Halftime Hype

After a tumultuous 0-8 preseason, Los Angeles Lakers fans, myself included, were ready for the "real deal." The preseason has minimal bearing on the season anyway, so there was absolutely no need to worry. Or so we thought. A season opener that was hyped to be a grand exhibition of invincibility quickly turned into sobering shellacking.

All the offseason chatter about a potential 82-0 record now seems even more foolish. Tthere will always be an adjustment period when a new team is assembled. With that said, last night's Lakers' performance was simply embarassing. While there's no doubt in my mind that Dwight Howard is currently a better center than Andrew Bynum, his free-throw percentage is nowhere near that of Bynum. As a team the Lakers may have missed 12 of their 31 free throws, but 11 of those misses came from D12. Fouling out only made Howard's debut that much worse.

Perhaps of greater concern is Steve Nash's lackluster performance. The two-time Most Valuable Player was outplayed by the Dallas Mavericks' Darren Collison, who eclipsed Nash with 17 points and 3 steals. Nash barely made a blip on the stat sheet, going 3-9 from the field for a total of 7 points and 4 assists. In order for the Lakers team to succeed, the Princeton Offense either needs to be reconsidered or Nash needs to pick things up quickly.

However, despite the disappointing Lakers performance, fans should worry too much - at least, not yet. Howard is still rounding into shape from back surgery, although his free throw percentage may take awhile to improve. Nash has the Herculean task of learning an entirely new offense in a short period of time. Hopefully, the team will begin to gel by Christmas Day because performances like that of last night will not only drive them away from the NBA Finals, but from the playoffs.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers have been completely remodeled, as each franchise has acquired new players and conducted personnel changes in the pursuit of one goal: winning a NBA championship. The Lakers would subsequently endure a seemingly interminable rollercoaster of a season while Clippers fans gloated at their coup of Chris Paul. For once, Clippers fans could celebrate as frustrated Lakers fans shook their heads in dismay.

Interestingly enough, both teams would flame out together in the second round of the playoffs. Both teams also made major offseason moves.  As Arash Markazi noted in his column for ESPN Los Angeles, the Chris Paul trade has created a deep schism in Los Angeles sports fans. This very divide is only reason to love this year's L.A. basketball.

Simply put, every single game these teams play will matter. Each game will be fun to watch. These teams were already entertaining. Fans have grown accustomed to Blake Griffin slamming dazzling dunks and Kobe, well, being Kobe.

Now, there are many, many more elements to watch for. First of all, Los Angeles finally has a legitimate basketball rivalry. For years, fans could nonchalantly root for both teams under the mentality that a win for either time is a win for the City of Angeles. Such a mentality is no longer valid. Animosity has grown. Tensions have flared. Career trajectories have been altered. Trades have been made, or with respect to Chris Paul and the Lakers, not made. Finally, both sides have formidable components.  

Besides competing between themselves, they must face the other elite squads. The Lakers and Clippers were not the only ones improving their rosters in the hopes of unveiling a banner. The Boston Celtics were actively reloading. The Oklahoma City Thunder are still explosive and a force to be reckoned with. Every year, the San Antonio Spurs dispel the myth that they're too old and somehow defy Father Time, albeit with the help of a few young upstarts. The Miami Heat, as the defending champions, are still the team to beat.

 Within each of these teams are a vast number of threats. Whereas an injury to Kobe Bryant in the past may have devastated the Lakers, the starting lineup still has four other All-Stars. Similarly, the Clippers' second-unit, renowned for blowing leads, might consist of the best reserves in the league.

Angelenos, enjoy the moment: We are now amidst a Golden Age of Los Angeles Basketball.