Any West team could lose in the first round to any team. happens. Mavs fans last year laughed their asses off when anyone mentioned that the Warriors could beat them in a 7-game series. I think some of us said the Warriors could do it but deep down none of us really thought it would happen. But it did.
If the bottom teams won the West as of today it would be: GS, SA, Houston, and Dallas. I can see that happening. I am confident that LA and SA will make it to the second round, but if the Lakers don't get healthy they have to be careful. In the East it's Boston vs Detroit, The Cavs and Magic may sneak into the picture but that's about it. Everyone in the West is a threat from 1-8.
We've been hearing this 'But when Bynum comes back...' tirade for months now.
I don't think it means what you think it means.
In case you haven't noticed the Warriors have only beaten the Lakers once at staples center and that was 5 years ago.... and with the west being so close the excitement from Bob Fitzgerald was sooo necessary! I can tell you right now, the lakers will be a tough match up for the Warriors in a 7 game series if they have all their bigs....but I wouldn't say the warriors could not beat them, simply becasue I ahve seen boom-dizzle in the playoffs, and he is like a god damned madman at times, and monta ellis is bar none the quickest man in the league. Gimmick or not the warriors are not soft, they are not big and beefy in the middle, but we have some gritty guards and point fowards. And if we do draw the Lakers in teh first round we will once again have the underdog "back against the wall" at ude taht we relish in. Im not making any sort of predictions, im just saying dont laugh at the idea of losing a series to us, because the mavs and their fans did exactly that a year ago and look at them now, they are on the verge of not even making it to the playoffs this year.
Seriously though. There are 12 games left in the Laker's season. It would be stupid to bring him back right when the playoffs started. He would not be ready. If he does not come back within 7 or 8 more games he won't be the huge force he can be.
to be honest, if there are basketball gods the lakers will never win another championship with kobe. I have never heard a laker fan accept a loss as a being a loss, there is always some sort of ass excuse.
Orlando plays no defense, they won't make it past the second round. If I'm a Pistons fan, I'm hoping the seedings stay as they are and that Boston gets Cleveland in the second round.
Look I like the Warriors, they are a fun team to watch and you can't not like Baron and Jackson. But let's be serious, there is no way the Warriors are beating a Laker team with Bynum and Gasol back. It's just not happening.
DAL lost to them last season because they had no interior scorers to take advantage of their small frontcourt. They had Dirk. It's not even remotely the same situation.
And newsflash you Spurs fans, YOU"VE LOST TWICE TO THEM THIS SEASON.
We don't give a , one of them we didn't have Duncan. The other one we just got outplayed on the road. The Warriors are a good home team. BFD.
Well I just don't know he can be a huge force, at least this year. I mean, the guy had a breakout season, but the playoffs are a different beast altogether. I'm not sold on the kid yet. I think the Shaqs, Boozers, Duncans can have a field day with a youngster like him.
I agree he needs to come back soon to make the playoff rotation.
I have that same view too. The EC standings are almost set unlike the West.
It will most likely be:
1 Boston
2 Detroit
3 Orlando
4 Cleveland
5 Washington
6 Toronto/Philly
7 Toronto/Philly
8 Atlanta/NJ
If the top 4 seeds go through to the semis it will be Boston vs Cleveland and Detroit vs Orlando. The 2 seed is good because the Pistons have been money against Orlando. (There 10 game winning streak against them was barely broken earlier in the year by a game winning bank shot by Rashard Lewis)
He is going to start for the Lakers. There is no way he does not make the rotation. He won't be as effective as he was earlier in the year though.
Andrew Bynum has the best eFG% of any center in the NBA, which means opposing centers shoot the worst FG% against him. I'm not worried about his defense. You are just hating, plain and simple. Duncan stuggles against C's with length to challenge his shot and Bynum has just that.
The Lakers won't need Bynum to do a damn thing on offense. All we need is his defense, that is why him not being 100% won't matter so much. Gasol will take the offensive load away from Bynum.
Well not to mention Orlando as a team has never been to the 2nd round. The Pistons will probably blow them out in 1 or 2 games. I still think that series would be fun to watch, the Magic have a great offense. I saw that highlight, btw, and that was a tough shot.
To get past the champs you will need some offense from Bynum. Kobe can only do so much. If Bynum isn't a scoring threat than the Spurs can get away with double teaming Kobe and Gasol.
This game (and tomorrow's) isn't about whether or not they can beat you in a 7 game series. The remaining games are about who get's homecourt, and 1 game seperates the #1 seed from the #6 seed. So I would say losing at home is pretty crucial....especially since Kobe won't get the MVP if LA doesn't get a top seed.
that seems to be a common saying these days. Every team in the NBA has a long C... ever since hes been in the league..
How did Desagana Diop fair in the 06 playoffs? the dude has a 9'5" standing reach... consider that Yao Ming's is 9'7" being half a foot taller.
It may take Duncan a half or maybe one game to figure out an opposing defense... its inevitable.
On to Bynum... i dont think GSW beats LA with Bynum... but it certaintly wont be because of his man to man defense.
What a bag.
Yeah, the Warriors announcers should take a second to tell their fans not to get too excited about the win considering the Lakers were missing two key players.
I thought the Lakers OWNED the Warriors....wasn't that what you were spewing this last week?
At the top of my head I can think of 2 guys that Duncan really struggles against: Dampier (that's probably only today too
You can't only have length on Duncan because he will outsmart you (That's why he is called the Big Fundamental). A player has to be just as smart.
Duncan usually owns Dampier. Today, Dampier did a good job on Duncan though. He rarely has off games against the Mavs.At the top of my head I can think of 2 guys that Duncan really struggles against: Dampier (that's probably only today too
Exactly! And Bynum got outsmarted by Oberto earlier in the seasonYou can't only have length on Duncan because he will outsmart you (That's why he is called the Big Fundamental). A player has to be just as smart.
They give up a ton of leads, but at the same time I think they have the most 4th quarter/double digit comebacks in basketball too.
I wouldn't say they are any softer than Dallas or Houston or teams like that.
It's called perspective. My Warrior friend put it best, "Beating the Lakers is like our championship".
I would call them erratic. They can pull great upsets like last year or completely blow a lead. There play style is erratic too, so what do you expect?
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