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

[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??

[El Hardee]

Denver or Dallas, not looking forward to seeing GSW in ANY round.

[Chubby Chaser]

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??

What's he going to tell him? "Dad, I think they're going to run this thing called the triangle"

hat's one of the beauties with the triangle offense. With the right personnel and if ran correctly, it can't be stopped even if you know they are going to run it. Phil doesn't really have new tricks. He runs the same plays he's ran since Chicago. Hell. How many times have we seen the scissors inbounds play at the end of games. Announcers even know what we're going to run before we even get out of the timeout.

[alfurd]

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??

The Lakers would still score 120ppg on them anyway.

Is it a popular feeling that people want to avoid the Warriors? I'm curious why that's the case because I keep hearing people fear what they did to the Mavs in the playoffs last year, but this Warriors team is playing nowhere near the level that they were at the end of last season, and from their games that I've seen (which aren't that many) they are still overly dependent on scoring streaks for their perimeter scoring. In fact, their 3pt shooting percentage has been terrible. I'll give them the shot all day as long as it isn't wide open. The Nuggets seem to be playing better right now, with Camby continuing to provide a steady contribution, Iverson in a groove, and J.R. Smith hitting his threes with regularity.

[dockingsched]

every knows everyone's plays. its all about execution.

[JordansBulls]

Denver would be a tough out.

[Chubby Chaser]

-= original quote snipped =-


The Lakers would still score 120ppg on them anyway.

Is it a popular feeling that people want to avoid the Warriors? I'm curious why that's the case because I keep hearing people fear what they did to the Mavs in the playoffs last year, but this Warriors team is playing nowhere near the level that they were at the end of last season, and from their games that I've seen (which aren't that many) they are still overly dependent on scoring streaks for their perimeter scoring. In fact, their 3pt shooting percentage has been terrible. I'll give them the shot all day as long as it isn't wide open. The Nuggets seem to be playing better right now, with Camby continuing to provide a steady contribution, Iverson in a groove, and J.R. Smith hitting his threes with regularity.

I would want to avoid Golden State because one of our main weaknesses right now is our help rotations. We just don't rotate fast enough to contest those open threes. Also, our players get "sucked in" to playing Golden State's style of play and forget that we have to make THEM conform to US. We've faced Phoenix the last two years in the playoffs, and I for one am tired of playing against the run and gun all threes all day offense. It would be a different story if we had Bynum and Ariza healthy and ready to go. But for now. I would like to avoid them.

[Anth0ny]

Dallas would not only be ideal for the Lakers, but it would also be a fun series to watch.

[LLcoleJ]

bump

[Minhee]

Grant Hill got hurt and Golden State is on the verge of winning at Phoenix so we will not know the seedings until after wednesday night. Stupid Suns I knew we they are not reliable for anything. They blew a 14 pt halftime lead just watch the Warriors somehow sneak into the 8th spot on the last day just like last year.

[dockingsched]

nuggets aren't going to lose to the grizzlies, i wouldn't worry about the warriors sneaking in.. this loss is a good thing since it keeps the suns out of the 5th seed and a possible 2nd round matchup with the lakers.

[LLcoleJ]

Suns wont lose this..

[dockingsched]

warriors officially eliminated. suns move into the 5 seed.

[Minhee]

Suns came back to win it and Warriors are officially out. Very nice now I can safely talk trash all summer long until November. lol.

On the other hand the seedings is way too confusing. Now it looks like we may be playing Dallas and then possibly Phoenix if we get to the 2nd round and if we make it to the WCF we have the Hornets/Spurs. Lets take care of business with Sactown tomorrow night first as we can easily slip to 2nd seed if we lay an egg.

[dub81]

I'm getting more and more scared of the Suns. Amare is playing some ball right now.

[Minhee]

I gave up trying to figure out the WC standings because it changes everyday and it hurts my head trying think. I will just let everything play itself out after Wednesday. Just glad I will not see those stuid yellow shirts with that ridiculous catch phrase of We Believe this playoffs. Most importantly we must take care of business tomorrow night.

[lakerfan10770]

We need a Houston victory (against clippers, should be good) and spurs to beat utah (shaky).

if the spurs lose, then they drop to 6th, and phx up to 5th...gulp.

ESPN News is reporting that the Spurs locked up the 3rd seed with their win tonight, I am not sure if that is correct but I suppose they should know.

Here is what I have:

#1 Spot - The Lakers are in control of the #1 seed, if they beat the Kings then they got it. If they lose, I don't know, I don't want to consider that cause it aint going to happen.

#2 Seed - If the Hornets beat the Clippers on Tuesday then they will lock up the #2 seed by virtue of tiebreakers. Why? Assuming the worse case scenario for them, which would be if they lose to Dallas on Wed and the Spurs beat the Jazz on Wed. They would be tied at 56-26 with the Spurs, so then the tie would have to be settled via tiebreakers. First tiebreaker is head-to-head record which is 2-2, second tiebreaker is record within division which would be tied 10-6, then the third tiebreaker would be record versus the Western Conference which the Hornets would win 34-18 to 33-19.

Seeds #3-#6 is incredibly confusing..... If the Jazz beat the Spurs, the Suns beat the Blazers, and the Rockets beat the Clippers (all possible if not likely) then the Spurs, Jazz, Suns, & Rockets would all finish with 55-27 records. So the 1st tiebreaker would be the best head-to-head winning percentage among the tied teams. Per NBA.com Link:http://www.nba.com/statistics/playoff_picture.html

Their records against each other are:

Jazz - 6-3 - 70.0%
Suns - 6-5 - 54.5%
Rockets - 5-6 - 45.5%
Spurs - 4-8 - 33.3%

So that would make it:

3. Jazz
4. Suns
5. Rockets
6. Spurs

#7 & #8 Seed - Dallas has to beat New Orleans at home to clinch the #7 Spot, but they can still clinch it if Denver loses to Memphis in Denver (Unlikely). Although New Orleans should have the 2 spot clinched, they may want to avoid Dallas in the 1st round if possible so they will have something to play for. I think Dallas would prefer to avoid the Lakers so they will have something to play for. Should be a good game.

[lakerfan10770]

Upon further review....

If the Spurs beat the Jazz, the Suns & Rockets both win their games on Wed. Then, Spurs are 3, Jazz are 4, Rockets are 5 by virtue of 2nd tiebreaker and the Suns are 6.

Of course the Lakers will be 1 and the Hornets will be 2. Let's asume that Dallas beats New Orleans on Wed since it is in Dallas. Then it would finish:

1. Lakers
2. Hornets
3. Spurs
4. Jazz
5. Rockets
6. Suns
7. Mavericks
8. Nuggets

I think this would be the most ideal seeding for the Lakers. So go Spurs...

[Chubby Chaser]

The possibilities for the first round is just insane! Too much stuff can happen. Hopefully we just worry about ourselves and take care of business at sac town. And everything else will just take care of itself.