Sitting only 3.5 games behind the San Antonio Spurs for the top spot with eight games to go, the Lakers have a legitimate shot at clinching not only the top spot, but also home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The question is, how hard are the Lakers willing to fight for these last weeks before the playoffs begin?
Every Laker fan is thinking the same thing right now: "Should we sit Kobe or not?" This question pops up every year around this time, but the answer depends on the situation of the season, and honestly this season the Lakers may need to push all-out for the next eight games even if it means playing Kobe 35 min every game.
At the start of the season, the Lakers had to deal with being the Christian Laettner of the league, getting everyone's best shot, and being labeled as the league's best. This only meant that the Lakers had to be on their A-game, especially the "Black Mamba," Kobe Bryant.
Having the mentality of defending the title, the Lakers haven't been able to take a break even for a second this season and this has taken a tole on the older players: Kobe, Gasol, Artest, etc. It may not show too much, but the mental aspect of these players had to have been worn down to a point by now and though someone like will no doubt rejuvenate himself using his drive to win, every human has a breaking point.
This is why Laker fans seriously consider sitting Kobe and Gasol for the last couple of games. There really aren't many negatives or consequences of doing so, but this is the year that the Lakers need to push all-in.
Nothing is guaranteed in the playoffs and though the Lakers have proven to be the best team the last two seasons, the third time is always the hardest.
<...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
