lakers

lakers won another great game against the suns. if they keep this up, i think they can make it to at least the western conference finals. i know it’s early in the season, and they had the same kind of start last season, but i think they’ll be able to keep it up this year because of a few major differences.

trevor ariza is a solid defender that can guard 3 or 4 different positions. offensively, i think he’s the 2nd best slasher on the team next to kobe. 

farmar is a great player and will continue to get better. he played well last year too, but he was only a rookie. over the summer, he proved that he has great work ethic and is committed to working hard to improve. that’s how kobe got where he is…hard work over the off season. 

bynum has everyone calling him the 3rd best center in the league right now. i admit, i had my doubts about him. i always thought he didn’t have the passion & commitment to become a great player. i never saw any enthusiasm from him and heard that he was always late and didn’t practice hard. then this past summer, he finally dedicated himself to working and “the kobe video” probably lit a fire under him. this season we’re finally seeing him live up to his potential. i’m finally seeing the passion in him, and you can tell that his teammates have noticed it to. they know that if they just throw it up near the basket, he’s gonna get it and dunk it. he’s got great hands, great instincts, unbelievable LENGTH, and newfound fervor (see him get ejected a few games ago? and how bout when he was grinning & bouncing up and down after dunking over stoudemire today). 

i know they have really tough games coming up…utah on friday, and celtics on sunday. i’m making a bold prediction here….lakers beat utah by 7 and beat the celtics by 5.