The new CBA has pushed the NBA into new territory. I've mentioned it before; how that big-market teams vs. small-market teams is the same as a 3 superstar roster model vs. a well-balanced roster model.
The Lakers, from what I saw in their opening game of the season, have both. The Lakers have 3 superstars in Bryant, Gasol, and Bynum. But, what they have coming off of the bench, in my opinion, is quality. The addition of McRoberts and Murphy has really stabilized the bench for the Lakers.
Both McRoberts and Murphy contributed 8 rebound in tonight's game and anyway you look at it, that is huge! McRoberts plays with energy, and Murphy plays with experience.
When Bynum comes back and McRoberts goes back to the bench, the Lakers are going to have a well-balanced roster. With Ebanks and Goudelock in the mix; this might be Kobe Bryant's chance to show the Michael Jordan aspect of his game. In other words: he has decent players around him, and now might be the time for Kobe to take over in the late stages of the game to pull it out for the Lakers. In other words: Kobe should build on his legacy as the greatest Laker of all-time.
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Coach Brown, in my opinion, needs to work on who finishes the game. Fisher shouldn't be out there to close the game. Why would coach Brown put Fisher on Rose at the end of the game when he had Barns' height to cover Rose? The guy, coach Brown, says he's a defensive minded coach, but how does he go with Fisher to cover the best point guard in the league to close a game? Fisher is 37 years old and is seriously slow. Where is the logic in this move?
This game was the Lakers all the way, but Gasol and McRoberts gave it away with missed free throws. And coach Brown contributed to the loss by putting Fisher on Rose to end the game. Small things like that, Fisher on Rose, don't make sense. Small things to observe for sure but a huge window into the observation of coach Brown's ego.
Other than that, the Lakers look like they have a nice mixture of 3 stars and quality down the bench. Kobe needs to identify what he has to work with, and to make it work towards a championship.
These are my opening thoughts to the season in which the Lakers aren't looking too bad, in my opinion.
mike t.
