Halftime Hype

As the Los Angeles Lakers tipoff in Portland, a fan can only hope that the basketball gods break their routine and allow Kobe & Co. to escape unscathed. If history is any indication, this game should already be added to the loss column. The Lakers are 4-18 in their last 22 meetings and the Lakers have not been able to finish a back-to-back stretch with a win at all this season.

There's a simple key to victory though that Dwight Howard touched on: the Lakers must "play big." It's no secret that the Lakers are an old, slow team. The only unique advantage that separates this squad from the other 29 in the Association is its frontcourt starring two future Hall-of-Fame, seven-footers in Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard. If the Lakers slow down this game and make the Trailblazers battle the bigs down low, the Lakers will secure a much-coveted win.

From this point on, sitting half a game ahead of the Utah Jazz, the Lakers control their destiny. Basically, they need a squeeky clean record the rest of the way. There's especially no room for error since the Jazz own the tiebreaker. A win tonight is not enough for the Lakers though. Coach Mike D'Antoni has to watch Kobe's minutes. Even if the Lakers make the playoffs - and right now that's a big "if" - will the Black Mamba have enough gas left in the tank to lead the Lakers past the first round?

In Halftime Hype's 2013 State of the Lakers address, I mentioned that the Los Angeles Lakers must seize easy victories and at least prove themselves as formidable foes against the NBA's elite teams. Fortunately for L.A., everyone - not just Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, and Dwight Howard - has stepped up, the team is now two games above .500, and the Lakers are currently tied with the Utah Jazz for the final playoff spot in the West. Although Utah would win the tiebreaker, the Jazz have a significantly more challenging schedule ahead of them than do the Lakers.

May Lakers' owner Jerry Buss, who passed away today due to cancer, forever rest in peace.

In the offseason before 2013, who would have thought that at the All-Star break, the San Antonio Spurs would have the best record in the league while a 25-29 Lakers squad remained 3.5 games out of the playoffs? Indeed, there have been many unexpected twists and turns for the Lakers this season. Pundits continue to offer their thoughts on how to turn the Lakers around, as humorously seen in Saturday Night Live's spoof of ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith.

Let's take a quick look back at the Lakers' most recent outings. Other than a disappointing three-game losing streak on the road at Miami (Jan. 17), Toronto (Jan. 20), and Chicago (Jan. 21), the Lakers actually won all games they should have, with the exception of a narrow loss at Phoenix (Jan. 30). They almost beat the Miami Heat until crucial fourth quarter turnovers resulted in a 107-97 loss (Feb. 10).

Although the NBA landscape may change dramatically after the upcoming trade deadline, the Lakers' roster will likely remain in tact. Yes, there have been rumors about a possible Dwight Howard trade, one scenario even sending him to the Celtics for Rajon Rondo. However, as Lakers GM Mitch Kuptchak confessed, such a deal is highly unlikely. Throughout the remainder of the season, the Lakers must work with the pieces they have.

Kobe Bryant as facilitator has proven effective. His career-tying 14 assists against the Utah Jazz on Jan. 26 led the Lakers to a 102-84 blowout victory. Similarly, the Lakers only needed 4 points from Bryant for a win against the Suns on Feb. 13. Now, obviously, every game will be different. There will be games where Bryant will needed to shift his focus to scoring. Generally, though, the newfound approach of Bryant as point guard and Steve Nash at shooting guard has produced beautiful offense for the Lakers.

With Pau Gasol out until the end of the season, the Lakers desperately need Dwight Howard to step his game up. Howard must continue to play through the pain and manage his frustration. He must change his attitude, which former Laker Rick Fox called "a loser's mentality." Fans understand that Howard is coming off a major injury. No one is mad at Howard for that. Criticism of Howard has been that he hasn't been trying his best. Nights like his 19 point, 18 rebound performance against the Suns offer hope for the remaining games.

A boost from the bench is always helpful too. Coach Mike D'Antoni has showcased his fair share of enigmatic rotations and substitutions this season, but the reserves are finally starting to gel. Antawn Jamison was a force to be reckoned with 19 points against the Suns. Jodie Meeks stepped up with 13 points in the Lakers' 125-101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers (Feb. 14). If the bench can provide consistent points, the Lakers will make the playoffs.

If you had told me during the offseason that a starting lineup comprised of Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Dwight Howard would struggle to even make the playoffs, I would have laughed in your face. In light of injuries, we really do not know what this Lakers team, when healthy, is fully capable of. What is certain is that the Lakers chances of making the playoffs are declining while they continue to solidify themselves as the biggest disappointment in professional sports. The multi-million dollar question at this point is: Will the 'Lake Show' go on?

The squad has shown sparks of promise. Recent narrow losses against the Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs, and Miami Heat provided glimpses of hope. The litmus test will be how they perform from now until the All-Star break. Home games against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Jan. 27 and Clippers on Feb. 14 will be key matchups.

More importantly, though, will be how the Lakers can handle themselves on the road. They need to take care of business against teams with losing records at Toronto (Jan. 20), Phoenix (Jan. 30), Minnesota (Feb. 1), Detroit (Feb. 3), and Charlotte (Feb. 8). However, the dates that Lakers fans have circled on their calendars are Feb. 7 and Feb. 10, when the Lakers travel to Boston and Miami, respectively. Those are monumental, momentum-shifting victories if the Lakers can seize them.

At this point, the Lakers must find a way to effectively utilize the pieces they have since there are not many trade options available. Bryant must continue to guard the opposing team's best backcourt player. This strategy has proven successful against the Clippers and Heat, when Bryant contained Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade, respectively. Nash must continue observing the styles of his teammates to find them when they're open, but also be more assertive with regard to scoring.

Earl Clark has become the team's X-factor. The sky is the limit for him. Coach Mike D'Antoni must find a way to harness Clark's skills but also keep an increasingly unhappy Pau Gasol focused. Howard will obviously continue to practice his free-throw shooting but the Lakers may want to explore other strategies for late-game situations since Howard's free-throw shooting has undoubtedly cost the Lakers some games.

Collectively, the Lakers need to step up offensively. As great as he is, Bryant cannot single-handedly guide the Lakers to victories against elite teams. What Bryant can do, as a 12-time All-Defensive player is provide stops and buckets here and there. But he desperately needs his teammates to share the offensive load.

For now, we must sit back and see how the Lakers perform in this next stretch of games.

Ever since Lakers guard Steve Nash sustained a leg injury in October, the organization has been counting down the days 'til his return and justifying their poor performances.

When Coach Mike D'Antoni, who previously coached Nash during their stint with the Phoenix Suns, has been confronted by the team's poor offense, he has consistently reassured that the return of Steve Nash will take care of the kinks. When Pau Gasol struggled to keep up with D'Antoni's high-octane system - before the Spaniard was sidelined with tendonitis - all he could do was pray for Nash's recovery.

Essentially, any time the Lakers have been cornered with questions about their failures  both offensively and defensively, the answer has remained: "Just wait 'til Nash is back."

Who would have thought that a star-studded team including Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, and Gasol would have to cut excuses, much less bestow their championship shoulders of a 39-year-old point guard? Granted, Nash is a two-time MVP, perennial All-Star, and future Hall-of-Famer. His return will definitely help the depleted Lakers, whose home games might as well take place at local Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.  But is Nash really the "savior" that the organization has made him out to be?

Nash certainly will not solve the team's defensive woes. According to ESPN's Defensive Efficiency rankings, the Lakers are in the middle of the pack, tied for Washington for 14th. Nash's return might actually add to the Lakers' defensive problems. Help defense will be crucial when agile opposing point guards like Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook and the Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul blow by the Lakers' front line. Just this week, Nash himself confessed to the Los Angeles Times' T.J. Simers: "I'm not a great defender...Whatever I say, I'm never going to overcome the reputation."

Nash's return could very well return to the team to their desired championship trajectory, albeit indirectly. While the point guard's stats and ability to space the floor may not be sufficient, he will incite a boost of confidence. Howard and Gasol will not only get easier looks at the basket, but they will also have a positive mindset. Bryant will not need to rant about the necessity of "big-boy pants" and lividly admonish his teammates. In the end, Nash's much-anticipated return is mere placebo.

Days after the Los Angeles Lakers were reported to have signed Mike D'Antoni as their next head coach, skeptical pundits and fans like myself are still struggling to find the words that accurately encompass the Lakers' recklessness. Whether or not Phil Jackson's alleged demands - greater authority in personnel decisions, skipping some road games, etc. - will always be a contentious debate. At the end of the day, though, we will never know what happened behind closed doors.

According to Jackson's agent, Todd Musburger, and a statement released by Jackson himself, the 11-time champion made no such demands in his hour-and-a-half long meeting with Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kuptchak on Saturday. Apparently, Jackson was given until Monday to make a decision and he was about to accept the job. In one of the most sly negotiations in sports history, though, Kuptchak awakened Jackson with a phone call right after midnight on Sunday night - technically, Monday morning - to inform Jackson that they had hired D'Antoni instead.

In an article by Mike Bresnahan in today's Los Angeles Times, Kuptchak is quoted as saying: "There was no agreement to wait for [Jackson's] response on Monday. He told us that's when he would get back to us. I could see where he might interpret that as 'I thought you guys would wait for me.' But I thought when I said I had to go on and interview other candidates that it was clear I had a job to do."
The entire situation appears, as Jackson described the midnight call, "slimy."

According to Kuptchak, if Jackson had immediately confirmed his interest in returning to coach the Lakers at Saturday's meeting, the job was his. Instead, Jackson's request for two days to think the matter over completely changed the trajectory of the Lakers' future.

My frustration extends beyond the Lakers' disrespectful, or at least slimy, negotiations. The Lakers claim that Jackson's "Triangle offense" was the deal-breaker; the offense resembled the "Princeton offense" that Mike Brown failed to instill. With Dwight Howard as the team's cornerstone going forward, D'Antoni's up-tempo offense would have a better chance of convincing Howard to resign with the Lakers at the end of the season as opposed to Jackson's methodical triangle. Jackson was also rumored to have wanted $10 milion or more annually in addition to other ludicrous demands.

No matter how many excuses the front office come up with, the organization knew what it was getting into when it pursued Jackson. Yes, the Princeton offense and Triangle offense do require practice in order to execute well, perhaps more practice than other offenses. But prior to the Lakers' Tuesday night loss againt the Spurs, the Purple and Gold had only played 6 games. There were still months of practice remaining and 76 games left to master the offense before the playoffs. And, unlike Jackson's second return in 2005, the Lakers have a core group of players already familiar with this offense - leaders in Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and, dare I say, Metta World Peace - who could help in the instructional phase.

Much has been reported of Jackson's alleged demands. For the most part, all of them have been false. According to Bresnahan's article, "Jackson told Jim Buss and Kuptchak that he wanted the same communication between them on personnel decisions that he held in his second tenure from 2005 to 2011."  All the crazy talk of Jackson wanting to skip road games and seek an ownership stake in the franchise was absolute nonsense.

Even if Jackson actually made some extra demands, other than skipping road games, he has every right to ask for a little more. The Lakers are the one in the desperate situation seeking his services, not the other way around. Plus, Jackson, a mastermind who has played and coaches in the Association for decades, certainly knows more about the game than Jim Buss. The illustrious coach seems to have a rocky relationship with the younger Buss, but respects Kuptchak, and with good reason. When Kuptchak has taken the lead in decision-making the results have been much better than when Jim Buss stepped up (i.e. hiring Mike Brown). Any personnel decisions would likely have been made in conjunction with the expertise of Kuptchak. Yes, Jackson would have likely commanded $10-12 million in annual salary. But what happened the last time the Lakers were stingy about hiring a head coach? Oh, right.

With regard to retaining Howard, the center could have either learned under an 11-time champion coach who took Shaquille O'Neal to the Promised Land three consecutive times or from a coach whose own post player of several years, Amar'e Stoudemire, says that D'Antoni did little to foster his post skills. However, we should not be too worried about the post skills because, at its prime, the Nash-Stoudemire pick n'roll tandem was nearly flawless. What it comes down to is whether Howard will be more content with winning championships, albeit with less flare, or flashy wins without the silverware to back them up.

There were no surprises with Jackson. If the front office claims that they did not sign Jackson for basketball reasons, then they should not have even interviewed Jackson in the first place. They already knew Jackson's fundamental philosophy, the Triangle offense, so if they did not think the 11-time champion would be a good fit, it was inappropriate to even meet with Jackson and offer the job to him.

There's the problem, though: The Lakers front office passed on an 11-time champion, much less for a coach who has never been to the NBA Finals. The messianic Jackson, arguably the greatest coach in pro sports history, by far had the most credibility of any possible coaching candidate. No one believes D'Antoni is a bad coach or unfit for the job. In fact, Bryant himself told Jim Buss that his top preference was D'Antoni, until he found out Jackson was an option. Criticism of D'Antoni's lackluster defensive teams is not necessarily valid with a Lakers team that has two former defensive players of the year in Howard and World Peace alongside a 12-time All-Defensive team selection in Bryant. My argument is not one against D'Antoni, but for Jackson. Heck, I'm even willing to admit that D'Antoni was a better long-term solution for the Lakers. But for an organization that claims to be driven to win now, Jackson would have been the best man for the job.

Current Phoenix Suns head coach Alvin Gentry captured my sentiment best when he commented on the Lakers' shocking decision: "The one thing I don't understand is that guy [Jackson] has been to [13] out of 20 NBA Finals and won 11 of them. I don't know how you can pass on a guy that can pretty much guarentee you a championship every other year."

Ultimately, any front office is confronted with the following options in order of priority.
1) Optimal scenario: Win a championship AND be exciting.
2) Second-best scenario: Win a championship, but perhaps without an exciting offense.
3) Last resort if you do not have the resources for a championship-caliber team: Excite the fans.

The front office has made a huge gamble: either the Lakers will thrive in the optimal scenario or be victims of a general manager's last resort, where mind you, anything less than a championship will be considered a disappointment and anything other than a Finals appearance considered an utter faliure.

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.