The Los Angeles Lakers lost more than just an immensely talented basketball player when Kobe Bryant's 2012-13 season was struck down by a torn Achilles.
They lost their emotional leader, a player who saw through months of frustration and created a light at the end of the tunnel. His borderline ludicrous guarantee to not only qualify for the postseason but to wreak havoc when they arrived gave this club the sense of belief that bandwagon fans and analysts had long before abandoned.
But they didn't lose everything.
They didn't lose their overwhelming size, perhaps their greatest asset even when a healthy Bryant was shredding opposing clubs for 27.3 points a night.
And they didn't lose their massive playoff potential either, according to CBSSports.com's Matt Moore:
As much as we think the Lakers suck, I'd bet there are a LOT of playoff teams who are pulling for Utah and Houston Wednesday.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) April 16, 2013
The Lakers haven't officially secured a playoff berth yet. They need either a win over the Houston Rockets or a Utah Jazz loss to the Memphi ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Zach Buckley
Kobe-Less L.A. Lakers a Tougher 1st-Round Matchup Than You Think
April 16th, 2013 by Zach Buckley Leave a reply »
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