Originally posted by: Evan Lieb
Because Syringer is either a Kings, Spurs, or Mavs fan. Go figure, another Laker hater.
I voted other. Guess who the "other" team is....
Btw, anyone else hear the rumors that Gary Payton is going to take a pay cut to come to L.A.? Kobe + Payton = one hell of a backcourt. :Q
Dude, Houston didn't even make the playoffs. Maybe you should pay attention to the NBA before you pick your Finals winner.
And would Payton really help out the Lakers that much? Sure he's good, but don't you think Fisher is good enough. Fisher plays tight defense and has been shooting the lights out so far this postseason. Payton is good, but he's stingy with the ball and you would have 3 selfish guys trying to fight over who takes the most shots.
And regardless of who the Lakers might have next year, this year has still been a telling sign of their aging. They have struggled through the season and now are struggling through the playoffs. Even if the Lakers pull off a 4-peat, other NBA teams will still see them as vulnerable and not as powerful as they once were.
I'm hoping either the Spurs or Mavs take it. Come to think of it... I really wouldn't mind an eastern conference team winning it either. BUT GO SPURS!!!
First
Lifer
- Jun 3, 2002
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Originally posted by: Stojakapimp
Originally posted by: Evan Lieb
Because Syringer is either a Kings, Spurs, or Mavs fan. Go figure, another Laker hater.
I voted other. Guess who the "other" team is....
Btw, anyone else hear the rumors that Gary Payton is going to take a pay cut to come to L.A.? Kobe + Payton = one hell of a backcourt. :Q
Dude, Houston didn't even make the playoffs. Maybe you should pay attention to the NBA before you pick your Finals winner.
And would Payton really help out the Lakers that much? Sure he's good, but don't you think Fisher is good enough. Fisher plays tight defense and has been shooting the lights out so far this postseason. Payton is good, but he's stingy with the ball and you would have 3 selfish guys trying to fight over who takes the most shots.
And regardless of who the Lakers might have next year, this year has still been a telling sign of their aging. They have struggled through the season and now are struggling through the playoffs. Even if the Lakers pull off a 4-peat, other NBA teams will still see them as vulnerable and not as powerful as they once were.
Uh, I guess that Houston comment is a joke?
And yes, Payton would help out the Lakers, why would you think otherwise. Kobe, Shaq, and Jackson will coach him in the ways of the triangle, it's not as if he's going to be selfish with players that he knows are better than him. He wants a ring, not an MVP award. And Fisher is inconsistent, if he could shoot like he is now in the regular season, I'd love him. However, I am extremely impressed that he can turn it on during the playoffs as he has the last few years.
Who's aging? Kobe is just under 25 years old and is only going to get better. Devean George is just under 26 and still has lots of room to get better. Fisher is just under 30 and is in great shape, he may still have room left for significant improvement (doubtful in my mind). Rush is just under 23 years old and Pargo is just under 24, and both these (previously rookies) players have shown great potential. Yes, Shaq is getting older, but he's still just 31. Yes, Shaq didn't play his usual, uncontested dominant ball this season, mostly due to his toe injury (among other little nagging injuries), which in turn made it difficult for him to condition himself properly. But he's gotten much better since he came back 12 games into last year's season as he's been able to condition and practice, so there's every reason to believe he will do some training this summer and be even better than he has been lately for the 2003-2004 season. A healthy Shaq, Kobe and George (with whoever else at PG and PF) is a great team already. All they need to do this summer is to sign one marquee player (like a Devean George) and maybe a couple decent bench players and the Lakers will easily have their best squad since winning the championship in 2000. If anything, the Lakers look to be even more dominant next season without adding anyone, as their two healthy rookies and Devean George are getting better and are still very young.
I really think it is going to come down to LA and NJ. I'd like to see Dallas take it, but I just don't see it happening. I wouldn't mind an all-Texas Conference final, though.
Originally posted by: Evan Lieb
Originally posted by: Stojakapimp
Originally posted by: Evan Lieb
Because Syringer is either a Kings, Spurs, or Mavs fan. Go figure, another Laker hater.
I voted other. Guess who the "other" team is....
Btw, anyone else hear the rumors that Gary Payton is going to take a pay cut to come to L.A.? Kobe + Payton = one hell of a backcourt. :Q
Dude, Houston didn't even make the playoffs. Maybe you should pay attention to the NBA before you pick your Finals winner.
And would Payton really help out the Lakers that much? Sure he's good, but don't you think Fisher is good enough. Fisher plays tight defense and has been shooting the lights out so far this postseason. Payton is good, but he's stingy with the ball and you would have 3 selfish guys trying to fight over who takes the most shots.
And regardless of who the Lakers might have next year, this year has still been a telling sign of their aging. They have struggled through the season and now are struggling through the playoffs. Even if the Lakers pull off a 4-peat, other NBA teams will still see them as vulnerable and not as powerful as they once were.
Uh, I guess that Houston comment is a joke?
And yes, Payton would help out the Lakers, why would you think otherwise. Kobe, Shaq, and Jackson will coach him in the ways of the triangle, it's not as if he's going to be selfish with players that he knows are better than him. He wants a ring, not an MVP award. And Fisher is inconsistent, if he could shoot like he is now in the regular season, I'd love him. However, I am extremely impressed that he can turn it on during the playoffs as he has the last few years.
Who's aging? Kobe is just under 25 years old and is only going to get better. Devean George is just under 26 and still has lots of room to get better. Fisher is just under 30 and is in great shape, he may still have room left for significant improvement (doubtful in my mind). Rush is just under 23 years old and Pargo is just under 24, and both these (previously rookies) players have shown great potential. Yes, Shaq is getting older, but he's still just 31. Yes, Shaq didn't play his usual, uncontested dominant ball this season, mostly due to his toe injury (among other little nagging injuries), which in turn made it difficult for him to condition himself properly. But he's gotten much better since he came back 12 games into last year's season as he's been able to condition and practice, so there's every reason to believe he will do some training this summer and be even better than he has been lately for the 2003-2004 season. A healthy Shaq, Kobe and George (with whoever else at PG and PF) is a great team already. All they need to do this summer is to sign one marquee player (like a Devean George) and maybe a couple decent bench players and the Lakers will easily have their best squad since winning the championship in 2000. If anything, the Lakers look to be even more dominant next season without adding anyone, as their two healthy rookies and Devean George are getting better and are still very young.
Yes, it was a joke. Even though I hate the lakers and you hate the kings, I would hope that we could still joke with each other.
In terms of aging, I think I said meant something else. I meant to say that the Lakers aren't as powerful as they were 2 years ago. I don't know if that's because of age, because of shaq slowing down, or because improvement by other teams, but this season has shown the lakers are weakening and are beatable. Yes the Lakers have some good talent in Rush and Pargo and George and what not, but the bottom line of the lakers is Shaq. He is not as dominant as he used to be and as he ages, his injuries will only become worse and worse.
Bump for the "other crowd". There is really only one team to be watching for the finals. Yes, it would be nice for your favorite team to win, but wouldn't you want to see multiple records broken by a team that hasn't done it in DECADES? Let alone, get a coach to break an all time record? I think more people want to see records broken, versus just their favorite team win.
vash
vash
Red Dawn
Elite Member
- Jun 4, 2001
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Not really because that would elevate them up with teams that were much better than they are because those teams played against tougher competition (back when the concept of teamwork was a main part of the NBA..along with the ability to make free throws.) This current other team doesn't even rank up there with the Magic Johnson Lakers.
anxi80
Lifer
- Jul 7, 2002
- 12,294
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im starting to believe this is all for ratings. 1st round is a best of 4. western conference games are now neck and neck. people on here have speculated it before, and i brushed the notion off, but now im starting to honestly believe it. the 2 western conference games will probably go to the 7th game just for ratings, where the 2 california teams will most likely win on the road, to come back and have a rematch of last year.
here's what i think.
the spurs narrowly survive the lakers, then beat the pants off dallas. nj advances in the east, and k-mart shuts ducan down, nets win, all the east-haters look like fools.
<----- (wakes up)
the spurs narrowly survive the lakers, then beat the pants off dallas. nj advances in the east, and k-mart shuts ducan down, nets win, all the east-haters look like fools.
<----- (wakes up)
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