Lakers starting line-up could surprise people

[UNC MJ Fan 23]

4th best team in the division maybe.

LA Clippers
SA Spurs
OKC Thunder
LA Lakers
Port. Blazers
Dallas Mavs
Phx Suns
G.S Warriors

The Rockets and Grizzlies ceased to exist?

Rockets are not making the playoffs... sorry to break it to you... loss of Lin and Parsons is going to hurt them more than you want to believe... also Dwight Howard is a perennial loser.

Grizzlies are a year older, and they havent improved much in the offseason.

[Goon]

^
And both still miles ahead of the Lakers.

My prediction for LAL is 29-53. In Lakers best interest would be to finish with a bottom 5 record, to try and keep their pick. But my bet is Phoenix gets a nice 6-10 selection from you.

As for the Lakers, I would try to be patient until 2016, when Kobes contract expires and some great FA's go on the market.

[TheBabyMaker]

Lakers will suck. One things for certain Lakers will not lack the amount of TV coverage they will have this year.

I am a old schools Lakers fan. That being said they suck @ss now and should not embarrass themselves on National TV anymore until they get their @#$% together.

If they win 30 games I would be shocked

[UNC MJ Fan 23]

Lakers will suck. One things for certain Lakers will not lack the amount of TV coverage they will have this year.

I am a old schools Lakers fan. That being said they suck @ss now and should not embarrass themselves on National TV anymore until they get their @#$% together.

If they win 30 games I would be shocked

Well prepare to be shocked... Lakers can certainly win more than 30 games... that is a cake walk for Kobe Bryant... who dragged Dwight Howard's sorry arse into the Playoffs after the D'antoni experiment failed in its first year.

This team with Jordan Hill/Boozer/Randle is 10x better than the team with Dwight Howard/Pau Gasol and coached by Pringles... it just is. Give me one reason why that D'antoni/Dwight team can make the playoffs yet this team cant.

1 reason......

i'm waiting.

[Dez]

What position do you think the Lakers should trade for, if a trade becomes imminent by the deadline?

I have no idea, there is no short cut to re-building this team, its in the best interest of the lakers to just ride this one out till we land a top free agent and a top talent in the draft.

What do you think this team is missing? Size? Scoring? Defense?

IMO we have enough guards... wouldn't hurt to really replace Bynum/Pau with a real quality bigman

Everything.

[TASTIC]

Lakers will suck. One things for certain Lakers will not lack the amount of TV coverage they will have this year.

I am a old schools Lakers fan. That being said they suck @ss now and should not embarrass themselves on National TV anymore until they get their @#$% together.

If they win 30 games I would be shocked

Well prepare to be shocked... Lakers can certainly win more than 30 games... that is a cake walk for Kobe Bryant... who dragged Dwight Howard's sorry arse into the Playoffs after the D'antoni experiment failed in its first year.

This team with Jordan Hill/Boozer/Randle is 10x better than the team with Dwight Howard/Pau Gasol and coached by Pringles... it just is. Give me one reason why that D'antoni/Dwight team can make the playoffs yet this team cant.

1 reason......

i'm waiting.

Because if Kobe could barely drag Dwight Howard to the playoffs on TWO legs, how is he going to drag Jordan Hill there on ONE leg?

[UNC MJ Fan 23]

Lakers will suck. One things for certain Lakers will not lack the amount of TV coverage they will have this year.

I am a old schools Lakers fan. That being said they suck @ss now and should not embarrass themselves on National TV anymore until they get their @#$% together.

If they win 30 games I would be shocked

Well prepare to be shocked... Lakers can certainly win more than 30 games... that is a cake walk for Kobe Bryant... who dragged Dwight Howard's sorry arse into the Playoffs after the D'antoni experiment failed in its first year.

This team with Jordan Hill/Boozer/Randle is 10x better than the team with Dwight Howard/Pau Gasol and coached by Pringles... it just is. Give me one reason why that D'antoni/Dwight team can make the playoffs yet this team cant.

1 reason......

i'm waiting.

Because if Kobe could barely drag Dwight Howard to the playoffs on TWO legs, how is he going to drag Jordan Hill there on ONE leg?

Kobe is healthier now than he was that season he went down... his Achilles was failing him until it ruptured.

Now Mamba is all well... BOTH of his legs are stronger... cant remember the last time Kobe had this much rest. The supporting cast and the coaching personnel are light years better than it was in 2012-2013.

So again... can u offer any facts... all i see is ramblings and deflections.

[TASTIC]

Well prepare to be shocked... Lakers can certainly win more than 30 games... that is a cake walk for Kobe Bryant... who dragged Dwight Howard's sorry arse into the Playoffs after the D'antoni experiment failed in its first year.

This team with Jordan Hill/Boozer/Randle is 10x better than the team with Dwight Howard/Pau Gasol and coached by Pringles... it just is. Give me one reason why that D'antoni/Dwight team can make the playoffs yet this team cant.

1 reason......

i'm waiting.

Because if Kobe could barely drag Dwight Howard to the playoffs on TWO legs, how is he going to drag Jordan Hill there on ONE leg?

Kobe is healthier now than he was that season he went down... his Achilles was failing him until it ruptured.

Now Mamba is all well... BOTH of his legs are stronger... cant remember the last time Kobe had this much rest. The supporting cast and the coaching personnel are light years better than it was in 2012-2013.

So again... can u offer any facts... all i see is ramblings and deflections.

Well if you say BOTH of his legs are stronger, then clearly that is a scientific fact.

I like Hill and Johnson as starters, but the West is too stacked to be only 'ok' in basically 80% of your starting five.
Besides Kobe who is obviously above average at SG, who in the starting five can you unequivocally say would start for even half of the other teams in the league?

Nash - wouldn't start for ANY other team, period.
Kobe - would start for a lot, helped by the fact SG is so thin right now.
Wes - the Suns LET HIM WALK and went with PJ Tucker instead. Wes might start for 2-3 teams - maybe.
Boozer - he wouldn't start ANYWHERE else...
Hill - I really love his rebounding but he's a 'first big off the bench' type ideally. He would start for maybe 3-4 other teams, if that.

So the fact they're basically starting 4 guys who are better suited as key bench players means they will not win much more than say 30-35 games...

[UNC MJ Fan 23]

Because if Kobe could barely drag Dwight Howard to the playoffs on TWO legs, how is he going to drag Jordan Hill there on ONE leg?

Kobe is healthier now than he was that season he went down... his Achilles was failing him until it ruptured.

Now Mamba is all well... BOTH of his legs are stronger... cant remember the last time Kobe had this much rest. The supporting cast and the coaching personnel are light years better than it was in 2012-2013.

So again... can u offer any facts... all i see is ramblings and deflections.

Well if you say BOTH of his legs are stronger, then clearly that is a scientific fact.

I like Hill and Johnson as starters, but the West is too stacked to be only 'ok' in basically 80% of your starting five.
Besides Kobe who is obviously above average at SG, who in the starting five can you unequivocally say would start for even half of the other teams in the league?

Nash - wouldn't start for ANY other team, period.
Kobe - would start for a lot, helped by the fact SG is so thin right now.
Wes - the Suns LET HIM WALK and went with PJ Tucker instead. Wes might start for 2-3 teams - maybe.
Boozer - he wouldn't start ANYWHERE else...
Hill - I really love his rebounding but he's a 'first big off the bench' type ideally. He would start for maybe 3-4 other teams, if that.

So the fact they're basically starting 4 guys who are better suited as key bench players means they will not win much more than say 30-35 games...

Title of the thread states they will "surprise people" therefore you can expect your expectations to be lewd and incorrect if there is an element of surprise involved.

the surprise being, the lakers have one of the best benches in the league... Starters are formidable veterans who will set the tone, Nash's contribution to the offense will add fluidity, Kobe is Kobe, and Boozer is a lot better than you give him credit for.

Bottom line is, in order for the Lakers to gain some ground, theyre going to have to beat some very good teams out in the West and i full expect them to "surprise" ppl and beat some WC powerhouses from time to time. Maybe not sweep series but certainly at least split, and maintain their homecourt through 41 games.

Lets not forget, i expect them to play defense astronomically better than last year, and any 5 guys can play defense if coached to do so... look at the Spurs... they dont have any DPOY players but they get the job done.

[UNC MJ Fan 23]

When a 40 year-old, hobbled Kobe Bryant is your first option you can expect a lottery pick next year.

suddenly being 36 means youre 40?

Wow... talk about a stretch... you need take a seat.

[dorkestra]

I hate the Lakers more than any other team, but they're definitely being underrated. I'm higher than most people on Lin and Randle.

[ingvald]

What do you think this team is missing? Size? Scoring? Defense?

You forgot health, rebounding, health, coaching, and health.

[UNC MJ Fan 23]

What do you think this team is missing? Size? Scoring? Defense?

You forgot health, rebounding, health, coaching, and health.

duly noted.

[ingvald]

What do you think this team is missing? Size? Scoring? Defense?

You forgot health, rebounding, health, coaching, and health.

duly noted.

You start a stupid thread and can't take the flak from other posters? Duly noted.

[Mk0]

The biggest downside of living in LA is that there are people who think the OP is being rational.

[TASTIC]

Kobe is healthier now than he was that season he went down... his Achilles was failing him until it ruptured.

Now Mamba is all well... BOTH of his legs are stronger... cant remember the last time Kobe had this much rest. The supporting cast and the coaching personnel are light years better than it was in 2012-2013.

So again... can u offer any facts... all i see is ramblings and deflections.

Well if you say BOTH of his legs are stronger, then clearly that is a scientific fact.

I like Hill and Johnson as starters, but the West is too stacked to be only 'ok' in basically 80% of your starting five.
Besides Kobe who is obviously above average at SG, who in the starting five can you unequivocally say would start for even half of the other teams in the league?

Nash - wouldn't start for ANY other team, period.
Kobe - would start for a lot, helped by the fact SG is so thin right now.
Wes - the Suns LET HIM WALK and went with PJ Tucker instead. Wes might start for 2-3 teams - maybe.
Boozer - he wouldn't start ANYWHERE else...
Hill - I really love his rebounding but he's a 'first big off the bench' type ideally. He would start for maybe 3-4 other teams, if that.

So the fact they're basically starting 4 guys who are better suited as key bench players means they will not win much more than say 30-35 games...

Title of the thread states they will "surprise people" therefore you can expect your expectations to be lewd and incorrect if there is an element of surprise involved.

the surprise being, the lakers have one of the best benches in the league... Starters are formidable veterans who will set the tone, Nash's contribution to the offense will add fluidity, Kobe is Kobe, and Boozer is a lot better than you give him credit for.

Bottom line is, in order for the Lakers to gain some ground, theyre going to have to beat some very good teams out in the West and i full expect them to "surprise" ppl and beat some WC powerhouses from time to time. Maybe not sweep series but certainly at least split, and maintain their homecourt through 41 games.

Lets not forget, i expect them to play defense astronomically better than last year, and any 5 guys can play defense if coached to do so... look at the Spurs... they dont have any DPOY players but they get the job done.

There's so much fail in this post. Ha, my expectations are 'lewd and incorrect' because I don't offer 'facts' - while yours are all based entirely on your opinion too

There's no point having a bench if you're down 60-35 at half-time and your starters are out and the bench gets the game to end up 105-90, that hole the sub-par starters get you in initially means you're automatically under the gun each time.

The Lakers were 15-37 vs the West last year. Even if you flipped that to 37-15 you STILL wouldn't have made the playoffs last year. I've no doubt they'll improve and I think the 'new' Kobe is one of the more interesting story-lines to watch, but to think you're going to go from 27-55 to not just .500 but 4th in the West is crazy.

Your comments on 'any 5 guys can play defense if coached to do so' is ludicrous - Nash for one, couldn't play D if he was guarding a fridge.

'The Spurs have no DPOY players' - Duncan is basically the best team defender of the last 10 years. Kawhi Leonard is a top 10 defender (All Def Second team) and Danny Green is also a very strong perimeter defender. Diaw is a unique body who actually defends LeBron really well or he's equally adept at banging his girth into bigger players on the block. They have players who are good defensively on their own, and Pop makes them great collectively.

I haven't read many other Lakers fans opinions that mirror yours - most seem realistic in evaluating their team and either want to trade for stars at the midpoint or tank again to get that top 4 pick, or the Suns nab it obviously.

I'd go out on a nice quip about your logic but I better not.

[DTP]

Worst team in the division....people shouldn't sleep on Sacramento.

[_Choco_]

I'll get this thread on the right track: Mudiay or Towns?

I'm leaning towards Towns

[UNC MJ Fan 23]

Baiting/Derailing GIF

[RatherUnique]

The "surprise" will not amount to an NBA title, so it really doesn't matter, especially for this franchise.