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It comes to mind that there is a possibility we are going to see top seeded teams throw games intentionally so that the lakers do not make the playoffs. What benefit does okc or san antonio have for for beating the rockets, golden state or utah who are holding the lakers at 9th seed.

San Antonio, okc, and other west teams do not want to face the lakers in the he playoffs so why not throw games to keep the lakers at bay right? Look the nba has corruption and we have seen this with stern's trade blocks. FYI if you are a gambler that likes to play bad odds and come up with cash you might want to think about betting on houston, golden state, or utah when they play the top four seeded teams.

Oh please if stern had anything to do with it, he would want the lakers in the playoffs. If any top seed team would throw a game is when the seeding is set and wanted to rest their star players.

briansaddleback wrote:Oh please if stern had anything to do with it, he would want the lakers in the playoffs. If any top seed team would throw a game is when the seeding is set and wanted to rest their star players.

Clearly why he blocked the cp3 trade...stern wants the lakers...oh wait...

You do realize that a top seeded team would have to be discreet and not obvious when throwing games right..or else it would be illegal...team could get banned from the nba...

Was waiting for this topic to come up

As for as Houston, we're 3.5 back with 1 head to head matchup left at home. Houston is bound to lose more games regardless if the Spurs,Clippers or Thunder play them. I get the logic in why they may want to "throw" the games but it serves the Spurs or OKC no true purpose to do so, not with the Clippers breathing down their throats. As much as they may don't want to face the Lakers, they can't really afford to drop games.

OKC may be fine with the 2nd seed, but it's no lock they make it to the WCF's. As we speak if it ended today they would face the Jazz, a team that can flat out upset them. But if they win the series they face the winner of Clippers/Warriors....two teams that can beat them.

It would serve the Spurs best to stay in the 1 seed, they really don't want to drop to the 2 seed because the Jazz are a matchup nightmare for them. Any team with an interior game will be the Spurs death kneel.

But I'm not going to go into conspiracy mode and say teams will tank games in order to avoid us. I can't see those teams squandering off games and a chance at the 1 seed and the all important Game 7's at home just to jerk us.

If these teams don't fear us, they shouldn't care where they finish.

DEEP3CL wrote:Was waiting for this topic to come up

As for as Houston, we're 3.5 back with 1 head to head matchup left at home. Houston is bound to lose more games regardless if the Spurs,Clippers or Thunder play them. I get the logic in why they may want to "throw" the games but it serves the Spurs or OKC no true purpose to do so, not with the Clippers breathing down their throats. As much as they may don't want to face the Lakers, they can't really afford to drop games.

OKC may be fine with the 2nd seed, but it's no lock they make it to the WCF's. As we speak if it ended today they would face the Jazz, a team that can flat out upset them. But if they win the series they face the winner of Clippers/Warriors....two teams that can beat them.

It would serve the Spurs best to stay in the 1 seed, they really don't want to drop to the 2 seed because the Jazz are a matchup nightmare for them. Any team with an interior game will be the Spurs death kneel.

But I'm not going to go into conspiracy mode and say teams will tank games in order to avoid us. I can't see those teams squandering off games and a chance at the 1 seed and the all important Game 7's at home just to jerk us.

If these teams don't fear us, they shouldn't care where they finish.

That is why you have to buy into the idea that the Lakers are the sleeping giant in the nba and that top seeded teams stand to gain more without the lakers in the playoff picture. And those top seeded teams would not have to squander that many games. Just games against utah, gsw, and houston.

it is something to watch out for. Already houston beat okc and gsw beat the spurs...coincidence?

Haha they can't tank that hard.

GeneralNash, I get where you're coming from. But at the same time those games are really just an anomaly. G.State had lost 6 straight......they needed a win. And if OKC wants to drop game then go right ahead, they way I figure it them dropping seeding's don't help them at all.

I get teams and fans all around don't want to see the Lakers in the playoffs, but it's fear more so than us just being a garbage team. Because if we were total garbage, they should be welcoming us with open arms.

GeneralNash wrote:

DEEP3CL wrote:Was waiting for this topic to come up

As for as Houston, we're 3.5 back with 1 head to head matchup left at home. Houston is bound to lose more games regardless if the Spurs,Clippers or Thunder play them. I get the logic in why they may want to "throw" the games but it serves the Spurs or OKC no true purpose to do so, not with the Clippers breathing down their throats. As much as they may don't want to face the Lakers, they can't really afford to drop games.

OKC may be fine with the 2nd seed, but it's no lock they make it to the WCF's. As we speak if it ended today they would face the Jazz, a team that can flat out upset them. But if they win the series they face the winner of Clippers/Warriors....two teams that can beat them.

It would serve the Spurs best to stay in the 1 seed, they really don't want to drop to the 2 seed because the Jazz are a matchup nightmare for them. Any team with an interior game will be the Spurs death kneel.

But I'm not going to go into conspiracy mode and say teams will tank games in order to avoid us. I can't see those teams squandering off games and a chance at the 1 seed and the all important Game 7's at home just to jerk us.

If these teams don't fear us, they shouldn't care where they finish.

That is why you have to buy into the idea that the Lakers are the sleeping giant in the nba and that top seeded teams stand to gain more without the lakers in the playoff picture. And those top seeded teams would not have to squander that many games. Just games against utah, gsw, and houston.

it is something to watch out for. Already houston beat okc and gsw beat the spurs...coincidence?

Huh?

I cant think of any reason why top teams like okc and spurs would throw games just to diminish the chances of Lakers not reaching playoffs. I mean obviously no team in the nba would want to play against a lineup consisting of Nash, Kobe and Dwight in the playoffs but suggesting that they are intentionally throwing games might be pushing it.

And its not like Pops sent his starters home (like against Miami). His starting lineup of Parker (40min), Duncan (38min), Leonard (38min) all played heavy minutes.

I really doubt teams would do this.

The Suns still haven't played Houston this year. You can count that as four more wins for the Rockets.

Lakers will make the playoffs. However I know DALLAS wants it just as bad.

Ill rather bank on any of the playoff teams losing a key player for the rest of the season due to a freak injury. We absorbed the most key injuries so far this year imo.

I have one rebuttal.

If other teams are throwing games to screw the Lakers, I guarantee the refs will counter act that trend.

Going to the season that counts, guaranteed.

Tee212 wrote:Ill rather bank on any of the playoff teams losing a key player for the rest of the season due to a freak injury. We absorbed the most key injuries so far this year imo.

We've easily had the most injuries to deal with and with Pau out, a very key player, we're still dealing with them. If we win the number of games we're going to need to win to make the playoffs without Pau Gasol in the lineup it will be a minor miracle.

Let's face it, we're not really a threat to any top team. I don't think anybody fears us.

Father Time wrote:Let's face it, we're not really a threat to any top team. I don't think anybody fears us.

Actually the opposite is true. The Lakers have played terrible till this point of the season. If we make the playoffs we are going to be one of the hottest teams going into the playoffs thats peaking at the right time. No top seeds wants to face a team like that (see Dallas/Warriors) especially with the amount of talent the Lakers have.

The Lakers have 14 games against teams under .500 which we need to get atleast 11 (preferably 14) wins against these teams.

The remaining games are against: Nuggets , 2x Hawks, Thunder, Bulls, Pacers, Spurs, Rockets, 2x Warriors, and the Grizzlies.

Nah!

holy smokes

The whole premise of this thread is ridiculous and the idea that teams are so scared to play the Lakers in the playoffs is a stretch. They have been far from intimidating this season.