semi-sentient wrote:Utah is a good team, but I'm surprised that so many people see them as our biggest threat.
They were healthy last season in the playoffs and we took them in 6 games (winning on their floor, I might add), and that was without Ariza or Bynum. We'll have both of those guys this post-season off the bench, and that makes a big difference. Sure, Deron Williams does give us fits, but if you recall Kobe pretty much always goes nuts against them as well (Kobe killed them last year in the post-season). Odom had a field day against Boozer, and this year Odom is playing even better and with more attitude so I expect more of the same. Same with Pau and Okur. This year we are even better, and the Jazz have struggled all year with injury. Their chemistry is simply not going to be as good as ours and I don't believe for one second that they can win on our floor in the playoffs -- not with the way we are playing this season.
The only advantage I see for the Jazz (as far as starters go) is at PG. Their bench is pretty solid as well (AK17, Millsap), but since we'll have Ariza and hopefully Bynum to counter, we win that match up quite handily.
Anyway, IMO the only teams that stand a chance against us are the ones that can contain Kobe. You take him out of the game by making him take difficult shots and clogging the passing lanes (much like the Pistons did in 04) and you give yourself a great shot at beating the Lakers. The only 2 teams capable of doing that are the Rockets and Celtics -- both of which can also contain Gasol/Bynum on the inside. The Jazz and Spurs simply don't have the personnel to stop Kobe, so that means constant double teams which works to our benefit big time.
I'm really not coming over here to be a troll or dis on the Lakers or anything, but I don't see how you can say this when the Jazz beat the Lakers playing beautifully and stopping the Lakers in almost every part of the game a couple of weeks ago. Again, I'm not rubbing it in or anything, but I think that you are overlooking the Jazz. I think that a Jazz-Lakers series would be very close and fun to watch, but maybe that's just me.
