By Sam Amico
ProBasketballNews.com
The Lakers’ win at Sacramento on Tuesday was a good reason to believe they may be the best team in the West.
OK, let me back up for a second. San Antonio is still the team to beat in the West (and the entire league), but the Lakers are making a case for being officially dubbed “the team that’s a close second.”
Either way, let’s focus on L.A.
Against the Kings, the Lakers trailed for the first 43 minutes. They were getting pushed around and booed on the road. They were also due for a loss, having won 11 of 12 entering the game.
The Kings were physical, confrontational, and
appeared to have the Lakers beat down -- and
just beat.
It sure doesn’t sound like a game in which
the Lakers would end up winning by 12 points
(117-105). That’s especially the case when you
consider they led just 101-100 with four minutes
remaining.
But this is the best Lakers team since the club
featuring Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant won
three straight championships earlier this decade.
And yes, Bryant is the biggest reason of all.
Now, I’m about to get bombarded with e-mails from the two kinds of people on this earth -- those for Kobe, and those against. But the truth is, Bryant is having his best season ever. Better than the year in which he scored 81 points in a game. Better than any of the seasons he played alongside of O’Neal. Better than at any time in any of the title-winning years.
He’s more focused, more selfless, even more resilient. He’s as athletic and passionate as ever, and as someone who’s been in the league for 12 years, he knows all the veteran tricks.
He also seems rejuvenated by the trade that delivered Pau Gasol from Memphis. Gasol is also having one of the best months of his career, as the trade has provided him with some newfound enthusiasm.
Nor does it hurt that the Lakers signed Derek Fisher before the season. Fisher is one of the league’s most underrated defenders and clutch shooters. He is a coach on the court, a calming influence and someone Bryant respects greatly.
Others such as Lamar Odom, Luke Walton and up-and-coming point guard Jordan Farmar have been playing their supporting roles to near perfection. And, of course, there’s Phil Jackson. Say what you will about his condescending and sometimes brash disposition -- but it’s obvious the man can coach. In fact, he may be the greatest the pro game has ever seen.
Still, while all of the above is nice, this is about Bryant. The Lakers are his team and opponents are at his mercy. The thing I like about Kobe most is despite all the accolades and scoring records (and millions of dollars), he still treats each game as if he’s trying to make the team.
He appreciates the fact he’s in the best league in the world and performing on basketball’s biggest stage, and he just brings it every day. Not many people in any profession anywhere can say that -- and not many NBA stars can even make that claim.
That’s why even if you don’t like Kobe (which, in and of itself is fairly ridiculous, considering none of us really know him), you can’t help but love his game.
Heck, even the fans in Sacramento were chanting “M-V-P” after watching Bryant score 17 of his 34 points in the game‘s final six minutes. That’s right, Kings fans were showing appreciation for the man they love to hate most.
As a surprised Bryant said afterward, “It's better than hearing cowbells."
Or as Gasol said of Bryant’s fourth-quarter show, “He really stepped it up, really took it to the hole, really took it personally.”
And that may be the thing with this entire Lakers team. These Lakers seem tougher and more confident than any of the other clubs in the post-Shaq era. Throw in Bryant’s all-around ability ... and you never know. There may really be reason to believe the Lakers are more than just a close second.
With wins like the one in Sacramento, they could eventually become a distant first.
