When thinking about it for one moment--that is one heckuva team. How is any team in the NBA going to match up?
I don't see how they win less than 65 games.
It's too bad the NBA and Stern didn't veto Dwight's trade instead of CP3. Big 4 = NBA Ratings bonanza!
BRIGGS wrote:When thinking about it for one moment--that is one heckuva team. How is any team in the NBA going to match up?
Was thinking that Dwight if healthy is as good as Bynum but not as good offensively. (Stay with me here)
Bynum is inconsistant that the real upgrade is consistancy and that is huge. Dwight brings it every night.
He also brings his clown act which he has to leave at home. I heard debate with SAS the real pressure is on Kobe making it work with Nash. On paper the princeton with Pau should be massive improvement.
I don't think the trade was that lopsided. Bynum is no. 2 center in the league when his head is on right.
I think the Lakers with nash and changes to the offense would have been a top 3 team anyway. Dwight makes them more consistant.
one the lakers will have trouble with is guarding the perimeter.. kobe has lost a step defensively and nash has always been a revolving door. as great as they are offensively, how are they going to match up with the thunder defensively?
If Howard is healthy the Lakers will be good but OKC is still the team to beat out West.
As long as Kobe or Mike Brown don't screw it up LA is the favorite to win the West and probably should be the favorite for the Title.
CashMoney wrote:If Howard is healthy the Lakers will be good but OKC is still the team to beat out West.
If Howard is healthy then the rest of the NBA is doomed. It will be incredibly hard to score in the paint--theyve added a PG upgrade of the highest level of change in the league--who will get Gasol Howard and Kobe the shots they want and hit 3's back at 50% rate again. Then you add in they got a double digit bench scorer off the bench in Jamison If Jordan Hill continues to improve they have one of the better back up 4-5 in the league they still have a great defender in Artest--the only nothing they lack is quality depth.
BRIGGS wrote:CashMoney wrote:If Howard is healthy the Lakers will be good but OKC is still the team to beat out West.
If Howard is healthy then the rest of the NBA is doomed. It will be incredibly hard to score in the paint--theyve added a PG upgrade of the highest level of change in the league--who will get Gasol Howard and Kobe the shots they want and hit 3's back at 50% rate again. Then you add in they got a double digit bench scorer off the bench in Jamison If Jordan Hill continues to improve they have one of the better back up 4-5 in the league they still have a great defender in Artest--the only nothing they lack is quality depth.
Well ... I don't think that we are good enough to beat Miami so I would be ecstatic if the Lakers did as a consolation prize. I think that Lebron/Heat still have the edge. Lebron if freakin out!
I think home court will be crucial for this series.
On paper, they have the potential to be an incredible team. But there are a few things that could go wrong- I'm very sceptical about whether Dwight is going to return to full health this season. We all saw how bad Amar'e was with a lesser back injury and no offseason practice. Plus there are a lot of mental issues and pressure on Dwight- he took a hammering from the media and public, if he starts off poorly I don't think he'll respond well to the criticism.
Then there's the issue of Nash and Kobe being able to play together (since so many people questioned Lin and Melo)- will Nash hold up health wise now he's almost 40 and doesn't have the Suns trainers?
MWP looked done last year, I wonder if it was just due to the lockout.
kobe and Gasol could start declining in a season or two.
I like their bench, but their coach is poor and we all saw what happened when the Lakers added Payton and Malone- there's no guarantees in basketball. It'll be a fun season though- I'm looking forward to seeing how they turn out, and their matchups with the Clippers, thunder and Heat. And of course the Knicks!
The good news for Howard is that he won't be the focal point of the offense (he might feel differently) Howard won't have to do most of the heavy lifting on this squad with the talent around him. Playing for the Lakers might not be as taxing as it was in Orlando.
As good as the Suns teams were that went to the WCF, Nash has never had this caliber of talent around him, even with some of the holes in their roster. He took a bunch of scrubs to within inches of the playoffs, I expect the Lakers to seriously challenge OKC in the WCF for the next few seasons. I would love to see a Heat/Lakers finals if the Knicks are out of the picture.
They could start out a little slow until Howard comes back but when he does look the f out. In the meantime Gasol can actually go back to being a low post player which might benefit him. When healthy, they have so many ways to beat you offensively, plus they have two 7 footers(or close enough) who are extremely skilled and can control the paint and the boards. They also have some of the smartest players in the league. The only way they could struggle is if Kobe attempts too many shots or Dwight isn't the same Dwight.
I don't think the Lakers are going to be as good as many think. I don't know why but this Lakers teams is bringing back memories of Malone/Payton/Kobe/Shaq.
CashMoney wrote:I don't think the Lakers are going to be as good as many think. I don't know why but this Lakers teams is bringing back memories of Malone/Payton/Kobe/Shaq.
That team did make the finals though.
yellowboy90 wrote:CashMoney wrote:I don't think the Lakers are going to be as good as many think. I don't know why but this Lakers teams is bringing back memories of Malone/Payton/Kobe/Shaq.
That team did make the finals though.
True but they got destroyed by the Pistons. That was a weird season....The Pacers won 61 games and the Knicks and Celtics made the playoffs even though they both finished below .500. The Lakers should be good but there are question marks.
CashMoney wrote:I don't think the Lakers are going to be as good as many think. I don't know why but this Lakers teams is bringing back memories of Malone/Payton/Kobe/Shaq.
totally different scenario. that lakers team was self-destructing because of shaq/kobe/phil. it was destined to lose and malone and payton were washed up.
nash is still high-level, dwight is one of the best defenders in the game + nash will get him easy shots. kobe and pau are still very high level. this team is constructed right. reminds me of the 2008 celtics, but probably a little better.
i love the guys saying the lakers aren't that good are the same ones saying lin sucks. that tells me everything i need to know.
I don't see how anyone will compete. Lakers vs. Heat in the finals and Lakers should win in 6. OKC is going to have to wait their turn a bit longer. I don't see how they will get past the Lakers this year.
crzymdups wrote:CashMoney wrote:I don't think the Lakers are going to be as good as many think. I don't know why but this Lakers teams is bringing back memories of Malone/Payton/Kobe/Shaq.
totally different scenario. that lakers team was self-destructing because of shaq/kobe/phil. it was destined to lose and malone and payton were washed up.
nash is still high-level, dwight is one of the best defenders in the game + nash will get him easy shots. kobe and pau are still very high level. this team is constructed right. reminds me of the 2008 celtics, but probably a little better.
i love the guys saying the lakers aren't that good are the same ones saying lin sucks. that tells me everything i need to know.
Orange and blue color boxers?
Solace wrote:I don't see how anyone will compete. Lakers vs. Heat in the finals and Lakers should win in 6. OKC is going to have to wait their turn a bit longer. I don't see how they will get past the Lakers this year.
If Dwight is healthy, that sounds right.
crzymdups wrote:CashMoney wrote:I don't think the Lakers are going to be as good as many think. I don't know why but this Lakers teams is bringing back memories of Malone/Payton/Kobe/Shaq.
totally different scenario. that lakers team was self-destructing because of shaq/kobe/phil. it was destined to lose and malone and payton were washed up.
nash is still high-level, dwight is one of the best defenders in the game + nash will get him easy shots. kobe and pau are still very high level. this team is constructed right. reminds me of the 2008 celtics, but probably a little better.
i love the guys saying the lakers aren't that good are the same ones saying lin sucks. that tells me everything i need to know.
+1 except for the part about Malone. He put up 13 and 8 in the regular season but got hurt during the playoffs. Also, Kobe played like absolute shit during that Finals (http://www.basketball-reference.com/play...) 23 ppg, 4.4 apg, 2spg, 3 rpg, and shot 38 fg% and 17 3fg% all while taking 6 more shots/game than Shaq.
