OKC Thunder @ LA Lakers Game 1 Thread

[Darthkiller]

http://www.okiebrent.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/oklahoma-city-thunder.jpg


vs

http://www.topnews.in/sports/files/Lakers_1.jpg



:whine:whine

[DJ Mbenga]

where is thunder dynasty. this is your day to get raped.

[Ghazi]

Lakers in 6.

[midnightpulp]

Durant upstages Kobe. Doing what he's supposed to do. Just the 2nd best player in the league assuming his dominance over a lesser player. Nothing to see here.

But the Lakers front line has a field day with OKC's and wins in 5. Maybe 6 if Durant goes nuts for a game.

[midnightpulp]

...

[PGDynasty24]

This is one I wanted. Lakers were 3-1 this season against Thunder and have all the experience. And with Bynum who will be ready for Game 1. LakeShow in 5

[picc84]

Durant may well upstage Kobe. Kobe is nowhere NEAR his prime and looks like a top 10 player, at most. No shame.

However, the Lakers are the superior team and should pull the series victory out.

[lil_penny]

lakers in 5

okc is way too young like portland last year, they have no legit big men, lakers size will give durant fits imo and westbrook seems to be playing with no discipline.. along with durants turnover problems while under preassure

[j.dizzle]

Best matchup for LA imo.. Bynum said hes pain free now & ready to get back..This will be a good series for him to get his rhythm back since OKC has a joke front line.

[SpursRulez4eVeR]

IMO lakers got a gift, lakers in 6.

[ElNono]

Zombie Sonics first playoff series:

http://steelkaleidoscopes.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/deer_370.gif

[sribb43]

4-1 la

[Baseline]

Not even Laker refs can make Bryant look like he can hold a candle to Durant. This will be a real challenge for Bryant. His ego must be going into spasm already.

The Lakers will win the series because of their bigs, but Bryant will pout because he won't be able to shoot 30 times and stay anywhere close to Durant. If Durant shoots 19 times, he scores 30. If Bryant scores 30, he has to shoot 30 times.

I say Lakers in 6 or 7. LA will have more trouble than people think they will. OK City is long, quick, and athletic, and LA doesn't have any athletes after trading away Ariza. Artest will look slow at times, and the speed of OK City's defense will hurt LA at times. But if they get Gasol the freaking basketball, life will be much easier.

Derek Fisher will catch a cold in Game 1 from the wind caused by Westbrooks blow-by's.

[Texas Chili Dog]

Lakers in 2. LA wins the first two games so easily that before leaving Staples Center on their way back to OKC, the Thunder tell the Lakers, "Yeah, we're gonna go ahead and head home, but y'all can just stay here."

[bostonguy]

I would be shocked if OKC wins more than 1 game. LA will take this series in a non-dramatic 5 game series. OKC has no bigmen,experience, or true leader yet (Durant still has a ways to go).

[oh crap]

4-2 lakeshow but i hope the thunder put up a fight

[Thunder Dynasty]

where is thunder dynasty. this is your day to get raped.


You wish you African sack of shit.

[cobbler]

LA doesn't have any athletes after trading away Ariza.

Quite possibly the most absurd comment of the year. :toast

[Thunder Dynasty]

Thunder are gonna just win a series they're supposed to win. No surprises here.

[ffadicted]

If the thunder win I'm going to subsequentely blow my load all over the place lol

[Thundaluva]

Sweep for the Thunder that is. You've been THUNDASTRUCK!

zvoeeq-BH4w

[baseline bum]

You never know going against someone like Durant. He could get hot and pull a Wade 06 ECF and singlehandedly kill a superior team. Still, if you asked me to put money on it, it'd be LA in 5 or 6.

[sexinthatsx]

Of the three teams trying to avoid the 8th seed, I think Lakers would have wanted to face Portland in the first round over Thunder or the Spurs. Lakers tend to have trouble with young athletic teams such as the Bobcats, Hawks, and possibly Thunder. I'm not holding my breath, but I wouldn't be that surprised if Oklahoma pulls a huge upset.

[DesignatedT]

Lakers sweep this series..

[ChrisRichards]

Lakers in 5, 6 if Kobe tries to outscore Durant.

[IronMexican]

Of the three teams trying to avoid the 8th seed, I think Lakers would have wanted to face Portland in the first round over Thunder or the Spurs. Lakers tend to have trouble with young athletic teams such as the Bobcats, Hawks, and possibly Thunder. I'm not holding my breath, but I wouldn't be that surprised if Oklahoma pulls a huge upset.

LA swept Atlanta this year, though have had problems with them in the past. And LA is like 12-1 vs OKC. I am inclined to agree about Charlotte, though.

[PT Cruiser]

vroom vroom

[DAF86]

Lakers got lucky: 4 or 5.

[mavsfan1000]

Lakers got it easy. I was hoping they got the Spurs. lol

[kamikazi_player]

This is going to be a four game sweep by the Lakers, no answer for Gasol or Bynum unless somehow Durant plays the four and does a good job, but his defense is not good.

[Ghazi]

LA swept Atlanta this year, though have had problems with them in the past. And LA is like 12-1 vs OKC. I am inclined to agree about Charlotte, though.

Nope.

lol radiohead

[mogrovejo]

Sefolosha is the best wing defender in the NBA and he gives Kobe Bryant a huge amount of trouble. He can defend Kobe straight up and in doing so he can limit Kobe's playmaking + has the size to trouble Kobe's post game and force him into more jump shots + lower Kobe's overall offensive efficiency.

Los Angeles cannot stop (1) Kevin Durant (2) Russell Westbrook (3) Oklahoma's transition game.

Lakers win the series if they pound the ball inside and let Gasol + Bynum tear them apart. Kobe must take a back seat. Otherwise, they lose.

[024]

i honestly think the thunder will choke furiously against the lakers, kind of like how the blazers choked in the first round last year.

[mavsfan1000]

This is going to be a four game sweep by the Lakers, no answer for Gasol or Bynum unless somehow Durant plays the four and does a good job, but his defense is not good.
Durant should do fine against Gasol. It's the rest of the team that probably won't be able to do enough.

[Donkeybong]

i would have rather had the blazers. they are all banged up

[urunobili]

sweep...

[Xylus]

Unfortunately, I don't see the Thunder doing much damage this year in the playoffs.

Lakers in 5. The Thunder will definitely win one on their home court. That's a rabid crowd in OKC.

[boutons_deux]

Thunder will get at least 1W, maybe, maybe, maybe 2W, the way LA has been playing.

nah, Lakers 4-1

This year the kids are just paying their dues

[TheMACHINE]

IMO lakers got a gift, lakers in 6.

a gift my ass. Lakers had to throw the portland game to get this match up. haha

[JoeTait75]

You don't just waltz into the Playoffs for the first time and bounce the defending Champions as an 8th seed. Lake Show in five.

[crc21209]

Best matchup for LA imo.. Bynum said hes pain free now & ready to get back..This will be a good series for him to get his rhythm back since OKC has a joke front line.

Sure he is...I won't believe it till I see it...dude barely started "jogging" today...

[rascal]

sweep for LA. OKC will be overwelmed by LAs size advantage and being in the playoffs the first time for most of the team.

[crc21209]

Lakers in 6 I think....yes the Thunder are young but the Lakers are playing some horrible basketball right now and Kobe just doesnt look right at all. Looking at the match-ups:

Westbrook > Fisher
Durant = Kobe
Green = Odom
Gasol > any of the Thunder big men...(Bynum as well, but I still don't have faith in the guy, he's always hurt)

Bench:

OKC- Harden, Sefolosha, Ibaka, Maynor, Collison
LA- Farmar, Brown, Vujacic, Mbenga, Powell, Walton

Neither bench has a CLEAR advantage as both benches are pretty much weak..

[oh crap]

a gift my ass. Lakers had to throw the portland game to get this match up. haha

rofl. nice damage control especially since the seeding was up in the air at the time.

[DJ Mbenga]

is it me or is Orlando the only nba team not represented on this site?

[Red Hawk #21]

Thunder in 7.

[TheMACHINE]

rofl. nice damage control especially since the seeding was up in the air at the time.

so you're saying the Lakers winning against portland wouldnt have made a differnce? GTFO.

[FkLA]

Sefolosha is the best wing defender in the NBA and he gives Kobe Bryant a huge amount of trouble. He can defend Kobe straight up and in doing so he can limit Kobe's playmaking + has the size to trouble Kobe's post game and force him into more jump shots + lower Kobe's overall offensive efficiency.

Los Angeles cannot stop (1) Kevin Durant (2) Russell Westbrook (3) Oklahoma's transition game.

Lakers win the series if they pound the ball inside and let Gasol + Bynum tear them apart. Kobe must take a back seat. Otherwise, they lose.

Agreed about Sefolosha extremely underrated defensively. People shouldnt sleep on their center Ibaka either, that guy is ridiculously athletic. I think he will give some fits to Bynum or Gasol, whoever he ends up guarding. The series should be alot closer than people think...especially with how much dick the Lakers are sucking as of late. I see the Thunder winning atleast 2 games. It might go 7 if Kobe decides to turn into Kome, which tbh is almost a guarantee since he'll be looking to outdo Durant.

[Laker-fan-in-SanAnto]

Lakers just need to take care of business the first two games at staples. Blow them out if possible. Set some fear in them, even going back to OKC. Sure they'll have the crowd behind them but the inexperience of the Thunder is the Lakers best weapon.

[mystargtr34]

This one could be a sweep.

[mogrovejo]

Agreed about Sefolosha extremely underrated defensively. People shouldnt sleep on their center Ibaka either, that guy is ridiculously athletic. I think he will give some fits to Bynum or Gasol, whoever he ends up guarding. The series should be alot closer than people think...especially with how much dick the Lakers are sucking as of late. I see the Thunder winning atleast 2 games. It might go 7 if Kobe decides to turn into Kome, which tbh is almost a guarantee since he'll be looking to outdo Durant.

Yes, Ibaka is still a rookie but already an above average defender with the potential of becoming an excellent defender once he gains some experience and reputation. Very good shotblocker already.

If Bynum isn't ready, Laker's advantage inside isn't that large - Ibaka + Collison +Krstic + Green is a solid rotation, especially considering Green can defend Odom. I wish they had signed Gortat this off-season or played DJ White more during the season.