The Lakers have Denver in the first round, meaning a four game sweep for the Lakers. I am thinking sweep because the Lakers have Kobe, and some new defensive identity, and the proof is in the way they shut down Paul on Friday and also Tony Parker. That's all the Lakers need on defense because their offense is one of the best in the league, and some defense will win any game against Denver, because Denver lives and dies on the offensive end!
Next up would probably be Utah and that is good for the Lakers. It is especially beneficial because the Lakers will have the homecourt advantage against a team that has not had success on the road. Even with the advantage at home, the Lakers are still a pretty good road team. I could see the Lakers taking this series in six considering Bynum is slated to return during this time.
- B/R Ticket Guide
Next up would be either the Mavs, Spurs, or Suns and I think it will be the Mavs. The Lakers would have the advantage because we know that Odom can score on Nowitzki after his 31-point night against the Mavs, and lately Odom has been a defensive pest. In addition to Odom, the overall team defense of the Lakers will hurt the Mavs, and of course we know Kobe can score on Dallas, so I will say Lakers in six.
Should there be a case of San Antonio in the Conference Finals, which is unlikely, the Spurs would probably be worn out already. As I mentioned before the Lakers can defend Parker pretty well, and we know the Lakers can score on anybody, so don’t expect the Lakers to go below 100 points on the series. Lakers in six games.
Should the Suns make it, I think Shaq would also likely be worn out a bit especially after two hard fought series against San Antonio and Dallas or the Hornets. I wouldn't be able to see the Lakers losing to them for the third straight year and the fire of the Lakers would certainly come out. Kobe would will the Lakers to victory in five or six games.
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7 months ago
My daughter is 6 years old and she's a Lakers fan. Did she write this article?
from 7 months ago
Nope.
Your daughter is far more mature and basketball savvy to have written this stinkburger of an "article."
7 months ago
Clearly the writer is all opinion with no insightful analysis. You could get better thoughts on the Lakers chances walking into any L.A. area bar and striking up a conversation with the biggest drunk in the dump.
4 game sweep? Not likely.
Utah in the next round? As if.
Projecting into round 3? That's a moron's game.
Gotta love that any moke with a dial up can post here. Gives this site the real smell of cred, don't you think?
7 months ago
Geez can you get any more homer than this? Denver, Utah, Mavs/Suns/Spurs.....you're right that's a piece of cake, what was the rest of the world thinking giving anyone else in the western conference a chance?
7 months ago
Ok Jack... Few things
The Lakers defense is not good enough to shut down AI and Carmelo to sweep them in the first round. I could see Denver upsetting LA because if AI and Melo get hot, the Lakers won't be able to keep up with them offensively. But, we'll say the Lakers do win this series, likely in six games.
Then IF they play Utah, I could see the Jazz getting beat in this series for all the reasons you picked LA to beat them. Houston, although being the 5 seed has a better record and will get home court. Utah only got the four seed because they won their division. The Rockets are a scary team and we know they are capable of beating good teams even without Yao. I am predicting Tracy McGrady to finally get out of the first round and beat the Jazz in seven games. So the Lakers and Rockets meet in the conference Semi-finals. I don't think Houston matches up well enough with LA without Yao in the line-up and their rookies Luis Scola and Carl Landry's playoff inexperience is too much for the Rockets to overcome the Lakers. Lakers in six.
"Next up would be either the Mavs, Spurs, or Suns and I think it will be the Mavs."
So you are predicting in the conference finals it will be the Lakers and Mavs. I have no problem with that. The Mavs are experienced and could easily make it that far. The problem I have is this statement.
"Kobe would will the Lakers to victory in five or six games."
Really? You think the Suns would just fold over and let the Lakers beat them in six games? Let's look at the match-ups.
Point Guard - Derek Fisher vs. Steve Nash - I'll take Nash although Fisher is a clutch playoff performer
Shooting Guard - Kobe Bryant vs. Raja Bell - Kobe will get his points but Bell always frustrates him and gets into his head.
Small Forward - Lamar Odom vs. Grant Hill - Odom's versatility gives LA a bit of an edge here but Hill won't back down to him and can hold his own.
Power Forward - Vladimir Radmonavic vs. Amare Stoudemire - This might be the most one-sided match-up in the entire playoffs, outside of the Rasho Nesterovic/Dwight Howard match-up out east.
Center - Shaquille O'Neal vs. Pau Gasol - I give this to the Suns mainly because playoff shaq is a whole different player. He is far too physical for Pau to get into a comfort zone and if he is asked to guard him he'll fall into the foul trouble very quickly.
Even if Bynum is back for this series he's not going to be near ready enough to defend Amare Stoudemire or Shaquille O'Neal in the playoffs.
This article could quite possibly be one of the worst NBA articles ever written in the history of the Bleacher Report. For a good month now we've seen countless articles about how competitive the western conference is. How every team in the playoffs could legitimately make a run to the finals. Then you come here with how easy it will be for LA to make the finals.
7 months ago
Not very "scholarly" but not as inaccurate as the other posters have said. The only two teams that pose a true threat to LA are the Suns and the Spurs, and one of them will be eliminated in the first round.
Denver is a horrible defensive team and has very little chance of upsetting LA in a seven game series. The second round match up could be a little tougher but, again, an upset is very unlikely. Houston has virtually no chance without Yao. Utah won't be an easy match up, but they don't play well enough on the road to upset LA. Lakers in six tops.
The conference finals is where the first true test will come for LA. The only two teams that pose a true threat to LA are the Suns and the Spurs, and one of them will be eliminated in the first round. If Bynum is not back by then, I could still see them beating the Spurs in 6 or seven. But the Suns will be a HUGE problem if Bynum's still out. Gasol/Shaq and Odom/Amare are very favorable match ups for the Suns. To the poster above that said Vlad/Amare is a terrible matchup, Odom is the PF, not Vlad. Even if Bynum does come back, the Suns are a serious threat.
With all that said, there's probably about a 15% chance the Lakers get knocked out in the first two rounds. Which means all they have to worry about is the winner of the Suns/Spurs matchup, and that's IF they beat the winner of the Hornets/Mavs series.
from 7 months ago
Yeah you're right on the Odom/Amare thing. I just took it off ESPN.com of the Laker's starters and it has Odom at the 3 but in retrospect I would imagine Phil would have Odom guard Stoudemire instead of Vlad. Either way, the Suns win that match-up.
7 months ago
Yeah....ummm....no. You need to take this Homer stuff somewhere else. The Lakers are far from the dominant NBA team you dream they are. The West is long from top to bottom. One or two more losses and your Lakers were looking at the 6 seed.
The guy above me wrote a better and more informative article on your topic than you did.
7 months ago
So what's your point Greg, if any? Lols...
I did not see anything in the article which says the Lakers are dominant. The writer analyzed the head-to-head matchups. With a record of 3-0 vs Denver... the guy above you was in fact generous in giving that team a 15% chance for an upset. In case, you were hiding under a rock somewhere.... the Lakers have the best conference record ( 37-14) and division record (12-4).
If anything you can fault the Lakers for failing to play intensely against sub 500 teams.
"One or two more losses and your Lakers were looking at the 6 seed." True- but but they did not lose. So what does say about the Hornets, 2-1 in the last 2 games, or Spurs 4 of the last 5.
7 months ago
Obviously another Laker fan. Congratulations on your #1 seed. You guys earned it - no doubt.
My point was that I just don't think the author of this piece put much intelligence behind his work or any objectivity at all. He might as well have wrote - LAKERS RULE! If you're going to be a homer, at least be funny or interesting. At least come strong.
I believe the Nuggets will take the Lakers to 6 and the Jazz will beat them in 7. I guess only time will tell. I just don't think the Lakers are as good as the hype, but I'm a Laker hater so my take is no more biased than you vomitous Laker fans'.
7 months ago
The Jazz will beat the Lakers? Puuulease. The Jazz were better last year. You know why? Cause of D Fish. He's in the purple and gold now so it's a done deal. But the Lakers won't see the Jazz. Houston will be them this year. The Jazz are overrated. Don't let their "division title" fool you into delusions of grandeur.
The Lakers without a doubt have the best bench in the league. They will beat you. Sasha, Farmar, Turiaf are all playing terrific basketball. Even Phil said this is the best bench he has coached. Lakers Suns conference final. LA Boston. Now that will be tough. LA hasn't been able to beat them. Then again, they had Kwame, not Pau.
7 months ago
This article sux0red. Whutta Laker homer. EZ pass to the Finals? You really think dallas will beat NO, let alone get to the conference final? Suns are that easy to beat, eh?
Get out of here.
6 months ago
who said they arent good enough to sweep lakers up 3-0
6 months ago
hey i am the author and nobody ain calling me homer the lakers did sweep the nuggets and the lakers are 2-2 with utah and im still saying six and im still keeping six against san antonio
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