lakers will still be the best in West in 09

[carib]

I still say there is no team in the West that can beat the Lakers this year and definitely not next year with there young center back in the line up. The Spurs need some young wheels to keep up, the Suns need better defense, Dallas needs a new franchise, Houston needs to rebuild, the only team that I see competing is New Orleans.

[xtremesteven33]

chant:

"This-is-stupid"

dum dum dum dum dum

[Reggie Miller]

I still say there is no team in the West that can beat the Lakers this year and definitely not next year with there young center back in the line up. The Spurs need some young wheels to keep up, the Suns need better defense, Dallas needs a new franchise, Houston needs to rebuild, the only team that I see competing is New Orleans.


All of this means jack shit if the Fakers let the EC Finalist knock their dicks into the dirt again.

[The Franchise]

chant:

"This-is-stupid"

dum dum dum dum dum:tu

[Supergirl]

Lakers played above their abilities this year. They lucked out in not facing Phoenix or NO and getting a depleted Spurs team. They could have easily been knocked out in the first round had the cards fallen differently.

I don't think Bynum is going to be the savior, I think Kobe will always try to do too much and whine about it later, I think Phil Jackson doesn't really know much about coaching defense (he knows a lot about coaching offense, though), I think Odom and Radmanovic are making more money than they're worth or than the Lakers will get out of them.

[LakerLanny]

I am guessing it will come down to the Lakers vs the Spurs in the West again next year like it seems to usually do.

Phoenix? Sorry, that window has slammed shut.

New Orleans? Please.

Utah? Maybe, could be the team that screws up the Lakers-Spurs matchup.

Dallas? Nice trade! You just ruined your team for an overrated PG who can't shoot!

Houston? What are the odds of TMac/McGrady being healthy at the same time and would it matter if they were. TMac is a 2nd round virgin.

Denver? Probably the worst chemistry in the league, allergic to defense.

Maybe a team like Portland or Golden St makes some noise.

It will be Lakers vs Spurs again in the WCFs barring major injuries.

[Obstructed_View]

Some of you guys are forgetting about Portland.

[Kindergarten Cop]

Houston? What are the odds of TMac/McGrady being healthy at the same time and would it matter if they were.

I guarantee that they will both remain healthy at coinciding times and they will be injured at the exact same time and for the same duration.:lol

[200 miles]

I am guessing it will come down to the Lakers vs the Spurs in the West again next year like it seems to usually do.

Phoenix? Sorry, that window has slammed shut.

New Orleans? Please.

Utah? Maybe, could be the team that screws up the Lakers-Spurs matchup.

Dallas? Nice trade! You just ruined your team for an overrated PG who can't shoot!

Houston? What are the odds of TMac/McGrady being healthy at the same time and would it matter if they were. TMac is a 2nd round virgin.

Denver? Probably the worst chemistry in the league, allergic to defense.

Maybe a team like Portland or Golden St makes some noise.

It will be Lakers vs Spurs again in the WCFs barring major injuries.



Projected 2009 WCF Starting Lineups:

Lakers vs. Spurs

C- Bynum C- Mahinmi
PF- Gasol PF- Duncan
SF- Odom SF- Bowen
SG- Bryant SG- Ginobili
PG- Fisher PG- Parker

[Obstructed_View]

Bruce is going to turn 38 next season. Expecting him to be the starting 3 and the defensive stopper at that age is asking a lot.

[Brutalis]

Bowen retires after next season, book it.

[200 miles]

Bruce is going to turn 38 next season. Expecting him to be the starting 3 and the defensive stopper at that age is asking a lot.


well in that case you better pray that either Batum or Rush will be around at pick 26 OR that maybe Sanikidze will not only make the team next season but also become a reliable stopper

[Critter]

i agree with the op

[Obstructed_View]

well in that case you better pray that either Batum or Rush will be around at pick 26 OR that maybe Sanikidze will not only make the team next season but also become a reliable stopper

Also probably need to hope that Udoka works his way into consistent minutes from the get-go.

[200 miles]

Also probably need to hope that Udoka works his way into consistent minutes from the get-go.


that's the thing about newcomers whether it's somebody like Udoka who has been with the team for only a year or draft picks, you always gotta have a backup plan to a backup plan

[tmtcsc]

The Lakers ? That team will have to undergo more significant changes before they challenge again.

[Brutalis]

i agree with the op

What op?

[Kindergarten Cop]

What op?


original poster

[ducks]

I still say there is no team in the West that can beat the Lakers this year and definitely not next year with there young center back in the line up. The Spurs need some young wheels to keep up, the Suns need better defense, Dallas needs a new franchise, Houston needs to rebuild, the only team that I see competing is New Orleans.

the offseason is not over
will la sign their restricted fa's?

[lefty]

Memphis wins the West next season

Jerry West knows what he's doing :rolleyes

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

The Lakers ? That team will have to undergo more significant changes before they challenge again.

I don't think Odom is staying. And some of the bench will be gone as well.

[pawe]

well in that case you better pray that either Batum or Rush will be around at pick 26 OR that maybe Sanikidze will not only make the team next season but also become a reliable stopper

Rush will be picked by the suns in case he enters the draft. But I read somewhere that he withdrew from the draft and will be staying in Kansas for his junior.

[Kindergarten Cop]

Rush will be picked by the suns in case he enters the draft. But I read somewhere that he withdrew from the draft and will be staying in Kansas for his junior.

Monday was the deadline to pull out of the draft and Rush did not even consider pulling his name out.

Perhaps you were reading an article from last year, because he did pull his name out of the draft last year because of his injury - and this past season was his junior year so if he were to return, it would be his senior year.

[DazedAndConfused]

If the Lakers made it this far with the team they had, one could logically assume they will be locks to win the West again when they add their starting C back into the lineup. They will have another year of chemistry together, the young players will have developed a little more, and if they are smart they will have traded Odom for a legit starting SF that is capable of helping Kobe lock down the perimeter. With the right off-season tweaks I see them as the team to beat in the WC again.

[completely deck]

If the Lakers made it this far with the team they had, one could logically assume they will be locks to win the West again when they add their starting C back into the lineup. They will have another year of chemistry together, the young players will have developed a little more, and if they are smart they will have traded Odom for a legit starting SF that is capable of helping Kobe lock down the perimeter. With the right off-season tweaks I see them as the team to beat in the WC again.

...Nah. They played two easy teams this past year in the playoffs, and came through an unhealthy Spurs team. Bynum isn't going to be the "magic player" you've been looking for.

Oh well, it's wishful thinking for now, hm?

[m33p0]

if the lakers played the way fakerfans posts, they wouldn't have been humilated. fakerfans don't know when to quit or just don't have a fucking idea how.

[DazedAndConfused]

Andrew Bynum isn't a scrub, and that's the mistake everyone here is making thinking that him coming back won't make an impact. Bynum was THE reason the Lakers made the jump this year and got the #1 seed before they landed Pau. I firmly believe you can't play great defense without a solid anchor, Bynum is that anchor. Nobody was calling the Lakers soft before we got Pau, and that's because with Bynum the Lakers were the #1 rebounding team in the league and top 10 in most defensive stats. In other words, they didn't suck.

I don't know how many scrub failed projects average:

13 ppg
10 rpg
2 bpg
Highest FG% of any player in the NBA

in under 30 mpg at the age of 20. Those are amazing stats considering Bynum came off the bench behind Kwame for at least 1/4 of the season. You extrapolate that to 48 minutes and he is a legit 15/10/2 player. That's a HUGE piece to be adding to a team, let alone one that is already competing for titles.

[phyzik]

Andrew Bynum isn't a scrub, and that's the mistake everyone here is making thinking that him coming back won't make an impact. Bynum was THE reason the Lakers made the jump this year and got the #1 seed before they landed Pau. I firmly believe you can't play great defense without a solid anchor, Bynum is that anchor. Nobody was calling the Lakers soft before we got Pau, and that's because with Bynum the Lakers were the #1 rebounding team in the league and top 10 in most defensive stats. In other words, they didn't suck.

I don't know how many scrub failed projects average:

13 ppg
10 rpg
2 bpg
Highest FG% of any player in the NBA

in under 30 mpg at the age of 20. Those are amazing stats considering Bynum came off the bench behind Kwame for at least 1/4 of the season. You extrapolate that to 48 minutes and he is a legit 15/10/2 player. That's a HUGE piece to be adding to a team, let alone one that is already competing for titles.

Andrew Bynum also isnt a superstar, and thats a mistake Laker fans are making, thinking that he will automatically come back and average those numbers. Even then, he only averaged them for about a month if I remember right before he had to have surgery.

[Oh, Gee!!]

I'm tired of predictions. Let's just get some better players to help our big 3, and get ready for 2009.

[QuietDynasty]

I still say there is no team in the West that can beat the Lakers this year and definitely not next year with there young center back in the line up. The Spurs need some young wheels to keep up, the Suns need better defense, Dallas needs a new franchise, Houston needs to rebuild, the only team that I see competing is New Orleans.

jack shit, they let 3 career losers win against the "mighty" west.

[GrandeDavid]

Heard this shit before in 04, 06 and now 08. Spurs win #5 in 09. That's all.

[1Parker1]

:lmao I love how LakerFan displays these amazing stats that Bynum had as if they are his career stats over like a 5 year period. How many games has he played in the NBA so far? 50? Over/under a little.

You have no idea how healthy or productive he's going to be coming back from 2 knee surgeries. You don't know how he's going to play in the postseason, especially as it goes deeper into the season and the stakes get higher. And you don't know if he's going to be able to defend the likes of Dirk, Duncan, Shaq, heck even Oden night in and night out over the course of a 7 game series. That's a tall order to place on a guy who's practically a rookie and has yet to even play a full season in the league.

[Harry Callahan]

The Lakers should be the favs right now. However, that exhibition in the Finals won't build up their confidence.

That was a beatdown of epic proportions.

Pau Gasoft should be that man's last name. Wow!

I think Pau is suffering some lingering effects of Grizzlyitis that Kobe could not yet slap out of him.

[0201rinckwater]

The Lakers should be the favs right now. However, that exhibition in the Finals won't build up their confidence.

That was a beatdown of epic proportions.

Pau Gasoft should be that man's last name. Wow!

I think Pau is suffering some lingering effects of Grizzlyitis that Kobe could not yet slap out of him.


The Grizzlies are still reeling from Paunfluenza

[DazedAndConfused]

Andrew Bynum also isnt a superstar, and thats a mistake Laker fans are making, thinking that he will automatically come back and average those numbers. Even then, he only averaged them for about a month if I remember right before he had to have surgery.

Those were his SEASON stats. The stats he averaged the month before he went down were:

17.33 ppg
12.16 rpg
2.33 bpg

Nobody is overrating Bynum, if anything we're still underrating this kid. If the Spurs had a 20 year old C averaging those stats they'd be shitting in their pants and you know it. All this talk about him not being able to come back from knee surgery is wishful thinking. He had an arthoscopic cleanup, not microfracture surgery. The diagnosis is that he will make a full recovery. And he's never had two surgeries on this knee, only the one arthroscopic cleanup.

[DazedAndConfused]

And another thing, Bynum will never have to average those stats to make the Lakers a dominant team. They have more than enough offense to go around with Kobe, Pau, LO, and even Fish. They need Bynum for his rebounding and defense more than his offensive production.

[remingtonbo2001]

Nobody is overrating Bynum, if anything we're still underrating this kid.

No, but many lakerfans such as yourself, are ignornant to the extent of his injury. Bynum has put up impressive statistics in the games he's played in.
However, it's become aparent that his body may not be able to withstand the rigors of the NBA.

Some players are incredibly talented, but their bodies arent capable of withstanding the physical demands of the NBA.

Unfortunately, it appears Bynum may be one of those players.

[Kindergarten Cop]

Nobody is overrating Bynum, if anything we're still underrating this kid.

:lmao:lmao:lmao

[DazedAndConfused]

No, but many lakerfans such as yourself, are ignornant to the extent of his injury. Bynum has put up impressive statistics in the games he's played in.
However, it's become aparent that his body may not be able to withstand the rigors of the NBA.

Some players are incredibly talented, but their bodies arent capable of withstanding the physical demands of the NBA.

Unfortunately, it appears Bynum may be one of those players.

Do you remember how he got injured? He was skying high for a rebound and landed directly on Odom's foot. It was a fluke play, you act like he hurt his knee while jogging or some shit. Duncan has had knee surgeries in his career and Amare has recovered from microfracture surgery and both players are at the top of their game. You CAN recover from injury.

I don't buy your argument that his body can't hold up to the NBA when he managed to play two full seasons before that. If anything, he hasn't hit anywhere close to his physical peak which means he can strengthen his bones and muscles to further prevent the possibility of injuries.

In short, it's wishful thinking by Spurs to hope that Bynum's injury will cripple him from playing basketball. Keep praying.

[Marcus Bryant]

35 games and suddenly he's Wilt.

[SenorSpur]

Bruce is going to turn 38 next season. Expecting him to be the starting 3 and the defensive stopper at that age is asking a lot.

which makes the mere fact that the Spurs do not have another swingman in the pipeline yet to be Bowen's understudy simply inexcusable.

[Kindergarten Cop]

which makes the mere fact that the Spurs do not have another swingman in the pipeline yet to be Bowen's understudy simply inexcusable.


Am I the only one that really thought that Udoka started picking up the pace and playing significantly better as the season progressed (especially in the Playoffs)?

[SenorSpur]

Am I the only one that really thought that Udoka started picking up the pace and playing significantly better as the season progressed (especially in the Playoffs)?

I would agree. However it's clear that Udoka forte is that he's a more physical defender than Bowen. He doesn't necessarily have the fleetness of foot or the "hand action" that make Bowen such a superior defender.

[DazedAndConfused]

35 games and suddenly he's Wilt.

Nope, he's Andrew Bynum. And perhaps the best C prospect in the league outside of Dwight Howard. He doesn't have to be a half of Wilt for the Lakers to be dominant.

[IronMexican]

The surgery wasn't too serious if the whole organization was contemplating having him back. amare had the same surgery and came back pretty strong.

[1Parker1]

:lol I just realized, LakerFans are the exact extension of their team; Overconfident, prone to hyperbolize, and blind to acknowledge and give credit where credit is due.

Bynum probably will come back healthy and fine. And no doubt, he's going to give the Lakers inside presence and toughness. That being said, this team lacks a lot of other problems that cannot be solved by the addition of Bynum. First and foremost is the Lakers porous perimeter defense. And Bynum isn't going to suddenly make Gasol and Odom unsoft. This is where the overconfidence comes into play.

You post all these fantasic stats on Bynum where he scored a double double, had the highest FG% in the league, etc. etc. Exactly how many full games has this guy played in the NBA, as a starter with big minutes? And if I were to take any player in the league and just dissect their stats for a single, given month, I'm sure more than 1/2 of them will also look like the second coming of MJ/Wilt too. Playing good basketball for a month or for 50 games in the regular season doesn't mean anything in the playoffs. This is where the prone to hyperbolize comes into play.

Lastly, you fail to acknowledge that in 2009, the West is going to be even better and it's no guarantee that the Lakers will have the cakewalk they did to the WCF that they did this season. Teams like the Hornets are only going to get better with a year's experience under their belt. Up and coming young, atheletic teams like the Blazers can prove to be a big mismatch for the Lakers. Ginobili, Parker, and Duncan may just be healthy next postseason. And that's not even to mention all the possible trades and stuff that can happen to suddenly make teams contenders, Lakers fan should know this better than anyone. Not acknowledging all the other great teams that are in the West and downplaying them, while hyping up what could be a great Lakers team, that's where the blind homerism comes into play.

Lakers are going to be a great team next year. No doubt the addition of Bynum can only help them. But he has been inconsistent, he has yet to play a full season as a starter in the NBA, and he has yet to face the pressures of the postseason. I don't think the Lakers are going to be the best in the West in 09. There are too many other great teams out there.

[Juanobili]

I still say there is no team in the West that can beat the Lakers this year and definitely not next year with there young center back in the line up. The Spurs need some young wheels to keep up, the Suns need better defense, Dallas needs a new franchise, Houston needs to rebuild, the only team that I see competing is New Orleans.

Very original post

[DazedAndConfused]

:lol I just realized, LakerFans are the exact extension of their team; Overconfident, prone to hyperbolize, and blind to acknowledge and give credit where credit is due.

Bynum probably will come back healthy and fine. And no doubt, he's going to give the Lakers inside presence and toughness. That being said, this team lacks a lot of other problems that cannot be solved by the addition of Bynum. First and foremost is the Lakers porous perimeter defense. And Bynum isn't going to suddenly make Gasol and Odom unsoft. This is where the overconfidence comes into play.

You post all these fantasic stats on Bynum where he scored a double double, had the highest FG% in the league, etc. etc. Exactly how many full games has this guy played in the NBA, as a starter with big minutes? And if I were to take any player in the league and just dissect their stats for a single, given month, I'm sure more than 1/2 of them will also look like the second coming of MJ/Wilt too. Playing good basketball for a month or for 50 games in the regular season doesn't mean anything in the playoffs. This is where the prone to hyperbolize comes into play.

Lastly, you fail to acknowledge that in 2009, the West is going to be even better and it's no guarantee that the Lakers will have the cakewalk they did to the WCF that they did this season. Teams like the Hornets are only going to get better with a year's experience under their belt. Up and coming young, atheletic teams like the Blazers can prove to be a big mismatch for the Lakers. Ginobili, Parker, and Duncan may just be healthy next postseason. And that's not even to mention all the possible trades and stuff that can happen to suddenly make teams contenders, Lakers fan should know this better than anyone. Not acknowledging all the other great teams that are in the West and downplaying them, while hyping up what could be a great Lakers team, that's where the blind homerism comes into play.

Lakers are going to be a great team next year. No doubt the addition of Bynum can only help them. But he has been inconsistent, he has yet to play a full season as a starter in the NBA, and he has yet to face the pressures of the postseason. I don't think the Lakers are going to be the best in the West in 09. There are too many other great teams out there.

Good post, I agree with a lot of what you said. There are no guarantees in basketball and if I've learned anything about the NBA it's to expect the unexpected. The WC will be better, but I still don't see any of the elite teams adding as much as the Lakers will be adding this off-season to their teams which makes me hopeful the Lakers can get back to the Finals next season.

[Spur-Addict]

Good post, I agree with a lot of what you said. There are no guarantees in basketball and if I've learned anything about the NBA it's to expect the unexpected. The WC will be better, but I still don't see any of the elite teams adding as much as the Lakers will be adding this off-season to their teams which makes me hopeful the Lakers can get back to the Finals next season.

You don't have to. Just like the league didn't see Pau going.

[Lake_show]

LA should of took Boston to 7 if they didn't lose game 4. Give us Bynum back and you can book it for the next 5 years.

[Ginobilly]

LA should of took Boston to 7 if they didn't lose game 4. Give us Bynum back and you can book it for the next 5 years.

The players that really fucked up the Lakers IMO were the offensive rebounds that Perkins and Rondo got. They were the X factors. How many times did we see perkins and Rondo steal
Rebounds from the lakers bigs?

I could see Bynum helping the lakers in that department by Muscling away fat ass perkins outta the way. But the real ? is can Bynum stay a whole year healthy? That's two major knee surgeries. I don't care if you laker fans say "nah he's only 20, he should be back as good as new" Newsflash! He's only human and is made flesh and bone like the rest of us. Don't expect him to be as athletic as he once was.

[DazedAndConfused]

Can Duncan stay healthy as he approaches the wrong side of 30? What about Ginobili, his body doesn't seem to be holding up too well?

We can say these questions about any NBA player. It's wishful thinking by Spur fans to think that Bynum will come back as Eddy Curry and be completely hobbled for the rest of his life. Keep praying for it, it ain't going to happen.

[Ginobilly]

Can Duncan stay healthy as he approaches the wrong side of 30? What about Ginobili, his body doesn't seem to be holding up too well?

We can say these questions about any NBA player. It's wishful thinking by Spur fans to think that Bynum will come back as Eddy Curry and be completely hobbled for the rest of his life. Keep praying for it, it ain't going to happen.

keyword here being 2 knee surgeries. Duncan has 1 and even he lost some his explosion and hops. But Duncans game doesn't rely on athleticism but rather on fundamentals and skill. Now tell me does Bynum have a jumpshot of any kind if he can't go over the top on players anymore? Even Amare lost a lot of explosion and athleticism? Before his knee surgery he was a freak of nature and could get to the rim at will. Now he has to wait for his body to tell him it's okay to go up strong and slam, in other words that adrenaline rush. You have a point about Ginobili. Us Spurs fans have come to admit he is kinda of a china doll because of his style of play. We just pray and hope he peeks at the right time for the playoffs.

[Kindergarten Cop]

LA should of took Boston to 7 if they didn't lose game 4. Give us Bynum back and you can book it for the next 5 years.


Okay, I'll play too. The Spurs should have taken the Lakers in 5 if they didn't blow the large leads in games 1 and 5 and if they get the foul called on Fisher at the end of 4. Too bad reality doesn't work with "would've or should've". Now I'll choose to step back into the real world while you live on Fantasy Island for the next 5 years.

[Kindergarten Cop]

Nobody is overrating Bynum, if anything we're still underrating this kid.


Give us Bynum back and you can book it for the next 5 years.

:wtf

[tlongII]

I am guessing it will come down to the Lakers vs the Spurs in the West again next year like it seems to usually do.

Phoenix? Sorry, that window has slammed shut.

New Orleans? Please.

Utah? Maybe, could be the team that screws up the Lakers-Spurs matchup.

Dallas? Nice trade! You just ruined your team for an overrated PG who can't shoot!

Houston? What are the odds of TMac/McGrady being healthy at the same time and would it matter if they were. TMac is a 2nd round virgin.

Denver? Probably the worst chemistry in the league, allergic to defense.

Maybe a team like Portland or Golden St makes some noise.

It will be Lakers vs Spurs again in the WCFs barring major injuries.

Maybe? WTF do you mean MAYBE??? We're going to tear you a new one!

[DazedAndConfused]

keyword here being 2 knee surgeries. Duncan has 1 and even he lost some his explosion and hops. But Duncans game doesn't rely on athleticism but rather on fundamentals and skill. Now tell me does Bynum have a jumpshot of any kind if he can't go over the top on players anymore? Even Amare lost a lot of explosion and athleticism? Before his knee surgery he was a freak of nature and could get to the rim at will. Now he has to wait for his body to tell him it's okay to go up strong and slam, in other words that adrenaline rush. You have a point about Ginobili. Us Spurs fans have come to admit he is kinda of a china doll because of his style of play. We just pray and hope he peeks at the right time for the playoffs.

Bynum is so young we don't really know what his athletic peak is. Last off-season was the 1st off-season where he really trained his ass off and the results were astonishing. He looked like a different person coming into training camp. I still believe Bynum can add at least another 10-15 lbs of muscle to make him immovable on the block.

You exaggerate the whole 2 knee surgery thing. The first knee "injury" he had in highschool kept him out 10 games. It was misdiagnosed at first to be a lot worse than it was. This second knee injury was the first serious injury Bynum has had in his career. It did NOT require microfracture surgery, it was a simple arthroscopic cleanup that revealed no further damage. I would be highly surprised if Bynum lost any of his hops or athletic ability. In fact I know he is at least able to put up what he did in the draft camp since they re-tested him before he got the surgery and his numbers were right where they were.

[Darthkiller]

well, i wouldnt count the suns out, if they can trade away diaw and barbosa and maybe can get some good defense players in return (artest u r?) , with a defense minded coach, they should have a good run next year.

[cdcast]

With the Lakers debacle in the Finals, they'll make changes. They have to.
Odom's expiring contract has teams calling and the Artest rumors will only get stronger as the summer passes.
It's still gonna come down to the Spurs and Lakers next year.