Are the Lakers championship contenders?

Analysis by Darien Burse

With the playoffs right around the corner teams are starting to turn up the intensity in order to gain some momentum going into the playoffs.

The Los Angeles Lakers are a team with a lot to prove, and they are now starting to show just how dominate they can be. The Lakers, who just blew out the San Antonio Spurs Wednesday without star player Kobe Bryant, said "they feel like they have something to prove." Every since the Lakes acquired point guard Ramon Sessions they have improved tremendously. Sessions is the point guard that the Lakers have desperately needed since the Chris Paul trade fell through at the beginning of the season. Sessions is a young, quick and explosive guard who can get to the basket and set up players for easy shots.

Now that they know they are still a contender to win a NBA Championship. While the Lakers do have some issues to deal with such as star center Andrew Bynum and his attitude. Andrew Bynum needs to become more of a team player. He recently stated that "I don't do team huddles, I get my Zen on" referring to Phil Jackson being "the Zen master." This type of distraction could be deadly for the Lakers. Bynum's trouble off the court has frustrated Laker fans in the past and has cast much doubt in his ability to lead the Lakers back to a championship once Kobe Bryant gives up the reins as leader. While the ejections, technical fouls and speeding tickets are definitely creating news, the fact that Bynum has been able to play at an elite level shouldn't be forgotten. 

Sometimes the Lakers appear to be true contenders for the 2012 NBA title, and at other times they seem to mbe a guaranteed first-round exit. The Lakers have the talent and potential to play deep into the postseason, but in order to return to the NBA Finals, the Lakers will have to overcome several obstacles that have plagued them all season, including a few more that have recently arisen.

The bottom line is as long as the Lakers have Bryant, Pau Gasol and Bynum they are championship contenders. The fact that they added Sessions pushes them over the top now. The Lakers now have the quickness and size to compete with any team in the NBA.

The Lakers always keep things interesting, and I am sure that this year's playoffs won't be any different. Laker fans just need to be ready for all of the ups and downs this year's playoffs will bring.