This should be lots of fun to watch:
The Lakers have:
*Kobe and until my eyes tell me differently, he's still the best player in the world.
*Phil Jackson, his record speaks for itself.
*A supporting cast superior to the one they had the last time they faced the Celtics in the finals.
*Home court advantage.
The Celtics have:
*A great defensive scheme.
*Physical superiority.
Should be fun!
Kobe is the best player because he also has the best surrounding cast. Let's not forget the years when Kobe played without Shaq before their 3 title run, and after when Shaq left and before Gasol came.
Kobe was always an outstanding player, but he only went deep in the playoffs when he was surrounded by a 2nd "legit" all-star.
Before they got Gasol, didn't the Lakers get eliminated by the Suns a few years ago and didn't they lose by close to 40?
Should be a great series to watch. HF-most, if not all championship teams have two legit all-stars, or else they wouldn't be there. The closest i can remember is Houston winning with Olajuwon and an aging Drexler *which was only possible because MJ decided to try out baseball*. Otherwise, it takes more than a singular talent to win a title, imo.
db-i'm a laker fan, so take my analysis with a grain of salt. Although Bynum isn't completely healthy, he has a history of giving Kendrick Perkins lots of trouble because he is bigger and longer. The addition of Ron Artest provides an upgrade with which to guard Pierce. The biggest problem the Lakers will face is the emergence of Rondo, although DFish is a wiley vet. Home court advantage to LA as well. I say Lakers in 6,
You are right GF22. I am just saying that Kobe is an outstanding player, but he wasn't a champion until he was surrounded by a legit player.
I think the Houston team that won their first title was even more "star-less" than the Drexler Rockets team.
That team has Kenny Smith, Vernon Maxwell, Robery Horry, and Otis Thorpe. If you remember, they got Drexler the next season after the all-star break.
Sentimental feelings say Boston in six. Boston's big man will die for a championship. Beantown will be on top come crunch time. Doc will coach and Phil will do his meditation. Besides I never liked the Lakers.
Been pondering the first two games in LA...
Think game 1 will be a war. LA coming out to prove they're not "soft." Celtics come out to make a statement. Think LA wins game one.
Game 2 though is key-- maybe the pivotal game in the series. If LA takes game 2, I think it's over.
Game three though will be WWIII if Boston goes home down two games to none. There may not be enough fouls between them. Can you imagine how physical it'll be in Boston if they're down 2-0?
I can't wait. This series will be fun. Talent and flash vs. grit and toughness.
I got the celtics in 6. I think Phil is a good coach but he has always had the best player in the league on his teams. Doc is a great coach. Sacrificing the seed for a healthier team was a brilliant move. And nobody plays better d than Boston. Rondo will be the difference. Fish won't stay with him.
lakers in 5! bostons banged up! took a beating against cleveland and orlando. garnett's been hobbling up and down the court, if you haven't noticed. check him out tonight! looks as if he needs a few squirts of W-D40! celtics did a good job of covering it up but he's not going to heal in one week! only players who will get theirs is rondo and pierce. lakers have too much size and depth. jackson will substitute in waves. plus, lakers have black mamba, who i WILL NOW CONCEDE is the best closer in the world! gasol is smooth too. most underated player in nba. take him out of the picture, and the lakers dont make it out of the playoffs. not as hyped when it was magic and bird,but,hey,i'll take it! lakers in 5! jump ball!!
If you notice, the Lakers bench has struggled. Farmar is inconsistent. Shannon Brown hasn't been as effective as he was in the regular season. Odom is on some night and off the next. I have yet to see of an NBA Analyst who thinks the Lakers have a better bench than the Celtics.
As for size, this is the exact same match-up pretty much from 2 year ago, except the Lakers have Bynum now. But Bynum is crippled, having his knee drained, and playing hurt.
The difference will be Artest and Gasol in my opinion. Everyone knows Kobe will get his. But I have noticed that Pierce struggles against physical 3's. He couldn't get off against LeBron due to his size. Artest is another very physical and big 3. I think Pierce could struggle.
Also, Gasol has improved in 2 years. He has a better feel for the triangle offense and is more acclimated to his teammates in LA. Plus, Garnett has aged in 2 years and is often hurt.
The Laker's Achilles Heel is their bench. If you watched the Thunder and Suns series (other than 1 game against the Suns), the Lakers bench often got outplayed and let double digit leads disappear. Look how many times the Suns came back.
In Game 2, the Suns came back to tie it after 3 quarters, then Gasol went off in the 4th. In games 3 and 4, it was the Lakers poor Bench play which allowed the Suns to take those games.
The Lakers should win since they are younger, have Kobe, and have possibly the best post player in terms of back to the basket post play in the league.
One more thing about the bench comparisons. In the last game, the Lakers pretty much only played Odom, Vujacic, and Farmar who combined only for 19 points. That is terrible output from the bench. The game before that, Walton and Brown got token minutes, but the bench still only managed 24 points. The game before that, they only scored 20.
Now granted, there have been some games where Boston's bench have been pathetic. But, their group seems more dynamic. Wallace has scored 15-17 in one game against Orlando, so he can still provide some offensive punch. But in this offense, he no longer gets looks or plays called for him. His most important attribute is post defense. He was often the best defender against Howard.
Nate Robinson hardly played, but he is cable of going off. He has career high's in the 40's and went off in the deciding game against Orlando.
Tony Allen can guard 3 positions on defense. The Lakers do not have this kind of option from their bench.
Finally, Glen Davis has the ablity to score and defend a little in the post. I feel Boston's bench gives them much more options than the Lakers bench.
Lamar Odom is the most talented of all bench players. But he seems to struggle against teams with physical posts where he doesn't have a significant size advantage over.
not even pipikaula shortribs and fried butterfish collars from helenas is going to help the celtics! ( hawaiian steroids, all legal!)
Tim Legler, a NBA analyst, who I think is really smart, picks the Celtics in 6. He said Kobe is the key to the entire series. He said Kobe must have an outstanding series since he is the only player on both teams who can make shots regardless of how great the defense is. He feels the Celtics defense is too physical and good for the Lakers.
I am torn between the two. I don't like the Lakers, so I am going with them since this is the year of the teams who I don't like winning it all (Yankees, Duke, Alabama, Lakers last year). The only team who didn't win who I don't like is the Colts, but they were pretty close, lol.
Hoopwaiian, I am going to eat Pipikaula Ribs and Fried Butterfish Collar today....lol
that ain't right......
lol.......
during last night's game, i came to the realization that kobe, is at his peak, physically, mentally, the whole package, it's there! chris rock was being interviewed by the wahine reporter, broke away for a second, camera came back and showed rock talking to somebody? when the camera widened out and showed it was kobe he was talking to, he may as well have been talking to the braddah's sittin in the nose bleeds. kobe's face said it all! he had the LOOK. you know, that LOOK! then phil came over and gave chris and the wahine his LOOK for talking to kobe, which i immediately thought was what any great coach would do under those circumstances..... not now chris, not here. rewind and check out the reactions of the 2 of them, like two little kids who got spanked! hilarious! as for kobe, i'm his fan again. no more selfish, i'm gonna get mine, last minute i HAVE to be the hero shots.. his mid and high posts moves are beyond textbook. no more turnovers. great passer, top notch D, the whole package, it's there! enjoy him while he's here. boston's gonna get one pride game but.... lakers in 5!
I agree that Kobe is at his peak mentally. He is smarter and he understands the game of basketball much better.
But, Kobe doesn't have the same explosion. Before he could just rise over his defender regardless of who it is. Today, he has to use shot fakes and superior movement to create separation.
Just like when Jordan came back from baseball and didn't have the same lift, Kobe uses his brain and skills to elevate his game and compensate for the lack of athleticism he used to have. He is still athletic, but his movements are just not as explosive like they used to be.
BTW, Smush Parker = Mo Williams
i'll take the 2010 version of kobe. and as for explosiveness, your right, not like before, but did you see that block on allen's dunk attempt? what about that tear-drop shot over an oncoming outstretched baby? kobe's got one more explosion. 2010 nba champs!
Oooh, I wouldn't crown them just yet. The Lakers proved that they'll fight, will be physical, and can play good solid defense for one entire game.
If Boston takes only one game in LA this series changes. What is great about 7 game series is that there is an ebb and flow to the whole thing.
That said, the Lakers looked incredible in game 1. They were unselfish and out hustled the Celtics. Simply put, they showed more desire.
However, it's when things don't go right that I question Kobe's commitment to team. I've seen him rip his own teammates unmercifully until they shut down. What happens when the tide turns, and it will, will Kobe be the "team guy" then? We'll see.
Great first game. Hope it keeps up like this.
Kobe is doing well, but I also saw Tony Allen block Kobe straight up. 3-4 years ago, that never happens.
I think it is very hard to say who is the best. DWade is outstanding, but he plays with JV caliber players.
LeBron is outstanding, but his cast is either overrated (MoWilliams) or 100 years old (Shaq).
You put Kobe on either the Cavs or Heat and he is in the same boat as those two.
I think Kobe is the best player in the playoffs or the last few minutes of the game.
But I cannot erase all of his bad bball memories. I remember his team getting spanked by the Suns before they got Gasol. I remember Kobe getting embarassed in the clinching game against the Celtics in 2008. I recall Kobe sitting in the 4th period of 2 game 7's cuz the Lakers were out of the game already.
And the Jordan comparisons are crazy.
While Jordan never won a title until Pippen and Grant showed up, he single-handedly fixed the Bulls.
Jordan had Dave Corzine, Sidney Green, Brad Sellers, and other nobodies and led them to the playoffs even stealing games from Boston.
MJ da best!!!!
MJ with the Lakers, get chance 82-0.
U know it Brew....
like i said earlier, im kobe's fan again. would not forgive him for running shaq out of L.A. saw alot of rings fly out the window on that one! selfish! stoked when shaq won the following year with miami! however, as my screen name implies, i've got hoops and hawaiian in my blood. and the hoops part tells me that kobe paid the price. watched him struggle yet grow over the last 6 years. and as a coach and player and official and fan, i respect that. the whole package, it's there!
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