It seems to me, from watching a few preseason games that the lakers are not playing team basketball. I don't believe Lamar Odom has scored over 10 points this season and Caron butler has been ineffective as well. Chris Mihm(who could barely break Cleveland's and Boston's rotation) is quickly becoming the Lakers second best player. Is Kobe really going to be able to win a championship with this supporting cast? And do you guys think Kobe should be playing almost 40 mins a game during the preseason? I think the only thing the Lakers/Kobe will be in contention to win this year is the lottery!
Caron Butler has actually played well especially against Sac the toher day. He was the leading scorer with 18 and they won wiht a blowout, so there goes your theory. Yes, Kobe has to get Lamar the ball a little more, but that will come. And no, Kobe shouldn't be playing 40+ minutes. O yea, also if this team gets another pretty big trade and comes together as a team, I predict 2nd round or even WCF.
I think that most of you Miami fans are upset for some reason. I dont remember the Heat Fans coming in and talking this much garbage in quite some time. Only this season, fueled by all the HYPE. Modest Fans gone wild. LOL Must be that Shaq is in town. Heres what I predict: SHAQ wont win a RING with the HEAT. By the time the Heat can get past Detroit,Orlando, and possibly New York. (they are better than the HEAT), Shaq will be old and grey. I predict New York to to be a 55-27 team with the additon of Crawford. Kobe on the other hand is 26. He has at least 10-12 more years left at least. He will win another title. Kobe, is already showing signs of leadership. Mihm is playin even better than anyone expected, and with Divac heathly, Odom and Grant sharing duties at PF, and Butler at SF, they will be deadly. The only player I didn't like during this pre-season is Chuck Atkins. He plays wild. Too many turnovers. Sasha does look good though, and has little if any fear. He seems to read the floor very well. I hope he starts soon. And damn, if Malone does decide to come back, its Western Finals Baby!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting gubagangsta:</div><div class="quote_post">It seems to me, from watching a few preseason games that the lakers are not playing team basketball. I don't believe Lamar Odom has scored over 10 points this season and Caron butler has been ineffective as well. Chris Mihm(who could barely break Cleveland's and Boston's rotation) is quickly becoming the Lakers second best player. Is Kobe really going to be able to win a championship with this supporting cast? And do you guys think Kobe should be playing almost 40 mins a game during the preseason? I think the only thing the Lakers/Kobe will be in contention to win this year is the lottery!</div> I went through reading your post, and I was actually going to let everyone else comment until I read your last sentence. So, let's assume the pre-season really does matter as far as how guys are performing. In a way it does, but let's just assume it's the regular season. The Heat's first pre-season game...against the Rockets...nobody cares about the score, so let's look at your players. Eddie Jones: 25 minutes, 0-5 shooting, 0 points Shaq: 22 minutes, 0 assists and 5 fouls Dwyane Wade: 28 minutes, 3-11 shooting (that's 27%) Udonis Haslem: 18 minutes, 3-11 shooting (see above) Rasual Butler: 22 minutes, 3-5 shooting, 5 boards, 5 assists Rasual Butler is the only player that impressed me. Is he going to be the Heat's go-to guy? Poor display of shooting by the Heat... -------------------- Next game against the Magic... Eddie Jones: 31 minutes, 4-13 shooting (that's 31%), 1 assist Dwyane Wade: 26 minutes, 5 fouls, 8 turnovers (but good shooting doesn't make up for it) Wesley Person: 33 minutes, 1-7 shooting Shaq: sweating on the bench the entire game I'm not seeing a championship-caliber team here... -------------------- Now, this game against the Pistons...where no player on Detroit played under 10 minutes... Eddie Jones: 20 minutes, 2-6 shooting with 3 fouls Shaq: somewhere eating hotdogs Malik Allen: 14 minutes, 4 fouls Looks like Wade is the ONLY thing this team has... -------------------- Last, but not least, the Hawks... Eddie Jones: 29 minutes, 3-9 shooting (33%), 1-4 FT's, 4 fouls Nothing spectacular from anyone here, but it IS the Hawks...no center, a rookie SG and an old PG. Wade performed the best again, but not even CLOSE to a Kobe-like performance. -------------------- So let me ask you this. You pick apart the Lakers, try and bring out all of the bad aspects of this team...yet your Heat look like garbage. The only players showing up to play in Miami is Wade and possibly Rasual Butler...and these two guys couldn't get it done last year with Odom, Grant and Caron. Shaq may not even be there...but if so, who cares? Will he make up for Eddie Jones' terrible shooting, with the losses of those three that are now wearing purple and gold? NO. Coming into the Laker forum and bashing our team won't work, unless you've got the perfect roster and have the chance of going 82-0...because as much as you can say it's possible, I can say it also and back it up. Miami Heat? Possibly worse off than they have been since they believed that Rony Seikaly could carry them to the promised land. Lakers? Surprising critics already. EDIT: By the way, Heat fans...this was appropriate for me to say, since this topic was made with the intention of criticizing the Lakers. Otherwise, I wouldn't degrade and dismantle your team like this.
I'm just sick and tired of all this drama these Heat fans are trying to stir up here. Yes, keep bringing us the old, ancient information. We understand now Shaq is no longer with us, and we now have a different team. We know Kobe won't win a championship this year not with how this current squad is assembled, so why waste your time writing a thread that seems so obvious?? Stick with your Heat squad whether you're true or just some wagon-rider since Shaq arrived there, and we'll stick to ours...and just maybe we can fuel the fire December 25th. I think that's the best way to leave things right now.
These Heat fans are so annoying. Last year, you wouldn't see a thread like this started in the Lakers section by a heat. Now, all of a sudden Shaq's on the team and the bandwagoners hop in and everything is anti-Lakers.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting spawn:</div><div class="quote_post">These Heat fans are so annoying. Last year, you wouldn't see a thread like this started in the Lakers section by a heat. Now, all of a sudden Shaq's on the team and the bandwagoners hop in and everything is anti-Lakers. </div> Last year, I wasn't around to run them out jk
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting gubagangsta:</div><div class="quote_post">It seems to me, from watching a few preseason games that the lakers are not playing team basketball. I don't believe Lamar Odom has scored over 10 points this season and Caron butler has been ineffective as well. Chris Mihm(who could barely break Cleveland's and Boston's rotation) is quickly becoming the Lakers second best player. Is Kobe really going to be able to win a championship with this supporting cast? And do you guys think Kobe should be playing almost 40 mins a game during the preseason? I think the only thing the Lakers/Kobe will be in contention to win this year is the lottery!</div> Hummm..... Kobe who has probably ten more years left of good basketball in him compared to a guy who has probably 2 and has been declining for the last 2 years. Kobe and Shaq put up the same points, the difference is Kobe is a playmaker, he can shoot the ball with 1.5 seconds left win the game or steal the ball and take it up the court and tomahawk it down the basket. To me I surely prefer a player that can make things happen than to a player that needs someone to assist him to make a shot. Its true, If shaq doesn't have a good guard to give him good looks when he posts up than Shaq won't score. Also im just saying this because Shaq isn't on our team why don't we just hack the shit out him and rub it in he can't make a free throw. Seriously could you imagine how funny that would be. We hack him he goes to there free throw and Kobe is yelling at him common little more arc. Remember that weekend last season i spent with you on this. Common Big Diesel it won't be that hard, its only a free throw, there is a reason its free. You can't make a open shot. Hey Shaq just do what I do and dunk it from there. Ya thats right you don't got hops eather fat boy, rely on your natural height to win. Anyways seriously im not just saying this cuz im a Laker fan but If i owned a team and wanted to win a champ i wud prefer The Lakers Squad over Miami. Seriously. Mark my words Shaq retires in 2 years, Wade gets traded just like Lamar did for a out of prime superstar and Jones retires or is traded and Miami is stuck in there year after year loosing streak. I bet Miami doesn't even get past the 1st round of the playoffs.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting gubagangsta:</div><div class="quote_post">It seems to me, from watching a few preseason games that the lakers are not playing team basketball. I don't believe Lamar Odom has scored over 10 points this season and Caron butler has been ineffective as well. Chris Mihm(who could barely break Cleveland's and Boston's rotation) is quickly becoming the Lakers second best player. Is Kobe really going to be able to win a championship with this supporting cast? And do you guys think Kobe should be playing almost 40 mins a game during the preseason? I think the only thing the Lakers/Kobe will be in contention to win this year is the lottery!</div> Um...PRESEASON? Jannero Pargo was MVP of preseason Laker games...Payton was a major contributor in preseason...Malone barely helped in preseason...Lamar's barely even shot the ball yet... How can you base the Lakers off their preseason games?
here is what I dont get..... the original post said nothing about the heat or O'Neal. Its only the people who have put their responses up who have brought up the whole Bryant vs Shaq thing... yeah, maybe the guy is trying a subtle troll, but I see nothing of a provoking nature in the original post & the post has not been edited. Am I missing something here?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting harbingerofdoom:</div><div class="quote_post">here is what I dont get..... the original post said nothing about the heat or O'Neal. Its only the people who have put their responses up who have brought up the whole Bryant vs Shaq thing... yeah, maybe the guy is trying a subtle troll, but I see nothing of a provoking nature in the original post & the post has not been edited. Am I missing something here?</div> True...and I wasn't even going to post if it wasn't for this: <div class="quote_poster">Quoting gubagangsta:</div><div class="quote_post">I think the only thing the Lakers/Kobe will be in contention to win this year is the lottery! </div> From any other fan, it's an opinion. From a Heat fan, it's a shot at the Lakers for trading Shaq. And, I considered his statement...and I realized he is judging the Lakers solely on the preseason, so I simply opened his eyes for him to see that the Heat aren't doing very well, also.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting harbingerofdoom:</div><div class="quote_post">here is what I dont get..... the original post said nothing about the heat or O'Neal. Its only the people who have put their responses up who have brought up the whole Bryant vs Shaq thing... yeah, maybe the guy is trying a subtle troll, but I see nothing of a provoking nature in the original post & the post has not been edited. Am I missing something here?</div> Ya but what he is getting at is how we expect to win with just Kobe, this is just saying that his supporting cast which we traded for with Shaq was worthless is what he is saying by his statement so really its a hidden tie in my eyes what he is saying. I stand by everything I said.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting realdealbneal:</div><div class="quote_post">True...and I wasn't even going to post if it wasn't for this: From any other fan, it's an opinion. From a Heat fan, it's a shot at the Lakers for trading Shaq. And, I considered his statement...and I realized he is judging the Lakers solely on the preseason, so I simply opened his eyes for him to see that the Heat aren't doing very well, also.</div> Exactly. Hey, our bench score well against the CLIPs today. SHOWTIME BABY!
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> yeah, maybe the guy is trying a subtle troll, but I see nothing of a provoking nature in the original post & the post has not been edited. Am I missing something here? </div> <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> I think the only thing the Lakers/Kobe will be in contention to win this year is the lottery! </div> Coming from a Heat fan, I'm pretty sure that was a shot at the Lakers and Kobe. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Is Kobe really going to be able to win a championship with this supporting cast? </div> I'll be in honest in saying that the Lakers will NOT win a championship this year or next year. Not till Kobe has a stronger supporting cast and continues to elevate his game. The next couple of years, IMO, belong to TD and KG. But Kobe will get his eventually, just not this year. My hope is that they m ake it pass the 2nd round and shut up all the critisizers. A NBA Finals seed would be a miracle, a more realistic outlook would be 1st/2nd round. Once again, this is only my opinion, I'm sure some of the other Laker fans would strongly disagree. Secondly, In my opinion, the Lakers have just as good of a supporting cast, if not better. So the real question as a Laker fan to you as a Heat fan, is: Is Shaq really going to be able to win a championship with his supporting cast? I'll end off my post i nthe nature that you ended off yours. I think it's safe to say that the Heat ain't going nowhere as long as Big Ben & Indy is there to do something about it. Good luck Shaq and let's just hope you don't injure yourself and demand more money while you're injured.
If they make the 2nd round, they'll come up with another excuse because the lakers got that far. They always do.
