The playoffs loom, and like any team, the Lakers are verified as one of the best teams in the west. But the worrywarts are already panicking in Los Angeles after a seven-game suspension was handed down to Metta World Peace after viciously elbowing James Harden. This was worthy of a 10-game suspension, and anything less than a harsh penalty would have been not only an insult to Harden but unacceptable.
Even though World Peace will miss seven games, the Lakers won't miss his presence. So without him, it's really not a big deal. The fiercest scorer on earth is Kobe Bryant. Yes, aka, the Black Mamba. The best clutch performer on the planet is Bryant. The greatest finisher around is Bryant.
And fortunately, now without World Peace, the Lakers aren't necessarily in trouble and still can survive, as long as Kobe is a facilitator and a dynamic superstar that we are used to witnessing. He's fully rested after sitting on the bench and recovering from a shin injury. And on Sunday, the day he returned from the injury, he dominated near the end of regulation and put on a show in overtime as the Lakers pulled out a 114-106 victory in double overtime.
Kobe is the star of the Lakers, so it's not the end of the world without Peace.
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