Do teams have to play a Godly performance to beat LA?

[Showtime:Part2]

the celtics stand no chance against us this year. all of our players improved except odom while pierce spent the summer running his mouth and screwing around. ray allen is declining and garnett is older than everyone except fisher. ariza and bynum's impact is really being underestimated. vlad also improved his D a lot and if he sucks we can stick ariza on pierce this year and not let that clown get away with murder.

[jirojan]

Nah I don't think so, you just have to play defense. When the Celtics did that last year, this "god-like" Laker team got embarrassed. I'm not saying its the same team because I know they got Bynum back, but I don't see him being the difference because they didn't just lose to the C's, they got bodied. An athletic or a strong defensive team would give the Lakers a tremendous amount of trouble imo. Hornets are still my favorites out West.

ummm...what do you call houston? they play some of the best defense in the league......lakers got 2 huge pieces (bynum, ariza....both whos impact is on D) and boston lost 2 key players in p.j. and posey

[Kefa461]

Here we go with this silly **** again this year.... I guess another can of whipass has to be opened.

[NetsForce]

The Celtics will have to make the finals first Keffy, which is no guarantee based on how vulnerable they look...

[JordansBulls]

Lakers are looking good right now and will be tough to beat at home anyway. I don't expect them to lose more than 4-5 games at home this year, while they lose around 10-14 on the road.

[JellosJigglin]

Lakers through 5 games:

88.5 Defensive Rating (1st)
86.4 Defensive Efficiency (1st)

112.0 Offensive Rating (1st)
108.7 Offensive Efficiency (2nd)

[JellosJigglin]

Not to mention the crazy rebounding edge they've been getting.

Offense, defense, rebounding...right now they're clicking on all cylinders. We'll find out if it lasts.

[Dr Aki]

championships arent won in november

have a slice of humble pie and stay classy

[eatyourchildren]

I'm still worried about the Celtics. And actually, I'm a bit worried about the Suns for some reason. The rest of the league seems manageable.

[_BBIB_]

As much emphasis that is put on starters, those of us who really follow basketball know that it's a bench that makes or breaks a team.

And I'd have to say right now the Lakers bench with the addition of Odom is scary good. We're talking about a bench that not only can sustain leads, but CREATE leads. The Lakers bench in several games this year has made the runs to take the lead or seriously cut into one.

Now that's downright scary when your bench is that good.

[semi-sentient]

Not to mention the crazy rebounding edge they've been getting.

Offense, defense, rebounding...right now they're clicking on all cylinders. We'll find out if it lasts.

I wouldn't say that they are clicking on all cylinders just yet. Their offense (particularly) and defense still has room for improvement, which is crazy when you think about it. I think we'll get a good idea of where the Lakers are at around the beginning of next year. Their offense, by that time, should be clicking on all cylinders as right now Bynum still has not gotten in sync with the rest of the team. On defense, there is still plenty of work to be done on rotations (and communication), and it remains to be seen if they keep up this effort.

[peterhaas]

Keep that trash talking coming Celtics Fans. Im rooting for you boys to win 69 games this year.

I think the Celtics are "Godly".

[ClubLakers KB8]

Here we go with this silly **** again this year.... I guess another can of whipass has to be opened.

Aka - shut it.

[peterhaas]

Nah I don't think so, you just have to play defense. When the Celtics did that last year, this "god-like" Laker team got embarrassed. I'm not saying its the same team because I know they got Bynum back, but I don't see him being the difference because they didn't just lose to the C's, they got bodied. An athletic or a strong defensive team would give the Lakers a tremendous amount of trouble imo. Hornets are still my favorites out West.

EXCEPT you fail to realize that the Lakers THEMSELVES are now a top defensive team this year. So any trouble they have, the other team will have just as much if not more. Remember, they are #1 in Def. Efficiency thus far this year. Through 5 games yes. But once the mantra and the system are in place, they likely won't fall out of the top 3-5 teams all year in this category.

So, what you end up with is a top 5 offense, a top 5 defense and a top 5 rebounding team. Exactly WHO is going to compete with that? NOH. LOL.

YOu're just a Wade Jock who's dying to see Kobe not win the title because it'll burst the bubble you've created for yourself. That cucoon where Kobe hasnt won one without Shaq being the man.

I have news for you man. IF NOH beats LA, Chris Paul sort of vaults over WAde too bro. Im really sorry about that and I know you don't like to hear that bro, but Paul is widely considered a top 3-5 player in this league ALREADY. He's likely to make the first team alongside Kobe, regardless of how Great Wade plays this year AND on top of all that, he's your likely MVP as well outside of LBJ, as well.

So, if I were you, I'd stop using silly arguments and stop hoping some team, aNY TEAM other than Kobe's team wins, so therefore you'll throw anything that sticks to the wall when none of it makes sense.

If your key word is a great defensive team can stop the lakers offense....then you are already in trouble, cause the lakers are now a GREAT defensive team and their Offense is already better than that other team. So, where do you turn now my friend?

[Wade-GOAT]

Nah I don't think so, you just have to play defense. When the Celtics did that last year, this "god-like" Laker team got embarrassed. I'm not saying its the same team because I know they got Bynum back, but I don't see him being the difference because they didn't just lose to the C's, they got bodied. An athletic or a strong defensive team would give the Lakers a tremendous amount of trouble imo. Hornets are still my favorites out West.

ummm...what do you call houston? they play some of the best defense in the league......lakers got 2 huge pieces (bynum, ariza....both whos impact is on D) and boston lost 2 key players in p.j. and posey

You're talking on paper. Houston SHOULD be one of the best defenses in the league when they actually play together and gel some. It is only 6 games into the season. If you believe the Lakers are going to stay one of the top defensive teams all year and one of the top offensive teams all year, okay. But we disagree.

[Wade-GOAT]

Nah I don't think so, you just have to play defense. When the Celtics did that last year, this "god-like" Laker team got embarrassed. I'm not saying its the same team because I know they got Bynum back, but I don't see him being the difference because they didn't just lose to the C's, they got bodied. An athletic or a strong defensive team would give the Lakers a tremendous amount of trouble imo. Hornets are still my favorites out West.

EXCEPT you fail to realize that the Lakers THEMSELVES are now a top defensive team this year. So any trouble they have, the other team will have just as much if not more. Remember, they are #1 in Def. Efficiency thus far this year. Through 5 games yes. But once the mantra and the system are in place, they likely won't fall out of the top 3-5 teams all year in this category.

So, what you end up with is a top 5 offense, a top 5 defense and a top 5 rebounding team. Exactly WHO is going to compete with that? NOH. LOL.

YOu're just a Wade Jock who's dying to see Kobe not win the title because it'll burst the bubble you've created for yourself. That cucoon where Kobe hasnt won one without Shaq being the man.

I have news for you man. IF NOH beats LA, Chris Paul sort of vaults over WAde too bro. Im really sorry about that and I know you don't like to hear that bro, but Paul is widely considered a top 3-5 player in this league ALREADY. He's likely to make the first team alongside Kobe, regardless of how Great Wade plays this year AND on top of all that, he's your likely MVP as well outside of LBJ, as well.

So, if I were you, I'd stop using silly arguments and stop hoping some team, aNY TEAM other than Kobe's team wins, so therefore you'll throw anything that sticks to the wall when none of it makes sense.

If your key word is a great defensive team can stop the lakers offense....then you are already in trouble, cause the lakers are now a GREAT defensive team and their Offense is already better than that other team. So, where do you turn now my friend?

LOL who is this ridiculous stan? Because I said I don't think your team is God-like whatsoever you came up with all this ****? Its 6 games into the season and first of all I don't make claims like that period after 6 f*cking games into the season because most teams haven't even begun to find their groove yet. And secondly I do not think LA is going to remain an elite defensive team which is what I believe translates into championships. Never anywhere did I say they wouldn't be contenders because I think they will, but I simply don't see them winning it as of yet. If I thought they would remain number 1 in defense, then yeah, but I don't. The team certainly is stacked though, even more so than last year, and with Kobe you never know and he should be able to lead them to the championship.

But who even said anything about Wade wtf? Calm down and take a break fam you're overexerting yourself on a message board. I'm not even going to get into a debate about Wade's position in the league with you because I already know how furious Kobe fans are at Wade and how much they hate dude lol. He "sucks" right? he's not as good as so and so right? I know

[peterhaas]

Wow...touche my friend. No need to overreact by cursing and breaking TOS.

Listen man. All you had to say from the beginning was ONE simple thing:

"I dont think the Lakers will remain a top defensive team this year and certainly not #1. I think they'll revert back to offense first and only and that will be their downfall"

Had you said THAT, then I likely would have concurred with your sentiments about wanting to see more from them before I bought into the Defensive tenacity that's being displayed out there.

But, you failed to acknowledge their current standing at all OR what might happen. You blindly attacked them and their mental and physical character without qualifying the statements with your assumptions of where things would be. So, in that sense, I had no choice but to make it clear to you that they are ALSO a top defensive team at the moment. So anyone they ahve trouble scoring against, will have just as much OR MORE trouble scoring on them based on waht we've seen thus far.

Next time, say what you really mean and there won't be any confusion about trying to read into what you were intending.

[Wade-GOAT]

Blindly attack them? Dude, my first post said basically: I think a strong defensive team would give them fits, which I do, the C's can still beat them, which I do, and that athletic teams will give them trouble as well, which I do. That is not an attack that is my opinion and it still stands. If I would have came in here and said the Lakers suck balls, f*ck Kobe, you would have had a right to go off on your tangent. But I didn't say anything of the sort. Never said they wouldn't be contenders either because obviously with a team that damn stacked at every position that would be foolish of me to believe.

You just got mad because I didn't agree that you're team is God-like and unbeatable, read that my name had Wade in it and got upset and let your hate for Wade run free. That's not my fault because I said what I meant, you just didn't like it.

[TonyMontana]

Wow...touche my friend. No need to overreact by cursing and breaking TOS.

Listen man. All you had to say from the beginning was ONE simple thing:

"I dont think the Lakers will remain a top defensive team this year and certainly not #1. I think they'll revert back to offense first and only and that will be their downfall"

Had you said THAT, then I likely would have concurred with your sentiments about wanting to see more from them before I bought into the Defensive tenacity that's being displayed out there.

But, you failed to acknowledge their current standing at all OR what might happen. You blindly attacked them and their mental and physical character without qualifying the statements with your assumptions of where things would be. So, in that sense, I had no choice but to make it clear to you that they are ALSO a top defensive team at the moment. So anyone they ahve trouble scoring against, will have just as much OR MORE trouble scoring on them based on waht we've seen thus far.

Next time, say what you really mean and there won't be any confusion about trying to read into what you were intending.

Hey man you need to come down with the ish talking.
Your making us look bad with all the hype after 5 games, we havent done ish in 5 games against 5 teams that basically played on our home floor.
Stop overreacting and slow down, maybe by the mid season if we are still undefeated then you have a little room to talk but for now. COME DOWN FROM THE CLOUDS.

[HarlemHeat37]