BuckleDownBen: How is it pathetic to talk about who to draft? I was talking about the draft and looking at the mock drafts, etc before the series even started. Even if the Lakers win this series, they are still going to need to fill some holes. There is no doubt in my mind they will force a game 7, and whatever happens in that happens. They need to remember that the 88 Lakers went down 3-2 to Detroit before coming back to win that series in 7. No reason these current Lakers can't do that this season. But, even winning this series doesn't change the fact that they will be drafting, and that there are players that can help them in the draft (probably not immediately though). Even if the Lakers win, Sac has shown a few chinks in the Laker armor that need to be patched up big time.
And no they don't need a point guard that is going to shoot 20 times a game, but what they do need is a quick on the ball defender, and someone with a good head for the game, two things Derek Fisher is not. Regardless if they win this series or not, it does not change the fact that a team like the Kings has caught up to the Lakers. There are a few reasons for that:
1)Shaq is not healthy, not even close. If the Big Everything wasn't nursing every basketball injury known to mankind, this series would look a hell of lot different. 2)With Mike Bibby, the Kings have matured enough, and have a good court leader that can harness their talent. Jason Williams was like the 6th Laker last season he hurt the Kings so bad. Bibby is the difference this year. 3)Poor small guard play for the Lakers. Mike Bibby is just destroying the Lakers small guards (Fisher and Hunter). When you can't defend the initiator of the offense, you are going to have problems. It's been a problem for a few seasons, but they were always able to mask it with the team defense and Kobe. Unfortunetly it's been tough to do that in this series because of the early foul trouble Kobe is getting into. 4)Zone defense rules have wrecked Shaq's game. The NBA can say what they want, but zone defenses were allowed this year for one reason, and one reason only, Shaquille O'Neal. Teams can now firmly plant two to three defenders in Shaq's lap before the ball even enters the post. If the NBA isn't careful, Shaq is going to walk away from the game of basketball.
Lakers in 7.