2011 NBA Playoff Predictions: Breaking Down LA Lakers vs New Orleans Hornets
After narrowly defeating the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Lakers secured the No. 2 seed in this year’s Western Conference playoffs and a first-round matchup with the No. 7 New Orleans Hornets.
This series will showcase two of the best players the NBA has to offer: Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul.
Without further ado, here is your comprehensive preview of the matchup.
8. Coaching: Phil Jackson vs. Monty Williams
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Monty Williams has done a phenomenal job in New Orleans this season.
After last summer’s debacle when Chris Paul demanded to be traded, Williams deserves some serious Coach-of-the-Year recognition for getting the Hornets back into contention.
Meanwhile, Phil Jackson will be chasing his 12th championship and fourth career three-peat.
Advantage: Lakers
7. Bench Production
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Aside from Jarrett Jack and Willie Green, the Hornets’ reserves don’t pose too much of a threat to the Lakers.
The combination of Lamar Odom, Matt Barnes, Steve Blake and Shannon Brown is more formidable than any combination the Hornets have.
For anyone that forgets just how deep and talented the Lakers are, consider this: Lamar Odom is the Lakers’ sixth man, but would arguably be the Hornets’ second-best player.
Still, the Lakers need to keep an eye on Willie Green. Green is a streaky scorer capable of putting up big numbers off the bench.
The Lakers have a history of letting complementary players put up huge numbers.
Advantage: Lakers
6. Point Guard: Chris Paul vs. Derek Fisher
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This is the one and only position where New Orleans has a distinct advantage over the Lakers.
In attempting to keep this series competitive, the Hornets' only hope is Chris Paul.
Paul will not only have to get some his of teammates involved, but will also likely have to do more scoring than usual to keep the series close.
Additionally, Jarret Jack is an above-average back-up point guard, and has the potential to create problems for the Lakers in his own right.
However, Derek Fisher’s history of hitting big shots in the playoffs makes up for some of the Lakers' deficiencies at this position.
Advantage: Hornets
5. Center: Andrew Bynum vs. Emeka Okafor
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Lakers fans breathed a sigh of relief when they found out Andrew Bynum would be ready to play for the first game of the playoffs.
Then Bynum suffered a bone bruise against San Antonio on Tuesday night.
The Hornets didn't have a terribly strong frontcourt evenwith David West in the lineup. Without him, they are even more vulnerable.
With Bynum at full strength and playing like he has, he is too big and too strong for Emeka Okafor.
However, Okafor is a decent defensive center. Bynum would be smart not to let Okafor gain any confidence early in the series. Otherwise, the series could last longer than expected.
Advantage: Lakers
4. Shooting Guard: Kobe Bryant vs. Marco Belinelli
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At the end of the day, Kobe Bryant is the best player in this series.
The Hornets don't have a designated "Kobe stopper." Therefore, we will probably see a combination of Marco Belinelli and Trevor Ariza.
Considering Lakers's advantage in the frontcourt, Kobe will likely look to feed the ball to Bynum and Gasol and be selective with his own shots.
If the Lakers establish themselves as an inside-outside team in the first round of the playoffs, they will set the tone for the entire postseason.
However, they must avoid turning into a jump-shooting team, which they are guilty of doing at times.
Advantage: Lakers
3. Power Forward: Pau Gasol vs. Carl Landry
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There is no reason why Pau Gasol shouldn’t have a field day against the Hornets’ skimpy frontcourt.
Still, Gasol needs to be aggressive early and often against the physical Carl Landry.
Landry is tough as nails and the type of player who could potentially get under Gasol’s skin.
As NBA Blogger John Schuhmann has illustrated, Landry has done a good job stepping in for David West.
Ultimately, Gasol is too talented and experienced to let the Hornets’ frontcourt give him too much trouble.
Expect a big series from Gasol.
Advantage: Lakers
2. Small Forward: Trevor Ariza vs. Ron Artest
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The small-forward matchup between Ron Artest and Trevor Ariza is the most intriguing individual battle of the series.
Trevor Ariza played a significant role in the Lakers’ 2009 championship. After helping the Lakers win the title, Ariza signed with Houston.
The Lakers filled Ariza's spot by signing Ron Artest.
While I won’t say there is bad blood between the two players, there is certainly no love, either. Especially since some fans think Ariza was a better fit for the Lakers than Artest.
The two players are more or less a wash offensively, with Ariza having the small advantage.
Still, Artest’s defensive prowess gives him the overall advantage in the series. Artest's defense can be a huge difference maker in a playoff series.
Advantage: Lakers
1. Prediction Time
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The Hornets do not have the personnel to give the Lakers much trouble. Unless Chris Paul has the series of a lifetime, the Lakers should win the series in four or five games.
However, the Lakers still need to play like champions. If the team plays the same lazy, cocky basketball they have lately, the Hornets will make it a competitive series.
I believe the Lakers will be ready to play on Sunday. I think they have had April 17th circled on their calendar since October.
Final Prediction: Lakers in four games
