Laker next year: 70 wins?

[ILikeTheGrizz]

Simple question. Some on the Laker boards seem to think they will. I'm catching flak for saying they won't. Alot of them saying they will be better than last year's Mavs, and ipso facto they can win close to 70 games if not more. My couter argument is they're not better than alot of other teams that failed to get 67 or so wins, so giving the Mavs as your shining example- a fluke team- doesn't really help.

So what do you think? One of the greatest teams of all-time coming up next year in Staples? Or just another in a long line of teams whose fans tell us will win 70 and don't?

[ILikeTheGrizz]

Aww American Gangster tricked me. Wrong board.

[slifersd]

I don't think it is possible for us to win 70 games next season. Don't get me wrong, I think they are talented enough to do what the Bulls did but the simple fact is that Lakers play in the western conference. Throughout the season, we are playing against about 10 teams who are potential contenders when they play well. As tough as the west has been this year, think about what it would be like next year when Portland is healthy and more experienced, Houston finally being at full strength, Clippers getting all of their men back and potentially some other teams benefiting from trades, free agent signings and draft picks. The West is too strong for any team to get even close to 70 wins. If the Celtics couldn't get it done in the east, we have no shot at getting it in the west.

[Tommy Trojan]

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