NBA Playoffs 2013: Los Angeles Lakers Playoff Profile

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are starting to form a formidable big man partnership and that will be key for the Los Angeles Lakers. (Photo Credit: Bridget Samuels, Flickr.com)

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant was doing his best Terminator impersonation this year, playing through (and coming back from) multiple injuries. That’s not really anything new for Bryant, who has a warrior’s mentality and has done it throughout his career.

Problem is, he’s 34 years old and playing extended minutes — Bryant was second in minutes played with 38.6 a game. He also racked up 30 games with at least 40 minutes played this game.

Kobe made a promise that despite L.A.’s struggles this season, the Lakers would be in the NBA Playoffs.

Well, he was right. The team did battle back from all the drama and team injuries to claim the seventh spot in the Western Conference with a 45-37 record.

Unfortunately, he won’t be part of it.

I’m sure you probably know by now that the Mamba ruptured his Achilles’ tendon in a costly win against the Golden State Warriors on April 11 with just two more games left in the regular season.

Maybe it was due to fatigue after playing 40-plus minutes in seven straight games leading up to the injury or just old bad luck. Either way, he is a huge loss for the Lakers, and indeed the rest of the NBA, because of his talent and sheer will to win.

The good news for Lakers Nation is they get their preferred matchup against the second-seeded San Antonio Spurs. The reason for that is San Antonio is crawling towards the finish line, going 10-10 in the last 20 games (including three losses in a row) to end the season, while Los Angeles finished on a five game winning streak, including a win against the Spurs.

History

In their 60^th playoff appearance this season, it’s hard to envision the Lakers outdoing last year’s playoffs performance. They fell 4-1 to a NBA Finals-bound Oklahoma City Thunder squad, in the second round of the postseason, making it the second time they had fallen at the hurdle in consecutive seasons.

However, this is a basketball team that has a proud tradition and that tradition is winning.

With great names such as Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, George Mikan and so on (the list is a lot longer, but I’m sure you get the picture). It’s no wonder the Purple and Gold is the envy of nearly all the NBA teams, especially the “other” team in L.A.

The Lakers have won 16 NBA championships, second only to their eternal rival, the Boston Celtics’ 17, and 10 titles ahead of the next best franchise, the Chicago Bulls.

The Zen Master, Phil Jackson and the 2009-10 crew delivered the last trophy in a seven-game thriller against their rival Celtics at the Staples Center.

Team Leaders

Major Stats Leaders (per game)

Points: Kobe Bryant, 27.3 (third in the NBA)

Assists: Steve Nash, 6.7

Rebounds: Dwight Howard, 12.4 (first in the NBA)

Steals: Metta World Peace, 1.6

Blocks: Dwight Howard, 2.4 (fifth in the NBA)

Emotional leader – Kobe Bryant

Coach Kobe will be on and in full force in these playoffs, ready to grill anyone not doing their job, no matter who they are. Be it Howard, Gasol or Nash, he’ll still hold them accountable.

Besides, Robert Sacre will be there to hype the team up if all else fails.

Player(s) to Watch – Steve Nash and Pau Gasol

With the Mamba out of commission, others have to pick up the slack. Dwight Howard will probably continue to rebound and score at a fairly high rate, so the impetus has to fall on Pau Gasol.

The Spaniard has been doing his best LeBron James impression in the last five games, racking up 19 points, 13 rebounds, 7.2 assists and two blocks a game. This is because the Lakers are playing through him, which has led to him having two triple-doubles in that span. Forget being a power forward/center, that’s a 7’ point guard out there.

Steve Nash will also be returning soon, so that will probably help the Lakers because without Kobe Bryant in the fray, he’ll be back running coach Mike D’Antoni’s offense like he did back in Phoenix. After all, he had his second-highest assist output of the season (12) in the first game Kobe Bryant missed due to an ankle sprain.

First-Round Matchup – San Antonio Spurs

Los Angeles is certainly happy it isn’t playing Oklahoma City in the first round. San Antonio looks like a wounded lion now and the Lakers are the hyenas excited at the prospect of catching the beast at its weakest point.

However, you can guarantee coach Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker won’t just lie down. After all, a wounded, desperate animal can and will still fight for survival.

I can’t wait for this one.

Prediction – Lose 4-2 in the First Round to the Spurs.

This could so easily swing either way with the teams in their current form, but I have to give this one to the Spurs. Pop has seen and done it all, so this isn’t anything new for him.

Plus, the Lakers beat them in Los Angeles, not San Antonio. The Spurs have the third-best NBA record in the NBA.