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LA Lakers vs Detroit Pistons, who has more talent? W/O Bynum

Not who would win but who has more talent.

Lakers
PG Fisher
SG Kobe
SF Walton
PF Odom
C Gasol


Pistons
PG Billups
SG Hamilton
SF Prince
PF Mcdyess
C Wallace

Without Bynum, Detroit has better defensive prospects.


However, Lakers are still young, with Farmar, Vujacic, Ariza for the future.

Looking only at starting 5, Chauncey is probably the best Piston, and he is nowhere close to Kobe. Sheed, at this point in his career, is probably a step below Gasol. Fish, Odom, Walton is definitely a step below Tay, Rip, Dyess, but not enough to make up for Kobe and Pau.
Pistons are all about team chemistry and experience though, so it's not really fair to compare them to other teams on paper. Also, the Pistons have a better bench.

Easily the Pistons. They lost Ben Wallace but they are still 4th in the league in Defensive Rating opposed to 2nd in the league with Big Ben so it's not a major difference but in '04 when they won the title, they were 18th in Offense while they are 5th in Offense this year!

A prime Shaq and Kobe can't beat the Pistons, I highly doubt Kobe with Gasol could do it. Even though Kobe was playing injured during the '04 Finals, he still do alot of stupid things and hurt his team badly; he'll be playing hurt this year if they make it to the Finals against the Pistons anyways.

If you are just talking about talent, Wallace, Odom and McDyess are all insanely talented, but they never really lived up to potential, the first two due to attitude, the latter due to injuries. The Piston duo is also old. Gasol and Billups are both very good talents, although a step down, who've pretty much lived up to their potential. Obviously Kobe is an historic talent who has lived up to his potential. Hamilton is a good talent who has overachieved a bit. Fisher and Prince are both average talents, Fisher pretty much developing as expected, Prince overachieving somewhat. Walton is not very talented but has overachieved. Overall, I would say Detroit is a bit more talented, because they don't have weak links.

No point in excluding Bynum; with Bynum (and Ariza when he's back in a month) they are without question a deeper team. Whether they are better will be proven in the postseason if they meet.

More talent? Why not who would win?

It's tough without Bynum, but I'd still like the Lakers chances. They are playing at a very high level

lakers its close though

exkonvict wrote:However, Lakers are still young, with Farmar, Vujacic, Ariza for the future.

Stuckey, Afflalo, Amir Johnson, Jason Maxiell...

With Bynum it's too close to call. I'd need to see a 7 game series

I would give it to the Pistons.

PG Chauncey > Fisher
SG Hamilton < Kobe
SF Prince > Walton
PF McDyess < Odom
C Sheed = Gasol


Detroit is better defensively, Lakers offensively. Rebounding is about even. Bynum makes a big difference.......

Despite the absurd star system in the NBA (which IMO undermines the very legitimacy of the game) basketball is a TEAM game, and IMO Detroit is a better TEAM and will proceed to prove it in the playoffs, because they play the game the way it should be played.

And this from probably the biggest Piston hater on this board, folks. I detest them.

I wouldn't be surprised at all to see the Lakers exit in the second round, shiny record and Kobe notwithstanding.

With Bynum playing well earlier in the season, the Lakers were turning the corner, now since Gasol, the Lakers have been unstoppable. When Bynum comes back and plays at the same level, it could be deadly. I would even go as far as saying the Lakers would be a very respectable team even without Kobe. Kobe will have to take them over the top and win a championship. If it doesn't work out with everything in tact, it will be a big dissappointment.

I could see a Lakers vs Pistons final this year very easily.

I hate both of these teams equally. Being a Celtics fan, I can't stand both teams but for the sake of this thread, there needs to be a poster with some common ground. Simply put, the Lakers are the better team offensively and the Pistons the better defensive team. Overall, from starters to bench, the Lakers are the most talented team. The starters equal up with one another and both have young talented benches. The difference is the best player. The best player out of the 2 teams is Kobe Bryant. There is no one on the Pistons that I would rank in the same class or even in the class behind Kobe Bryant. That doesn't mean the Lakers would beat the Pistons. We saw what happen the last time the Lakers was fully loaded with talent and faced the Pistons.

It's going to be fun watching multiple stacked teams with championship aspiration crash and burn this year.

If the Pistons, Jazz or Hornets win it all, I will laugh my ass off even more.

big123 wrote:It's going to be fun watching multiple stacked teams with championship aspiration crash and burn this year.

If the Pistons, Jazz or Hornets win it all, I will laugh my ass off even more.

why laugh at the pistons? they are legit contenders.

Showtime:Part2 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



why laugh at the pistons? they are legit contenders.

Hes not laughing at the Pistons but with the Pistons and there fans at the Carpet beggars Desperate owners and Mercinaries who go down in flames.


I truely dont think Bynum will return to pre injury form for at least another yr. The Lakers will be favorites in 09,10,11 but not in 08 IMHO.

Warspite wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Hes not laughing at the Pistons but with the Pistons and there fans at the Carpet beggars Desperate owners and Mercinaries who go down in flames.


I truely dont think Bynum will return to pre injury form for at least another yr. The Lakers will be favorites in 09,10,11 but not in 08 IMHO.

I agree with you. This year I am more curious about how the Lakers play and react to the playoff atmosphere. I don't think we can win it all this year. There are too little time to gel with Bynum. Next year we will be a legit contender.

this Lakers fan gives the edge to the Pistons on the basis of experiance and defense.