Lakers won't make finals, says Robert Horry

[LakersSquad]

What? Spurs, Heat and OKC are the only teams I've ever said match up well with them with a legit "chance" at beating them in a series. I guess Memphis matches up decently but I can't see them beating the Lakers. Where are you getting this from?

I'm getting it from you making a statement like this. The spurs haven't really Matched up well vs the Lakers since we had Bynum and Gasol. Last season we was 1-2 vs them but Kobe missed two of those games.

If Splitter can take the next step and become full-fledged starting material I think this Spurs team matches up very well with the Lakers.

I get it from statements like this. IF you got to add an IF on a guy like Splitter then they don't match up well with the Lakers.

I have made similar posts about the Spurs, but that's because I think they're being slept on and truly believe they could match up with them. I think they match up with them better than OKC actually, but could also see OKC winning a series against them.

OKC I think they could be better we'll see next summer. But the spurs I don't think match up with them at all. Kobe & Nash cancels out Gino & Parker the same way Dwight cancels out Duncan. I'm just not seeing it.

[Bravenewworld]

I'm getting it from you making a statement like this. The spurs haven't really Matched up well vs the Lakers since we had Bynum and Gasol. Last season we was 1-2 vs them but Kobe missed two of those games.

OKC I think they could be better we'll see next summer. But the spurs I don't think match up with them at all. Kobe & Nash cancels out Gino & Parker the same way Dwight cancels out Duncan. I'm just not seeing it.

I trust the Spurs coaching staff to adjust to the Lakers far more then the Lakers staff to adjust to the Spurs and since their last title the Lakers have really been an iffy team. Their inconsistencies have really left me to question the team and how they view their competition. Nash against the Spurs does not have a good history, so im not sure how much value i can put on "Kobe & Nash cancels out Gino & Parker". Obviously Manu/Kobe is one hell of a match up that we all love seeing so there is definitely some validity there.
One thing the Lakers definitely have an advantage in is the youth of Howard. That destroys any kind of quality youth the Spurs have and at the end of the day i think that is what we saw happen to the Spurs last post season against the Thunder. Quality youth won out (which does not often happen in the P-O).

Im very interested to see how Nash and Howard fit in with them, its really hard to suggest they will not be a fantastic addition but whatever, we still need to see it before we proclaim anything. As a Thunder fan i am frightened a bit, but at the same time i can handle it and do see light in the way this Thunder team was constructed. In theory they should easily be able to handle the addition of Howard and Nash.

[LakersSquad]

I'm getting it from you making a statement like this. The spurs haven't really Matched up well vs the Lakers since we had Bynum and Gasol. Last season we was 1-2 vs them but Kobe missed two of those games.

OKC I think they could be better we'll see next summer. But the spurs I don't think match up with them at all. Kobe & Nash cancels out Gino & Parker the same way Dwight cancels out Duncan. I'm just not seeing it.

I trust the Spurs coaching staff to adjust to the Lakers far more then the Lakers staff to adjust to the Spurs and since their last title the Lakers have really been an iffy team. Their inconsistencies have really left me to question the team and how they view their competition. Nash against the Spurs does not have a good history, so im not sure how much value i can put on "Kobe & Nash cancels out Gino & Parker". Obviously Manu/Kobe is one hell of a match up that we all love seeing so there is definitely some validity there.
One thing the Lakers definitely have an advantage in is the youth of Howard. .

Nash holds his own vs Parker so I wouldn't worry about Popovich drawing up some plan to stop Nash because it's never happened. D12 usually outplays Duncan. Lakers had a lot of problems last season and some of them came from Mike Browns idea of how to run an offense, Its the reason Kobe went from 19 shots to 23. I can credit him for making us better defensively though.

[Stebo_SSK]

The elephant in the room that no one ever talks about is how well the Clippers play against OKC. Everyone always talks about LAL vs OKC but what happens if the Clips end up playing OKC in the playoffs? They beat them 3 out of times and 2 of those games OKC got blasted.

[LakersSquad]

The elephant in the room that no one ever talks about is how well the Clippers play against OKC. Everyone always talks about LAL vs OKC but what happens if the Clips end up playing OKC in the playoffs? They beat them 3 out of times and 2 of those games OKC got blasted.

Truth

[Day in the Life]

Clippers Lakers WCF. Heat Lakers Finals. Probably the best ratings ever.

[RatherUnique]

Miami didn't have a strong bench in their first year together, though.

Mike Miller had that crap on his shooting hand & Haslem was coming off of an injury & had one good game & faded into obscurity.

and thats why they didn't win

What does the third word in the title of this thread say?

[RatherUnique]

The Lakers can mix and match their 4 all-stars in so many ways it's insane. You can make 11 combinations with them:

Kobe/Gasol/Nash/Howard

Kobe/Gasol/Howard
Kobe/Gasol/Nash
Kobe/Nash/Howard
Nash/Gasol/Howard

Kobe/Gasol
Kobe/Howard
Kobe/Nash
Nash/Gasol
Nash/Howard
Gasol/Howard

All they need is two of their big 4 to be on the floor at the same time and any unit will be effective, preferably one of the guards with one of the bigs. The only time we should see only bench players is during blowouts.

That's exactly how MIA made the finals in '11 with an injured Miller & Haslem.

At least 2 of Wade/Bron/Bosh were always on the floor in the postseason.

You saw in the finals how Peja didn't even play much past game 1 because he would be coming in against either Bron or Bosh. This was a guy who averaged 25 mins/per game against LA in round 2

Starters play more in the playoffs anyway, so a bench's impact is mitigated unless you have legit starters like Harden/Manu coming in.

[Brooklyn_34]

I think people are missing the point....

He is commenting about the BENCH. He is saying that teams that go real deep have very good benches.

He is not talking about LA's starters.

A better bench will definitely help them.

Some are arguing that bench impact becomes mitigated during the playoffs--no sir, not true. Defenses are tighter in the playoffs. Even many elite players will see their efficiency drop. Every point counts. If you can have guys come off the bench and take a scoring load, that will make things SO MUCH easier. That's my take from watching BB for decades.

To be a "lock", LA will need some better bench scoring.

Their bench is thinned out, and has been for years now. Dallas made this embarrassingly clear in 2011.

Horry has a point.

[druggas]

Horry's still mad the Lakers didn't sign him when Malone and Peyton came back in 2004.

[jc23]

I have the lakers as the 2nd best team in the West as well. But thats why they play the game.

[commadoor 64]

It's amazing how this conversation only involves OKC and the Lakers. I don't know how people manage to continue underrating the Spurs every single year.

I agree.

They also don't consider Memphis who is just as big as anyone and who have added a boatload of combo guards.

Last year we were without Zbo and Arthur, we still had home court. We got them both back this year. Year before, no Rudy.
It's cool, though. Season ain't that far away.

Also, I just don't see that big of a difference between Howard and Bynum. Nash is the bigger concern.

[LakersSquad]

Horry's still mad the Lakers didn't sign him when Malone and Peyton came back in 2004.

Yea he started Bashing Kobe & Shaq after that lol but now a then he gives them props.

[P-AiR]

I don't know if having Antawn Jamison, Troy Murphy, Jodie Meeks, Chris Duhon means they don't have a deep bench. But I think they're going to be just fine - NBA Champions favorite for next year for sure.

I don't think people grasp how dominating the team will be with the addition of Nash, Howard, and Jamison. It's so unreal, no one can fathom the idea.

[Ayt]

I don't know if having Antawn Jamison, Troy Murphy, Jodie Meeks, Chris Duhon means they don't have a deep bench. But I think they're going to be just fine - NBA Champions favorite for next year for sure.

I don't think people grasp how dominating the team will be with the addition of Nash, Howard, and Jamison. It's so unreal, no one can fathom the idea.

You really shouldn't include Jamison. He's not good.

[Stebo_SSK]

I don't know if having Antawn Jamison, Troy Murphy, Jodie Meeks, Chris Duhon means they don't have a deep bench. But I think they're going to be just fine - NBA Champions favorite for next year for sure.

I don't think people grasp how dominating the team will be with the addition of Nash, Howard, and Jamison. It's so unreal, no one can fathom the idea.

You really shouldn't include Jamison. He's not good.

You really should delete your account if you think at guy at 36 years of age that just averaged 17.6ppg while playing 33mpg and shooting 34% from 3 isnt a great player to have on the bench.

[Johnny Firpo]

silly will smith, antawn jameson coming out of the bench helps provide spark. steve blake and jordan hill are also not back ups.

Yes, they are, on a good team. I don't think the Lakers' problem will be their bench btw, if anything, it will be age. If they can mash well, and stay healthy though, not sure even the Heat can stop them. Nash is gonna be absolutely deadly with Howard, Gasol, and even with Bryant. I think they'll have the best offense in the NBA easily.

[og15]

silly will smith, antawn jameson coming out of the bench helps provide spark. steve blake and jordan hill are also not back ups.

If your team sucks they aren't backups, but the Lakers bench is adequate enough. Hopefully Jamison can do more than inefficient shot jacking and poor defense/rebounding though.

[og15]

I don't know if having Antawn Jamison, Troy Murphy, Jodie Meeks, Chris Duhon means they don't have a deep bench. But I think they're going to be just fine - NBA Champions favorite for next year for sure.

I don't think people grasp how dominating the team will be with the addition of Nash, Howard, and Jamison. It's so unreal, no one can fathom the idea.

You really shouldn't include Jamison. He's not good.

You really should delete your account if you think at guy at 36 years of age that just averaged 17.6ppg while playing 33mpg and shooting 34% from 3 isnt a great player to have on the bench.

It did take Jamison 16.1 FGA to score 17.2 PPG, and he did have a .481 TS%, so of course there is a little skepticism about how much he helps because his rebounding was the worst it has been in 8 seasons, and Jamison was never a good defender and is worse now. He should be okay, hopefully he shoots better, but 97.8% of his threes were assisted and he was not that good, but maybe if he stays in the corner.

[whocurrz]

What? Spurs, Heat and OKC are the only teams I've ever said match up well with them with a legit "chance" at beating them in a series. I guess Memphis matches up decently but I can't see them beating the Lakers. Where are you getting this from?

I'm getting it from you making a statement like this. The spurs haven't really Matched up well vs the Lakers since we had Bynum and Gasol. Last season we was 1-2 vs them but Kobe missed two of those games.

If Splitter can take the next step and become full-fledged starting material I think this Spurs team matches up very well with the Lakers.

I get it from statements like this. IF you got to add an IF on a guy like Splitter then they don't match up well with the Lakers.

I have made similar posts about the Spurs, but that's because I think they're being slept on and truly believe they could match up with them. I think they match up with them better than OKC actually, but could also see OKC winning a series against them.

OKC I think they could be better we'll see next summer. But the spurs I don't think match up with them at all. Kobe & Nash cancels out Gino & Parker the same way Dwight cancels out Duncan. I'm just not seeing it.

The game Kobe played the Lakers lost by 25 and had one of their worst losses of the season So yeah you "was" 1-2 against them because they match up WELL against the Lakers like was the point of my post. They matched up well with pretty much every team. If you move the ball well and can hit shots, there's no player who is going to singlehandedly have a huge effect defending against it. And yes I do believe a player like Tiago Splitter who has won MVP of the second best league on the planet and improved every year in the NBA could become a better player. Already a good defensive player who has improved on offense and has one of the best coaches of all time helping him. Ridiculous to think the Spurs could give the Lakers a tough series.

Quit playing opinion police against everyone who may not think the Lakers (whose current roster hasn't played a game together yet) will walk through the entire NBA unchallenged.