The Lake Show is now a Circus

Tonight was just another miserable night if you were an NBA player dressed in purple and gold. The Los Angeles Lakers fell yet again, this time to the Chicago Bulls. And not just fell, they were embarrassed. They played awful, they looked awful, the Lakers as a whole...are just flatout awful. I will say this, I did not mind one bit that the Lakers joined forces. I supported the Lakers and Kobe even up until maybe a week or two ago. I supported the Lakers (sort of) even after they made the dumbest decision any front office could make in turning down Phil Jackson for Mike D'Antoni. Now, when I look at it, I don't respect the Lakers. Why should I?

As incredulous as this is, and I'm even shocked to say this myself, I believe the Lakers' biggest problem is Kobe Bryant. Kobe Bryant is one of, if not the most selfish player in the league. Not necessarily in his play, but in his attitude. This year has shown Kobe to be one of the worst teammates that I have heard speak this season. I don't mind constructive criticism toward teammates, I've done it myself, but to continually call out your teammates in the media and to continually place blame on others for the lack of success is beyond me. You're one of the greatest players to ever play in the NBA, the Lakers are your team. Yet you're gonna treat people like that? How do you expect guys like Pau Gasol, who it would appear that you have no respect for, to want to perform along side you? You're supposed to be a leader, and yet it looks like you're the cancer of that locker room.

Let me continue on that point. Why all of the sudden does Kobe decide to get a Twitter account? I'm not saying that he did it just for extra attention, but it could come across as looking that way. Not to mention the fact that he's going to be tweeting during NBATV's airing of his 81-point performance. How conceited does that look? Instead of watching film from past seasons, film that's only focused on you, why don't you get in the film room and try to figure out why your team is off to an embarrassing 17-24 record?

My next topic would have to be Dwight Howard. The former Defensive Player of the Year doesn't seem to be quite as big a force anymore. He's averaging two less rebounds and two less points a game as opposed to last year when the drama queen was running Orlando. That may not seem like much, but those two points could be a difference in a game and two rebounds could prevent a possible six total points for the opposing team. Those numbers can add up late in games. And speaking of late-game situations. That 50% free throw percentage is dismal. Not to mention the fact that it was reported that he turned down Steve Nash's help when the future Hall of Famer tried to give the big man advice. How stubborn can you get? One of the best free throw shooters of all time is going to offer you help and you turn it down? I'm not a math wiz, but 90% for a career (Nash) certainly seems better than 58% (Howard).

During tonight's game it just looked silly. The Lakers had some plays that were literally laughable. I can remember a play in the first half where Kobe made a jump pass to Howard and Howard fell to the floor trying to receive the pass. Zach Wadley said it best when he said the Lakers "looked like the Bad News Bears". This team should not be playing like this. There is literally no excuse. I'm not rooting against this team at all, I would be ecstatic if they succeeded, but with the personalities and the failure to have any sense of urgency on defense, there's not a real reason to respect the Lakers right now. And as sad as this is to say, Kobe doesn't look like he's going to be giving any advice or leadership any time soon. Let the man worry about himself and work his way toward that scoring record and he'll be just fine. At this rate, it would take a miracle for the Lakers to earn even the eight seed in the West.