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Other than the Los Angeles Lakers of course......what other team in the West do you think possess a challenge for the Los Angeles Lakers to win the West? I think out of all teams, it has to be Houston Rockets. They have a great all-around cast, they don't just have dominant starters and nothing more, they don't just have a one star player and nothing more, they have a very balanced team. I think it will really pend on Yao's health though, because he is the foundation of that team just like Kobe is for the Lakers. I would still bet on the Lakers to win, but I fear them the most.

I don't fear the Nuggets simply because they make a bunch of mental mistakes and it will continue to happen with the type of players they have on their team.

I don't fear the Mavericks simply because Dirk is their only threat.

I somewhat fear the Thunder, but they don't really have size.

What are your thoughts?

Timberwolves

OKC for me.

Thunder. They're fast, young, and fearless

The Laker Kid wrote:Thunder. They're fast, young, and fearless

Thunder wont scare me til they get a legit PF

IF we were COMPLETLY healthy we would've done to OKC what we did to Utah and they actually had a legit post presence or least a paint player.

Spurs. Parker, Hill, Ginobili, Splitter, Duncan, Popovich. Health just remains an issue for them still.

No one at the moment. I haven't feared anyone in the West for quite a while, though.

I have my eye on the cookies of Oklahoma. I don't think the Thunder need a whole lot of size to beat us. They already proved they could hang with us every step of the way in the playoffs, didn't they? Or have you guys forgotten? They presented the biggest challenge in the West and made the squad really bust their butts to win out the series. A couple of steps further for Westbrook, Durant or even Harden, and I think they have a shot at beating us. I don't see them as a legitimate threat at the moment but I definitely have an eye on their squad this summer.

The only way the Thunder pose a threat to the Lakers is if the refs continue to give every foul call in their favor again. Seriously, did we forget what we watched? Durant is nothing without shooting 10 free throws a game.

I think the Mavs are the closest in level to the Lakers but they do some crazy (bad) stuff in the playoffs and the Lakers (Kobe) have always played them well anyway.

Also the Nuggets, but instead of addressing their need of size to compete with us, they go and sign Al Harrington, so not really them either.

Blazers play us well but I think saying they will ever be completely healthy is a reach and don't know if they could compete with us in the playoffs like they do in the regular season.

The Thunder should be even better than last year but I can't imagine them taking down a team like the Lakers without better skill/size down low.

The Spurs are proven winners but showed they aren't what they used to be getting SWEPT by the Suns last year. I didn't think they would win the series but I thought they would at least win 2.

I don't "fear" any team, but OKC is waiting in the rear view. They lack certain positions to handle us in a series but like I said at the start of our series with them this past playoffs, they're too naive to know they're not suppose to win yet. They had nothing but house money against us and spent every dollar.

They're locked in as a core with Durant,Westbrook, Harden, Green and Ibaka. They have to find a center, Cole Aldrich is limited. They need a true post option that can at least demand the double.

To me they've surpassed Portland in my eyes.

Blazers and Rockets. After kobe was healed the thunder weren't that much of a problem to us. They haven't been shown to be able to slow down a healthy kobe, which the rockets and blazers have been able to show.

Kevin Durant's team

No one. When your the 2x defending champions and clearly the best team in the NBA. Also their is no team in the West that's even close to challenging/beating the Lakers.

I would say we should fear every team. All teams in the west or east want to beat the 2 time champs so we are marked. We lost to some lottery teams the pass few years and we beat some great teams. There is really no logic to who we beat and who we loose to.

Denver. Houston. OKC. Portland. Spurs. Dallas. And the list can go on. One game at a time. One win at a time.

The up and coming Thunder are one team to fear out here in the west, but I also fear the Dallas Mavericks with the depth they have, I know it never seems to come through for them in the playoffs but I expect sooner rather then later they will get their act together and will be a force, but we can handle them.

Any team that likes to run posed a threat to the Lakers. Houston last year and OKC this year. One could make a case for the Suns too. They're another team that likes to run.

I see the how OKC can be a challenge for the Lakers, but in my opinion, a healthy Portland team could be the Lakers biggest challenge in the playoffs. This team is relatively young, can run, has good size to match up with our bigs and has a proven all-star/clutch player (Roy). Not to mention, the Lakers always seem to have a hard time playing in the Rose Garden.

5up wrote:The up and coming Thunder are one team to fear out here in the west, but I also fear the Dallas Mavericks with the depth they have, I know it never seems to come through for them in the playoffs but I expect sooner rather then later they will get their act together and will be a force, but we can handle them.

If you fear depth, then you should fear the Rockets more than the Mavericks.