How about best mid-season collusion? The Lakers are all about hype and show. The national media has very nearly crowned them champions already and that doesn't bother me one bit. Last year at this time, if you'll recall, it was the Mavericks who were supposed to have a cakewalk to the championship. And look what happened to them.
As has been mentioned the Lakers are super popular with the media mostly because of Bryant and the TV ratings he commands. Not because the rest of the team is anything particularly special on the court. If I were a Laker fan I would temper my enthusiasm with a reality check at this point in the season. Knowing that San Antonio will be in the playoffs too. And they, not the Lakers are the proven champs. And the real team to beat.
Defense wins championship (ask the smash-mouth Giants).
Gasol sucks on defense and boards.
Kurt is solid at both.
ing amazing mid-season trade that boosts the Spurs exactly when and where they it.
And he can rebound and defend and block/alter shots (aka "fundamentals") immediately, without fully mastering the Spurs system. Instant payoff.
Perhaps shaking up the paint rotation so Robert and Fab get a good PT kick in the butt.
Last edited by boutons_; 02-26-2008 at 03:01 PM.
Interesting how Kurt and Oberto (to some extent) fit in quickly while other guys like Rasho, Elson, and Nazr took quite a bit of time.
It took a while, but finally the Spurs have someone who knows how to play like a NBA big.
No one is saying the Spurs aren't the team to beat.....
However we are the best team in the West and have the best point diff while previously going 11-1 on the road without our best defensive players. But it's all hype I tells ya...all hype.
Also, I wans't sure that the "media" plays in the Laker games. Interesting thought. All of the media crap is just sour grapes from small market teams. Here's a thought, why don't you just rest on your championship laurels and strong team ethic than get caught up in the "media's" ramblings. A bunch of pussies on this forum.
I've watched a lot of their games (since I live in LA), and Gasol is pretty impressive on that team. Dude is shooting like 64% since the trade.
Nah, Fabricio has played well for this team. More like bye bye Bonner.
Point differential is not a bull stat at all, but didn't Kobe get ejected from a game while they were up by 31 points? Not sure the stat means as much when you have your best players running up the score in garbage time. Their second team is more than capable of scoring points in bunches.
I'm not sure why people claiming to be Spurs fans think Thomas' arrival automatically means someone has to go. Last I checked it's a team sport. I agree with you that Oberto isn't going anywhere. Regardless, if Bonner is on his way out, it's due to his play and is unrelated to the KT trade.
I meant his playing time.
And that wasn't directed at you. I quoted you because I agree with you about Oberto. I agree with you again; any meaningful minutes Bonner might have gotten thrown evaporated with this trade.
I'm always surprised to see how some people overestimate the meaning of the regular season.
Two years ago, it was the Pistons, then Dallas and Phoenix last year and now the Lakers.
Playoffs are an all different story, it's not the same game anymore.
Experience as a team and defense prevails then.
In my years of watching NBA basketball, I don't remember a year where getting home court advantage was so important. Having the best record isn't an indication that a team is going to just automatically advance, but failing to acknowledge that playoff position is critical, particularly in this year's western conference, would be insanity.
Actually he left mid way through the 3rd q when we hit our highest point diff of that game. Not really running up the score when it's still the 3rd period.
Now that's what I'm talkin bout!Well, you then.
Every year the Spurs are always overlooked. Does it really f'n matter anymore? i was pissed about for a while but i got over it. I just do what the Spurs do and dust it off my shoulder. It's the same old, same old.
Garbage time is garbage time, no matter when it happens. If Kobe's in the game when they are up 31, then he was probably there when they were up 26. Even if you justify the practice as somehow not being unwise, you certainly can't expect to bring up point differential and be taken seriously.
I liked what I saw in him last night. 13 mins and 9 boards - now that's a stat that we needed. We've lost several games (I'm sure that some of you can tell me which ones) where our lack of defensive rebounds was the difference. A board here and there probably would have given us a couple more wins this year. He's smart and disciplined - traits that go a long way with Pop.
Oberto's a smart player, too. Very nice tandem to have. I'm down with this!
See: 04 Pacers, 04 Lakers, 05 Heat, 06 Pistons, 07 Mavericks.
Media hype is NEVER right. Never. Each of the following teams were called the team to beat going into the playoffs in the respective seasons by either that dip Steven A. Smith (who is like 0 for 50 in playoff predictions a month before) and ESPN and other media outlets. How many of those teams won a le? Exactly.
The Lakers have been slurped by J.A Adande and Smith and a bunch of other biased west-coast writters for the past three seasons despite doing in the post season. They have blind love for Kobe. He's a great player and the second best behind LBJ. But face it, he hasn't won since Shaq left town and he might not have that "it" that players like Duncan, Shaq and James have. He's never showed that, and now that he is "happy" he is a team player for the first time since Shaq left, and suddenly the Lakers are "the team to beat"?? Yeah right. The team to beat is the team who won the le last season, the team who is going to take first place as soon as the Lakers lose one game, the team that has 3 of the past five les, The Spurs. Media hype is so over rated in the American culture today. So many people take what is published as gospel.And the media is seldom right when pertaining to sports. The Lakers are a great team, but in the cut throat West it's up for grabs and the law of averages (which is usually more correct than the media) suggests the Spurs have the best shot at taking it, and they are the team to beat.
Dude! Man Crush?! I had a crush on him when he was on the stinking suns!!I was very pleased with Kurt Thomas' play last night. He came into the game and made an imediate impact. It takes a tough vet to do that. He just seems to know where to be and already seems to have a feel for the system. I know it's early, but I've got a feeling he's gonna be big for us down the stretch. Sometimes, with some guys you just know it's a great fit from top to bottom. For me, he's definately one of em. Plus he looks damn sexy in a Spurs uni. Yes I do already have a man crush on Kurt.
Any thoughts? BTW as you can see, this is my first post. I recently "left" another leading forum and decided on settling down here. Takes a while to get to know you guys, but so far I like what I see. Things seem a little more liberal over here. Thanks for having me
Watch Out Girls--- When you see him in a suit with he glasses...wow!
Soooo Happy to have him!!
Gadzooks!! After reading the recent Harvey/Monroe column, I'm surprised the guy is still playing 10 years after breaking both ankles a total of four times.
I suspect Bonner was given a 3-yr deal because he'll be getting PT in the next two yrs after Horry retires this yr with ring #7.
Then call me
Most of the pundits repeat what they hear others say,Then call me
Kurt is the second to last piece needed to win this years playoffs. You know who the other is.
He is going to push the team higher in offensive points and lower the opponents points. Which they are already #3.
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