This week in the NBA

[Guest]

You said it best. They can't stop Nash, or Marion. Diaw's probably going to be a non-factor on the scoring end.

 

Then they'll just score. Sitting Nash and Bell isn't smart. Nobody can stop Kobe at this point (Prince is the only one with the ability to), so Bell isn't going to make a difference. The Lakers are going to have to shoot the 3 well. They'll have to live and die by it. I'm also thinking Jim Jackson may show up because they're playing the Suns, but I'm not counting on it.

 

ESPN is starting to ride the Lakers cock again. That's when they play best.

[Brett Favre]

Diaw doesn't have to score to be effective. He plays five positions, passes and rebounds well.

 

Whos going to stop Eddie House from getting 5 baskets in 15 minutes? Whos going to outrun Barbosa? Shawn Marion and Tim Thomas are tough matchups. Raja Bell can hit the 3. And you still have Nash to worry about. Put Kobe on Nash, great, he'll be tired out at the offensive end. They'll let Kobe score 50, but Odom, and Parker, and...aren't going to do shit.

[alfdogg]

The Lakers, technically, *could* still play Dallas in the 1-8 matchup, as well. But that would require Dallas and Sacramento both winning as well as the Lakers losing and the Spurs going 0-2.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Kingofthe909, you so crazy. I may also be a diehard Laker fan, but getting the Suns in the playoffs is about the worst matchup the Lakers could hope for.

[Ripper]

Who did the Lakers sign to shoot the three? What did I miss?

[Ripper]

All bullshit aside, and I truely mean this...if the Lakers played Andrew Bynum, they would stand a better chance of winning. He is too big for any of the suns to cover and runs the floor pretty well. He would average 20 and 10 against the Suns inside defense. Heavy doses of Mihm, Brown, and Bynum would wear the suns down.

 

But they aren't going to do that. They are going to try and outscore them and that isn't going to work.

[Guest]

The Spurs are the worst matchup. They make me cringe.

 

Whos going to stop Eddie House from getting 5 baskets in 15 minutes? Whos going to outrun Barbosa?

Vujacic can play defense. In fact, that's all he can do.

 

Shawn Marion and Tim Thomas are tough matchups.

Yes, they are. Kwame can body up on Thomas, and that's about all Kwame's going to be in the league. A good defender.

 

Raja Bell can hit the 3. And you still have Nash to worry about.

Phil Jackson is the best coach in the league. I trust him, and the 3 losses were his first chances to see Phoenix as they have been since he left after the Detroit debacle. At the very least, the Lakers will win two games due to his coaching ability.

[Guest]

Fuck, double.

 

All bullshit aside, and I truely mean this...if the Lakers played Andrew Bynum, they would stand a better chance of winning. He is too big for any of the suns to cover and runs the floor pretty well. He would average 20 and 10 against the Suns inside defense. Heavy doses of Mihm, Brown, and Bynum would wear the suns down.

I wish they played Bynum. He's a superstar in the making.

[Kurt Angle Mark]

Anybody else think that the Clippers are "tanking" to get that sixth seed?

 

And, speaking of tanking, I don't appreciate Phoenix sitting Nash and Bell against the GD Lakers.

 

Clippers did the smart thing by losing to Seattle because that way they can play Memphis straight up on Tuesday if they feel like it. If they beat Memphis they just have to lose to Dallas the next game to get the 6th seed.

 

 

Also the Suns are going to mop the floor with the Lakers. The Lakers are 0-7 against the Suns with Nash playing and if Kobe is going to fall into a trap of trying to do it all by himself the Suns are the perfect team for that.

[Brett Favre]

Kwame ain't stopping Tim Thomas on the perimeter.

 

Barbosa is arguably the fastest player in the league, but Vujacic is Bruce Bowen all of a sudden?

[Guest]

Kwame ain't stopping Tim Thomas on the perimeter.

Fuck no he's not. But, how good do you think Tim Thomas is? He surely isn't as good as how he's played lately.

 

Barbosa is arguably the fastest player in the league, but Vujacic is Bruce Bowen all of a sudden?

Fuck no. But, if there's one thing Vujacic is besides a shitty offensive player, it's fast.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Yes, they are. Kwame can body up on Thomas, and that's about all Kwame's going to be in the league. A good defender.

 

Maybe a bit more than that, he seems to be playing the boards pretty well also, evidenced by his double-doubles (mmm In-N-Out... fuck I miss L.A.... oh that's right, basketball) since Mihm got put out. I wonder how rusty or well-adjusted Chris Mihm will be if/when he returns for the postseason.

[Just John]

Yeah, I really fail to see how the Lakers will keep up with the Suns. Phoenix has lots of guys that can shoot really well. LA has one guy that can shoot really well. No way the Lakers keep up in a run-and-gun type game.

[Brett Favre]

I saw Tim Thomas play for us last year, and if theres one system he'd excel at, its the Suns' system. He'll average atleast 16 points a game this series with all the setting up Nash will do for him, shooting 3s left and right, and running the break. He's a very talented offensive player when motivated, and right now, hes motivated. Heck, I remember last year when he scored like 35 on Lamar Odom.

 

So Vujacic is Mr. fast now? I never knew the Lakers were this good.

[Guest]

I never said Vujacic was good. Just that he's fast.

 

I never said the Lakers were particularly good or world beaters for that matter. Mark Jackson seems to think that the Lakers are going to win in 6 games. Do you hold his opinion in high standard?

 

Barbosa sucks in the playoffs.

 

The Lakers will lose Game 1. I want to get that out of the way before I get blasted when they do.

[Brett Favre]

This is his 3rd year in the league, and hes barely played in the playoffs.

 

Good for Mark Jackson, everyone else thats not Kobe's dick will pick the Suns to win. Not that it matters.

[Guest]

And we can say the same for Tim Thomas and Eddie House. We simply do not know how guys that haven't played in the playoffs before will adjust to playoff basketball.

 

There are 4 players with a decent number of playoff experience in this series that actually get playing time.

 

Kobe, Odom, Nash and Bell.

 

What does picking them to win have anything to do with being on Kobe's dick? I guess you can't think any player is good without being on their dick. Thus, the entire league is on Nash's dick.

[Brett Favre]

Actually, Tim Thomas is one of the best 3 pointer shooters in playoff history. He's played in more playoff games than Odom.

[Guest]

Ok, five. Or six if I claim Jim Jackson, seven and eight if I claim Brian Grant and Shawn Marion.

 

We do not know how Mihm, Kwame, Diaw, Parker, Barbosa and House will play in the playoffs. I'm sure it doesn't matter if I were to look up playoff experience on teams that have gotten deep in recent years, but we don't know.

[Brett Favre]

I'll take the players who managed over 50 wins during the season over the players who were sideshows to Kobe.

[Guest]

I'll take the coach with 9 rings over the one with one Western Conference Finals appearance.

 

And the superstar with 3 rings.

 

For the record, I hate falling back to that argument. You started with playoff experience, thus I brought Phil and Kobe up. There's only two players in the league with that kind of playoff experience, and only one coach.

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I never said Vujacic was good. Just that he's fast.

 

I never said the Lakers were particularly good or world beaters for that matter. Mark Jackson seems to think that the Lakers are going to win in 6 games. Do you hold his opinion in high standard?

Hell no. Jackson also said that, when it's all said and done with, Kobe Bryant will have proven to be a better player than Jordan, an opinion that Marv Albert called him on when the two were calling the Nets/Celtics game later that night.

 

What I thought was interesting was how they showed a graphic comparing their career points, rebounds and assists, with Jordan having a decisive advantage in all three categories. At the very bottom, they also had a ring count, with Jordan at six and Bryant at three... I'm going to go out on a limb and say that, when Kobe Bryant's career is over, that count will not have changed.

 

I was astonished that Jackson had the gall to make that proclamation sitting right next to Scottie Pippen on NBA Shootaround on ABC. I was even more astonished that Pippen didn't punch him dead in his mouth.

[alfdogg]

I'm not trying to Kobe hate, but can someone tell me when he became this great clutch stopper? He's still the best option to guard Nash down the stretch, I'll grant him that, but he's had multiple All-defense appearances, and I'm just not seeing it.

 

Count me in on the Bynum bandwagon. I've really liked what little I've seen of him this year, plus I don't think I've ever seen a guy that big at that age in my life.

 

Vujajic: Haven't seen much of him either, but what I have seen is that he has a decent enough outside shot. I'll take King's word on his speed and defense, but does he get enough PT to where it will really mean something?

 

And get off Eddie House already. He's just another Atkins/Damon Jones...if he's not making his threes, he ain't shit.

[Guest]

I'm not trying to Kobe hate, but can someone tell me when he became this great clutch stopper? He's still the best option to guard Nash down the stretch, I'll grant him that, but he's had multiple All-defense appearances, and I'm just not seeing it.

He can stop, but he's not the end-all-be-all of the league. When Shaq was on the team, he could afford to lock up because he wasn't getting a ton of shots. He can lock up now, but it does affect his offense a little. That's why he doesn't do it unless LA's playing Cleveland or something. In which case he does shut down people. Case in point: the buzzer beater LeBron missed earlier this year.

 

Vujajic: Haven't seen much of him either, but what I have seen is that he has a decent enough outside shot. I'll take King's word on his speed and defense, but does he get enough PT to where it will really mean something?

He gets too much PT and his outside shot comes and goes. Does that sound like Eddie House while taking less shots? Yes it does. He is fast, and I didn't see Barbosa do too much of anything today or in the past against LA while being guarded by Sasha. Nash is going to get so much PT that Barbosa will be a non factor.

 

What I thought was interesting was how they showed a graphic comparing their career points, rebounds and assists, with Jordan having a decisive advantage in all three categories.

That stat is very misleading. I think you should take the stat from at the age that Jordan came in the league, and cut off Kobe's seasons before that age. Jordan will be known as better unless Kobe can have 5-6 seasons of this, but take a look. It'll be closer. Or, take points per 48 minutes. It's a better indication.

 

I think Kobe will get two more rings, one or both of which will be without Phil Jackson.

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Ok, five. Or six if I claim Jim Jackson, seven and eight if I claim Brian Grant and Shawn Marion...

What do you mean "if?" Lamar Odom has "decent" playoff experience with his whole thirteen games for his career, but Brian Grant and Shawn Marion, with fifty-three and thirty-four games respectively are considered as an afterthought? Only "if" you claim them?

 

Prior to 2004, when Wade carried him to the playoffs, Odom had only seen them on televsion, but he's got "decent" experience? And Brian Grant, who's been to the playoffs with every team he's ever played for *but* the Lakers, doesn't?

 

The only two players in Phoenix's top nine that have less playoff experience than Odom are Eddie House (6 games) and Boris Diaw (0 games). Top ten, if Kurt Thomas is able to contribute anything for the playoffs.

[Guest]

I said if I counted players that didn't get decent playing time. There's no if about Marion because he does get PT, but there is about Grant and Jackson.

 

That's why I didn't add Aaron McKie or Devean George. I don't think they'll be factors.

 

Amare on the Suns would change my tune.

[Guest Princess Leena]

The Lakers will beat the Suns.

 

And then we'll get the super 6 vs. 7 matchup with the Clippers.

 

And we know who's winning that.

 

And someone can injure Kobe during it, also. Nah, after him scoring 90 points every game would be better. Get some female to do it.

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

For the record, I hate falling back to that argument. You started with playoff experience, thus I brought Phil and Kobe up. There's only two players in the league with that kind of playoff experience...

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/gary_payton

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/robert_horry

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/shaquille_oneal

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/tim_duncan

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/clifford_robinson

 

How's that again?

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I said if I counted players that didn't get decent playing time...

If Kurt Thomas can't go, Grant will either start, or be the first (only?) big man off the bench; that'll probably add up to 20 mpg, which will be decent enough.

[Guest]

Oooo, beat. For the record, my two were Horry and Duncan.

 

I seem to have erased Shaq from my memory. How many rings does Clifford Robinson have? That's how I equate playoff experience, is in finals appearances, rings, and games played, in that order.

 

At Kobe's age with that many playoff games, that's something else.