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lakers in 7 over the spurs?
hahahahaha
Can we expect this kind of useless article now every time the Lakers beat some middling team like Sacto? BTW does anyone have a single basketball memory of Tim Legler?
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Here's a look at how the Western Conference playoffs would shape up, based on Monday's standings. Plenty of room for teams to move up and down here -- Phoenix elevated to No. 5 after these were written -- and we can expect changes in the projected pairings on almost a daily basis.
FIRST ROUND
No. 1. San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 8 Golden State Warriors The Spurs have too much discipline for the Warriors. San Antonio, as usual, is playing its best basketball as the playoffs approach and Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili have not played heavy minutes all season. They also have more depth than ever with the acquisitions of Kurt Thomas and Damon Stoudamire, plus the addition of Ime Udoka to the rotation. They will force the tempo to slow down and their half-court defense will force Golden State into an array of forced shots. (Spurs in 5)
No. 2 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 7 Dallas Mavericks
The Lakers now have the most complete offensive team in basketball. As Sunday proved when Kobe Bryant lit up Dallas for 52 points, the Mavs have no answer for Bryant defensively now that Kobe has Pau Gasol's versatility for teams to deal with. If Andrew Bynum returns to the rotation in time for the playoffs, the Lakers size will dominate the Mavs front line. (Lakers In 6)
No. 3 New Orleans Hornets vs No. 6 Phoenix Suns
It is no fluke that the Hornets swept the Suns in four games this season. Chris Paul's eyes light up when he sees the Suns, especially now that Shaquille O'Neal and Amare Stoudemire are the primary pick-and-roll defenders to help Steve Nash try to keep Paul out of the lane.
The Suns have lost their ability to run teams off the floor and they miss Shawn Marion's rebounding, athleticism and defense more than they ever imagined. (Hornets in 6)
No. 4 Utah Jazz vs No. 5 Houston Rockets
This would be very compe ive series, despite Yao Ming's absence. The Jazz are 26-3 at home and that will mean a lot in this series. Deron Williams took it to another level in the postseason last spring and is poised for another run.
Houston defends (fourth in points allowed), takes care of the ball (fourth fewest turnovers), and rebounds (second overall), but Tracy McGrady will need more scoring help than this team can provide. (Jazz in 7)
SECOND ROUND
San Antonio vs. Utah Jazz
A rematch of the West finals from a year ago, these teams are mirror images of each other. They both have outstanding point guards in Parker and Deron Williams, dominant big men in Tim Duncan and Carlos Boozer, and a deep complement of role players and shooters. The difference in the series would be Ginobili. He has returned to the form that made him a legit Finals MVP candidate in 2005 and gives the Spurs the additional playmaker down the stretch that Utah lacks. (Spurs in 6)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. New Orleans Hornets
This is all about matchups. The Lakers' ability to negate the size up front of Tyson Chandler and David West with Bynum and Gasol takes away a big part of the Hornets' advantage. The one thing the Hornets lack is a big, athletic wing defender to use on Bryant.
He will put up big numbers.Paul is special but at least the Lakers have two solid defenders in Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar to chase Paul around all night. Finally, the biggest problem for N.O. Will be Lamar Odom in the post and off the dribble against Peja Stojakovic. Hornets aren't quite ready for this kind of leap. (Lakers in 6)
WEST FINALS
San Antonio vs. Los Angeles Lakers
It is awfully difficult to pick against the Spurs with a Finals appearance on the line, but it's Kobe's year in the West. For much of the same reasons that they match up well with the Hornets, the Lakers have an answer at every position to combat the Spurs' balance offensively.
Ultimately, it will hinge on which team makes plays down the stretch and Kobe Bryant is unmatched in crunch-time situations. Gasol's addition was the piece that put the Lakers over the top. Duncan won't be able to rest against the likes of Kwame Brown or Chris Mihm. He will have to work. As will Ginobili against Kobe. The Lakers finally break through without Shaq, and Phil Jackson gets a shot at his tenth ring. (Lakers in 7)
lakers in 7 over the spurs?
hahahahaha
seems a lot of pundits see it that way. i, on the other hand, like the Spurs in 6 against la.
"Duncan won't be able to rest against the likes of Kwame Brown or Chris Mihm."
I was going to rant about that statement....but just look at it. How the is Duncan gonna be defended by Kwame Brown? And, if by some "miracle" Kwame comes back to the Lakers I'd be more worried Tim would trip on his own shoelaces than Kwame's defense
i believe he is saying they won't be there, meaning they were traded away. no?
Yeah you're correct I misread the statement I guess my distaste for Tim Legler got the best of me....Still not worried about Gasol's defense so I stand by the shoelace statement lol
It's more like, the only Laker the Spurs have no answer for is Kobe... they have answers for every single other one of the Lakers scrub players, who will be well defended by the Spurs. And yeah, Andrew Bynum has made big strides this season, but to say he would best Tim Duncan in a playoff series? Seriously? Our center rotation is the strongest it's been since #50 retired. Please, ESPN and Friends, keep thinking Kobe and 4 dudes he picked up at the Y can beat the Spurs the same way you thought Lebron and his Fave Four could last June. I need those summertime lulz so bad.
Remember, Shawn Marion was money for the Suns against pretty much anyone except the Spurs. The Spurs consistently eliminated him from the equation in the playoffs. Boobie Gibson got a ton of press before the Finals because he lifted the Cavs into the Finals. Did anyone give a about him two weeks later?
I know the Lakers are neck and neck with us but they can and will be beaten.
Kobe Bryant is unmatched in crunch-time situations.
Here's another prediction:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds
BRUCE!?!
Has everyone missed the past 7-8 meetings?
In all fairness, we haven't seen Kobe in the playoffs since 0.4BRUCE!?!
Has everyone missed the past 7-8 meetings?
Gasol and Bynum > Duncan + Thomas? i am not sure... kobe as a stopper... who's gonna stop TP form their end?
Premature article
In the past, the Lakers had no help in the middle, so if Kobe got past Bruce, Fab or Duncan were free to leave Kwame to help out.
Now Duncan/Fab would have to make a choice on leaving Pau and Bynum to help on Kobe.
The other problem is now the Spurs must keep Manu or Bowen on the bench for longer periods of time because Manu must guard either Kobe or Lamar Odom.
The Last persons predictions i trust would be Tim Legler........
Last year he said this....
"Im tired of hearing everyone say that the Golden State Warriors are gonna beat the Mavericks in a 7 game series....its not gonna happen, not a chance, its a ridiculous thought...."
These guys get paid to make comments and analyze but yet theyre so wrong all the time.....
SPURS vs CELTICS....
Premature article indeed until Bynum gets back.
Still surprising because Legler will always be a Laker hater.
This is absurd to be making this prediction right now. Phoenix will probably move up, Houston will move down, so who knows what it will look like in 2 months?
LA will probably be the #1 seed, as their schedule is so much easier than ours, but even that is meaningless, because there could be injuries and such that will totally jumble up the standings.
Why do people waste our time with this crap two months before the season ends???
I suppose it's good it isn't left to a computer to arrive at the Final answer.
But how does this work. Boston and Detroit. Boston is given a larger chance to win the division, win the #1 seed in the East, but Detroit is given a larger chance to win it all. ????????
he is an idiot if he thinks LA could push SAS at full strength to 7 games. Spurs defense will smother Kobe and the rest and the Spurs will score with impunity inside. Gasol is soft and Brown was LA's best big defender one on one. Hollinger does not factor in the fact LAL cannot play defense like Spurs.
All the Hollinger article proves is that the man doesn't watch basketball games. He's so in love with his dumb stats, to the detriment of realizing that some things are not trackable statistics. He annoys.
I don't mind people projecting and picking, but it's dumb, because I do not think the current lineup is indicative of the final lineup (ie, I truly do not believe Houston is going to make the playoffs). So it's all a bunch of hot air and self importance.
And you can't base it on anything other than gut, as we see, because we don't know how the new Lakers match up against the new Spurs and if Bynum will return healthy. Big factors.
Manu on Odom will be interesting. But don't forget Manu could just as easily get Odom in foul trouble. I would definitely say Manu is more agressive of the two.
That being said, I'm not sure what the Spurs will do on defense.
Good point.
I think that's the LA's best matchup to take advantage of.
Posted on comments on article on ESPN - as usual Legler doesNOT have the stones to post his own email.
Legler picks against the Spurs every year. Suns, Denver etc. Adding Gasol instead of Brown takes away the best big defender on LA and while Bynum and Gasol block shots they are both out of positon a lot.
Meanwhile Duncan is simply put the most under-rated big game defender of all time as his 9 blocks to close out the Suns last year was just one example and Kurt Thomas/Horry will have a field day hitting shots and keeping Gasol out of the lane. All these easy baskets Gasol getting vs. soft defensive teams will go away and Spurs have lots of players to put on him defensively.
Spurs have a great trio to control Kobe in Bowen, Udoka and Manu and Parker and Duncan will score with impunity against LA.
LA might steal a game or two but no way they beat the Spurs. The gap between Spurs and rest of league (except perhaps Detroit) is Much greater than the "four letter" network will admit. They are drooling for an LAL and Boston final and it just will not happen (at least this year, and next year the Spurs get even stronger inside adding Tiago Splitter).
By the way the real MVP every friggin year in the NBA is Duncan for what he does on both sides of ball but the fact he is not even in conversation with a 20/11/2 year is sublime.
You start a team with Duncan over Kobe, James, Paul or any of the wannabees. Duncan still the man in the NBA.
Wow, spurs fans are so y.
Anyone that is not mentioning spurs as the 2008 champs are dip s, and does not know basketball.
Sheesh
You should take a look at Lakers fans recently. It's like they're going to sweep the decade to come.
If the Spurs get to the conference finals, whoever they face is toast. Plain and simple.
I agree. Legler is one of many sportswriters who pick against the Spurs every year. Guys like that just can never believe the Spurs are good enough -- not enough flash, no dominant superstar, etc. They just don't get it. The Spurs are usually better precisely because they're not like that. They play like a well oiled machine in which all parts, top to bottom, are essential. Sure, they're built around one main part, but as we all know the performance of everyone around Timmy is what breaks or makes the Spurs. And if Manu or Tony don't quite have it one night, guys like Fin and Bruce, Barry and Horry seem to step up.
Anyhow, the proof is in the pudding. Personally, I can't see anyone on the current Lakers squad giving Timmy too much trouble, offensively or defensively. As usual, he will terrorize the interior and Tony will roam around at will, freeing up the three point shooters and giving Manu the room to do his unexpected things. Down the stretch, Kobe will try to "take over," but find it's a lot harder to do it against a team who gives helping "team D" more than lip service, unlike virtually the rest of the NBA.
When Shaq was in his prime, the Spurs and Lakers battled with pretty much even results. Shaq in his prime was arguably the most dominant player ever to play the game (Jordan, Wilt and Timmy included). Do the Lakers currently have a big man in Shaq's league? I don't think so. However, the Spurs are not only intact, they are improved (better outside shooters, more experience playing together, etc.), and just reaching their prime.
Ergo: Spurs in 6. Bank on it.
Last edited by oboymeetsogirl; 03-05-2008 at 10:41 AM.
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