So when it comes down to it..

[Killakobe81]

Killa, PJ is winning his last season, and Kobe is going to beat Shaq. Trust me on this one. I know it makes Spurfan sick to the stomach to see that we don't even consider them.

Dont get me wrong I have faith in PJ, Kobe and fish to win when it counts ...
I also think we will start playing better soon enough Im just syingthe Celts are the team that I think gives us the most trouble.

1. Rondo's speed ...
2. Pierce's hard-on for the Lakers
3. Ray's ability to catch fire
4. KG's fire and brimstone .. . and studio gansta antics ...
5. Shaq's Finals track record (not counting the Erica Dampier domination)

But The things i think we have that offsets the above ...

1. Rondo's shot. Tough for them to win when he wont take shots late and is choking FT's to boot
2. Artest to throttle Pierce ...
3. Dfish chses him well but they do a great job of setting illegal screens
my guess is Phil will send a message to the media by our first regular season matchup ...
4. We have Kobe and his determination and PJ I think we will met the challenge
5. He still sucks at FT's and if they play him in the clutch we can just pnr 2 game him with Pau and kobe ...

Again i think we win but they are a tough matchup. Both regular season games last year were close and we won the finals in 7 hard fought games ...Why would this year be any different? Even go back to the 2008 finals you take away games 2 (or was it 1) and game 6 those games were close too ..

[Koolaid_Man]

Well thought out response but I guess i just respect KG and what he brings defensively a bit more than you do ...plus Pau has shown signs of shrinking when beat up (hibbert and noah especially) to be as confident as you are. Also bynum's knee and Ron's shooting woes doesnt inspire much confidence either ...I think ron will figure things out i think XMAS will be a good test.

tht is another place we disagree ..i expect us to lose that day we have only had one really good XMas performance the past 5 years and that was when Bynum shat on teh suns and Rza dunked all over Grant Hill ...
We suck on christmas but I still dont see the heat making the finals so I am not overly worried if we lose to them anyway ...

Listen why do buy into the KG hype....that might be black as ever and ugly as intimidating but he is over ing rated on Defense...Gasol more than handled his own during the 2010 finals. He manned up against KG when it counted the most. KG is fake energy and hype...KG don't really want none man..He thinks Gasol is scared of him so he huffs and puffs like dragon. Bet he won't step to Bynum or Artest with that he'd get his ing teeth knocked in. Killa you focused on all the wrong things...and focused on them way too early.

Lakers have had really bad luck the last 3 yrs and we still won 2/3 finals. It's our turn to play with a fully healthy Squad from play-offs start to finish.
Also the X-mas day game...that's another area where it's time for a Laker breakthrough...with a revitalized bench for the first time in almost 7 yrs...I think you'll see a nice difference this time around.

As for KG look at this vid closely. KG is a fake hardwood gangsta if I've ever seen one..and don't forget when Anthony Peeler punched him in the face he did absolutely nothing...that's just how he is when he thinks he's going to get his ass kicked:

[Killakobe81]

Listen why do buy into the KG hype....that might be black as ever and ugly as intimidating but he is over ing rated on Defense...Gasol more than handled his own during the 2010 finals. He manned up against KG when it counted the most. KG is fake energy and hype...KG don't really want none man..He thinks Gasol is scared of him so he huffs and puffs like dragon. Bet he won't step to Bynum or Artest with that he'd get his ing teeth knocked in. Killa you focused on all the wrong things...and focused on them way too early.

Lakers have had really bad luck the last 3 yrs and we still won 2/3 finals. It's our turn to play with a fully healthy Squad from play-offs start to finish.
Also the X-mas day game...that's another area where it's time for a Laker breakthrough...with a revitalized bench for the first time in almost 7 yrs...I think you'll see a nice difference this time around.

As for KG look at this vid closely. KG is a fake hardwood gangsta if I've ever seen one..and don't forget when Anthony Peeler punched him in the face he did absolutely nothing...that's just how he is when he thinks he's going to get his ass kicked:

I said that KG is a fake gansta and pau did a good jobe last finals but there were moments he shrunk ...and KG looks healthier this year. And he has shaq a real true physical presence on his side.

[lefty]

I have to agree

[Killakobe81]

It will be one of the greatest finals ever. There are so many plot lines in this story.

1. C's still claiming they've never been beat healthy.
2. Shaq trying to catch Kobe
3. Kobe trying to catch MJ at 6
4. PJ going for his 4th 3-peat
5. Kobe going for his 2nd 3-peat
6. Laker catching the C's at 17
7. C's trying to notch 18 and stay ahead of LA
Both teams are evenly matched, this could be the greatest finals ever. The playoff race has already started, and having teams like Miami, the Mavs, and the Spurs all thinking they have a shot should make it that much more exciting.

This. Exactly.

[Koolaid_Man]

I said that KG is a fake gansta and pau did a good jobe last finals but there were moments he shrunk ...and KG looks healthier this year. And he has shaq a real true physical presence on his side.

Pau will pick it up...he knows what's at stake...Luva mentioned all the sub-plots...I want to add 2 more....Pau moving closer to Timmy in rings...
Kobe tying the State of Texas with 6 rings...

Remember when the play-offs start the players feed off their star...and Kobe is on record as saying:

"I don't talk much during the playoffs I'm irritated, moody, and grumpy. My teammates and my family knows not to bother me." - Kobe

That's all you need to know about how it's bout to go down...When Phil tells his players it's been a pleasure, gives his emotional rant on how he wants to be remembered and then D-Fish motions the playoff team huddle for the clarion call....that will be all she ing wrote for the 3 peat completion.

Kobe goes into teacher mode...I've posted this before but it needs to be seen again:

[bostonguy]

It will be one of the greatest finals ever. There are so many plot lines in this story.

1. C's still claiming they've never been beat healthy.
2. Shaq trying to catch Kobe
3. Kobe trying to catch MJ at 6
4. PJ going for his 4th 3-peat
5. Kobe going for his 2nd 3-peat
6. Laker catching the C's at 17
7. C's trying to notch 18 and stay ahead of LA

Both teams are evenly matched, this could be the greatest finals ever. The playoff race has already started, and having teams like Miami, the Mavs, and the Spurs all thinking they have a shot should make it that much more exciting.

A Lakers/Celtics last stand would be awesome. Add in the fact these are the last 2 champions. It is 1-1 and this is the deciding factor for the ultimate bragging rights. I just hope Boston can stay healthy.

[ezau]

No one needs to guard Mookie anymore. It's Paulina that the Spurs and Mavs should worry about. All Mookie does is shoot 30 shots to get to 30 points.

[ezau]

Who's going to guard Bynum, Gasol and Odom?

He would be lucky if he's still playing in March.

[Greg Oden]

At least we've got Manu and Hill.

I thought this was a real thread for discussion until I saw this gem. job well done, imho.

[Frenzy]

Players still worry about kobe? 39% old worn out and broken kobe? Worry about the bigs...not kobe.

[Findog]

and really matters, who guards Kobe...?

a 6'2, unathletic Jason Terry?
a 6'4 35 year old Jason Kidd?

CMON MAN, this isn't even trolling, you mavs fans fail to realize that you have no one to put next to Kobe.


At least we've got Manu and Hill.

Kidd will guard Kobe. Actually with a guy like Kobe, you defend him as a team and whoever the individual defender is will have plenty of help - you want to force him to certain spots on the floor where the help is, you want him to go into hero mode. I'd much rather Kobe shoot 9-25 from the floor trying to get his 30 points than being the facilitator and opening everything up for the other four guys.

[ElNono]

You just need to slow down MVPau, make him fatigued.
Chandler can do that plowing through his lane.

Also, the way Artest is chucking shots right now you almost don't want to guard him at all.

[BoricuaCJA]

Kidd will guard Kobe. Actually with a guy like Kobe, you defend him as a team and whoever the individual defender is will have plenty of help - you want to force him to certain spots on the floor where the help is, you want him to go into hero mode. I'd much rather Kobe shoot 9-25 from the floor trying to get his 30 points than being the facilitator and opening everything up for the other four guys.

OMG, a Findog siting!