When Malone gets back, how will this team gel? GP is showing frustration a lot, Kobe and Shaq have gone back and forth at each other and Malone has been out for awhile now...They were gelling pretty nice before Malone went down and they have been sliding now. I think they will gel fine, 2/4 of the big four know what it takes to win a championship, and Malone knows what it takes to get there, every year, well maybe not last year, the Lakers are a new team come playoff time, I am expecting that this year, and I expect Kobe to take this team over and lead them to the Finals.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Q Rich3:</div><div class="quote_post">When Malone gets back, how will this team gel? GP is showing frustration a lot, Kobe and Shaq have gone back and forth at each other and Malone has been out for awhile now...They were gelling pretty nice before Malone went down and they have been sliding now. I think they will gel fine, 2/4 of the big four know what it takes to win a championship, and Malone knows what it takes to get there, every year, well maybe not last year, the Lakers are a new team come playoff time, I am expecting that this year, and I expect Kobe to take this team over and lead them to the Finals.</div> When Malone gets back, and starts playing like he did earlier in the season, the Lakers should be back to their early playing ways of November and December. This season has really been crazy when you look at the sex assault issues with Kobe, Kobe's injured shoulder and finger, Shaq missing 12 games, and G.P.'s anger problems, but if this team can come together and stay focused for the remainding 30 games of the season and into the playoffs, the Lakers should be right there to compete for the title.
This team will gel fine when everything is set. Of course when Karl comes back, everything won't be put together in 1 game, it will probably take a week or two for him to get worked back in the starting lineup, and playing full time. I'll say it now, when the Lakers have their 4 ready and healthy, they are the best team in the NBA, hands down. They have shown their dominance earlier in the year, and have proved they can get it done night in and night out. LA has been through some tough things this whole year, and have learned to survive them, as we have played decent ball over time, even with all the injuries. So their is no reason for me to believe they won't be the top contenders in the West, come playoff time, if healthy. They have the leadership, playoff experiance, and everyone on this team knows what it takes to go all the way. Only thing that can stop this Laker team from winning it all, is to hope they don't get bored while doin it.
since all star break, it seems kobe and shaq have decided that it's time to turn it on... they have played well, and I guess kob's been looking for his teammates and his own points too (considering he had only averaged 21 by the break) that's old laker basketball... payton only solidifies the one spot and malone will too when he comes back... i truly think, health permitting, this team will win the championship this season...
I think they'll do just fine if their health holds up. GP isn't the ballhog I thought he was, as long as he stays in check things'll work out great as he provides for the team. Malone still has his power and offense, he's just not that fast, once he's back, going up against the likes of both Shaq and him will be real difficult. Kobe's been playing really well too, his stealing seems to have come back. I think the only trouble was that they're such great individual players that it was hard to come by any playing time or possession of the ball and making plays between the lot of them. Knowing PJ, it'll be fixed soon enough. The Lakers will be back.
