Which team out West has the best shot to upset the Lakers ..

[garrick]

The weak link in LA is their PG spot in particular speedy PG's can run circles around Farmar and Fisher ala Aaron Brooks.

[garrick]

I would have said Houston before they traded Landry, they played the Lakers pretty darn well last season and Brooks and Landry were key players for them last post season.

[myconsumerclub]

Dallas will distance themself from Denver and the nugs probably fall to the 5th seed behind Suns and Jazz. Dallas seems to own Kobe this season and have kept him in check. Haywood Dampier is depth at the 5 Dirk and Marion at the 4 Butler and Marion at the 3 Butler and Terry at the 2 Kidd Terry and Roddy at the 1 and Dallas brings Stevenson in to haras Kobe like he did last game. Would like to see Tim come back or the mavs sign another big body to throw out there in certain situations. LA is tough but Dallas seems to match up with their size better than anyone else.

Dallas has better talent at 3 positions the 4, 3 and 1. At the 5 and 2 they have great defenders to deny LA's strengths. Denver is going to be lucky to get out of the first round if they face Utah.

[lakErfrOmManiLa]

Spurs....

[pross]

Memphis

[mjba]

0 votes for SA is a bit scary...

I think Denver is the best team but Dallas is the more likely to upset the Lakers in a series.

[The MVPlaya]

Any Laker fan will tell you Denver. Dallas just doesn't have much that scares the Lakers. To even have a chance you need to have tough, physical bigs who will push the Laker bigs out the post and make them play soft. Mavs don't have that. They also can't take advantage of the Lakers biggest weakness (Fisher) like the Nuggets can with Billups/Lawson. That team has 4 or 5 players that can take you off the dribble and get to the hoop and/or create for someone. Denver is also more difficult to beat on their home floor IMO, and despite their poor road record, they seem to play us pretty damn well at Staples going back to last year in the playoffs and this year.

[Mamba Venom]

1. Mav
2. Nugs
3. injury and Jazz

[MHZ]

the mavericks the nuggets are to stupid to compete with the lakers

You just made my day. Thank you.

[Dupp]

I think the Suns- as long as they stay healthy - are going to be VERY dangerous.

I would not be surprised one bit if they win the whole thing this year.

They have everything it takes.

I think they will beat the Lakers if they meet each-other in the playoffs.

Who on the Lakers can guard Amare?

And the Suns have improved defensively since putting Robin Lopez in the starting line-up who is a great shot-blocker and pick and roll defender.

Nash/Richardson/Hill/Amare/Lopez is the most athletic team in the NBA who score a ton of points every game and have improved defensively.

last time we had a post like this on the general board the suns went into a massive slump

yeah and i think the poster changed his user name... anyway suns have 0 chance of winning this year. second round is their peak this season

[Dupp]

It's denver no doubt. But I wouldn't call it an "upset" if they did beat LA.

yeah i think definantly denver has the best shot. dallas not so much, but they could put up a fight.
i t would def be an upset if denver beat them. no doubt.

i am glad to see all teh spurs talk has dropped off, they were never winnign anything this year

[TDG26]

Who on the Lakers can guard Amare?

as far back as i can remember bynum has owned amare.

and i voted denver.

[Cthulhu]

All year Dirk has played well vs. LA and Kobe has been held in check. The only guys the Mavs have struggled with are Bynum and Odom (who apparently channels Ray Allen's J vs. us).

LA would certainly be favored, but LOL at some LA fans acting like it'd be a cakewalk.

[TDG26]

All year Dirk has played well vs. LA and Kobe has been held in check. The only guys the Mavs have struggled with are Bynum and Odom (who apparently channels Ray Allen's J vs. us).

LA would certainly be favored, but LOL at some LA fans acting like it'd be a cakewalk.

denver owned us for 2 and a half games straight till we decided to fight back. Dallas hasnt come close to that kinda success. not that dallas is going to be a cakewalk, but i have a feeling both coaches have some tricks up their sleeve that they dont wanna pull out too early and not to mention we havent played against dallas with butler yet. So i dont think we can really accurately guage this series until it happens.

We already know lakers vs nuggets is gonna be a dogfight.

[eathy]

tbh it doesn't matter what seed the Nuggets get.

Denver will take out the West this season or fall to LA again.

Nuggets will beat any other team in the West, as will the Lakers.

[Jakay]

the mavericks the nuggets are to stupid to compete with the lakers

You are in no position to use the word "stupid" after this post.

Anyhow, Nuggets or Dallas both could... not sayin they will.

[hironimus]

All year Dirk has played well vs. LA and Kobe has been held in check. The only guys the Mavs have struggled with are Bynum and Odom (who apparently channels Ray Allen's J vs. us).

LA would certainly be favored, but LOL at some LA fans acting like it'd be a cakewalk.

although bynum was held in checks with haywood last time. i have the impression that dallas would prefer the lakers over denver. they fit better at the defensive end. hay and damp (if healthy) against bynum and your backup center. dirk vs pau (we saw last time how that ends). several players for kobe (stevenson, marion, butler). no one fears fisher. the only scary guy is odom, he screws dallas defensive scheme everytime

[MarJJMar]

Phoenix plays LA very well, Phoenix also owns Denver..

Phoenix just has to avoid San Antonio and probably Utah and they have a decent chance to get to the finals.

Cleveland has owned them however, but Boston and Orlando would be favorable matchups for the Suns.

Bynum can guard Amare? That's too funny based on one game, one of the first goggle games from Amare.

Amare is averaging 25/10 in just 32mpg since the allstar game. His normal pace in the 2nd half of seasons, I fully expect him to tear it up in the playoffs as always and average about 29/13 in any series pretty much.

[Bgil]

Denver -- people are giving them way too much credit. The first game they beat us was early in the season without Gasol. The second game had Billups shooting the best game of his life.

Artest is losing weight to get quicker and defend better and it shows. The more physical style of the playoffs will be to his advantage. Kobe will lock down Billups. George Karl will get outcoached... again.
Oh yeah, and they suck on the road.

Dallas--- We don't defend Dirk all that well and Kobe doesn't seem to respect Kidd or Terry's ouside shooting ability. Have to kinda stay home on everybody 1-4. We should beat them, especially if they decide to funnel more offense though their SF than in previous years but they'll be our toughest challenge.

[Bgil]

All year Dirk has played well vs. LA and Kobe has been held in check. The only guys the Mavs have struggled with are Bynum and Odom (who apparently channels Ray Allen's J vs. us).

LA would certainly be favored, but LOL at some LA fans acting like it'd be a cakewalk.

The Lakers don't even get up from Mavs games. In the playoffs, you guys are going to get ran off the court.