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The Lakers might not have a deep bench, but Odom is by far better than any bench player on Cleveland, Boston, Orlando etc. It's pretty obvious that at the very least on paper they have the best team in the NBA.
Well, they haven't won the West yet. If they do, props.
And regardless of the compe ion, L.A.'s schedule up until March HAS been easier than Cleveland's, simply because of the home-road disparity.
Besides, it's not as if the Cavaliers have struggled against the West. Other than against Denver- which has also given the Lake Show all sorts of problems- they've more than held their own.
The Lakers might not have a deep bench, but Odom is by far better than any bench player on Cleveland, Boston, Orlando etc. It's pretty obvious that at the very least on paper they have the best team in the NBA.
The Lakers currently are leading the conference and have been leading all year. So what if the Cavs have held their own? The Cavs are a team that plays hard every night and in the NBA you will win a lot of regular season games that way.
If they were in the West, their record would probably not be as good. It would still be great because they play hard and are very well put together, but the point is don't try and discredit the team that by your account is not clearly the most talented team.
That's the scary thing about LA. We have no idea how hard they're playing right now. The 2001 Lakers by no means lit the world on fire in the regular season but then were a completely different team in the playoffs.
i disagree...Cavs and Mavs looks better on paper.
Yep, anything that goes wrong, they're just not trying hard. LA is just that great.
LMAO at the Cavs looking better on paper.
Now when did that happen....in the playoffs it's all about your 8 man rotation nobody gives a if your 10th man is the best in the league. That's why Lakers are the most talented even though they're not very deep.I'd say Cleveland is likely in 2nd place after they got Jamison for free.
So if they are not that good and talented how did they win a le and how are they leading the West all year and how do they have the 2nd best record in the league?
Cavs Best 9 Players:
Lebron
Jamison
Varejao
Shaq
Mo Williams
West
Parker
Big Z
Hickson
Lakers Best 9 Players:
Kobe
Pau
Bynum
Artest
Odom
Brown
Farmar
Fisher
Walton
So please show which players on the Cavs are better than the Lakers.
We just went over that, but its no secret you like to spout the same thing over and over again.
ie.
"BYNUM/GASOL/ODOM/ARTEST/KOBE"
They are good. They are talented. They just aren't head and shoulders above the rest of the league like, say, the 2001 team.
I really don't think there is a dominant team this year.
What did we go over? Are you arguing that other teams have 3 guys after the one's you listed that are so much better than the Lakers next 3 guys that things tilt to their favor with regards to talent?
Eh i think it's close but the Mavs do look pretty stacked on paper after that trade and so do the Cavs with Jamison.
This is just my view, but the importance of having an extremely deep bench is overrated. A big reason for this is that belief is that Phil Jackson is the winningest coach in modern NBA history and he has never had an extremely deep bench. That maybe backfired a few times when Karl Malone AND Horace Grant were injured so he had to use Slava Medvedenko, but beyond Toni Kukoc the Bulls' bench was horrible in the late 90's, and the bench was never a strength for the 2000-2002 Lakers. Having a better 8th man than the other team doesn't matter in the last 6 minutes of a close playoff game.
2001 had a Prime Shaq and young Kobe, this year has a much older Kobe and a Gasol who s himself against tough teams.
I do. I think the Cavs and Lakers are dominant. I think the Mavs might be able to get there, but I doubt it.
I think the Lakers clearly have more talent where it matters, but that does not mean they are invincible. Especially if they don't gel as well as a team like the Cavs.
Spurs bench: Manu/McDyess/Richard Jefferson/Bonner/Mason
Why don't you explain why the Lakers players are so much better than the Cavs'? I see no real difference there.
Dude, your team is 46-17. There's really nothing major "going wrong". Yeah, they've lost two games. I can see cause for concern because of Bynum and Gasol's at ude. Artest is playing well. Odom always plays half assed basketball during the regular season. Gasol probably figured he'll play hard to earn his extension and then coast till the playoffs. Once Phil has a group of players who have been there done that he has a history of letting them coast.
Outside of Manu, that bench is . Whats your point?
This just shows your non-sense? ? That just shows you greatly over exaggerate everything. Spurs have the best "bench" in the league by all statistical measures.
I am sure Dice is compared to other bench bigs coming off the bench. I am sure Richard Jefferson is compared to other bench players. I am sure 2 of the best 3 point shooters in the league are compared to that "trash" LA has on their bench.
So then go on record. You think Williams/Lebron/Jamison/Varejao/Shaq is better or the same as Kobe/Pau/Odom/Artest/Bynum?
The 5 best players for each team...
This is how I know you aren't really coming from a point of credibility that someone who has really watched the Lakers this year would have.
Bynum and Gasol's at udes aren't a problem this year, both of them have very basketball-related issues that are affecting their performances.
And Odom is not playing half-assed this year, he's actually playing hard every night for the first time in years.
Having a fantastic record is not indicative of real, SERIOUS problems not existing. Just ask the 2007 Mavs or the Cavaliers last year. Or the Pistons from 2005-2008. Our record being as good as it is means absolutely nothing as far as i'm concerned, as someone who has watched every game and knows the team inside and out.
The Cavs starters and bench at least equal the overall basketball-related ability of the Lakers.
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