A 2011-12 disaster may only be a couple bone breaks away, a title run is out of the question, and the future hangs over the club like a terrible swift sword, but the Los Angeles Lakers under new head coach Mike Brown are playing with a regular season spirit, cohesion, and excitement not seen since Phil Jackson's first year back in 1999-2000. Busted out of the Triangle, the amazingly manful Kobe Bryant dominates (mostly for good) the floor like never before without noticeable resentment from teammates. Also now out from under Jackson's yoke, the currently blooming Andrew Bynum may make Dwight Howard unneccessary. Unlike Jackson's clubs during his second reign here, including two champions, this is a very likeable team.
