so if the lakers sign odom. do you think that prompts the spurs to get someone else?

[peskypesky]

i want Odom to resign with the Lakers so we can beat them with him on the floor.

[Mr. Body]

The Spurs as is are easily enough to beat the Lakers. It hangs on a healthy Duncan (likely) and a healthy Manu (a bit less likely). They can make the POs without Manu but things get much easier once there with him.

The Lakers were a weak champion. I don't know why people refuse to see this. If they weren't LA and ESPN wasn't knob-slobbering all over them, this would be readily admitted. A determined, tough team will usher them out. But if Odom doesn't resign, we'll all have the enjoyment of watching them fall apart all on their own. This is because their bench will make it a very long season for the starters.

[DrHouse]

The Spurs as is are easily enough to beat the Lakers. It hangs on a healthy Duncan (likely) and a healthy Manu (a bit less likely). They can make the POs without Manu but things get much easier once there with him.

The Lakers were a weak champion. I don't know why people refuse to see this. If they weren't LA and ESPN wasn't knob-slobbering all over them, this would be readily admitted. A determined, tough team will usher them out. But if Odom doesn't resign, we'll all have the enjoyment of watching them fall apart all on their own. This is because their bench will make it a very long season for the starters.

IMHO a weak champion is one that fails to repeat despite having 4 chances to do so.

I don't even think this current Laker team is close to the '01 team, but they've already managed to do what the Spurs could not in making back to back Final's appearances.

[ezau]

IMHO a weak champion is one that fails to repeat despite having 4 chances to do so.

I don't even think this current Laker team is close to the '01 team, but they've already managed to do what the Spurs could not in making back to back Final's appearances.

This years, playoff cast is pretty weak. In fact, contending teams such as the Spurs and Celtics had their best players injured even before the start of the playoffs. Lakers should put an asterisk to their championship because of this

[Mhak]

This thread is a dump!!! Lots of assumption on who on what? or what on who? ignore this thread

[Mr. Body]

IMHO a weak champion is one that fails to repeat despite having 4 chances to do so.

I don't even think this current Laker team is close to the '01 team, but they've already managed to do what the Spurs could not in making back to back Final's appearances.

I wouldn't hang my hat on '08, buddy. One of the most embarrassing displays of team basketball at that level ever seen.

[DrHouse]

I wouldn't hang my hat on '08, buddy. One of the most embarrassing displays of team basketball at that level ever seen.

Funny how you keep making excuses for your team's failures.

You act like the league was any better in '07. The top threat was the ing no-defense Suns for crying out loud.

Disparaging any NBA champion because of the path they took to get there is a weak argument. Outside of the 1st round matchup no team has any control over who they play. The bottom line is the Lakers accomplished what VERY few teams have ever done, which is make it back to the Finals after losing and then win the championship. They are criticized for not having their foot on the gas all season long, but when they had to play their A game they brought it every single time.

[Mr. Body]

Eh, I'm not disparaging matchups. Just saying Lakers aren't and weren't that good. That's the truth. They'll get trussed up in no time, don't get bent up about it.

[angelbelow]

I think our talent level is enough to play at least on par. Assuming the Lakers retain odom, we would have to rely on our championship defense to overcome the Lakers. I am fully confident that we will do just that.

[Baseline]

Eh, I'm not disparaging matchups. Just saying Lakers aren't and weren't that good. That's the truth. They'll get trussed up in no time, don't get bent up about it.

Absolutely true. The Lakers won last year because they were healthy, not because they were so good. A healthy Spurs team would have beaten those soft panzies. And a healthy Boston team would have crushed them again. Even the Magic with a healthy Jameer Nelson wouldn't have blown those two nailbiters, and would have been up 3-1 and closed it out instead of being down 1-3 and losing.

Only the Lakers are arrogant enough to think they could repeat without Ariza and Odom.

Well, we'll see you in the playoffs, ladies.

[ezau]

Funny how you keep making excuses for your team's failures.

You act like the league was any better in '07. The top threat was the ing no-defense Suns for crying out loud.

Disparaging any NBA champion because of the path they took to get there is a weak argument. Outside of the 1st round matchup no team has any control over who they play. The bottom line is the Lakers accomplished what VERY few teams have ever done, which is make it back to the Finals after losing and then win the championship. They are criticized for not having their foot on the gas all season long, but when they had to play their A game they brought it every single time.

So where were the Lakers in 07?

[hsxvvd]

I can't believe how much Spurs fans are underselling last year's team. I don't think people are giving the right value to a HEALTHY Manu. Playoff Manu, firing on all cylinders can have as much impact on a game as a Kobe or Lebron, we've all seen it.

Last Year's team WITHOUT Manu IS a first round team, but with full strength Manu we would have pushed or beaten the Lakers already.

+Jefferson + Blair + McDyess - Ariza - Odom -(+Artest) = Spurs favorite in my mind.

[kobyz]

either way Spurs need another good wing player

[Chillen]

I think the Spurs have a legit shot at beating them with or without Odom. Repeating is very tough, the Lakers have already been to the NBA finals back to back. Artest could go off and cause some locker room/on court problems.

It's a long season and the Lakers will be gunning for a third straight NBA finals appearence.

Until someone beats them, I give them the edge if they sign Odom, but the Spurs have improved and are a threat.

The healthiest of the 2 will win if they play in the 2010 NBA playoffs.

[buttsR4rebounding]

Funny how you keep making excuses for your team's failures.

You act like the league was any better in '07. The top threat was the ing no-defense Suns for crying out loud.

Disparaging any NBA champion because of the path they took to get there is a weak argument. Outside of the 1st round matchup no team has any control over who they play. The bottom line is the Lakers accomplished what VERY few teams have ever done, which is make it back to the Finals after losing and then win the championship. They are criticized for not having their foot on the gas all season long, but when they had to play their A game they brought it every single time.

Please, give him the Ketamine already...

[DrHouse]

Absolutely true. The Lakers won last year because they were healthy, not because they were so good. A healthy Spurs team would have beaten those soft panzies. And a healthy Boston team would have crushed them again. Even the Magic with a healthy Jameer Nelson wouldn't have blown those two nailbiters, and would have been up 3-1 and closed it out instead of being down 1-3 and losing.

Only the Lakers are arrogant enough to think they could repeat without Ariza and Odom.

Well, we'll see you in the playoffs, ladies.

Who was better than the Lakers last season?

They won 65 games and dominated their conference. You can say the Lakers weren't a spectacular champion compared to prior ones, but you can't really say that they weren't the best team in the league last season.

Against the top teams they proved they were the best. 2-0 against Cleveland, 2-0 against Boston. I think we can all agree the Lakers would have beaten the Cavs because they had several matchup advantages they could exploit. Boston would have been a tougher opponent, but the Lakers would have had HCA and that would have made all the difference IMO. Boston is not a great road team at all, and even beyond KG they had severe injuries to Powe and other key bench players. The Laker's depth would have overwhelmed them over a 7 game series.

It's absolutely stupid and ridiculous to say that the only reason the Lakers won was because of health. No Sherlock! Nobody said winning a championship wasn't a combination of talent, heart, health, and a little bit of luck.

Bottom line, Lakers were the best team in the league and deserved NBA champions. 15 going on 16, gonna repeat and do what your franchise could never do. Win back to back.

[djohn2oo8]

Who was better than the Lakers last season?

They won 65 games and dominated their conference. You can say the Lakers weren't a spectacular champion compared to prior ones, but you can't really say that they weren't the best team in the league last season.

Against the top teams they proved they were the best. 2-0 against Cleveland, 2-0 against Boston. I think we can all agree the Lakers would have beaten the Cavs because they had several matchup advantages they could exploit. Boston would have been a tougher opponent, but the Lakers would have had HCA and that would have made all the difference IMO. Boston is not a great road team at all, and even beyond KG they had severe injuries to Powe and other key bench players. The Laker's depth would have overwhelmed them over a 7 game series.

It's absolutely stupid and ridiculous to say that the only reason the Lakers won was because of health. No Sherlock! Nobody said winning a championship wasn't a combination of talent, heart, health, and a little bit of luck.

Bottom line, Lakers were the best team in the league and deserved NBA champions. 15 going on 16, gonna repeat and do what your franchise could never do. Win back to back.

Typical Laker troll....Regular season games don't show who your team really is, PLAYOFF games do...The Lakers were the healthiest team, that's it!!! They dominated NO ONE in the playoffs....Utah was hurt, Houston was hurt, , Denver was the mentally unstable team, and Orlando was incompetent

BTW

The Spurs were hurt, Boston was hurt

[InK]

No, Odom resigning with the Lakers is what was expected when we went shopping.

[Cry Havoc]

Even other Lakers fans hate me and it makes me sad.

[coyotes_geek]

It's not like the Spurs are going to say "here's a move that makes our team better, but the lakers didn't sign Odom so we're not going to bother". What the lakers do or don't do is irrelevant.

[NRHector]

The lineup you have is probably not good enough to beat the Lakers with Odom.

your team is not good enough to beat the spurs this season

[DrHouse]

The Lakers don't need to prove they can beat the Spurs. They did just that in '08 with a far inferior team to what they have now. They are the champs, not the Spurs. The Spurs lost 4-1 to the worst Mavericks team I've seen in 5 years despite having HCA.

The Laker's core is flat out better than the Spur's core at this point in time. The only thing that could level the playing field is a time machine. I'll take Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, Lamar Odom, and Bynum over anything the Spurs can trot out.

[DrHouse]

I have a feeling when Blair knocks Artest into the stands (against his will this time), you're going to come out and talk about how the Lakers still had a better team this past season.

[HarlemHeat37]

the thing that Laker fans keep ignoring is that they had arguably the easiest path to the le in NBA history..compe ion AND results..

as I've explained before..

Utah without Okur for most of the series, Houston without Yao, McGrady, Mutombo, Denver losing on 2 in bounds plays, Orlando missing Nelson and losing 2 games by historic choke jobs..

the Lakers absolutely deserved their le, because they were the last team standing..nobody can deny how easy their path to the le was, considering these results, and considering the injuries to other teams..

the Spurs got SIGNIFICANTLY better if health permits..Dallas already got better, so did Denver, and Portland still might..Boston is probably now the most stacked team in the NBA, Orlando got better, and so did Cleveland..

considering that the Lakers had so many things go their way this season, and the rest of the league got better, I'd say the results will be much different, with or without Odom..

if they lose Odom and don't get anything significant return by next year's playoffs(have to include this in case they receive a gift like they always do), then I'd be absolutely shocked if they even made the Finals..

[Spurs_210]

The Lakers don't need to prove they can beat the Spurs. They did just that in '08 with a far inferior team to what they have now. They are the champs, not the Spurs. The Spurs lost 4-1 to the worst Mavericks team I've seen in 5 years despite having HCA.

The Laker's core is flat out better than the Spur's core at this point in time. The only thing that could level the playing field is a time machine. I'll take Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest, Lamar Odom, and Bynum over anything the Spurs can trot out.

Yet Kobe is the only player you listed that is better.