Who will be the toughest challenge for the Lakers now that Ginobili is out of the season and playoff?
I am not completely counting the Spurs out here, but their offense stink as it is and w/o Ginobili it will stink more. I think at best they will survive the first round.
So who is next in line to make a legit challenge to the Lakers grip on the West?
To me Denver is a great team that can surprise people in the playoff this year, this has a great and experienced leader in Billups, firepower from the starters to the bench, and George Karl is an underrated coach in my opinion. They are the 2nd best team in the West going into the playoff and they are my pick to play the Lakers in WCF.
Utah's biggest weakness is their road performance, with the return of Bynum the Lakers can get a hell lot more physical inside with them, and we closed out the series in Utah last season, so I can't say I am that worried about them.
Portland --- we can't seem to win at Portland, so if the Lakers matchup with them it can be a very wild series, possibly a 7 game one with the home team winning every game, so advantage Lakers.
Houston -- we swept them and with Bynum back we can do a much better job at containing Yao.
New Orleans -- Chandler's health will hurt them come playoff time, they are still dangerous with CP3, but this team has not put it together on a consistent basis all season long.
Dallas -- They are good when they are clicking on offense, but I think it's common knowledge that you can's win with offense, especially a team that rely so much on their shooting.
2009-04-06T16:47:49Z
BQ: Bynum might return when the Lakers play Memphis, your thought?
BQ#2: Paul Pierce is _________ (fill in the blank)
2009-04-06T16:48:08Z
STAR if you like :) STAR if you don't like :(
2009-04-06T16:52:31Z
I meant in the WESTERN CONFERENCE!
Lovin The Music2009-04-06T16:58:07Z
Favorite Answer
I didnt even realize Ginobli was hurt that bad i really dont know if the spurs will even get out of the first round in all honesty...they have Tony who seems to be healthy as far as i know but Duncan has knee problems. If they slip out of the top 5 i cant see them winning a series since they would have to go through Denver, LA, or Portland-young and could run out their energy...might have a chance against Houston but eh if Duncan isnt all healthy who is gona contain Yao?
well i guess i will have to say Utah, Denver, Portland, and New Orleans
NOH: we didnt contain David West very well when we played them this season and Chris Paul teases everyone and leads you to wonder what he is gona do:pass, shoot, dribble some more plus he steals the ball all the time. So we need to contain Chris Paul and get him pissed off cuz i think it gets into his head, also gota keep West in place so he cant get that jumper on the wing from about 18 ft out-i swear he never misses that shot!
Portland: i think they will give us a tough time since we have problems with them for some reason. Brandon Roy, Oden, Aldridge and i know im forgeting players but they have a good lineup and are young so they go out and play their hearts out all the time. They dont seem to get raddled and dont panic about gettin down over 10pts
Denver: obviously the addition of Billups doesnt make them worse lol and Carmelo with Birdman, and Martin make a good team and they have played pretty well since that trade happened. They have JR Smith too right? so ya i think they will be tough
Utah: they are kind of unpredictable really. Sometimes they play pretty darn good like when they finally got everyone back a lil bit ago but then they dont seem to care other times. If they show up and all play like they can with who they have then i say they will give us a good series
overall i dont see how anyone can beat us esp in the West. The Mavs in the first round wont hurt us-i dont see them stoping our big man and of course they have no one to slow down Kobe
I hope bynum gets into the flow again of a real game, we know he has practiced game type of situations like 3 on 3 im definately excited tho. Hopefully we can get into a groove with him since we seem to be a lil less determined at the moment. With him comin back maybe that will add some fire and excitement throughout the team
Paul Pierce is a Celtic....lol uhm he is good but i always wonder how he can "shoot over" the defender when he barely leaves the ground when he shoots. I think he is annoying cuz he thinks he is great and the championship seems like it has gone to his head a little....im glad he got one tho since he deserves to get one for the player he is
New Orleans Hornets. They're a little bit deeper than they were last year and if Chandler can play they'll have some defensive resistance down low. The Lakers play poor pick and roll defense and defense against the 3point shoot. In last years finals they couldnt stop Paul Peirce off the pick and roll or the Celtics behind the 3 point arch. Chris Paul will be much tougher to guard off the pick and roll and the Hornets have good 3point shooters like Peja Stojakovic,Morris Peterson,and James Posey(who killed LA in the Finals). If the Hornets made the WCF last year I think they would've gave the Lakers a run and actually beaten them.
BQ: They should'nt play him too much but enough to get back into the flow. Memphis isn't a tough opponent so they should be able to win without Bynum and just use him to get back into basketball shape a little bit.
BQ2: Paul Peirce is laughing at all you haters because he has an NBA championship ring.
basically anyone of the 3 from the northwest utah can play well against the lakers, portland gives the lakers the shits and denver is such an underrated team that theyll be a surprise the lakers might not make it to the finals because the west is a lot better than last year
BQ: his overrated hes a good player but not a superstar like people think he only dominates **** teams
I say Denver,but all the teams in the wild west can put up some crazy stuff the fact is denver is probably the best defensive team in the west behind the spurs,and they are a very deep team with guys like nene,martin,linus,the bird man and JR Smith. With all this firepower they are assured to do well. Plus they got a prior finals MVP in Chauncey Billups who might give this team momentum in the playoffs. Melo is one of the most explosive players in the nba and is this guy can step up in the playoffs watch out. Utah still doesnt have Boozer in star form and suks on the road Houston is good but never beat the lakers once new orleans has been strugglin this season or else they mightve beaten LA mavs............we know they wont get far portland will put up a fight thts assured but this team still is very young and has never been to the playoffs and i do think as a team denver is better than them
BQ-.........phil should not let him play if he is smart BQ-antonym of the truth
The hardest challenge for the Lakers could be the Blazers. The Blazers are best against the Lakers. The Lakers are 6-31(I think) against the Blazers at home when Worthy left. The Lakers might face eachother in the playoffs after they destroy the Mavs in the 1st round.
BQ: Awesome. We are more tougher with him. Bynum is a great defensive player with the Lakers. The Lakers will increase their reboundsa nd blocks.