I think it is due to a lack of urgency, fatigue and boredom. They don't have the depth to blow by teams and rest the starters like the Spurs do. Come play-off time, I would be surprised if they do not flip a switch and come out to play.
After much thought and consideration I have realized what's wrong with the precious Lakers. I can say with complete confidence that they have a weak over-rated superstar. Kobe is probably one of the most over-rated players to ever play the game. He won all his titles in what everyone calls the "soft" era. I can't imagine what would happen to him in the 90s. I'll admit LeBron complains about calls as well but he still has the ability to play through contact. Kobe on the other hand cannot win without the refs... just like game 7 when the refs bailed his ass out with two huge freethrows that pushed the game to two possessions and the Celtics had less than a full shot-clock for a comeback.
I asked this in another thread, but I'll bring it up here again: if Kobe's "will to win" is so strong, if he's the fiercest competitor in the league, why can't he bring it every night during the regular season? Why can't he inspire his teammates to bring it every night? Why has this type of poor mid-season play been plaguing his teams throughout much of his career?
-you criticize Bryant in every thread, not just this one -he's in his 15th year -you don't know that he doesn't 'bring it every night' -the Lakers have had the best record in the West for the last 3 years
I'm not so sure the Lakers will "wake up" once the playoffs roll around. They had a lot problems in the POs last year against the Thunder. They're also experiencing losses this year that they would've never experienced in the past few years, regardless of "boredom". I sense the end of an era for this L.A. team within the next couple of years... barring an unbelievable trade, of course. Come to think of it... I'm going to be really sick of Miami for a long time to come. It all just dawned on me...
I don't care what's wrong with the Lakers. As long as they stay "wrong" that'll be good enough for me.
Clown like you have always been active this time of the year and disappeared after finals. It's so typical it's not even funny.
I know, what a clown I am for being active on an NBA board during basketball season! You really should quit posting. You aren't doing yourself any favors.
I don't criticize Bryant in every thread. I may criticize him in many of the threads about him, but unlike some haters on here, I don't bring him up out of the blue if we're not already discussing him. I know he doesn't 'bring it every night' because I've seen him play lackadaisically on several occasions, and I don't even watch that many Lakers games. Yes, the Lakers have still finished with the best record in the West for the last three years, but this year and last year they've really lacked intensity in the regular season. I know I would be upset by this if I was a Lakers fan, even if they finish with the best record. I'm sure many of the fans who pay hundreds of dollars to go to one of these regular season games the team has decided to mail in feel the same way.
you do criticize him wherever it is even remotely related, and sometimes not related at all. kobe doesn't bring it every night because he doesn't have to, even if you love your job, do you bring your best effort to work every day after 13 years? lakers is a veteran team, a team that improved personnel wise since last championship, when playoff comes, which team wants to face the lakers and a focused kobe?
What does this have to do with anything? Regular season play does not equal playoff basketball, and when a player has as much mileage as Kobe (and success) he is allowed to coast at times. Ask Greg Popovich, Tim Duncan, Shaq, etc. This is 2011, not the 90's. Will to win is about winning a title, and winning a title is about being at your best, physically and mentally, for the playoffs.
Will to win is about winning. Period. I've heard guys say that Kobe won't talk to you for two days if you beat him in a scrimmage, yet he's fine with coasting through most of the regular season?
