So have the Cavs shown they can beat the Lakers in a 7 game series?

[The_Game]

Thoughts?

[JoeTait75]

Yes and no.

Yes in that defensively the Cavaliers are much better equipped to handle the Lake Show's bigs than they were last year. They're also deeper than the Lake Show.

No in that the Cavaliers still lack a reliable number-two scoring option, which is going to give them problems in any series against any elite opponent. Mo Williams is best suited as a number-three, not a number-two. And he still hasn't proven he can get it done consistently in the postseason.

Cleveland still needs another scorer, preferably in the frontcourt. If they can somehow get Antawn Jamison, they'll be in great shape. Until they get that scorer, they're going to struggle offensively deep in the postseason.

[iggypop123]

if mo williams can shoot like he did and moon can continue to go 7-8 will banking in 3's, the lakers are in trouble.

[JamStone]

As much as they showed they can beat the Spurs in a 7 game series by sweeping the regular season series in 2006-07.

Not that they can't, it's just that none of us can predict it based on what happened on Christmas. Not only is it not the same kind of level of play, but we don't know what the cir stances will be by June if those are the two teams in the Finals. We don't know about injuries. We don't know about how certain role players might have developed over the course of the season or which will come out of seemingly nowhere and earn a bigger role kind of like how Ariza did last year.

What we do know is that the Cavs showed they are capable of beating the Lakers with the right gameplan and if the Cavs players execute that gameplan well and of course make shots. Will that happen in the Finals if those are the two teams there? We simply don't know.

[JoeTait75]

As much as they showed they can beat the Spurs in a 7 game series by sweeping the regular season series in 2006-07.

It's not the same situation, Jam.

Sometimes you can glean insight into a potential playoff match-up from the regular season. I think anyone who watched Orlando play the Cavaliers in last year's regular season understood that Cleveland had serious match-up problems that would still be there in the playoffs.

[DrHouse]

It's not the same situation, Jam.

Sometimes you can glean insight into a potential playoff match-up from the regular season. I think anyone who watched Orlando play the Cavaliers in last year's regular season understood that Cleveland had serious match-up problems that would still be there in the playoffs.

The Lakers are basically going through the motions at this point in the season. They are probably trying to avoid burning out like most championship teams do in the repeat year.

I wouldn't put a whole lot of stock into the win. It was a good win, but the Lakers just got thrashed even worse by PHX last night.

[JoeTait75]

The Lakers are basically going through the motions at this point in the season.

That seems to be the case. But they could have gone through the motions against Cleveland last year and still won fairly handily. They matched up that well.

I'm not going to pound my chest and proclaim Cleveland's superiority over the Lake Show but I do think they match up better than they did last season.

[Thunder Dan]

The Lakers cant even get past the Suns, they should worry about them

[23LeBronJames23]

The Lakers cant even get past the Suns, they should worry about them

[Goran Dragic]

I agree with Joetait that Antwan Jamison would be a perfect fit. Good scorer and the one Wizard who could actually be counted on to show up for the playoffs when the Wizards were a playoff team.

[BadOdor]

Cavs are not coming out the east, so I'm not worried.

[lefty]

No, they can't beat them in a 7 game series

But Chrstmas game meltdown was funny though

[iggypop123]

I agree with Joetait that Antwan Jamison would be a perfect fit. Good scorer and the one Wizard who could actually be counted on to show up for the playoffs when the Wizards were a playoff team.

sounds like they are trying to dump arenas not him. the other guy is probably butler .

[iggypop123]

That seems to be the case. But they could have gone through the motions against Cleveland last year and still won fairly handily. They matched up that well.

I'm not going to pound my chest and proclaim Cleveland's superiority over the Lake Show but I do think they match up better than they did last season.

they were lucky to win last yr. at home the cavs had some injuries but then again kobe dislocated a finger, but on the road kobe was basically throwing up before the game, sick and still won. odom had to go nuts for it to happen, and that game the cavs went nuts from 3 in the first half then second half they died from the 3

[TheMACHINE]

The Lakers cant even get past the Suns, they should worry about them

really? I guess we arnt going to count the first two games?

[Goran Dragic]

Having Jungle Juice Hickson become a reliable option helps them a lot because they desperately needed more athleticism at the 4. What'd really help them is getting a bigger defensive PG along w/ Jamison so they could bring Mo Williams off the bench to play that Jamal Crawford/JR Smith role so he could come in against the 2nd unit of other teams and get a rhythm going easily.

[23LeBronJames23]

Cavs are not coming out the east, so I'm not worried.

If Lakers play like they are playing right now they aint coming out the west.
they are 9-6 vs teams that have .500 rec.

btw Cavs are 9-3

[Goran Dragic]

sounds like they are trying to dump arenas not him. the other guy is probably butler .

There have been plenty of recent rumors involving Jamison, for awhile the Suns had plenty of Amare for Jamison talks going on. I thing the Wizards are trying to do anything for cap relief at this point.

[23LeBronJames23]

There have been plenty of recent rumors involving Jamison, for awhile the Suns had plenty of Amare for Jamison talks going on. I thing the Wizards are trying to do anything for cap relief at this point.

Suns should not get rid of Amare he is actual playin pretty good for them. imo

[j.dizzle]

Cle is a great team if Mo Williams shoots lights out but he hasnt proven he can sustain that level of efficiency for a full series so I'll just say that the East is a toss up..The Cavs, Magic, Celtics, Hawks..gonna be a tough battle to come out the east this year

[JoeTait75]

There have been plenty of recent rumors involving Jamison, for awhile the Suns had plenty of Amare for Jamison talks going on. I thing the Wizards are trying to do anything for cap relief at this point.

They need to blow that team up and start over IMO. The troika of Arenas-Butler-Jamison has gone as far as it's going to go.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Suns should not get rid of Amare he is actual playin pretty good for them. imo

Suns would be stupid to get rid of Amare at this point given the best offers they would get are various packages of mediocre young talent and mediocre role players.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

They need to blow that team up and start over IMO. The troika of Arenas-Butler-Jamison has gone as far as it's going to go.

They should have been trying to move up in the draft, not trade down. They probably could have moved up to #2 and snagged Tyreke Evans to give them a young star to build around.

[Chillen]

If they play that hard every single game, yes. If they have a couple games where they play like pussys, than no. I thought their defense on the Lakers that game was incredible, clearly the Lakers should have some concern if they were to meet up with them. They have Big Z and Shaq, and the Lakers kill teams with no decent bigs to stop Gasol and Bynum. Gasol had to play Shaq and it tired him, and frustrated the crap out of Bynum and Artest had to exert all that energy chasing LeBron around the court. Which leaves Kobe, but one player can't beat a team alone. The NBA is about matchups and this is a bad matchup for the Lakers, the good news is that Boston or Orlando might do them a favor.

[iggypop123]

amare would be stupid to leave Phoenix. that system suits him. he abosolutely sucks as a legit PF. he has no post moves all he does is get layups from nash or takes jumpers