Support NeoGAF

[KingGondo]

Not confident about the series, honestly--but I do think OKC is the only team capable of winning a series against the Spurs. Stealing one of the first two in San Antonio would be huge.

Three things that have to happen for the Thunder to win:

1. Smart interior defense--limit the cheap fouls and Ibaka has to stay down on pump-fakes.
2. We have to play passing lanes and have tons of energy on defense to close out on shooters. Green and Leonard are still young and haven't been in this position before. Pressuring them will be key, and will make it much easier to defend the big 3.
3. It will take big nights from two of our big 3 to win any game. If 2 or more of those guys struggle, it's curtains. They need to show that they're deserving of those contracts.

It'll take 4 games of the best basketball they've played all year. I'm sure the coaching staff is already breaking down games 3 and 4 against the Clips and seeing what they can apply.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

You wanted to trade for Melo. Your argument is invalid.

And I still would have done that. Melo would have gotten a 3 year extension, which falls right in line with the Kobe/Pau contracts, and I would have felt fine with a Kobe/Melo/Pau core for 3 years. Hell they'd at least have as much chance at a title as this current team has had the last two seasons. I think we'd have been better off to be honest.

 

[DY_nasty]

Melo and Kobe would work a hell of a lot better than Melo and Amare.

 

[darkside31337]

Melo and Kobe would work a hell of a lot better than Melo and Amare.

Thats some Jon Barry level analysis right there. Amare ain't even Boozer level anymore.

 

[charsace]

The thunder will have a hard time against the Spurs. The Spurs offense is built around ball movement. The only other teams that do something similar are the Celtics and the Sixers and they aren't even close to Spurs in that regard. The spurs are the most adaptable team in the NBA.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Chris Palmer has spent the last seven hours on Twitter trying to argue that the Lakers' mystique/popularity/whatever is greater than the Yankees and major European soccer teams and NFL teams and how that mystique is more important than CBA rules. ESPN just has the best people.

 

[DY_nasty]

Thats some Jon Barry level analysis right there. Amare ain't even Boozer level anymore.

But there's still time to make it work

DO IT MITCH

 

[ThatCrazyGuy]

Of the teams left, i'm rooting for the heat. Then OKC next.

 

[iamshadowlark]

Of the teams left, i'm rooting for the heat. Then OKC next.

You're a good guy.

 

[Herpes Reasons]

But there's still time to make it work

DO IT MITCH

Were trading our best wing defender for a Guy that arguably can't spell defense.
at least throw in that Taiwanese dude.

 

[KingGondo]

The thunder will have a hard time against the Spurs. The Spurs offense is built around ball movement. The only other teams that do something similar are the Celtics and the Sixers and they aren't even close to Spurs in that regard. The spurs are the most adaptable team in the NBA.

They're adaptable, but I think they're convinced that their current system is unbeatable. They might be right.

But at the same time, you know how they're gonna try and play--penetrate and kick out to shooters, iso Timmy on the block, pass to cutters, get out on the break, etc. There are no secrets, it's a matter of superior execution.

It will take a heroic defensive performance for OKC to make it a series. Thankfully, they're capable of that because of the length and athleticism up and down the whole roster.

I agree that coaching is a major mismatch, though. Also, Pop has way more options he can go to off the bench to create awkward matchups for OKC.

 

[DY_nasty]

Were trading our best wing defender for a Guy that arguably can't spell defense.
at least throw in that Taiwanese dude.

When blackhole Kobe and blackhole Melo collide they'll create the Rebound Apocalypse and revitalize Pau's career

 

[Ash Sparrow]

No trade will work for the Lakers, Kobe has good pieces now, he just doesnt have the mindset to utilize them. He really should embrace that he's in his basketball twilight and get the ball to Gasol and Bynum more. Bynum is arrogant as hell and Gasol makes me want to punch him, but these guys have alot of potential.

 

[Future PhaZe]

I could see OKC getting swept.

The Lakers front court is so bad from a mental perspective...so unintelligent in so many ways and they were a couple of chokes away from having a 3-1 lead at one point.

You replace that stuff with SA's depth, the general overall IQ of that team, much better defense, POP...it's not going to be pretty.

Hoping for a Heat/Spurs final where after getting swept Timmy once again tells Bron the league will be his "soon".

No trade will work for the Lakers, Kobe has good pieces now, he just doesnt have the mindset to utilize them. He really should embrace that he's in his basketball twilight and get the ball to Gasol and Bynum more. Bynum is arrogant as hell and Gasol makes me want to punch him, but these guys have alot of potential.

This perspective is getting pretty old now. Pau is mindfucked and Bynum is a different kind of mindfucked. Kobe is still top 5 pretty easily and I can see him being effective for at least 1 more season.

 

[Ash Sparrow]

This perspective is getting pretty old now. Pau is mindfucked and Bynum is a different kind of mindfucked. Kobe is still top 5 pretty easily and I can see him being effective for at least 1 more season.

Kobe's ego and ball hogging takes the bigs out of the game, then he blames them for the loss and the hive mind eats it up. Thats bound to screw you up.

 

[TRios Zen]

They're adaptable, but I think they're convinced that their current system is unbeatable. They might be right.

But at the same time, you know how they're gonna try and play--penetrate and kick out to shooters, iso Timmy on the block, pass to cutters, get out on the break, etc. There are no secrets, it's a matter of superior execution.

It will take a heroic defensive performance for OKC to make it a series. Thankfully, they're capable of that because of the length and athleticism up and down the whole roster.

I agree that coaching is a major mismatch, though. Also, Pop has way more options he can go to off the bench to create awkward matchups for OKC.

I agree that the quick hands and athleticism to disrupt passing is OKC's key to this series. If OKC can impact the game with that 4 times out of 7, they will move on. If they can not, I'd give the advantage to the Spurs.

 

[Emwitus]

The problem is that there are no great defensive teams in the playoffs, no one will be able to stop the Spurs from scoring. The best defensive team in the playoffs left are the Heat, but they are a fraud, their defense won't beat a team that passes the ball good and that's even if they make it to the Finals.

Boston?


EDIT: And OKC are going to be swept.

 

[KingGondo]

No trade will work for the Lakers, Kobe has good pieces now, he just doesnt have the mindset to utilize them. He really should embrace that he's in his basketball twilight and get the ball to Gasol and Bynum more. Bynum is arrogant as hell and Gasol makes me want to punch him, but these guys have alot of potential.

"Potential" is not a word I think of when it comes to Bynum and Gasol, unless you mean "potential to become more bitchmade and get injured" for Bynum and "potential to continue his slow metamorphosis into a slobbery vagina" for Pau.

 

[Jeff-DSA]

Boston?


EDIT: And OKC are going to be swept.

Boston can't score enough to keep up with San Antonio. They might hold San Antonio to a lower average, but it wouldn't be enough.

 

[kevo_huevo]

man lakers fans in my area talking about "amnesty kobe! sign d-will! trade pau/bynum for dwight!" lol

or does this belong in the offseason thread?

 

[Emwitus]

Boston can't score enough to keep up with San Antonio. They might hold San Antonio to a lower average, but it wouldn't be enough.

I think right now, boston is the best defensive team in the playoffs. Obviously, spurs having the best offensive efficiency so they are obviously going to be a problem for anyone but certainly a cake walk against okc. There defense thrives on teams that panic and make lots of mistakes unlike the spurs.

Spurs in 4.

 

[h3ro]

But there's still time to make it work

DO IT MITCH

 

[SamuraiX-]

And yet Bryant is willing to gamble considerable stakes against any critic who suggests the Lakers' championship window has closed.

"Put your house on it," Bryant said. "I would put my house on it. I ain’t going nowhere. They can put their house on it, but I don’t think they want to bet that because they’re not stupid. They’re foolish, but they are not stupid."

Don't do this, Kobe.

Vanessa's already taken everything else.

 

[likedamaster]

When blackhole Kobe and blackhole Melo collide they'll create the Rebound Apocalypse and revitalize Pau's career

Amazing quote. I have to bookmark this. lol

 

[Prototype-03]

Don't do this, Kobe.

Vanessa's already taken everything else.

He's not wrong but he definitely needs a better supporting cast. I'm not talking about the big names but the ones who need to contribute once in a while. Aside from Pau, MWP, Hill and inconsistent Bynum, there really is no one else. The horrible "bench mob" was 20x better than this crap he's surrounded with.

Best case scenario we pick up an elite point guard (DWill or declining Nash) and some trades that will bring talents like Ariza/Hill/Shannon Brown.

From what I could tell, everyone not named Kobe was too damn afraid to shoot. As much as I don't want to say, we needed a stabilizer like Fisher in the team. I think Kobe rails their asses when they don't perform.

 

[Rodeo Clown]

[/QUOTE]

Commando is among the best movies ever made.

 

[Future PhaZe]

Kobe's ego and ball hogging takes the bigs out of the game, then he blames them for the loss and the hive mind eats it up. Thats bound to screw you up.

The truth is that both guys just suck real bad at gaining good low post position. Gasol might be the worst big in the league at it at this point which makes his godly low post offense pretty much meaningless because he never has good position. Bynum has no idea how to react when guys front him.

Some of that has to do with spacing. Bynum has a chance at getting a lot better at forcing his way inside if he was a little more free down low, but Pau is just a pushover now.

Lakers aren't getting anybody that can set the world on fire but there are some attainable pieces that Kobe can win with.

Turn Bynum/Pau into contracts that are "bad" to add a ton of scoring and depth all over. Dragic, Beasley, Kevin Martin, Paul Milsap, J-Rich, Scola, etc.

 

[linsivvi]

When blackhole Kobe and blackhole Melo collide they'll create the Rebound Apocalypse and revitalize Pau's career

So PG: Pau, SG: Kobe and SF: Melo. The Lakers would need some front court players then.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Kobe's ego and ball hogging takes the bigs out of the game, then he blames them for the loss and the hive mind eats it up. Thats bound to screw you up.

They go to the bigs plenty. The problem is that when Pau starts playing hot potato with the ball and is scared to shoot and Bynum gets mind fucked every time he's double teamed you can tell its going to be "one of those nights". How is Kobe supposed to know which Drew and which Pau is supposed to show up any given night? Does KG half ass it and play with no energy if Pierce and Ray are taking all the shots? Does Ibaka stop giving a fuck on defense and rebounding because he sometimes doesn't even see the ball with Dirant and Westvrook out there? Where the fuck is Bynum and Pau's accountability?

 

[ratcliffja]

So PG: Pau, SG: Kobe and SF: Melo. The Lakers would need some front court players then.

Blake could play center.

 

[Prototype-03]

They go to the bigs plenty. The problem is that when Pau starts playing hot potato with the ball and is scared to shoot and Bynum gets mind fucked every time he's double teamed you can tell its going to be "one of those nights". How is Kobe supposed to know which Drew and which Pau is supposed to show up any given night? Does KG half ass it and play with no energy if Pierce and Ray are taking all the shots? Does Ibaka stop giving a fuck on defense and rebounding because he sometimes doesn't even see the ball with Dirant and Westvrook out there? Where the fuck is Bynum and Pau's accountability?

This, I can see. However, I am raging pretty hard at everyone just blaming Pau and Pau only at this series loss. EVERYONE had some kind of meltdown, INCLUDING Kobe.

But serious talk now. Mitch has a lonnnggggg, painful offseason. He needs to make moves.

Last offseason was a bust... Seriously... McBob, Troy and Kapono???

 

[DY_nasty]

McBob could play.

Shit a lot of guys could play. Godlock, Ebank, McBob, Hill... Brown just doesn't know how to get anything out of his role players.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

This, I can see. However, I am raging pretty hard at everyone just blaming Pau and Pau only at this series loss. EVERYONE had some kind of meltdown, INCLUDING Kobe.

But serious talk now. Mitch has a lonnnggggg, painful offseason. He needs to make moves.

Last offseason was a bust... Seriously... McBob, Troy and Kapono???

Believe me, I'm not absolving Kobe of his part in the losses. He over shoots, I just don't buy that as a reason for Pau and especially Drew to sulk and play half assed. Kobe might be old and might be inconsistent himself now but the one thing you can count on is tha he will play balls out, especially in the fuckin playoffs. The idea that he should have to baby Pau and has to call these guys out in the media just to light a fire under them during the PLAYOFFS is ridiculous.

 

[MorisUkunRasik]

McBob could play.

Shit a lot of guys could play. Godlock, Ebank, McBob, Hill... Brown just doesn't know how to get anything out of his role players.

Maybe a good coach could keep GODlock from being a tryhard, McBob from making dumb fouls and force Ebanks to make wide open Js, maybe.

 

[Prototype-03]

McBob could play.

Shit a lot of guys could play. Godlock, Ebank, McBob, Hill... Brown just doesn't know how to get anything out of his role players.

You have a point, but I'd rather have Blake/Sessions combo.

Oh man, that hurt just to type.

Maybe a good coach could keep GODlock from being a tryhard, McBob from making dumb fouls and force Ebanks to make wide open Js, maybe.

Yeah, a lot of comes from the coaching. Unfortunately, Mike Brown doesn't know what each player can do and will throw them into the fire blindly. PJ was a master of bringing the best in each player, so even trash like Kwame Brown, Brian Cook and Smush Parker had some roles.

 

[KingKong]

Reminder that the Lakers were at best above average this season and the only reason they had the #3 seed is because of their close game record (something like 10-4), which has a lot to do with just plain old luck

 

[DY_nasty]

You have a point, but I'd rather have Blake/Sessions combo.

Oh man, that hurt just to type.

Its typically fatal

 

[Future PhaZe]

Believe me, I'm not absolving Kobe of his part in the losses. He over shoots, I just don't buy that as a reason for Pau and especially Drew to sulk and play half assed. Kobe might be old and might be inconsistent himself now but the one thing you can count on is tha he will play balls out, especially in the fuckin playoffs. The idea that he should have to baby Pau and has to call these guys out in the media just to light a fire under them during the PLAYOFFS is ridiculous.

I still think Kobe and a bunch of "assholes" could be hard to beat.

By assholes I mean those traditional one way players that always seem to kill teams. Dragic, Aaron Brooks, Paul Milsap, Kevin Martin, Novak, Scola, Al Jeff, etc.

Kobe leading a full squad of assholes may be too much for the league to handle.

Defensively they'd be terrible. Hire JVG to make them just average.

 

[Prototype-03]

Reminder that the Lakers were at best above average this season and the only reason they had the #3 seed is because of their close game record (something like 10-4), which has a lot to do with just plain old luck

What?

 

[MorisUkunRasik]

You have a point, but I'd rather have Blake/Sessions combo.

Oh man, that hurt just to type.



Yeah, a lot of comes from the coaching. Unfortunately, Mike Brown doesn't know what each player can do and will throw them into the fire blindly. PJ was a master of bringing the best in each player, so even trash like Kwame Brown, Brian Cook and Smush Parker had some roles.

Sess is all but gone bro. Mitch is calling around the league to see who is currently drunk at the wheel. Come on Morey, S&T Dragic!

 

[KingKong]

What?

if you're in that many close games, it comes down to a shot going in or out. it's pretty simple.

 

[Prototype-03]

Sess is all but gone bro. Mitch is calling around the league to see who is currently drunk at the wheel. Come on Morey, S&T Dragic!

I was just bringing a point on how bad the coaching is. Blake/Sess should NEVER be a combo. Session MIGHT stay if he stays for cheap. He'd still be a decent backup (compared to Blake anyway).

Dragic would be awesome. He's an FA this offseason?

 

[ClovingWestbrook]

Of the teams left, i'm rooting for the heat. Then OKC next.

Why. Why are you rooting for the Heat?

 

[iamshadowlark]

Why. Why are you rooting for the Heat?

The better question is why aren't you?

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Why. Why are you rooting for the Heat?

So that LeBron can take his rightful place as king of the nba and people can stop embarrassing themselves by thinking that Durant is in the same class?

 

[MorisUkunRasik]

I was just bringing a point on how bad the coaching is. Blake/Sess should NEVER be a combo. Session MIGHT stay if he stays for cheap. He'd still be a decent backup (compared to Blake anyway).

Dragic would be awesome. He's an FA this offseason?

Not sure the details or if he wants to resign with HOU, but I think he's an unrestricted FA.

Then we only need to get Nash to completely drive Giri insane.

 

[MorisUkunRasik]

So that LeBron can take his rightful place as king of the nba and people can stop embarrassing themselves by thinking that Durant is in the same class?

How great would it be if Wade closed out every finals Heat win and got the Finals MVP. Best player, NBA champion, second fiddle. Nah, I'd rather whoever wins WCF to win it all, it'd be more deserved anyway.

 

[iamshadowlark]

How great would it be if Wade closed out every finals Heat win and got the Finals MVP. Best player, NBA champion, second fiddle. Nah, I'd rather whoever wins WCF to win it all, it'd be more deserved anyway.

More deserved my ass.

 

[Zep]

How great would it be if Wade closed out every finals Heat win and got the Finals MVP. Best player, NBA champion, second fiddle. Nah, I'd rather whoever wins WCF to win it all, it'd be more deserved anyway.

Wade did that last year in the Finals. Lebron wasn't having it, though!

 

[ClovingWestbrook]

So that LeBron can take his rightful place as king of the nba and people can stop embarrassing themselves by thinking that Durant is in the same class?

Stop it.

More deserved my ass.

Except it is more deserved. Oh, sorry. I'm coming down on hard on the Heat like its 9/11 all over again. My bad.