Benefits LA Lakers Have on the San Antonio Spurs

After the beatingAthe Los Angeles Lakers acquired from the San Antonio Spurs, it's difficult to point out a definitive strength the Lakers carry over the Spurs. The Lakers doubled the Spurs' turnovers, had 15 less fast-break points and had three three-pointers in the place of the Spurs' seven. However, upon closer inspection, the Lakers were within striking distance for the majority of the sport before the Spurs pulled away in the fourth. Talent-wise, without Kobe Bryant, the Lakers are going to have a hard time matching up with the combination of veteran leadership and athletic young feet the Spurs have on their group. With Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili stepping up and doing the bulk of the scoring, the Lakers are likely to need to focus on containing the paint and staying home on three-point shooters. As Metta World Peace reveals his age in terms of not being the perimeter-defending terror he used to be, it is obvious that the Lakers are going to have their work cut out for them trying to support the Spurs' big three. The thing that kept them in the game was their big men. Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard are the keys for this line and the primary benefit the Lakers have on the Spurs. With Tim Duncan the sole person in the frontcourt with the expertise and skills to match up with the Lakers' twin systems, it's up to them to make the most of mismatches and master. In addition they gobbled up an additional rebound than the Spurs did, although this game was lost by the Lakers by double digits. The Spurs were also outscored by the Lakers in the paint by ten points, making 40 points in the interior. Offensively, this is actually the key with their success. By continuing to pound the paint, the expected defensive collapse upon the big men should release the Lakers' shooters, who were not making their shots. Bob Nash and Steve Blake combined to shoot 11-of-28 from the field while Antawn Jamison and Jodie Meeks combined to shoot 2-of-7. As the Lakers are not the three-point shooting team the Spurs are, perimeter shooting is still one of their benefits based on the skills of their lineup. In order for the Lakers to have any chance of beating the Spurs, Howard and Gasol have to continue to rule the color like they've tried to do in this first game as the role players have going to theirAperimeterAjump photographs. With no Black Mamba to help create shots and attract the eye from the defense, the big men are going to face a of double-teams, which should still allow the leap photographers to discover a lot of open shots. Also, there were a few cases in which Gasol and Howard labored a pick-and-roll game and showed they have the flexibility to be a very effective combination on offense in various ways. This really is certainly an uphill struggle for the Lakers. But, their strengths remain what they've been even before Bryant sought out by having an injury. Gasol and Howard together make-up one of the most fearsome frontcourts in the NBA. Couple that with plenty of edge photographers, and the Lakers needs to have an inside-out offense that's finally their greatest strength.