Tim Legler: Projector Room: How West Playoff Matchups Would Play Out

[batboy]

Can we expect this kind of useless article now every time the Lakers beat some middling team like Sacto? BTW does anyone have a single basketball memory of Tim Legler?
__________________________________________________ _______________

Here's a look at how the Western Conference playoffs would shape up, based on Monday's standings. Plenty of room for teams to move up and down here -- Phoenix elevated to No. 5 after these were written -- and we can expect changes in the projected pairings on almost a daily basis.

FIRST ROUND

No. 1. San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 8 Golden State Warriors The Spurs have too much discipline for the Warriors. San Antonio, as usual, is playing its best basketball as the playoffs approach and Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili have not played heavy minutes all season. They also have more depth than ever with the acquisitions of Kurt Thomas and Damon Stoudamire, plus the addition of Ime Udoka to the rotation. They will force the tempo to slow down and their half-court defense will force Golden State into an array of forced shots. (Spurs in 5)

No. 2 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks

The Lakers now have the most complete offensive team in basketball. As Sunday proved when Kobe Bryant lit up Dallas for 52 points, the Mavs have no answer for Bryant defensively now that Kobe has Pau Gasol's versatility for teams to deal with. If Andrew Bynum returns to the rotation in time for the playoffs, the Lakers size will dominate the Mavs front line. (Lakers In 6)

No. 3 New Orleans Hornets vs No. 6 Phoenix Suns

It is no fluke that the Hornets swept the Suns in four games this season. Chris Paul's eyes light up when he sees the Suns, especially now that Shaquille O'Neal and Amare Stoudemire are the primary pick-and-roll defenders to help Steve Nash try to keep Paul out of the lane.

The Suns have lost their ability to run teams off the floor and they miss Shawn Marion's rebounding, athleticism and defense more than they ever imagined. (Hornets in 6)

No. 4 Utah Jazz vs No. 5 Houston Rockets

This would be very competitive series, despite Yao Ming's absence. The Jazz are 26-3 at home and that will mean a lot in this series. Deron Williams took it to another level in the postseason last spring and is poised for another run.

Houston defends (fourth in points allowed), takes care of the ball (fourth fewest turnovers), and rebounds (second overall), but Tracy McGrady will need more scoring help than this team can provide. (Jazz in 7)

SECOND ROUND

San Antonio vs. Utah Jazz

A rematch of the West finals from a year ago, these teams are mirror images of each other. They both have outstanding point guards in Parker and Deron Williams, dominant big men in Tim Duncan and Carlos Boozer, and a deep complement of role players and shooters. The difference in the series would be Ginobili. He has returned to the form that made him a legit Finals MVP candidate in 2005 and gives the Spurs the additional playmaker down the stretch that Utah lacks. (Spurs in 6)

Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Hornets

This is all about matchups. The Lakers' ability to negate the size up front of Tyson Chandler and David West with Bynum and Gasol takes away a big part of the Hornets' advantage. The one thing the Hornets lack is a big, athletic wing defender to use on Bryant.

He will put up big numbers.Paul is special but at least the Lakers have two solid defenders in Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar to chase Paul around all night. Finally, the biggest problem for N.O. Will be Lamar Odom in the post and off the dribble against Peja Stojakovic. Hornets aren't quite ready for this kind of leap. (Lakers in 6)

WEST FINALS

San Antonio vs. Los Angeles Lakers

It is awfully difficult to pick against the Spurs with a Finals appearance on the line, but it's Kobe's year in the West. For much of the same reasons that they match up well with the Hornets, the Lakers have an answer at every position to combat the Spurs' balance offensively.

Ultimately, it will hinge on which team makes plays down the stretch and Kobe Bryant is unmatched in crunch-time situations. Gasol's addition was the piece that put the Lakers over the top. Duncan won't be able to rest against the likes of Kwame Brown or Chris Mihm. He will have to work. As will Ginobili against Kobe. The Lakers finally break through without Shaq, and Phil Jackson gets a shot at his tenth ring. (Lakers in 7)

[TDMVPDPOY]

lakers in 7 over the spurs?


hahahahaha

[johngateswhiteley]

seems a lot of pundits see it that way. i, on the other hand, like the Spurs in 6 against la.

[Xolotl]

"Duncan won't be able to rest against the likes of Kwame Brown or Chris Mihm."

I was going to rant about that statement....but just look at it. How the hell is Duncan gonna be defended by Kwame Brown? And, if by some "miracle" Kwame comes back to the Lakers I'd be more worried Tim would trip on his own shoelaces than Kwame's defense

[johngateswhiteley]

"Duncan won't be able to rest against the likes of Kwame Brown or Chris Mihm."

I was going to rant about that statement....but just look at it. How the hell is Duncan gonna be defended by Kwame Brown? And, if by some "miracle" Kwame comes back to the Lakers I'd be more worried Tim would trip on his own shoelaces than Kwame's defense

i believe he is saying they won't be there, meaning they were traded away. no?

[Xolotl]

i believe he is saying they won't be there, meaning they were traded away. no?

Yeah you're correct I misread the statement I guess my distaste for Tim Legler got the best of me....Still not worried about Gasol's defense so I stand by the shoelace statement lol

[J.T.]

It's more like, the only Laker the Spurs have no answer for is Kobe... they have answers for every single other one of the Lakers scrub players, who will be well defended by the Spurs. And yeah, Andrew Bynum has made big strides this season, but to say he would best Tim Duncan in a playoff series? Seriously? Our center rotation is the strongest it's been since #50 retired. Please, ESPN and Friends, keep thinking Kobe and 4 dudes he picked up at the Y can beat the Spurs the same way you thought Lebron and his Fave Four could last June. I need those summertime lulz so bad.

Remember, Shawn Marion was money for the Suns against pretty much anyone except the Spurs. The Spurs consistently eliminated him from the equation in the playoffs. Boobie Gibson got a shit ton of press before the Finals because he lifted the Cavs into the Finals. Did anyone give a shit about him two weeks later?

I know the Lakers are neck and neck with us but they can and will be beaten.

[Obstructed_View]

Kobe Bryant is unmatched in crunch-time situations.
:lol

[Texas_Ranger]

Here's another prediction:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds

[remingtonbo2001]

It's more like, the only Laker the Spurs have no answer for is Kobe...


BRUCE!?!

Has everyone missed the past 7-8 meetings?

:pctoss

[batboy]

BRUCE!?!

Has everyone missed the past 7-8 meetings?

:pctoss

In all fairness, we haven't seen Kobe in the playoffs since 0.4

[urunobili]

Gasol and Bynum > Duncan + Thomas? i am not sure... kobe as a stopper... who's gonna stop TP form their end?

Premature article

[Allanon]

In the past, the Lakers had no help in the middle, so if Kobe got past Bruce, Fab or Duncan were free to leave Kwame to help out.

Now Duncan/Fab would have to make a choice on leaving Pau and Bynum to help on Kobe.

The other problem is now the Spurs must keep Manu or Bowen on the bench for longer periods of time because Manu must guard either Kobe or Lamar Odom.

[xtremesteven33]

The Last persons predictions i trust would be Tim Legler........
Last year he said this....

"Im tired of hearing everyone say that the Golden State Warriors are gonna beat the Mavericks in a 7 game series....its not gonna happen, not a chance, its a ridiculous thought...."

These guys get paid to make comments and analyze but yet theyre so wrong all the time.....


SPURS vs CELTICS....

[2Cleva]

Premature article indeed until Bynum gets back.

Still surprising because Legler will always be a Laker hater.

[Jimcs50]

:sleep


This is absurd to be making this prediction right now. Phoenix will probably move up, Houston will move down, so who knows what it will look like in 2 months?

LA will probably be the #1 seed, as their schedule is so much easier than ours, but even that is meaningless, because there could be injuries and such that will totally jumble up the standings.

Why do people waste our time with this crap two months before the season ends???

[SAGambler]

Here's another prediction:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds

I suppose it's good it isn't left to a computer to arrive at the Final answer.

But how does this work. Boston and Detroit. Boston is given a larger chance to win the division, win the #1 seed in the East, but Detroit is given a larger chance to win it all. ????????

[Rummpd]

he is an idiot if he thinks LA could push SAS at full strength to 7 games. Spurs defense will smother Kobe and the rest and the Spurs will score with impunity inside. Gasol is soft and Brown was LA's best big defender one on one. Hollinger does not factor in the fact LAL cannot play defense like Spurs.

[easjer]

All the Hollinger article proves is that the man doesn't watch basketball games. He's so in love with his dumb stats, to the detriment of realizing that some things are not trackable statistics. He annoys.

I don't mind people projecting and picking, but it's dumb, because I do not think the current lineup is indicative of the final lineup (ie, I truly do not believe Houston is going to make the playoffs). So it's all a bunch of hot air and self importance.

And you can't base it on anything other than gut, as we see, because we don't know how the new Lakers match up against the new Spurs and if Bynum will return healthy. Big factors.

[remingtonbo2001]

In the past, the Lakers had no help in the middle, so if Kobe got past Bruce, Fab or Duncan were free to leave Kwame to help out.

Now Duncan/Fab would have to make a choice on leaving Pau and Bynum to help on Kobe.

The other problem is now the Spurs must keep Manu or Bowen on the bench for longer periods of time because Manu must guard either Kobe or Lamar Odom.

Manu on Odom will be interesting. But don't forget Manu could just as easily get Odom in foul trouble. I would definitely say Manu is more agressive of the two.

That being said, I'm not sure what the Spurs will do on defense.
Good point.

I think that's the LA's best matchup to take advantage of.

[Rummpd]

Posted on comments on article on ESPN - as usual Legler doesNOT have the stones to post his own email.

Legler picks against the Spurs every year. Suns, Denver etc. Adding Gasol instead of Brown takes away the best big defender on LA and while Bynum and Gasol block shots they are both out of positon a lot.

Meanwhile Duncan is simply put the most under-rated big game defender of all time as his 9 blocks to close out the Suns last year was just one example and Kurt Thomas/Horry will have a field day hitting shots and keeping Gasol out of the lane. All these easy baskets Gasol getting vs. soft defensive teams will go away and Spurs have lots of players to put on him defensively.

Spurs have a great trio to control Kobe in Bowen, Udoka and Manu and Parker and Duncan will score with impunity against LA.

LA might steal a game or two but no way they beat the Spurs. The gap between Spurs and rest of league (except perhaps Detroit) is Much greater than the "four letter" network will admit. They are drooling for an LAL and Boston final and it just will not happen (at least this year, and next year the Spurs get even stronger inside adding Tiago Splitter).

By the way the real MVP every friggin year in the NBA is Duncan for what he does on both sides of ball but the fact he is not even in conversation with a 20/11/2 year is sublime.

You start a team with Duncan over Kobe, James, Paul or any of the wannabees. Duncan still the man in the NBA.

[polandprzem]

Wow, spurs fans are so cocky.

Anyone that is not mentioning spurs as the 2008 champs are dipshits, and does not know basketball.

Sheesh

[Mr. Body]

Wow, spurs fans are so cocky.

Anyone that is not mentioning spurs as the 2008 champs are dipshits, and does not know basketball.

Sheesh

You should take a look at Lakers fans recently. It's like they're going to sweep the decade to come.

[ancestron]

If the Spurs get to the conference finals, whoever they face is toast. Plain and simple.

[oboymeetsogirl]

I agree. Legler is one of many sportswriters who pick against the Spurs every year. Guys like that just can never believe the Spurs are good enough -- not enough flash, no dominant superstar, etc. They just don't get it. The Spurs are usually better precisely because they're not like that. They play like a well oiled machine in which all parts, top to bottom, are essential. Sure, they're built around one main part, but as we all know the performance of everyone around Timmy is what breaks or makes the Spurs. And if Manu or Tony don't quite have it one night, guys like Fin and Bruce, Barry and Horry seem to step up.

Anyhow, the proof is in the pudding. Personally, I can't see anyone on the current Lakers squad giving Timmy too much trouble, offensively or defensively. As usual, he will terrorize the interior and Tony will roam around at will, freeing up the three point shooters and giving Manu the room to do his unexpected things. Down the stretch, Kobe will try to "take over," but find it's a lot harder to do it against a team who gives helping "team D" more than lip service, unlike virtually the rest of the NBA.

When Shaq was in his prime, the Spurs and Lakers battled with pretty much even results. Shaq in his prime was arguably the most dominant player ever to play the game (Jordan, Wilt and Timmy included). Do the Lakers currently have a big man in Shaq's league? I don't think so. However, the Spurs are not only intact, they are improved (better outside shooters, more experience playing together, etc.), and just reaching their prime.

Ergo: Spurs in 6. Bank on it.

[VaSpursFan]

legler's predictions are worthless at this juncture because things will change. he's just talking to hear himself talk.

[Leetonidas]

I don't think the Spurs have any kind of disadvantage versus the Lakers.

Tony Parker made Fisher his bitch versus Utah last year, and the Lakers have no one that can guard Manu. Ariza? Please.

With Bynum coming back, they are more formidable, yes, but look at it this way.

As far as Gasol and Bynum are concerned, this is a good series to have KT starting. Thomas would probably be forced to take Bynum because Gasol is quicker, and KT can play one on one versus Bynum in the low block. Timmy will be on Gasol and he can get help with the double team out on the perimeter or outside of the block but Tim can take him inside.

Also, with the addition of Udoka, the Spurs can throw Bruce and Ime at Kobe.

I really think the Spurs have the advantage here. Outside of Kobe, Phil, and Fisher, the Spurs have way more playoff experience.

[ambchang]

Here's another prediction:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds

One thing I never got with the Hollinger playoff odds is this. Earlier in the year, there were about 4 or 5 teams in the west that has a playoff probability of 100%, which means that no matter what happens in the rest of the season, they will make the playoffs. So why is there only ONE team with a 100% odds now? And why is it 100%? The only way a team can be 100% making the playoffs is when said team clinched a playoff spot.

I can understand how a team can have, say a 99.4% chance earlier in the year, but has now dropped to 91%, because there was a 0.6% chance they won't make the playoffs earlier in the year, but now, due to changing circumstances, has increased to 9%. But that can't work with a 100% figure.

[polandprzem]

You should take a look at Lakers fans recently. It's like they're going to sweep the decade to come.

I thought spursfans were better quality.


I experienced LA fans :)
They came out of sewers and talk shit. What's new?
The yellow pleague

[703 Spurz]

Again why the hell look at an expert opinion? The Spurs will determine what happens, not an analyst

[Rummpd]

The problem is Legler - he has always been anti-Spur and wake me when he ever won anything or made a right prediction. He may be the absolute worst ESPN analyst with his biased views.

Bottom line I will put my money goiing forward on Duncan, Manu, Parker, Bowen and the combination of experience and championships of the Spurs, vs. any team out there and only the Pistons I believe could take this years Spurs team when healthy to 7 games. Look at the Spurs record when healthy they have only a handful of losses and are gelling AGAIN at the right time.

Jazz, Hornets and Rockets have at times been just as hot as the Lakers who get the 4 letter networks attention all the time and Mavs still a tough out and Suns still have talent.

The West is tough but no one enters more prepared or better to win it then the Spurs who improved with Thomas and Stoudamire a lot more than the biased media will give a nod to, and this years Spurs team seems like it is on a mission defensively. Then if Barry comes back healthy the Spurs are stacked in outside shooters and Duncan will eat the LA front line alive when he is motivated (and he will be).

Re LA they will be a force for awhile but don't go overboard on their train yet and next year the Spurs add Tiago Splitter and probably others. Nothing is guaranteed but I like the Spurs chances not only this year but at least 2-3 years going forward.

[phxspurfan]

I see Dallas as the main threat in the West that can dethrone the Spurs. In the east, of course it's Detroit. The other teams are less experienced and don't really believe they can beat us yet.

[DazedAndConfused]

Rebounds, rebounds, rebounds. This is the one key advantage the Lakers will have over the Spurs that nobody has yet mentioned. It's going to be very hard for the Spurs to get any 2nd chance opportunities when you have Gasol, Odom, and Bynum on the floor together.

[smeagol]

Rebounds, rebounds, rebounds. This is the one key advantage the Lakers will have over the Spurs that nobody has yet mentioned. It's going to be very hard for the Spurs to get any 2nd chance opportunities when you have Gasol, Odom, and Bynum on the floor together.
Kurt

[WildcardManu]

Rebounds, rebounds, rebounds. This is the one key advantage the Lakers will have over the Spurs that nobody has yet mentioned. It's going to be very hard for the Spurs to get any 2nd chance opportunities when you have Gasol, Odom, and Bynum on the floor together.

Kurt, Duncan

Rebounds Rebounds Rebounds

there, said it.

[hater]

I would say this prediction is as good as any. except Tim Legler sucks. so this prediciton sucks.

[dbreiden83080]

Right off the bat i don't see the Hornets beating the Suns in a 7 game series. Suns have taken a step back from last year but the Hornets are so young and inexperienced. I would not put my money on them beating an experienced playoff team like the Suns in a 7 game playoff series, just because they are getting it done in the reg season. I think it is important for the Spurs to get the 1 seed. I want to see just how good the Lakers are. Can they get through both the Mavs and Suns before they see us?? Our road right now would be the Warriors and Jazz. Gotta like both those matchups for us although Utah will be tough.

[barbacoataco]

In the games that I've seen the Lakers play--- in 4th quarter crunch time, Kobe starts jacking up contested 3-ptrs and forgetting team basketball. That has been the Lakers story since Shaq left, and it still is the story.

Also, there is a reason that Gasol has never performed well under pressure. His main move to the basket is only effective against weaker opponents who are giving him a little space, and a determined defender can keep him out of position. I seem to remember Oberto having some success against Gasol in the past.

On the other hand, there are reasons to consider the Lakers a serious contender. In my mind the #1 would be Phil Jackson. Say what you want, but the guy has 9 rings. Compared to D'Antoni, Flip Saunders, Adelman, and other coaches who have never proved they can lead a team to a championship, Jackson can not be dismissed. One of the other Lakers strengths is that they do have good depth and bench player, which is one thing Phoenix always lacked.

[Supreme_Being]

Tim Legler's a dufus.

[DazedAndConfused]

Kurt, Duncan

Rebounds Rebounds Rebounds

there, said it.

Kurt Thomas is not a better rebounder than Bynum, Gasol, or even Odom.

[DazedAndConfused]

In the games that I've seen the Lakers play--- in 4th quarter crunch time, Kobe starts jacking up contested 3-ptrs and forgetting team basketball. That has been the Lakers story since Shaq left, and it still is the story.

Also, there is a reason that Gasol has never performed well under pressure. His main move to the basket is only effective against weaker opponents who are giving him a little space, and a determined defender can keep him out of position. I seem to remember Oberto having some success against Gasol in the past.

On the other hand, there are reasons to consider the Lakers a serious contender. In my mind the #1 would be Phil Jackson. Say what you want, but the guy has 9 rings. Compared to D'Antoni, Flip Saunders, Adelman, and other coaches who have never proved they can lead a team to a championship, Jackson can not be dismissed. One of the other Lakers strengths is that they do have good depth and bench player, which is one thing Phoenix always lacked.

Jacking up contested 3pt shots? What games were you watching? Try breaking down defenses, driving to the hoop, and getting foul shots. If the other team cannot stop Kobe why go to anything else in the clutch.

[oboymeetsogirl]

I agree that Phil Jackson and Kobe are the two major factors, should the Lakers survive to meet the Spurs in the playoffs. But because they're a more cohesive, Spurs-like squad, I actually fear the Jazz more in the playoffs. I hope they make it, because the Williams/Boozer tandem against the Duncan/Ginobli/Parker trio make for an exciting match.

The Mavs and the Suns? Can't help but think that changing major pieces in the middle of the season won't give them enough time to come together as a squad to beat the Spurs. They can, however, give the Lakers a lot of trouble, since the Lakers' major parts (aside from Kobe) are also fairly new to each other (let's put it this way: they haven't been playing together for four, five years like the Spurs' core).

So if the Spurs and the Lakers are #1 and #2 seeds respectively, I'm wondering if the Lakers will even survive to face the Spurs in the WC finals. I wouldn't put it past Shaq to do a number on his old team despite his creaking legs; and Jason Kidd is capable of almost anything, especially with last year's MVP cranking it up (Nowitzki may have choked last year, but I think he's good enough to get beyond that and come back better than ever).

[barbacoataco]

Well I had the recent loss to the Trailblazers in mind. In that game the lakers had a chance to win, and Kobe and Fisher took a series of terrible, missed 3-pt attempts towards the end. The Lakers lost.

[pad300]

Kurt Thomas is not a better rebounder than Bynum, Gasol, or even Odom.


ORLY?

82games.com is your friend

Rebounding Rating
KT (with Spurs, small sample) 42.6
KT (With Sonics) 33.3

Odom 26.1
Bynum 34.3
Gasol (with Lakers) 22.8
Gasol (with Griz) 24.2

Might want to pull your head out of your ass their, lakers fan....Bynum can hang, but neither Odom or Gasol is nearly as strong a rebounder as KT.

PS.

Duncan 35.4

[jag]

Is it really that far fetched to say that the Lakers could take the Spurs in 7???

I think not.

[oboymeetsogirl]

This will all be academic if the Lakers don't get past a Shaq/Suns team looking for revenge, or a future hall-of-fame driven Kidd-Nowitzki/Mavs team looking for redemption. Just getting to the WC finals won't be a cakewalk, for neither the Lakers nor the Spurs. But in the final analysis, the Spurs have more players with experience getting through this grind. So we'll see...

[DazedAndConfused]

ORLY?

82games.com is your friend

Rebounding Rating
KT (with Spurs, small sample) 42.6
KT (With Sonics) 33.3

Odom 26.1
Bynum 34.3
Gasol (with Lakers) 22.8
Gasol (with Griz) 24.2

Might want to pull your head out of your ass their, lakers fan....Bynum can hang, but neither Odom or Gasol is nearly as strong a rebounder as KT.

PS.

Duncan 35.4

I was going by the rpg statistics from NBA.com. Bynum, Odom, and Gasol all average more rpg than Kurt Thomas this season.

[DazedAndConfused]

Let's be real here, Kurt Thomas will not be much of a factor at all. He's good for 6 hard fouls and that's it. I've watched him play since he came to SAS, he looks old/slow/and flat out lost on the court. On offense he won't give you much of anything either.

[honestfool84]

Here's another prediction:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds


the fact that the lakers have a 21.3% to win it all, while the spurs have only a 7.6% chance of wining..

that really infurriates me.
i know ESPN's headquarters are in los angeles, but seriously!
ESPN should get their heads out of kobe's ass and realize the that team to beat is san antonio; NOTICE ALL THE *choice explicit here* TRADES THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON?!


"People in the West are getting stronger because of the Spurs,'' Kevin Garnett


we should all burn down ESPN's buildings..
:lol

:lol

[Obstructed_View]

The biggest concern for the Spurs is the guy sitting on the padded throne on the sideline. He's traditionally outcoached Pop in playoff matchups, the last time embarassingly so. Lamar Odom is a matchup problem, but he doesn't consistently make good decisions. Kobe is a scoring machine, but Bruce has historically done a good job of keeping him to a low percentage without giving him a lot of free throws. Pau Gasol is an excellent finisher at the rim and a terrific rebounder, but he's soft and can't play defense. Derek Fisher doesn't particularly concern me, and Bynum had better do more than run in the pool pretty soon if he's going to have a chance of being a factor in the playoffs. Contrary to the fantastical rhetoric of many Laker fans, there's not really anyone on the Lakers the Spurs would have to consistently double team. The Lakers would almost certainly have Kobe handling the ball most of the time in order to keep the Spurs from denying him the ball. That pretty much eliminates their team game and wears out Kobe, particularly if Udoka shows any ability whatsoever to cover him.

The Spurs would of course need to be playing good basketball to have a chance to beat any of the western playoff teams, but I don't see the Lakers having any matchups that give them a huge advantage. If both teams are healthy and playing their game, I like the Spurs' chances.

[BonnerDynasty]

Let's be real here, Kurt Thomas will not be much of a factor at all. He's good for 6 hard fouls and that's it. I've watched him play since he came to SAS, he looks old/slow/and flat out lost on the court. On offense he won't give you much of anything either.

I disagree. Everything after this year does not matter. Simple as that. Winning this year means everything to this dynasty run. Everything. You will see a Spurs team with nothing to lose and K Thomas will PRODUCE.

Shit. Oberto should be able to punish Gasol on the offensive side.

[Obstructed_View]

Let's be real here, Kurt Thomas will not be much of a factor at all. He's good for 6 hard fouls and that's it. I've watched him play since he came to SAS, he looks old/slow/and flat out lost on the court. On offense he won't give you much of anything either.
He's been averaging about 15 minutes a game and grabbing seven boards in that time. I'm not sure how that isn't impressive to you, but oh well. We'll revisit this topic in a couple of weeks when he's had some time with the team to actually know where he's supposed to be. Considering he replaced a guy that wasn't likely to even make the playoff rotation and is already starting, he can't really be anything but an improvement. Since he's a really good post defender, you can pretty much put him on either Bynum or Gasol and just forget about them.

[Findog]

:sleep


This is absurd to be making this prediction right now. Phoenix will probably move up, Houston will move down, so who knows what it will look like in 2 months?

Actually Phoenix has a brutal schedule to end the season. They have to step up their play dramatically to move up in the standings.

[oboymeetsogirl]

Hollinger's 21.3% odds of the Lakers going all the way on espn.com are based upon regular season computations, so I wouldn't sweat it. The Lakers are playing great this year -- let's give them credit. So were the Mavs and the Suns last year and the two years before. Meanwhile, the Spurs have always labored slightly behind during the regular season -- Pop tinkering with lineups and resting up his main cogs. But guess what team usually comes out on top?

Jackson is a terrific bench coach, and both Jackson and Pop know how to guide a team around a franchise player. But when it comes to pacing his team and getting them to peak at the right time, in recent years Pop has been leaving Jackson in the dust.

Bottom line: giving odds based upon regular season performance obviously means nothing when it comes to the playoffs. If it did, it would be either the Mavs, the Suns or the Pistons winning three of the last five titles, not the Spurs.

[hater]

Let's be real here, Kurt Thomas will not be much of a factor at all. He's good for 6 hard fouls and that's it. I've watched him play since he came to SAS, he looks old/slow/and flat out lost on the court. On offense he won't give you much of anything either.

u must be new to NBA. Kurt Thomas was the key piece last series Suns vs. Spurs.

He could be key too vs. big man like Gasol/Bynum.

educate yourself before speaking

[crc21209]

Having these predictions at this time of year is stupid the West is too close too even predict anything at this point, we still have a month and change in the season remaining.

[Princess Pimp]

Can we expect this kind of useless article now every time the Lakers beat some middling team like Sacto? BTW does anyone have a single basketball memory of Tim Legler?
__________________________________________________ _______________

Here's a look at how the Western Conference playoffs would shape up, based on Monday's standings. Plenty of room for teams to move up and down here -- Phoenix elevated to No. 5 after these were written -- and we can expect changes in the projected pairings on almost a daily basis.

FIRST ROUND

No. 1. San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 8 Golden State Warriors The Spurs have too much discipline for the Warriors. San Antonio, as usual, is playing its best basketball as the playoffs approach and Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili have not played heavy minutes all season. They also have more depth than ever with the acquisitions of Kurt Thomas and Damon Stoudamire, plus the addition of Ime Udoka to the rotation. They will force the tempo to slow down and their half-court defense will force Golden State into an array of forced shots. (Spurs in 5)

No. 2 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks

The Lakers now have the most complete offensive team in basketball. As Sunday proved when Kobe Bryant lit up Dallas for 52 points, the Mavs have no answer for Bryant defensively now that Kobe has Pau Gasol's versatility for teams to deal with. If Andrew Bynum returns to the rotation in time for the playoffs, the Lakers size will dominate the Mavs front line. (Lakers In 6)

No. 3 New Orleans Hornets vs No. 6 Phoenix Suns

It is no fluke that the Hornets swept the Suns in four games this season. Chris Paul's eyes light up when he sees the Suns, especially now that Shaquille O'Neal and Amare Stoudemire are the primary pick-and-roll defenders to help Steve Nash try to keep Paul out of the lane.

The Suns have lost their ability to run teams off the floor and they miss Shawn Marion's rebounding, athleticism and defense more than they ever imagined. (Hornets in 6)

No. 4 Utah Jazz vs No. 5 Houston Rockets

This would be very competitive series, despite Yao Ming's absence. The Jazz are 26-3 at home and that will mean a lot in this series. Deron Williams took it to another level in the postseason last spring and is poised for another run.

Houston defends (fourth in points allowed), takes care of the ball (fourth fewest turnovers), and rebounds (second overall), but Tracy McGrady will need more scoring help than this team can provide. (Jazz in 7)

SECOND ROUND

San Antonio vs. Utah Jazz

A rematch of the West finals from a year ago, these teams are mirror images of each other. They both have outstanding point guards in Parker and Deron Williams, dominant big men in Tim Duncan and Carlos Boozer, and a deep complement of role players and shooters. The difference in the series would be Ginobili. He has returned to the form that made him a legit Finals MVP candidate in 2005 and gives the Spurs the additional playmaker down the stretch that Utah lacks. (Spurs in 6)

Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Hornets

This is all about matchups. The Lakers' ability to negate the size up front of Tyson Chandler and David West with Bynum and Gasol takes away a big part of the Hornets' advantage. The one thing the Hornets lack is a big, athletic wing defender to use on Bryant.

He will put up big numbers.Paul is special but at least the Lakers have two solid defenders in Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar to chase Paul around all night. Finally, the biggest problem for N.O. Will be Lamar Odom in the post and off the dribble against Peja Stojakovic. Hornets aren't quite ready for this kind of leap. (Lakers in 6)

WEST FINALS

San Antonio vs. Los Angeles Lakers

It is awfully difficult to pick against the Spurs with a Finals appearance on the line, but it's Kobe's year in the West. For much of the same reasons that they match up well with the Hornets, the Lakers have an answer at every position to combat the Spurs' balance offensively.

Ultimately, it will hinge on which team makes plays down the stretch and Kobe Bryant is unmatched in crunch-time situations. Gasol's addition was the piece that put the Lakers over the top. Duncan won't be able to rest against the likes of Kwame Brown or Chris Mihm. He will have to work. As will Ginobili against Kobe. The Lakers finally break through without Shaq, and Phil Jackson gets a shot at his tenth ring. (Lakers in 7)

Lakers would sweep the Spurs

[smeagol]

Lakers would sweep the Spurs
And the Suns are fishing after the first round . . .

[DazedAndConfused]

u must be new to NBA. Kurt Thomas was the key piece last series Suns vs. Spurs.

He could be key too vs. big man like Gasol/Bynum.

educate yourself before speaking

Damn you better get yourself a time machine then because Kurt Thomas has not looked very impressive at all this year. Bynum has done extremely well against Thomas in their head-to-head matchups over the years, Bynum's length and height make it a difficult matchup for him. Like I said he will be good for 6 hard fouls and that's it, just another big body to throw at the Lakers to keep Duncan out of foul trouble.

[oboymeetsogirl]

Like I said, Lakers would be foolish to look past the Mavs. The Mavs may have no defensive answer for Kobe, but do the Lakers have an answer for Dirk? And we all know how devastating Kidd can be, dishing out to shooters, which the Mavs have in spades. If Avery gets his shit together and lets his guys play, I predict a blood battle if the Mavs meet the Lakers in the first round. And face it: as an ex-Spur, Avery knows how to put together a team D plan to stop a Kobe. That last Mav/Laker game was not exactly an indication of it.

But if the Lakers do make it past the Mavs, I don't think of the young, energetic Hornets as being pushovers either. Unlike the Spurs with their playoff experience, savvy and mentality, the Lakers need to rely on their physical strengths and raw talents. In other words, going right up against the Hornets' strengths.

Good luck, Laker fans!

[cash459]

Damn you better get yourself a time machine then because Kurt Thomas has not looked very impressive at all this year. Bynum has done extremely well against Thomas in their head-to-head matchups over the years, Bynum's length and height make it a difficult matchup for him. Like I said he will be good for 6 hard fouls and that's it, just another big body to throw at the Lakers to keep Duncan out of foul trouble.

maybe the old bynum, NOBODY has seen how he is going to play when he comes back, let alone play in a pressure packed playoff series.....so let the season play out before we start crowning ANYONE around here.

This article was to stir up controversy, which it did, and its pointless. there are 20+ games left to play and ANYTHING can happen btwn now & then.....

Giving this stupid article from a no name ex-player is worthless.... :drunk

i wish i hadnt wasted my time reading it....... :bang

[barbacoataco]

Every series in the West will have the potential for an upset. No one is even talking about Golden State, but they are only a few games behind the Spurs, and have been playing very well lately. If they are the 8 seed in the West, they will not roll over and die against the Lakers, Spurs or any team.

[Manudona]

I've watched him play since he came to SAS, he looks old/slow/and flat out lost on the court. On offense he won't give you much of anything either.

old and slow you say?. Perfect for Spurs Regular Season Basketball of late, wouldn't you agree?

[Obstructed_View]

Damn you better get yourself a time machine then because Kurt Thomas has not looked very impressive at all this year. Bynum has done extremely well against Thomas in their head-to-head matchups over the years, Bynum's length and height make it a difficult matchup for him. Like I said he will be good for 6 hard fouls and that's it, just another big body to throw at the Lakers to keep Duncan out of foul trouble.
You must not have ever watched Kurt Thomas because I don't remember the last time he "looked very impressive", nor has he just been six fouls to anyone, even when he had a coach that doesn't understand or appreciate defense. However, another big body to keep Timmy out of foul trouble is exactly what the Spurs want most. That he can actually play defense, rebound and hit jumpers is a bonus.

"Over the years"? Bynum's been starting for a year, and he's certainly not a better post player than Duncan is. Since Thomas played Duncan pretty well in the playoffs I like the addition. Since Thomas' team eliminated the Lakers and Bynum didn't exactly go off in that series I'll again take my chances.

Lakers fans are really whistling past the graveyard. Does the false bravado make it less scary? Better get it all out of your system before the playoffs roll around.

[mavsfan1000]

I also can't stand Legler. Who is Legler anyway? A WNBA player? lol

[oboymeetsogirl]

Agreed about the Warriors, Barbacoataco. It's stupid to overlook them. But in the past the Spurs have shown a good handle of them. Their strengths (running and gunning) seem to run right up against the Spurs' strengths (solid D and offensive rebounding), and so they don't have much luck in San Antonio. The question is, would teams like the Mavs (again), the Lakers, Suns or Rockets be able to nullify Golden State's game like the Spurs usually do?

Most definitely: Nellie's Warriors have huge potential to spoil somebody's party plans this year. Should be fun to watch...

[Obstructed_View]

I also can't stand Legler. Who is Legler anyway? A WNBA player? lol
Close.

http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/img/05-06/0530legler.jpg

[jman3000]

I'd assume both Tony Parker and Tim Duncan would both take massive shits on the Lakers' defense. I know Bynum has given Timmy trouble in the past with his length and athleticism... but seriously folks... this is Timmy D in the playoffs. Lamar Odom will not play consistent enough over a 7 game series to really make a difference, and he will most likely have about 2 good games accompanied by 4 shitty ones. Gasol is another piece that a physical defense can impede. A few hard fouls and he'll digress into a 18 foot jump shooting big man... which isn't too far a stray from what he is now.

Spurs in 6... tops. I see us splitting the first 4... then after all the adjustments have been made we sweep the final 2 games.

[Kobulingam]

Bynum won't be a factor this playoffs. His knee still has major swelling.

Gasol will be beaten up and tired when Lakers face Spurs. Duncan will drop a huge load on Gasol.

[K-State Spur]

Analysts will often pick a team in 7 games because they think it will be a tight series.

However, in Legler's example, the Spurs have homecourt. Not many - including Legler himself - would pick against the Spurs in a Game 7 at the AT&T Center.

It's the difference between picking a series as a whole beforehand vs. recognizing that the series truly is a set of individual games.

[DDS4]

Having these predictions at this time of year is stupid the West is too close too even predict anything at this point, we still have a month and change in the season remaining.

Especially when #1 and #8 are separated by 5 games. The article is pointless.

[oboymeetsogirl]

Very astute, jman3000. I added on another thread: if Bryant gets hot, we can double up and make things hard on him, because there's a less than 50% chance that his team mates are able to beat us. However, if Manu gets hot, it's suicide for the Lakers to double up on him; not with Timmy and Tony on the floor, or anyone of our three point specialists (besides Bruce, Fin and Big Shot Bob, now also Udoka and that new guy named Brent) waiting on the wings.

Lots of Spurs fans are now saying Manu is the Spurs' MVP. The team is built around Timmy, but let's call a stud a stud: Manu is playing with as much inspiration this year as anyone, including the presumptive MVPs (Kobe or LeBron).

Last year Tony drove us to the playoffs, but this year it looks like Manu has the wheel. Take it, dude!

[inconvertible]

kobe unmathced in clutch time.........what happened to ginobili...hahahahahaha!.

[DazedAndConfused]

Yes Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Derek Fisher will forget how to play basketball when they play the Spurs because they are weak pussies in the playoffs.

All this talk right now is stupid. When Bynum and Ariza get back you are going to be looking at a much different team than what you see out there right now.

[oboymeetsogirl]

Agreed, DazedAndConfused. The difficulties will the fact that Bynum and Ariza are relatively young and that it takes time to get your rhythm back, especially in sync with the rest of the team. Right now, the Spurs are working to get Kurt Thomas in sync; but the big advantage for the Spurs is that the core part of their squad have already played together during three other championship runs. Basketball being a team sport, our teamwork may very well trump your raw talent and size.

But kudos to your team because you're having an outstanding year that no one (especially Kobe) even expected. I hope you do well, but not at the Spurs' expense!

[Findog]

There's no such thing as a Duncan Stopper or a Kobe Stopper, but the Mavs do have a Kobe Slow Downer, and his name is Antoine Wright. Too bad Avery will never play him. Also, Avery still hasn't learned his lesson from the Finals, because he rarely if ever trapped to get the ball out of Kobe's hands in the 4th Q and OT. In the first half, Kobe wasn't looking for his shot all that much and was getting his teammates involved. Anybody with a brain had to know he was going to start looking for his shot in crunchtime.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Legler's worthless. If he was picking the Spurs I'd worry. Why even write this right now? A bunch of these teams are set to play each other in the next couple of weeks, so it's pretty conceivable that one or more of them could take a tumble like the Mavs and Suns have when they faced an ugly row of opponents, and likewise that as the Mavs and Suns maybe start to gel that they could slide up a few slots.

Anyone expecting Houston to stay in the 5 slot, much less take the Jazz to seven without Yao is on so much crack that Tyrone Biggums is telling them to lay off the pipe.

[Obstructed_View]

Yes Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Derek Fisher will forget how to play basketball when they play the Spurs because they are weak pussies in the playoffs.

All this talk right now is stupid. When Bynum and Ariza get back you are going to be looking at a much different team than what you see out there right now.
Lamar Odom doesn't show up in big games. I seem to recall him missing two free throws against Dallas with six seconds to go. Kobe knew he was going to miss; it's how he got the rebound.

Andrew Bynum is running in a pool right now recovering from at least his second major knee injury and the clock's ticking on whether or not he's even going to be cleared for practice by the playoffs.

Pau Gasol has still won zero playoff games if memory serves.

Derek Fisher got destroyed pretty badly by a certain large nosed Spur last season.

They may not forget how to play basketball, but they'll have to be more than they currently are, and in a couple of cases, have ever been in order to have a positive impact on a series, and that's a lot to ask of so many key components to the team. It's almost sad that these are the wagons you're hitching your championship hopes on, but you gotta dance with who you brung. I hope for your sake that they are more than a sum of their parts.

I hope Bynum and Ariza come back 100 percent, and soon, but the fact that you predict how different the team will be with gives an indication how confident you are in the group that's out there right now.

[Obstructed_View]

Right now, the Spurs are working to get Kurt Thomas in sync; but the big advantage for the Spurs is that Kurt isn't recovering from a severe injury and unable to even walk on a treadmill.
FIFY

[DazedAndConfused]

Bynum coming back healthy and in playing shape will determine how far we go this year in the playoffs, I'm not denying that. He changes us from a good WC team into an elite one. If we don't win it all this year I won't worry too much, our window is wide open for the next 5 years as the Spurs/Suns/Mavs begin to decline.

[Galileo]

Bynum coming back healthy and in playing shape will determine how far we go this year in the playoffs, I'm not denying that. He changes us from a good WC team into an elite one. If we don't win it all this year I won't worry too much, our window is wide open for the next 5 years as the Spurs/Suns/Mavs begin to decline.

That's BS.

The window for the Mavs and Suns has already closed to a sliver, and both will be out of contention next year.

As for the Lakers, Kobe is not half the player Tim Duncan is at this time.

Duncan is only two years older than Kobe. There will never be a point in the future where Kobe exceeds Duncan in value.

The Spurs core is solid for the near future, except for Bowen. All the other old role players can be replaced. The Spurs will have plenty of cap room to help the Big Three.

When Tim does start to slow down, you can bet that some superstar young guard will clamour to go to SA, to play with the best basketball PLAYER to ever walk on the court, and win a few championships. (think Wade, think Magic)

[Allanon]

I agree that Bynum is key to the Lakers championship this year.

1) If he goes into a shell, Spurs will win it
2) If he plays like he did prior to injury, there's no stopping the Lakers this year, just too many weapons. No team can realistically defend against 2 7 footers, a 6'10 small forward and Kobe.

Not only is it a large team, they can shoot anywhere on the court, they can defend with the best and they are athletic.

One other note is I don't believe the Spurs will be a top 4 seed. With their brutal remaining schedule against tough teams on the road, I pick them at #5.

I will say this...if the Spurs are still #1-#3 after the Lakers showdown in April, I'd say they are the favorites to win the West.

[Galileo]

I agree that Bynum is key to the Lakers championship this year.

1) If he goes into a shell, Spurs will win it
2) If he plays like he did prior to injury, there's no stopping the Lakers this year, just too many weapons. No team can realistically defend against 2 7 footers, a 6'10 small forward and Kobe.

Not only is it a large team, they can shoot anywhere on the court, they can defend with the best and they are athletic.

One other note is I don't believe the Spurs will be a top 4 seed. With their brutal remaining schedule against tough teams on the road, I pick them at #5.

I will say this...if the Spurs are still #1-#3 after the Lakers showdown in April, I'd say they are the favorites to win the West.

still more BS.

Bynum is not an offensive threat, and Odom disappears in the playoffs and isn't a post player anyway.

With the zone, Duncan can guard Gasol, or whoever he needs to. Oberto and Thomas can both as well.

Bowen or Udoka can guard Kobe.

The two winners are Obama and Tim Duncan, both unstopable.

[Allanon]

still more BS.

Bynum is not an offensive threat, and Odom disappears in the playoffs and isn't a post player anyway.


The rest of your points are OK but both of these are quite wrong. Odom turns it up in the Playoffs and prior to injury, Bynum was feasting on dunks, spin moves, baby hook shots and alley-oops.

[Galileo]

The rest of your points are OK but both of these are quite wrong. Odom turns it up in the Playoffs and prior to injury, Bynum was feasting on dunks, spin moves, baby hook shots and alley-oops.

Odom has only played 25 total playoff games his entire career.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/odomla01.html

Basically, Odom just shoots more in the playoffs.

Bynum's garbage game might work in the regular season. It won't work in the playoffs against the Spurs. Nor will Kobe's.

[Allanon]

Odom has only played 25 total playoff games his entire career.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/odomla01.html

Basically, Odom just shoots more in the playoffs.

Bynum's garbage game might work in the regular season. It won't work in the playoffs against the Spurs. Nor will Kobe's.

Odom averages 18 points and 10 rebounds on 47% shooting in the last 3 years of Playoffs, to me, that's NOT disappearing.

[Galileo]

Odom averages 18 points and 10 rebounds on 47% shooting in the last 3 years of Playoffs, to me, that's NOT disappearing.

When you lose in the first round, you've disappeared.

[Allanon]

When you lose in the first round, you've disappeared.

Losing is a team fault, not an individual fault. You said originally that Odom disappears in the Playoffs which is incorrect (18 pts, 10 rebounds, 47 fg%).

You said Bynum does not have any offense, which is exactly opposite of the truth. Bynum is untested in the Playoffs, now that would be true.

Kobe+Lamar have done their part during the Playoffs all the other years but you don't get very far when:
1) Smush Parker is your starting Point Guard
2) Kwame Brown is your starting Center.
3) Luke Walton is your starting Small Forward

Last year's team had no business being in the Playoffs, this year, we shall see.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Fab can defend Gasol. He quick enough and Gasol is not a power player which is where he has his issue. The only chance that Gasol has against Thomas is if he can outquick him but given the way that the game is played in the playoffs, I see Thomas making Gasol his bitch. Gasol is a good offensive player but hes also soft.

On defense, if Phildo decides to put Gasol on Duncan the Lakers are fucked. If he is attentive he can help prevent Fab from slipping screens to the basket but hes not the most dutiful defender. From a scoring standpoint he can hang with Thomas but if i am Pop, i put in Thomas for 25+ mins with the intent of making Gasol his bitch. Push him around in the block and outmuscle him for boards.

Bynum is the type of player that would give Fab problems but Thomas can keep him out of the lane and off the offensive boards. If Tim is matched up then his bad knee will impede his lateral mobility and hes not going to be able to push Duncan around on the block.

Also lets not forget how a bad wheel will impede Bynum's ability to defend. He is going to have issues getting over from Horry, Fab and Thomas who will space him out of the lane. If hes matched up on Duncan then that knee better hold up when Duncan dropsteps to the basket or cuts across the lane.

Lamar Odom will either be guarded by Ginobili or Finley. Gino is a good defender but Odom's length could give him problems. The only thing is that with Bynum and Gasol down low hes not going to post much. Which means outside jumpshots and drives to the basket. Finley and Manu can defend him well enough to funnel them to our bigs. This is where Pop's defense excels.

On defense, Odom is in a very good position to neutralize Bowen and Finley on the perimeter. I actually expect Phildo to use him to double off the weakside to help control Duncan. If this is the case then it will open up shots for Finley, Barry and Bowen. Agaisnt Manu its a pretty good matchup as well but quite frankly with the rules against handchecking I don't see how he is going to be able to keep him out of the lane.

Kobe Bryant will primarily be defended by Bruce and Udoka. Bowen is got some of the best lateral agility I have ever seen but again with the rules against handchecking, youre going to have a very difficult time keeping him from penetrating. Both need to try and deny him the ball to limit his oppurtunities and take time off the shot clock. The guy is a matchup nightmare regardless.

On defense i imagine he will be matched up against Bowen and the like to keep him fresh on offense and keep him out of foul trouble. It is paramount that our outside shooters are able to hit their shots or youre going to allow Bryant to sag off his man or leave them to double. Hes an excellent help defender.

As for Derek Fisher, he is more of Parker's bitch than Eva. He relies on others to create for him and Tony isn't going to be asked to double so he is not going to get open and hes not strong or quick enough to get to the rim. I expect another performance like the turd he laid against us last year.

On defense he is also fucked. He cannot keep up with Parker coming off of screen and rolls and as such he is going to get his bigs into foul trouble. Quite frankly this is where the lakers are really really fucked and Phildo cannot use Odom a la Pippen to control Parker because Parker will break his ankles running up the floor and penetrating to the basket. i actually see Farmar as the Lakers best option here but then theyre still fucked.

Then we come to the bench Walton, Farmar, Ariza, Radmonovich against Finley, Barry, Stoudamire, Udoka, Thomas and Horry.

Basically the Lakers have a bunch of smaller scorers on the bench. Their frontcourt depth is absolute shit. When they put in their bench players they lose out out on a bit of offensive production but take a huge hit on defense and rebounding. Spurs have a more of a roleplaying bench. Need defense put in Udoka or Thomas. Need rebounds go for Thomas or Horry. Need shooting gor for Stoudamire, Barry or Finley.

if the lakers need rebounding or defense of their bench, theyre fucked.

In order for the Lakers to make a run at us they need Bynum at close to 100% and Odom and Bryant to play their balls off. Of that i expect only Bryant to go off.

Spurs in 6.

[Allanon]

FuzzyLumpkins, aside from the "Spurs in 6" that's a damn fine assessment.

[PM5K]

it will hinge on which team makes plays down the stretch and Kobe Bryant is unmatched in crunch-time situations

We have an ENTIRE TEAM that knows how to deal with crunch-time situations, big threes from guys like Finley and Barry, easily three offensive go-to guys in Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili, and a lock-down defender in Bowen (not to mention experienced vets in Thomas and Stoudamire)

He's good but he doesn't match our entire team, other than Kobe Fish is the only other legit crunch-time guy they have.

[tim4mvp!]

all these debates about who is better is bull, we need just poeple with a little brain and say, heck the spurs did it with timmy leading the way and he will do it again

[itzsoweezee]

gasol is a horrible defender. why is everyone ignoring this?

and fisher has been playing like shit lately, and, in general, is nowhere near as good as parker. i don't see how the lakers match up well with the spurs.

[DazedAndConfused]

Because Gasol won't be defending Duncan when Bynum gets back. He gets to guard Oberto or Kurt Thomas who aren't offensive threats.

Fisher will turn it on for the playoffs, no worries there. As for Parker Phil will probably employ the same strategy of forcing him to hit those outside shots by going under every screen. With 3 7 footers in the paint Parker won't have it easy getting to the rim.

Both teams just matchup very well against each other. It's not going to be an easy series for either team.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Because Gasol won't be defending Duncan when Bynum gets back. He gets to guard Oberto or Kurt Thomas who aren't offensive threats.

Fisher will turn it on for the playoffs, no worries there. As for Parker Phil will probably employ the same strategy of forcing him to hit those outside shots by going under every screen. With 3 7 footers in the paint Parker won't have it easy getting to the rim.

Both teams just matchup very well against each other. It's not going to be an easy series for either team.

How can you say any of your PGs match up with Parker or Stoudamire? jesus thats just a homer taling. Even if Fisher turns it on what does that mean when he cannot out quick or outmuscle Parker. And its not like every damn team tries to undercut Parker on pick and rolls. What makes you think the slower than average Fisher is going to fare any better?

Fab has and can guard Gasol and a defender like Thomas will really give him fits. hes a spare on defense. Duncan versus any big on your team is a clear advantage on our part and you guys dont have the depth in bigs to throw enough bodies at him.

In fact the only matchup you have an advantage on is Bryant over Bowen but even then there is no one id rather have guarding Bryant than Bowen.

Then we talk about depth. You guys have ZERO front court depth and while you may think Farmar and Radmonovich are world class they suck ass on D and are at best average on offense. Your starters would have to go 40+ minutes each and in a series that goes past 4 games that plays a serious disadvantage. Really the Lakers would need to beat teams in 4 or 5 games leading up to the WCF so they can get some rest or youre going to be gassed.


We match up against all your guys but you have no answer for Parker and unless Bynum miraculously becomes 100% you have no answer for Duncan.

[Southwest Texas Fan]

The rest of your points are OK but both of these are quite wrong. Odom turns it up in the Playoffs and prior to injury, Bynum was feasting on dunks, spin moves, baby hook shots and alley-oops.


The last time the Spurs played the Lakers Udoka did a nice job on Odom.

[DazedAndConfused]

If the Spurs were so unguardable you wouldn't struggle to score 90pts every night. You wouldn't be scoring a season low 5 pts in a quarter. You wouldn't consistently be shooting in the low 30's in terms of FG%.

[Allanon]

The last time the Spurs played the Lakers Udoka did a nice job on Odom.

Lamar shot 4 of 7 for 57% and 11 points (no Bynum, no Pau). The game before that with Bynum in, he was 7-14. Spurs were without TP and Duncan.

Odom has done much better with Pau or Bynum in.

The other problem is you can't have both Udoka and Bowen on the court at the same time to guard Odom and Kobe. You could but that's suicide on offense because that would mean Manu's on the bench.

The major problem the Spurs have is how to guard Pau, Bynum, Odom and Kobe at the same time while still keeping your Big 3 in the game. I suppose you can put Manu on Kobe but most likely Kobe will still get his points and Manu will be in foul trouble. Putting Manu on a much bigger Odom will lead to a serious O Rebound advantage for the Lakers and easy baskets for Odom.

Odom, a small forward, is as big as the Spurs Center. There's a problem with that picture...if you put a small guy on him, he's going to average 15-20 rebounds per game.

So it's hard to say at this point, neither team has been at full strength...yet. Both teams should be full strength April 13th, we'll see then.

ps. Stouds is nowhere as good as Fisher or Farmar

[Southwest Texas Fan]

You are right, about Odoms stats and no Udoka was not defending him all night but when he did he was effective especially in the post. And by the way Udoka 5 reb and 18 points in 23 min on 7 of 10 70%

[DazedAndConfused]

People here are forgetting just how good Bynum has been this year and what kind of impact he brings to the game. Let me educate you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9efsJwJxYEk&feature=related

Wanna see how well the Spurs frontcourt is able to stop him..........(scroll to the 3:00 minute mark to find out)

[FuzzyLumpkins]

People here are forgetting just how good Bynum has been this year and what kind of impact he brings to the game. Let me educate you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9efsJwJxYEk&feature=related

Wanna see how well the Spurs frontcourt is able to stop him..........(scroll to the 3:00 minute mark to find out)

He dislocated his kneecap and months postop hes still having sever swelling and cannot run in a buoyancy pool without pain. You cant even be sure that he is going to play at all but thinking that he is going to be close to what he was earlier when hes coming off an injury that shelved him for over two months is again just you being a homer.

[Mr. Body]

It's tough betting on a team with only two players with any real playoff experience, plus with the only two other guys with experience only playing playoff ball for lousy teams. Phil will get them playing well, but the POs are literally where tricks and experience rule.

I'd be stunned to see it go 7 games. There will be a game 3 or 4 where somebody - Horry or Ginobili or someone - just rips their hearts out. The rest of the team won't recover. Kobe will have a fit, tear it up, but it won't be enough. Do you really think Sasha Vujacic will keep shooting like this? Remember, he's not quite as good as Beno Udrih.

[DazedAndConfused]

He dislocated his kneecap and months postop hes still having sever swelling and cannot run in a buoyancy pool without pain. You cant even be sure that he is going to play at all but thinking that he is going to be close to what he was earlier when hes coming off an injury that shelved him for over two months is again just you being a homer.

You can't even get your facts straight. Swelling is a natural part of the recovery process, and it is perfectly normal for there to be swelling in the knee even two months later. In fact the swelling might not completely go away until after the offseason is done. And he has experienced ZERO pain running in the pool, he said it himself and I can get you the quote if you want it. If you're going to accuse me of being a homer get your fucking facts straight dick face.

And if we're gonna play this injury card how effective is Barry gonna be knowing he has torn the same calf muscle TWICE in the same season. Is he gonna go all out or be tentative knowing the wrong push off could tear it again and potentially end his career?

[Mr. Body]

Apparently DazedAndConfused lives inside Bynum's dislocated knee.

And, 'dick face,' Barry isn't all that important to us. If he doesn't come back healed, that's fine. We like him, anyway.

[DazedAndConfused]

Apparently DazedAndConfused lives inside Bynum's dislocated knee.

And, 'dick face,' Barry isn't all that important to us. If he doesn't come back healed, that's fine. We like him, anyway.

Barry isn't that important? Hmm, I beg to differ. I think outside of Finley he is your most valuable role player.

[Mr. Body]

Barry isn't that important? Hmm, I beg to differ. I think outside of Finley he is your most valuable role player.

Good Christ, man. You're an idiot.


EDIT: I actually had to think about it. I'd put him 7th or 8th after the big three. Just in front of Vaughn, so about 10th in the rotation.

[DazedAndConfused]

Barry is a better player than Horry, Udoka, Bonner, Vaughan, and Stoudamire. I know because that motherfucker always kills us with his timely 3's and pesky defense. He just makes the Spurs 2nd unit go on offense, a very skillful all around player.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

You can't even get your facts straight. Swelling is a natural part of the recovery process, and it is perfectly normal for there to be swelling in the knee even two months later. In fact the swelling might not completely go away until after the offseason is done. And he has experienced ZERO pain running in the pool, he said it himself and I can get you the quote if you want it. If you're going to accuse me of being a homer get your fucking facts straight dick face.

And if we're gonna play this injury card how effective is Barry gonna be knowing he has torn the same calf muscle TWICE in the same season. Is he gonna go all out or be tentative knowing the wrong push off could tear it again and potentially end his career?

I saw where he was saying that when he could run in the pool with nopain then he could move on but nothing more so please by all means link it. then he has to do no buoyancy rehab and then think about actually working into basketball shape and mesh with the team. Thats at least 3 months on the shelf.

Also a bum knee that swells up all the time is not conducive to jumping cutting and moving laterally. Youre pipe dreams that hes going to come back from an injury like that and play like he was especially considering he has done no basketball in 2 months is just you being a mindless homer.

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Barry isn't that important? Hmm, I beg to differ. I think outside of Finley he is your most valuable role player.

You don't know shit. Ime Udoka and Kurt Thomas come to mind.

And your only big who can play defense or a guy that plays maybe 12 minutes a night who can shoot the 3 when we have Manu, Finley, Udoka, Stoudamire and Bowen who can shoot it as well.

You're blindly lashing out like a fool.

[DazedAndConfused]

I saw where he was saying that when he could run in the pool with nopain then he could move on but nothing more so please by all means link it. then he has to do no buoyancy rehab and then think about actually working into basketball shape and mesh with the team. Thats at least 3 months on the shelf.

Also a bum knee that swells up all the time is not conducive to jumping cutting and moving laterally. Youre pipe dreams that hes going to come back from an injury like that and play like he was especially considering he has done no basketball in 2 months is just you being a mindless homer.

At least 3 months...haha? So I should listen to some wannabe WebMD on a Spurs forum over Bynum himself, the Laker organization, and every LA media outlet?

[FuzzyLumpkins]

At least 3 months...haha? So I should listen to some wannabe WebMD on a Spurs forum over Bynum himself, the Laker organization, and every LA media outlet?

3 months total its already been 2. And Im still waiting for that link.

[hsxvvd]

Tim Legler makes predictions about as well as he played the game.

[Southwest Texas Fan]

Barry is a better player than Horry, Udoka, Bonner, Vaughan, and Stoudamire. I know because that motherfucker always kills us with his timely 3's and pesky defense. He just makes the Spurs 2nd unit go on offense, a very skillful all around player.


Pesky defense. Are we talking about Brent Barry?

[Obstructed_View]

Pesky defense. Are we talking about Brent Barry?
We are talking about Brent Barry with someone who doesn't actually watch the Spurs.