By Mike Waldner - Daily Breeze

A group of veteran observers - reporters, broadcasters, stats people in various sizes and shapes, and others - gather in Staples Center on nights when the Lakers play.

Their meeting place is a round table. So it was that one of the members, Lawrence, I think, has taken to calling the group, “The Round Table.”

Not exactly. But it works.

At the start of the NBA season, confidence did not run high among the group for the Lakers. After Kobe Bryant’s summer of discontent, some questioned the ability of what appeared a dysfunctional team and organization to qualify for the playoffs.

Mitch, a senior observer of the Lakers not named Kupchak, counseled, as he always does, patience, and, as he also always does, reminded one and all that many things will happen during six months of basketball.

If memory is correct, John, the senior numbers guy, having witnessed the unexpected twists and turns of so many seasons, nodded in agreement.

Those who understand the expect-the-unexpected theory were not surprised at the by-itself-surprising growth of Andrew Bynum, which played a major role in the Lakers having a surprising head of steam as they entered 2008.

Then Bynum went down with a knee injury on Jan.13 and the Lakers won but three of eight games during the rest of the month.

Now gloom and doom and even no playoffs was predicted.

It did not help that Jan. 31 was the start of a nine-game road trip.

Complete story

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