It’s amazing the damage a coach can do.

Now that Mike Brown is out, it’s easy to see just how much damage was being done with his atrocious bench rotation and odd, understated game of favorites.

Even with Bernie Bickerstaff as coach, the Los Angeles Lakers were just able to play basketball. With this group of All-Star starters, there doesn’t need to be a detailed offense like the Princeton; just let them play basketball!

That’s exactly what coach Mike D’Antoni is doing and it’s working.

Kobe is ballin’ out like a mad man. He’s shooting 52 percent which is the best that he’s ever shot, and his three-point percentage is also at a career high at 40 percent. By all appearances, Kobe is anything but old and tired.

Pau Gasol finally scored his 15,000th point, once he was allowed to shoot and play in a comfortable position.

Dwight Howard is giving lots of indications that he’ll stay in Los Angeles at the end of the season.

Even Metta World Peace’s averages are back up to where they were when he joined the Lakers.

These things are happening without Steve Nash playing, and in the meantime, Darius Morris has turned himself into a second-string point guard, moving into the injured Steve Blake’s position. That isn’t official, but it’s only a matter of time. His youth, skill and athleticism is something the Lakers can count on and build for years to come.

This is the Lakers team everyone was waiting to see, and it’s nice that they’ve finally arrived. Once Nash is back, it may even be the return of Showtime.