GETTING TO THE POINT ABOUT THE LAKERS

It is very clear at this point, that the Los Angeles Lakers fortunes in 2013 depend on the “point.”  If the Lakers are to make a run deep into the playoffs, they need a man who is very “deep” into his career. The man is Steve Nash, a scrambler, who has as many miles as a Nash Rambler.  (Okay, enough of the cutesy word play huh?)

This leads me to a question which has always plagued me. What is so hard about running the “pick and roll”?  Of the thousands of gifted basketball players on this planet, why can’t teams find point guards who can work off a screen and either dish, or pop?  The “pick and roll” is the most beautiful, and simple play there is. 

It goes like this. Big guy sets screen on little guy’s defender. Big guy rolls to basket.  Big guy is now defended by the little guy’s defender who had to switch.   Meanwhile, big guy’s defender is now trying to guard little guy and the big guy’s defender is too big and slow to match up.  Little guy jukes and pulls up and pops, or little guy feeds his big guy who has now rolled to the basket against little guy’s defender.

Easy right?  Then why in the name of Naismith has there been so few great ones over the years who could dominate at the point?  The name Earvin Johnson comes to mind as the best point of all.  He was totally unstoppable.  But he didn’t need the pick and roll so much.  He was a one man pick and roll. 

But let’s just throw out a few shall we?  Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson (181 triple doubles in his career, the record), Nate “Tiny” Archibald, Walt Frazier, Lenny Wilkens, Isiah Thomas, Dave Stockton, Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Tony Parker, Steve Nash,  and most recent best, Chris Paul.   All had and have the ability to work off the screen and destroy a defense.

So, in all the years pro basketball has been around, I just picked 12 of the best, if not “the” best point guards.  They are rare aren’t they?

That’s why a 38 year old all time great point, is better than no point at all.   And without a healthy Steve Nash at the helm, the Lakers season is truly pointless in more ways than one.