It wasn't supposed to end like this: The end of a Dynasty and the East Reborn

The Conference Finals are taking place in the NBA. Yet the Lakers sit at home, wondering what if?. The dynasty, the reign of NBA Championships are over. No 4-peat. Instead the Lakers are out of the playoffs, having run out of gas in the 4th quarter of Game 6 against San Antonio. It's a little sad for it to end like this, but the future looks to be brighter because of this. Maybe Mitch will look harder at improving the team that didn't win. A Laker team that won it's fewest games in 8 years. A Laker team that has the two best players in the game yet didn't have enough. This team was supposed to make history, cement themselves as the greatest dynasty to ever play the game.

The front office failed the Lakers. Shaq didn't fail the Lakers. Kobe didn't fail the Lakers. The lack of depth failed the Lakers. The fact that they had to use Robert Horry extensively in the regular season failed the Lakers. The fact that Samaki Walker never came to play this season failed the Lakers. We should've seen this coming. We were niave and thought that as long as Kobe and Shaq were healthy and played together the Lakers could have anyone on the court and still bring in the championships. This season proved this fantasy wrong. Think back to the dominant team of 1999-2000, the Lakers first championship squad, Ron Harper, Glen Rice and A.C. Green teamed with Shaq and they Had Derek Fisher, Rick Fox and Robert Horry coming off the bench. How about the post season dominant Lakers of 2000-2001, where they set the playoff record of 15-1. Fisher, Fox and Horace Grant were in the lineup, with Tyronn Lue, Devean George and Horry backing up. Then last year's championship team, where the Lakers struggled to repeat had fisher, fox and horry in the lineup with Lindsey Hunter, George and Samaki Walker backing up.

Gradually the Lakers bench got thinner and less dependable and this came to the forefront this postseason. Rick Fox hurt his ankle in the first round. Devean George hurt his ankle in the second and the lack of depth was apparent. Soon enough rookies were having to be played and the lakers got bounced out of the playoffs. The front office faith in letting this team defend it's title was ill advised and the team showed its age and vulnerability...Let's hope Mitch does some work this offseason and wakes up..

Without the possibility of having to stop Kobe and ShaQ in a best of seven, the weak east has been given new life. Perhaps this is New Jersey's year. They have dominated the East and are even better than last year when they went to the finals. Or the Detroit Pistons. The best defensive team in the NBA has a legitimate shot if they can put the ball in the hoop. "Rip" Hamilton has blossomed from the shadow of MJ and has become a scorer for Pistons. The West teams are still the favorites but the East has a chance. Word.