Breaking Down The WCF: Los Angeles Lakers vs Denver Nuggets

[TylersLakers]

Yo Tyler, I think ESPN is trying to hire some NBA analysts - maybe you should give 'em a call.

Even though you're a Lakers fan, I think you gave a very accurate, non-biased interpretation of the WCF match up. Kobe is a Nugget killer...he loves to shush up all his haters (and he has a lot of them) when he comes to the Mile High City. We could throw Dahntay Jones and a whole block full of Ruben Pattersons (lol) at the Mamba, and he's still going to strike with lethal potency. Everyone knows that he's gonna get his.

What scares me more than anything, as a Nuggets fan, is whether or not we'll be able to contain Gasol and Bynum in the paint. If our BIGS don't play their A+ game, the Lakers will have second chance opportunities ALL DAY! Seriously, Nene's inconsistency on the road frightens me - Andrew Bynum is a million times better than Erick Dampier. And although the BirdMan is our energy catalyst, he's so anxious to stuff everyone's shot - this leads to him fouling out in the snap of a finger, and we just cannot afford this.

This series will be a blast. Let's just hope the refs don't get whistle-happy...

Thanks a lot man, I was hoping Nuggets fans would come on and read this. My brother is a huge Nuggets fans (we've been ribbing each other ever since Game 7 ended) and I've seen a lot of this team. It's not going to be easy, whoever wins. I wish I could apply to ESPN. I just love basketball, and I follow teams more closely than the highlights.

Thanks guys for the comments.

[CX44]

Maybe I'm an overzealous Lakers fan but I don't believe this series will be that tough and no disrespect to Denver but I think the Lakers win in 5. Denver is not physcial (outside of Martin and Nene) like Utah and Houston. They also don't play team D like either of those teams. Besides that they don't have one shut down player they can put on Kobe. Utah had AK and Hou had SB and RA. Without someone to stop Kobe from getting to the rim and a lack of overall team D by Den they are going to have a lot of problems stopping the Lakers O.

[garcia3]

Maybe I'm an overzealous Lakers fan but I don't believe this series will be that tough and no disrespect to Denver but I think the Lakers win in 5. Denver is not physcial (outside of Martin and Nene) like Utah and Houston. They also don't play team D like either of those teams. Besides that they don't have one shut down player they can put on Kobe. Utah had AK and Hou had SB and RA. Without someone to stop Kobe from getting to the rim and a lack of overall team D by Den they are going to have a lot of problems stopping the Lakers O.

+1

[The Rebel]

Maybe I'm an overzealous Lakers fan but I don't believe this series will be that tough and no disrespect to Denver but I think the Lakers win in 5. Denver is not physcial (outside of Martin and Nene) like Utah and Houston. They also don't play team D like either of those teams. Besides that they don't have one shut down player they can put on Kobe. Utah had AK and Hou had SB and RA. Without someone to stop Kobe from getting to the rim and a lack of overall team D by Den they are going to have a lot of problems stopping the Lakers O.

You do realize that the Nuggets were rated higher then the Jazz in every single defensive category throughout the regular and post season. In fact they are rated 2nd in the west during the regular season, and also 2nd only to the Cavs for the post season. If anything the Nuggets defense is the actual reason that so many analysts are raving about them.

[DEEP3CL]

TL does it again, nice post.....every breakdown was on point.

[basketballdario]

They also don't play team D like either of those teams.

Yeah they play much better D than Utah. Utah packs the lanes and lets teams kill them all day from the outside. Denver does not always put in the effort (which is where they are weaker than the Rockets), but they have size and they are much better at D than Utah

[Erik Eleven]

Nice post, tyler.

I think this is going to be a great series to watch.

Our biggest disadvantage against Denver is gone with Ariza as a starter, in my opinion. Melo used to punk Odom in every game against them before. Won't happen with Ariza. I think this series will finally place Ariza in the top echelon of the best individual defenders in the NBA.

this is a joke right??

No. Trevor is extremely good at denying his man the ball, and he's a pest once you get the ball — quick, long, athletic, reads opponents' eyes/intentions very well, anticipates the game well overall. Ariza reading passing lanes well off his man and stealing balls, shouldn't negate the job he does preventing his man from getting the ball in the first place. I'd say he's an under rated man defender. We'll see, but I think Melo will have his hands full, facing Ariza.

[Erik Eleven]

Good job Ty. I think Billups is going to hurt us more than people expect, but otherwise I agree with just about everything else.

Yeah. Billups is a total alpha stud, Fisher is a good role player. Chauncey will have his way, draw fouls on Fish etc. Shannon Brown will have to do his share.

It's like nobody remembers the 04 Finals.

Exactly. Finals MVP on a team with Sheed, Rip, Prince and Ben Wallace in his prime easily trumps Fisher's middle-of-the-road role playing. I've harped about wanting him on the Lakers since I joined RGM.

Unless Fisher plays out of his mind, I think we'll need Brown to step it up a whole lot in this series. That's why I think it'll be a long series, our young players (Ariza included) don't play well enough on the road yet to win it all. I'd like to see that change once this series is started.

[TonyMontana]

Ty good job mang and a good read.

[CX44]

Maybe I'm an overzealous Lakers fan but I don't believe this series will be that tough and no disrespect to Denver but I think the Lakers win in 5. Denver is not physcial (outside of Martin and Nene) like Utah and Houston. They also don't play team D like either of those teams. Besides that they don't have one shut down player they can put on Kobe. Utah had AK and Hou had SB and RA. Without someone to stop Kobe from getting to the rim and a lack of overall team D by Den they are going to have a lot of problems stopping the Lakers O.

You do realize that the Nuggets were rated higher then the Jazz in every single defensive category throughout the regular and post season. In fact they are rated 2nd in the west during the regular season, and also 2nd only to the Cavs for the post season. If anything the Nuggets defense is the actual reason that so many analysts are raving about them.

Utah avg more steals and Off rebounds so it was not EVERY category as you put it.

[CX44]

If Billlups starts eating up Fisher then Phil will find a way to slide Kobe or Ariza over on him maybe putting Fisher on D. Jones.

[baller-brawler]

I like the way this author thinks, on paper the two teams are a pretty good match up with each other, but the Lakers are mentally tougher having been through the last series with Houston.

Brian Bills 2009
http://mj12net.org/index.php/key-match-ups-lakers-vs-nuggets-in-the-wcf.html

[realfung]

Nice article and everything sounds pretty logical.

I believe Lakers will win series in 4-2.

You are right about Denver blow teams away with their sudden attack.

But I think the Lakers are too strong/long for Nuggs to make inside presence.
Game 2 is the most important game.
Who wins game 2 win the series.

[joe.linnen]

I'm going with the Lakers in 5

Defencive matchups

Kobe Vs. Billups
Fisher Vs. Jones
Ariza Vs. Anthony
Gasol Vs. Martin
Bynum Vs. Nene

[Tommy Trojan]

Our bigs are going to get raped by Martin and Nene. Billups will abuse Fisher all day long. Denever should get much more credit then what people are giving them.

Mark my words

[DubaLakers]

Not much to breakdown here. LAL will win in 5 IMO, they have no answer for our bigs, there D can't all the sudden be good with a few bandaids. Kobe's going to be getting w/e the hell he damn' wants with no more 'Test & Battier to worry about. This series is a near waste of time, it feels like it should be time for the Finals instead of the WCF. Go Lakers!

[DubaLakers]

Our bigs are going to get raped by Martin and Nene. Billups will abuse Fisher all day long. Denever should get much more credit then what people are giving them.

Mark my words

Words marked Tommy, I don't agree. Sure Billips will get his way, but stick with everyone else and don't help and they can't beat the LAL. They need their threes to beat the LAL. I say let Billips torch our PG's best he can, don't help off their man, and they have no answer.