Los Angeles Lakers Must Find a Way To Continue Winning After Dreadful Start
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Sunday night we saw the Los Angeles Lakers get their first win of the season against the Charlotte Hornets. They are now 1-5, but most fans want to know if they can continue winning. On Sunday the Lakers had a more balanced scoring attack. Kobe Bryant had 21 points, while Jeremy Lin added 21 points, Carlos Boozer 16, Jordan Hill 12 and Ed Davis 10. This type of all-around scoring is what is needed if the Lakers want to continue winning. This win should give Boozer and Lin the confidence they need to keep attacking. As many have said at the beginning of the season, the only way the Lakers will be competitive this year is if the role players have an impact.
In the first five games of the season, every player not named Kobe seemed unsure of themselves. Kobe didn’t trust them and they didn’t give him any reason to trust them. Granted, most players are new to the team or new to the NBA, but that doesn’t allow them to stand around while Kobe dribbles around double and triple teams. It’s unforgivable that they miss layups and can’t convert on open shots. Sunday was a completely different story.
If the Lakers team that showed up on Sunday can continue to show up on a nightly basis, then we can see a complete turnaround. Playing defense, converting open shots, attacking the basket and not always deferring to Kobe are the keys to a more competitive season.
Michael Ivey is a blogger with Rant Sports. Follow Michael on twitter @iveyleague10, add him on Google and like his Facebook Page.
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