Tag Archives: Dwight Howard

Highest Paid NBA Players

Who Are The Highest Paid NBA Players

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This week, we bring you our NBA 2015-2016 Infographic!

During the off season we have season we have heard of many rumours of trade-offs and contract negotiations of key NBA basketball players. If you missed out on this, don’t fret – check out our infographic below! There, you’ll find a great visual representation of the confirmed top 10 highest paid players and and their career earnings to date.  This season will be  a record year for the salary cap, with the 2016-17 season looking to jump even more.

The Highest Paid NBA Players

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Top 10 Centers NBA

Top 10 NBA Centers for the 2014-15 season

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If you have ever spent any time at all watching NBA basketball you know how much a big man in the center gain be an impact on any game at any time. There massive dunks off alley oops to strong aggressive blocked shots have been a part of basketball for many year. Fans would go to the courts to see legends like Shaq and Hakeem Olajuwon only to receive just what they were looking for when they purchased a ticket. Today is no different. There are many great centers that play in the NBA and we will take a glance at some of the top centers to watch in the upcoming 2014-15 season. Counting down from the bottom to the top here are the centers to watch.

10. Brook Lopez:
Only playing 17 games last season due to injury Brook looks to put together a strong push in this upcoming NBA season. The injury issue is something to keep an eye with this center. In the past three seasons he missed 134 games due to injury. At an average of almost 21 ppg. He could be a strong contributor to the Brooklyn Nets.

9. Andre Drummond:
One of the weak points of Drummond is his terrible free throw shooting. Although he did put up some impressive stats in the 2013-14 season for the Pistons he seems to be a little overrated. Look for him to put this fact behind him and prove that he will be an upcoming force in the 2014-15 season.

8. Andrew Bogut:
Last season Bogut put up the second highest defensive rating at 96.3 in the NBA. He also finished the season in the top 5 for rebounding and blocking percentage. Look for Bogut top help Golden State to make a string run this season.

7. Al Horford:
The 2013-14 season was a short one for Horford. Due to an injury with a pectoral muscle he only managed to play in 29 games last year. He still managed to put up an 18.6 ppg. If he stays healthy his ability to stretch the floor will help the Pacers this year. He would probably be ranked higher if he weren’t so injury prone.

6. DeAndre Jordan:
With a 13.6 RPG. average DeAndre led the league in rebounds in the 20113-14 season. He also posted career highs last year in scoring, rebounding, and blocks. He will be one of the league’s most dominant shot blockers in 2014-15. Look for his strong defensive effort to continue this season for the Clippers.

5. Demarcus Cousins:
Cousins put up some impressive numbers in the last NBA season that led him to have the best season of his career. Even though he needs to work on his attitude towards his teammates you can still look for Demarcus to bring the 22 ppg average back this year to help Sacremento.

4. Marc Gasol:
After missing 23 games last year due to injury you can look for a healthy Marc to return to the Memphis Grizzlies. In in known as one of the leagues stiffest defenders. His 14.6 ppg isn’t bad to go along with his good defense. He will be a huge defensive presence this year especially if he stays healthy.

3. Al Jefferson:
As one of the biggest post scorers in the game Al will be a huge contributor if Charlotte is going to be competitive in the 2014-15 season. He needs to improve on defense but you can bet that will be no problem for this talented Charlotte Hornet. At almost 22 ppg look for him to contribute well with his post presence.

2. Joakim Noah:
This Chicago Bull has matured in a great way as a NBA player. After winning NBA Defensive Player of the Year will have to keep up the pace with the new cast he will have around him in the upcoming NBA season.

1.Dwight Howard:
Look for this Houston Rocket center to be one of the strongest players on the court this year. If he has a strong year he could match the great year he had with the Orlando Magic where he was a legitimate MVP candidate. With a strong 18 ppg average he may show why he is the number one spot this year.

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Chris M.

overrated

Who are the Most Overrated NBA Players 2014-2015 season

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The NBA is full of big names; however, sometimes players can become well known without actually being that good. These overrated players tend to make a lot of money even though no one can really explain why. Here’s a list of the most overrated players in the NBA for this coming season:

Deron Williams: Williams averaged only 14.3 points per game and 6.1 assists per game this season with the Brooklyn Nets. These numbers would be great for a point guard coming off the bench, but Williams is a starter and making almost $20 million a season. The Nets would be better off trading him, but Williams’s huge contract and sad performance makes him very unattractive to potential teams.

Chandler Parsons: For a small forward making about $14 million a season, 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game just does not cut it. Parsons simply does not produce well enough to earn the money he is making. There is a reason the Houston Rockets got rid of him this season despite having the cap room to be able to keep him.

Josh Smith: Smith has been in the NBA for 10 seasons, yet his style of play has not improved at all. Smith shoots less than 30 percent from beyond the arc and less than 55 percent from the free throw line. That’s right—Smith makes over $13 million a season and he can barely hit a free throw.

Dwight Howard: Howard puts up great numbers pretty consistently with the Houston Rockets, but what he lacks is leadership. Howard does not seem to have the passion and drive to lead a team to a championship. The Rockets have a good team, but they lack the veteran leadership that Howard is expected to provide. Until he gets an attitude adjustment, Howard will never be a legend.

Tony Allen: Allen may be one of the best defenders in the NBA, but he simply cannot play offense. He is a big reason for the Memphis Grizzles offensive struggles this past season. Allen averaged only 9 points per game this past season while making less than 25 percent of his three point shots and only 62.8 percent of his free throws.

O.J. Mayo: Mayo brought nothing but confrontations with the head coach and sub-par effort to the Milwaukee Bucks this season. Mayo averaged under 12 points a game and clearly was unhappy with his new team. Hopefully a new coach and the addition of Jabari Parker will encourage Mayo to try a little harder this season.

Carmelo Anthony: Anthony is without a doubt a very exciting player to watch, and the fans in New York will surely continue to fill the stands to see him play. However, Anthony is about to make $22 million this coming season; and he has a hard time leading his team to the playoffs. Anthony puts up large numbers, but until he steps up as a leader on the Knicks the team will continue to lose.

BY: Chris M.

Would anything but the championship be a failure for the Warriors

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Golden State Warriors

WARRIORS

As the Golden State Warriors’ co-owner Joe Lacob recently stated, anything but the conquest of the championship would be a failure for the team. No matter if this statement is a bit too optimistic or too harsh, it shows what mindset the Warriors should have heading into the postseason.

The Dubs just recently secured their second consecutive playoff berth. During the previous season, Golden State made it to second round and it manage to stay alive for six games before the San Antonio Spurs got the ticket to the next round.

During the summer that followed, it was made clear by the Warriors’ front office that the team would have to take a step forward and reach the top level. Former All-Star forward Andre Iguodala was brought aboard to help the Dubs make it to the top. The Warriors even got into the Dwight Howard chase, showing that they are talking seriously about championship contention.

Although Howard wasn’t acquired, the Dubs made several mid-season moves to further strengthen their position and increase their chances to follow a championship course. Firstly with additions of Jordan Crawford and MarShon Brooks and then with Steve Blake, the Warriors tried to fill all their holes and up to a level, they achieved exactly that. However, there is no doubt that at least if I had to judge from the current way the Warriors are playing, they still have a long way to go before they reach the level of the elites of the conference.

Warriors

LIGHTS OUT

In fact, considering that the Warriors will finish the regular season at the sixth or seventh spot, it will be very difficult for them to make it past the first round. The Splash Brothers are playing terrifically this season for sure and the supporting cast is providing the much needed help. Even guys like Jermaine O’Neal and Marreese Speights had their moments. However, it will be a miracle for the Dubs to eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Los Angeles Clippers, one of which will be their first round matchup.

Due to their struggles early in the season, the Warriors haven’t managed to make it to a seed in the Western Conference, which would have allowed them to hold the home court advantage or even face a relatively weak opponent in the first round.

I strongly believe that no one should underestimate the Warriors this year. Whilst they are fairly considered underdogs in the championship race, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson have proven that they can sting like an angry duo of bees, when they find pace. The two big questions heading forward is if the Splash Brothers will manage to play big for the entire playoff series and if David Lee will be in a position to play.
Joe Lacob was right when he talked about failure this year, if the Dubs don’t make it to the top. That’s exactly how everyone around the Warriors franchise should think. However, realistically speaking, Golden State stands a few chances to win the trophy this year. BY: Chris M.

See Dwight Howard Vs Lakers 4/8

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Your chance to see Dwight Howard and the Houston Rockets take on the Lakers April 8th at the Staples Center!

To Enter: Mention @BarrysTickets and Use Hashtag #BTS408
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Mention @BARRYSTICKETS & #BTS408

Random Drawing Monday April 7th
Your must be following BarrysTickets on twitter to qualify!

Winner will receive a pair of April 8th Lakers Vs Rockets Tickets for the Los Angeles Staples Center Game at 7:30pm. Winner must pick up the tickets at our downtown office on April 8th. Multiple entries will be deleted and only one will be entered.

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Good Luck To All Who Enter Chris M.

Blazers First Round Match Up Possibilities

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Portland Trail Blazers

Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers are indeed one of the strongest title contenders in the Western Conference this season. Whilst they entered the 2013-2014 campaign as underdogs, they have earned the contender characterization thanks to their incredible performances, especially during the first months of the season and also thanks to their consistency. The Blazers currently rank third in the conference, but it’s still unclear at which spot they’ll end up at the end of the regular season. Let’s examine who will the Blazers play in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

The truth is that the Blazers seem capable of beating almost any opponent, at least in the Western Conference. The Blazers won’t most probably meet the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first leg, so we’ll keep them off of our discussion.

Dallas Mavericks

Portland Trail Blazers

Blazers

If the regular season ended today, the Dallas Mavericks would be the first-round opponents of the Portland Trail Blazers. Rip City would be the obvious favorite in this matchup. Although the Mavs are over performing this season, they have neither the quality nor depth to match with the Blazers in a seven-game series. Damian Lillard would own the point guard spot, since Jose Calderon is unmistakable slower than the Blazers’ superstar. In the battle of the power forwards, between Dirk Nowitzki and LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland has the upper hand, too. Aldridge is recording arguably the best season of his career, while Dirk not at the best shape he’s been.

Golden State Warriors
The Dubs will be an opponent to avoid for the Blazers come playoff time. The Warriors are a very dangerous team and when the duo of Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry find rhythm, it’s almost impossible to stop them. The Warriors are great against teams with thin defensive lines and Portland currently ranks 25th in the league in points allowed. The Warriors currently rank seventh in the Western Conference but they are a potential opponent for the Blazers.

Phoenix Suns

Damian Lillard Blazers

Damian Lillard

The Phoenix Suns are another strong potential opponent for the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers could find themselves playing against the Suns, who have been impressive up to now in the season. No one really saw them coming this season and yet they have managed to establish themselves as one of the most dangerous teams in the West. No team, even the highest-seeded one, will really want to meet the Suns in the first leg of the playoffs. The Suns currently rank eighth in the West, but they may be able to climb one or two seeds by the end of the regular season.

Houston Rockets
The battle for the spots three to five is very close in the West. The Houston Rockets have been trying to clinch one of the highest ones this season. At the end, though we might see the Rockets falling a bit behind and meeting the Blazers in the first leg of the playoffs. Whilst Dwight Howard and James Harden have already build chemistry, the Blazers have the potential to top them in a seven-game series. My favorite match up would be the Blazers Vs Rockets!Chris Michaels

Lakers Face Durant and Howard This Week

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Lakers Tickets Courtside

Lakers Bulls

With Steve Nash and Steve Blake in the fold things might be looking up, at least a little bit, for the Los Angeles Lakers. Nash and Blake returned to the Lakers lineup on Tuesday night in Minnesota, with Nash making his season debut. The depleted Lakers ended up losing Tuesday night at the hands of the Timberwolves, but then went on to win two in a row on the road before losing at home Sunday versus the Chicago Bulls.

Week Recap: Even with the return of Nash and Blake the Lakers continue to be the most snake bit team in the NBA when it comes to losing players. The return of their two point guards coincided with the loss of Nick Young and Jodie Meeks to injury. Wednesday’s night win in Cleveland saw Robert Sacre of the Lakers stay in the game after fouling out, a rarely seen NBA rule, due to the fact the Lakers had just five players left. After already losing Nick Young to injury and Jordan Farmar to leg cramps the Lakers were down to five players after Chris Kaman fouled out. Even with a depleted roster the Lakers hit a season-high 18 three-point shots to defeat the Cavaliers and former Head Coach Mike Brown. Los Angeles continued their winning ways Friday night with a fourteen point defeat of the Philadelphia 76ers behind 19 points from Steve Nash on his 40th birthday. Steve Blake contributed 14 points and 8 assists in the victory. Even without Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol the return of Nash and Blake is a welcome sight for Lakers fans. The Lakers returned home Sunday to face a competitive Chicago Bulls team, losing a tough one, 92-86. Chicago ran out to a nineteen point lead and the Lakers rallied back but couldn’t close the gap in the end, losing despite a season-high 27 points from Chris Kaman. Unfortunately for the Lakers they may have lost Steve Nash again for a short period of time. Nash knocked knees with Kirk Hinrich in the third quarter, causing his knee to flare up once again. He’ll be evaluated and may miss a couple of games.

Lakers Tickets Staples Center

Staples Center

The Week Ahead: The Lakers have a big home stretch coming up with five games at STAPLES Center over the next two weeks, including two with key Western Conference contenders. Los Angeles kicks off the week Tuesday night when they host the Utah Jazz. The Jazz are coming off of an impressive home victory over the Miami Heat. Thursday night Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder make a visit to STAPLES Center, giving Lakers fans a chance to see the NBA’s leading MVP candidate in action. Following the All Star Break the Lakers return home next week when they face off versus the Houston Rockets in a game that many Lakers fans have had circled on the calendar since last summer. Wednesday will mark the return of former Lakers center Dwight Howard to STAPLES Center. The gifted big man, who had an up and down season in LA last year, has teamed with James Harden to put the Rockets in the fourth playoff position in the west. Lakers Vs Rockets tickets start at just $48 per ticket. The Lakers wrap up the following week by hosting the Boston Celtics on Friday and the New Jersey Nets on Sunday. With five games including four playoff contenders it will be a big ten days of basketball for Lakers fans. Chris Michaels.

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The Lakers Without Kobe Bryant

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Kobe Bryant LA Lakers

Kobe

The six-month wait for Kobe Bryant to return from his Achilles injury was short-lived. The Lakers superstar was slowly working his way back into shape before injury struck again a week ago Tuesday versus the Memphis Grizzlies. Bryant’s knee injury was suffered in the third quarter. The optimism the Lakers saw in Bryant’s improved play has he rounded into form was quickly scuttled once again. Bryant’s fracture of the lateral tibial plateau in the same leg he suffered his Achilles tear has put Bryant on the shelf for an additional six weeks that will carry through into the All Star break. The injury has made many question the wisdom of Bryant returning at all this season. The Lakers superstar reiterated his determination to play again this season, which he will likely do. The latest injury, although clearly not season ending, has once again made many question the Lakers decision to extend Bryant for two additional seasons beyond this year.

The Lakers have re-upped Bryant so it’s pointless to debate the merits of the deal. The club may have over-paid for the player that Bryant is at this point in his career, but you have to admire their interest in rewarding their superstar for what he’s done for the franchise. In a difficult Western Conference it’s difficult to see the Lakers competing for one of the final playoff spots. Los Angeles currently sits at 12th in the west, in a solid group of teams that includes Denver, Minnesota, New Orleans and Memphis. The Dallas and Phoenix greatly improved the already competitive west has become even tougher. With the Lakers playoff chances dim does it make sense to sit Bryant the entire regular season?

Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers

Kobe Bryant

Actually getting the famously competitive Bryant to sit out the season is a challenge in itself, but the idea of sitting Bryant does make some sense. Without Bryant the Lakers were surprisingly competitive due to the roster decisions they made in the offseason. An entire year off would give Bryant the ability to truly recover, both from the knee injury and the Achilles. There is no indication that the two injuries are related but Bryant has now suffered two major injuries on the same leg in the past eight months. A fully recovered Bryant, even if he’s diminished athletically, will allow the Lakers to achieve the max value out of his two-year extension. During the remainder of the regular season the club can take a long look at some of the younger players (Wes Johnson, Nick Young, Jordan Farmar) that have helped ignite them this season. The combination of a potential lottery big and any value the club can get for Pau Gasol in a potential trade will give the Lakers even more versatility next season.

The Lakers fan base can tolerate a subpar season to build for the future. A fully recovered Bryant and a solid draft pick can do wonders for the franchise as they move into next season. Meanwhile let’s sit back and enjoy this year’s team, who though far less talented are a lot more entertaining than last year’s Dwight Howard centered club. By:Chris Michaels.

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Can a healthy Pau Gasol fill in for Dwight Howard?

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Los Angeles Lakers

LA Lakers


The Los Angeles Lakers experienced a big shock, due to the departure of megastar Dwight Howard this summer. But can they be optimistic that the hole Superman left behind will be filled somehow? Probably yes. That’s because they possess one of the best big men in the NBA, in Pau Gasol. The 7-footer Spaniard is one of the team’s stars that didn’t play up to their potential last season.

Pau Gasol will be under pressure in 2013-2014. Inevitably, he will be the target of comparisons with Howard. Assuming he is once again healthy, could he fill in for the gone monster center?

If we look at the stats sheets of both of them, we can see many similarities. Certainly, D-12 is more forceful around the rim and he is more athletic. Howard is a fancier player, a more impressive dunker and a better blocker than Pau Gasol. Nonetheless, Gasol has some other attributes that Howard is missing, like a mid-range jumper and solid passing skills for his size. He is much more accurate from the free-throw line, too, an aspect of the game that sometimes dooms Howard’s strengths. If Gasol manages to find the good part of his self once again, then he could make Howard’s absence unnoticeable.

The 2012-2013 campaign was Gasol’s less productive one of his career. He averaged 13.7 points per contest, 8.6 rebounds and he also shot 46.6 shooting from the floor. He played in 49 games and started in 42 of them. Those numbers could be adequate if Gasol was a mediocre power forward or center. But we all know that can do much better than that.

The 7-footer has an 18.4-point per contest average for his career and also 9.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists. He is also a 51.8 percent shooter from the field.
Dwight Howard averages 18.3 points per game to go along with 12.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists. His shot average from the floor is 57.7 percent.

It’s obvious that a healthy and good-shaped Gasol he can perfectly replace Dwight Howard. Defensively, Gasol can contain almost any opponent at the power forward and center positions.

The big question of course now for Gasol and the Lakers is what condition he will be in, how well he will be able to help his team win games. This will be a major concern for Mike D’Antoni next season. He has to find ways to utilize his big man, and also bolster his mental condition. Due to the slump of the previous season, Pau Gasol played like he had no motivation. The incompatibility with Howard was obvious. Sometimes, the Los Angeles Lakers were better when only one of them two was on the court. When Gasol was out due to injury, this became even clearer.

LA certainly has the quality needed to surprise the league and record a successful season next season. All they have to do now is to find a way to return to their usual standards, both individually and as a team.

Barry’s Tickets has been selling Lakers Tickets for all Staples Center games for over 10 years with No Service Fees or Hidden Charges. By:Chris Michaels

Will The Lakers Make The 2014 NBA Playoffs?

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Can the Lakers make the playoffs?

Los Angeles Lakers

LA Lakers

With Kobe Bryant returning from an Achilles injury and Dwight Howard now a member of the Houston Rockets many have written off the Los Angeles Lakers as a legitimate playoff contender. With the NBA’s Western Conference as deep as ever and many of the contenders making improvements to their roster the Lakers will have a tough challenge ahead of them. Here are five factors that will impact whether or not the Lakers will make the playoffs.

Kobe Bryant’s Health: The Lakers superstar has been such an iron man during his NBA career that the sight of the injury he suffered late last season was a shock to NBA and Lakers fans alike. The injury served as a reminder that Bryant has accumulated a lot of miles on his legs during his sixteen year NBA career. With Howard now a member of the Rockets and an aging cast around Bryant the Lakers will rely on their superstar more than ever. The big question is how quickly can he come back? The injury is an opportunity for Bryant to tap into his famed work ethic and shock the establishment by making a quicker return than normal. The Lakers need their superstar back and how quickly and effectively he can return will greatly shape the upcoming season. Bryant has proven people wrong time and time again in his career and it wouldn’t surprise anyone around the Lakers if Bryant came back and put together an All Star caliber season.

Can They Stay Healthy? Beyond the chemistry issues of incorporating Dwight Howard into the lineup the Lakers early struggles last season was health related. With injuries to Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace, Steve Nash and Howard the Lakers very rarely had the starting five they envisioned going into the season on the floor at the same time. The Lakers had big expectations from the two-time former MVP Nash, but the forty-year-old point guard just couldn’t stay healthy. All indications this season is that Nash is healthier than he was in the last couple of seasons. If he can regain some of the form he showed the past handful of seasons in Phoenix the Lakers may be in good hands. In regards to Gasol the veteran big man will be motivated to re-assert himself as the leader of the Lakers frontline and should form a nice veteran inside combo with Chris Kaman. The former Clippers big man had a difficult season last year in Dallas but is a capable inside player who should provide quality minutes.

Have they gotten younger? Even though the Lakers will still rely heavily on the aging veteran trio of Bryant, Gasol and Nash they did make some moves to inject some younger and more athletic players into the rotation. Nick Young and Wesley Johnson have bounced around and both been labeled as disappointments in various stages throughout their careers. Johnson was a former high draft pick of the Minnesota Timberwolves who never really lived up to expectations, which included spending last season in Phoenix. The Lakers are hoping that the tutelage of Mike D’Antoni and the presence of Kobe Bryant can help Johnson elevate his game to the promise of a fourth overall draft pick. He can shoot the three ball, is extremely explosive in the open court and is a plus defender. Nick Young is a similar player to Johnson, rangy and athletic with the ability to hit the perimeter jumper. The big question is whether the duo will be an upgrade over veteran Metta World Peace.

The Head Coach Question: Much continues to be written regarding the Lakers decision to go with Mike D’Antoni as the head coach over Phil Jackson. The bottom line is that the Lakers roster as it was built last season just didn’t fit the style of play that D’Antoni utilizes. With an offseason to re-construct the roster and with Dwight Howard off in Houston , D’Antoni and the front office have added some younger more athletic shooters to help him achieve the style of play he wants. Of course the D’Antoni offense requires a healthy point guard, and the question is still out on whether Steve Nash can stay on the court the entire season. The Lakers Head Coach has the point guard who helped drive his offense during their year’s together in Phoenix. Like Bryant and several other members of the Lakers, Mike D’Antoni has something to prove this season.

Can they play defense? The Lakers were a poor defensive team last season and lost their top two defenders from a year ago in Dwight Howard and Metta World Peace. At this point in his career Kobe Bryant is no longer the defensive force he used to be. In fact he often takes many possessions off on the defensive end. Both Nash and Gasol are outright liabilities on defense. Chris Kaman is solid but not the quality of Howard when the former Lakers big man is playing up to his capabilities. It’s likely the Lakers will have to outscore teams, which is possible in the D’Antoni system. They’ll compete well with the middle and bottom tier Western Conference teams, but will struggle against the elite Western Conference foes like Oklahoma City, Denver, San Antonio, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston, Memphis and Golden State. Whether or not the Lakers can find some semblance of cohesive team defense will be a key factor in whether or not they make the playoffs.

So, will they make the playoffs?

It’s going to be a challenge. There are seven teams (Oklahoma City, Denver, San Antonio, the Clippers, Houston, Memphis and Golden State) that have the look of potential fifty win teams. The Western Conference is as deep as ever. The Lakers very well could be competing for the final spot with a group of teams that includes Portland, Utah, Dallas, Minnesota and New Orleans. In that group the Trail Blazers have a young roster and have made some nice offseason moves. The Timberwolves have a healthy Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio and look to be much improved. Both Dallas and Utah have a veteran core. It all depends on how quickly and how effectively Bryant returns. If the Lakers star can make an early season return and be the player he has been the last several years the Lakers have a chance to start strong and be in playoff contention. If Bryant cannot make that return it may be a tall task to make the playoffs.

Lakers Tickets are at the lowest they have been in many years reflecting that the fans might not be supporting the Lakers organization and the moves they have made since Mr Buss passed away. By:Chris Michaels