ahead to Thursday (or perhaps I'm looking backwards to convey a position), the Wizards have experienced recent success against the Knickerbockers, winning the last four matchups by a margin of 7 points.  But this year's Christmas can only be more festive the Knicks, considering that Carmelo isn’t injured this time around and last year’s 29-point loss to the Thunder is hard to beat.  But if a team were able to underperform last year’s blowout or start a short-lived run by beating a formidable postseason competitor in the Wizards, it would be the Knicks.  But the truth in all of it – I (and all of us) should find both versions of a Christmas Day Knicks performance entertaining.

Bradley Beal (left) and John Wall (right) have the look of
becoming one of the league's best backcourts

Vijay:  I just started living in DC five months ago, and man do I notice the difference between here and NYC.  Even more visible is the difference between the two cities' teams as you mentioned. I can see this being a competitive Christmas Day matinee game, but it is hard to imagine this being a good potential playoff matchup - and hell, a playoff matchup in general with the Knicks looking to lock up a top-five lottery pick.  In that sense, I am not too sure if this game will be all that entertaining in terms of significance, which brings me to my second wish above to not even showcase the present-day Knicks on national TV.

Instead, I'll focus on the Wizards.  The addition of Paul Pierce and his veteran presence has really helped this team jump out to the second-best record in the East.  This is all despite not having Bradley Beal for about four weeks with a broken hand.  With Marcin Gortat looking like one of the league's best centers (I would only put the Gasol brothers, Joakim Noah, Anthony Davis, Tyson Chandler, and DeMarcus Cousins definitively ahead of him - sorry, Dwight), the Wizards have the look of a contender in the East.

9. Critics getting off Westbrook's back

Kunal:  If Durant is the NBA’s favorite son, Russell Westbrook is definitely the league’s redheaded stepchild.  A megastar among his peers, Westbrook still carries the burden of having to control his second-to-none killer instincts and fulfill our expectations of feeding the league’s sweetheart and MVP -- Kevin Durant.  President Obama has a high-stress job and Speaker Boehner has the unreasonable responsibility of controlling House Republicans, but both realize that Westbrook is a better guy than they are for attempting to live up the the expectations of a Thunder point guard.

This past week, as KD sat out against the Lakers, Westbrook showed us why he is undoubtedly the scariest point guard in years.  I know this is crazy to say, but to steal a term from Wilbon, I think that Russell plays with a (slightly less) controlled rage that we haven’t seen since the always-cool Michal Jordan.

Westbrook should focus on what he's good at
- ferociously finishing at the rim

Vijay:  I always thought Westbrook was unfairly criticized throughout his career.  He's a classic case of a guy that does 99% of things EXTREMELY well, and the other 1% is debatable.  People tend to make a mountain of a mole hill in terms of his deficiencies.  But I would argue that the 1% of things he does is merely a side effect of being an on-edge player.  I would argue with you that we have had players who played with a certain controlled rage - such as Charles Barkley and Ron Artest.  Granted, Westbrook has the talent to become much better than them, but we've seen the two of them do a boneheaded thing or two as a result of their uber-competitive mentality on the court.  That being said, Westbrook can also control his temper a bit better than those two guys.  Also, don't tell him to pass more, because he is a straight-up assassin and attacker on the court.

10.  Seeing the Scrutinized Outperform the Steady

Kunal:  Whenever I witness Westbrook or Tony Parker convert on an incredible drive, which both do often, my reaction to each captures how I (and likely many) feel about each star.  With Parker, I admire a player who looks like an everyday Parisian who somehow magically slices through NBA defenses with the simplest of head fakes and impeccable timing, leaving us all wondering how his low-release layup wasn't sent to the fourth-row seats (again).  On the other end of the spectrum of incredible finishes, we witness Russell Westbrook's athletic ability and vision to anticipate a defensive shift before he and defenders realize how the play might mature.  

Suppose that we imagine that we were guarding each player on their good day...with Parker, we would constantly wonder on whether a quicker or more studious player could have guarded Parker's shifty dance; but with Westbrook, we would quickly sense that his attacks to the rim are what violent, unguardable moves genuinely look (and feel) like.  It's Balanced vs Belligerent on Christmas Day – and this year I'm getting stooopid.

Vijay:  You bring up quite an interesting comparison.  Between Westbrook and Parker, it is so difficult to say who is the better one because of how differently they each play.  But you're right on in that it is a fantastic clash of styles.  While this game won't tell us who the better point guard is, it will still give us an idea of which player is more devastating to the other team's defense.  The thing with Parker is, we've seen him come through time and time again in championship-deciding moments.  We have not seen that with Westbrook quite yet.  Until then, I am giving a slight nod to the four-time NBA champ.

11.  Bulls' Jimmy Butler Redeems Chicago Suburbs' Corner Store, Also Returns Esteem for Bulls' 2-Guard Position

Kunal:  I know, these wishes are just weird and senseless.  However, give me an opportunity to explain why Jimmy Butler (ok, mostly just his first name) is relevant to a Chicago Christmas:  Home Alone.

Why Home Alone?  Here is a hint:  the stolen toothbrush scene.  Still not sure?  Fine, then how about  the quote:  "Jimmy, stop that boy."   Now if that video still confuses you, go to hell for being so young and full of promise.  *(Separately, I feel like a think piece could be written about how the Home Alone police officer serves as the best way to react to a trivial shoplifting incident, but that is another blog and another blogger.)

Back to hoops:  Jimmy Butler is playing superb basketball.  Like All-Star kind of superb.  Like he and Steph Curry were even named NBA "November Employees of the Month" kind of superb.

Sadly, many NBA enthusiasts might not appreciate how well Jimmy is playing (21.7 PTS, 3.3 AST, 6.2 REB),  and Christmas is an opportunity for him to convey this (mostly) welcomed information.  Sure, we are still far from any Bulls two-guard coming within two zip codes of MJ's numbers, but Jimmy Butler might be the extra horsepower the Bulls need to reach the Finals for the first time in 16 seasons.  For all the missing pieces to a Bulls title that we've been trying to put our finger on, we can admit that Jimmy Butler is not what we were looking for, but we aren't disappointed that he might be that missing piece who was in the box the whole time.

Vijay:  Not much to say here, other than Jimmy is my Most Improved Pick so far.  Draymond Green in Golden State is knocking on the door, but I don't see this award going to anyone else the way Butler is stepping up this year.

12.  A Triple Ocho Kinda Christmas 

Kunal:  I'll admit that I appreciate Kobe as much as Bill Simmons loves to write War & Peace-length books about basketball (which I celebrate).   And Kobe's visit to the United Center, on the heels of just passing MJ in all-time points, opens an opportunity for us to appreciate a coined phrase by Reggie Miller for Vino: Triple Ocho.  And how appropriate it would be for Triple Eight to bring it on the 25th like MJ did against Santa. 

Vijay:  Why am I not surprised that you're ending this column with a Kobe wish?

LA Lakers 2011-12 Season Recap: Who's to blame?

NOTE:  This article will be published on Fansided's Saving the Skyhook blog, where I am currently contributing as a staff writer.

For the 2^nd straight year, the Los Angeles Lakers fell short in the Western Conference Semifinals.  And also for the 2^nd straight year, the vast majority of fans and the media have labeled it as a disappointing season.  Out of all the teams going fishing so far, I’ve never heard so many names being thrown around as possible scapegoats than the Lakers.  People think they know who to blame (for the most part, Pau Gasol), but they don’t seem to fully understand how much adversity has affected this team’s chances of contending for a title.

All things considered, the Lakers have overachieved this season.  Since the offseason, there was a series of team chemistry-crushing events that make me wonder why anybody expected them to win a championship.  First, their offseason turmoil last summer was overshadowed by that of the Orlando Magic with the Dwight Howard debacle.  After being swept by Dallas in last year’s playoffs, the Lakers did almost nothing to improve their team.  In fact, they took about five steps back over the course of the season.  Considering their lack of chemistry with this particular roster and style of play, current or incoming players that did not meet expectations, or uncertainty with the roster as well as coaching staff and general disarray, the Lakers should consider themselves lucky for getting this far. 

That being said, let’s break down the top three reasons why the Lakers fell short this year.

1. Instability of the team caused by the front office and coaching staff

The quality of roster management of this team has been shaky at best, and the trade rumors didn’t help matters there.  Star bigs Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum dealt were involved in trade rumors virtually all season.  In fact, Gasol was almost shipped as part of the Chris Paul trade that David Stern eventually nixed – something that many seem to think would have made them serious title contenders had Stern not rejected it.  Since last season, Bynum has been in trade rumors involving Dwight Howard.  Clearly, the trades made (as well as the trade talk) affected the chemistry of the team.  Even when Kobe Bryant pleaded to GM Mitch Kupchak to make up his mind on the trade rumors – particularly with Gasol – in an attempt to establish some stability for the team, Kupchak and the Laker management continued to keep the team in a state of limbo.  Even Derek Fisher – a staple of the Lakers’ success over the years and one of Kobe’s best friends – was sent packing.

Kobe Bryant wasn't - and still isn't - sure how long
either Gasol or Bynum would be his teammates

A lack of cohesion can be blamed on the coaching staff, as well.  On several segments of the ESPN/ABC studio show, I heard Magic Johnson make several critical comments about Mike Brown and his inability to make in-game adjustments.  He emphasized the fact that this has hindered Brown’s playoff success in years past with Cleveland, as well.  While I don’t disagree with that, people do need to understand how different his system is than that of his predecessor, Phil Jackson.  The Lakers got very accustomed to Jackson’s triangle offense, and Kobe and Gasol absolutely flourished in that system that helped them get to three NBA Finals (and winning two of them).  Talk about big shoes to fill. Adjusting to a new system takes time.  But at the same time, Brown had to realize that he did not have the personnel to run his pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop schemes.  Bynum and Gasol were vastly underutilized throughout the season, despite the two of them being a matchup advantage for the Lakers on a nightly basis.

2.  Pau Gasol got fed up

Short term memory? Just remember how
valuable Gasol was to LA's 09 and 10 titles

As I mentioned, there has been a lot of misplaced finger pointing going on.  One of the biggest scapegoats, of course, is Pau Gasol.  Now, because of how badly people underestimate Gasol’s impact as a Laker, allow me to take the time to defend him.  Since STEALING him from Memphis in 2009 (which was quite possibly the most lopsided and shadiest trade in NBA history), the Lakers have had a 70%+ winning percentage with Gasol.  In their two championship runs in 2009 and 2010, he outplayed many of the league’s premier power forwards and centers in crucial playoff games (Amare Stoudemire, Kevin Garnett, Carlos Boozer, Dwight Howard, and Nene to name a few), even after being universally labeled “soft” in his first season as a Laker in 2007-08.  He became arguably the best two-way big man in the league, and is one of the few top talents that don’t mind playing with Kobe (at least until now).   Being in the shadow of Kobe, his impact has been vastly underrated, and is one of the most underrated true team players on a championship team that I can remember.

That being said, Gasol obviously had a subpar and inconsistent year.  But before you go on blaming him, there are many reasons why Gasol’s play has suffered this season.  First and foremost is the coaching situation, as described above.  He thrives in the post – not running pick-and-roll offenses 20+ feet from the basket.  The second major factor why Gasol is so jaded was the aforementioned nixed trade for CP3.  You saw how Lamar Odom, who was in the same trade, reacted – he was distraught to the point where LA had to dump him to Dallas for basically nothing.  Gasol, on the other hand, maintained his professionalism throughout the season, despite continuing to be in trade rumors and being called out by fans (and sometimes his teammates…and by his teammates, I mean Kobe – more on that below).  When the trade for CP3 got nixed, I thought it was a blessing in disguise, as the Lakers front court depth would have suffered severely without him.  In the end, why he constantly seems get blame and a lack of appreciation is beyond me. 

After a few successful seasons together, you have to wonder
 if  Pau and Kobe's relationship has now deteroirated 

Let’s go back to Kobe for a second.  We all admire his drive and competitiveness, and the fact that he’s almost 34 and is still arguably somehow one of the top 5 players in the league (I was talking to a coworker, a Laker fan, about this:  he’s only a year younger than KG and is the same age as Jermaine O’Neal – yet we consider the latter two to be much, much older).  But this season, not unlike other seasons, he has made several team-dividing comments. When Kobe publicly criticized Gasol for his play in Game 4, TNT’s Charles Barkley couldn’t help but say that Kobe should have been the one to blame for his atrocious shot selection; the Lakers were up handily in that game, and Kobe went away from throwing the ball into Gasol and Bynum and instead took several contested long jumpers.  In the waning moments of Game 5, even with the game out of hand, Kobe was expressing a constant visible frustration toward Gasol on several plays where it appeared the two were not on the same page.  Let’s not forget that this is not the last time he has called out his teammates and refused to shoulder any blame – I will never forget when he completely quit on his team in two very important games:  Game 7 vs. Phoenix in the first round of the 2006 playoffs, and Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals vs. Boston.  As much praise as Kobe gets for his freakish durability, high level of play and intense competitiveness, instances like these can help one understand why many players don’t like playing with him.  I think he’s been extremely overcritical of Gasol, and I don’t think Gasol wants to play another possession with Kobe.

Because of these issues Gasol has had this season with both the front office and Kobe, I think he’s gone this offseason.  He’s sick of being in trade rumors, and he’s sick of being called out and blamed.  And when he does get traded, hopefully he will be in a system more conducive to his strengths.  Maybe then he will get the recognition as an elite player that he deserves. 

3.  The supporting cast was terrible

The issues went deeper than just the star players.  The Lakers’ supporting cast was among the worst of the league over the season (their bench was DEAD last in scoring this season).  Ron Artest, Steve Blake, Ramon Sessions, and Matt Barnes proved not to be effective enough to put the Lakers over the top.  Changes to the roster over the course of the season proved not to be very constructive, either.  Two vital pieces to their 09 and 10 championship runs – Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher – were no longer there.  When they acquired Ramon Sessions from Cleveland, I was suspicious that he would provide the same impact as Derek Fisher.  Early on, he seemed to be on track to proving me wrong (12.7 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.2 rebounds in 30.5 mins per game as a Laker).  But after a horrible postseason (9.7 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.0 rebounds a game), the Lakers have to wonder if they should have got rid of Fisher, who is now in a position to win a title NOT in a Laker uniform. 

Kobe had to get accustomed to playing without two of his best
role players in Lamar Odom (left) and Derek Fisher (right)

Before the playoffs even started, Artest didn’t help matters after earning a seven-game suspension for elbowing James Harden into a concussion.  His absence made the Lakers already-thin bench even worse, and was a big reason why LA even struggled closing out Denver in the first round.  In my opinion, they were very fortunate to even advance past them; if Blake didn’t catch fire in Game 7, the Lakers could have gone home much earlier.  Other than Jordan Hill, the Laker role players were a disappointment.

What should the Lakers do?

With Kobe making $30 million next year, there is not much that LA can do in free agency.  Their best move would be to throw Bynum and whoever else Orlando wants (other than Kobe) for Dwight Howard.  But then, you would have to look at the coaching situation.  If LA gets Howard, is Mike Brown the right coach for them?  He failed to find ways to get two of the league’s best post players to get consistent touches.  Howard had issues with his Orlando teammates for not getting the ball enough; how do you think he will like Brown’s offensive schemes? 

Some have gone as far as to say the Lakers should consider amnesty’ing Kobe.  As much as I blame him for having an adverse psychological affect on his teammates, I still think waiving him is an extreme.  Of all players on the team, he is the one lock to remain in a Laker uniform.

I know this is never gonna happen, but LA and Orlando should make the first ever head coach trade.  I honestly think both teams would be better off.

Summary

Ultimately, the Lakers’ failures have been a result of a lack of chemistry – from the front office to the coaches, and to the players as well.  The fact that they were a few breaks away from possibly being in a position to make the Conference Finals is nothing short of amazing.  I expect a major overhaul over the offseason, with Kobe being the lone guaranteed Laker next season.