"The key to returning the Lakers to something closer to last season's offensive juggernaut is combining Kobe's talent with greater balance ... For a variety of reasons, the rhythm the Lakers seemed to nail frequently last year hasn't appeared as much this season. In many ways, I think Kobe's injury served to reboot L.A.'s operating system. (We'll see over the next couple weeks if I'm right.) Bottom line, the Lakers were able to do some positive and important things without Kobe offensively they'd be wise to emulate when he returns to the lineup. Defensively, while I've never liked 24's tendency to wander because it makes it tougher on his teammates, he's still one of the game's best backcourt defenders. His presence, combined with the newfound intensity and focus on details, ought to elevate L.A.'s already strong D for the stretch drive."
