I think it's safe to say Lakergod,the Sonics are way better than the Lakers.

[johnny00]

I'm calling you out Lakergod, what's your prediction for tonights game??? Let's hear the smack talk now, that goes the same for any other Laker troll out there. Or will you people only post when the Spurs lose?

How 'bout this prediction :
Sonics 110 Lakers BEOTCH SLAPPP!

[spursfaninla]

please, though I have myself made the mistake, dont feed the troll.

[ducks]

kobe 18 0 assist and losing by 20

[johnny00]

Keep me posted on the updates Ducks I have no access to that game except for Sportscenter highlights.

Thanks

[Guru of Nothing]

Ducks has an alias? ... with a grammar-checker, of course.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I must say Odom's doing a great job tonight matched up on Lewis.

:lol

[johnny00]

Sonics 108
Lakers 93


Helloooooo is anyone out there?

[Spurminator]

The Lakers haven't had a start this bad since...

2002.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

The Lakers haven't had a start this bad since...

2002.

They also don't have Shaq. Game over.

[Spurminator]

Better to be a Playoff, non Championship team with the financial flexibility to build for the future than a Playoff, non Championship team with Shaq taking up 70% of your payroll.

The Dynasty was over anyway. They kept one of their two drama queens and have a chance to be a Championship contender in the next three years, if they play their cards right.

[TheWriter]

Play their cards right.

With Kobe as their main guy, their "Jordan," they are fully screwed.

[Spurminator]

Then they can trade him.

If they had chosen to keep Shaq instead, and given him the raise he wanted, and he showed signs of aging... it wouldn't be so easy to get valuable players for him and his bloated contract that (maybe) only one or two other teams would be able (or willing) to pay.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

if they play their cards right.

I'm sorry, no matter how much LSD I drop, I can't figure out any way for Tim, KG, LeBron, Amare, Shaq, or Brand to end up on the Lakers.

Or are you telling me that given a little time to gel and mesh, the qaurtet of Kobe, Slava, Devean, and Mihm are good enough to win a ring?

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Why would anyone trade for Kobe? He's proving this year that he is not the kind of guy you can build a championship contender around, and you get the added baggage of the biggest primadonna in the league and his equally bitchy wife.

Who'd want to gut their team for that?

[Spurminator]

It's LA... It will always be a hot spot for talented players. I wouldn't be surprised if Baron Davis ended up there this year or next.

I don't think they'll actually WIN a title in the near future, but they can get back to the elite crop of teams. Kobe and Odom are a good start, and Butler has a lot of potential.

Everybody blames Kobe for wrecking the team, but do you really think Shaq wanted Kobe back if he stayed in LA? I highly doubt it. The Dynasty was dead anyway... I think they have better options keeping Kobe than Shaq.

[Spurminator]

I would say damn near every team in the league (except Miami) would trade for Kobe if they had the opportunity.

[Kaster]

Good posts Spurminator, you pretty much summed up the reason Shaq was moved. It's amazing really, Shaq was offered the best contract extension in the NBA (higher than KG took a year or two ago), yet he balked at it because he wanted $40M his last season (2010). What team would pay a 37 year old Shaq $40M? If he had just accepted the extension last year, he would probably have been a Laker. Though maybe he would have left if Phil Jackson wasn't retained, hard to know.