savage

Gasol will struggle physically against Perkins. Perkins has found his confidence and the more physical play of the playoffs have suited him well, if not helped him break out.

Yes Pierce is not better than Kobe, but he is also one of the most underrated players in the league. He wasn't better than Lebron, but he matched up with him...

Yes Garnett completely changed the face of the Celtics, but they would not be where they are today if Pierce was not there.

kosstick

In the end the way I see it Gasol will get perkins in easy foul trouble and Gasol has played tough centers before and bruisers.. Look at Utah series Gasol we getting knocked around with hands in his back every possession..

We will see lakers in 6.

Osamu

I don't think sasha or kobe would cover pierce. I think sasha might play decently against ray. And even though Kobe is a great defender, they usually match him up against someone where he doesn't have to expend a lot of energy so he can stay fresh on offense. I think radmonivic/walton will have to play Pierce. I think they can do a good job, but it'll be a challenge.

Perkins plays strong down low, even if he isn't a superstar center, he still will play physical, much more physical than a tim duncan or okur. and if he can use that to grab rebounds and take some of the rebounding pressure off KG, that's all he really needs to do for his team. And just be a threat so you can't double KG every trip down the floor. Although w/ Pau's flopping on rebounds, hopefully we can get him in foul trouble. But Powe and even Davis play pretty strong down low, but they are kinda on the small size that the length of the lakers front court may give them problems.

as far as Kobe......no one can guard Kobe, so it's just not something you really have to worry about. But I think odom has to play big for the lakers to win.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big lakers fan, i'm just worried. I trust jackson to get it all sorted out pretty fast. I think the lakers have the advantage on the coach stand point, even though doc did an amazing job this year.

CarbonGray Earl

I disagree that Gasol will struggle physically against Perkins. He did fine against Duncan, Boozer, and Camby. Duncan and Boozer are 2 big body style players that people said Gasol would do bad against. Perkins has done some hardhat work under there for the Celts, but Pau should be fine.

The thing with Pau is that he has a complete game and he is long and athletic. His wingspan is underrated, and that helps him make up for his lack of perceived physicality. He'll make the right pass, he'll get more rebounds/blocks than you think, he runs better than any guy over 7 feet in the game today, and he integrates that offense from the post. Smart player. A guy like him is more critical to the triangle than a point guard.

My only complaint about him is lack of a good hook shot. He "wishes" them in alot of times. Phil called them "weenie" shots.

CarbonGray Earl

I'd never ask you to change your opinion, I respect it. It still amazes me that all those ESPN guys are picking the Lakers. Alot them had Denver taking the Lakers to 6! Frankly, I think they underestimate your guys; this series is going to be harder fought than that.

Its interesting though, with as many Gatorade and ESPN commercials the Celtics get, you'd think the Lakers were huge underdogs.

brianlin87

iTrader: (1)

who?

dom

Its a tough one to call. I hate the 2-3-2 format. Teams should not have the benefit 3 straight games at home IMO. I would prefer 3-3-1

Palayah8ta

its scary to think (if ur a boston fan) that if lakers can win at least 1 in boston they can finish the series in 5. I think thats why ESPN is on the lakers nuts so much.

dom

And not fair IMO. A team that busted their butt to win 66 games and earn the league's best record may not have the benefit of extending a series on home court? Add a day for travel and fly back and forth. Its what a 4,-5 hour flight.

Yumcha

Shameless prediction: Celtics in 6

elessar

See, I still think the 2-3-2 format favors the team with home court even more. In order for the other team to win all of their home games, they need to win 3 straight against a theoretically superior team (since they had a better record). I realize the Lakers are a different team now than they were at the beginning of the season, though. All things considered, I wouldn't call either of them an underdog, but I believe the Celts will win every home game they play, plus steal one in LA. Boston in 6.

dom

LA hasn't lost at home since March something.......

elessar

So they're due.

jlukja

I agree about the format. And, I think the Celtics are a much tougher matchup for the Lakers than any of their previous opponents.

savage

Definitely... the Celtics had to deal with a hiccup against the Hawks, but they made it through Lebron and a very tough veteran team in Detroit...

also the Celtics could control the pace of this game and slow it down to a defensive slugfest. You can't stop Kobe, but you can slow him down...

AS3.0CL

eastern conference> western conference as as whole

Celtics in 6. i like both teams. kobey is an amazing player no doubt about it, pierce is also very good just under rated. i just think the Celtics had harder teams to play against in the finals.
i'm 50/50 with the whole 2-3-2 playoff series....i would like to see a 3-2-2 series, give the best team a slight advantage because they did bust their ass all season.

CarbonGray Earl

Thursday can't come any sooner. I can only run so many point-counterpoint basketball arguments before I need to see some actual game now.

Lakers in 6, including 1 within the first 2 games at Boston. Better offensive system, legendary coaching staff, length, youth athleticism, poise and resilience, and 2 team leaders/starters that have been to the finals and won it all.

....now, is it thursday yet?

....what about now?

elessar

:ghey:

















J/K

kosstick

ROFL... wait lemme laugh here is a post from a forum you tell me..

round 1: nuggets (50-32) vs hawks (37-45)
nuggets have a significantly better record while playing in the tougher conference
nuggets big 3 is carmelo anthony, allen iverson & marcus camby
hawks big 3 is joe johnson, josh smith & al horford
nuggets are clearly a tougher team than hawks

round 2: jazz (54-28) vs cavs (45-37)
jazz have a much better record while playing in the tougher conference
jazz big 3 is deron williams, carlos boozer & andrei kirilenko
cavs big 3 is lebron, lebron & lebron
jazz have the best home record in the entire league
jazz are clearly a tougher team than cavs

round 3: spurs (56-26) vs pistons (59-23)
pistons have a slightly better record, but since they play in the east, their records are actually pretty equal to the spurs
spurs big 3 is duncan, parker & ginobili
pistons big 3 is billups, hamilton & prince
tim duncan-led spurs are 4 time champions and defending champions
billups-led pistons are 1 time champion but haven't won since 2004
spurs are arguably the tougher team to face


ya Hawks > Denver Cleveland > Jazz

Eastern Conference is a joke east had like 12 freebies from Miami, new york, Indiana..


East < West

CarbonGray Earl

Not exactly in that sense....

Palayah8ta

wat about now? this feels like the week before the superbowl..

brianlin87

iTrader: (1)

anything you have to say after that statement is negligible/ignorant. sub-500 teams don't belong in the playoffs.

jlukja

Thank you. You saved me from typing pretty much what you typed. And, you presented it much better.

kosstick

Anytime, I don't know how one can say East > West...

I mean wtf... a 50 win team was 8th seed in the west and a 37 win team was 8th in the east...


That is a huge difference and Celtics played them to 7 games.. That is ridiculous..

Out of 21 possible games Celtics could have played so far in the playoffs they have played 20...... Meaning only 1/3 series in the playoffs didn't go to game 7... That is horrible.

sonnyg80

Quote:

Originally Posted by AS3.0CL

eastern conference> western conference as as whole

WTF are you smoking



Gimme some!

savage

haha... overall West > East but...

I would say that the top teams in the East are on par with the top teams in the west, but then it drops off a cliff...

Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, Orlando (borderline, they are getting close) can all compete in the West... After that, good luck...

regardless the Celtics handled themselves quite well on their west coast match ups...

Beat LA!!!

kosstick

Kobe Odom Pau Fisher will destroy Celtics. No way Lakers lose it won't be a walk in the park but Lakers will pull it out. Kobe will be a assassin and just eliminate

Sarlacc

Garnett > Kobe

kosstick

lawl...... 4 trips to the finals > 0 trips to the finals lawl..

brianlin87

iTrader: (1)

that argument means nothing.

that's like saying Pau > Cassell.

apples to oranges man.

kosstick

Kobe is a better played on Garnett anyday.. Different positions.. But if you want a championship you go with Kobe

brianlin87

iTrader: (1)

^ i'd take kobe over garnett any day of the week.

garnett has had all post-season to prove his dominance; he did nothing spectacular. the celtics are paul pierce's team.

oh, and kobe > paul pierce.

kosstick

Kobe > Any player currently playing...

JediMindTricks

while i don't agree that KG > kobe, i can't agree with your post either because kobe as 0 trips to the final on his own.

Osamu

am I the only one sick of the "beat LA" chant? in >25 years, can't you come up with SOMETHING more original. Yet every year it seems like the lakers make it deep into the playoffs everyone starts chanting "Beat LA!" and I just

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not to mention it seems to have lost it's meaning.

kosstick

Who does? Jordan has = trips to the finals on his own... Shaq has 0 trips to the finals on his own. Kg has 0 trips.... Magic has = trips.. Larry has 0 rings..


No one can win it alone... Kobe can make it as a 7th seed and nearly upset an elite team in the west with a horrible supporting cast alone.. But that is pretty much what he can do when its 1 v 5...

brianlin87

iTrader: (1)

it's a good thing basketball isn't a one-on-one sport.

jlukja

Black Mamba > Big Ticket

jlukja

I think, in this series particularly, the old Pat Riley "No Boards, No Rings" mantra is applicable. He who controls the boards will control the series.

Mokos23

Bye Flip Saunders