WHO DO YOU WANNA PLAY IN THE FINALS CAVS OR MAGIC

kooner · Post #1 » by **kooner** » Sat May 30, 2009 5:46 am

i would prefer playing the magic but lakers have hard time defending the 3 and the magic are the best at shooting the 3's if we get the magic then we will win 4-2. if we end up playing the cavs i think we will win 4-0 maybe maybe maybe maybe 4-1 if we have a very bad night. the cavs don't have anyone who can guard Kobe, or any big who can guard Lamar only lebron can guard him. then if bynum can pick his game up and then the cavs and the magic will have a difficult time guarding gasol and bynum since they both have only one big man that can guard bynum or gasol. the cavs would be easier to beat only person we gotta guard against them is lebron and rest will not roll if we stop lebron. i would prefer the magic to be a good finals but cavs would be easier match up for us and that would get like 50million viewers in north America for game one, trust me. Lakers 2008-2009 NBA champs

Sofa King · Post #2 » by **Sofa King** » Sat May 30, 2009 6:10 am

Lakers Cavs so the Kobe-Lebron debate can finally end. Love to tell the Lebron jock strap bitches to eat a dick.

The Laker Kid · Post #3 » by **The Laker Kid** » Sat May 30, 2009 6:18 am

I'm scared of Yamir Nelson

Post #4 » by **tkb** » Sat May 30, 2009 6:23 am

The Laker Kid wrote:I'm scared of Yamir Nelson

?

Sofa King · Post #5 » by **Sofa King** » Sat May 30, 2009 6:25 am

tkb wrote:
The Laker Kid wrote:I'm scared of Yamir Nelson

?

I googled Yamir. He scares me too.

Erik Eleven · Post #6 » by **Erik Eleven** » Sat May 30, 2009 6:30 am

/thread

Post #7 » by **tkb** » Sat May 30, 2009 6:32 am

Erik Eleven · Post #8 » by **Erik Eleven** » Sat May 30, 2009 6:39 am

OK, then — Cavs.

Orlando is as bad a matchup for us as they are for every other team in the league. Four deadly perimeter players anchored by one dominant big man in the paint is not exactly the NBA norm. Their unorthodox makeup and quick passing pace will pose great challenges for our defense. Considering that one of our most glaring weaknesses has been to defend the weak side three, it should be a tough series for the Lakers if Orlando wins the east (which I think they will, tomorrow).

AceFresh · Post #9 » by **AceFresh** » Sat May 30, 2009 6:57 am

Both teams pose problems for us.

Obviously Cavs have LeBron and Kobe may be forced to guard him which will then exert a lot of energy for him to use on offense.
Also Illgauskas can take bigs out of paint with his shot.

Mo Williams/Delonte West tandem on a night can really pose a threat offensively.

Magic, have Dwight who will definitely limit penetration.
Force Bynum/Pau to stay on boards and will make them work.

Also they are a 3 pt shooting team and with our inept ability to close out consistently it will be difficult esp. when they're players are going.

Good thing is we have HCA against Orl.

Both teams will be no easy task.

Erik Eleven · Post #10 » by **Erik Eleven** » Sat May 30, 2009 7:02 am

This is where doubling every ball handling opponent all the time will come back to haunt the Lakers. If we continue to double team too much against Orlando, they will make us pay for it.

LAL4Life · Post #11 » by **LAL4Life** » Sat May 30, 2009 7:07 am

If we can play like we did tonight for 4 more games, it doesn't matter who we play.

That said, I'd rather face Orlando. HCA cannot be overstated and more importantly, Jameer Nelson killed us in both regular season games. Alston's been playing well, but we won't struggle with him like we did with Nelson. Also, if we do end up playing Cleveland (which wouldn't at all surprise me), expect LeBron and Co to get D-Wade '06 Finals treatment. The officiating will be atrociously one-sided. Imagine Game 2 in Boston last year every single game.

Erik Eleven · Post #12 » by **Erik Eleven** » Sat May 30, 2009 7:42 am

LAL4Life wrote:If we can play like we did tonight for 4 more games, it doesn't matter who we play.

True.

SALMIEN · Post #13 » by **SALMIEN** » Sat May 30, 2009 8:21 am

bring whoever, we are ready sir

redoctober9 · Post #14 » by **redoctober9** » Sat May 30, 2009 8:33 am

I like the Magic because for me they played physical game with a lot of huzzles and buzzles and I would like to see a Bynum-Howard finals match up. I know that Dwight might dominate drew on this one but who knows maybe Drew might get back his confidence and gave dwight a hell of a fight. But nevertheless whoever is the opponent i don't care coz the LAKERS will smash them hard to the abyss I am confident that we will win this time around. The determination and the heart of the lakers compounds with what they have gone through reaching the finals I guess makes the Lakers very very strong so whether its bron or D-wight it doesnt matter its the purple and gold who will taste the champagne by June...GO LAKERS!!!!

MAMBAEMD · Post #15 » by **MAMBAEMD** » Sat May 30, 2009 8:49 am

Orlando has more offensive weapons and a beast on the interior who can play D, block shots and intimidate, and rebound.
Cleveland has LBJ.
I think the Lakers would have an easier time getting ready for the Cavs.
That said, in the Finals, home court is huge specially with the 2-3-2 format.
I would rather play Orlando due to having home court advantage.

Post #16 » by **Slava** » Sat May 30, 2009 9:20 am

If the finals were to be fair without any home cooking I'd prefer Cleveland. Talent wise they're much inferior to Orlando & Phil Jackson vs Mike Brown is a clear advantage for us but if Wade in 2006 is any preview, I'd stay away from the King. At least against Orlando Kobe should be getting the superstar calls.

Either way I believe this is our season to lose and Kobe will do anything in his power to win the chip this season.

JordansBulls · Post #17 » by **JordansBulls** » Sat May 30, 2009 12:37 pm

Magic would be the best situation for the team because you would have Homecourt Advantage. The only time a Lakers team has lost with Homecourt advantage since 1997 was in 2004 and that was to the Pistons. The last few times when the Lakers didn't have HCA they have lost in the playoffs. 2003 against the Spurs, 2006, 2007 against the Suns and 2008 against the Celtics. HCA means a lot no matter who you play.

spree2kawhi · Post #18 » by **spree2kawhi** » Sat May 30, 2009 12:44 pm

lakers >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> cavs
lakers >>>>>>>>>>> orlando

the lakers are probably the team best suited to match-up orlando's quickness and length on the forward positions as well as the center position and have the ability to counter lebron's production with a single player in kobe. after you take out kobe and lebron, it should be a clear advantage for the lakers as they are experienced, have great passing between the bigs and lots of options on offense. plus, lebron is probably gonna choke against kobe (but this is not as certain as the other factors). finals are going to be easy no matter who the lakers face.

makes me feel good, cause I'd have to drink ten straight tequilas if any team other than the lakers win the championship...

DubaLakers · Post #19 » by **DubaLakers** » Sat May 30, 2009 1:18 pm

CLEVELAND: Cavs are the easier matchup. The writing is on the wall: CLE is forced to be a one man band once the playoffs began. They happened to begin with ORL, which bit CLE in the ass, as well as the 9day layoff. Defenses tighten up, physicality is the norm, players have to make plays, CLE is the MVP and a bunch of spot up shooters: no penetrating PG, no back to the basket post player, no one can create their own shot, no beast down low.

ORLANDO: ORL on the other hand is a FULL team, they have everything: Excellent PG in Alston, C Lee is a rookie yet he's their best mid range shooter and their best penetrator, great shooters, length, height, inside presence the best BIG in the game, last but not least a great closer: Turkeyglue is all world, all of the sudden, he's their go to guy in the clutch: Alston just hands him the ball in dire situations and he comes out of every situation in these playoffs dipped in gold, just amazing. Take the ball out of your well qualified tough PG and let the 6'10" plodding Turk finish games? Very unorthodox, but I'm sold, he's been truly a beast. Dirk who? The new #1 Euro baller, Turkeyglue is "THE International." Plus SVG has taken down Doc & likely Mike Brown, coach of the year.

OPINION: I must confess I've been rooting for ORL vs. CLE who I can't stand...The ugly color scheme, lebron chosen1, lebron witness, MVP 24/7 (Which was the same last year with Kobe I was sick of it with our guy, enough already, he's the MVP, geez, shutup!) Sideshow Bob makes me ill with his pube perm, goofy players like Zeke, Sissorhands, Boobs Gibson, punk ass Mo Williams, ohh he bugs me, I love the fact he's failed and received a huge wakeup call, only reason he hasn't been torn up worse is LBJ is guarding Alston now, lol.

IN CONCLUSION: CLE would be a LAL Championship in 4/5 games. ORL will be a much tougher matchup, but a much more qualified foe. ORL V LA gives us homecourt yea! and would truly be a great series, guaranteed to go 6/7, either team could win.

Advantage Lakers...Matching deep squad, homecourt advantage, three stud seven footers, Turkeyglue I don't think will be able to 1 on 5 the LAL like he's done all playoffs in clutch situations, the LAL matching length and speed at that size would give him problems I would think. SVG will finally meet his greatest true foe in PJax: Spaz V. Rodin's Thinker.

My best analysis in a while, as I pat myself on the back, great insight Duba, hehe. :reporter:

Sedale Threatt · Post #20 » by **Sedale Threatt** » Sat May 30, 2009 1:29 pm

I'm pulling for Orlando simply because of the odds. I believe home teams are 20-4 in the Finals since the 2-3-2 format was implemented in 1985. Granted, we became one of those four teams to lose with it in 2004. But still -- the numbers say the home team has a massive advantage.

Plus, I don't think Orlando is so overwhelmingly talented that we can't match up with them. Howard will obviously eat us alive, but even if he gets 40 a night they can be contained if we keep an eye on everybody else. Odom should be be able to stick with Lewis, and pardon me if I don't think Turkoglu, a terrible % shooter, can kill us over a 7-game series.

Defensively, I see Gasol struggling big-time, which will obviously hurt us, and Bynum will likely just be foul fodder. Hopefully Lamar, who was awesome these last two games, can pick up the slack. They also have nobody who can handle Kobe, who lit them up for 41 and a triple double in the two meetings.