View Poll Results: Playoffs: Spurs or Lakers

**Bartholomew Hunt** · 02-26-2008, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDRacingZX6R

Healthy Bynum comes back and plays the way he did before the injury. I think the Lakers have a favorable chance of winning.

Without Bynum... And Gasols lack of defense in the post.

I'd give it to the Spurs personally.

Lakers really need Bynums defense and rebounding in the post if nothing else. I'm not taking anything away from Gasol offensively. The guy can score and does it well. But so can Timmy D and so Can Thomas. Lakers need someone that will challenge every shot in the paint, and use his length to deter guys like Parker from driving for an easy bucket all the time.

To me personally:
No Bynum = No getting past the Spurs.

Summed up pretty well.

**Eternal** · 02-26-2008, 02:23 AM

With a healthy Bynum, Lakers in 6. Without a healthy Bynum, Spurs in 6.

garnett · 02-26-2008, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sir Patchwork

I think the Lakers may have finally put together the kind of frontcourt capable of battling with Duncan, and they have the best backcourt player in the league, plus better depth, and like the Spurs, they also have an identity and system under the guidance of a great coach. I think I would take the Lakers, and this coming from a guy who hasn't picked the Spurs to lose a series in over half a decade.

I was just thinking the same thing. I've picked the Spurs to win it every year, but this Laker team has just about turned me.

kflo · 02-26-2008, 06:04 AM

the one thing we haven't seen yet from the new look lakers is how they handle adversity. how will they respond to tough times offensively, as they surely will face against the spurs? how does kobe respond? does he try and do too much, or does he trust the system? does the team withdraw and look to kobe to bail them out, or do they continue running their regular offense? lakers are scary on paper, and are playing great. but they haven't played as a complete team yet (with bynum and ariza and gasol), and they haven't been put to any real tests yet. i'd pick the lakers because i think they have the overall talent and firepower and depth, but the spurs have fewer things to figure out.

it's not like the spurs win every year, or make it to the finals every year. but they're always the measuring stick.

futuristxen · 02-26-2008, 07:11 AM

I agree with Kflo, I need to see this Laker team tested more to really be able to tell how close it is or isn't to knocking through the Spurs. Certainly it's a very talented well coached team. But I just wonder. Is Derek Fisher going to stay up with Parker? Can Kobe guard Ginobilli when it matters? How much will Bowen bother Kobe if Kobe struggles? Can Gasol guard Duncan effectively enough for him to be useful on the court. Can Kurt Thomas bother Gasol?

It will be interesting. It is an off year and hte Spurs generally win championships every other year, not consecutive. So maybe it is the Lakers time. Who knows?

It will be exciting if it's a series that happens.