With Andrew Bynum gone until the start of the playoffs, Kobe Bryant missing two straight with swelling on his right knee (Phil Jackson said Friday he'll sit Kobe until the postseason as well if it's necessary to get him healthy), and only three games remaining, it's fair to say any flickering hopes the Lakers could gain continuity going into the playoffs are dead.

PODCAST
Andrew Bynum is out until the playoffs, Kobe Bryant's knee is a problem, and with only three games left in the season it's official: Any hope for pre-postseason continuity have officially died. So what does it mean for L.A. in the playoffs? Plus, some seriously out-of-the-box ideas to increase productivity (and make Adam Morrison rich!). Podcast

We passed along the obituary yesterday, actually. My guess is they'll hand out black ribbons at the gate tomorrow against the Blazers.

But what practical impact will it have in the postseason? To find some answers, we head back into the studio and put on our thinking caps.

-2:00- After a brief glimpse into how the sausage gets made, we toss out a few ideas:

• The lack of quality play heading into the playoffs could give the team a rallying point, if they get (whether real or completely invented) the impression the royal "they" are writing off the team's chances to repeat. Athletes are masters at playing psychological games to get themselves in the most constructive place, mentally. (4:40)
• The first round is going to be burly, no matter who they play. Should the Lakers advance through the playoffs, it's going to be a grind. There will be no 2001-esque 16-1 run, and it won't be elegant. But as Andy notes, title runs aren't supposed to be easy. (7:30)

-13:00- It's time to think outside the box. Since the Lakers tend to play with more fire when Kobe's out of the lineup, perhaps they need to engage in a little high-tech trickery? In the spirit of Face/Off, Oh God!, and that delightful Fred Savage/Judge Reinhold romp of the late '80s, Andy proposes and we workshop a rather unorthodox idea. Adam Morrison can thank us later.