Lakers

[E20]

They have the best record in the West. Kobe is playing pretty good. They're not as good as the Suns, Mavs, or the Spurs, but last year they went 7 games with the Suns (W/O Amare). Although the Suns have won like 14 straight and seem to get better every game it should still be a good matchup.

My question: How much damage will a healthy Lakers team do in the playoffs?

[Kori Ellis]

They don't have the best record in the West. They don't even have the best record in their division.

[boutons_]

:lol

[jman3000]

pwned :lol

they have had a relatively soft schedule in the early going with a ton of home games. they have some impressive wins... but i don't think they're elite just yet.

[nkdlunch]

Lakers have player 16 HOME games and 7 ROAD games!!!!! not to mention 1 road game was @ Clippers :lol

I fully expect their winning % to drop bigtime come february....

[E20]

They don't have the best record in the West. They don't even have the best record in their division.
Phoenix is 16-6 and LA is 16-7, huge disparity there :dramaquee . I still thought LA had the best record as they did a couple of days ago, my bad..........

There aren't that many good teams to play in the NBA, there are 17 teams hovering at .500 or below it, some WAY below. The rest of the leauge except for a couple of teams are at .500 or above by a minimal amount. Around 8 teams, 2 in the East and 6 in the West have established themselves as the best in the leauge and I think the Lakers are one of them.

BTW the Lakers are 5-2 against the best teams in the West (Utha, SA, Phoenix, Housten, Dallas)

[Leetonidas]

The Spurs are 18-6, how do the Lakers have a better record?

16 of their games have been played at home anyway.

[E20]

The Spurs are 18-6, how do the Lakers have a better record?

16 of their games have been played at home anyway.
If you go back a couple of days the Lakers had the best record in the L, I still thought they did and I made that assumption in my initial post.

[Leetonidas]

If you go back a couple of days the Lakers had the best record in the L, I still thought they did and I made that assumption in my initial post.

I'm pretty sure they didn't. Until yesterday I think it was the Jazz.

[stevallica]

LA is tied with Dallas for the third best record and Dallas wins the tiebreaker so really the lakers are 4th.

[RonMexico]

E20, you're a moron - the Lakers haven't had the "best record in the West" at all this year. It's been the Jazz, who lost the title to the Spurs when Sacramento beat them by 1 last night. I guess you were reading Steve Kerr's power rankings that had the Lakers at #1, but that didn't mean they were the best in the West. How can you post something today and base your assumption on "well, a few days ago..." in this NBA where the top teams are changing all the time.

[RonMexico]

LA is tied with Dallas for the third best record and Dallas wins the tiebreaker so really the lakers are 4th.

You're also a retard - LA and Dallas do not have the 3rd best record because the Suns do, so the Mavs and Lakers are 4th and 5th, respectively.

1. San Antonio 18-6 .750

2. Utah 17-6 .739

3. Phoenix 16-6 .727

4. Dallas 16-7 .696 (tiebreak)

5. LA Lakers 16-7 .696

[nkdlunch]

:lol ppl started drinkin early this saturday

[RonMexico]

:lol ppl started drinkin early this saturday


duuhhhhh, doesn't Memphis have the best record in the West?

[johngateswhiteley]

anyway, i have been impressed with the lakeshow. they deserve a lot of credit as does phil jackson. regardless of whether you hate the lakers and phil or not, and i do, they are doing very well considering.

[LakeShow]

They have the best record in the West. Kobe is playing pretty good. They're not as good as the Suns, Mavs, or the Spurs, but last year they went 7 games with the Suns (W/O Amare). Although the Suns have won like 14 straight and seem to get better every game it should still be a good matchup.

My question: How much damage will a healthy Lakers team do in the playoffs?

Ok, we've established that the Lakers never had the best record in the league at this point, now to the root of your post,

The Lakers may not be as good as the Suns, Mavs or Spurs BUT, they have the opportunity to surpass those teams in the near future. Those teams are better because they have experience in the post season and have played together for awhile, where as the Lakers are in their second season under Phil, still learning to play with each other and blending in a couple of rookies. If the Lakers continue to improve, and they will, the sky will be the limit. I've always pegged 2007 as the year of the laker, and the beginning of a new dynasty but the Lakers have improved so much, I'm not counting out this season as a possible beginning. Those teams that you mentioned are at the top of their games and will not change.

Phoenix will never play defense, Dallas will always be weak in the middle, and the Spurs will never be successful playing small ball. This lakers team is deep and will create problems for all of those teams. They can matchup to any lineup (when healthy) and will be hard to matchup with. Odom is the X factor. None of those teams has an answer for him. Like Dirk and the mavs the Lakers create matchup problems for other teams. Having a 6'10" powerforward that can rebound, play solid D, score from anywhere and rebound and lead the team in a break is something not too many teams, if any have.

The Lakers have assembled a nice group and they will only get better, Kwame and Bynum will be better in the Post as the season goes and those shots that they are missing will soon be automatic. They have been able to get off shots with not much resistence. The point guard position is a question mark. I'm not sure that I would have stuck with Smush this season after he choked in the playoffs last season but Famar has been a big surprise for the Lakers and just maybe a Smush/Famar combination will be enough.

This team is loaded and We hope that teams continue to underestimate this Lakers team. That will be their downfall. Recognize!

[Chris Childs]

Lakers?

[Johnny RIngo]

The Fakers have had an easy schedule so far with all those home games. They're an above average team, at best.

[Horry For 3!]

Lakers will lose a lot more games with Odom out. Plus they actually have to go on the road soon.

[1Parker1]

Ehhh, if Odom gets healthy and starts where he left off and Kobe continues his new "team play" and Bynum and Walton and the other role players do their thing, they can make a little noise in the playoffs, probably a 2nd round exit if they can pull it off.

I'm still not sold on Smush Parker and Kwame Brown. Lakers are super soft in the middle, their PG spot (starting and backup) is weak, and their defense goes through dry periods. They're still a piece or two away from being legit, I think.

[Extra Stout]

The Lakers have enjoyed a lot of early home games, so their record is misleading. Realistically, they are a 48-50 win team.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

Yeah, at best they're above average.

I'm not worried about them too much. Their WIN percentage should decline a little as the season moves along. They're still a little iffy when it comes to certain players. They're a young, scrappy team that can cause problems but they're not there yet. They have a lot of potential though.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

Lakeshow1, you make some decent points, but 2007 is a little early I think. Kwame and Bynum need another couple of years, and as you said, you need to find a PG.

I love Odom though. Wish he was a Spur.

[johngateswhiteley]

Ok, we've established that the Lakers never had the best record in the league at this point, now to the root of your post,

The Lakers may not be as good as the Suns, Mavs or Spurs BUT, they have the opportunity to surpass those teams in the near future. Those teams are better because they have experience in the post season and have played together for awhile, where as the Lakers are in their second season under Phil, still learning to play with each other and blending in a couple of rookies. If the Lakers continue to improve, and they will, the sky will be the limit. I've always pegged 2007 as the year of the laker, and the beginning of a new dynasty but the Lakers have improved so much, I'm not counting out this season as a possible beginning. Those teams that you mentioned are at the top of their games and will not change.

Phoenix will never play defense, Dallas will always be weak in the middle, and the Spurs will never be successful playing small ball. This lakers team is deep and will create problems for all of those teams. They can matchup to any lineup (when healthy) and will be hard to matchup with. Odom is the X factor. None of those teams has an answer for him. Like Dirk and the mavs the Lakers create matchup problems for other teams. Having a 6'10" powerforward that can rebound, play solid D, score from anywhere and rebound and lead the team in a break is something not too many teams, if any have.

The Lakers have assembled a nice group and they will only get better, Kwame and Bynum will be better in the Post as the season goes and those shots that they are missing will soon be automatic. They have been able to get off shots with not much resistence. The point guard position is a question mark. I'm not sure that I would have stuck with Smush this season after he choked in the playoffs last season but Famar has been a big surprise for the Lakers and just maybe a Smush/Famar combination will be enough.

This team is loaded and We hope that teams continue to underestimate this Lakers team. That will be their downfall. Recognize!

1. i think it is a little silly the way some of the posters here are dismissing the lakers cause they have played most of their games at home....they are pretty good

2. but, they are not good enough to get out of the west as long as the Spurs are healthy, so it really doesn't matter...if you think you are winning a title anytime soon, that is

[angel_luv]

Of course the Lakers are losing the one night I want them to win. :loser

[ChumpDumper]

Man, if only they had gotten Marcus Banks in that trade....

[Solid D]

Wiz are doing their best choke job against the Lakers.

[Spurminator]

Last year Kobe takes that shot.

Very impressed with him this year.

[Solid D]

Clutch comeback and missed FTs by Washington sends it to OT.

[angel_luv]

I want league pass!

[angel_luv]

I get it for free cuz I live in SD. These announcers are beyond horrible though.


I yell enough at the t.v. to drown them out. :lol

[Solid D]

Arenas is sick good tonight. Dude is fillin' it. 58 and counting.

[jman3000]

Man, if only they had gotten Marcus Banks in that trade....
you would have thought marcus banks was the second coming of jesus the way laker fans hyped him up last year.

[Solid D]

Radmanovic with that beard and hairstyle looks so different. He looks like he could be a member of Hamas.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

Kobe trusts his teammates more, he bypassed shooting it himself in OT, I bet he looks at Arenas, "I used to be you once."

[jman3000]

shit.. 60?

damn ... 147 -141... nice old fashioned duel between kobe and arenas... wish i coulda seen the game.

[Solid D]

Nice duel between Arenas and Brian Cook. :lol

[Horry For 3!]

Arenas is very nice for my fantasy team :)

I was up 6-3, with his points, I won the week 7-2 :smokin

[PM5K]

That kid can really put the ball in the hole...

[PAWW]

Gil's the man! :clap :tu U gotta give him his props!

[MrChug]

Nice try...wait, no. Actually it was pretty lame.

[JamStone]

I would have thought that ballhogging chucker would have hit 100 pts in a game by now. There is no shot Gilbert Arenas won't take. He's like a mini-Antoine Walker.

[nkdlunch]

I would have thought that ballhogging chucker would have hit 100 pts in a game by now. There is no shot Gilbert Arenas won't take. He's like a mini-Antoine Walker.

No comparison. Arenas is clutch, Walker is a loser. the later in the game, the more Arenas' shooting % goes up. On the other hand, the later in the game, the uglier Walker's bricks get.

[jman3000]

I would have thought that ballhogging chucker would have hit 100 pts in a game by now. There is no shot Gilbert Arenas won't take. He's like a mini-Antoine Walker.

he may be a classic volume shooter, but he's still hitting a respectable 40% of his threes... which is pretty good considering he leads the league in attempts by a comfortable margin.

[nkdlunch]

No comparison. Arenas is clutch, Walker is a loser. the later in the game, the more Arenas' shooting % goes up. On the other hand, the later in the game, the uglier Walker's bricks get.

[jman3000]

No comparison. Arenas is clutch, Walker is a loser. the later in the game, the more Arenas' shooting % goes up. On the other hand, the later in the game, the uglier Walker's bricks get.
unless it's on the free throw line against the cavaliers in a crucial playoff game.

[nkdlunch]

unless it's on the free throw line against the cavaliers in a crucial playoff game.

Tim Duncan is clutch, doesn't mean he will make a free throw

[jman3000]

no argument that tim can be clutch ... but he's sometimes too inconsistent with it. too many times he's been shutdown down the stretch by some little known player though.

[JamStone]

Wasn't comparing Arenas' shooting percentage with Antoine Walker's. I was comparing the fact that they're both chuckers and both will take any shot available to them. Arenas is a better player. But, in the area of chucking shots in which there is not a shot either doesn't like, they are similar.

[jman3000]

"because there are no fours"

[Medvedenko]

Gil had a super game. He simply worked over my boys last night. Kobe had 5 fouls in the fourth and OT, so he couldn't play lock down D. We had a chance and probably shouldn't of been in OT to begin with. I'm glad VRad had a breakout game, we're going to need it going on the road for the next 6. I'll be happy with 3-3.

[jacobdrj]

Arenas as a better player right now, but I think all time, Walker will go down as the better player. Too bad that Walker never learned to control himself. He had the ability to make the most impossible shots, it was the 3 and 4 pointers he had a problem with.

Antwan Walker: Watching him is a guilty pleasure of mine.

[RonMexico]

Arenas as a better player right now, but I think all time, Walker will go down as the better player. Too bad that Walker never learned to control himself. He had the ability to make the most impossible shots, it was the 3 and 4 pointers he had a problem with.

Antwan Walker: Watching him is a guilty pleasure of mine.

You close that stupid argument by misspelling Antoine Walker's name, so this will be brief because you've made most of my point for me (which is: you're an idiot). Arenas will definitely go down as the better player overall. He already has much more positive publicity than Walker ever had. Walker has always had that "shoot-first and shoot poorly" type of guy, while Gilbert has this new "he's so quirky" thing going for him. Also, Arenas has this new "Hibatchi" nickname which beats anything Antoine might have ever had. Couple that with the fact that Arenas seems to be getting better every year and, at some point, has to become a little more like Kobe and start letting the game come to him rather than forcing the issue.

[RonMexico]

no argument that tim can be clutch ... but he's sometimes too inconsistent with it. too many times he's been shutdown down the stretch by some little known player though.

Well, at least you can find comfort in knowing that will never happen against the Suns. :dramaquee

[nkdlunch]

Arenas as a better player right now, but I think all time, Walker will go down as the better player. Too bad that Walker never learned to control himself. He had the ability to make the most impossible shots, it was the 3 and 4 pointers he had a problem with.

Antwan Walker: Watching him is a guilty pleasure of mine.

:lmao I hope you are not serious????

[Bob Lanier]

I would have thought that ballhogging chucker would have hit 100 pts in a game by now. There is no shot Gilbert Arenas won't take. He's like a mini-Antoine Walker.
I guess you're a fool.

[LakeShow]

The Fakers have had an easy schedule so far with all those home games. They're an above average team, at best.

EXACTLY! An above average team. So are the Spurs, Mavs, Suns, Jazz, Pistons, etc...There are no dominant teams in the NBA. All of them have their weaknesses that could be exploited in the playoffs.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

EXACTLY! An above average team. So are the Spurs, Mavs, Suns, Jazz, Pistons, etc...There are no dominant teams in the NBA. All of them have their weaknesses that could be exploited in the playoffs.
It's currently at the moment the Spurs and Mavs

...and then there's the rest

[LakeShow]

Lakers will lose a lot more games with Odom out. Plus they actually have to go on the road soon.

Sure they'll lose a few games but it's January. Who really cares about a Division Flag anyway?


Ehhh, if Odom gets healthy and starts where he left off and Kobe continues his new "team play" and Bynum and Walton and the other role players do their thing, they can make a little noise in the playoffs, probably a 2nd round exit if they can pull it off.

I'm still not sold on Smush Parker and Kwame Brown. Lakers are super soft in the middle, their PG spot (starting and backup) is weak, and their defense goes through dry periods. They're still a piece or two away from being legit, I think.

I personally would not have Smush here just because what he did in the playoffs against the Suns in game 7. He lost his confidence and choked badly. I would not have given him another chance to do that again but he's here, we have to make the best of it. Find his strengths and go with it. The Lakers did it with Fisher and Lue. Phil has experience in utilizing his players talents.

Kwame Brown? I like him alot. He has had some very dominanting games this season on defense and the offensive glass. He's not there yet in this early season but he will only get better. Phil is doing a great job with him. The same would go for Bynum. He's still raw but he has made great strides thus far. He too will only get better. They'll miss Odom because now they'll be asked to do more. I don't expect that to happen so they'll probably be .500 for Jan. No problem, it's plenty of time to excel.

[LakeShow]

It's currently at the moment the Spurs and Mavs

...and then there's the rest

Only in Texas! :lol

[LakeShow]

Lakeshow1, you make some decent points, but 2007 is a little early I think. Kwame and Bynum need another couple of years, and as you said, you need to find a PG.

I love Odom though. Wish he was a Spur.

I don't know, if Kobe and Lamar continue their stellar play together the others will be just role players. I think they can do that in 2007.

I think the Lakers will address that in the off season if it is a weakness this season and it'll be a guard with experience and talent. IMO

[LakeShow]

1. i think it is a little silly the way some of the posters here are dismissing the lakers cause they have played most of their games at home....they are pretty good

2. but, they are not good enough to get out of the west as long as the Spurs are healthy, so it really doesn't matter...if you think you are winning a title anytime soon, that is

I don't get that either. They're winning games they should be winning And they're winning games no one would have thought they should win. :rolleyes

Number 2, if you say so :rolleyes Just kidding but I am not convinced with the Spurs to put them on a pedestal.

[Nahtanoj]

A tough loss to Dallas followed up by a 2OT win over Houston and then having Arenas drop 60 on your head, with no Odom for a month and a bunch of road games coming up, only time will tell.

[mabber]

You close that stupid argument by misspelling Antoine Walker's name, so this will be brief because you've made most of my point for me (which is: you're an idiot). Arenas will definitely go down as the better player overall. He already has much more positive publicity than Walker ever had. Walker has always had that "shoot-first and shoot poorly" type of guy, while Gilbert has this new "he's so quirky" thing going for him. Also, Arenas has this new "Hibatchi" nickname which beats anything Antoine might have ever had. Couple that with the fact that Arenas seems to be getting better every year and, at some point, has to become a little more like Kobe and start letting the game come to him rather than forcing the issue.

I frequent a Miami Heat forum often and most of those guys think Walker is a joke. They badly want Heat mgmt to somehow get rid of him. They didn't even like him during their championship run last season.

Walker would be a decent player if he stopped shooting 3's. He lives for that little 3 pt shooting hot streak that he gets every 10th game or so. The problem is that he has to put his teammates thru the other 9 games of shooting a lot of 3's at a 28% clip.