Lakers Lesson Learned

No one has ever accused me of being a LA Lakers fan. Althought I have lived in Los Angeles for many years, I grew up in Connecticut during the peak of the 80s Celtics-Lakers rivalry. I rejoiced mightily last season as Boston returned to its glory years form, enjoying their new-found dominance all the more so by the manner in which they demolished and shamed the Lakers in the NBA Finals to win their seventeenth championship.

That having been said, I have to give credit where credit is due.  The Lakers learned their lesson last season.  It may have been painful, it may have been embarassing, but learn it they did, and this year the Lakers are back with a vengeance.  And I am very impressed.  Last year the Lakers took it on the chin, but they’ve come back swinging this year, and swinging hard. It’s why Los Angeles is off to a 7-0 start, the only remaining undefeated team in the NBA.

Since the players are largely the same, the big difference is that the Lakers developed toughness over the off-season.  Last year, Los Angeles was frequently accused of being soft, and while the team managed to work past that weakness most of the year, that softness showed through in the Finals.  This year, LA is both physically and mentall tough.  Physically tough, in that the Lakers don’t let themselves be pushed around on the floor, and mentally tough in that they are never phased no matter what the situation, thus keeping them in the proper mindset to come back even when down by a lot. Proof positive: the Lakers have yet to let an opponent score 100 points. That’s good defense, and good defense equates to toughness.

Last year Boston bullied Los Angeles during the Finals; I simply don’t see that happening again this year.  That doesn’t mean that I necessarily think the Lakers will win; the Celtics are still the champs, and until the Lakers show that they can beat them, advantage Boston.  But even if the Celts do get the better of their match-ups with the Lakers, I think it’s safe to say it won’t be nearly so easy.  

Kudos to the Lakers for a lesson well-learned.  Last year’s rivaly renewed energized professional basketball in a way that the league hasn’t seen in a long time. Long dormant former fans returned to the game. And while it’s never good for one or two teams to dominate, it never hurts to have your marquee franchises at least performing well.

• May 25, 2009 -- NBA Conference Finals Dogfights (0)
• February 26, 2009 -- Around the Horn, Sort of (5)
• January 26, 2009 -- Clippers Clipped (0)
• December 1, 2008 -- December (0)
• June 17, 2009 -- Rain on the Parade (1)