quote:

Originally posted by gigabit:
Why is it that at this time each year everyone seems to disregard the Spurs? And yet, they continue to win.

If Lakers fans are counting on Gasol and Bynum to fill the gaps in order to win the Title, they are more delusional than usual. A soft Spaniard and an unproven second-year player? NOPE!

Whoa! Lots of pent-up beef, huh?

The Spurs are still the class of the NBA. I don't like them, but I respect them very much. They're getting pretty old, though. Not to mention they keep trading away draft picks for 35 yr-old veterans (see: Kurt Thomas).

quote:

Whoa! Lots of pent-up beef, huh?

No pent-up beef, just turkey.

My point is that many of the teams in the West have made moves; ostensibly to compete with the Spurs.

And you're right, they are getting older, especially on the perimeter, but I think they still have one more run left in them.

Lakers won by 20 again tonight. Suns lost by 30 at home. 11-2 with 12 games on the road. Who's the best in the West? When Bynum comes back they are going to be frightfully good.

Nice to see this tread had been bumped as it is again factual.

I think the Lakers have a bright future as Gasol fits the team and offense extremely well and the roster is young (Fisher is the only 30-year old). That might not result is a championship this year but it will soon.

The Spurs remain the team to beat as the defending champs. The Thomas trade was a plus but they are old, not that deep, and occassionally injured. Playoff matchups could cause them (or anyone in the West) a problem.

I've read that no team has won the title without winning a least one playoff series the prior year since 1982. That doesn't bode well for the Lakers or Celtics but both have proven playoff performers [Kobe, KG in 2004] leading them.

We can only hope that the best NBA season in years continues into the playoffs.

Neil

Lakers will win the west. They will have to go through San Antonio to do it, but they will win it.

On another note, I feel bad for Rocket Fans, just as they were playing well, Yao Ming is out for the season.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3265631

Bad for the Rockets, good for GSW Hoop!!!

Yes, really unbelievable with the Rockets. They can't seem to stay healthy. Still, they have a favorable schedule and may still make the playoffs. Warriors and Denver's hopes certainly did improve though.

As for the Lakers going though San Antonio, current matchups would have the Suns, Mavs, and Spurs on the other side of the bracket from the Lakers with Suns/Mavs a first round matchup!!!!

Neil

Yao just skrewed my first place fantasy basketball team. I'm an idiot for thinking he could stay healthy. His body just isn't built to sustain punishment, he is the most fragile big man to ever play.

quote:

Originally posted by Sticky2:
Yao just skrewed my first place fantasy basketball team. I'm an idiot for thinking he could stay healthy. His body just isn't built to sustain punishment, he is the most fragile big man to ever play.

More fragile than the seven-foot beast aka Chris Mihm?

quote:

Originally posted by dannyk8232:

quote:

Originally posted by Sticky2:
Yao just skrewed my first place fantasy basketball team. I'm an idiot for thinking he could stay healthy. His body just isn't built to sustain punishment, he is the most fragile big man to ever play.

More fragile than the seven-foot beast aka Chris Mihm?

Chris Who? Just kidding, but no one would ever miss Mihm's production.

It's getting great in the west race!

quote:

Originally posted by Sticky2:

quote:

Originally posted by dannyk8232:

quote:

Originally posted by Sticky2:
Yao just skrewed my first place fantasy basketball team. I'm an idiot for thinking he could stay healthy. His body just isn't built to sustain punishment, he is the most fragile big man to ever play.

More fragile than the seven-foot beast aka Chris Mihm?

Chris Who? Just kidding, but no one would ever miss Mihm's production.

The mere fact you put 'Mihm' and 'production' in the same sentence made me throw up a little in my mouth. Seriously, that would gag a maggot.

Too bad about Yao. He has had a rough go over the last few season but he did reportedly play in considerable pain prior to that.

BTW, Walton was the most fragile big man ever, not contest!!

Neil

San Antonio will be the team to beat in the West. I also think the Suns will be very good as well. The Lakers are really young but they do have the best player in the league with a torn ligament in his pinky. They do have enough players with playoff experience to get over the top. If they do, watch out for the next five years.

Question:

A lot of people define a dynasty of a dominating strech over about 5-10 years for a team.

The Lakers were dominant from 99/00-03/04. Some wouldn't call that a dynasty.

here's my question. If, (total specualation) the Lakers end up winning the title this year and next, that would make 5 titles in 10 years and 6 Final's appearances.

Would this be considered a Dynasty then, even though it's pretty much 2 completely different teams?

Thoughts?

quote:

here's my question. If, (total specualation) the Lakers end up winning the title this year and next, that would make 5 titles in 10 years and 6 Final's appearances.

Would this be considered a Dynasty then, even though it's pretty much 2 completely different teams?

Thoughts?

An interesting question, but I would say no, only because the composition of the team has changed so dramatically. However, at this point, it is all conjecture.

It's hard to consider any team with a substantial gap in rings a dynasty...look at the Spurs. It's difficult to say they are a dynasty, however I wouldn't want to be a public figure arguing against it.

quote:

Originally posted by Yonster24:
Question:

A lot of people define a dynasty of a dominating strech over about 5-10 years for a team.

The Lakers were dominant from 99/00-03/04. Some wouldn't call that a dynasty.

here's my question. If, (total specualation) the Lakers end up winning the title this year and next, that would make 5 titles in 10 years and 6 Final's appearances.

Would this be considered a Dynasty then, even though it's pretty much 2 completely different teams?

Thoughts?

I think it would not be a Dynasty because of the past players gone but it surely would be an organizational Dynasty for any Pro team. Long way to go before this can even be a thought!!

Interesting dynasty question.....

My first reaction is to say that the Lakers would be viewed as two different squads with only Kobe, Fish and Phil being part of both. However, the Bulls dynasty would then be viewed as two mini-dynasties since only Jordan, Pippen and Phil were part of both.

I won't view the Spurs as a dynasty unless they win back-to-back once. Only Duncan remains from the 1999 squad but three in five years (and four in six if they win this year) would clearly merits consideration.

Neil

The only real dynasty in the NBA was the Celtics during the late '50's to late '60's, winning 11 out of 13. The rest are wanna bes with the Bulls with Jordan coming close and maybe Magic's Lakers.

I know the dynamics have drastically changed but we are now looking at winning the majority of a 5-6 year period versus the Celtics winning 8 in a row. I was a Bullets fan, mainly because of Earl Monroe and Gus Johnson so I am not a homer.

Talk of dynasties is sports radio fodder. Winning 3 in a row is not unique. I feel the dynasty talk should start somewhere after a team wins 4 out of 5 at the very least. Just like in a play-off series, that would be domination.

Time to bump this thread with Lakers posting the best record in the conference.

Quite a regular season for the NBA with the Celtics achieving the biggest one season turnaround ever, the tightest conference race ever, a 48 (or 49) win team missing the post-season, major in-season trades, the Rocket's running off the second longest winning streak, and the Lakers having an unpredictable and tremendously satisfying regular season. [Your list may vary.]

Bring on the playoffs: There Can Only Be One!

Neil

quote:

Originally posted by Neil K.:
There Can Only Be One!

Highlander!!!!!!!

Lakers #1 seed in the west. Who'd a thunk it. Nice to see the "experts" so wrong again.

The Western Conference Playoffs will be great to watch with alot depending on match-ups on who is playing who. Having all the teams at 50 plus wins may provide some upsets and alot of close games.

Since the Warriors are out, hoping they win the lottery and choose Beasley from K State. Yes, everyone has dreams at this time of the season. The only justice in the play-off format is that the Warriors will have a higher draft pick than the teams that had worse records that made the play-offs in the Eastern Conference.