Is Lakers Mania back in Los Angeles? I think the answer is Yes! This year, Lakers mania has arisen from the grave. The past few years had been tough for the average Laker fan, with the Lakers being eliminated from the playoffs in the first round two consecutive seasons, but 2008 brought a lot of joy and site of potential.
This season started off being a question mark due to the fact that Kobe Bryant had asked to be traded.
Kobe argument with management was because management wasn’t going out and getting skilled enough players to make a real playoff push. Kobe felt like the team was still in rebuilding mode and he wanted out of that.
However, Kobe remained on the Lakers and they started the season off to good start, due to the progression of the 21 year old Andrew Bynum, whom had been a question mark since he was drafted two years prior. Bynum became the second option for the Lakers, by averaging a double-double 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Once the season had begun to look good for the Lakers, Andrew Bynum went down with a season-ending knee injury, and once again the Lakers were falling apart.
Until the Lakers management pulled off one of the best trades of all time. The Lakers traded Kwame Brown, a non-factor on the roster, for Pau Gasol, who is a 7 foot all-star caliber player. Once Gasol got in the mix, the Lakers were back in first place and the Lakers fever was in the air.
The Lakers with the addition of Gasol, made the playoffs as the number 1 seed in the west. The Lakers breezed through the first and second round of the playoffs and then defeated the Utah Jazz in a 6 game series, and the Laker Mania had really begun.
The Mania had begun, and people were buying all types of Lakers appeal from, Jerseys, Hats, shirts, and banners, but the most important were the Laker Flags.
The Lakers went to the NBA finals against the Boston Celtics and played a tough series, eventually losing the series in 6 games the Lakers showed tremendous heart and just came up 2 games short of winning the NBA Championship.
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