who think the lackers are going to win another championship?? i think they will but it wont be as easy as they did when they 3 peated so ya they will win another!!
Yeah I agree. It will not be easy for the Lakers. You look at the west and you see the Kings, who are doing good, even without Webber. Then you look at the stacked Timberwolves, who have some spectacular players, and the defending champion Spurs are always a threat. San Antone has great defense. Also, the Mavs are a long shot but have some new players and can shoot the lights out too. Don't count anybody out yet. If there aren't any major injuries, I see the Lakers struggling through the playoffs but dominating the NBA Finals.
I think they'll win it, no team can match up with them in a 5+ game series if they are at full power.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting the MDE:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah I agree. It will not be easy for the Lakers. You look at the west and you see the Kings, who are doing good, even without Webber. Then you look at the stacked Timberwolves, who have some spectacular players, and the defending champion Spurs are always a threat. San Antone has great defense. Also, the Mavs are a long shot but have some new players and can shoot the lights out too. Don't count anybody out yet. If there aren't any major injuries, I see the Lakers struggling through the playoffs but dominating the NBA Finals. </div> yeah what about the clippers that was a major lose!! and that was surprising!!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MVPlaya:</div><div class="quote_post">I think they'll win it, no team can match up with them in a 5+ game series if they are at full power.</div> yeah there is the mavs the spurs and the the kings they are good and the lackers are going to have alot of trouble!!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AI-3:</div><div class="quote_post">yeah there is the mavs the spurs and the the kings they are good and the lackers are going to have alot of trouble!!</div> I think they can easily take the Mavs, Mavs are not as good as you think. Spurs, I think they can outplay them in a series, and Kings will probaly be the only team that will give them a good series.
I won't say the Lakers will win it all this year because I don't want to jinx them, but they have a huge chance of winning the 4th in 5 yrs. They have the Big Four in Payton, Kobe, Malone, and Shaq, and I feel if they can finish above Sacramento for the #1 seed, they will be tough to beat. Dallas has shown that they always choke against the Lakers, San Antonio has already lost to them 3 times, including two at SBC Center, Minnesota sure has the talent, but the Lakers just have too much experience than they do, and of course it'll always come down to the Kings. But the Kings have had 3 opportunities to beat the Lakers, and they haven't done it, so why trust them on a 4th one? The Lakers can do it, they just have to get down to business.
Injuries is the key factor here: If they stay healthy the rest of the year, I think they can win it all, if they have an injury during the play-offs, to Kobe or Shaq i think that it will be so hard to win it all...As for the Clipper game, they were down to a dynamic Duo, they didnt have a big man that could stop Elton Brand.
I think they"ll go far. As long as Shaq and Malone stay healthy, along with the rest of the team. They will take the mavs easy, they"ll have more problems with the spurs and kings, but i think they"ll make it. I cant they will, but they"ll have a damn good chance.
Depends on Shaq.. NO ONE else Lakers have proved in the recent games/weeks they can't win without Shaq even with 2 future hall of famers still playing.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Depth:</div><div class="quote_post">I think they"ll go far. As long as Shaq and Malone stay healthy, along with the rest of the team. They will take the mavs easy, they"ll have more problems with the spurs and kings, but i think they"ll make it. I cant they will, but they"ll have a damn good chance.</div> What about the Timberwolves, they are playing magnifecent ball, especially on the road, you cant count them out, KG is the MVP and he is leading that team out of the first round, and possibly against the Lakers in the second round.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting allnet:</div><div class="quote_post">Depends on Shaq.. NO ONE else Lakers have proved in the recent games/weeks they can't win without Shaq even with 2 future hall of famers still playing.</div> What do you mean "NO ONE else". Yes, Shaq is the most valuable player to this Laker team, but it takes a team to win, we can't afford having our other starters out either. BTW: I hate when people bring up these kind of topics, this is way too earlier to pick a team to win it all. After it's all said and done Lakers have a high chance of winning, but Spurs, Kings, have just as good as a chance.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MVPlaya:</div><div class="quote_post">I think they'll win it, no team can match up with them in a 5+ game series if they are at full power.</div> That's the key variable, whether or not we'll be at full power. Laker fans (and haters) have yet to see what this lineup can do. Karl Malone Rick Fox Shaquille O' Neal Kobe Bryant Gary Payton They haven't played together yet.
Like many have said, injuries may stop them from winning that. If they can stay healthy, I think they have a good shot. But I don't think they will.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting allnet:</div><div class="quote_post">Depends on Shaq.. NO ONE else Lakers have proved in the recent games/weeks they can't win without Shaq even with 2 future hall of famers still playing.</div> The Lakers acutally played really well when Shaq was out the first time. They still had an inside presence in Malone. Their poor play of late has a lot to do with the combination of Shaq and Malone missing. I beleive the lakers would still be playoff material if they had Malone, and not Shaq. They wouldn't go too far though. I do agree with you that Shaq is most important in this title run.
At the end of the day you can hate or love Shaq as much as you like but the fact remains he is the only guy who will decide if Lakers go all the way or not.It is sad that people say "They need all 4 hall of famers to win games".How messed up is that? Kobe is a top 10 player and suppose to be the next MJ...Yet can't get wins with one of the best EVER point guards on his team.While still being one of the best today Sir Des is right in what he says.When he mentions their team is shallow.You are playing without Malone and Shaq...Yes that is tough for anyone to deal with.However you still have two damn all-stars in the backcourt.Two future hall of famers...The Lakers team should be getting wins with the team they have. Look at the Wolves..Still playing without two good starters and a guy who was one of the top players in the playoffs last season while being a very steady shooting point guard.Wolves fans don't use that as an excuse to why they don't have the best record so far. All it really shows is....Lakers all depend on Shaq to be the guy to win a lot of games....Without him we might as well call them the hall of lamers.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Laker_Fever_834:</div><div class="quote_post">I won't say the Lakers will win it all this year because I don't want to jinx them, but they have a huge chance of winning the 4th in 5 yrs. They have the Big Four in Payton, Kobe, Malone, and Shaq, and I feel if they can finish above Sacramento for the #1 seed, they will be tough to beat. Dallas has shown that they always choke against the Lakers, San Antonio has already lost to them 3 times, including two at SBC Center, Minnesota sure has the talent, but the Lakers just have too much experience than they do, and of course it'll always come down to the Kings. But the Kings have had 3 opportunities to beat the Lakers, and they haven't done it, so why trust them on a 4th one? The Lakers can do it, they just have to get down to business.</div> sure the spurs lost to them in the regular season, but wasn't it the lakers who said thet the regular season doesn't mean anything??? the spurs were still adjusting but the spurs seem to be ready. rasho is putting up better numbers parker stepped up his game and manu ginobilli is playing like a kobe bryant from argentina. the spurs will dominate the lakers the next time they play and lakers will struggle puttimg out the spurs fire in the playoffs.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting allnet:</div><div class="quote_post">At the end of the day you can hate or love Shaq as much as you like but the fact remains he is the only guy who will decide if Lakers go all the way or not.It is sad that people say "They need all 4 hall of famers to win games".How messed up is that? Kobe is a top 10 player and suppose to be the next MJ...Yet can't get wins with one of the best EVER point guards on his team.While still being one of the best today Sir Des is right in what he says.When he mentions their team is shallow.You are playing without Malone and Shaq...Yes that is tough for anyone to deal with.However you still have two damn all-stars in the backcourt.Two future hall of famers...The Lakers team should be getting wins with the team they have. Look at the Wolves..Still playing without two good starters and a guy who was one of the top players in the playoffs last season while being a very steady shooting point guard.Wolves fans don't use that as an excuse to why they don't have the best record so far. All it really shows is....Lakers all depend on Shaq to be the guy to win a lot of games....Without him we might as well call them the hall of lamers.</div> excellent point all of that is true!! the lakers suck without shaq. When the spurs lost tim duncan, manu ginobili filled the void. when the kings lost c-webb their back up filled the void . i haven't seen the lakers do that. the lose their starting center and they give up.
This is the West. They'll have difficulties from the first round. But I still think that the Spurs and Kings have better chances to play against NJN in the Finals. hehehe
If Shaq doesn't come back in a timely fashion or if Shaq comes back and gets hurt again I think it's doubtful. If they are to win it all then either Malone or Payton will need to step and take the reins. Kobe just can't be the primary guy. The two teams its happened the Lakers look like absolute crap..Since Shaq has been gone they what? 2 - 4? with 4 L's in a row.....
