Poll: Best matchup for Lakers.

[LakerMagic]

Laker fans, who would you rather see in the WCF. Non-Laker fans who do you think is a better matchup and why?

[CubanMustGo]

I think the Lakers match up better against the Hornets, and NO ain't gonna beat LA without HCA.

[LakerMagic]

I'd rather face the in-experience of the Hornets, even though they have shown very little in that department. Paul and Parker will both get theirs in a matchup with the Lakers, but so will Kobe.

I think Phil can outcoach Byron Scott aswell, while Pop is a more formidable coach with 4 championships to his name.

West and Duncan both worry me, but I'll take a matchup with West over Duncan anyday. He seems to get easily rattled and a banged up at the moment.

Either way this will be the Lakers toughest opponent of these WC playoffs.

Home-court has been huge in these playoffs, and I am really glad we have it.

This can be a defining series for Kobe in the post-Shaq era, and I look for him to play exceptional basket ball. I can't wait!

[Allanon]

Physically, the Lakers match up better with the Spurs Old Guys.

But these same geriactrics always find a way to win against better matched opponents so I'd have to go with the in-experience of the Hornets and their coach plus their weak bench. The Hornets have a huge hole in the backup center position, I expect the Laker bigs to go crazy on them.

Add Mo Peterson or Peja guarding Kobe and that's a recipe for a quick fishing trip for the Bees.

[Lakers_55]

I'm not going to vote. I am glad my team gets to play the winner. , bring them both on!

[DazedAndConfused]

Hornets all the way. We aren't going to lose a series until we face a team with a defender that can slow Kobe down.

[dickface]

doesn't matter, David Stern put you in the Finals months ago.

[LakeShow]

Part of me wants SA, to end their repeat bid. Part of me wants Byron Scott's team to win but Most of me doesn't GAF who we play. Bring it!

[mytespurs]

Hornets all the way. We aren't going to lose a series until we face a team with a defender that can slow Kobe down.

"Slow" is the right word; you can't stop Kobe.

[mytespurs]

Physically, the Lakers match up better with the Spurs Old Guys.

But these same geriactrics always find a way to win against better matched opponents so I'd have to go with the in-experience of the Hornets and their coach plus their weak bench. The Hornets have a huge hole in the backup center position, I expect the Laker bigs to go crazy on them.

Add Mo Peterson or Peja guarding Kobe and that's a recipe for a quick fishing trip for the Bees.

Hmm...well, the heart and soul of the Laker franchise right now aka Kobe Bryant isn't exactly a spring chicken either(he's 29 or going on 29 correct?).

[mytespurs]

I said it when the playoffs started. Lets have the Spurs, the Hornets have no shot at beating the Lakers.

I'm a Spurs fan who lives in Lakerland yet I'm objective enough to say that I would favor the Lakers over either team at this point especially because the Laker are playing consistenly well and they've managed to win on the road, something the Spurs nor the Hornets have done this round.....hopefully things will change if the Spurs make it to the next round.

[endrity]

It's not a question of experience. The Hornets have plenty of it. It's all about matchups to me, and I think the Spurs would give a better match up to the Lakers. I can only think of Odom as one matchup that the Lakers would have a clear advantage. Kobe is certainly better than his counterparts, but no one makes him work harder than Bowen. Parker and Ginobili represent a difficult matchup for a Laker's D that is not great on the perimeter and that doesn't have a great shot blocker either. And as good as Gasol has been with the Lakers, Duncan is still Duncan. Plus, Pop and the Spurs are clearely not afraid or "mystified" by Phil Jackson and the Lakers.

The Lakers have better matchups with the Hornets, that's it.

[DazedAndConfused]

SAS has really looked beatable though in this 2nd round. I'm not sure if the Hornets would be that much easier an opponent now that I think about it. Especially if West is 100%.

The bottomline is either team is going to give the Lakers fits, for different reasons. Having HCA is going to be huge once again because the Lakers are perhaps the best road team left in the playoffs outside of DET.

[endrity]

SAS has really looked beatable though in this 2nd round. I'm not sure if the Hornets would be that much easier an opponent now that I think about it. Especially if West is 100%.

The bottomline is either team is going to give the Lakers fits, for different
reasons. Having HCA is going to be huge once again because the Lakers are perhaps the best road team left in the playoffs outside of DET.

But West will not be 100%. Back injuries linger for a long time, sometimes they derail careers. And he vs. Odom was one matchup I thought favored the hornets.

[jacobdrj]

I would LOVE for a Celtics-Pistons-Spurs-Lakers playoffs. There is such a ridiculous amount of historical rivalries that it would be classic.

SA-LA part 30, DET-BOS part 45
Then if you have either a Showtime-Big Three matchup or a rematch of the 2005 NBA Finals...

Wow.

But, I have nothing against the NOH. I am becoming a West/Paul fan, and would love to see them play more.

NOH/BOS would be a fine series. (coming from a Pistons fan)

[Allanon]

I would LOVE for a Celtics-Pistons-Spurs-Lakers playoffs. There is such a ridiculous amount of historical rivalries that it would be classic.

SA-LA part 30, DET-BOS part 45
Then if you have either a Showtime-Big Three matchup or a rematch of the 2005 NBA Finals...

Wow.

But, I have nothing against the NOH. I am becoming a West/Paul fan, and would love to see them play more.

NOH/BOS would be a fine series. (coming from a Pistons fan)

You are not enough of a homer.