Geriatric Lakers. Can They Be Cured?

Last night Kobe Bryant had a simple answer for their loss to Philadelphia; "We're old...". We know! It's no secret that the Lakers are old. But how do they over come it? People like me will tell you that hiring Phil Jackson, and his proven triangle offense would have been the perfect solution to this problem. But let's try to take the situation given now, and see how the lakers can move forward.

I believe that this situation is one where Coach D'Antoni needs to change his style of offense in order to properly suit the players he has on the court. If you have older, post-up players; a fast-paced "D'Antoni" style of offense is not the answer. When you have an aging team, you need to be comfortable in the half court set. A good coach can make these adjustments.

The Lakers have had their share of issues this season. With the injury to Steve Nash, and Dwight Howard coming off of back surgery, it has been a challenge to get this team on the court together to work on those new relationships. D'Antoni has also had a problem working Pau Gasol into the lineup. That in itself is inexcusable. You are given a team with 5 former all-stars; you find a way to work them into your system.

As little credit as Erik Spoelstra gets for his part as Head Coach for the Miami Heat, he was challenged with this task, and is continually making adjustments. With the evolution of the Miami Heat since the addition of Lebron James and Chris Bosh, Coach Spo has had to evolve his team into a "small ball" team. Using their athleticism to compensate for their size, and in a sense, defying the laws of NBA physics. Although the Heat still have a lot to figure out, they are well on their way to making the adjustments they need, certainly further along than the Lakers. That is what "coaching" is. Taking your talent, and formulating a system that works for them.

This has not yet been the case in LA for D'Antoni and the Lakers. By sticking to his "quick point" offense, the Lakers will fail. Until he can can set his ego aside, and embrace the challenge of building something new, he will be holding that team back. But let's face it, having Kobe on your team is always a step in the right direction.