L.A. Lakers looking to flip switch for third consecutive year

Mark Carpenter

HONOLULU—The National Basketball Association (NBA) regular season is 82 games long.

The Los Angeles Lakers only played hard in about 60 of those games.

However, for the past two years, the NBA championship has been won by only one team ... the Los Angeles Lakers.

Go figure.

Although the statistical paradoxes are mind-boggling, one thing is clear: While successful, the Lakers’ strategy of staggering through the regular season and flipping an “on” switch come playoff time is both frustrating and dangerous.

Aside from the technical aspects or “X’s and O’s,” one of the most enjoyable reasons to watch sports is to witness the art of competition and see two teams actually give 100 percent. With losses to teams they should have beaten, like the Cleveland Cavaliers (owners of the worst record in the league) or the Sacramento Kings, who might be moving out of town because of low revenue, the Lakers have frustrated their fans by showing they could really care less about the regular season.

“There’s some subliminal part of them that just is still giving in to ‘We’re going to have to save it for the best, which is later on, and go from there,’” said Lakers head coach Phil Jackson in an interview with The Los Angeles Times. “At their age, it’s understandable.”

But at what point does saving the best for last fall through? When does the luck run out?

With two championships out of three straight trips to the NBA Finals, the Lake Show has been quite the spectacle. And no one is going to question whether or not they know how to get the job done. 

However, with only one player younger than 30 years old in their starting line-up (Andrew Bynum), the Lakers are getting long in the tooth, which is why coasting till the playoffs start is becoming especially dangerous. On top of that, inconsistency has definitely been one of the hallmark traits of the 2011 Lakers. After roaring to a league best 17-1 record after the All-Star break, Kobe and Co. dropped five in a row and stumbled into the playoffs.

“All that matters is ... who is the last man standing in June,” said two-time Finals MVP Kobe Bryant to ESPN. “That’s how I measure success. I can’t speak for anybody else.”

The Lakers’ regular season spottiness has even had an effect on Hawaii Pacific University’s Downtown campus. Avid Lakers fan, and HPU student, Jillian Parel is heavily concerned for the Purple and Gold’s chances of raising another banner in Staples Center.

“I can’t stand how they are so inconsistent because it makes me feel like they don’t care and sometimes I feel like I care more than they do,” said Parel. “And it makes me think they won’t win another championship.”

For the past few years, “where amazing happens” has been the dramatic tagline for the NBA playoffs, but lately it seems that the Lakers’ play has been nothing but mediocre.

Whether you are a die hard lover of the Purple and Gold or can’t stand the thought of yet another L.A. title, this year’s playoffs are going to be interesting to see if the Lakers can begin their drive back to the Finals or if they were too late to flip the switch.

To see the Playoffs picture, click here