Andrew Bynum's Knee
Room service at whatever hotel the Lakers are staying at.
The injury bug. I respect the Spurs and Mavs (seasoned quality playoff teams).
I do think Portland can be very dangerous with the addition of Wallace and the return of Roy.
Bynum's knees + Memphis = Disaster for Wilt Mikan Jabbar Shaq Russell Bynum and Lakers...fwiw tbqh...
San Antonio and Dallas are obviously the only teams in the west that are potential answers. But I don't think either really stands out as far as threat level. They're both pretty equal in that regard.
I'll wait til after the April 12th game between SA and LA. If SA comes into staples and beats us, then we got ourselves a potentially tight race here. If LA evens the series and wins convincingly, then the proverbial nail has been hammered into the Spurs coffin.
...I am gonna wait.
Not sleeping on the Spurs.
Spurs will probably have HCA locked up before then, and will be resting their starters, rendering that game meaningless.
I don't know about that Tampa. I think Pop wants that psychological edge for his guys. He's not resting anyone for that match-up. Once April starts the sprint starts. You want any and all momentum going into the POs.
You don't know Pop very well, then.
Probably don't but as an arm-chair coach, it wouldn't make sense to me either.
What's the series? 2-1, spurs advantage? Both drubbed each other once and one close one?
Don't know Tampa. I think Pop wants this one.
Honestly, I don't see a legit threat in the West to beat LA 4 out of 7 times.
To beat LA (or come close as Hou did) you have to have a few things.
- physical play inside to deter Pau and LO.
- Great rebounders to beat LA on the boards.
- Physical defender against Kobe to force him into bad looks.
- Able to dictate a game into more of a grind than what LA wants.
- Have a PG who can break LA down but creates for others more than just a scorer.
SA falls far too short in not having the D, rebounding, or physical play.
Dallas doesn't have the physical play inside, Kidd can't break down LA's D, and no one can guard Kobe.
OKC doesn't have the PG play that hurts LA the most. Westbrook can create fine for himself but not for others when he penetrates. OKC can't control tempo and win a grind either.
LA isn't unbeatable but their is a clear way of attacking them in the playoffs. No one in the West can do that 4 times in 2 weeks.
You have to have mental toughness to beat Bryant, Fisher and Jackson.
Only San Antonio holds those qualities in the West.
The remainder just have sustained commotion.
Wish I had your for ude Luva....
.....I am just a perpetual pessimist....
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I'm with Acme in the "perpetual pessimist" corner.
Luva had to drag me kickin' & screamin' last June.
, we weren't even a blimp on the radar after the Cleveland Fiasco.
They never learn...
, I was starting to de-learn, Cobby.
We started playing that defense of the Daddy Days where the opponent is trying to run their offense by peeking over their shoulder, protecting the ball.
Just thank Christ Artest had the gumption to approcch Kobe in that shower.
3 weeks ago we were the laughing stock to everyone. Now they are looking at all the scenarios to avoid. It's slowly sinking in, again.
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