Eddie Johnson's blog...

[campybatman]

Do you agree or disagree with Johnson's assessments?

Generally, I skip Johnson's blogs when visiting this site. My question is: why does he think or implies that Boston is less of an offensive team then they're a defensive team? Last time I'd checked, Boston was one of the top scoring teams in the league besides being the best defensive team in the league. Boston can score with any team. Personally, I disagree with Johnson on some of his points in favor of Los Angeles. For one thing, if Bryant is scoring a lot then that means he could be taking a lot of shots and seeing his teammates less. That was the idea I'd with the Cleveland series. Let James be a scorer and less of a play maker. LeBron will get his points. It's his teammates you don't want him to help get involved. Likewise, with Bryant. If you're Boston, don't try to stop him but reduce the damage of his offense. Focus more on taking away Gasol from him and limiting what Odom does best: rebounding and passing.



LAKERS WIN IF

[ParticleMan]

That analysis is spot on, imo. C's will be geared to making Kobe a jumpshooter by rolling the D to him. If Kobe can beat that either himself or by passing and having teammates knock down shots, we're in trouble. That was Detroit Game 2.

Perk is a big key. If he gets in foul trouble we lose a big advantage on the glass. But I think Powe/Baby will get minutes against Lamar as well. Especially Powe has quick enough feet to keep Odom from driving, and will bang him around. We have to stay physical, not play down to the softness level of the Lakers.

Overall, I think EJ makes great points.

[crm0922]

An impressive analysis, and fair to both sides.

However, I should point out that if Kobe is scoring a lot, but taking a ton of shots to get there, that is a major plus for Boston.

C

[Maple Green]

Eddie Johnson have three analysis

Kobe,Gasul, Odom<< PP,KG,PP are more hungier and war veterans than Kobe and company

[campybatman]

However, I should point out that if Kobe is scoring a lot, but taking a ton of shots to get there, that is a major plus for Boston.

Yeah, that's what I'd said... If you're Boston, don't you want Bryant to become one dimensional.

[Gomes3PC]

The only thing I disagree with is the Kobe scoring thing. If Kobe wants to score 35 on 28 shots, then I am cool with that. If he is scoring 30 on 20 shots, then we are in some big trouble. We need him to be a volume shooter like AI, making 'wow' plays but not getting teammates involved enough. There's nobody else on that Lakers team that demands the ball like our Big 3 does, so if Kobe becomes a one-dimensional player, the other guys start standing around watching him and makes it easy for the opposition to defend.

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

Hopefully Kobe buys into the media hype of the Celts-Lakers rivalry and tries to gun himself into history. He's had a history of chucking a ton of shots against the Cs, even before this season. I remember one year where he shot something terrible like 18-45 in one game against the Cs.

[sully00]

I am completely in agreement with turning Kobe back into 81 and take away his ability to get to the rim and create off the dribble. It actually isn't that difficult to do if the C's offense is clicking.

The thing that Lakers have not had to deal with is a legit frontcourt. Guys with size and strength who actually play in the post. It is the irony of the Western Conference. Last season the Mav's were built to match up with the Spurs and the Heat and couldn't get by the Warriors in the first round. This season the Suns were built to matchup against the Lakers and couldn't get by the Spurs.

I disagree that Perkins has to stay on the court, we have PJ Brown, Powe and Davis what they all have to do is be physical, no finesse basketball in the paint, make Gasol go to the line, there is a reason that dude hadn't won a playoff game till this season. I also don't think that Posey is a liability against Odom if Lamar starts to do somethings on the perimeter he clearly may be the response.

I am not even going to hate on Kobe, he is great and he can do a great job defensively on either Paul or Ray and there lies the problem. They have 3 guys they have been using at the swing positions in the postseason Sasha, Vlad Rad, and Walton. None of them can guard Ray or Paul one on one. They have Ariza as well but he has played 10 mins this postseason.

While Boston is better defensively than offensively, they are still great offensively. They are much better defensive team than anything the Lakers have faced in the West this season. There is a reason (25-5)the C's buzzsawed the West, as did the Pistons (22-8). The C's scored 102 ppg against the Western Conference. It isn't that they play superior offense in the West they play at a faster pace and play less defense.

The Lakers went 20-10 against the East. More importantly they are a team that scored 112 ppg in their wins and 99 in their losses. Not surprisingly they avg. 92 against the C's (allowing 108), 92 against CLE, 96 against DET and went 1 and 5 against those teams. They didn't always have Gasol but did have Bynum and Boston didn't always have KG.

If people forgot what they think they know about the West and the East and just looked at the numbers they would have to ask themselves can the Lakers avg 100ppg against the C's a feet that only 2 teams were able to do twice, CLE and CHA, during the regular season. In contrast the Lakers allowed over 100 points a game to everyone.

[chakdaddy]

Is that Eddie the child molester Johnson, or Eddie traded for Ed Pinckney, great 6th man Johnson?

Remember when the latter hit that 3 in the playoffs for Houston? That Houston team and the 2005 Lakers were kind of the precedents for the assembly of the 2008 Celtics; here's hoping the finals work out better this time.

[campybatman]

I feel like Rivers should unleash the bench. That is, let's see what House, Powe and Davis can do. Have the Lakers seen Davis, I don't recall? He could be a X-factor off the bench. I've this feeling that Perkins will do well but fouls will limit his impact.

[chakdaddy]

I think Powe can be big this series. We've faced teams with a lot of tough big guys until now; now it's just Gasol, a skinny Odom and the Turiaf's of the world...

[Datruth345]

Hopefully Kobe buys into the media hype of the Celts-Lakers rivalry and tries to gun himself into history. He's had a history of chucking a ton of shots against the Cs, even before this season. I remember one year where he shot something terrible like 18-45 in one game against the Cs.

i was at that game, it was shocking, he just kept shooting everytime down the floor, i never saw anything like that before or after that night

[Red2]

`none of that matters when destiny is on your side

[TommyPoints]

Phil might pass Red, but not against Boston.

[eatyourchildren]

The thing that Lakers have not had to deal with is a legit frontcourt. Guys with size and strength who actually play in the post.

By "Guys" you mean Kendrick Perkins because I sure as heck know you're not talking about KG

[Gomes3PC]

Well Garnett does play in the post, it's just the high post. But I would hardly call him a 'strength' type of player. Perk, Powe, and PJ? Yeah, those are some physical dudes.