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As a Heat fan, I'm praying for a rematch between us two just because i hate the fact that other teams bend over for the Lakers. But how do you guys see your team's chances vs the Lakers? I honestly think with Kobe ageing that you guys are still the better team. Any thoughts?

#ThunderUp

Honestly we will be ready for the Lakers. What makes you a legend is beating super-teams, and KD will be ready.

KDfan35 wrote:Honestly we will be ready for the Lakers. What makes you a legend is beating super-teams, and KD will be ready.

honestly, its hard not to be a fan of KD as a person and a player
i can honestly say i will root for OKC (alongside Miami and Sacramento) if the heat can get at least 1 more ring

Since a Heat fan made this, maybe it's ok for a Celtic fan to interrupt? LOL

I really believe that you're still the team to beat in the west. Your front court is designed for Bynum/Howard and Gasol. And no one's going to be able to guard KD and Westbrook. Goodluck this season.

lol last week i had a dream about this deal getting done, in my dream david stern said to the media after the deal was "may god have mercy on our souls" "i can't do nothing about it" that was one hell of a dream

robert93436 wrote:lol last week i had a dream about this deal getting done, in my dream david stern said to the media after the deal was "may god have mercy on our souls" "i can't do nothing about it" that was one hell of a dream

Thabeet makes more sense now with his 6 fouls.

Dwight also has a tendency to get frustrated and we have number of players that can get him in bow throwing mode

Perkins/Collison/Ibaka is more than good enough to prevent Gasol/Howard isolation and post ups, but Nash is the main reason because I'm afraid of them. Our pickk and roll defense is not good and Nash is excellent there, and his BBIQ might make up for the defensive fits we have for Gasol/Howard.

Offensively, what we did good against them(Westbrook, Durant), will be better for next season. What we did bad(Harden pick and roll) will be worse, since Howard is the second best at defending this play.

Howard for Bynum doesn't improve their defense so much that'll be another history from what was last season. Lakers defended REALLY WELL against us, Bynum was great at defending their paint against infiltrating.

They are scary.

bbms wrote:Perkins/Collison/Ibaka is more than good enough to prevent Gasol/Howard isolation and post ups, but Nash is the main reason because I'm afraid of them. Our pickk and roll defense is not good and Nash is excellent there, and his BBIQ might make up for the defensive fits we have for Gasol/Howard.

Offensively, what we did good against them(Westbrook, Durant), will be better for next season. What we did bad(Harden pick and roll) will be worse, since Howard is the second best at defending this play.

Howard for Bynum doesn't improve their defense so much that'll be another history from what was last season. Lakers defended REALLY WELL against us, Bynum was great at defending their paint against infiltrating.

They are scary.

By time the WCF's roll around; Kobe will be 34, Nash will be 39, Gasol will be 32, and Jamison will be a month shy of 37.

The Lakers are improved, yes, but they have to defend us as well.

Bravely Done wrote:

bbms wrote:Perkins/Collison/Ibaka is more than good enough to prevent Gasol/Howard isolation and post ups, but Nash is the main reason because I'm afraid of them. Our pickk and roll defense is not good and Nash is excellent there, and his BBIQ might make up for the defensive fits we have for Gasol/Howard.

Offensively, what we did good against them(Westbrook, Durant), will be better for next season. What we did bad(Harden pick and roll) will be worse, since Howard is the second best at defending this play.

Howard for Bynum doesn't improve their defense so much that'll be another history from what was last season. Lakers defended REALLY WELL against us, Bynum was great at defending their paint against infiltrating.

They are scary.

By time the WCF's roll around; Kobe will be 34, Nash will be 39, Gasol will be 32, and Jamison will be a month shy of 37.

The Lakers are improved, yes, but they have to defend us as well.

who the **** is going to defend westbrook...
also, westbrook has managed to defend nash quite well: http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... 2=nashst01

Westbrook played Nash well last year... when the players teams would prepare for would be Gortat and Dudley. Sorry, but your team isn't getting past LA this year.

CJH248 wrote:Westbrook played Nash well last year... when the players teams would prepare for would be Gortat and Dudley. Sorry, but your team isn't getting past LA this year.

I couldn't agree more, its 1 thing being good vs Nash and being good vs Dwight its another thing playing against them both at the same time and also throwing Kobe and Pau in there, I'm not saying OKC can't beat the Lakers but it will be alot harder than people are making it out to be just remember how close some of those playoff games were, what if Nash and Dwight were there and the Lakers actually had a bench?

Matt6288 wrote:

CJH248 wrote:Westbrook played Nash well last year... when the players teams would prepare for would be Gortat and Dudley. Sorry, but your team isn't getting past LA this year.

I couldn't agree more, its 1 thing being good vs Nash and being good vs Dwight its another thing playing against them both at the same time and also throwing Kobe and Pau in there, I'm not saying OKC can't beat the Lakers but it will be alot harder than people are making it out to be just remember how close some of those playoff games were, what if Nash and Dwight were there and the Lakers actually had a bench?

Nobody is afraid of Kobe, nobody is afraid of Nash, nobody is afraid of Gasol. This isn't 2006.

if your not afraid of them you obviously don't watch basketball

Matt6288 wrote::lol: if your not afraid of them you obviously don't watch basketball

Or I do, and see very little reason to be afraid of three old, regressing players at the tail end of their careers.

Bravely Done wrote:

Matt6288 wrote::lol: if your not afraid of them you obviously don't watch basketball

Or I do, and see very little reason to be afraid of three old, regressing players at the tail end of their careers.

Look I'm not trying to start an argument here I actually quite like the Thunder but I think it will be much harder to beat this seasons Laker then you think....

Matt6288 wrote:

Bravely Done wrote:

Matt6288 wrote::lol: if your not afraid of them you obviously don't watch basketball

Or I do, and see very little reason to be afraid of three old, regressing players at the tail end of their careers.

Look I'm not trying to start an argument here I actually quite like the Thunder but I think it will be much harder to beat this seasons Laker then you think....

I think it would be much more harder for the Lakers to stop OKC too. Look if we can beat the Spurs, Dallas, Grizz, then we can beat the new n improve Lakers. Plus Lakers is not going to be defending champs for a long time, their team is getting old. By the time Kobe, Nash, AJ, retires its going to be very hard for Dwight to compete.

Until OKC makes the move they have needed to make for the past 3 years for a guy who cant get them easy baskets they wont beat the new look Lakers.

Its rare jump shooting teams win titles, very rare.

Dwight can hide anyone on defense - perfect addition for Kobe and Nash who are both way past their primes defensively. Lakers now have one of the best defensive front courts of the past five years, IMO. I think we still stand a great chance - Kobe had his worst playoffs in the last decade last season, Gasol's been poor in the last two by his standards, and Nash hasn't been in them for two years. At full strength I think HCA determines a series, but the core players are trending in opposite directions for sure.

slick_watts wrote:Dwight can hide anyone on defense - perfect addition for Kobe and Nash who are both way past their primes defensively. Lakers now have one of the best defensive front courts of the past five years, IMO. I think we still stand a great chance - Kobe had his worst playoffs in the last decade last season, Gasol's been poor in the last two by his standards, and Nash hasn't been in them for two years. At full strength I think HCA determines a series, but the core players are trending in opposite directions for sure.

was Nash ever in his prime defensively? lol