iggypop123
10-20-2009, 12:06 AM
With the season only days away, let's try to determine which, if any, of the West's best has a chance to dethrone the Lakers.
Lakers vs. Blazers
Ron Artest is the best defensive wingman in the business. Depending on who's hot and who's not, he should be able to make life difficult for either LaMarcus Aldridge or Brandon Roy. The expectation, however, is that to limit his accumulation of fouls, the Lakers will wait until the endgame before siccing Ron-Ron on Roy. While not even Artest is capable of completely shutting Roy down, his bullying defense will go a long way toward disrupting the flow of his (and his team's) offensive schemes.
In the long run, Greg Oden and Andrew Bynum will cancel each other's effectiveness. Expect both of them to get each other in foul trouble.
That leaves Joel Przybilla matched against Pau Gasol. The latter's ability to turn-face-and-go negates the former's advantage in bulk and strength. (The same scenario will be in effect when Gasol and Oden face off.)
Derek Fisher is a good matchup power-wise with Andre Miller. And both Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown have the speed and quickness to keep up with Steve Blake.
Lamar Odom has everything over whomever he faces.
Last year's L.A.-Denver series proved the danger of doubling Kobe Bryant. And the only Blazer with the necessary equipment to at least impede the scoring heroics of Kobe is Roy.
Indeed, aside from Artest's versatile defensive prowess, this constitutes the Lakers' biggest advantage: That in order for Portland to prevail Roy has to accomplish much more at both ends of the floor than Kobe does.
Lakers vs. Nuggets
Despite being severely challenged by Denver in the early games of last season's playoffs, the Lakers will have an easier time disposing of the Nuggets this year.
It's a matter of addition and subtraction.
L.A.'s addition of Artest means that he can blast away at Carmelo Anthony with minimal help on defense. No more of the relatively easy post-up scores that 'Melo managed against Kobe. The corollary is that Kobe is now free to avoid getting banged around in the paint, and can now devote his defensive efforts to chasing J.R. Smith — not an easy task, but much less physically debilitating.
By subtracting Dahntay Jones and Linas Kleiza from their roster, Denver is absent a pair of formidable weapons. Without Jones, Anthony or Renaldo Balkman are the most likely candidates to guard Kobe. But how long can Anthony keep his chops sharp while having to work so hard for so long at both ends? And if the Nuggets can't get their running game out of the blocks, Balkman will be a huge drag on their offense.
Moreover, Kenyon Martin will be dramatically overmatched when paired against either Odom or Artest.
Plus, Gasol can successfully turn and take both Nene and Chris Andersen.
For the Nuggets to win, they must amp up the tempo even though their bench is considerably shorter than L.A.'s. However, to be able to get out and go, the Nuggets will be compelled to play good defense. With their reworked roster, this seems to be a long shot. A very long shot.
For the present, and barring any radical roster alterations, Denver's biggest advantages are its powerhouse presences at two key positions. Nene must get lots of touches in the paint so he can abuse Bynum and Gasol. And Chauncey Billups also has to spend time in the low post where he can use his superior strength against Fisher, Farmar or Brown.
The downside of this dual strategy is that it would force 'Melo, K-Mart and Smith to become strictly perimeter scorers.
Give the Nuggets a win or two in Denver's thin air, but otherwise the Lakers should control both the tempo and the scoreboard.
Lakers vs. Spurs
Because it has judiciously invigorated its roster, San Antonio represents the Lakers' most significant challenge in the West. Here's why:
Both Richard Jefferson and Keith Bogans are first-rate defenders, good enough to make Kobe work harder for his points than he wants to. Also, along this same line, Kobe will be tempted to increase his reliance on his perimeter game, which means too many quick jumpers.
Tony Parker is much too quick to be impeded by L.A.'s point-guard corps.
Tim Duncan's inside-outside game effectively puts Bynum on the bench. At best, Gasol will match points with TD. Indeed, anything resembling a wash in this particular matchup dramatically favors the Lakers.
If Artest can effectively contain Jefferson's scoring output, Manu Ginobili is much too quick for him. That puts Kobe on Ginobili — an interesting pairing to say the least. The danger for L.A., however, is the very real possibility of Kobe's getting caught up in a point-for-point can-you-top-this situation.
Odom becomes the X-factor here. If he's at the top of his game, he can easily tilt any contest to the Lakers. If not, then the Spurs have the edge.
While the Lakers have better team-wide rebounding, the Spurs' defense is appreciably superior and their offense is more disciplined.
Only this is certain: Every play in every game between these two high-quality foes will be a dogfight.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/10225064/2009-10-preview:-Lakers-vs.-rest-of-West%27s-best
Lakers vs. Blazers
Ron Artest is the best defensive wingman in the business. Depending on who's hot and who's not, he should be able to make life difficult for either LaMarcus Aldridge or Brandon Roy. The expectation, however, is that to limit his accumulation of fouls, the Lakers will wait until the endgame before siccing Ron-Ron on Roy. While not even Artest is capable of completely shutting Roy down, his bullying defense will go a long way toward disrupting the flow of his (and his team's) offensive schemes.
In the long run, Greg Oden and Andrew Bynum will cancel each other's effectiveness. Expect both of them to get each other in foul trouble.
That leaves Joel Przybilla matched against Pau Gasol. The latter's ability to turn-face-and-go negates the former's advantage in bulk and strength. (The same scenario will be in effect when Gasol and Oden face off.)
Derek Fisher is a good matchup power-wise with Andre Miller. And both Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown have the speed and quickness to keep up with Steve Blake.
Lamar Odom has everything over whomever he faces.
Last year's L.A.-Denver series proved the danger of doubling Kobe Bryant. And the only Blazer with the necessary equipment to at least impede the scoring heroics of Kobe is Roy.
Indeed, aside from Artest's versatile defensive prowess, this constitutes the Lakers' biggest advantage: That in order for Portland to prevail Roy has to accomplish much more at both ends of the floor than Kobe does.
Lakers vs. Nuggets
Despite being severely challenged by Denver in the early games of last season's playoffs, the Lakers will have an easier time disposing of the Nuggets this year.
It's a matter of addition and subtraction.
L.A.'s addition of Artest means that he can blast away at Carmelo Anthony with minimal help on defense. No more of the relatively easy post-up scores that 'Melo managed against Kobe. The corollary is that Kobe is now free to avoid getting banged around in the paint, and can now devote his defensive efforts to chasing J.R. Smith — not an easy task, but much less physically debilitating.
By subtracting Dahntay Jones and Linas Kleiza from their roster, Denver is absent a pair of formidable weapons. Without Jones, Anthony or Renaldo Balkman are the most likely candidates to guard Kobe. But how long can Anthony keep his chops sharp while having to work so hard for so long at both ends? And if the Nuggets can't get their running game out of the blocks, Balkman will be a huge drag on their offense.
Moreover, Kenyon Martin will be dramatically overmatched when paired against either Odom or Artest.
Plus, Gasol can successfully turn and take both Nene and Chris Andersen.
For the Nuggets to win, they must amp up the tempo even though their bench is considerably shorter than L.A.'s. However, to be able to get out and go, the Nuggets will be compelled to play good defense. With their reworked roster, this seems to be a long shot. A very long shot.
For the present, and barring any radical roster alterations, Denver's biggest advantages are its powerhouse presences at two key positions. Nene must get lots of touches in the paint so he can abuse Bynum and Gasol. And Chauncey Billups also has to spend time in the low post where he can use his superior strength against Fisher, Farmar or Brown.
The downside of this dual strategy is that it would force 'Melo, K-Mart and Smith to become strictly perimeter scorers.
Give the Nuggets a win or two in Denver's thin air, but otherwise the Lakers should control both the tempo and the scoreboard.
Lakers vs. Spurs
Because it has judiciously invigorated its roster, San Antonio represents the Lakers' most significant challenge in the West. Here's why:
Both Richard Jefferson and Keith Bogans are first-rate defenders, good enough to make Kobe work harder for his points than he wants to. Also, along this same line, Kobe will be tempted to increase his reliance on his perimeter game, which means too many quick jumpers.
Tony Parker is much too quick to be impeded by L.A.'s point-guard corps.
Tim Duncan's inside-outside game effectively puts Bynum on the bench. At best, Gasol will match points with TD. Indeed, anything resembling a wash in this particular matchup dramatically favors the Lakers.
If Artest can effectively contain Jefferson's scoring output, Manu Ginobili is much too quick for him. That puts Kobe on Ginobili — an interesting pairing to say the least. The danger for L.A., however, is the very real possibility of Kobe's getting caught up in a point-for-point can-you-top-this situation.
Odom becomes the X-factor here. If he's at the top of his game, he can easily tilt any contest to the Lakers. If not, then the Spurs have the edge.
While the Lakers have better team-wide rebounding, the Spurs' defense is appreciably superior and their offense is more disciplined.
Only this is certain: Every play in every game between these two high-quality foes will be a dogfight.
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/10225064/2009-10-preview:-Lakers-vs.-rest-of-West%27s-best