NBA legend Magic Johnson exhorts Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol to raise their game
Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson has issued a rallying call to the team’s two 7-footers, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. The former Lakers maestro wants the duo to raise their level of play in the coming NBA season if the side is to be a serious NBA World Championship contender.
On paper, Los Angeles still have one of the best, if not the best, power forward/centre duo in the NBA. Pau Gasol is an accomplished veteran of silky skills and devastating scoring ability. Bynum can be up there with the best centres in the league in terms of defence on his day and has increasingly shown potential on the offensive end as the years have gone by.
Johnson believes it is time for the two to play to their maximum ability and help in leading the team, taking the pressure off of super star talisman Kobe Bryant. Bryant has been the driving force behind Los Angeles for years, but Magic believes it is time he got some serious help from the bigs.
"Those two guys got to have banner years -- Gasol and Bynum -- because Kobe can't carry the load," Johnson said, noting Bryant was entering his 16th season. "You can't expect him to be carrying the load night-in and night-out. They're going to look to those two big men to control the paint, give Kobe a break."
The Black Mamba is already 33 years old and his body has gone through much wear and tear already. He is still one of the best players in the NBA and definitely the most lethal in crunch situations, but Magic believes the shooting guard cannot be what he used to be.
He advised the star to cut down on his work load and instead look to play in the two big guys as much as he can. With opposing defences having to worry about those two, Bryant can rip them apart whenever he wants to.
"What Kobe has to do now is really look to get Gasol and Bynum going and then pick and choose when he should dominate," Johnson said Tuesday on a conference call with reporters. "Because he's going to need help, especially more this season than any other season, for them to be really one of the best teams and win a championship."
Los Angeles have won 2 NBA World Championships in the last 4 years and been on the losing end of one NBA Finals. Their dominance though suffered a setback last year as they were bundled out by the Dallas Mavericks.
The Lakers have since lost legendary head coach Phil Jackson and versatile small forward Lamar Odom, while the veterans keep getting older. They will have to heed Magic’s advice and play extra smart if they are to bring home the silverware this season.
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