Repeat Or No Repeat?

[nevitt_&_smrek]

A le is a le, i will give you that. I am just stating that i am unimpressed. The media (BSpn in particular) have been on kobe like a fluffer at a gangbang, i just don't think that they were challenged because the teams with the experience neccesary were banged up this year. Everything that could go right did go right for papa sterns little pricesses. KG and the celtics broke the laker's souls last years but, you think that cause ya'll won more regular season games you could have beaten a healthy celtics team...get real. The lakers are a soft team and i don't feel they will be able to do it again next year. The west will be a dog fight next year and there is always the risk of injury. Lakers repeating...highly unlikely

You don't reach consecutive finals by being soft. Teams that can't seem to do that OTOH...

[Culburn369]

Yes, the Celtics beat down the Lakers last June. Perkins & Powe especially. And as in '84, the Lakers have that monkey anew on their back. They'd vanquished that simian in '85, but, alas, he is back, not as apparent as then, but, with "your" assistance and Media yet to really grind it home it is coming to the fore. Media's love affair with James blunts this edition of Lakers/Celtics, so, we can't experience the true ferocity of it as it was there in '84-'85 when it finally culminated. If James should again be jettisoned early in the '10 playoffs leaving perhaps the Celtics & Lakers to pitch battle then the fire will be lit, sides drawn, Media going green, Kobe demanding Gasol side him. Howard is just as physical as Perkins & Powe, but, he's not as heartless & without conscience. And that is where Gasol &......Bynum will be tested. It's where Rambis was tested in '84 by McHale and failed. Kobe understands these truths, and is teaching Gasol who is willing to learn.

[Jacko]

A le is a le. The Lakers were the best team in the league this season, hands down. For everyone saying they wouldn't have gotten past a healthy Boston, what the makes you so sure a healthy Boston beats Cleveland who would have had HCA? And didn't the Lakers BEAT THE CELTICS 2-0 this past season?

A lot of revisionist history here already, not surprised. The haters who said Kobe couldn't do it without Shaq now have to find a new attack so it's predictable that they would now question the legitimacy of Kobe's le. And I don't want to hear any Spur fan talk about an easy le run, your franchise has had plenty.

As to the question at hand as long as the core pieces return (LO/Ariza/PJax) the Lakers will make it back to the Finals. Who's going to challenege them in the West? That's what I want to know.

[Culburn369]

Who's going to challenege them in the West? That's what I want to know.

Precisely. Yao in Houston is a disaster. Denver is on the cusp of imploding yet again. Portland is a ways away yet. Utah is frazzeled. The Spurs are worn to a nub.

And though I ain't got nothin' against easy street, I'd enjoy Lakers Vs Celtics next June. I want to see Gasol & Bynum stand up to Perkins & Powe.

By default that would mean:

1. Suns O & 42.
2. James denied.
3. Suns O & 42.

[Killakobe81]

I WANTED the Celtics ...but unfortunately they did not want us ...
Apparentlt Paul Pierce is only a world-beater when he has KG barking behind him ...
I welcome a Celts/Lakers Finals it's what I grew up on ...but I think this time the results will be drastically different.

[SpursDynasty]

Suprizingly I have not seen a thread about this.
Will the Lakers repeat? Or not????

They had too many breaks this year. No Celtics, no Spurs with a 100% Manu, Yao went out in the Houston series, Orlando missed the winning layup in Game 2 and Kobe's elbow with the game tied wasn't called in Game 4.

In other words, no. They shouldn't even be the champions now. Nothing against the Lakers, they're just an average team who happened to run into lucky breaks.

[nevitt_&_smrek]

They had too many breaks this year. No Celtics, no Spurs with a 100% Manu, Yao went out in the Houston series, Orlando missed the winning layup in Game 2 and Kobe's elbow with the game tied wasn't called in Game 4.

In other words, no. They shouldn't even be the champions now. Nothing against the Lakers, they're just an average team who happened to run into lucky breaks.

65 wins and consecutive finals = average? They haven't even had a three-game losing streak in over a year.

[carrao45]

A le is a le, i will give you that. I am just stating that i am unimpressed. The media (BSpn in particular) have been on kobe like a fluffer at a gangbang, i just don't think that they were challenged because the teams with the experience neccesary were banged up this year. Everything that could go right did go right for papa sterns little pricesses. KG and the celtics broke the laker's souls last years but, you think that cause ya'll won more regular season games you could have beaten a healthy celtics team...get real. The lakers are a soft team and i don't feel they will be able to do it again next year. The west will be a dog fight next year and there is always the risk of injury. Lakers repeating...highly unlikely

The Lakers beat the celtics by 9 this year.
Then, on the second night of a back to back, third game in 4 days, without their starting center, the lakers beat the Celtics IN BOSTON.
Both times the lakers beat them, the celtics were on a 19 game winning streak and then a 12 game winning streak.
I'd say they would have had a VERY good chance of winning even if the Celtics made the finals

[BlackBellamy]

No thank you, I've had enough of that.

[cobbler]

Too many variables to predict at this point, especially and obviously whether the team stays healthy and how re-signing / extending Odom and Ariza end up working out. Phil Jackson returning also plays a factor.While it seemed like a lot of teams repeated in the late 80s through the 90s, it hasn't been as much the case in this decade. The Lakers should still be very strong next year, but repeating is one of the hardest things to do in sports. Right now, I'd say no. But, come back to this next year around March, and that will be a better gauge of whether the team has what it takes to do it again.

I guess the Laker 3 peat doesn't count.

[carrao45]

I guess the Laker 3 peat doesn't count.

He said "as much"
The 2000's have just the 3-peat

The 90's had: Pistons repeat, Bulls 3-peat, Rockets repeat, Bulls 3-peat

[Dominate]

If the team stays intact and nothing else really changes significantly, yes, they'll repeat.

[benefactor]

Is this seriously a question?

As long as Bryant is in Purple and Gold the Lakers will always be champs.

LA is a popular destination. We have it all. Who doesn't want to play for us right now?

The Lakers will be on top for years.

lol 2005

[KSeal]

65 wins and consecutive finals = average? They haven't even had a three-game losing streak in over a year.

Don't even waste your time responding to SD's BS.

[blink]

That's fine with me. I just tally 'em up. I never qualify 'em.

Hey, and yer Rockets look just swell::: head first--straight into the earth next to the Jazz, Nuggets and Orlando.

lol dont get so butt hurt. it's not an insult to the lakers, just an observation from games watched (ie the lakers/boston finals). it doesnt look like lakers can beat a healthy boston team but a le is a le.

[KSeal]

A le is a le. The Lakers were the best team in the league this season, hands down. For everyone saying they wouldn't have gotten past a healthy Boston, what the makes you so sure a healthy Boston beats Cleveland who would have had HCA? And didn't the Lakers BEAT THE CELTICS 2-0 this past season?

A lot of revisionist history here already, not surprised. The haters who said Kobe couldn't do it without Shaq now have to find a new attack so it's predictable that they would now question the legitimacy of Kobe's le. And I don't want to hear any Spur fan talk about an easy le run, your franchise has had plenty.

As to the question at hand as long as the core pieces return (LO/Ariza/PJax) the Lakers will make it back to the Finals. Who's going to challenege them in the West? That's what I want to know.

Quite accurate all the way around.

[tlongII]

No effing way. We're taking over. Now.

[KSeal]

No effing way. We're taking over. Now.

I'm really hoping the Lakers and Blazers meet in the playoffs this season, will be fun. I also hope we run into the Spurs and Celtics if we make it that far.

[carrao45]

lol dont get so butt hurt. it's not an insult to the lakers, just an observation from games watched (ie the lakers/boston finals). it doesnt look like lakers can beat a healthy boston team but a le is a le.

The Lakers beat the celtics by 9 this year.
Then, on the second night of a back to back, third game in 4 days, without their starting center, the lakers beat the Celtics IN BOSTON.
Both times the lakers beat them, the celtics were on a 19 game winning streak and then a 12 game winning streak.
I'd say they would have had a VERY good chance of winning even if the Celtics made the finals

[Banzai]

They had too many breaks this year. No Celtics, no Spurs with a 100% Manu, Yao went out in the Houston series, Orlando missed the winning layup in Game 2 and Kobe's elbow with the game tied wasn't called in Game 4.

In other words, no. They shouldn't even be the champions now. Nothing against the Lakers, they're just an average team who happened to run into lucky breaks.

[baseline bum]

You never know when another team could swoop in and make moves like Boston or LA did in 07-08. No one had the Celtics even in the playoffs at this time 2 years ago.

[Chillen]

A le is a le. The Lakers were the best team in the league this season, hands down. For everyone saying they wouldn't have gotten past a healthy Boston, what the makes you so sure a healthy Boston beats Cleveland who would have had HCA? And didn't the Lakers BEAT THE CELTICS 2-0 this past season?

That Boston team just needed a healthy Kevin Garnett and they could have won the NBA le and repeated. They went to 7 games in the 1st and 2nd rounds without Garnett. In Game 7 vs Orlando they just went out like a flat tire, they fought hard both rounds without KG. They could have easily beat the Lakers in the NBA finals again had they gotten there with a healthy KG. Orlando blew a shot at being up 3-1 on the Lakers. Cleveland would have lost to Boston like they did to Orlando. Boston, that team will be reckoned with next season if Pierce and KG are healthy.

[21_Blessings]

Boston was demolished two times during the reg season by LAL. They weren't beating the Lakers in a seven game series this year and that's just a fact. One and done.

[Chillen]

They had too many breaks this year. No Celtics, no Spurs with a 100% Manu, Yao went out in the Houston series, Orlando missed the winning layup in Game 2 and Kobe's elbow with the game tied wasn't called in Game 4.

In other words, no. They shouldn't even be the champions now. Nothing against the Lakers, they're just an average team who happened to run into lucky breaks.

No they should be champions, they won it all. It's just obvious how much breaks they had, so this was their year in 2009. If they repeat and these teams are healthy (Boston, Spurs, Rockets) that would be even more impressive in 2010.

[Chillen]

Boston was demolished two times during the reg season by LAL. They weren't beating the Lakers in a seven game series this year and that's just a fact. One and done.

Your opinion, I disagree. Teams always step it up in the playoffs, Boston did that without KG and played two 7 games series against a pesky Bulls team and just finally went flat against the EC champs the Orlando Magic.

They would have probably beaten LA again in the NBA finals.

just my 2 cents...you obviously disagree.