2012 – 2013 Los Angeles Lakers: Expectation…
After back-to-back NBA championships in 2009 and 2010, the Lakers failed to reach the Western Conference Finals in both 2011 and 2012. GM Mitch Kupchak hoped to right the ship by bringing in Dwight Howard at center and Steve Nash at point guard to complement returning staples Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace. The lineup had undeniable star power and gave the Lakers what could have been their counterpart to the Heat’s “Big Three.”