Are the Lakers that good?

...I'm inclined to say "yes" from what I've seen of them, because they play such great team ball. It's like Phil Jackson has to be with a team for a while before they completely master the triangle. The best Lakers team of the past two decades was the one that breezed through the playoffs losing only once to the Sixers in the finals - in overtime. This one looks like it's got the same kind of unity. Now, it doesn't have the talent, but Bryant isn't having to work as hard (only on 33 mpg) and if anything, the scrubs are playing better as a team. Lakers' fans seem to think that they have a wealth of talent, but really - what other teams would want Sasha Vujacic? What other teams DID want Radmanovic or Ariza? And Farmar is _okay_ but I don't think he's exactly starter quality. Even Bynum has been way overhyped in this system. But it doesn't matter: Tex Winter has always kind of preferred it when the scrubs play the triangle because they actually run it - they don't break out of it as Jordan and co. liked to do. (Remember the final game of the '92 finals when Portland were way ahead and they rested the starters, and people like Rory Sparrow ran Terry and co. into the ground?)

Reasons for optimism: they've played a pretty weak schedule: not as many games as most, and 7 out of 12 at home. Two of their games were against the Clippers (so one of those "away" games was really at home).

They were looking pretty dominant last year right up until Boston broke them into little pieces. Is that the youth?

A lot of their players are kind of fragile. Ariza in particular, but also Bynum and to some extent Gasol.

Thoughts from Blazers fans?

 

Add Ariza, Bynum and a dedication to defense to last years NBA finals team, and i'd say yes. They are at least a 60 win team, i'd guess around mid-60s.

 

I could care less. I just want the Blazers and any other team to beat them by 40+ points every night until the end of time.

 

starting tonight

 

They're good, but they're not 11-1 good. They've benefited from a cupcake early season schedule. I think we'll see them slip up a bit when they have to go on an extended eastern swing.

I still think they're the team to beat this year. I'd love to see them in the playoffs though. To get them in the RG, where they've struggled for the last several years, would be nice. I'd like our chances if we were able to steal one of the first two games at Staples.

-Pop

 

Agreed.

 

Our scrubs arent scrubs, they are the 2nd unit. I honestly think your hatred of Sasha is making your opinion bias. If he wasnt on the Lakers I would hate him too, no disagreement there. According to him he has only fouled maybe 5 times in his career. He gets very pouty to the refs. Once you get past those things he is a VERY serviceable backup. He provides instant offense when he gets in the game and he has very pestering (aka:annoying) defense. If he gets a clean look from 3 then watch out cause he will burn you. Perfect backup for Kobe cause he keeps the floor spread. He pisses off other players constantly and he does it on purpose. Anything to throw others off of their game. On the flip side if he ever dribbles the ball just assume its a turnover...thank god he usually realizes this.

Yeah, I was apprehensive when he signed and he surly left some to be desired. BUT! This year something seemed to has changed with him on the defensive side. He isnt lost anymore and is actually playing decent defense which is HUGE. He isnt a complete liability anymore which is why he was able to get into the starting lineup over Ariza. Vlad could always shoot (except for two years ago when a coach accidentally to muscle in his shooting hand). With not having to worry about his D he became the obvious choice for the starting lineup.

Ill admit when the Lakers traded Cook and Evans for Ariza I thought it was only a financial move. I was just ecstatic to get rid of Cook. I had never heard of Ariza. Well Ariza surprised all of us. Usually Phil wouldn't implement a young player like that in the middle of the year but because of a Luke Walton injury at the time Ariza was able to showcase his stuff and he produced immediately. He was never asked to shoot before coming to the Lakers and he had ugly form to prove it but he actually did relatively well. After the season in the exit interview they told him they would give him significant time next year and to just work on his jumper. He took those words to heart and you can see significant improvement this year. He is on par if not BETTER than Kobe on D. The guy is a game changer because of his D.

Well I think this is debatable. The one thing that supports your argument is his FT shooting. 69% is unacceptable. You cant be in tight games and have your guard shooting FTs that poorly. On the other side he would flourish on say Golden State or PHX....or our 2nd unit. Our 2nd unit is supposed to be VERY uptempo and they are. Farmar is almost as good around the rim as Tony Parker.

I think there are just too many pieces around Bynum to make his offensive game be showcased. The Lakers got used to playing with Gasol and they are still trying to implement two big men the most efficiently. Bynum and Pau have barley scratched the surface and how good they can be together. The one part Bynum has gotten even better this year is his defense. I think he is 2nd in the league in blocks at the moment and alters 15 other shots a game. He also gobbles the boards. He needs to get his legs underneath him more because it sees he tends to not perform as well in the 2nd half. I think that wont be a problem by the all star deadline or earlier.


...and thats the word

 

I think the Lakers are this good. They were the number one seed in the West last year and I think they've separated themselves this year, with having both Bynum and Gasol and their new defensive system. This Lakers team is proving Phil Jackson's brilliance. In the past, his detractors always said, "Well, he either had Jordan and Pippen or he had Shaq and Kobe." This year, he has talent, but only Kobe Bryant is a dominating talent. It's his game-planning that has turned them into a defensive powerhouse. He's also leveraging the talent he has on the offensive end really well. They're really without weakness. Ariza, Radmanovich and Farmar aren't game-changing talent, but they have strengths that Phil Jackson is adept at getting the most out of, while minimizing their limitations.

I think they'll be the easy #1 seed and be only minimally challenged in the playoffs. I'd anticipate them meeting Boston in the Finals and winning in 5 or 6 games.

 

I do not think we can really judge the Lakers until we see them against the Cavs and Celtics. This is the real measure for them. Are they among the best 3 teams in the league? No doubt. Are they good enough to be better than the Celtics and the Cavs? I am not sure yet.

 

Oh dear god I hope you are right...I dont know what I would do if the Lakers lost in the playoffs before the finals. Then if they get to the fianls they will have to face either the Cavs or Celtics so losing there = Lebron>Kobe or Celtics>Lakers....ugh...I dont think I could deal with the 2nd one again.

 

There's something wrong with you.

 

Serious...damn Mistrel's objectivity

 

Well, I think regardless of the outcome, Lebron is better than Kobe. Kobe is brilliant, but LeBron, as amazing as he already was, has actually become even better this year. His productivity is off the charts. It's early, obviously, but so far he's playing at a rate that would challenge the greatest single season performances ever.

James is most definitely becoming the Michael Jordan of his generation. The clear best player and, barring injury, should insert himself into the debate of best player ever by the end of his career.

 

I think James, Paul, and Wade's PER will fall below 30 but they're having great seasons obviously.

 

I think Paul's and Wade's will. LeBron James had a 29.1 PER last year, so I think he has a solid chance of posting a 30+ PER this season. Whether he'll remain at nearly 33 PER...well, that would be insane.

 

Everything about Lebron is better than Kobe except clutch shots and FT's....and thats the most important part. Kobe's J>Lebrons J all the time.

I guess the best way to explain it IMO is Lebron over Kobe in 85% of overall basketball skill/mind. Kobe is the best by far in the most important 15%...the clutch. Its close either way

 

nah they suck.

 

Eh, I don't believe that there's such a thing as "clutch power" (that certain players get better in the clutch). And I don't think James has troubles in the clutch. He's had famous last second shots. Bryant has played with better teammates, notably Shaq, which has allowed him to get cleaner looks in fourth quarters. James has, until this year, had remarkably poor supporting casts. Defenses were essentially focusing entirely on him.

The advantage I'd give Kobe is on defense. But it's not enough to overcome James' productivity advantage.

 

One thing's for sure: in head-to-heads, LeBrown pwns Kobe. So the Lakers better hope the Cavs (who are as much better than they were last year as the Lakers are) don't make it to the finals.

And I defer to Jerry Krause: it's Tex Winter's coaching genius. Phil Jackson is just there to look deep and work the refs and the press.