Lakers Still Hold Edge Over Fortified Spurs

[Nathan Explosion]

Would you rather have Ron Artest @ $6 million or RJ @ $14 million?

For what the Lakers need, Artest is seemingly a perfect fit. A bulldog defender to throw at the bruising SF's that give the Lakers fits (Pierce, Melo, Lebron, etc.). Artest may not be as quick as he once was but he is still one of the league's best defenders. Having Kobe and Ron on the perimeter will definitely give the Lakers an intimidating defensive presence they have not had in a long time.

I couldn't care less what RJ brings to the Spurs because in my mind it doesn't matter what other teams are doing. As long as the Lakers retain their core and the youngins keep improving the Lakers will remain the best team in the NBA.

The problem for LA is that while they can now defend the bigger SFs in the league, they lost their best defender of the quicker PGs in the league, guys like Parker, Chris Paul, Derron Williams, Aaron Brooks and so on and so forth.

[rayray2k8]

Would you rather have Ron Artest @ $6 million or RJ @ $14 million?

For what the Lakers need, Artest is seemingly a perfect fit. A bulldog defender to throw at the bruising SF's that give the Lakers fits (Pierce, Melo, Lebron, etc.). Artest may not be as quick as he once was but he is still one of the league's best defenders. Having Kobe and Ron on the perimeter will definitely give the Lakers an intimidating defensive presence they have not had in a long time.

I couldn't care less what RJ brings to the Spurs because in my mind it doesn't matter what other teams are doing. As long as the Lakers retain their core and the youngins keep improving the Lakers will remain the best team in the NBA.

How can you make that comparison?
Artest took a paycut, while the spurs traded for Jefferson's bloated contract.
Yeah, as if the spurs payed him that amount.

[peskypesky]

With the addition of McDyess, Spurs just took the lead over the Lakers.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

With the current rosters (assuming LA keeps Odom) I'd say LA in 6.

If LA loses Odom, then they won't get past the WCF.

[Allanon]

quite possibly the stupidest method for evaluating matchups, props

Woohoo!!!!!

[Mr. Body]

I'd take Jefferson over Artest. How long does Ron-Ron have left?

[DrHouse]

The problem for LA is that while they can now defend the bigger SFs in the league, they lost their best defender of the quicker PGs in the league, guys like Parker, Chris Paul, Derron Williams, Aaron Brooks and so on and so forth.

You must have been smoking some glorious reefer because Ariza never once guarded any of those players in the playoffs. So even if Ariza could, in theory defend them, Phil Jackson would never allow it making it all a moot point.

Plus wouldn't it be a smarter idea for the Lakers to go out and acquire oh I don't know a PG that could actually defend other PG's instead of relying on a SF to do that job?

P.S. they already do have someone who can adequately guard all of those players....his name is Shannon Brown and you will be seeing a lot more of the kid next season.

[DrHouse]

With the addition of McDyess, Spurs just took the lead over the Lakers.

Only on ST is a 37 year old McDyess a game changer.

[iggypop123]

The problem for LA is that while they can now defend the bigger SFs in the league, they lost their best defender of the quicker PGs in the league, guys like Parker, Chris Paul, Derron Williams, Aaron Brooks and so on and so forth.

i know you are referencing the game at san antonio where ariza had to guard parker and seemed to do an ok job on him. that wasnt by design it was out of desperation. that game farmar was out along with sasha and fisher had been subs uted because he strained something. the lakers didnt have a PG for half of the 4th quarter. so the idea that the lakers have a pg in a SF is nuts. they have brown for that but thats more for stength aka billups,williams

[RodNIc91]

The only thing stopping Spurs from another Finals appearance is a worse Lakers squad that went 16-7 last playoffs. 16-7. The 2003 Spurs with one all-star, Tim Duncan, went 16-8. That's how Kobe, Pau, and the 'phenomenal' talent around them stepped up.

LA has proven nothing, literally NOTHING by winning 09. Another trophy, no one can take it away and props for basically showing up to play since no one else had a chance due to injuries.

Jaja! +1

At least we show consistency and dominance on our le runs. Not only did the nuggets lost to the lakers, but also did the magic. I mean its not like the lakers won it all. Simply they were able to execute in the counting seconds. Denver could have easily beaten them as well as Orlando. THe difference was the experience they had from the defeat of last year championship against boston.

[TJastal]

+1000

I've been stressing that about how well Ariza guarded Parker for A WHILE NOW, and it's very under-represented in discussing matchups.

Put simply, the Lakers now have NO ONE that can guard Parker, at all. Artest can't, Kobe can't, Fisher DEFINITELY CAN'T, Farmar can't, Sahsa can't, etc. They have no one: Parker, the Spurs youngest proven player is going to carve the Lakers defense into SHREDS. The more the Lakers rotate to try and stop him, the more that will open up Manu/Jefferson to go ballistic because Kobe/Artest are no longer guarding them.

The Lakers, by letting Ariza walk, have made a HUGE MISTAKE: Parker might average 40ppg in a series with the Lakers, and it wouldn't surprise me. Or the Lakers will try to trap/double team him, leaving the 3 point shooters open.

Which is what the Spurs were built for.

+1

I think its hilarious the lakers recruited Artest behind Ariza's back and now think Artest is going to represent this big upgrade over Ariza. Ariza was the absolute perfect complimentary role player, now they have a egostistical hothead who I'm thinking is going to disrupt their offensive schemes and triangle to the point where, if it gets bad enough, him and Kobe are going to clash. He may just end up on the bench in favor of Luke Walton. Wouldn't that be funny.

Good times ahead.

[poeticism707]

+1

I think its hilarious the lakers recruited Artest behind Ariza's back and now think Artest is going to represent this big upgrade over Ariza. Ariza was the absolute perfect complimentary role player, now they have a egostistical hothead who I'm thinking is going to disrupt their offensive schemes and triangle to the point where, if it gets bad enough, him and Kobe are going to clash. He may just end up on the bench in favor of Luke Walton. Wouldn't that be funny.

Good times ahead.

Yeah, IN NOW WAY SHAPE OR FORM SHOULD THE LAKERS HAVE CHOSEN ARTEST OVER ARIZAA.

They made a huge mistake, and it's going to show up with teams who have elite PGs like Parker.

Even if they Lakers had signed Kidd, it still wouldnt' have made a difference defensively, BECAUSE HE ABSOLUTELY CANNOT GUARD PARKER.

[poeticism707]

Only on ST is a 37 year old McDyess a game changer.

Dice is 34, doc.

You may want to check the patient history before you make false deductions.

Wouldn't want you to prescribe the wrong medicine, would we doc?!?

[mystargtr34]

Would you rather have Ron Artest @ $6 million or RJ @ $14 million?

For what the Lakers need, Artest is seemingly a perfect fit. A bulldog defender to throw at the bruising SF's that give the Lakers fits (Pierce, Melo, Lebron, etc.). Artest may not be as quick as he once was but he is still one of the league's best defenders. Having Kobe and Ron on the perimeter will definitely give the Lakers an intimidating defensive presence they have not had in a long time.

I couldn't care less what RJ brings to the Spurs because in my mind it doesn't matter what other teams are doing. As long as the Lakers retain their core and the youngins keep improving the Lakers will remain the best team in the NBA.

thats why you go out of your way to shoot down every move the Spurs every opportunity you get.

[VivaPopovich]

lakers are the champs, not us

their going to remain the favorites till someone knocks em off. see you soon

[urunobili]

Bynum on Duncan
Gasol/Odom on Dice
Artest on RJ
Kobe on Manu
Fisher on TP

They still have the edge defensively yes...

[cd98]

Would you rather have Ron Artest @ $6 million or RJ @ $14 million?

For what the Lakers need, Artest is seemingly a perfect fit. A bulldog defender to throw at the bruising SF's that give the Lakers fits (Pierce, Melo, Lebron, etc.). Artest may not be as quick as he once was but he is still one of the league's best defenders. Having Kobe and Ron on the perimeter will definitely give the Lakers an intimidating defensive presence they have not had in a long time.

I couldn't care less what RJ brings to the Spurs because in my mind it doesn't matter what other teams are doing. As long as the Lakers retain their core and the youngins keep improving the Lakers will remain the best team in the NBA.

If Ron was such a great defender, how come he didn't guard Kobe very much in the playoffs? He's an overrated defender. I've seen him quite a lot of the last couple of years and his defense, while not bad, is certainly not that great. He gets a lot of media hype for his defense. The Laker defense last year was pretty good with Ariza. I'd be surprised if Artest could duplicate that.

[DrHouse]

I see all this talk about the Lakers having nobody to defend Parker.

Apparently nobody has seen Shannon Brown.

And there has never been a time when the Lakers needed someone to guard Parker in order for them to beat the Spurs.

[DrHouse]

If Ron was such a great defender, how come he didn't guard Kobe very much in the playoffs? He's an overrated defender. I've seen him quite a lot of the last couple of years and his defense, while not bad, is certainly not that great. He gets a lot of media hype for his defense. The Laker defense last year was pretty good with Ariza. I'd be surprised if Artest could duplicate that.

Newsflash, NOBODY GUARDS KOBE BRYANT WELL. Including Shane Battier, aka Kobe stopper.

[cd98]

You must have been smoking some glorious reefer because Ariza never once guarded any of those players in the playoffs. So even if Ariza could, in theory defend them, Phil Jackson would never allow it making it all a moot point.

Plus wouldn't it be a smarter idea for the Lakers to go out and acquire oh I don't know a PG that could actually defend other PG's instead of relying on a SF to do that job?

P.S. they already do have someone who can adequately guard all of those players....his name is Shannon Brown and you will be seeing a lot more of the kid next season.

How come Shannon Brown couldn't stop Brooks in the playoffs? Perhaps because he really isn't that great a defender, just overrated because he has one good game. We'll see how Shannon Brown does against Paul and Parker this season. Then we'll see if you really think he is as good as you say.

[cd98]

Newsflash, NOBODY GUARDS KOBE BRYANT WELL. Including Shane Battier, aka Kobe stopper.

Bruce did.

[ElNono]

Would you rather have Ron Artest @ $6 million or RJ @ $14 million?

For what the Lakers need, Artest is seemingly a perfect fit. A bulldog defender to throw at the bruising SF's that give the Lakers fits (Pierce, Melo, Lebron, etc.). Artest may not be as quick as he once was but he is still one of the league's best defenders. Having Kobe and Ron on the perimeter will definitely give the Lakers an intimidating defensive presence they have not had in a long time.

I couldn't care less what RJ brings to the Spurs because in my mind it doesn't matter what other teams are doing. As long as the Lakers retain their core and the youngins keep improving the Lakers will remain the best team in the NBA.

Wait, is this the same Ron Artest you were saying was a stupid mofo after getting ejected twice on the Rockets series?
Or is it the Ron Artest that you claimed was a chucker on the same series?

Now that he's a Laker, he's a mix of MJ and Rodman? GTFO

[cd98]

I see all this talk about the Lakers having nobody to defend Parker.

Apparently nobody has seen Shannon Brown.

And there has never been a time when the Lakers needed someone to guard Parker in order for them to beat the Spurs.

I saw that Shannon Brown couldn't stop Brooks. This should be particularly disturbing because Brooks took over when the Rockets lost Yao after already playing without McGrady. Brooks single handedly took L.A. to 7 games. And with Yao and McGrady out, the Lakers couldn't find a way to stop him. Incidentally, Artest disappeared after the first two games of that series.

It's nice you have so much faith in Brown, but there really is no basis for assuming he can guard Parker or Paul when he couldn't guard Brooks.

[ElNono]

I see all this talk about the Lakers having nobody to defend Parker.

Apparently nobody has seen Shannon Brown.

Is that the guy that got so badly owned by none other than Aaron Brooks, that Phil had to reach out to Farmar?
Yeah, I think we've seen enough of Shannon Brown getting owned by quick PGs.

[JGrice02]

I see all this talk about the Lakers having nobody to defend Parker.

Apparently nobody has seen Shannon Brown.

And there has never been a time when the Lakers needed someone to guard Parker in order for them to beat the Spurs.

Um, except those times when they didn't beat the Spurs...

There isn't a PG in the league that can stay with Parker. But of course, you must realize this. Your goal is not to make cogent points but rather to stir the pot. I guess you accomplished that. Look at all these crazies that actually defend the Spurs against your lackluster arguments!

I cannot wait for the Spurs to play the Lakers. I think it will be highly entertaining.

But the real story will be the Lakers vs the Celtics. In fairness, the Lakers did not even play the best team last year -- they backed into the le because Garnet was injured.

They might have beaten Boston, but if the prior year was any indication they would have probably lost. I am very interested in watching them play Boston this year. I wish they played 4 times instead of just 2...