The Los Angeles Lakers’ playoff hopes will be contingent primarily on one thing in 2014: health.
Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Steve Nash combined for 53.7 points, 16.8 assists and 17 rebounds per game a season ago, and will be the Lakers' main pieces in the upcoming year.
However, that same trio played in just 177 out of a possible 246 combined games in 2013. While Bryant missed only four contests, Gasol (33 games) and Nash (32 games) missed significant stretches with nagging injuries.
Los Angeles will be heading into training camp with a revamped, deeper roster—a credit to GM Mitch Kupchak—after losing Dwight Howard to free agency. New acquisitions like Nick Young, Chris Kaman, Wesley Johnson and Jordan Farmar will be given the chance to come in right away and make an immediate impact.
Although the new players will be an important part of the journey, the team will go as far as Bryant, Gasol and Nash can take it.
The Mamba is currently rehabbing from a torn Achilles, but hopes to be back for opening night. Bryant says that he's “shattered” the timetable for ...
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Article written by Thomas Duffy
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August 13th, 2013 by Thomas Duffy Leave a reply »
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