2010 NBA Playoffs: Five Los Angeles Lakers Who Must Step Up This Postseason

This season has been a bore for Lakers fans, and apparently the Lakers themselves. They got off to a torrid start which elated wide eyed optimists who had predicted 70 wins for this team. But it's April and Lakers Nation is on edge. The team sputtered to a 16-12 record after the All-Star break. Several playoff teams have a better record than them during that same span, including their first round opponent. They ended up winning only seven more games than the eight seed. Lakers Nation has wrapped itself in the comfortable theory of "turning it on". The Kobe/Shaq Lakers turned it on while ignoring the regular season. Even last year's championship squad didn't turn it on until they had to (Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals). Lakers fans are banking on Kobe and Co. flipping that switch. It's all that's left. And they need to do it now. Here are five members of the organization which will galvanize that change if they step up their games.Begin Slideshow

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