How Good Are The Lakers?

Just how good are the '06-'07 Los Angeles Lakers? Seriously, if you know, please enlighten me. Much has been made of their home-heavy early season schedule, but you still have to go out and take care of business on the court. And thus far, a 19-10 record says they have been handling their business rather nicely. Home cooking has been good to the Lakers, as they enjoy a robust 13-4 mark at Staples Center. They have also held their own on the road thus far-- last nights win in Orlando evened their road record to 6-6. A tough month or so lies ahead, though, as they continue to be without the irreplaceable Lamar Odom, who is still recovering from a knee injury. Before he went down, it was looking like the unexpected playoff run last year wasn't a fluke and that Lamar had found his role in the offense. He and Kobe were beginning to resemble a duo Phil Jackson coached with the Bulls. The season is still young, though and there will undoubtedly be more obstacles in the Lakers' path to the playoffs. But so far, so good.