This really should come as no suprise. Many observers point to the overall age of the Spurs team. Their age might be the cause of the team's woes at the moment, but its not because the physical abilities of the players has diminished significantly. Almost every team owner would readily admit to having Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili on the 'Must-have/Wish List'. The Spurs have locked up the trio for another two years. They can all still play at the highest level of the game.The problem with the Spurs is that they have lost the Fire and the Passion for the game. After four championships in the past decade, what more is left for them to achieve? They were expected to reach the Western Conference Finals, and they did. Nobody doubted they would be a dominant team all season. The Spurs roster is simply loaded with talent and experience.
But you can see the problem when you looked into the faces of the Spurs players during the past few games. They looked tired and fatigued. Tim Duncan looked half asleep during last nights game. They halfheartedly attempted to dispute calls by the ref. They were hesitant under the rim and slow to race backcourt in the transition game. They just looked like they really did not care anymore. They certainly did not look like champions.
The Lakers are the polar opposite of the Spurs right now. They are young and inexperienced, with the exception of Kobe Bryant and Derrik Fisher. Both players stepped up and acted as true leaders throughout the series. The younger guys were excited to be deep in the playoffs, and their enthusiasm showed on the court. They had more energy. The guys on the bench spent more time on their feet in support of thier teammates. The team's hunger was undeniable.
The Lakers motivation dates back to the past offseason. We all know about the drama surrounding Kobe and his attempt to leave the team. We all know about the battle to aquire quality players to support Kobe. We all know about the injury to Bynum and the questions surrounding potential chemistry between Gasol and the rest of the team. And we all know about Kobe's desire to prove he can win without Shaq on the team.The Lakers are now Kobe's team. There is no doubt about that. The MVP trophy was well deserved. He took the team from the bring of disaster to the NBA Finals. Now we just have to see if they can pull off the biggest win of them all.
