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Los Angeles Lakers
By Bryan Williams, NBA.com
SEASON OUTLOOK: Is there any reason this team shouldn't win its fourth straight title? In pushing the Lakers to overtime of Game 7 in last year's Western Conference Finals, the Sacramento Kings proved this: You have to play perfect basketball to beat L.A. And doing it in a seven-game playoff series is a virtual impossibility. Yes, there were grumblings about officiating after Game 6, but the facts were that the Kings had more depth offensively, playoff experience, the NBA's best regular-season record and home-court advantage ... and the Lakers won anyway. The NBA Finals were merely a formality as L.A. swept the New Jersey Nets. The bad news for the rest of the league is that the Lakers have maintained status quo, re-signing their major free agents and adding more role players with summer transactions. But it's not as though there's any secret to their success; the Lakers have won and will continue to win with their superstars. There's Shaq. There's Kobe. Try and stop them. Shaquille O'Neal will likely miss a few early games after undergoing toe surgery in September, but should then be free of the soreness that plagued him all last year. The conundrum he creates for the opposition is simple: He gets whatever he wants. O'Neal has ranked among the league's top three in scoring for five consecutive seasons. Last year, his 27.2 points per game ranked second behind Allen Iverson's 31.4, and his .579 field-goal percentage led the NBA by a large margin. (The Clippers' Elton Brand was next at .527). Of course, most overmatched defenders just grab and swat in order to put O'Neal and his much-maligned free-throw percentage on the line; Shaq missed 15 games in 2001-02 and still led the league in foul shot attempts with 717, sinking 398 (.555). But as the stock cliche goes for the Lakers, pick your poison, because Kobe Bryant will hurt you too. While Bryant is celebrated for his athleticism, his ability to create his own shot, his adeptness at getting to the basket and his showmanship, he has really rounded out his game as he's matured. Last season, he was one of only two players in the league (along with Tracy McGrady) to average better than 25 points, five rebounds and five assists (25.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.5 apg) and was the only non-point guard among the NBA's top 20 in assists. For his efforts, Bryant was named to both the All-NBA First Team and NBA All-Defensive Second Team. The remaining lineup stays intact as well: Solid veterans Derek Fisher, Rick Fox and Robert Horry, able defenders and perimeter players off the bench and an all-time great coach. It all adds up to four.
WHO'S IN: Guards A.J. Guyton (5.4 ppg, 13.5 mpg) and rookie Kareem Rush will see limited time, but are both long-range threats, as is forward Tracy Murray, a career .391 three-point shooter acquired via trade from Toronto. WHO'S OUT: Point guard Lindsey Hunter (5.8 ppg), who started 47 games for L.A. last year, was shipped to the Raptors in exchange for Murray and Rush. BENCH: Along with Murray, Devean George (7.1 ppg), who continues to improve on both ends of the court going into his fourth season, and Samaki Walker (6.7 ppg, 7.0 rpg), an everyday starter for L.A. last year, will be the Lakers' most consistent backups. Veteran shooter Brian Shaw and young forwards Stanislav Medvedenko and Mark Madsen will see time as well. THE LAKERS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS IF ... : Please. THE LAKERS MISS THE PLAYOFFS IF ... : See above. |
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