[thaKEAF]

Well..no one ever said Pau was the savior of the Lakers. The LA fans have acknowledged he's not that great on the defensive end and that he's not that good as a go to guy. But if you put him in a system with talent like Kobe, Bynum, and Odom, he makes that team automatically better. He's a big man who can pass which could help the triangle move just that much more smoothly. This team was at the top of the West not too long ago, brining back a healthy Bynum and Gasol can only help them. You talk about how Gasol and Kobe are losers but you fail to acknowledge their situations. Gasol has only played on a decent team two or three seasons and even then his team was going against the league's best or second best team in the playoffs. Kobe has won three rings and hasn't had a good team around him until a season or two ago, don't act like he had a great supporting cast. You then go on to say how Kobe will be worried about playing MVP basketball, how can you predict what type of ball he'll play? Kobe has passed off to his team in the past and I'm sure he'll pass off even more with Gasol on the team. You then go on to name the Lakers not being healthy as one of your points, like it's guaranteed they won't be healthy come playoff time. Then you say experience is something that they are lacking, well you tell me how much experience the Mavs of 06 and Cavs of 07 had. Kobe and Fisher have won three rings and competed in intense playoff series', then there's Gasol who has won championships in Spain. The Lakers have played the Suns tough in the past two years and this season they've given them hell. The Mavericks are good but they have no leader, see last year's playoffs. The Spurs are a great team and if they can stay healthy there's no way I don't think they head to the WCF. You really just come off as a Kobe hater who is trying his best to rain on the Laker fans parade which makes this thread a joke.

[Dre™]

1 reason this thread is ridiculous: They haven't played a game together yet.

[aznzen]

Originally Posted by thaKEAF

Well..no one ever said Pau was the savior of the Lakers. The LA fans have acknowledged he's not that great on the defensive end and that he's not that good as a go to guy. But if you put him in a system with talent like Kobe, Bynum, and Odom, he makes that team automatically better. He's a big man who can pass which could help the triangle move just that much more smoothly. This team was at the top of the West not too long ago, brining back a healthy Bynum and Gasol can only help them. You talk about how Gasol and Kobe are losers but you fail to acknowledge their situations. Gasol has only played on a decent team two or three seasons and even then his team was going against the league's best or second best team in the playoffs. Kobe has won three rings and hasn't had a good team around him until a season or two ago, don't act like he had a great supporting cast. You then go on to say how Kobe will be worried about playing MVP basketball, how can you predict what type of ball he'll play? Kobe has passed off to his team in the past and I'm sure he'll pass off even more with Gasol on the team. You then go on to name the Lakers not being healthy as one of your points, like it's guaranteed they won't be healthy come playoff time. Then you say experience is something that they are lacking, well you tell me how much experience the Mavs of 06 and Cavs of 07 had. Kobe and Fisher have won three rings and competed in intense playoff series', then there's Gasol who has won championships in Spain. The Lakers have played the Suns tough in the past two years and this season they've given them hell. The Mavericks are good but they have no leader, see last year's playoffs. The Spurs are a great team and if they can stay healthy there's no way I don't think they head to the WCF. You really just come off as a Kobe hater who is trying his best to rain on the Laker fans parade which makes this thread a joke.

thank you. see, isnt that better?

[aznzen]

Originally Posted by _Dre_

1 reason this thread is ridiculous: They haven't played a game together yet.

same thing could be said to about 80% if the threads in this forum?

what makes message boards interesting is when people share ideas about conlusions and assumptions?

[EHL]

I suggest taking the advice in your sig.

[Dre™]

Sure, you can post about whatever you want. That doesn't mean counting out a team that hasn't played a game yet isn't stupid.

[Steez]

1. pau is not the answer

people think all star and 19 and 8 and lakers fans automatically thinks pau is the savior. WRONG! pau is a hyped spaniard who only got recignition because back then there's not a lot of big man worthy of consideration. he hasnt won a single playoff game. i expect him and perennial loser kobe to continue the trend.

When is 'back then'? 2006 when he was an all star? That year, you had Tim Duncan, KG, Dirk, Elton Brand, Yao Ming, Shaq, LBJ, JO, BWallace... all on the top of their game... so I dont see how there were not alot of big men worthy of consideration.

2. kobe will be too concern playing mvp basketball

this is the downfall. he'll force his way just so he could get recognition that he's the best player in the game. lebron doesnt do this. wade? he did this but he produced result at a paramount proportion. kobe also seems to quit in the playoffs (see game 7 phoenix)

If Kobe plays MVP ball... wouldnt that be a good thing for his team? Whatever, I am going to let you explain this one further.

3.health

lakers are never healthy. history agrees.

You can say that for every team, everyone has a chance of being injured everytime they step out on the court... so this is not a valid reason.

4.experience

you dont become an overnight sensation. this laker team has been playing this well for only this year. you need at least a few seasons to experience loss and then you get better. i dont think they have that right now. they arte spoiled but you need more than youth to make it happen deep in the postseason.

Incase you did not know, Lakers were doing the same thing last year without Pau and without an improved Bynum. So they already have experience with this + Kobes 3 championships, Phils rings and DFishs rings are not exactly considered something negative towards experience. I agree with you though, I do not expect the Lakers to win it all this year... but next year, they should. No excuses. I think they are still considered the 2nd youngest team in the league, if thats the case... 2nd youngest and a title contender? that is not bad at all.

5. Spurs,Mavs,Phoenix

as long as these teams are healthy, they are by far the better and most proven team to come out of the west. whose going to stop duncan? ginobili? topny parker? nowitzki? howard, terry,harris? how about nash,marion and amare who always kills the lakers in the playoffs?

- Spurs: 1-2 for the season thus far... still have a game left in April.
- Mavs: They are 0-1 vs. Dallas this year, lost by 7 without Vladimir Radmonovic and without Andrew Bynum in Dallas.... that is not bad.
- Phoenix: Lakers lead the season series 2-1.... and 2 years ago, playoffs were a rebound away from beaing them in the playoffs... with Pau and Bynum in the post now, Suns have absolutely no one in the post to stop those 2 at the same time and the Suns will get out rebounded badly.

[sherako]

reason #6 - pau could use a clean shave

[CDRacingZX6R]

Originally Posted by aznzen

1. pau is not the answer

people think all star and 19 and 8 and lakers fans automatically thinks pau is the savior. WRONG! pau is a hyped spaniard who only got recignition because back then there's not a lot of big man worthy of consideration. he hasnt won a single playoff game. i expect him and perennial loser kobe to continue the trend.

Just out of curiosity why did you feel the need to say he is an over hyped spaniard and not just over hyped? Are you suggesting that because he is not black that he isn't worth the hype? Or did you feel like throwing that out there just because?

Anyways, the Lakers traded away Kwame Brown for an hyped up "Spaniard", who rather you agree or not makes the Lakers signifcantly better at the PF spot where Pau has wanted to go back to for a while. Now with Bynum at the center, Pau at the PF spot, and Odom at SF you have essentially the largest front court in the NBA. It may not be the best defensively, but they are rebounding machines and they play a great offensive game.

2. kobe will be too concern playing mvp basketball

this is the downfall. he'll force his way just so he could get recognition that he's the best player in the game. lebron doesnt do this. wade? he did this but he produced result at a paramount proportion. kobe also seems to quit in the playoffs (see game 7 phoenix)

Huh? Force his way? To concerned with playing MVP basketball? WTF does that even mean? Are you saying he will just keep jacking up shots? Something he has always done.. Or are you saying he will pass more to keep his MVP image going? I'm not sure I understand what your trying to say here.

3.health

lakers are never healthy. history agrees.

Lately the Lakers have struggled with heath. Can't really argue there. But they have all been fairly healthy come play off time except for Lamar who was in need of shoudler repair during last seasons playoffs.

4.experience

you dont become an overnight sensation. this laker team has been playing this well for only this year. you need at least a few seasons to experience loss and then you get better. i dont think they have that right now. they arte spoiled but you need more than youth to make it happen deep in the postseason.

5. Spurs,Mavs,Phoenix

as long as these teams are healthy, they are by far the better and most proven team to come out of the west. whose going to stop duncan? ginobili? topny parker? nowitzki? howard, terry,harris? how about nash,marion and amare who always kills the lakers in the playoffs?

The Spurs are insane. And the only team that should be mentioned in that category.

Dallas and the Suns are choke artists. They choke every year. An unexperianced team like Golden State (since you believe the importance of having experiance) came in and devistated Dallas, who still looks like they haven't recovered.

The Suns are not horrible by any stretch of the imagination, but they look older this season. Play worse defense than ever (says a lot), and seem to have match up issues with the Lakers. They came back to rape the Lakers in the playoffs, but the Lakers are improved at almost all positions since game seven, were the suns are not.

If Lakers are healthy. If they click and build chemestry early. Only team in the west they need fear is the Spurs. The others they have just as much chance as anyone in my opinion.