The Los Angeles Lakers lost Game 2 of their series against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday and now face a pretty daunting 0-2 hole as they head to Dallas. As difficult as this is for those in clubhouse, nobody is taking these losses harder than the guys over at our Lakers blog, Silver Screen And Roll. For them, this isn't just a lost season, it's potentially signaling the end of an era.
What we're left with is the most precarious state of affairs the Lakers have encountered since Boston in June of '08. There are problems that need solving up and down the depth chart, but none is more important than fixing the offense. After averaging 1.10 points per possession following the All-Star break and 1.14 in the first round against theHornets, they've scored a pathetic 0.99 points per trip in the first two games of this series. The solutions haven't changed: better play from Gasol, better three-point shooting and MOAR BYNUM. If those things don't materialize, it's very possible we just watched Phil Jackson coach his last game at Staples Center.
The Lakers haven't really shown anything in this series that inspires much confidence that they will be able to claw their way back into it. If that is the case, and they continue to be outplayed as thoroughly as they have been, there will be some serious questions raised about whether or not the core of this team is too old to be competitive again before it has to be re-tooled. We heard those questions asked earlier in the season, and now those concerns appear to be warranted.