Lakers 2012 NBA Playoffs First Round Preview

It's hard to believe that the 2012 NBA Playoffs is already next week. It's probably because of the compressed 66-game season and the Los Angeles Lakers have only had their first Metta World Peace incident just last week.

The Lakers are sitting comfortably at third place in the Western Conference, following the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder. The team was able to finalize their seeding in their win against the Thunder last week (the infamouse World Peace elbow game).

The Lakers' first round opponent is still to be determined as the Denver Nuggets and the Dallas Mavericks have yet to lock-up their respective playoff positions. So for this 2012 NBA Playoffs first round preview for the Lakers, I'll take a look at both potential opponents.

Denver Nuggets

The Lakers have a 3-1 advantage over the Nuggets in their regular season match-up and this is looks good for the Lakers on paper.

The Nuggets don't have the size to go up against the Lakers' frontline tandem of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, and it doesn't help that the Nugs sent Nene to the Washington Wizards last February for the less intimidating Javale McGee.

Nuggets forwards Danilo Gallinari and Al Harrington will get minutes trying to stretch the floor (Harrington has averaged 20+ in the teams' last two meetings), and they may fare even better with World Peace suspended for six games in the playoffs.

But what the Lakers need to worry more about is the Nuggets backcourt. Ty Lawson and Andre Miller have run circles around the Lakers' point guards and this means Ramon Sessions and Steve Blake have to step up their games.

The Nuggets have the NBA's best-scoring offense and team assists per game, and this means that they play at a fast rate and share the ball. Personally, I these metrics will take a hit in the playoffs as I foresee the Lakers to tighten the screws on defense come playoff time.

Prediction: Lakers in 5

Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks have to demonstrate their championship mettle this season against the Lakers (the Mavs were swept by the Lakers in the regular season). This bodes very well for the the Lakers.

The players that killed the Lakers last season (J.J. Barea and Tyson Chandler) have left the Mavericks and this will put a lot more weight on the shoulders of Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, and Jason Terry to lead the Mavs.

Unfortunately for the Mavs trio, it will be an uphill climb, which is more like scaling a high wall. The Lakers will use their size advantage to frustrate their optential opponents and clog the lanes to prevent the slashing to the hoop. The only chance the Mavs have is if their outside shooting floats in the 50% range.

I am not the only one who thinks the Dallas Mavericks will not repeat as NBA champs this season and I think the Lakers will avenge their defeat, should the two teams meet in the first round.

Prediction: Lakers in 6


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Time to Shelve Kobe?

As of this writing, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant has missed the team's last six games to rest his injured shin. During that stretch, the Lakers have won four, with those games coming from a winning streak.

Now the big question: Should the Lakers shelve Kobe for the rest of the season? I say "YES," with a blaring megaphone.

Apart from the obvious rest Kobe gets with this move (Kobe is averaging 38.4 minutes per game), it gives the rest of the Lakers to step up and gather confidence going into the playoffs. Metta World Peace, Matt Barnes, and Pau Gasol have notably stepped up their games in Kobe's absence and it even gave long-time bench regular Devin Ebanks some burn.

However, coach Mike Brown must keep in mind the risk of resting Kobe for too long-- it may create an imbalance where the team members need to figure out their roles again once Kobe takes 30% of the team's shots and 38 minutes of PT.

Another factor is playoff positioning. The Lakers are just a half-game ahead of their Staples Center co-tenants and getting third seed in the NBA's Western Conference would be major, since it avoids the dangerous Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers in the first round.

That said, I still think Kobe should hang up till the last day of the regular season. His fresh legs would be more important in propelling the Lakers in the playoffs.


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Dwight Howard to The Lakers, Part 2

A week into the 2011-2012 NBA season and the Los Angeles Lakers are a .500 team. While that seems pretty forgivable in the post-lockout context, it's quite unacceptable given the team's talent and history.

The Lakers are considered contenders, but not favorites to win the NBA crown. I feel they need a legitimate presence on both ends to improve their chances to a title. Enter Dwight Howard.

I outlined in a previous post how the Lakers could get Dwight Howard in a three-team trade with the Orlando Magic and New Orleans Hornets. But we all know how the Lakers were screwed by the NBA in the botched Chris Paul trade. Things are also a little more complicated with a key trade piece in Lamar Odom actually getting traded to the Dallas Mavericks before the season started.

I've come up with a few other scenarios where the Lakers could get Howard using ESPN's Trade Machine.

Scenario 1:

• Los Angeles Lakers get Dwight Howard and Chris Duhon
• Orlando Magic get Andrew Bynum, Derrick Caracter and Matt Barnes

In this trade scenario, the Lakers would be offering the emerging Bynum and expiring contracts to the Magic. Also, the Lakers would be absorbing Duhon's 3-year contract.

Secnario 2:

• Lakers get Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu
• Magic get Bynum, Metta World Peace, and Matt Barnes

This is not too different from the first scenario, except the Lakers would be taking in a bigger contract in Hedo Turkoglu and giving up better talent in World Peace. This seems to make more sense, but any trade involving World Peace is a reach.

Scenario 3:

• Lakers get Dwight Howard and Luis Scola
• Magic get Andrew Bynum, Kevin Martin, and Jordan Hill
• Houston Rockets get Pau Gasol and Hedo Turkoglu

This is a little more complicated and it involves the Houston Rockets, one of the principals of the failed Chris Paul trade. It's been said that the Rockets have their eye on Pau Gasol and this trade gets it done. The Lakers get to replace their starting frontline with new pieces completely.

Scenario 4:

• Lakers get Dwight Howard and Mehmet Okur
• Magic get Andrew Bynum, Anthony Morrow, and Jordan Farmar
• New Jersey Nets get Pau Gasol, Hedo Turkoglu, and Chris Duhon

This now involves teams that are in Howard's wish list and solves a lot of the teams' needs. The Nets get a better supporting cast with Deron Williams after losing out on the Dwight Howard Sweepstakes and the Magic get to shed their unwanted contracts. The Lakers get the best center in the league.

The scenarios are just,well, scenarios and this could change as the trade deadline in March.


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Lakers Notch Season's First Win

Finally.

It took three games before the Los Angeles Lakers got their first win of the season and avoided a 0-3 hole in the standings. They beat the Utah Jazz in convincing fashion, 96-71.

Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol led the way for the Lakers, combining for 48 of the team's 96 points. The Jazz played their first game of the season and looked very rusty. Thirty-two percent from the field and 7% form three-point range paint an ugly picture for the Jazz's game.

The Lakers also got key contributions from Metta World Peace (14 points and 5 rebounds) and their two new power forwards, Troy Murphy and Josh McRoberts (combining for 17 rebounds). World Peace dialed the time machine a few years and showed a flash of the young Ron Artest when he drove the lane and flushed the ball through the hoop strong.

As an added bonus, the Staples Center crowd chanted "We Want Barnes,"a reference to coach Mike Brown's refusal to play the volatile Matt Barnes.


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NBA Season to Start on Christmas Day

Folks wanting to see Kobe Byrant wearing a Los Angeles Lakers jersey this year instead of the exhibition threads will finally get their wish-- the NBA lockout is all but finished.

After five months of seeing no NBA, this is huge for the fans. I personally want to see how this season will play out after the Lakers were edged by the Dallas Mavericks in the last playoffs. Will Kobe get his sixth NBA championship? Will Pau Gasol erase the bad memories he planted on fans in the 2011 playoffs? Will Andrew Bynum be an All-Star? Will Mike Brown be a good replacement for Phil Jackson?

And then there's Metta World Peace (formerly Ron Artest). Is there anything cooler than seeing "World Peace" in a basketball jersey?

Whatever the answer to those questions, they will all unfold on Christmas Day 2011.


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