Lakers Recent Improvements

With Nick Young coming back to the lineup for the decimated and already beat-up Lakers, they have strung together consecutive respectable performances and victories.

In Nick Young's first game in the lineup he put up 17 points on an efficient 6 for 10 from the floor, adding five rebounds and a couple from behind the arc in 27 minutes. With an added offensive spark more importantly, Kobe Bryant only attempted 18 shots and put up 28 points on 10 makes.

The whole light at the end of the tunnel point of view to this turnaround is that contrarily, before Young's return, Bryant had shot only 38 percent from the field on 24 attempts, but 27.5 points per game. At 36, Kobe is also averaging 36.5 minutes a game, which especially coming off of a major Achilles tear, constitutes an endangerment to his health.

Bryant still did play 36 minutes in the Lakers' victory over Atlanta and 39 minutes against Houston, Young's return is only meant to soften the blow. The roster is decimated with injuries. Jordan Clarkson, Wayne Ellington, Ryan Clark and Xavier Henry did not play last night and Julius Randle is done for the season.

It is only one player, but this one has some swag about him that the Lakers whom are in a deep, miserable funk right now desperately needs. And his return equated into consecutive victories.

"Nick ! Having another player on the floor that can create and score puts pressure on the defense," Kobe Bryant told ESPN.com. "It makes a huge difference."

In Young's second game back he put up 16 points on 6 for 15 shooting, 4 rebounds and another 2 makes from behind the arc (only this time out of 8 attempts) in 28 minutes. Bryant had to put up 28 shots and made only 10, but he did manage 29 points going 8 for 10 from the charity stripe to help that case.

Wait a minute, 18 shots to 28 shots in a one-game turnaround. What gives? Well Jermey Lin only gave them 3 points and Carlos Boozer 12, both of which are capable of and should be contributing close to 20 points a game. And the Lakers only got 13 points out of reserves not named Swaggy P.

But they still managed the 98-92 victory with some clutch free-throw shooting near the end of the game and a where did this come from, but should of been here, explosion out of Wes Johnson defensively and in transition to put the icing on the cake,

"Defensively, we've been doing  a much better job," Bryant told ESPN.com. "Transition [defense] was a big Achilles heel for us. We've been doing a better job getting back on defense."

And when ESPN asked Bryant about how it felt to be so close to nearing that 32,000-point milestone he said, "I've been very fortunate and blessed. I've had some injuries, but not until a few years ago have been career threatening.

"I've had some great mentors in my career that have really taught me a lot, so I'm just very blessed and very fortunate."

I think a little mamba might have helped too.