Author: Joe Siegal
When Kobe Bryant crumbled to the floor with what turned out to be a season-ending torn achilles tendon on April 12, it devastated the Lakers’ already meager playoff prospects. Meanwhile, the Lakers, who barely snuck into the Western Conference Playoffs as a seven-seed, face a tough match-up with the ageless, talented and well-coached San Antonio Spurs. In a way, Bryant’s catastrophic injury provides coach Mike D’Antoni with an undue pardon of sorts for the team’s poorer-than-expected finish and generally disappointing play. Despite the Lakers’ late run into the playoff picture, D’Antoni’s adherence to an anachronistic, offensively-focused style, coupled with Bryant’s injury, has plunged the Lakers into a period of uncertainty that makes it serious gut-check time for the franchise.
D’Antoni will reportedly remain as the Lakers’ head coach next season, according to ESPN. After the team loaded up with the acquisitions of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash before the season, expectations were through the roof for a Lakers team that ended up finishing with a 45-37 record and battling for one of the last seeds in the playoffs.
When D’Antoni replaced Mike Brown just seven games into the season, it seemed like a reactionary decision to hire a coach with a lot of name recognition but with a coaching philosophy that did not fit the team’s personnel. The adherence to D’Antoni’s fast-break style was limited and the coach had to adapt to the Lakers’ roster of older, more half-court oriented players. His inability to immediately conform hindered the Lakers’ development as a team, following a trend that could be seen in D’Antoni’s failed campaigns as coach of the Knicks.
While the Lakers have struggled under D’Antoni, the Knicks have flourished since his dismissal, readying themselves for the playoff run the once heralded coach could never deliver. D’Antoni’s chance as the head coach of the Knicks in 2008 was supposed to revitalize a struggling franchise with an up-tempo offense. However, his coaching style ended up making the Knicks weak on the defensive end, much like how the Lakers’ defense has been its downfall this year.
When the Knicks subsequently added Amar’e Stoudemire, traded for Carmelo Anthony and finally made the playoffs in 2010, they were abruptly swept by the Boston Celtics, signaling that D’Antoni’s style was not mixing with the team’s talent. The Knicks then fired D’Antoni during the 2011-2012 season and replaced him with the more defensive-minded Mike Woodson, who has led New York to the two-seed in the Eastern Conference and a scoring title for Anthony.
The Knicks built a roster that begged for different coaching, so the team’s management realized the need for a new direction and acquiesced to the change. The Lakers do not yet appear willing to admit to having the same conflict. Since the Lakers have crafted a roster that emphasizes strength in the post, defense should be their priority. But D’Antoni’s philosophy, even in the absence of Bryant, will always be on scoring.
Barring a major upset, the Lakers’ defense will be exposed by the Spurs’ experienced, patient offense, leading to an off season during which the team should regroup and try to solve its identity crisis.
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