Game 1 - Spurs @ Lakers

[Brutalis]

We obviously have had the toughest road so far in these playoffs, and have represented as defending champions well being victorious.

However Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals will be hard to predict.

We get to see another Bowen vs Bryant match up. This time Bowen is arguably a tad slower on defense and Kobe is now the MVP. Will be interesting to see if Bowen can at all defend Kobe and get in his head.

We'll get to see Fisher again. I know how we all love Derek Fisher and his game.

Gasol is really excited I bet. It is my personal belief Pau Gasol is intimidated by the Spurs. Whether it affects his play, I doubt it.

Timmy should have a better series. Gasol is not Chandler on defense by no means, and overall we have Udoka to throw at Kobe if Bowen gets in foul trouble. Bowen and Udoka are more to have against Kobe than anyone else in the league.

I am personally not as concerned with the Lakers as I was the Hornets. Sure a lot of folks may think "sure anyone says that now" but research my posts that will show you. Not to say LA is going to be easy by no means.

It is going to be Manu or Parker that has to step up big every game. (duh) Lakers may contain one but not both, that has to be the Lakers ultimate goal if they cannot defend Duncan.

This is the Lakers folks. Again. Expect a lot of bullshit and Phil to do some crazy stuff.

My prediction is Spurs in 6.

[Los Spurs]

Spurs in Six

[kevinwiz]

lakers in 7

[Mamba24]

I am going to tell you flat out, Pau is not going to be intimidated by the Spurs. The Lakers just faced the most physical team in the Western Conference which would be the Utah Jazz.

Don't underestimate Kobe. Bowen has been ripped for 30+ points by Kobe on several occasions so please stop that. Udoka used to be a Laker so Kobe knows him very well.

Pau's length is going to bother Duncan. Duncan didn't have to worry too much about Chandler on the defensive side of the ball but he is going to have his hands full with Gasol.

The one area that Spurs do have an advantage is at the PG position. Fisher is too old and Farmar is too inexperienced to deal with Parker.

Manu might have a good series but we have long defenders to contain him, namely Kobe and Ariza.

Lastly, there is nobody on the Spurs team who can guard Lamar Odom. Nobody. He is a potential triple-double threat every night.

This should be fun. Lakers in 6.

[Don Quixote]

Let's not fail to mention -- Stern will stop at nothing to get Lakers v. Celtics in the Finals. Let's just get that out of the way now.

I expect another tough, hard-fought series.

[LAKERZ4EVA]

Lakers in 5

[Brutalis]

I am going to tell you flat out, Pau is not going to be intimidated by the Spurs. The Lakers just faced the most physical team in the Western Conference which would be the Utah Jazz.

Don't underestimate Kobe. Bowen has been ripped for 30+ points by Kobe on several occasions so please stop that. Udoka used to be a Laker so Kobe knows him very well.

Pau's length is going to bother Duncan. Duncan didn't have to worry too much about Chandler on the defensive side of the ball but he is going to have his hands full with Gasol.

The one area that Spurs do have an advantage is at the PG position. Fisher is too old and Farmar is too inexperienced to deal with Parker.

Manu might have a good series but we have long defenders to contain him, namely Kobe and Ariza.

Lastly, there is nobody on the Spurs team who can guard Lamar Odom. Nobody. He is a potential triple-double threat every night.

This should be fun. Lakers in 6.

Spurs are the best team to face your bullshit.

[ECZ]

i think we'll have to find a way to make Odom less and less effective

[Mamba24]

Brutalis, that's the best you can come up with?

Don't even start whining about Celtics/Lakers and the refs. That just screams of an inferiority complex. Quite frankly, I would rather play the Pistons to avenge what happened in '04.

Make no mistake, we ain't the Suns and we ain't the inexperienced Hornets. We are ready for the cheap shots Bowen and Horry will hand out.

Also, there isn't a Laker who Pop can try that fouling bullshit either. That just kills the flow of the game when Pop does that crap.

[Brutalis]

Brutalis, that's the best you can come up with?

Don't even start whining about Celtics/Lakers and the refs. That just screams of an inferiority complex. Quite frankly, I would rather play the Pistons to avenge what happened in '04.

Make no mistake, we ain't the Suns and we ain't the inexperienced Hornets. We are ready for the cheap shots Bowen and Horry will hand out.

Also, there isn't a Laker who Pop can try that fouling bullshit either. That just kills the flow of the game when Pop does that crap.
No, it's not at all.

And we know who you are, some lonely kid. But the Lakers are a show. They always are, and teams have to adjust to that no matter what team it is.

And talk up your shit all day dude. The Spurs are the team to beat here.

[Mamba24]

A lonely kid? What the hell are you talking about? I am trying to have a civilized basketball discussion with you people. I really hope Spurs fans aren't mini versions of Utah fans because that would just suck.

[Brutalis]

Riiiihihight.

What happened in 2004 was a complete choke and meltdown of a bunch of worn out farts.

[Mamba24]

Riiiihihight.

What happened in 2004 was a complete choke and meltdown of a bunch of worn out farts.

Hmm...if I seem to remember correctly, the Spurs were up 2-0 against the LA in 2004...and what happened? Oh, that's right....LOL.

[austinlakepirate]

Any explaination as to how this Lickers team is going to beat the Spurs?


You barely beat the Utah Jazz. Your team sucks dick. Did you see the New Orleans Spurs Series. That was the decider. It's over. The two best teams in the league have already played --- The Spurs won.

Wake up


lakers in 7

[DazedAndConfused]

Beating a team in 6 games while eliminating them on their home court is not barely beating a team.

Beating a team in 7 games is barely beating a team.

[austinlakepirate]

That was 4 years ago stupid. You had a completely different team. You beat us with a lucky 3 with .4 second left.

What exactly are you bragging about?


Hmm...if I seem to remember correctly, the Spurs were up 2-0 against the LA in 2004...and what happened? Oh, that's right....LOL.

[Mamba24]

Beating a team in 6 games while eliminating them on their home court is not barely beating a team.

Beating a team in 7 games is barely beating a team.

Thank you. Not to mention getting blown out 3 of those 7 games. :downspin:

[Texas_Ranger]

:hungry:WIN, WIN, WIN!!!! :hungry:

:flag:

[arial]

Here come the Laker trolls yay!

[mVp]

I’m sticking to my prediction against the Hornets... Spurs in 7.

[austinlakepirate]

At least they won't be all spastic like the NO fans were. Annoying.


Here come the Laker trolls yay!

[austinlakepirate]

ballsy



I’m sticking to my prediction against the Hornets... Spurs in 7.

[Sense]

Ok wait a minute.... did someone say Pau Gasol won't be scared of the Spurs?

You're kidding right? You're talking about the same Pau Gasol that said he'd rather face the Hornets....


http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95731&highlight=Gasol

[Russ]

This is going to be so much fun. :)

[austinlakepirate]

You were barely able to beat the Jazz. New Orleans would have completely kicked the Lakers asses.

Get ready for a beat down


Thank you. Not to mention getting blown out 3 of those 7 games. :downspin:

[Cherry]

Spurs in 6

[austinlakepirate]

Spurs in 6

yes spurs 4-2

[Mavs<Spurs]

We're the defending champs.

We've won 2 of the last 3 titles and 3 of the last 5.

You had a good regular season. I am happy for you.

This current version of the Lakers team has not done anything yet.

If you want respect, you're going to have to take it and earn it.


Tim, Tony and Manu Big 3.

Remember, Bowen makes Bryant less efficient, normally.

Nobody can stop Kobe. Kobe is the best player in the league.

However, Bowen can slow him down a little bit.

[Mamba24]

Ok wait a minute.... did someone say Pau Gasol won't be scared of the Spurs?

You're kidding right? You're talking about the same Pau Gasol that said he'd rather face the Hornets....


http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=95731&highlight=Gasol

When did he say that? I don't recall that ever coming out of Pau's mouth. I don't understand how you people can seriously say we barely beat the Jazz when the Spurs had to go to 7 games to beat an an inexperienced Hornets team. Bitches, please! :nope

I don't give a damn about respect for the Spurs or from the Spurs or from their fans. I don't give a fuck about none of y'all. Y'all have a very good team with a future Hall of Famer in Timmy and very good players in Parker and Manu. That's about where the niceties stop from me.

[Ariel]

Beating a team in 6 games while eliminating them on their home court is not barely beating a team.

Beating a team in 7 games is barely beating a team.
Wake up, you were 4 points away from going to a deciding 7th game. Big f'n difference. If you really want to see what spanking a team is, refer to last year's Spurs series against that same Jazz team. Now there's a spanking.

[ElNono]

Some Lakers fan forget how they were calling out Gasol for playing like a giant vagina in the Utah series. Not to mention they expected him to get ticky tacky fouls called his way in LA.
On top of that, you have no defensive anchor in the paint, so it's going to be double team with Fisher every time we go to Tim. Then the mismatches start. Odom has yet to abuse Ginobili. As a matter of fact, those two either cancelled each other out or Manu got the better end of the stick.
Kobe will get his. The trick with him is to keep him at a low percentage.
Come on guys, we know each other too well. If you had a guy to guard Duncan one on one, I would say this would be a 7 game series. But you don't, so Im taking the Spurs in 5, worst case 6 games.

[Tigole Bitties]

Going 6 games against the #5 seed? with the Jazz getting jobbed in game 5? Impressive!

[Killakobe81]

Great win tonight ... and i expect a long tough series ...but you fools that dismiss our chances are in 4 a BIG surprise ...remember the best you guys played on the road came after 4 days rest ...you wont get that this series ...

[Medvedenko]

Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssss..............I'm so glad the Lakers are facing the Spurs. Going to be a great series and I can care less who wins really. It's going to be a fun next couple of weeks. The lakers will be ready and the spurs are the defending champs. I'm happy that the lakers made it this far without Bynum and Ariza. They have exceeded my expectations and I'm looking forward to more laker games.

[Vito Corleone]

First off the Lakers have zero interior defense. Gasol is as soft as the Charmin in my bathroom. Tarif is not good enough to guard Duncan and in case you didn't notice we have robert horry and thomas who can guard Odumb.

Bowen Manu Finley and Udok will take turns on Kobe but you have nothing to stop Duncan or Parker.

Spurs in 6 we split in LA and you take game 5 to make it look respectable.

[Mamba24]

Pau doesn't have to be a bruiser to be effective. He can shoot the mid range J, has excellent hands, great length, great quickness, can take it to the hoop. Bowen will have the most success against Kobe because Manu, Finley and Udoka are just gonna look foolish guarding him. The Lakers can score so somebody besides Timmy, Tony and Manu is going to have to "step it up" as they say.

[austinlakepirate]

I agree, We've all been waiting for this..

The team with the best record (in the confrence that matters)vs the defending champs.




Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssss..............I'm so glad the Lakers are facing the Spurs. Going to be a great series and I can care less who wins really. It's going to be a fun next couple of weeks. The lakers will be ready and the spurs are the defending champs. I'm happy that the lakers made it this far without Bynum and Ariza. They have exceeded my expectations and I'm looking forward to more laker games.

[DazedAndConfused]

Pau's man defense actually isn't that bad against certain types of players. In fact, against guys like Boozer and Duncan who rely on great footwork and fundamentals over brute strength he does very well. It's funny how you all gloss over Duncan's last 6-19 performance against Gasol where he got blocked twice by the Spaniard.

I'm not really worried about how the Lakers matchup defensively to the Spurs. I'm more concerned about how the Laker's offense will fare against the best defense in the league. The Lakers have shown they can get consistently outrebounded and outshot and still win in the playoffs because their offense is so efficient.

[Mamba24]

It will be interesting to see if the Spurs can stop the Lakers on offense. Every single Laker starter can go off for 20+ points (that includes Vlad Rad). Not to mention Sasha off the bench. When it all came down to it, the Hornets had only West and Paul to score consistently. The Spurs didn't have to worry as much. They do now.