http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineStories.asp?lc=NBA&c=1&TEAM_ID=&PLAYER_ID=&hd=20090430#STORY_18456 or http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lakers30-2009apr30,0,4598849.story 4th article down. Bynum to start against Yao???? I really hope this gets passed on to the Blazers tonight. Unbelievable.
The way hoopeworld puts it its seems to come across that LA and Bynum are already assuming that they are playing Houston. If I read it wrong my bad but thats kinda how I saw it.
Just trying to find a little extra motivation for us. They shouldnt need it but every little bit helps.
But even if they are assuming they'll play Houston, how is that disrespectful? With two evenly matched teams and the series leader at home for a closeout, oddsmakers and history suggest that Houston is the favorite.
I think the idea being that the writer just assumes the Rockets are in the second round without acknowledging that it may not be the it may not be the Rockets matching up against the Lakers (of course it would help if I read the article ) If a Rocket player said this . . . that could be used for motivation (Yao start talking about his match up with Bynum). But an LA writer making an assumption (which as you point out is likely to happen), I don't think is good locker room material. I do like the effort by the OP . . . would it be wrong to make up a quote by Yao and post it in the locker room?
Man, that is one big knee brace. I hope Bynum doesn't go Corey Maggette on GO's knee in the second round.