OT - Lakers best on paper?

[mapko81]

On paper you could argue Carmelo, Iverson and Camby are better than Parker, Ginobili and Duncan... but who would you take in a playoff series?
Team play, defensive intensity, role players are the difference makers. People are assuming Gasol will just gel with the rest of the Lakers effortlessly.

[wade2bosh]

Nash
Raja
Hill
Marion
Amare

Dont forget Barbosa and Diaw

[Hank_Scorpio]

No question that, on paper, when Bynum and Ariza return, the Lakers will be the best team in the NBA.

Don;t forget that before Bynum went down, the Lakers were on a 15-4 run - and in his 6 games in January, Bynum was averaging 17 ppg, 12 rpg, 3 apg, and 2.3 bpg - not to mention shooting .700.

But the real reason why I give the edge to the Lakers is because of the effectiveness of their supporting players. Fish, Farmar, Ariza, Turiaf, Walton - these guys provide a lot of stability and play the game the right way - they are committed, unselfish, and focus on playing good D.

And keep in mind that Farmar is 21, Ariza is 22, Vujacic is 23, and Turiaf is 24.

I also think its amazing that in all this, nobody seems to have mentioned Phil Jackson.

Phil's legacy seems to have been tarnished somewhat by the Lakers' recent struggles, but in an NBA Finals, even if all other things were equal, which team are you going with - the one coached by Phil Jackson or the one coached by Doc Rivers?

[EnigmaticProblem]

On paper you could argue Carmelo, Iverson and Camby are better than Parker, Ginobili and Duncan... but who would you take in a playoff series?
Team play, defensive intensity, role players are the difference makers. People are assuming Gasol will just gel with the rest of the Lakers effortlessly.

The Lakers have better "role players" and more quality depth than anyone in the league to go with, what I consider the greatest offensive player to ever touch a basketball. Consider a team of just Odom, Gasol and Bynum, with their current set of players, minus Kobe. . . That team will fight for a playoff spot in the West, and can land anywhere from 4-8. Having Bryant there really puts them "up there".

Gelling is only a minor concern considering all Pau wants to do is win. A change of scenario, additional to a legit chance to win it all is probably more a motivational factor than anything else. Moreover, it's hard to fathom Pau throwing tantrums about being #1 when Kobe is clearly. . . Well, we all know Kobe's position in the league.

EDIT: Let's not forget the Phil Jackson-factor. Phil Jackson has managed Pippen, Rodman and Jordan, all on the same team, amongst others, as well as Shaquille, Kobe, Malone and Payton. I really doubt gelling will be a huge problem.

[ponder276]

On paper, 100% healthy, including starting 5 and bench players, I think the Lakers have a slight edge over the Celtics. I just can't see Kobe losing when he has such a good supporting cast.

[EnigmaticProblem]

Is it just me or are there far too many people going way overboard in terms of the Lakers now? I've heard numerous people claim that they're going to get through the Spurs like its going to be a walk in the park. C'mon, they added Pau Gasol...garbage-team stat stuffer Pau Gasol. Lamar Odom? The guy has been a perennial disappointment his entire career...his effect on the game is sporadic at best. While Bynum is a great young player, he has zero playoff/big game experience...and he's currently injured. In terms of pure talent the Lakers are a contender, and I expect them to contend, but I'm personally not convinced that this team is now a powerhouse.

Talking about "On Paper" talent is utterly pointless because history has proven countless times that this means absolutely nothing.

1. You're not looking beyond the, what I've come to term, 4 Headed Dragon. In terms of quality and quantity, I think the Lakers precede everyone else in the league.

PG: Fisher, Farmar
SG: Bryant, Vujacic, Walton
SF: Odom, Ariza, Radmanovic
PF: Gasol, Turiaf
C: Bynum, Mihm

There's just the right amount of depth, additional to the fact that there's not a huge drop between starter and sub, save when it comes to Bryant. Let's take the Spurs as and example. . .

PG: Parker, Stoudamire
SG: Ginobili, Finley
SF: Bowen, Barry
PF: Duncan, Bonner, Horry (marginal effect)
C: Oberto, Elson

Any nonpartisan would be able to tel you there's no comparison. The Lakers were considered contenders for the title before the addition of Gasol.

2. Pau Gasol is a "garbage-team stat stuffer" now? News to me, bub. Pau Gasol, on his career, averages 18 points, almost 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and almost 2 blocks; subsequently, let's mention he's a good free throw shooter for a 7'0" guy, additional to shooting above .500 throughout his career. Not your generic "garbage-team stat stuffer", is he? He's led the Grizzlies to the playoffs 3 times, from the 2003-2006 seasons. The 2003-2004 season, they lost to the Spurs in the first round, which is imaginable. 2004-2005? They lost the Suns; this is the year the Suns had a franchise high 62 wins. 2005-2006? They lost to the Mavericks, who would later go on to the Finals, only to lose to the Heat. After that, Gasol got injured and the team went downhill from there. Bonzi and Miller are the best players Gasol's had to work with. Now, considering the preceding, is he still a "garbage-team stat stuffer"?

* MVP in FIBA World Championship 2006 (his team won it all, no?).

3. Lamar Odom has been a "perennial disappointment" his whole career? We'll take a look at some stats first, before talking about certain achievements. On his career, Odom is a 15.5 points/game guy, while giving you 9 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1 block. Odom used to have a footnote attached to his name that read "triple-double waiting to happen". This is a guy that averaged 16.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists during his rookie season, and he's termed "perennial disappointment"? You're terming him "perennial disappointment" despite him having led the Heat (2003-2004) to the playoffs after 3 years of substandard ball? Wasn't he the youngest player to get a triple-double before Lebron got his? Hmmm. . . A big laugh goes towards "sporadic at best".

4. Bynum has zero playoff experience, but so do guys like Dwight Howard, Chris Paul, Joe Johnson-- That doesn't mean their effect would suddenly be marginal in the aforementioned setting. Everyone starts somewhere. Moreover, wouldn't the experience everyone else has on that team, not just compensate, but overcompensate for his lack of experience? This guy's a beast defensively, not to mention he's showed he can play with the best of 'em. I swear he's crushed Amare every time they've played this year. I wouldn't marginalize the kid like you did. . .

Lastly, Kobe is a powerhouse himself. . .

Nash
Raja
Hill
Marion
Amare

Dont forget Barbosa and Diaw

No comment. . .

[rapz**7**]

Lakers have great playoff experience as we'll.

[doctaJ_92]

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You have it all wrong, kiddo. I'm pretty sure it was Garnett on Bynum, most of the game; with a Gasol-Bynum combo,

You post this without even watching both games, which is obvious with your 'pretty sure' comment. Next time you're gonna put out a backhanded insult to someone at least have a clue what you're talking about.

Like the poster after you pointed out, Perkins was on Bynum, and the main reason he didnt get any points was not only because of Perkins shutting him off the offensive boards, but Bostons great team defence not allowing LA to get it into the middle and forcing Kobe to dribble straight into help defence on the baseline(especially in the 2nd game), KIDDO.

Garnett can only guard one of them.

Continuing your incompetence. TEAM DEFENCE, kiddo. And saying this is another backhanded insult this time to Perkins who has been one of the best defensive centers in the NBA this year. If the NBA was just 1 on 1 with no help defence maybe your post would actually have a lick of credibility.

Moreover, Perkins had a career night the first time they played this year. If I were you, I would NEVER expect Perkins to replicate said night. In fact, I think 3 Boston players scored 20+, with Ray scoring 18, additional to Rajon getting 10 assists. Not happening again. . .

If you were me, you'd actually watch the games before talking out of your behind.

Perkins already duplicated his career night at least once since then(NY), and it's not a question if he's getting his points or not, it's a question of how teams are playing against Bostons big 3. If you're gonna come over late on the help defence when KG or Pierce get into the paint, then Perkins is going to have a nice point night because he makes himself available in the paint and has finished around the rim a lot better lately. He had those types of scoring games because Boston is arguably(them or Utah) the best interior passing team in the NBA. Maybe it's more a testament to LA's poor defence that Perkins got all those points, but it's pick your poison, if you dont help on the penetrator they'll get the easy pullup shot or layup as Allen and Pierce did vs DAL who didnt really allow them to make their usual dumpoff passes in the paint, but rather switched on the screens and got burned that way.

The fact still remains that Boston has the best defence in the NBA bar none and destroyed LA in both matches. It'll be interesting to see how much Gasol improves their D and fits in. I do hope that both makes it to the finals because then, for the first time in a while, fans will be treated to a fantastic 7 game series and the interest in the NBA will improve ten fold. The NBA could be entering another golden era of basketball with Boston and LA looking like powerhouses the next 3 years and teams like Portland and New Orleans and many others on the uprise. The West is gonna be fantastic this year no matter who the 8 teams are because it's so wide open and it's very possible that some of the low seeds can beat some of the high seeds(minus DEN and POR IMO)

[basketball royalty]

Dude, I wouldn't count Detroit out yet anyways. IMo the scarier team in the east is the Pistons and I think there is a very good chance we will see a Detroit vs LA Finals.

[doctaJ_92]

I'm not counting them out, but it may not even be them that makes it to the conference finals because they'll have to face Cleveland in the semi's and we all know how that matchup turned out last time with Detroit playing D vs Lebron like we did last night vs Kobe.

I just said I hope LA/BOS will happen. BOS/DET should go 7 if it does happen, but up to then the East really isnt much to talk about compared to the West who's first round matchups should be 10x better really.

[Lakers05]

I think people are overrating Phil quite a bit here. In his career, he has never won a championship as an underdog. If we win, it will be because of superior talent, not because of Phil(it is possible to lose with superior talent though, so in that case, you could say that he does a good job, by default, as long as he wins when he's supposed to.)

[thebossman]

Lakers should trade for Artest.. having 2 defensive stoppers on that team would be insane. (kobe being the other)

[distracted]

I would still say the Cs are best in the league on paper, then the Suns

In terms of bench production, Cs get dominated by both teams, with the Suns winning because they have barbosa and one of grant/diaw coming off the bench, along with skinner (who has been the scrappy player they need).

The Lakers have one allstar, and three guys close (with the closest being Pau).

The Suns have 3 allstars (I know the Matrix didn't make it, but frankly I would rather him than Pau asfar as being a complete player), and their supporting players are just one rung below the lakers' semistars (barbosa, hill, raja are all very good players)

The Cs have 3 allstars, and are surrounded by players who play defense, rebound the ball, and hit open shots. They also probably have the biggest impact player on any team not named Duncan in Garnett. Although Kobe pwns him offensively, and Kobe is good defensively, as a swing he can never have the defentsive impact Garnett has, and will never clean up the boards like him. Garnett also creates opportunities for teammates better than Kobe (imo).

I would say on paper, I would take Cs>Suns>Lakers

All of this and I didn't even mention the Spurs, who although have not been spectacular this year, are still better than the Lakers on paper, and probably better than the Suns.

[b0na f1de]

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Any nonpartisan would be able to tel you there's no comparison. The Lakers were considered contenders for the title before the addition of Gasol.

Really? you believe the lakers were among teams like sas, phx, dal and bos before the trade? They would have been happy if they just made the second round.

after the trade, maybe they can finally take the spurs to 6 games if bynum comes back.

[chuckerz]

I was looking at Nbadraft.net and it turns out that the Lakers drafted Marc Gasol, Pau's little brother in the 2007 draft. If they could bring him in, the Gasol brothers can bring in the winning chemistry from when they won the gold medal for Spain a couple of years ago.

[bigtime105]

They must be the best if they beat the Raptors.

[AB_21]

If the Lakers could get Kidd for Odom and like Farmar...holy moly.

Kidd, Kobe and Gasol. Very unlikely though. Celtics vs. Lakers finals.

[ilikecb4]

If Dallas gets Kidd, they win it all this year...

are you kidding me..Kidd, Stackhouse, Howard, Dirk, Dampier..plus a deep bench...