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On the eve of the season, what 3 things do you want to see?
Posted by: SPQR on Oct 27, 2009 - 08:35 AM
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On the eve of the new season, expectations are high. I think most of us here believe we will be ending the year with our 16th championship, and some of us in the back of our minds even entertain the thought that this team could challange the Bulls 73 win mark.
Our major competitors-San Antonio, Boston, Orlando and Cleveland all made big off season moves to get better and close the gap with us. It stands to reason that we too want to be better and not just be the same team as last year. It is something that we want to and need to ensure that championship against the improving elite.
This being the case, I would ask all the superb basketball minds that are habitues of this great site: What three things do you want to see from this years Lakers, that would in your mind, ensure the capture of our 16th ring?
I will ask that anyone who replies here leave "staying healthy" off the list. That is a given and most obvious. It is also out of anyones control.
Here are mine in order of importance.
1. My number one wish is that with the addition of a healthy Drew and Artest, the team takes their defensive execution and presence up at least one notch from last year. We won it last year with a defense I would term merely adequate. Nothing more. If this team, already an offensive juggernaut could turn up the defensive screws one more notch, it would really become the terror of the league. They are hard enough to outscore now. How can you beat a team that not only can't you outscore but can't score against period? Pretty tough proposition. This single thing, in my mind would make a repeat fait accompli and bring the chase for 73 into reality.
2. Fast start for Drew. In the last two years, Drew has gotten off to slow starts. Two years ago because he was still learning so much and last year because he was coming off that horrific injury. This year I would love to see him play like the pre injury and pre season Drew right off the get go. This would just be so intimidating to our opponents and ensure a very fast start for the team. It would also do a world of confidence for our young center. If this happens, look out, the Lakers will start putting distance between them and the other Western teams very quickly.
3. The resurection for Adam Morrison and/or Sasha. With the lose of Ariza, I see several problems that Artest, despite all the goods he brings to the table, cannot overcome. First off, we will miss Trevors speed and athleticism. In sports, speed causes problems and speed kills. I just don't see how we are going to replace this aspect of what Trevor brought. It is a deficit that we will just have to live with. We will also miss his three point shooting. If Sasha and/or Morrison regain their stroke it would be a huge thing. With steady three point and clutch shooting, it will make an already potent offensive team just that much harder to contain and control. It would literally overwhelm even the best laid defenses. There are some teams almost impossible to defend. We have all seen them over the years. If we can get steady three point shooting we will become one of them. Even against such defensive stalwarts as the Celtics.
There are of course other things I would like to see. But these are my top three wish lists for the 2009-2010 Lakers.
I am interested to read what are the top three of all the great Laker fans and basketball minds on LTB. Please feel free to give up your own thoughts as we go on the hunt for number 16.
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