The Los Angeles Lakers have put together a talented team this off-season, but there still remains some critics who feel that a team with so many individual stars can come together and result in a championship. Some see individual ego's as a potential downfall.
Well that's those guys.
TNT analyst Charles Barkley is not one of those guys who believes the Lakers who can't succeed. CBS Sports reported that Barkley has the Lakers as the favorites to win the Western Conference.
When asked which team he felt would win the Western Conference, Barkley said:
"The Lakers. Host: Over Oklahoma City? Yeah. I'm not a big Oklahoma City fan because I don't think they get any easy baskets. Like last year I didn't think they could win and the reason I picked Miami to win the championship, the only way you're going to beat Miami is beat them up inside. That's what their weakness is. You're not going to beat them on the perimeter shooting jumpers with Westbrook and Durant. The only way to beat them is the way the Mavericks beat them, with Dirk Nowitzkiand Tyson Chandler down low. Unless Oklahoma City gets some low post scoring, they're going to win a lot of games because they have two terrific players and James Harden is terrific also, but you're not going to win the championship just shooting jumpers."
The Lakers may have fixed this problem with adding to their bench with the additions of Antawn Jamison, Jodie Meeks and Chris Duhon. As well as their point guard needs by trading fir Steve Nash to help Kobe Bryant, all while pairing one of the best power forward-center combo in the NBA with Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard.
Sounds good on paper, but before the Lakers can even worry about facing Miami in the finals, if they both should get there, they would have to face a talented Oklahoma City team.
OKC will be a test for the Lakers being that they are a young energetic team being lead by a young superstar in Kevin Durant. OKC is so explosive that they can even go on a 10-0 faster than you can say Larry O'Brien trophy.
Should be an interesting season in the west, but the Lakers have a chance to come out on top.