Apparently Lakers Won't Make Playoffs Next Season

http://www.justbball.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73204

At least according to most of them

 

I personally believe that when you have Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson leading the way, it's hard not to make the playoffs. Last year they made it despite injuries and having to deal with Smush Parker consistently causing problems. This year, if they keep Kobe in check, the Lakers shouldn't have the same bad luck and will be able to get a solid 6-8th seed. However, Kobe isn't surrounded with the correct talent to take the Lakers deep into the playoffs but saying they won't even make the post-season is hard to believe.

 

Well teams that finished below you have gotten better (Blazers, Hornets, Memphis and Clippers have a good shot). The Lakers haven't really done much except re-sign their players and draft Crittenton.

 

I really do not want to think about our season. We were promised with major roster shakeups. If Mitch calls signing Fisher a major move, then kiss the playoffs good bye.

 

Just a bunch of bull*** they making up at this time of the year. The offseason haven't even over yet. The dude has Portland and Clippers over the Lakers must have smoking some good pot.

Anyway if the expection is low, it's good for Kobe and the Lakers because if Kobe brings them to the playoff again, everyone will shut up their mouth as to who is the best player again LOL. Lets just hope those same dude didn't jump back the bandwagon and claim they always have the lakers in the playoff all along haha.

 

<div class="quote_poster">kobe4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Just a bunch of bull*** they making up at this time of the year. The offseason haven't even over yet. The dude has Portland and Clippers over the Lakers must have smoking some good pot. </div>

Why, because I'm not biased out the frame for the Lakers?

What a coincidence, every single poster in that thread has the Clippers in the playoffs over the Lakers, and every poster has them out of the playoffs.

But I guess, like always, the Lakers community sees something that the rest of the world doesn't.

The fact of the matter is that the West got exponentially better, whereas the Lakers, if anything, stayed pat.

Now if the Blazers had not added Greg Oden, the top young big man to play the game since Tim Duncan, then I could see your point, but Oden's defense immediately puts them on a playoff level. Just because they're young doesn't mean they can't compete; it just means they won't be as competitive as they will be five or so years down the road when they're legit title contenders. The addition of Shaq improved the Magic by 20 games, the addition of Duncan (and a post-prime Admiral) improved the Spurs by 36 games, and I believe the additions of Oden, Aldridge (injured last season), Frye, and Blake will spark a similar change in the Blazers. Not so farfetched, is it?

 

<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">
Now if the Blazers had not added Greg Oden, the top young big man to play the game since Tim Duncan, then I could see your point, but Oden's defense immediately puts them on a playoff level. Just because they're young doesn't mean they can't compete; it just means they won't be as competitive as they will be five or so years down the road when they're legit title contenders. The addition of Shaq improved the Magic by 20 games, the addition of Duncan (and a post-prime Admiral) improved the Spurs by 36 games, and I believe the additions of Oden, Aldridge (injured last season), Frye, and Blake will spark a similar change in the Blazers. Not so farfetched, is it?</div>

The Blazers are very young at this point. You can not instantly consider Portland a playoff team when you look at them on paper. They are very inexperienced and with that will come inconsistency. Also, major lineup changes will create a slow start to the season, it always does. When Shaq and Duncan entered the NBA both of their offensive games were at a different level than Oden's is now. They can make the playoffs but it's questionable as to wether they will.

 

<div class="quote_poster">GArenas Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The Blazers are very young at this point. You can not instantly consider Portland a playoff team when you look at them on paper. They are very inexperienced and with that will come inconsistency. Also, major lineup changes will create a slow start to the season, it always does. When Shaq and Duncan entered the NBA both of their offensive games were at a different level than Oden's is now. They can make the playoffs but it's questionable as to wether they will.</div>

Both Shaq and Duncan were on different offensive levels, but Oden's not that far behind. I've gotten into this argument a million times, so to save time, I'm just going to quote myself on this one.

'Many casual fans got the wrong impression of Oden this season, because a torn ligament in his right wrist kept him sidelined for the first month of play. Not only did this hurt Oden from a conditioning standpoint, but it also took him a while to be integrated into the Buckeyes’ offense. In fact, it wasn’t until their January 13th match-up with Tennessee that Oden really showed what he was capable of in a dominating 24 point, 15 rebound performance. Make no mistake though, his offensive game is a lot stronger than the experts let on; he’ll be able to anchor a team’s offense right off the bat.

One of the great things about Oden is that even if he’s not touching the ball, he’s changing the way defenses approach his team, like Shaq and Duncan before him, and although he wasn’t a great passer coming into Ohio State, he really developed his skills as a distributor and his ability to pass out of double teams in his freshman season, and should be a headache for teams trying to double down on him in the post.'

The fact that he doesn't have an offensive game on the level of Shaq at the same age is a huge misconception, and Shaq wasn't nearly as developed defensively either. Oden's probably the best post defender to be drafted since the pre-Jordan era.

Besides, Oden's got more talent surrounding him than Shaq had his rookie season.

Either way, I think you're missing the point of the thread. What's a predictions thread without going out on a limb at least once or adjusting your projections based on what happened in the draft or free agency? If you want to come at me about how bad you think Oden is, at least do it after the season's begun and you have a frame of reference.

 

To be honest, I don't even care about the playoffs at this point. Unless a dramatic change of events takes place (in other words, I think a bunch of injuries will occur next year because we are somewhat of an injury prone team) and we develop unbelievable chemistry,we aren't going to win a championship.

I'm just hoping Kobe puts up some nice stats, or that the Lakers franchise finally realizes they need to let him go.

 

I personally do not care if the Lakers make the playoffs or not either. I posted the link because I felt it was interesting a lot of posters left out the Lakers in the playoff bracket, or ranked them so low. It wasn't made to attack the posters in anyway. Again, I do not care if we make the playoffs or not. If we make the playoffs, we are just going to get eliminated in 4 or 5 games anyways, so I don't really see the point. If we miss the playoffs, it might light a fuse under the front office's asses to actually get something done, though I doubt it since after this whole Kobe Bryant scenerio, all we added was Derek Fisher. We still have not addressed our defense at all either, but that's another story. All in all, I would not be surprised one bit if the Lakers do miss the playoffs, but I personally still think we'll end up with the 7th or 8th seed (and get eliminated in 4 or 5 games)

 

What surprises me is the Magic are ranked so low.....Almost all of those posts they aren't even the runner up to the 8th seed. Why? We signed Rashard(again overpaid, we know), Dwight's development(signing Pat Ewing as our big man coach), and a new coach in Stan Van Gundy(not as stale as Brian Hill).

Anyway, since this is the Laker forum, those predictions of the West don't surprise me. What VC said was right. The West got stronger, we sat around picking our nose. If we make the playoffs with this roster, it'll be due to Kobe Bryant averaging 40+.

 

I care about the Lakers making the playoffs. As a fan of the team for over 20 years. How can you not care? We need to continue to be supportive of the team regardless of the changes or lack thereof. Bottomline, the Lakers are still my team and every season I'll be rooting for them to make that championship push.

The West has always been a tough conference, so its not like anything has changed. The Big Man dominate as always. The Lakers however have one weapon that no other team has. Thats Bryant. Anything can happen when Bryants on the floor. We have witnessed it time and time again.

Yes, being honest about the situation is fine.. but hell... if my fans were not cheering for me. Why would I play hard to win?? We have no control over the situation upstairs, but we do have control over the confidence we give to our players.. Im looking forward to a exciting '08 season with the Lakers competing healthy with every team in the west...

 

^ I'm a Laker fan and I'll continue rooting for the Lakers next season, which means I'll be rooting for them to win. What I mean by saying "I do not care if we make the playoffs next season," is I won't be sad if we miss the playoffs next season. I'm obviously going to root for them to win, but if we miss the playoffs, I won't start crying. I'm just sick of being mediocre. We either blow this entire thing up, or we make moves to win now. I don't want to be in the middle of the pack any longer

 

<div class="quote_poster">Trench Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">I care about the Lakers making the playoffs. As a fan of the team for over 20 years. How can you not care? We need to continue to be supportive of the team regardless of the changes or lack thereof. Bottomline, the Lakers are still my team and every season I'll be rooting for them to make that championship push.

The West has always been a tough conference, so its not like anything has changed. The Big Man dominate as always. The Lakers however have one weapon that no other team has. Thats Bryant. Anything can happen when Bryants on the floor. We have witnessed it time and time again.

Yes, being honest about the situation is fine.. but hell... if my fans were not cheering for me. Why would I play hard to win?? We have no control over the situation upstairs, but we do have control over the confidence we give to our players.. Im looking forward to a exciting '08 season with the Lakers competing healthy with every team in the west...</div>

Now that's a true Laker fan.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Legacy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Now that's a true Laker fan. </div>

Well yeah it would be nice to make the playoffs, but if we don't win a championship most people will forget about this season a couple of years from now. I'd rather accomplish something memorable.

If I had to choose between getting to the playoffs and losing early, or Kobe scoring 100+ Points (on a good percentage), then I'll take the latter choice. In other words, I would like to see another historic season from Kobe.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Why, because I'm not biased out the frame for the Lakers?

What a coincidence, every single poster in that thread has the Clippers in the playoffs over the Lakers, and every poster has them out of the playoffs.

But I guess, like always, the Lakers community sees something that the rest of the world doesn't.

The fact of the matter is that the West got exponentially better, whereas the Lakers, if anything, stayed pat.

Now if the Blazers had not added Greg Oden, the top young big man to play the game since Tim Duncan, then I could see your point, but Oden's defense immediately puts them on a playoff level. Just because they're young doesn't mean they can't compete; it just means they won't be as competitive as they will be five or so years down the road when they're legit title contenders. The addition of Shaq improved the Magic by 20 games, the addition of Duncan (and a post-prime Admiral) improved the Spurs by 36 games, and I believe the additions of Oden, Aldridge (injured last season), Frye, and Blake will spark a similar change in the Blazers. Not so farfetched, is it?</div>
It is not that you are bias, but your list is just horrible. It has nothing to do with you putting Lakers out of the playoff picture, but the explanation you have in which you decide to put the Clippers and Portland over the Lakers.

The Clippers haven't done much and haven't proving a lick in this league. They have trouble of their own after their rising star Shawn Livingston had a severe injure which, btw, could end his basketball career. And an ancient alien running the point. What make you think the Clippers improve more than the Lakers this offseason?

As for Portland, please don't get into the hype and put Oden at the level of Duncan or Shaq yet. He hasn't done sh1t yet on the NBA level. Portland, after losing possibly their best offensive player last year, Randolph, could have trouble scoring. Oden's low post offense is nowhere near Randolph yet.

Also I just don't see how a young team like Portland could beat out a veteran team like the Lakers, who btw, have the history of making the playoff more than any freaking franchises in this league. Then again, wasn't every years everyone kept doubting the Lakers over and over, but they eventually made the playoff anyway? I don't see how anything would change.

All the West teams improve a bit, so as the Lakers too. Fisher, although he is a one dimensional player, but he is a better player than Smush Parker. He could hit the three consistently, running the tri offense to perfection, and showed a lot of toughness on the defensive end, something Smush can only dreams of.

Then we adding Chris Mihm, one of the most serviceable big man in this league. Not to mention, Vlad who didn't play much last season due to his finger injury, could be a secret shooter the Lakers are desperately needed. Then for the freaking first time in a long time, the draft pick J-Crit could turns out to be gold.

I could go on and on, but IMO your list is wack.

 

<div class="quote_poster">huevonkiller Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Well yeah it would be nice to make the playoffs, but if we don't win a championship most people will forget about this season a couple of years from now. I'd rather accomplish something memorable.

If I had to choose between getting to the playoffs and losing early, or Kobe scoring 100+ Points (on a good percentage), then I'll take the latter choice. In other words, I would like to see another historic season from Kobe.</div>

Same here...

 

I wouldn't put Portland or the Clippers over the Lakers now, but I would certainly put the Hornets/Warriors ahead of the Lakers as well as the other 6 teams that finished ahead of the Lakers to make the playoffs. I might even put the Grizzlies ahead of the Lakers. I see the Lakers battling for the 8th seed and can see them going as high as the 6th seed(if everything falls into place) or all the way down to the 11th-12th seed.

 

Two big question marks this season, Bynum and Farmar. The Lakers will go as far as these two take them. Bynum has the skills and physical ability to be a star, but so did Benoit Benjamin. He needs to break out mentally and maybe Kobe's criticism will help him break out. Farmar has had no veteran point guards in practice to show him the way, now Fisher is there and hopefully he will become the next Steve Nash or he could just be Jannero Pargo. Fifth seed or lottery? Who knows, we know Mitch doesn't.

 

I Don't see Portland or Clippers especially Memphis ahead of Lakers. Portland is still young and i am giving them another year. Clippers didn't improve much from last year and I believe too years ago was a fluke. But they might be able to creep in the 8th spot. My prediction is Lakers, Hornets, Warriors and maybe Clippers fighting for the 7th and 8th. With Hornets taking 7th and Lakers 8th. I would like to see another Suns LAkers matchup though so maybe Lakers 7th...