An early look at the Los Angeles Lakers

Xavier Henry #7 and Jordan Farmar #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrate against the Los Angeles Clippers in the second half at Staples Center.

If the Los Angeles Lakers season is as inconsistent as it has been so far in a mere two games, than Lakers fans are going to be in for one emotional roller coaster ride. I remember watching the Clippers game on opening night and not being able to take my eyes off the screen out of pure joy and disbelief. Just one night later, I left Oracle Arena in Oakland, California at the start of the fourth quarter because I simply couldn’t sit and watch the Lakers get ripped apart by a surging Warriors team (and also because Golden State fans are supremely obnoxious).

So which team are we going to see for the extent of the 2013-14 season? The one that destroyed a talented Clippers team because of strong bench play? Or the clueless one that was ripped apart by the Warriors?

The answer is neither. The Lakers have an entirely new roster this year (not necessarily a revamped one) and no one can be sure how well they will play together. I believe that they won’t play as well as they did against the Los Angeles Clippers consistently, but they certainly won’t play as atrociously as they did on Wednesday night on a nightly basis. The Lakers have a deep bench, much more skilled than last year’s mess. However, their starters aren’t as strong as last year’s and will be hampered by age and injury as the season goes on. Let’s take a look at what both games showed us about this year’s Lakers.

Game 1 – Lakers vs Clippers

Jordan Farmar and Jordan Hill

The Jordan’s will be an integral part of the Lakers’ rotation this year. The return of Jordan Farmar added an angle to the Lakers game that was certainly not there last season. He came off the bench with tremendous energy, drove aggressively and took good shots. He anchored the second unit with his steady hand and facilitated the ball movement that hurt the Clippers so much. His presence was sorely missed during his absence and he will only benefit the team this year.

Everyone knew about Jordan Hill’s potential last year. He showed flashes of brilliance when he first came over in the Derek Fisher trade and would have been a rotation player had he not suffered a hip injury. On opening night, Hill showed us how good he could really be. He was all hustle, beating Blake Griffin to loose balls and gobbling up offensive rebounds (he finished with seven that night). He was selective with his shooting, mostly taking them from inside the paint (except for a 18-foot bank shot that had no reason going in). If Hill can stay healthy, his hustle will do wonders for the Lakers when he’s in.

Wesley Johnson, Jodie Meeks, and Xavier Henry

Maybe Johnson, Meeks, and Henry aren’t as awful as I thought they would be. In my preview of the Los Angeles Lakers, I ripped Johnson to shreds and I refused to acknowledge Henry as a meaningful addition to the Lakers roster this year. They rewarded me with the middle finger with their performance on opening night. Xavier showed a wide range of skills ranging from a perimeter shot to wonderful inside play. He showed his explosiveness and proved he had the potential to become a game-changer (if he can be consistent).

Johnson and Meeks played surprisingly well as well, although I’m skeptical they’ll play close to that level throughout the season. Both showed respectable range, forcing Clipper defenders to come out and guard the three-ball. Meeks also had a momentum-swinging three-point play that was non-existent last season. I can’t tell you how many times I covered my eyes when Meeks led the fast break.

Chris Kaman

Chris Kaman was… Chris Kaman. The former Clipper gave solid minutes off the bench, posting 10 points and 8 rebounds in 19 minutes of play. He proved he had a dependable mid-range shot but failed to convert a couple easy two-footers. His lack of athleticism prevented him from guarding the Clippers bigs too effectively, but he is certainly a dependable back-up for Pau Gasol.

The resurgence of Pau Gasol

Gasol, in a contract year, did what many critics thought he would do: play good basketball. Despite not playing any of the fourth quarter, Gasol still contributed 15 points on an array of dazzling post and perimeter shots (including a three-pointer) and 13 rebounds. The seven-footer from Spain will be the Laker’s go-to scorer for the majority of the season and his play certainly looked improved from last seasons.

Game 2 – Lakers vs Warriors

No Steve Nash is bad

The news that two-time MVP Steve Nash would not be playing the second game of back-to-back’s was very concerning; and Wednesday’s game proved why. Without the veteran leadership of the ailing 39-year old, Steve Blake was given the ball to run the offense and he did it poorly. Granted, the Lakers starting five consisted of Gasol, Shawne Williams (who?), Steve Blake, Jodie Meeks, and Nick Young, but Nash’s presence on the court would have smoothened the offense. Which brings me to my next point.

The Lakers missed Steve Nash in Game 2.

Change the starting five

Shawne Williams has no business playing as the starting power forward. I don’t care if he plays solid defense and has a nice three point shot. I believe the first six minutes are very important in setting the tone for the rest of the game, and this was proved when the Lakers went down by double digits in the first six minutes against the Warriors and never recovered. There is no reason Chris Kaman and Jordan Hill need to come off the bench.

If I was the Pringle Man (Mike D’Antoni), I would start Kaman and see how two above average seven-footer mid-range shooters pair together. Sure, they won’t be the quickest team on the floor, but defenders will have to respect their shooting abilities and give the other seven-footer a one-on-one match-up in the paint for the rebound (if there is one). The Pringle Man can switch it to small, fast ball anytime he wants by putting in Farmar, Johnson, Meeks, and Henry in.

Nick Young is ineffective

The Laker’s first points against the Warriors came on a contested three-pointer by Young. That was about the extent of Young’s presence on Wednesday night as he earned a -16 in the +/- column. Young is a heralded ball hog. He has an amazingly quick release and if he’s on fire, he’s truly El Fuego. Other than that, Young is pretty darn useless. He can’t pass, he can’t defend, he can’t do anything except jaw off when he’s hot. Then again, it’s only two games into the season so we’ll wait and see on him.

Final thoughts

If Mike D’Antoni can find a way to balance slow ball with Gasol and Kaman and fast ball with the reserves, he could have a deadly combo on his hands. The Lakers need to play with confidence and structure. If the Jordan’s can spark the bench, we could see one of the strongest back-up units in the league. Additionally, if Gasol can stay healthy and Nash healthish, the Lakers should find as a fifth or sixth seed. Either way, I’m stoked.