The Western Conference has seen an influx of interesting trades and rumors in the past few weeks.
Could this possibly be the most exciting NBA playoffs since the days of his Airness?
The Lakers got the ball rolling by trading for Pau Gasol which initiated a reactive cycle that has culminated in Shaq's return to the West and the potential return of Jason Kidd to the Mavericks.
It is interesting that while the Lakers and Suns went with big men to sure up their defense, the Mavericks, a notoriously bad defensive team are desperately seeking to bring in a veteran point guard. A point guard known more for his quick handles and court vision than his ability to defend.
Acquiring Kidd means parting with DeSagana Diop, a player who has shown the ability to play very good defense against the elite Western Conference big men like Tim Duncan and Amare Stoudemire.
The clear winner of these trades is the Lakers.
Kobe is the recipient of another legitimate scoring threat in Gasol, who can now take the pressure off of No. 24 and allow him make plays without the threat of a triple team. Also the Lakers will get to use Andrew Bynum in a more traditional center role allowing the young playmaker to grow into his full potential. The Lakers new roster certainly presents match up problems, leaving many in the West wondering how they will defend a team with so many options.
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Phoenix's answer was clear, they went out and got the biggest and most dominant player in the NBA to plug into their high octane offensive attack.
At his age Shaq is not going to be running the floor every play looking to score with 20 seconds remaining on the shot clock, but he can present a formidable obstacle for opposing offenses to work against.
Shaq's presence on this roster also allows for Amare to play his more natural power-forward position and also allows him to move freely because some of the defensive focus of the other team will be on the man-mountain at center.
The Suns did give up one of the most athletic players in the league in Shawn Marion, but Marion was more a product of the system than the driving force behind it. Steve Nash still has Stoudemire, Barbosa, Diaw, Hill and Bell to work with.
The rest of the West will have to pick it up to match the firepower of these two Pacific division teams.
San Antonio, the defending champs, will have their hands full now that both LA and Phoenix have a version of the Twin Towers.
Dallas, however faces the most difficult situation. It is problematic for the Mav's because San Antonio has Duncan and hopefully Oberto to spell him, but Dallas will be left with Dampier and Brandon Bass (if the trade goes through), not quite the dynamic duo.
As a Spurs fan I do see the championship going through San Antonio. But, with the energy the Lakers have played with since the trade and the serious threat Shaq poses in the middle of a tough Suns team I don't think they have what it is going to take to come out of the
It will be the Suns representing the West and winning the Championship (as much as it pains me to say it).
Regardless of outcome, this year's NBA Western Conference playoffs should feature plenty of exciting and intriguing match ups.
The playoffs will be a true slug fest for the right to play the Celtics who sport their own revamped roster.
I know I shouldn't pick Boston just yet, I mean they do have their own playoffs, but with only Detroit standing in the way I think it's a safe bet that the Celtics will play for the title.
The best match ups, story lines, and entertainment, however will be west of the Mississippi this summer.
So in the immortal words of T.O. "get your popcorn ready!"
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6 months ago
You are hoping the Suns come out of the West because GOD forbid the Lakers should win the Western Conference Championship. On paper the Lakers are a better team than the Suns. The Suns coach should have been fired last year. He's going to burn out his seven man rotation trying to get the best record in the west for home court advantage during the West playoffs. The Suns traded their best defender in Marion. Shaq will help the Suns, but he is a defensive liability. He cannot defend the pick and roll. I know an assistant coach in the NBA and he told me its no secret, give Shaq a heavy dose of the pick and roll and he folds. Defense wins championships, not offense. It's true we have alot of "IFs" surrounding the Laker possibilities but I like the present and future of the Lakers. Phoenix and San Antonio are running our of time. If my Lakers don't win in 2008, they have 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 to win 2 or 3 championships.
Can Phoenix, San Antonio or Boston make that claim?
Life is good if you are a Laker fan.
6 months ago
Bouyakasha!
Anonymous said it: "Life is good if you are a Laker fan." Truer words never spoken.
Check it!
Kobe 29; Lamar 28; Gasol 27; Farmar 21; Bynum 20
Turiaf 25; Vujacic 23; Ariza 22
Suck on that Rest of the NBA...
6 months ago
haha i think you guys are right that life is good again as a laker fan, as good as they are right now I am not convinced that they will win this year. Bynum's recent injury will force them to play a different game and then when he comes back it'll take some time for him to get both back into game shape and assimilated into the offense. The Lakers are a dangerous team make no mistake but they are not my pick, but I would not be suprised if I was wrong when it is all said and done.
6 months ago
I am a Suns enthusiast and agree with every word of this article. It will to see which team will come out of the Western Conference with so many teams having a considerable chance.
6 months ago
the lakers will not win it all as long as kobe is on the team.
6 months ago
Sun fans I feel for you, but the writing is on the wall, your management waived the white flag after the Gasol trade. Shaq is old and tired. Cut your loses fire D'Antoni and get a real NBA coach like "Larry Brown". After this season its going to get tougher in the Western Conference and your coach doesn't have the stomach or strategy to win a championship. Grant Hills explosion is gone. He choked on a shot in the paint in the closing seconds of the GS game in which you lost. He has no lateral movement. Check it out.
KOBE is going to torch Raja for 40 with 9 fingers.
Steve Kerr is on the right track he knows how to win.
6 months ago
Lol life is good if your a Lakers fan. Did you know that Odom, Ariza, Mihm, Bynum, Vujacic, Farmer, Turiaf, Coby Karl, and DJ Mbenga all have expiring contracts whether this season or next season? Did you know by next season that Odom, Kobe, and Gasol take up 50 mil in cap space? And by the end of next season that Bynum, Farmer, Turiaf, Vujacic will want a bigger contract possibly ones that the Lakers can't afford?
Bynum is gonna expect a max contract, Farmer is gonna collect a 8 mil a year, Turiaf is gonna expect 4 mil, Vujacic is gonna expect 5 mil, Ariza is gonna expect 5 mil, Odom is gonna expect 10 mil.
Yeah good luck Lakers on keeping all of your current roster for the next several years.
6 months ago
Even if the Lakers manage to keep half of the players you just mentioned. They will still be in better shape than the Suns and Spurs for the next five years. Oh and by the way, I'm sure there are some aging vets who would play for the league minimum in order to take a shot at a title with the core of Bynum, Kobe, Gasol and Odom. Correct me if I'm wrong. The Lakers organization want to win now and in the future. They own Los Angeles. Every year our city counsel tells the NFL to take a hike because we have the most popular sports franchise in the world and the Buss family realize this fact. If you lived in Los Angeles and understood what the Lakers meant to this city, comments about expiring contracts and keeping everyone happy would never enter you mind. True Laker fans do not worry about expiring contracts, thats why Dr. Buss hired Mitch Kupchak. I've experienced the departure of Norm Nixon and Shaq, two very popular players yet they still survived. Dr. Buss purchased the Lakers, Kings and the Forum for $69.0 million in 1979. Today the Lakers alone are worth nine times that amount. Stay tuned for the ROI.
I remember when our 1997 roster consisted of the following: Eddie Jones, Nick Van Excel, Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Elden Campbell, Rick Fox, Robert Horry, Shaq, Jon Barry, Corie Blount and Sean Rooks. Do you remember the pending dome for the rest of league when Dr. Buss was faced with the same dilemma in 1998. I do and it led to three straight championships.
Thanks for the luck, but we don't need it.
Life is good if you are Laker Fan.
6 months ago
PS: I forgot to mention our future hall of fame coach Phil Jackson, who will guide the Lakers to at least two titles in the next five years.
Life is good if you are a Laker Fan.
5 months ago
Life is good if you are a Laker fan. . . . life is good indeed, especially if you have a team that you can divide equally, and either half can beat any team on any given night! Man, I wish you know how it feels like to be in Jerry Buss' shoes, as a true-blooded entrepreneur I mean, he just bought himself a number of options for the future. . . . for the price of penny. . . . what a businessman. Sign or not, trade or not. . . Lakers management will always get the better end of the deal since these players carries better ROI and can command better trade-off. . . . so why worry about contract expiration, Man. Jerry Buss has just prepared the whole Lakers organization for championships (take note of the plurality, Man), from top executives, to management, coaching staff, players and of course. . . to the fans. You gotta call this as the "the return of winning tradition". . . . life is good if you are a Laker fan. . . . so you better be.
5 months ago
Life is good if you are a Laker fan. . . . life is good indeed, especially if you have a team that you can divide equally, and either half can beat any team on any given night! Man, I wish you know how it feels like to be in Jerry Buss' shoes, as a true-blooded entrepreneur I mean, he just bought himself a number of options for the future. . . . for the price of penny. . . . what a businessman. Sign or not, trade or not. . . Lakers management will always get the better end of the deal since these players carries better ROI and can command better trade-off. . . . so why worry about contract expiration, Man. Jerry Buss has just prepared the whole Lakers organization for championships (take note of the plurality, Man), from top executives, to management, coaching staff, players and of course. . . to the fans. You gotta call this as the "the return of winning tradition". . . . life is good if you are a Laker fan. . . . so you better be.
Danny Nebrida, Phillipines
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