In many sports the preseason is not an accurate predictor of how teams will fair during the regular season. Let's use my favorite football team, the San Francisco 49ers, as the example. In 2010, when they were supposed to be the cream of the crop in the NFC West, they finished the preseason 4-0; giving fans a taste of what could come in the regular season. However, the only thing that fans got to see was a disappointing year. After losing six of their first seven games to start 1-6, the 49ers would finish the season 6-10 and in third place of the NFC West.
Now I know that football and basketball vary greatly in terms of their preseasons, with the amount of time spent actually playing the game, but the point is that the preseason often doesn't accurately reflect what the regular season will bring.
The Los Angeles Lakers and their star-studded cast are 0-6 so far this preseason and with a matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers looming tonight (October 24) it'll be interesting to see what happens. Rivalries are always played with passion, even in the preseason. The Lakers, however, will be without Kobe Bryant as he has a bruised/strained foot and possibly won't have Dwight Howard either due to a sore back. Howard's soreness is supposedly just related to his rehab, but Kobe's foot could be a little worse than it sounds.
In getting back to the Lakers' 0-6 record, I'm not too sure it's time to panic just yet. The regular season doesn't start until Tuesday (October 30) but that's just six days away. I'm not sure if the team chemistry is lacking or if the Lakers are just working on fundamentals, but I sure hope they get things together before the regular season begins, or better yet, as the regular season begins. Because as we all know the preseason doesn't factor into the team's record, nor is it an accurate reflection of the team.
Then again, I'm not too sure the Lakers are taking things so seriously now that they have one of these "genetically engineered super teams." The way they let Dwight Howard come out by himself in his first preseason game to haze him a bit and then were joking and laughing about it right before they got beat by the Sacramento Kings seemed a bit too laid back. Then again, the Lakers are going to need to bond somehow and if that is one way they can become closer as a team and people, then I suppose I welcome it.
I am guessing we will see what this team is made of when they are all playing in unison and during the regular season. I suppose what I'm really concerned about is that I expect the Lakers to contend for the NBA championship this season. Anything less will be a disappointment.
Food for thought: Are you worried about the Lakers' 0-6 preseason record thus far or are you confident they will pull it together in the regular season? How much will having Steve Nash and Dwight Howard help the Lakers in their quest for another title?
David is co-founder of wrapupp sports blog where fresh content is posted daily and present sports blogs and sports opinions -- all with a West Coast bias. Growing up in the Bay Area, David is a huge supporter of all the local sports teams; the Giants, Athletics, Warriors, Sharks, 49ers, and Raiders. His one fault, admittedly, as many of his friends and family would say, is his love for the Los Angeles Lakers. Growing up, Magic Johnson was his favorite basketball player and he fell in love with the team. He chalks it up to, "Not knowing any better". Now his love for sports has turned just as academic as it is intuitive and he follows most all sports all over the nation.
You can follow David on Twitter: @officialwrapupp
Sources:
LATime.com. Dwight Howard's debut makes zero almost tolerable for Lakers. NBA 2012.
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