Good article on Lakers and the west in General

Check out this article if you haven't read it yet. It gives a really good insight into teams in the West and in particular the problems the Lakers will have to begin with
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Lakers look for place
among West's elite
OCTOBER 9, 1999

J.A. Adande
Los Angeles Times

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. --
There's a strange feeling to this Laker training camp, and it's not just
because of the new coach and all of the unfamiliar names on the bloated roster.

This is the first time in some years
that you can't look at the Lakers and
proclaim them the most talented
team in the Western Conference.

"I don't think so anymore
forward Rick Fox said when the Lakers
reconvened earlier this week. "We've
got to face that."

On the other hand, "You don't want it to be what it has been the last couple of years," Fox said.
"Underachieving, full of talent, lack of effort."

At this stage, another year without so much as a Pacific Division title wouldn't be considered an underachievement. It would be an honest assessment of the state of the franchise.

Remember, the Lakers finished behind San Antonio,Utah and Portland and tied with Houston in the Western Conference standings last season. And the most notable
offseason addition to Lakerland was Phil Jackson(unless you count Fox's marriage to Vanessa Williams).

Jackson joked that he can help out defensively, but it would take a return to mid-career form by Jerry West and Magic Johnson for the Lakers to bridge the talent
gap with any of their current employees.

San Antonio has a great chance to repeat as NBA champion -- even without Sean Elliott -- because Tim Duncan is the best player in the league.

Despite their Pacific Division title last season, the Trail Blazers shook up their roster this summer, and now let's look at their top six players versus the Lakers' top six. I'd give the edge to Portland at point guard (DamonStoudamire over Derek Fisher), power forward (Brian Grant over Robert Horry) small forward (a more versatile Scottie Pippen over the better shooter, Glen Rice) and sixth man (Rasheed Wallace over Rick Fox),
with the Lakers getting the nod at center (Shaquille O'Neal over Arvydas Sabonis) and shooting guardKobe Bryant over Steve Smith).

Utah, which lost Shandon Anderson and grew even older, might have to change lanes and let the Lakers pass. But the Lakers have to look in the rear-view mirror to keep an eye on Sacramento and Phoenix.

The Kings added another solid scoring threat in Nick Anderson, and if they ever learn to play defense, they could really do damage in the playoffs.
The Suns have "a lovely looking backcourt" (according to O'Neal) now that Penny Hardaway has joined Jason Kidd.

And Houston's backcourt of Steve Francis and
free-agent signee Anderson might be a big enough boost of youth to get Charles Barkley and Hakeem Olajuwon through the season.

"The West is stacking up," O'Neal said.

The Lakers aren't on top of the pile. And yet they'll still have to bring it every night because they're the glamour team from L.A.

"Any time a team plays 'The Lak-ahs,' they're going to beplaying way above their head," O'Neal said.

So why should we think this team can contend for a championship this season?
"'Cause Phil said so," O'Neal said.

Doesn't exactly make you want to run to Vegas, does it?

But Shaq's statement also is a sign of belief and trust in their coach, two key elements the Lakers need to win.

"Phil's teaching people how to play, what to do, how to do it," O'Neal said. "Actually, it's going to be fun."

Jackson's other goal is to get the team to trust one another, and just hearing O'Neal start sentences with "Me and Kobe . . . " is an improvement over last season.

In case the last two embarrassing playoff exits weren't enough to teach them, the stiff competition should make the Lakers search for answers, to scrap and find new ways to get the job done. If their old assumed superiority was like a curse, as Fox suggested, their new position could be a blessing.

This won't be pretty at the start. It will take time to adjust to the triangle offense and the early record could hover around .500 -- especially with trips to Utah,Portland and Houston among the first six games.

The good news for the Lakers is, the competition will have to make its share of adjustments as well. Blazer coach Mike Dunleavy might deserve another coach-of-the-year award if he can make his new assembly of talent work together, and the Suns, Rockets and Kings all have to incorporate major components,
which could level the playing field a bit.

"I think that'll help," Jackson said. "But they don't run as intricate a system as we do. We have to install a total new system. They may have one or two guys trying to get orientated to something that they've run as a group for a long time. Here we've got 18 guys trying to figure out what one system's trying to do for them. So there's a massive difference between 18 guys looking around with a confused look on their face or two guys, or one guy."

One of Jackson's best attributes is, he views the season as a long progression toward the playoffs and doesn't get mired in the daily ups and downs of each game. His players shared that view with noted success.

"The season starts in November, but the real season starts in May," Jackson said. "And we'll be there."

Phil said so. For a team that no longer counts sheer firepower as its greatest asset, that's the best argument in its favor.