1st round thread - Who do you want? Dallas? Denver? GS?

[TruSkool]

i would much rather play the nuggets than mavs...

does anyone think the mavs are trying to lose on purpose to get to that 8th seed to face us in the playoffs?
maybe theyd rather face us than the hornets ins the 1st round??

[kobesfan]

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The highest the Lakers can be is 3rd and thats saying the lakers lose to sacramento and the spurs, hornets, and roxs win there remaining games.

But like you guys are saying its VERY possible we could face dallas. Personally i think we can beat the mavs or the nuggs, we've had both there number for years. The only teams im afraid of are the suns and thhe playoff spurs at full strength

I believe you meant the lowest seed is 3rd for Lakers.

I don't really know, but if all 4 teams end up 56-26, the tie-breaker should be winning % between these 4, which Houston is still winning, (Houston 6-5, Spurs and NOH both 6-6, Lakers 5-6). How can we be third if so? Unless they switch back to 3 teams tie-break and conf record after the first seed is determined.

[NOODLESTYLE]

I'd take Denver.

[may191988]

the warriors are basically all but eliminated so i wont even consider them. i really cant see how anyone would rather play denver than dallas. even if matchups are ur arguements then the lakers have fared better against denver than they have against dallas. i know denver is crazy talented but how is dallas not stacked either?? theyre top 4-5 are absolutely amazing players. not to mention denver has won nothing. absolutely nothing. dallas is 2 years removed from the finals and theyre playing with perhaps the best floor leader and a very playoff tested pg in jason kidd. this is a no brainer guys!!! u guys would rather play a playoff built team than a no-defense, isolation-scoring team??!!! AVOID DALLAS!!

[CITYOFANGELSX3]

All i know for sure is if we win on tuesday we're the #1 seed. Thats all that should matter!

[Slava]

I'd rather win and play whoever comes up than pick someone and get embarrassed like the Mavericks.

[bobobolas1]

Grizzlies.

But as they finally didnt catch the 8th spot. i guess i'd choose denver....

they have two big stars but can be stopped by odom and bryant. Their PG is the weakest position, like us. so that give us more chances. I want to face nuggets for that. other way, chris paul, kidd and later nash, parker, williams, will kill us. but PG in rockets and nuggets would give us the win.

[bobobolas1]

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Melo will try to "sprewell" Sasha again.

[Alex_De_Large]

so easy for the lakers.

[dub81]

I can easily see Sasha baiting Melo into a fight, and Melo takes a swing and gets suspended.

GOOOOO Sasha

That's not how you play playoff ball

[Joe Kleazy]

1.Take care of business against sactown.

2. Run the MOTHERF**** TABLE

3. CHAMPIONSHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIP

[TylersLakers]

I don't care, as long as we have that first seed.

[Doctor.]

Denver will make the playoffs. The only way they will lose to Denver is if they dont need it in order to make it (if Warriors lose previously). But yes, Dallas did complicate things by loosing a couple of games since they made sure they are in the playoffs.

To be honest, I do not like the idea of playing Dallas. I think luck comes in circles and as unlucky as they were in the playoffs previous two years, I am afraid that they will have every luck in the world in their next series. So naturaly I dont want Lakers to be that next series.

Having said that, Denver is very dangerous as well. But hey, if we want to win the 15th Championships, we have to be able to beat anybody.

[Andrew Bynasty]

It actually looks like were gonna play Dallas.

If the Mavs lose to the Hornets, and the Nuggets beat the Grizzlies, (both likely scenarios) then because of the tiebreaker we would actually end up playing the Mavs... Which is a better matchup than playing Phoenix, but playing the Nuggets woulda been awesome.

[lakerfan10770]

Here is a little recap of how I think/hope this crazy Western Conference race will go down the last 3 days of the regular season:

Current Standings:

1. Lakers------56-25
2. Hornets-----55-25--0.5 GB
3. Spurs-------54-26--1.5 GB
4. Jazz---------53-27--2.5 GB
5. Rockets-----54-26--1.5 GB
6. Suns--------53-27--2.5 GB
7. Mavericks--50-31--6.0 GB
8. Nuggets----49-32--7.0 GB
9. Warriors----48-32--7.5 GB

Key games:

Monday:
Spurs @ Kings (Spurs should win, even without Manu)

Warriors @ Suns (I like the Warriors in this game, they have to win or they are done)

Rockets @ Jazz (Toss-up, but Jazz are great at home & they have a chance to move up to 3rd if they beat the Spurs on Wed, although that would likely match them up with the Suns, I'll go with the Jazz)

Standings after Monday:

1. Lakers------56-25
2. Hornets-----55-25--0.5 GB
3. Spurs-------55-26--1.0 GB
4. Jazz---------54-27--2.0 GB
5. Rockets-----54-27--2.0 GB
6. Suns--------53-28--3.0 GB
7. Mavericks--50-31--6.0 GB
8. Nuggets----49-32--7.0 GB
9. Warriors----49-32--7.0 GB

Tuesday:
Clippers @ Hornets (the Hornets need to stay in the 2 spot, so winning is vital, luckily they catch the Clipps at home, Hornets should kill them)

Kings @ Lakers (I like the Lakers in a rout, to much to play for to have a letdown at this point)

Standings after Tuesday:

1. Lakers------57-25 (Western Conference Champs)
2. Hornets-----56-25--0.5 GB
3. Spurs-------55-26--1.5 GB
4. Jazz---------54-27--2.5 GB
5. Rockets-----54-27--2.5 GB
6. Suns--------53-28--3.5 GB
7. Mavericks--50-31--6.5 GB
8. Nuggets----49-32--7.5 GB
9. Warriors----49-32--7.5 GB

Wednesday:
Hornets @ Dallas (assuming the Hornets beat the Clipps, then they will clinch the 2nd seed over the Spurs, by virtue of the 3rd tiebreaker. So they may look to rest players. Also, Considering the game is in Dallas, I like the Mavs)

Clippers @ Rockets (Rockets should easily win, they have a shot of having homecourt advantage vs the Jazz if the Jazz lose to the Spurs.)

Grizzlies @ Nuggets (I like the Nuggets all the way, it's in Denver and a win guarantees a playoff spot)

Jazz @ Spurs (Both teams are in a catch 22 if it plays out like I think, if the Jazz lose then they will face the Rockets without homecourt advantage. If they win then they move up to 3 and get the Suns. So who do they want to play? From the Spurs perspective, they would probably rather face Houston than Phoenix, so will both teams look to lose? This is a toss-up, but I hope the Spurs win and it's in San Antonio. So I'll go with them)

Blazers @ Suns (The Suns are pretty much locked into the 6th spot at this point, win or lose it doesn't matter, but the Suns should win)

Sonics @ Warriors (It doesn't really matter what the Warriors do if the Nuggets take care of their business, but I still like the Warriors easily)

Standings after Wednesday:

1. Lakers------57-25
2. Hornets-----56-26--1.0 GB (Own Tiebreaker over Spurs)
3. Spurs-------56-26--1.0 GB
4. Jazz---------54-28--3.0 GB (Get 4th seed by winning their Division)
5. Rockets-----55-27--2.0 GB
6. Suns--------54-28--3.0 GB
7. Mavericks--51-31--6.0 GB
8. Nuggets----50-32--7.0 GB
9. Warriors----50-32--7.0 GB

Match Ups with my prediction

First Round:
1) Lakers Vs Nuggets (Lakers in 5)
2) Hornets Vs 7) Mavericks (Mavericks in 6)
3) Spurs Vs 6) Suns (Spurs in 7)
4) Jazz Vs 5) Rockets (Jazz in 5)

2nd Round:
1) Lakers Vs 4) Jazz (Lakers in 7)
3) Spurs Vs 7) Mavericks (Spurs in 5)

Western Conference Finals
1) Lakers Vs 3) Spurs (Lakers in 7)

I will update this each day, because it is highly unlikely that it actually plays out as I predicted/hoped.

[Erik Eleven]

Dallas.

Perimeter defense is our achilles heal. Denver or Warriors? No thanks.

[Chubby Chaser]

I'd love to play Dallas in the first round.

[timebandit]

It is what it is!

[TommyTheCat]

can we petition to play all 3 at once.

Bring It!!

[slickgreek]

You guys ever think, if we do end up playing Denver...that Coby Karl might end up telling his dad some of the Lakers plays? I mean the guys in the D-League, and hes not helping the team make a run in the playoffs...you never know??