We all know Shaq's value to the team, hes a 20+mil a year player, how can you not make that much difference in the game? You think the Wolves would be half as good as they are now without Garnett? The recent Laker slump, ofcourse has a lot to do with Shaq being out, but you also have to remember how well Malone was playing for them before he went out. Notice the losing began right about when he went out? Grant has proven to everyone whos watched a laker game recently that he can't keep up with the other bigs anymore. He steps out to get his man, then leaves the middle for anyone to just run in there with no trouble. By the time Grant moves a finger the guy has already made a layup and is running the other way. He's just too slow to play a role like he is now. Payton needs to stop complaining and take over the game like he did in Seattle just a year ago. I know he's getting older but everyone knows he can play a lot better than he has this season, so its time to just step up to Phil and show him you deserve more playing time. P.S. Fisher's shooting slump ALL SEASON LONG doesn't help the Lakers either....
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Phreeze:</div><div class="quote_post">We all know Shaq's value to the team, hes a 20+mil a year player, how can you not make that much difference in the game? You think the Wolves would be half as good as they are now without Garnett? The recent Laker slump, ofcourse has a lot to do with Shaq being out, but you also have to remember how well Malone was playing for them before he went out. Notice the losing began right about when he went out? Grant has proven to everyone whos watched a laker game recently that he can't keep up with the other bigs anymore. He steps out to get his man, then leaves the middle for anyone to just run in there with no trouble. By the time Grant moves a finger the guy has already made a layup and is running the other way. He's just too slow to play a role like he is now. Payton needs to stop complaining and take over the game like he did in Seattle just a year ago. I know he's getting older but everyone knows he can play a lot better than he has this season, so its time to just step up to Phil and show him you deserve more playing time. P.S. Fisher's shooting slump ALL SEASON LONG doesn't help the Lakers either....</div> well there are some people here that equate Kobe to Jordan(not sayin' people here in this laker forum,but elsewhere) and that Kobe can lead the team and take charge just as well as Shaq and it's just not so..if it were it would happened last year when Shaq went down. Just pointing out that when left in Kobe's hands the team begins a slide as evidenced by last year and this current state of the Lakers right now.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting The Black Widow:</div><div class="quote_post">well there are some people here that equate Kobe to Jordan(not sayin' people here in this laker forum,but elsewhere) and that Kobe can lead the team and take charge just as well as Shaq and it's just not so..if it were it would happened last year when Shaq went down. Just pointing out that when left in Kobe's hands the team begins a slide as evidenced by last year and this current state of the Lakers right now.</div> Yeah, I know theres a lot of the Kobe not being able to win without Shaq thing, but whats really hurting them is the fact that they dont have any decent players that back up Shaq when hes gone. Grant has proven hes no backup, and I dont see anyone succeeding up front with two big guys missing. Payton goes out, you still have Fisher. Kobe goes out, you still have Russell. Although, I dont see Shaq and Karl being able to win much at all if Kobe and Payton were both missing at once, its just totally different. This isn't about Kobe being able to handle the team without Shaq if they're also missing another hall of famer named Karl Malone. Its just dumb to even bring up that subject if you ask me.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting InNETSweTrust:</div><div class="quote_post">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</div> get off the nets D*** they wont make the finals this year it'll be the pistons of the pacers
i strongly think lakers could win without shaq......... bryant, payton and malone is enough firepower to take out the other teams... shaq is a lazy ass-hole the gary i know can score lots and lots and can also distribute the ball very well, and i know malone is a lot better than his stats show now and add another kobe bryant to the lineup
They can't beat Minnesota or Sacramento without Shaq...unless those teams are missing their key player too (or players, in Sacramento's case).
Right now im leaning towards the mavericks, they are puttin on a show despite the loss to the jazz. How couldnt you make a push for the title when your 6th man is antawn jamison, i mean come on now. The lakers look terrible right now, kobe is sittin in the defendants chair, and shaq is sitting at burger king, maybe when they all get back and playin together they can get on track and get there title. But right now definatley gotta go MAVS
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting jdub:</div><div class="quote_post">Right now im leaning towards the mavericks, they are puttin on a show despite the loss to the jazz. How couldnt you make a push for the title when your 6th man is antawn jamison, i mean come on now. The lakers look terrible right now, kobe is sittin in the defendants chair, and shaq is sitting at burger king, maybe when they all get back and playin together they can get on track and get there title. But right now definatley gotta go MAVS</div> Lakers are playing horrible by right now? Actually they managed to play some decent ball while the 3 superstars were out. Are you aware that Kobe is back, and that Shaq made his comeback tonight? Don't know how you can say he's at burger king. . So watch out for a Laker comeback, I know a lot will still doubt us because everything won't just click right away once our full lineup is back, but you'll see come playoff time. Though the Mavs beat the Kings the other night, IMO Mavs aren't capable of beating the Kings in a playoff series. Anyway, how about forget the Mavs and the Kings and all the other teams. Lakers are your 2003-2004 Champions.
Definitely not, I'm going with the Kings or the Wolves. They just have an impressive lineup of offense and defensive strength, not really anything else. They have no chemistry, hence they will lose, yet again.
As long as we have our 4 big guns playing in the post season, I believe we will bring the title back to LA. We were destroying teams and resting starters the entire 4th quarter every night before the injury bug hit us. Not saying we will destroy the competition that easily in the playoffs but I believe we have more than enough firepower to win it all again
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting jdub:</div><div class="quote_post">Right now im leaning towards the mavericks, they are puttin on a show despite the loss to the jazz. How couldnt you make a push for the title when your 6th man is antawn jamison, i mean come on now. The lakers look terrible right now, kobe is sittin in the defendants chair, and shaq is sitting at burger king, maybe when they all get back and playin together they can get on track and get there title. But right now definatley gotta go MAVS</div> Dallas? The same team that has tons of superstars but just can't seem to play defense? I can say this about the Dallas Mavericks....if they meet up against San Antonio, Sacramento, or my Lakers, they'll destroy them. Because all they'll have to do is shut down their high-powered offense, and allow them to play their style of basketball. Do you really think in a playoff series the Mavericks can beat the Lakers in a seven game series?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Magic Johnson:</div><div class="quote_post">Definitely not, I'm going with the Kings or the Wolves. They just have an impressive lineup of offense and defensive strength, not really anything else. They have no chemistry, hence they will lose, yet again.</div> No chesmitry? Hmm, even the great Magic Johnson said himself Lakers wouldn't gather everyhing together and start playing great basketball until January, but that was interrupted by injuries. When Shaq gets back to logging big minutes in, and when Kobe's shoulder is feeling better, and also when Malone gets back into the lineup, Lakers will be right up there again as the top contenders to win it all. Why the T-Wolves? Yes, they look impressive, but even with this lineup now who knows how far they'll go? I wouldn't pick a team who hasn't been past the 1st round in a while to go straight into the Finals and possibly win it all.
Injuries kill hopes... had webber not gone down holding his knee in last year's playoffs, it'd be the Kings who won the title, not Spurs, which almost got beat by Dallas until Dirk met the same fate of injury. Hopefully, Mailman returns to action faster than the recent announcement of delayed expected return (mid-March) and play whatever games left (about 20 games?) and use the remaining games to get used to the system before it kicks for the playoffs... If there's no bad luck injuries whatsoever, and the players gel together, there's NO STOPPING this team this year TOTALLY, I just can't see it, no red-hot KG-Spree-IamSam's Timberwolves, no red-hot Kings, no defending MVP's defending champions Spurs! Whoosh whoosh whoosh sweep sweep sweep!
i actually think the lakers have a chance knowing how well they play in the crucial games... they are probably the best team that plays well under pressure ... ahem, the playoffs... and now that they have 4 all-stars on the team.... i really dont want it to happen though... i want it to be the kings year this season!!!! go kings... sorry to be posting this up in the lakers board...
Don't get me wrong the lakers are a good team and all, but with all the big teams in the west, and all the injuries on the laker team I don't think that they can go all the way. If they want to have a shot at this years title they are going to need to step things up and start winning more games. After all there fifth in the west which isn't where a championchip team usually is at.
I'm not ready to count the Lakers out yet. At the beginning of the season with their two All-Star acquisitions, they appeared to be a lock for the ring this season. What concerns me are not only the injuries, but championship teams usually have the "breaks" going their way during the season and the Lakers obviously don't. All these injuries and internal distractions appear to be a sign the Lakers aren't destined to win. Shaq's injuries are nothing new, but when you have "Iron Men" players like Karl Malone and Kobe getting injured you have to wonder if Lady Luck has abandoned the Purple & Gold. The vulnerability of the Lakers has also been exposed, and the famous Laker mystique has taken another blow with their disappointing season. The lack of depth at the big man concern is going to be exploited come post-season, and unless the Lakers make a trade for a capable PF or C we might not be able to make it all the way to the finals. The West is going to be a battle each series, and I'm not sure if Shaq and Malone have the conditioning to keep up with younger big men (Duncan, KG) and teams with depth like the Kings, (Vlade, CWebb, Miller.) With each loss, teams are becoming more and more confident they can win against the Lakers. The Laker mystique was already declining last season and it has continued this year after the injuries started taking place. Unless we can get rolling in the second half of the season, the old cliche, "When things are too good to be true, they usually are," might sum up this year's Laker team.
Lakers with all of their players at the end of the season healthy=Championship...you can take that to the bank and deposit it. It really depends on their players health in the end, Kobe missed training camp and is still hobbled by a bad shoulder. Karl Malone is showing the effects of old age with his first-ever serious injury, Shaq is either lazy or his calf is his achilles heel because he took a long time to get back, Payton just got his calf injured.....these are pretty serious things to consider
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CourtVision:</div><div class="quote_post">Lakers with all of their players at the end of the season healthy=Championship...you can take that to the bank and deposit it.</div> Thank you, this guy has some sense.
