Lakers with Dwight vs Miami

[mercos]

I'll have to wait and see how this Laker team gels before I make a prediction. I think the Dwight Howard-Steve Nash combo could be deadly. I thought Orlando should have went hard after Nash last season. Howard's game is similar to A'mare Stoudemire, and we all know what Nash did for his career. Imagine how deadly Howard could be in the pick and roll with Nash. With Kobe waiting on the wing when things don't pan out, it could be a devastating offensive attack.

[Ace]

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[dbreiden83080]

They still won't beat OKC. OKC is still much younger and deeper. Westbrook will abuse Nash and Bynum is a better offensive player than Howard..

[Koolaid_Man]

Can't factor in scoring when Kobe is the lead dog on his team and Wade deferred to LeBron. I don't see an advantage either way. Whoever is better on a given night probably depends on whether the game is in LA or Miami (i.e. who the refs are sucking off that night).

You're also forgetting Rashard Lewis and Udonis Haslem on the Miami bench.

As far as Nash goes, I actually think he'd be better served on the second unit. Kobe needs the ball in his hands. He's not a spot-up shooter. Nash will be dangerous with Pau and Dwight for sure, but will Kobe take a backseat to let him do work with them? "Facilitating the offense" would essentially mean keeping the rock out of Kobe's hands.

I kinda like you VBM so I won't insult you while I destroy your takes....

Can't factor in scoring when Kobe is the lead dog on his team and Wade deferred to LeBron.

^ This comment alone proves my point...Wade doesn't have Kobe's mentality and when faced with play Kobe 1 on 1 it shows

I don't see an advantage either way. Whoever is better on a given night probably depends on whether the game is in LA or Miami (i.e. who the refs are sucking off that night).

^ Again..Kobe takes Wade to the low blocks almost immediately..Wade can try but he's usually not effective trying to post Kobe up because he's smaller than Kobe ..Kobe also has a better mid-range game and is a better shooter...tell me again why it's a wash

You're also forgetting Rashard Lewis and Udonis Haslem on the Miami bench.

^ so at this point who would you take Rashard Lewis and Haslem or Jamison and possibly Jordan Hill...No question you take the latter and not the former

As far as Nash goes, I actually think he'd be better served on the second unit. Kobe needs the ball in his hands.

^ again not true at all...Kobe has the ball in his hands because he's never had a guard to actually..you know..facilitate the offense...Fisher could bring it up but he couldn't facilitate it..He usually brought the ball up, set a pick or a screen and then ran to the side corner looking for the spot up 3... MJ as a 2-gaurd never had to facilitate that's why he was so devastating on the wings..Ask yourself -> Why did Kobe lobby so hard to bring Nash in...

"Facilitating the offense" would essentially mean keeping the rock out of Kobe's hands.

^ It means keeping Kobe from instructing guys on where to be...Do you realize that the Triangle offense was structured on cutting to the basket..something Kobe has always done very well and in fact it's how he thrives...the iso ball is a result having no PG / floor general that keep it moving...Kobe is a scoring guard and now all Nash will need to do is hit him at the elbows (corners from the top of the key) which is Kobe's sweet spot...this is a no-brainer...Now when Kobe, or possibly Dwight is doubled watch opposing defenses pay with Nash's high FG%

nice doing business with ya VBM

[VBM]

I kinda like you VBM so I won't insult you while I destroy your takes....



^ This comment alone proves my point...Wade doesn't have Kobe's mentality and when faced with play Kobe 1 on 1 it shows

2006 disproves that. Wade is second to LeBron on his own team skillwise, and Kobe would be too. Age is a mutha.

^ Again..Kobe takes Wade to the low blocks almost immediately..Wade can try but he's usually not effective trying to post Kobe up because he's smaller than Kobe ..Kobe also has a better mid-range game and is a better shooter...tell me again why it's a wash

Wade gets to the line, especially at home. He can still attack the rim. Again, even if I give you the argument that Kobe is more technically sound, they both can pretty much get what they want on offense.


^ so at this point who would you take Rashard Lewis and Haslem or Jamison and possibly Jordan Hill...No question you take the latter and not the former

I'd take Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis, Shane Battier and Udonis Haslem over Jamison, Jordan Hill, Blake, Ebanks and such. Ray Allen post ankle-surgery is going to be a problem next year.


^ again not true at all...Kobe has the ball in his hands because he's never had a guard to actually..you know..facilitate the offense...Fisher could bring it up but he couldn't facilitate it..He usually brought the ball up, set a pick or a screen and then ran to the side corner looking for the spot up 3... MJ as a 2-gaurd never had to facilitate that's why he was so devastating on the wings..Ask yourself -> Why did Kobe lobby so hard to bring Nash in...

But Kobe has had big men who completely dominate in the post and could get easier buckets than him trying to get his on the perimeter. I predict that Kobe runs into trouble going away from what he's used to (even if he actively recruited Nash). Kobe does care about his numbers. Nash penetrates and dishes, and also throws lobs to his big men. Neither of those things really seems to cater to Kobe as much as his supporting cast, unless you want Kobe taking threes from the wing all day.

^ It means keeping Kobe from instructing guys on where to be...Do you realize that the Triangle offense was structured on cutting to the basket..something Kobe has always done very well and in fact it's how he thrives...the iso ball is a result having no PG / floor general that keep it moving...Kobe is a scoring guard and now all Nash will need to do is hit him at the elbows (corners from the top of the key) which is Kobe's sweet spot...this is a no-brainer...Now when Kobe, or possibly Dwight is doubled watch opposing defenses pay with Nash's high FG%

I actually think teams will simply turn Nash into the scorer and make sure they stay at home on Kobe and Dwight. Spurs did that to perfection during their le years, and Nash ain't the player he was then.

nice doing business with ya VBM

[whitemamba]

lakers in 5 tbh. lakers D will destroy the heat. no chance.

[pass1st]

lakers in 5 tbh. lakers D will destroy the heat. no chance.

Nash will stop Wade

[Ace]

lakers in 5 tbh. lakers D will destroy the heat. no chance.

The Lakers D that OKC took a big on?

[tesseractive]

I think when it comes down to late game possessions, Miami will go to Wade and Bron, and the Lakers will still rely heavily on Kobe ISO. 60% of that has to do with Kobe, and 40% of that has to do with the players surrounding Kobe. Gasol isn't going to suddenly sprout testicles, and Nash can go through spells of being turnover prone and/or worthlessly dribbling the clock down late in games.

Ideally, the ball should go down-low to Howard, especially against Miami. But Kobe ultimately wants the ball in his hands, and Howard isn't exactly the guy you want taking any shots outside 7 feet. Inside of 7 feet, during crunch time, he's getting hacked and taking his brokedown shooting touch straight to the FT line.

So as much as the lineup has changed, you still end up with Kobe playing hero ball and going 1v1, possibly against LeBron. I'll take LeBron/Wade over Kobe hero ball.

This.

With better coaching, I think Dwight would get enough easy possessions against the Heat to make it a tossup, especially with Nash to get him the entry pass. But Kobe doesn't believe in Brown enough to willingly give up the ball, especially down the stretch.

[Killakobe81]

The Lakers D that OKC took a big on?

Heat and Okc would still be Finals favorites but Okc less so. West is tougher conference I would give Lakers a 50-50 shot of beating them. Heat repeating barring injury I doubt they 3 peat though ...

[DeadlyDynasty]

^There's no way the Lakers aren't the favorites in the WCF if they get Howard. No way.

[cheguevara]

the team with Lebronze on it easily

but tbh the Thunder, Dallas and even the Spurs have better chance to face Miami next year, so it's irrelevant

[Bynumite]

Whatever happened to that Dwight for Ibaka/Harden deal?

Was it ever a real possibility or just a wild rumor?

Even if Harden had a competent Finals performance, i would have pulled the trigger on that one. Most people would have done the same i guess.

[djohn2oo8]

Whatever happened to that Dwight for Ibaka/Harden deal?

Was it ever a real possibility or just a wild rumor?

Even if Harden had a competent Finals performance, i would have pulled the trigger on that one. Most people would have done the same i guess.

Rumor.

[VBM]

^There's no way the Lakers aren't the favorites in the WCF if they get Howard. No way.

Depends on HCA.

[m>s]

lakers have the edge against miami if they have DH imho. heat struggle against good bigs and they always got pwned by DH singlehandedly everytime they played orlando, DH to LA would be the last thing miami want to see tbh

[LkrFan]

You already know Ace. Your newfound insecurity made you start this thread.

Nash >> Chalmers
Kobe > Wade
MWP << LBJ
Pau = Bosh
D-12 or Bynum >>> Any starting center y'all throw out there

Benches: argument TBD

[LkrFan]

Kobe had to do everything:

1) score
2) guard Fisher's or Sessions man
3) get the bigs involved
4) lead us in apg
5) close games

Now with Nash onboard, we don't need 3-5 out of pure necessity. Nash can close games, he's an apg wizard, and the bigs will love him.

He'll be more efficient, less ball handling duties, and be fresh come playoff time. The Nashquisition just extended his elite window IMO. His workload just decreased big time.

[DMC]

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[Ace]

You already know Ace. Your newfound insecurity made you start this thread.

Nash >> Chalmers
Kobe = Wade
MWP <<< LBJ
Pau < Bosh
D-12 or Bynum >>> Any starting center y'all throw out there

Benches: argument TBD

Is this only one side of the ball?

[stretch]

the team with Lebronze on it easily

don't get why people still call him that, despite the fact he has a gold medal now, as well as an NBA championship...

s

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

You already know Ace. Your newfound insecurity made you start this thread.

Nash >> Chalmers
Kobe > Wade
MWP << LBJ
Pau = Bosh
D-12 or Bynum >>> Any starting center y'all throw out there

Benches: argument TBD

the ol' arrow argument

[DUNCANownsKOBE]

Nash can close games

That's rich.

[stretch]

Nash >> Chalmers
Kobe > Wade
MWP << LBJ
Pau = Bosh
D-12 or Bynum >>> Any starting center y'all throw out there

why do people still continue to do this, when this is virtually meaningless?

Miami wins regardless of LA having Dwight or Bynum. They are simply a better team. The ONLY chance that LA has at winning, is by keeping Bynum, and having him go nuts in the post. I think its very arguable that getting Dwight would hurt their chances, because post scoring is pretty much the only way you can win a 7 game series against them.

[ChrisRichards]

Not a huge believer that Dwight's addition will make LA better than Miami. LA's bench is still whack. Adding Jamison is a huge lol. Nash is a great addition however, I think his value is higher than Dwight with the Lakers simply because LA's biggest flaw last season was shooting and playmaking and Steve excels on both. Gasol, Bynum, Jordan Hill and even MCRoberts will all come to life next season I bet. I expect high efficiency across the board for these players.



Bottomline for me though is how much will Kobe allow Nash to control the Lakers. If they use Nash as someone who just takes the ball up front and use him as a spot shooter, while Kobe plays ISO ball again, then they're a second round playoff team at best. But if Nash runs the Lakers like he did Phoenix and Kobe fully accepts a Robin role again then I think they're going to be tough to beat with or without Dwight.