The Los Angeles Lakers entered the 2012-13 season with championship aspirations after acquiring All-Stars Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to support Kobe Bryant. However, the campaign quickly unraveled when Nash suffered a leg fracture in his second game, forcing him to miss nearly two months. Following a poor start, the team replaced head coach Mike Brown with Mike D’Antoni, the architect of the high-octane Phoenix Suns offenses from earlier in the decade.
In a recent ESPN interview, D’Antoni revealed that Nash’s presence on the roster was the primary factor in his decision to accept the Lakers position. He explained that he believed reuniting with Nash could produce exceptional results, and team management assured him the point guard would return shortly after he signed on. D’Antoni acknowledged, however, that Nash never fully recovered from his injury and operated at a diminished level throughout the season.
Despite Nash’s return in late December and improved team performance thereafter, the Lakers continued to face significant obstacles. Additional injuries plagued the roster, culminating in Bryant’s torn Achilles tendon in April. Los Angeles finished 45-37 and was eliminated in the first playoff round, marking the beginning of a six-year playoff drought for the franchise. Both D’Antoni and Howard departed following the season, leaving the Lakers to rebuild.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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