If you’re a Laker fan you are probably just glad the season is over, as high fives and fist bumps are being shared by all throughout the Los Angeles area. If you’re an Orlando Magic fan then congrats on a great season and better luck next time. The parade is on Wednesday and you should probably be there if you live in L.A.
What a series this was, it literally had it all. From the game one blow out to the two tight finishes in overtime, this series had something for everybody. The Lakers are said to have been built to win a championship and they delivered with strong performances from guys like Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom, to MVP like performances from Pau Gasol and the ultimate MVP Kobe Bryant. The Orlando Magic just didn’t have an answer for the Lakers offensive prowess and their stifling defense, that’s right I said defense.
The biggest question for the Lakers coming into this series was whether or not they could defend the Magic’s three-point shooting. With the exception of one game where the Magic shot 75% in the half they handled it pretty well. The other issue was the Lakers bench; could the bench mob hold it together and give quality minutes? They did to some degree but it was really the play of Lamar Odom that spurred the second unit.
Derek Fisher had some big time shots in the series and proved once again that he’s a fighter and a competitor and can show up big when it matters the most. We didn’t see a lot of Jordan Farmar or Shannon Brown in this series because Phil Jackson trusted his point guard even when the critics didn’t.
For Phil Jackson this should cement his place as one of the greatest coaches to ever live in any sport. What he has accomplished might never be repeated in the league again. Yes, the Lakers are on top of the mountain, they have defeated their rivals and have attained the pinnacle of the sport, again. But, because this is the way of things, talk has already begun about next season.
Some have gone as far as to say that the Lakers will be the team to beat for at least two more years, that’s apparently how much gas Kobe has left in the tank, but with the way that man takes care of himself that number might be rather small. There are also talks about Trevor and his contract being up along with Lamar’s. That begs the question to me at least, are the Lakers built for more championships?
The first thing is injury, like we saw with Boston’s Kevin Garnett this season; one injury can kill a season. So let’s say the Lakers stay healthy, what will the team look like next year? Lamar Odom is a team player who can compete at various positions, what he lacks is consistency as far as some are concerned. In truth he’s an unselfish player and the stat line doesn’t always show that sort of attribute. Trevor Ariza is a defensive dynamo who is starting to find his flair for offense. His upside is his youth.
Both players are huge bonuses to their club, but what if the Lakers can only have one? Andrew Bynum fits into this puzzle as the starting center next year; if he continues to improve in the middle then the need for Odom is diminished, especially if Ariza continues to contribute to the offense in such a big way.
I think Lamar Odom’s days as a Laker are numbered. I really hope I’m wrong and the Lakers keep both players but that probably isn’t the case. Is this the case of the team that has too much talent? What will the Lakers do at the point guard position where they have three guys who could start? Who do you trade? And of course, what about Phil Jackson, will he be back for one more try? How long will we have to wait until we know the answers to these questions? For Lakers fans this is going to be one heck of an off season.
