MY MODEST EXPECTATIONS AS A LAKER FAN FOR '16-17 SEASON

Since the last playoff trip of the Lakers last 2013. Their season record were
2013-2014 27-55
2014-2015 21-61
2015-2016 17-65
2016-2017 ??-??

Needless to say, they miss the playoffs during those times (sigh)

This upcoming season will bring a new chapter to the illustrious NBA Franchise. With a new coach, an exciting roster of young and promising players, and the departure of the Laker great, Kobe Bryant, this season brings hope to the Lakers' loyal fan base that the team is headed into the right direction and back to being relevant in the league.

Year-in and Year-out, various rumors involving the Lakers are released to the public. Kevin Love going to the Lakers, Rondo going to the Lakers, Aldridge going to the Lakers, Durant going to the Lakers and so on and so forth. It is getting tiring but I must admit, it gets my hopes up a little bit.

That being said, I have a few expectations for my Lakers for this '16-17 season.

1. THE LAKERS WILL WIN 30 GAMES

The Lakers haven't won 30 games in a season since Kobe's Achilles injury. They should win at least 30 games or finish at least 12th in the West for them to show improvement and for them to show the top-tier Free Agents that they one or two piece away from going back to the Playoffs.

I see the Lakers back in the playoffs by 2018.

2. BRANDON INGRAM WILL STRUGGLE EARLY AND OFTEN IN THE SEASON BUT WILL STILL BE INCLUDED IN THE NBA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

D'Angelo Russell also struggled during the early stages of the season due to lack of playing time, poor defense and also because of turnovers. However, his performance in the 2nd half of the season was enough for him to belong to the NBA All-Rookie 2nd team.

Expect that Brandon Ingram will also struggle. He will be overpowered by the veteran bigs of the league early but once he get acclimated, he will flourish. The key is he should stay grounded and soak up as much knowledge as possible from Coach Luke and from the other veteran players in the roster just like what Kobe did to D'Angelo.

3. LARRY NANCE JR. WILL JOIN THE SLAM DUNK CONTEST

If not because of his injury, Larry should've joined last the Slam Dunk Contest against Aaron Gordon and Zach Levine.

Barring some serious injury, Larry Nance Jr. will showcase his hops and creativity in the Slam Dunk Contest

4. LAKERS WILL REVEAL THAT THEY WILL BE RETIRING BOTH KOBE'S JERSEY NUMBERS
If the City which you played for in the last 20 years named a day after you, I think that is enough proof that both of Kobe's number 8 and 24 should be retired. 
Kobe said it best when he said during one his interviews that
“if we do retire one number, it’s going to be very, very hard for someone else to wear the other.”

My Top 5 favorite Kobe Bryant Plays/Moments

Kobe Bryant is about to hang-up his sneakers after this season.

So, I think it is only fitting to list down my top 5 favorite Kobe Bryant Play/Moments

As a Black Mamba fan, it is tough to see Kobe get beaten by Father Time so bad.

Every time he shots an airball or way-off shot, I really cringe because I know, We know, the whole world knows what he is capable of. We are spoiled because we know that there is no impossible shot for Kobe.

So excuse me, while I list down my favorite Kobe Bryant shots/moments whilst wiping my watery eyes knowing that we only have at least 5 months of seeing Mamba in action.

5. The 81-pt game (Lakers v. Raptors)

Of course, of course

4. 2007 1st Rd, GM.4 Buzzer beater (Lakers v. Suns)

The 7th seed Lakers pushes the 2nd seed Suns to the brink of elimination with a dagger from the Black Mamba.

3. 2008 Olympic Gold Medal Game (US v. Spain)

The following photo is so mamba-like

2. 2010 WCF, GM. 6 (Lakers v. Suns)

This game eliminated the tough and gritty Suns from the playoffs. I love this because Kobe slapped Gentry's ass after hitting a ridiculously tough J over Grant Hill.

1. 2009 NBA Finals (Lakers v. Magic)

You know Kobe wouldn't let another trip to the Finals left go empty-handed. From a 40-pt game 1 performance down to the Game 5, the Black Mamba was so potent.

THE TIME WHEN I BECAME A KOBE FAN

If you know really know me, I was not really a big Kobe fan growing up.

After the 2nd Retirement of Michael Jordan, my favorite post-Jordan Era player was Allen "The Answer" Iverson.

I hated Kobe Bryant because he has Shaq as a teammate. Shaq was really dominant that time. Every time the Lakers play, I always think that it is really unfair having that dominant specimen playing for your team. Not only that, I hated Kobe because he has that certain swagger that really irritated me. I hated him because I feel like he taunts every time he makes the fade-away jump shot which he copied from MJ. 

It goes without saying that I really hated the Lakers during their 3-peat run from 2000-2002. I cheered each time for their Eastern Conference counterpart in the Finals. I thought Reggie Miller would win a ring using his precise Outside Sniping in 2000. I really hoped Allen Iverson would beat Shaq ala David v. Goliath during the 2001 Finals. Then came the Nets which couldn't offer a strong resistance against the Lakers in 2002. 

Eventually I rejoiced when the Spurs beat the Lakers the next year. I was happy to see Kobe lose so much that I laughed at him and Shaq. However, the next year, my hatred towards the Kobe-Shaq duo suddenly dwindled. This is because Karl Malone, my another favorite player whom I copied the number 32 from, donned the Purple and Gold Jersey. 

When Shaq left the Lakers via a trade from Miami, I suddenly had an epiphany. 

Why would I hate the next closest thing to Michael Jordan??? I mean, I really asked myself that. 

When the Big Diesel is out of tinseltown, there was no other way for me to hate the Lakers and Kobe. 

So from 2005, I transitioned from being an Iverson fan to a Kobe fan.