Can The Los Angeles Lakers get any credit?

       The new NBA basketball season is set to begin. The Miami Heat have dominated the headlines with the acquisitions of two of the biggest free agents on the market. Lebron James made his intentions known in a nationally televised fiasco entitled "The Decision, in which he informed the world, including Cav's owner Dan Gilbert about his plans. Chris Bosh bolted from the Raptors while Dwayne Wade decided to return to the Heat, spurning his home town Chicago Bulls. It has to rank among the most unprecedented free agent acquisitions in history. Three max salary players signed by one team. When I first got the news, I wondered what would be left for role players?

                The Heat did a decent enough job of picking up a few serviceable players like Mike Miller and Zydrunas Ilgauskas but was it enough? I for one thought they missed a big opportunity to bring back Shaq for some size. The may regret letting him walk to Boston in a playoff series. Expectations, of course for this team are through the roof, and the Pat Riley buzz will begin early if coach Erik Spoelstra gets off to a rough start. The Miami Heat may have welcomed all the good and negative press by predicting they will win multiple championships before one game was played. They really looked kind of silly strutting their new look when introduced at Miami's arena to the applause of screaming fans. Fireworks and light shows, excited the crowd, as the trio danced and strutted,soaking up the accolades, Pat Riley smiling in the crowd approvingly.

          The early talk was this is the greatest trio of young talent to come together ever.With a straight face many commentators including Jeff Van Gundy, predicting a run at The Chicago Bulls all time mark of 72-10. At the time I am writing this they are now 11-9. So I guess they would have to win 71 straight. The Miami Heat players are frustrated, and they recently conducted a players only meeting in which they discussed frustrations with the young couch. Some have begun privately campaigning for the man with the rings to lead the team. I am not trying to say they can't, or won't get it together. I am just saying championship teams are not born overnight. It takes chemistry.

          Speaking of chemistry, The Los Angeles Lakers are set to defend their title going for the second  "Three-Peat" in the Phil Jackson era. Kobe is going for his 6th ring this year. Yeah, that's right. The same amount Jordan won. With all the relentless comparisons to The Great One, this may be the year Kobe "Bean" Bryant begins to distance himself from His Airness himself. And I don't think The Black Mamba is going to quit to play baseball any time soon neither. Barring injury, he can stay at his current level for at least four more years before we see some sort of decline. When it is all said and done he has a chance to be listed among the top ten players of all time if not the greatest. He is climbing steadily up the career scoring list. Who knows where he may end up? Already he has the third most 40 point games of all time , right after Wilt and Jordan. We may never see this level of basketball wizardry again no matter how good Lebron gets.

         For Lakers coach Phil Jackson the "Three-Peat" has become almost routine. If successful, this would make the forth time a team under his command has achieved the legitimate status of Dynasty. We are witnessing perhaps the last go round of the greatest basketball coach of all time. The Zen Master's back is becoming a problem and he cant take too much more. He will most likely hang em up after getting to the mountain top one last time.

         Then you have the big European Paul Gasol, who continues to amaze as one of the top big men in the game. After being bullied, dominated, and exposed as soft by the Celtics Kevin Garnett a few years ago in the NBA Finals, he has been on a rampage. He kind of reminds me of James Worthy, because he is quiet, and fine with just doing the dirty work, like defense, boards, and blocks, but when needed he is more than capable of  taking over and dominating games as need be. With an Alpha Dog like Kobe already on the team, Paul Gasol's temperament is perfect for team chemistry. Don't expect any Kobe, Shaq soap opera's here. Think Magic and Worthy. Paul Gasol also continues to be an excellent ambassador of the game abroad where he is hailed at near rock star status.

         The Lakers have few flaws, even with Andrew Bynum out for an extended period once more. When he returns the team gets even deeper, as Paul Gasol gets to shift to his normal Power Forward position and take advantage of less physical players, while Lamar gets to go back to the bench to help bolster the 2nd unit. New additions like Steve Blake and Matt Barnes provide added depth off the bench. The resigning of the vastly improved Shannon Brown has already begun to show dividends. Top to bottom this may be the best Lakers team Phil Jackson has ever coached, and that's saying a lot. So Miami can get all the headlines. We'll take the parade and confetti! I guess sometime after Kobe and the rest of the Lakers are finished being doused with champagne, we may look back and realize this team is pretty special.  Well, till then, how about them Miami Heat!