Spoken like a future Lakers fan.:biggrin:
NBA Playoff thread
- Thread starter NsXMas
- Start date
Spoken like a future Lakers fan.:biggrin:
Other than Nash, you still have a bunch of whiney players including Kobe and Howard. If they lose, and they very well might, they'll start crying and whining like 9 year old schoolgirls with tantrums.
Celtics tickets sell out every year. Even in years the team is a lottery team, the fans still fill the garden. Even when the team is down 20 with 30 seconds left, the fans start singing "let's go celtics" showing so much support it goes on ESPN highlights.
If the lakers were a lottery team for 5 years, they'd get no one in those seats. I know because I've watched clippers games.
There, now that I dug really hard and came up with that very logical sounding argument what do you have to say? LOL
Celtics tickets sell out every year. Even in years the team is a lottery team, the fans still fill the garden. Even when the team is down 20 with 30 seconds left, the fans start singing "let's go celtics" showing so much support it goes on ESPN highlights.
If the lakers were a lottery team for 5 years, they'd get no one in those seats. I know because I've watched clippers games.
There, now that I dug really hard and came up with that very logical sounding argument what do you have to say? LOL
There are a few things that are not in the Lakers favor, age, defense and coaching. Nash, Kobe, and Pau are all getting up there. They still play at a high level, but, as has been proven, speed is becoming the game in the NBA. The Lakers are also defensively challenged, Howard will make up for a lot of it, but perimeter shooting is also becoming more of a focus in the NBA. It may be difficult for the Lakers to play help defense with the amount of ball movement and pitch outs that happen with the elite teams. They could pull it all off, but it will be interesting to see.
The other thing too is that now you have some strong willed personalities on the team. With Nash and Howard, I'm not sure Kobe can berate them into submission as he has done with his teamates in the past. You also do not have Phil Jackson to manage these wills, you have Mike Brown. I'm not sold on Brown's capability to manage a team, or to coach. How long will it take them to gel, even with Nash running the point? When a team is winning, everything is peachy. But when times get tough, how will it hold together? It will be interesting to watch and read about.
The other thing too is that now you have some strong willed personalities on the team. With Nash and Howard, I'm not sure Kobe can berate them into submission as he has done with his teamates in the past. You also do not have Phil Jackson to manage these wills, you have Mike Brown. I'm not sold on Brown's capability to manage a team, or to coach. How long will it take them to gel, even with Nash running the point? When a team is winning, everything is peachy. But when times get tough, how will it hold together? It will be interesting to watch and read about.
With gasol and Howard in the paint it's going be tough to penetrate at all. They are tall now and Howard is a serious shot blocker. Lead the league last year. So the defense is up, way up. Then on offense you've brought in one of he top orchestrators in Nash.
They are a tough team. Yes, those "flaws" are valid, but we are really grasping at straws. They will most likely fart around regular season, then get it together in the playoffs and come out of the west. Only to be beaten by the celtics with no center and no ray allen.
not.... LOL
They are a tough team. Yes, those "flaws" are valid, but we are really grasping at straws. They will most likely fart around regular season, then get it together in the playoffs and come out of the west. Only to be beaten by the celtics with no center and no ray allen.
not.... LOL
I think the greatest concern for the Lakers is staying healthy. Both Nash and Howard have bad backs (Howard still recovering from surgery, probably won't be ready for the start of the season), and Kobe has a bad knee. We'll see Kobe and Nash sitting out the first half of the 3rd Q for every game.
I think Terry is a better player than Allen, particularly in the post season. Allen will shoot lights out all year, then suck during playoffs. Terry has been clutch year in and out.
Dwight Howard is 6'9"? Lol.
I think Terry is a better player than Allen, particularly in the post season. Allen will shoot lights out all year, then suck during playoffs. Terry has been clutch year in and out.
Dwight Howard is 6'9"? Lol.
I agree terry is very good, but poor KG is saddled with carrying the center load. We have no center. 240 pounds won't get it done against big centers, and he is aging. He gives you all he has, 100%. They should just rest him all year until the playoffs, tell him to stay home and play Xbox.
Ray Allen will shoot lights out this year because he wil be wide open so often.
Ray Allen will shoot lights out this year because he wil be wide open so often.
Since Ray Allen has been in Boston his post season shooting not been too far off his regular season shooting. In 91 playoff games in a Celtics uniform (5 seasons) Ray Allen has averaged 15.5 ppg, 42.8% FG, 38.7% 3FG. During the regular season since '07 Allen averaged 16.9 ppg, 47.2% FG, 40.9% 3FG. Not an obscene drop in production especially when you consider defenses are chasing him hard and sometimes switching on screens. If omitting this last injury riddled post season and compare '07-'11 his stats are even closer; 17.1 pgg, 47.3%FG, 40.3% 3FG vs. 16.7, 43.4%FG, 40.5% 3FG.
This past season it was widely known Ray Allen was suffering from bone spurs in his ankles, something that has plagued him for the better part of the last 9 season (he's had three ankle surgeries). Ray will play this next season with a chip on his shoulder because he heard the voices saying how he was done or getting old.
Last edited:
You didn't dig hard enough. As stated in an earlier post here they have only missed the playoffs 5 times in their history. They are in a great position to keep Howard. We can offer 1 more year and way more money than any other team so I don't think we'll be a lottery team any time soon, let alone 5 years in a row. LOL
A lot of good points here and Lakers fans know all about things going wrong. After having won a lot more games and going to the playoffs more than any other team we should have even more championships.
Now about the defense and coaching. With Nash getting easy points for Howard, Gasol and Kobe, scoring shouldn't be a problem. With Howard our defense will be much better so we should be able to outscore teams on most nights. Coaching will only take you so far. You still need talent to win championships, just look at Miami.:wink: Nash is like having a coach on the court. He will run the best play againt the defense regardless of what the coach calls, been doing it his whole career. Are there better coaches than Brown out there? YES, but I think we'll be fine with him.
While I think Howard puts the Lakers back in the game of being a title contender, it will still be difficult road ahead for them. The Nuggets, Spurs, and OKC are going to test them, and push them to the edge. Each of those teams have devastating outside shooting. Each have big men that can play outside the paint. Unless the Lakers decide to only play zone, those other big men are going to pull Howard out from under the rim. Then each of those teams have crazy slashers that break down defenses.
On the reverse end, yeah the Lakers have great potential to score, but still have weak perimeter players, except Nash which will average less than 30 minutes a game. That means the Nuggets, Spurs and OKC can focus on clogging up the paint. And if there has been a defender that Howard has been susceptible to, it is Perkins. No one really shuts down Howard, but Perk has been particularly effective against him. And we really haven't seen Ibaka's total upside yet. OKC is in a particularly good position to beat the Lakers. The West is a loaded conference, and will make it a difficult road for them. But if they make it out (which I have my doubts), they will only have one team in their way, Miami. And won't that be a series to watch?
And fyi, the Celtics still have more championships. :biggrin:
On the reverse end, yeah the Lakers have great potential to score, but still have weak perimeter players, except Nash which will average less than 30 minutes a game. That means the Nuggets, Spurs and OKC can focus on clogging up the paint. And if there has been a defender that Howard has been susceptible to, it is Perkins. No one really shuts down Howard, but Perk has been particularly effective against him. And we really haven't seen Ibaka's total upside yet. OKC is in a particularly good position to beat the Lakers. The West is a loaded conference, and will make it a difficult road for them. But if they make it out (which I have my doubts), they will only have one team in their way, Miami. And won't that be a series to watch?
And fyi, the Celtics still have more championships. :biggrin:
Bro, you're allright in my book.
FYI, I never said we had the most only we should have more.:wink:
You're allright in my book except when it comes to the Lakers and Celtics.:biggrin:
I was really hoping that center duty could of been steamer and melo full time.
I'm really looking forward to this season, the roster is incredibly deep with a lot of talent. Aside from the usual suspects, I'm probably most excited for the possibility of a healthy Green and hopefully some minutes from Sully.
Speaking of which, if I'm still spending my weekdays (M-Th) up in the Boston area come the start of the season would any of you locals want to catch a game? I feel like a douche because I only went to the Garden once last season.
OKC trades Harden to Rockets
I know this is last year's playoff thread but somehow I feel its too early in the season to make a new one. /shrug
So OKC traded James Harden to the Rockets for some guards and picks. OMGWTF. OKC just got weaker. I'm not happy about this.
Laker fans are licking their chops at the developments...
I know this is last year's playoff thread but somehow I feel its too early in the season to make a new one. /shrug
So OKC traded James Harden to the Rockets for some guards and picks. OMGWTF. OKC just got weaker. I'm not happy about this.
Laker fans are licking their chops at the developments...
Re: OKC trades Harden to Rockets
He had a contract but didn't take it... I believe it was around 54-55mil over 4 years, he got 60 with the rockets. He traded a possible ring for a heavily taxed 1~ mil per year. Well done.
It's a great time to fire up an NBA thread... Jumping out of my pants for the Celtics/Heat game tomorrow night. Got great seats for the C's/Raptors game on the 17th too.
He had a contract but didn't take it... I believe it was around 54-55mil over 4 years, he got 60 with the rockets. He traded a possible ring for a heavily taxed 1~ mil per year. Well done.
It's a great time to fire up an NBA thread... Jumping out of my pants for the Celtics/Heat game tomorrow night. Got great seats for the C's/Raptors game on the 17th too.
Only if Miami falls flat on their face and Rose doesn't come back completely heathly do they even have a chance to come out of the east. Then they would have to deal with you know who.:wink:
The Heat is still extremely top heavy, one injury to any 3 of their core guys and they're screwed.
The Celtic roster is as deep as they come. I still think people forget that the ECF last year came down to the last 12 minutes of game 7 as they were tied going into the 4th. Everybody was gassed and/or injured. Now they have a healthy green, terry, lee, sullinger, barbosa and bradley will be back soon too. Darko and Melo will be helping out the 5 along with Bass and cutting KG down to 5 minute rotations.
MIA gained nothing in the off season, marginal difference between the 3pct of Miller vs. Allen, the presence is a little stronger.
The best part is that we don't have to speculate anymore. Can't wait for this match up tonight.
I'm NO FAN OF MIAMI and hope Boston does make to the finals to play my Lakers (hoping they make it too) but Miami did get Allen and Lewis so they should be better and will have the experience of having won it last year.
GO LAKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not really that big of an addition, just one more 3pt shooter to help space the floor and get the double team off the bigs. His 3PCT is right in line Miller's so it's not too big, just a stronger presence on court.
I guess we'll really see tonight. I hope Kobe plays too, I want to see how the full Lakers unit looks. They're not going to have a hard time with the Mavs anyway.
Good way to start the season. On a couple of counts. 
IMO Ray Allen made the right decision, albeit a very tough one. He played his heart out last year and especially in the finals. However, it's hard to play for an organization that put you up on the chopping block as trade bait in the past and always have live with that uncertainty. Couple that with the fact that he clashed with Rondo and the decision makes it easier even though he took less money.
I have nothing but the utmost respect for Ray Allen, being the class act that he is, and also Boston fans as they are some of the most loyal fans in all of sports. It's a shame they parted ways but anyone in Allen's situation would've done the same.
Similar threads
