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From what you think will be laker's hardest match up to the easiest in the western conference playoffs

from hardest to easiest:

1. San Antonio
2. New Orleans
3. Phoenix
4. Dallas
5. Utah
6. Golden State
7. Houston
8. Denver

If we're healthy, I'm not worried about anyone.

the lack of defensive intesity for the full 48 minutes worries me the most.

1.Phx
2.SA
3.Utah
4.Dallas
5.NO
6.Houston
7.GSW
8.Nuggets

1. San Antonio






8. Everybody else

San Antonio is the team to beat until they go down. Phoenix is to me the second best team after them.

... But at this point, we shouldn't fear nobody as a team, and as fans I think we should echo that. We are not some dumpy, barley playoff team, or a soft franchise that tries to avoid certain playoff matchups. With injuries and such, this probably isn't our year to win the title, but we are going to go all out. I don't fear anybody, bring it on.

As long as the Machine is substituted for Radmanovic, as long as Odom plays every game as aggressively as he did tonight, we will have a good shot to beat the hell out of anybody.

I truly believe that, I'm not afraid of any team when we play with intensity and purpose.

And when Bynum comes back...why shouldn't we win it all this year?

Chemistry dentistry.

The only team I wonder how the Lakers will do against is Boston.

1. SAS
2. PHO
3. NOH
4. GSW
5. UTAH
6. HOU
7. DAL
8. DNV

1.Spurs
2.Suns
3.Mavs
4.Jazz
5.Hornets
6.Nuggets
7.Rockets
8.Warriors


I'm not too worried about any team in the West to be honest.

Why do some of you fear the Hornets? Other than the first meeting in November, I don't see anything in this team that would cause me to believe they can take us in a best of 7 series.

The Lakers completely dismantled them on their court when we had a center (Bynum) and then barely won when we were on a clinic when Pau went down.

Don't know. Other than the Spurs none of the teams really scare me, and even they appear to be not as dominant... although that's what everyone thinks every year and they win it.

I'd be happy with Houston in the 1st round or maybe Dallas. They'll probably have a psychological barrier when playing us considering how the last 3 games ended.

Dallas? hell no! they are so dangerous. Dallas will get the conf finals if they dont find lakers before. Later, im worried about Spurs, of course.

Not really afraid of NO, jazz, rockets, nuggets, GSW, but the suns....

the only team i worry about is the spurs. they play good defense and defense wins games, we havent played them with our big lineup so its hard to say. if we play consistent defense we will be fine and the series will be ours.

1. San Antonio
2. Phoenix
3. New Orleans
4. Utah
5. Golden State
6. Dallas
7. Houston
8. Denver

All the teams are good enough to beat us in a seven game series if we don't shape up our defense in a hurry.

Which team is the best fit opponent for us is going to come down to weekly form and injuries, I think. They're all extremely good teams, and very capable of beating the Lakers in the first round. Right now, I wouldn't worry about any one of the other teams and what they're doing.

All efforts and preparation should be focused on defensive intensity and mental sharpness. At this point, our defense isn't even close to being good enough to win the WC, let alone the Celtics or the Pistons.

Sure, Bynum will help our defense, but that doesn't give rest-of-team immunity while he's still out, neither when he comes back.

I want to see some 00-03 Laker like fire and focus for the home stretch. As it stands right now, our defense is rather pathetic. Holding teams to 85 points for the remainder would make me hopeful that we can take the West. If they keep on allowing 100+ points, we can expect an early exit once again. These other teams are very good.

On that 2000-03 team, all the role players (Rick Fox, Robert Horry, Brian Shaw, Derek Fisher etc) didn't delegate the intensity to Kobe or Shaq in any way