For a superstar like Kobe Bryant, getting into the playoffs is a given. But for all of the other supporting athletes on the best deep squad in the NBA, the L.A. Lakers, nerves could be settling in as they make their final playoff stretch run and head into the playoffs themselves. Luckily the Lakers players are experienced and playoff tested. There are no rookies on this squad, just veteran champions for the most part.
Lakers players like Andrew Bynum know what to expect. After all, he was there last year when they powered their way through the playoffs, though he sat out most of the year recovering from a knee operation. Bynum is one of the Lakers players that has greatly improved their game this year. He has started just about every game and has dominated in most of them. This kid is only 22 years old but has been on the Lakers for a few years now since coming straight out of high school. He is seven foot tall, fast, agile, and very highly skilled. He can post up and back down any player in the league. When he gets the ball deep in the paint, there is not one other center that can stop him.
Pau Gasol at forward has been called by many the highest skilled big man in the game today. He can do it all: shoot, rebound, pass, make plays, score from any angle, even his defense has vastly improved. Gasol is much stronger and more aggressive now. Gone is the graceful but weaker player that the Celtics ran over two years ago in the Finals. Pau hits back now and is no pushover in the paint. The fans rewarded his efforts by voting him into the All-Star game at Dallas. Gasol’s great play is one of the biggest reasons the Lakers will win another championship.
Lamar Odom has been much more aggressive lately than he was all of last year when he was just learning to play the triangle with Gasol and Bynum. Another Lakers player big man, Odom does more than just clog up the middle. He is an aggressive rebounder and big playmaker. He is super fast and can slash to the basket of take off from the free throw line, rise above the rim and slam in the blink of an eye. His three point shooting has been more accurate since the beginning of the year when he struggled a bit more.
Of all the Lakers players, none stands above Kobe Bryant. Although suffering from some nagging injuries this year, Kobe has still absolutely dominated most of the games he has played in this year and has led the Lakers players to the best record in the league for most of the season. Even though he has played with a broken finger for most of the last three months, his shooting numbers have been staggering. He has also done what the Black Mamba has always done and that is take over a close game at the end or take the game winning shot at the buzzer. This guy doesn’t just beat you, he humiliates you by showing you just how crappy you are compared to him.
The bench is very deep and Jordan Farmar has been playing well coming off the bench for Fisher who just has not had a very good year this year overall. Of all the Lakers players Fisher is the one that has struggled the most. On the other hand, he is still a clutch shooter and no one knows the triangle as well as he does. Many experts think that Fisher is destined to be the future head coach of the Lakers.
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