Lakers dont have a switch we have a dimmer

[LAKESHOW]

i think most people agree with me around here, in that it is not the compettion. its all about OUR TEAM. if we bring our A-game, and play at MAXIMUM effeciency and capability, bring on denver. bring on dallas. bring on the elite teams. but thats not the problem, the problem is getting our team to playing at PEAK LEVELS come playoff time. and if this is the final stretch before playoffs, "TUNEUPS" so to speak before the big dance, then we still have a ways to go before we get to the high effeciency and level of play.

so my concern is NOT the opponents, but bringing our teams game up to the "ON" part of the on/off switch. we achieve that level of play, we will absolutely KILL any team out there.

[Anklebreaker702]

You worry warts are such grumps.

If our record is inflated by Kobe's game winners but so are Cleveland and Orlando's by playing in the East. That is good for a couple games right there, especially when you look at our record vs sub .500.

No we didn't look that great yesterday but it wasn't without its stretches of our true ability either. Ginobli and Duncan got hot and we played them extremely poorly in the 4th. It happens, our effort looked lax. Its an early morning Easter game that had little meaning for us, do you truly blame these guys? SA is playing at playoff intensity just to avoid us.

So we have a few inconsistencies, but people act like the sky is falling and there is no way we can win. But tell me this, which team has been so perfect that they are suddenly going to beat us nomatter what? SA because of that win and beating a few other top teams? Please, did you forget we smashed them at their home just a week ago? Or that they lost to the Nets? Or that they have no front court and have to take the ball out of Manu's hands to re-integrate Parker? So scary...

Dallas? Then came down off their high hard. Denver? They are a bit of a mess right now with out the two Ks. Utah was the hottest thing until we smashed them. PHX? Yeah they are winning against bad teams but just got smashed by the Bucks and by us last game as well. Even the mighty Cleveland, lost to SA and Boston, barely beat the Bucks and the Hawks...

Point is, every team has flaws and inconsistencies and I'll take ours over anyone else's right now. We are still the 2nd best record, we'll still have HC through the West, We still have the best 5 players, we still are the most proven team, and we are still the champs until someone actually beats us. I don't think some of you realize the grind that we've been on. This is basically like the 3rd year in a 3 peat, its been a long road and these guys aren't that young. If we had not ever proven it before, I might be worried, but we HAVE proven it the last 2 years.

I have NO DOUBT in my mind that we have another level to raise up in 2 weeks, but most of these teams are at that level already fighting for their lives. And people are giving up on Kobe way too quick, thinking he's done or running out of gas. I guarantee dude still has a level of focus he will go up as well. That vid is perfect example and we can go get it.

+1

[Anklebreaker702]

in all honesty, our record is inflated...
partly due to kobe's 5-6 game winners

a repeat is not in the question right now. we gota take this thing one game at a time...that the only possible way for us to win anything.

This is a little over stated. The sky is not falling. Unfortunately this team got comfortable after 1 title. So we'll have to see if they can turn it on come playoff time. Me personally, I think they can.

[Anklebreaker702]

Thought you guys might like this one LOL!!

[microfib4thewin]

And Microfib... Cle is 31-2 vs sub .500 we are 27-2... that is 4 gimmies right there. If you don't think we'd have a few more wins if we swapped places with Cle, then you are delusional. Look at the overall records and east v west records for each team. there are 4 west teams with 8 losses to the east, there is only 1 with that or less the other way around and that is Cle with 7 west losses...

It doesn't matter how other teams play against each other, the only thing that matters is how THIS TEAM plays, and we have been sucking whenever we make a trip to the East coast. Consecutive loss to Charlotte and Miami, followed by another losing streak against New Orleans, and Atlanta.(NO is just as weak as any Eastern bottom feeders). Using the 'Eastern conference is weak' is a pathetic excuse for how this team has been playing. The Cavs has a better record because they're a better team, and I am sure their record against top 5 from both conferences are much better than ours, so it's time to stop the charade that being in the East will give every good team an inflated record.

The only thing where this team is better than the teams of past two years is defense, and that was only a marginal improvement at that. Our offense this year has been down the gutter, and we are seeing them struggle to covert consecutive possessions, that's something we haven't seen since we acquired Gasol. This team will never make its mark as a staunch defensive team, so they have to rekindle their offense if they want to repeat. There is no way a sane person could say this Laker is better than the 08 or 09 Lakers.

[Mamba Venom]

Last year our teamed gelled in a dangerous 7th game w/ the Rockets (what if Kobe sprained his ankle in the 1st, how would things have turned out, no title)

This year our team needs to gel in the 1st round because we the 2nd round teams will be better and out for the champs.

[supaflash]

You are just on a typical panicky reaction.

Wow we lost a couple east coast road games... terrible. I mean we didn't lose to CHA, Mia, or Orlando last year, or Indy.... FYI we had a worse record vs the east last year... but omg we are so terrible this year...

We're also 14-0 vs non playoff teams in the east, so you don't think extra games vs them would net us a few more wins?

Also Cle is 12-8 vs the top teams (LA, Orl, Bos, Atl, Phx, Den, Utah, Dal, SA)
We are 12-13 vs the same. So aside from our games against each other they are 10-8 and we are 12-11 vs all the good teams...

They have definitely played a bit better, but the difference just isn't that big. Neither of us, nor anyone else has really truly separated themselves from the pack like the last couple years. 2 years ago it was Us and Boston. Last year it was Us, Cle, Orlando. This year its pretty much the same.

Overall though the league is better, hence our somewhat deflated record, but we are basically in the same spot as last year. The League overall is also significantly better defensively. Our defensive rating last year would only be 10th this year so it is quite a bit more improvement then it seems and also makes our offensive struggles seemingly more pronounced.

Perceptions are just out of place lately. This team is better, its just built for a playoff grind. We play at a slower pace, we focus more on the inside game, and we play tougher physical defense. Its a different team, but its a better team, trust me.

[microfib4thewin]

We're also 14-0 vs non playoff teams in the east, so you don't think extra games vs them would net us a few more wins?

You mean the same way we feast on the worst West teams?

4-0 GSW
2-0 Minnesota
3-0 Sacramento
2-1 Clippers
2-1 New Orleans

Are we really going to try comparing the difference in quality between bad West and East teams? The five teams I listed above are bad teams that have played well for at best a stretch of 5 or 6 games, they're teams that the Lakers can beat handily, so it doesn't matter if the Lakers get shifted to the East, because they're already beating on the bottom feeders out West. Everything else points to the Lakers being a worse team this year.

Offensive efficiency: 2009 - 112.8, 2010 - 108.9
Defensive efficiency: 2009 - 104.7, 2010 - 103.4
SRS: 2009 - 7.11, 2010 - 5.28
Road record: 2009 - 29-12, 2010 - 22-16

Aside from being slightly better defensively we have regressed on everything else. We can't beat teams consistently on the road anymore, our offense has been mediocre compared to other playoff teams, and we are winning games on a smaller margin. It's completely delusional to think that the Lakers would look better playing in a different conference or that this Laker team is actually better than last year.

[ShowtimeFan]

Personally, I don't fear anyone in the West, although it wouldn't surprise me one bit if we got knocked out early if someone else catches heat. What bothers me are the teams in the East that are going to give us problems, namely the Cavs who I don't feel we can beat.

Agree 100%!

[AceFresh]

Last year we came off an embarrassing finals loss and played with a chip on our shoulder the whole year. They had something to prove and showed up for all the statement games. This year, there is nothing to prove until may and june.

[The Skyhook]

Some of you guys sound like Raptor fans. Bosh got elbowed in the face by Jamison and needed facial surgery so he is done for the season. There goes the Raptors season and Bosh is most likely done. It sucks to be a Raptors fan don't it? Anyway if we do meet the Cavs in the finals the entire nation of Canada will be on our side to beat the Cavs.