ESPN reporting Lakers NOT in mix for Chris Paul

Wade is better than Kobe.

lol I didn't know you were a comedian, HK.

Gasol and Bosh are virtually equal in talent, besides Gasol having a slight height advantage. Weak bench? I wouldn't be so sure. Especially with Blake and Barnes coming off it now, and perhaps signing Brown in the next couple of weeks will further improve it. I like how you think Boston is a so much older team than LA, when in fact, in terms of age, both teams average a very similar number.

 

Again, I wouldn't mind the ad hominem as much if you could provide relevant facts.

And Bosh having the age advantage?

Ah true, I would like to see Blake starting because Fisher will be done soon. You have a weak starting PG that Miami can exploit easily. Phil took forever to bench Luke for Ariza, it is a bad habit of his.

Are we talking about a slightly improved Boston vs Slightly improved LA? That isn't my discussion at all. Miami is at another level.

Adding Blake and Barnes, but keeping Fisher and the rest losing a step could easily cancel out. I think LA will improve only if Bynum can stay on the court and raise his game. Miami is predicted to be the best team next year and there's not much else around it. At this point I think they're slight favorites at least.

 

That's funny you say Miami is predicted to be the best team next year considering your beloved Wade favors the Lakers as 2011 NBA Champions.

 

Hah ok, Wade playing the underdog role. I'm sure that's never been done.

I see you're too scared to discuss the issue. You're not arguing with Wade, you need to retort my post dude.

Why don't you keep your thoughts to yourself if you're just going to bitch about me? I'm prepared to have a thorough conversation, I see you're not on that same page.

He's not my "beloved" Wade. He's also going to decline in value next year, LeBron is projected at 29 PER, Wade at 26, Bosh at 23. LeBron and Wade are still better than Kobe.

 

"Lead, not follow. Playing at an inferior level while winning two rings, doesn't make you the best in the world."

LeBron and Wade are not leaders from now on, why did you put this in your signature? As LeBron made his move one thing became clear - he doesen't want to be a leader or maybe he's just scared of having another failure brought on his shoulders. And for Kobe playing bad during last two years, I think we shouldn't even discuss about it. Deleting this crap would be a smart move,


Since this thread had no talk about CP3 I thought I'd just mention it


QUestion for others: Boston or Heat? I will root for Boston if the two go together, i just don't want to see lebron winning and if he loses with this team I'd be fun to read what would his reasons be this time? (Bad supporting cast?)

 

HK i dont see how lebron and wade are "better" than kobe? prhaps collectively, yes, but individually, on the basis of winning crucial games, they are not. both of them couldnt get it done previously so they gave that up and decided to team up along with bosh, kobe couldnt get it done after shaq left, but he did stick with it and came out the other end with two championships, and as the leader of the chamionship defenders, he is placed at the top of the list solely because he got it done, he led a team to the chip, wether you dispute individual talent, numbers, blah blah blah, you cant possibly deny the fact of him being the best and most successful leader in the nba, which i hold as the most important aspect of a players ability.

 

HK no disrespect, but I could have sworn you were a Laker fan... What gives?

 

There's someone in the lead in my picture. You're also mindlessly defending someone, so I'm a leader. I use evidence and objective arguments outside of Lakerground caliber stuff I see here.

You don't have to like them, but be honest. They're going to lose some touches, not nearly enough to become inferior to Kobe though (about a 5% usage rate loss). James is in his prime and will rack up achievements in the playoffs. I'm pretty confident in saying LeBron will win at least as many Finals MVPs as Bryant or more.

Oh I'll root for only the Heat from now on, for sure. It is because people don't understand their place in history.

Nothing personal against anyone in particular here.

Uh huh, well I don't consider this last Finals run too impressive. It just supports the backbone of my issues with him.

There's winning like the best, and then there's winning like Kobe who plays in exactly the same system as Jordan and is far from as good in all metrics.

I appreciate the more calm responses though, thanks. :]

That was a very polite manner of asking, don't worry.

Well I divorced this team in late 2009. It just represents what I've always been against, big-picture wise.

 

I love how you are going on projections, especially John Hollinger's. Do you remember when he picked the Jazz and Suns to beat the Lakers using his same projections?
Also, I don't care how the Lakers fit into your "big picture ideals" you stick with a team through thick and thin and just hope that they are able to compete every year. I personally can't wait till LeBron, Wade, and Bosh are gone and the Heat become the 1999 Bulls. Will you bandwagon another team then? Probably, and I hope not to see you rooting for the Purple and Gold when you jump off the Heat's nutsack.

 

Divorcing a team that just won back2back championships, and bandwagoning on to another team?? What gives? If Wade, Bosh, and Bron went to NYK, you would be rooting for the Knicks. Do you root for the team that, on paper, is the best in the league? Seems like it to me...

I don't understand how you don't realize that Lebron+Wade+Bosh=1 ring, Kobe=5 rings. NOBODY can go it alone, definitely, but the Heat haven't done shit yet, and in the current Eastern Conference, every night is going to be a dogfight.

How can you be a Laker fan and after winning a championship, you switch teams? The current Laker roster is better than the current HEAT roster. 1-12, our players can ALL start on other NBA teams, and we have a TEAM. The Miami Heat are currently 3 superstars with 10 affordable guys to tag along on their quest to win a championship.

I'm sorry, but when it's all said and done, this Miami Heat team cannot beat this Laker team. Way too deep, best player, best defender, best coach, best big man, best defense, AND flat out best team in the league.

Hollinger is the most BS stat in the world. I think we handled the "they are going to be champions" Phoenix Suns quite easily. Who knows, maybe Hollinger will pick the Knicks to win it in 2011.

 

LOL Wade and LeBron aren't even close to Bryant's level.

Bosh is soft as fuck and Gasol hasn't shown any signs of slowing down. Gasol is way better than Bosh, Kobe is way better than LeBron and Wade.


Quit being a homer.

 

Finals MVP doesen't necessarily say you were the leader of the team, does it?

 

I'm curious... what do you represent?

I also noticed your sig... i think you're referring to kobe? or maybe even the lakers as a team?

 

I guess im one of those old school fans. I'd never switch teams. Thats just not the way things work for me.

 

HK represent's the art of Bandwagonism!

 

Ok and I could easily cite a half-dozen other sources that predict this team in a similar fashion.

He also picked the Lakers in the Finals 3 years in a row. Last time I checked, you don't have to be God to make good statistical projections.

He's not my foundation either, APBRmetrics is. And they usually do a great job. BBR is a great example this year.

You're mistaken on many levels. I've stuck through my ideals in "thin" times. If LeBron was on an atrocious team he would still be the player I would want to watch. So this is just petty jealousy to me from most LA people.

No my basketball ideals are far more important. They come before anything else. I only care about my interests in basketball and my value system.

How can I be a bandwagon team fan, when I'm a fan of individuals first? The team concept means little to me.

Lol stop, I wasn't even a Laker fan in the playoffs. I didn't care if "we" lost or not and I criticized Kobe plenty. What makes you so knowledgeable about my situation? I didn't care about this team even recently.

 

Lol Kobe was terrible against good defenses this year.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/blog/?p=7063

Quit being a homer, as you like to say.

Shaq > Kobe in the 3-peat. Easily. That's all that matters.

Yes the LA fanaticism is terrible imo. It is very immature to me, and since every metric says Kobe is not #1 they can't form a coherent argument.

And if he went to the Grizzlies by himself, he would still be my favorite player. So stop.

Keep convinving yourself of that. I thought Boston was weak too, and then they made a nice run. Miami is far more talented and the core likes each other.

Who said I was a real Laker fan even recently? I haven't said anything about wanting LA to win the ring over Cleveland in any of my posts in 2010. I definitely don't care about Cleveland now though.

What the Lakers have is a NICE team next year. To prove they have the best team, would require a much more objective and deep analysis.

They certainly won't be the favorites next year. They have a shot, just not at the top slot.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/blog/?p=7063

Wrong, Heat owns Kobe against good teams. When all is said and done you'll know your place in history.

Basketball-reference predicted the post-season a lot better than many Laker fans.

 

Are you still a Bulls fan btw? Lol.

I've always been on Team hk.

 

Ladies and gents, 'bandwagon fan' has just been defined.

 

A truly ignorant remark.

Back in 2006 when Miami won a title, who did my "ideals" tell me to watch? I supported the first round choker Kobe. If I was a "bandwagon" fan I should have never supported Kobe over them. Laker fans (in general) have become intolerable to me, I can't stand how biased and silly some are. I didn't sign up to see someone shoot 29% in the fourth quarter and then BS about what a great closer he is. Lol.