Official Los Angeles Lakers Thread

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results are out for All NBA defensive team:

and Kobe made it for the 3rd consecutive year (he's got 3 total)

Duncan is on it

I forget who else made it

Given how badly Shaq is fading...if he plays 4-6 more years, will he regress so badly that Tim Duncan overtakes him as one of the better NBA centers?

After all, Duncan plays defense, Shaq does not
Duncan is a better free throw shooter, although not by much
Duncan has more offensive skills
Duncan is more reliable


Will the more years Shaq plays result in a "Ken Griffey Jr" kind of career, where induction into the Hall as a 1st ballot isn't guaranteed?

[podstock]

4/29/04: Lakers blow away the Rockets by 19 points.

If we could bottle up that defensive performance in the 3rd quarter, when the Rockets scored 9 points (same as Kobe in the 3rd) and shot 12% -- that's right, 12%, NOT a mis-print.

An INCREDIBLE game by Kobe, who spent 3 days in Colorado courtroom, spent the whole day Wednesday in court, and flew back to LA, made it in time, was looking haggard, and scored 31 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds.

a FANTASTIC performance!!

Karl chipped in with 18 points and 10+ boards
Shaq had similar stats

Devean and the bench helped out.....

what tremendous defensive performance in the 3rd, highlight by 3 Shaq blocks (2 of them on Yao) within a 4-minute span, and 4 steals by Devean George

But, enough about the Rockets - this was their 1st appearance for the majority of the team. and once Yao gets stronger, they will be tough to beat, assuming Steve Francis doesn't pose and strut after every basket.

Now, for the Spurs.

Shaq and Duncan will cancel each other out.
Spurs have the advantage in Tony Parker, who could likely go for 30 points a game
Lakers have the advantage in Kobe, who could go for 35+.

now, the question is:

can Gary Payton shut his mouth, stop pouting, and help shut down Parker? Can Fisher provide defense against Parker?

Will the Lakers defend the pick-and-roll? or will they just allow wide open jumpers to Parker?

If the Lakers play defense in the 1st and 2nd quarters, rather than playing defense in the 4th quarter after being down 15-19 points....they have the more talented team.

But, talent doesn't always = championship.......otherwise, the Yankees would've kept on winning title after title, rather than the Angels winning in 2002 and the Marlins in 2003

The lakers have GOT to play defense...if they don't, we will get blown out in 5 games.

If the Lakers play defense, we win in 5

end of story

it's all about DEFENSE

[cardbuyer66]

Im confident in the Spurs :-)

[cardbuyer66]

I felt Parker might outplay Payton in this series, one quarter in and so far he has. What a final shot! :-)

[stalking_WOLF_21]

cardbuyer i need the card so can we sat bets of not because the lakers lost i was going to tell you sooner but i was gone all day

[insanefishpossay]

So the Lakers drop two games, and suddenly the threads all quiet? Where'd you all go?

Silly Bandwago....err........... "fans".

[minew_m]

insanefishpossay- I don't see a thread on your team?

[stalking_WOLF_21]

because we don't have to if my team lost i whould still post on my thread but the way the spurs are playing good by lakers
and minew_m or our bet does this sound fare say the lakers get swept and the timberwolves have lost three and they won so would i get the card i betted with or what or do we keep both of ours plmk thanks

Eric

[minew_m]

That's how it would work. If the Twolves get swept and the Lakers lose the series but win one game, I would get the card because they made it one game further and vice versa.

[podstock]

Originally posted by insanefishpossay
So the Lakers drop two games, and suddenly the threads all quiet? Where'd you all go?

Silly Bandwago....err........... "fans".

what's there to say?

Shaq / Kobe / Payton / Malone all have made over $100M in their career

yet, they don't know how to play team basketball

Parker goes wild all over the Lakers and Kobe is quiet while Shaq hits 25% free throws?

it's disappointment / dismay

and I wait for next year

given how out of shape Shaq is, and how dramatically his free throw shooting is going down the tubes, he won't last for more than 3-4 years.

YOU CANNOT WIN WHEN ONE OF YOUR 2 PRIMARY SCORERS SHOOT 25% FREE THROWS

I AM A REALIST.....AND IT'S OVER