Lakers, Hawks On Different Paths

The stretch of basketball played after the All-Star break usually separates the championship caliber teams from those who will probably be bounced in the early rounds of the NBA Playoffs. The Los Angeles Lakers seem to be firing on all cylinders while the Atlanta Hawks spiral in the opposite direction. After a string of three straight losses, All-Star weekend and a few Phil Jackson jabs, the Lakers now find themselves the winners of eight straight after a 101-87 win over the Hawks in last night’s contest in Atlanta. “We’re just all on the same page; we’re doing our homework,” Kobe Bryant said after the game. “[Bynum] is doing everything we can ask of him.” For years, there has been talk of the potential possessed by Andrew Bynum and it seems that his skill set is finally beginning to match his massive size. He hasn’t amassed a bunch of points or added to his highlight reel, but over the past couple of weeks he has put in work on the boards. In the past ...