The Lakers aren't that good this year

[SpursDynasty]

Last year, their 12th loss came with 48 wins. This year, they are at 12 losses with 38 wins. They need to consider a trade.

[ulosturedge]

Doesn't matter cause the rest of the teams suck worse. They will be in the finals if they keep home court advantage in the West. No West team has the balls to take out the Lakers on their own home turf. The only teams in the Lakers way is probably Boston or Cleveland.

[Gouken]

How are the Spurs doing?

[JoeTait75]

How are the Spurs doing?

Just losing the games they're supposed to be losing. No surprise here.

[Banzai]

can't expect every season to be as good as the last..shit changes.

[ezau]

How are the Spurs doing?

We suck

[timtonymanu]

still miles ahead of the spurs.

spurs were 33-15 after 48 games last year. they're 28-20 this year.

[tlongII]

This year is all about the Cavs. The Lakers have no chance.

[Daddy_Of_All_Trolls]

The Spurs aren't that good this year. Last year, the Spurs 20th loss came with 40 wins. This year, they are at 20 losses with 28 wins. They need to consider a trade.

Hmmm...Spurs have also played more home and fewer road games than the Lakers. Look, my team pulled an upset tonight, but learn when to be able to talk smack. I can this evening if I want, but why bother. My team sucks worse than most.

[21_Blessings]

The Lakers defense has improved. The NBA is fucked when the playoffs roll around.

[ElNono]

The Lakers defense has improved. The NBA is fucked when the playoffs roll around.

They just gave up 30, 29 and 35 point quarters, and they improved? Hmm. ok

[Xevious]

They have no bench other than Odom. They'll still win the west though. The only team that can compete with them in the west right now is the Nuggets.

[pauls931]

They need a coach that can manage this much talent.

[ChrisRichards]

They need a coach that can manage this much talent.
Phil managed it last year and coached them to an NBA title, no?

[Muser]

The Lakers defense has improved. The NBA is fucked when the playoffs roll around.

They get dominated by tough frontlines (Denver). Pau is soft and Bynum just flat out sucks on D.

[Donkeybong]

They just don't have the fire to compete every night. It's kind of hard to blame them, since every team pretty much circles their calendar for the days they play the Lakers and play out of their minds. Lakers just can't sustain that energy through 82 games... very few players can. Otherwise, they'd get burnt out by the time the playoffs role around.

[SpursDynasty]

The Lakers have to go 27-4 the rest of the way to match last season's record. They've lost a couple of steps. The Nuggets and Cavaliers, the West and East's best teams, have their number this season. If not for the ridiculous 17 out of 21 at home to open the season, the Lakers would have only the 5th or 6th best record in the league at this point. No trash talking here, it's just the way things are.

[Baseline]

No surprise to me. The only reason the Lakers won the title last year is because Boston and San Antonio had major injuries, and Cleveland was upset by Orlando.

And Orlando's all-star PG (Nelson) was barely able to play, and was totally ineffective.

The Lakers didn't win because they were so good - they won because they had more healthy bodies.

This year, the Lakers major weaknesses are being exposed in a huge way.
1. Gasol and Bynum are soft
2. Gasol and Bynum are used correctly because Bryant monopolizes the shots
3. Their PG play is horrendous aside from Shannon Brown
4. As talented as the Lakers are, Bryant dictates everything they do and doesn't defer to the other talented players, so the Lakers are still dependent on Bryant.

Bottom line....if you go at the Lakers hard with physicality and agreession, they will wilt. Last night against Denver, the refs blew about 1000 whistles in the last four minutes in an attempt to keep the Lakers close, but they still couldn't do it. Denver won even though they were playing 5 on 8 for the last four minutes.

[TheGreatest23]

No surprise to me. The only reason the Lakers won the title last year is because Boston and San Antonio had major injuries, and Cleveland was upset by Orlando.

And Orlando's all-star PG (Nelson) was barely able to play, and was totally ineffective.

The Lakers didn't win because they were so good - they won because they had more healthy bodies.

This year, the Lakers major weaknesses are being exposed in a huge way.
1. Gasol and Bynum are soft
2. Gasol and Bynum are used correctly because Bryant monopolizes the shots
3. Their PG play is horrendous aside from Shannon Brown
4. As talented as the Lakers are, Bryant dictates everything they do and doesn't defer to the other talented players, so the Lakers are still dependent on Bryant.

Bottom line....if you go at the Lakers hard with physicality and agreession, they will wilt. Last night against Denver, the refs blew about 1000 whistles in the last four minutes in an attempt to keep the Lakers close, but they still couldn't do it. Denver won even though they were playing 5 on 8 for the last four minutes.

Sons, no matter how crappy the Lakers are this year or how they shouldnt been the champions last year, dont fuckin put the Spurs in the same category as the Celtics or Cavs. The spurs have been done since 2008...injured or not. Dont be a fool.

Bow down to the King, bitches.

[Ghazi]

Boston's injuries may have helped the Lakers win a title last year, but the Spurs didnt.

At no point last year did the Spurs look like a better team than the Lakers.

ALso, injuries are a part of the fucking game sons. If Dirk doesn't get injured in '03 the Spurs don't win a championship.

[JamStone]

Compared to last year's Lakers team, perhaps not. But, I do think that's yet to be determined. And, I do think part of it is could be not having the same type of hunger and urgency they had for much of last regular season.

However, if it really is the case that they're not that good this year, then that's a huge indictment on the rest of the NBA seeing how 50+ games into the season, they have the second best record in the entire league. And, while they have played more home games, that last 8 game road trip really balanced up their schedule, 28 home games and 23 road games. So that argument applies a little bit but not as much as earlier in the season.

[HarlemHeat37]

In comparison to the rest of the NBA, then I agree with JamStone's point..IMO, the Lakers aren't as good as they were last year, but the rest of the NBA is struggling to live up to expectations as well, other than the Cavs and Nuggets..I don't think they're as good as their record either, which was benefited from an easier schedule to start..

Boston looks broken down and suffering from a ton of injuries..Orlando hasn't been able to get Nelson and Carter on the same page since they're both chuckers that don't play defense..the Spurs have injuries and need a big trade or multiple trades to get back into contention..Dallas desperately needs a chance, like the Spurs..

The Cavs and Nuggets are the only teams that have looked as good or better than their records IMO..Cleveland has just looked dominant, but the problem is that they did the same thing last year and faltered in the playoffs..

[DAF86]

Compared to last year's Lakers team, perhaps not. But, I do think that's yet to be determined. And, I do think part of it is could be not having the same type of hunger and urgency they had for much of last regular season.

However, if it really is the case that they're not that good this year, then that's a huge indictment on the rest of the NBA seeing how 50+ games into the season, they have the second best record in the entire league. And, while they have played more home games, that last 8 game road trip really balanced up their schedule, 28 home games and 23 road games. So that argument applies a little bit but not as much as earlier in the season.

Every single contender with the exception maybe of the Cavs (and I'm not even sure of that) has regressed from last season.

[TheMACHINE]

Sons, no matter how crappy the Lakers are this year or how they shouldnt been the champions last year, dont fuckin put the Spurs in the same category as the Celtics or Cavs. The spurs have been done since 2008...injured or not. Dont be a fool.

Bow down to the King, bitches.


Boston's injuries may have helped the Lakers win a title last year, but the Spurs didnt.

At no point last year did the Spurs look like a better team than the Lakers.

ALso, injuries are a part of the fucking game sons. If Dirk doesn't get injured in '03 the Spurs don't win a championship.

this

[namlook]

Last year, their 12th loss came with 48 wins. This year, they are at 12 losses with 38 wins. They need to consider a trade.


They just don't have the fire to compete every night. It's kind of hard to blame them, since every team pretty much circles their calendar for the days they play the Lakers and play out of their minds. Lakers just can't sustain that energy through 82 games... very few players can. Otherwise, they'd get burnt out by the time the playoffs role around.

Great post and you are 100% right. When you win a championship every team plays with max effort when they play the champions. The Lakers just can't match that energy for 82 games. When the playoffs come around the Lakers will be just fine. The threepeat Lakers team was the same way. Notice how they won 67 games in season one and in championship seasons two and three they won only 56 and 58 games but the team that won 56 games was the best of the three. The year they won 56 games they went 15-1 and crushed everyone in the playoffs and the year they won 67 they went 15-7 in the playoffs. So as you can see the regular season record can be deceiving when a team has a target on their backs after winning a championship.

Let this be a warning to all of you that think the Lakers won't open up a can of whoop ass in the playoffs.

[21_Blessings]

They just gave up 30, 29 and 35 point quarters, and they improved? Hmm. ok

Cool story brah. 70% from 3 will do that. Nothing but a fluke. Chauncy was swishing 28 footers with a hand in his face.

[Phonzie20]

This is a little premature.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Lakers sweeping Denver at the Can with the next two games.

[Phonzie20]

Cool story brah. 70% from 3 will do that. Nothing but a fluke. Chauncy was swishing 28 footers with a hand in his face.

You are one serious homer.

It's ok. I have to deal with nuggs homer tools like you in my Nuggets board.

You lost without Melo. It must really sting.

[FkLA]

ALso, injuries are a part of the fucking game sons. If Dirk doesn't get injured in '03 the Spurs don't win a championship.

Son please, your Mavettes were well on their way to being down 3-1 when Dirk went down in Game 4. If anything the injury allowed Van Exel the freedom to go apeshit and extend the series to 6 games instead of getting ousted in 5 games. And I agree with the thread, Lakers arent as good as the hype...ESPN has them penciled in to reach the Finals/repeat when that is far from the case. As of right now Denver and Cleveland have to be considered the favorites.

[namlook]

Son please, your Mavettes were well on their way to being down 3-1 when Dirk went down in Game 4. If anything the injury allowed Van Exel the freedom to go apeshit and extend the series to 6 games instead of getting ousted in 5 games. And I agree with the thread, Lakers arent as good as the hype...ESPN has them penciled in to reach the Finals/repeat when that is far from the case. As of right now Denver and Cleveland have to be considered the favorites.

The Lakers have won the West the past two seasons, won a championship last year and have a better record than Denver this year. There's no way in hell Denver are the favorite to win the West.

[21_Blessings]

You lost without Melo. It must really sting.

Except it really doesn't. 4-0, 4-2. Now that must sting.

[FkLA]

The Lakers have won the West the past two seasons, won a championship last year and have a better record than Denver this year. There's no way in hell Denver are the favorite to win the West.

The Spurs were the defending champs going into the 08' playoffs, and had won 2 of the last 3 titles...that didnt stop your Lakers from winning the West. We're going off of this season, and this season the Lakers have been anything but impressive. Theyve been beating up on cream puffs and losing the majority of the time when they face tough challenges.

0-2 vs championship contenders at home (Cle, Den)

and

have lost just about every game on the road against solid teams (Por, Mem, SA, Tor, Utah, etc) as well as against those championship contenders (Cle, Den)

[Banzai]

I think the insane amount of home games the Lakers have had this season has hurt them more than help them. Reminds me of what the Cavs went through last season.