Official Los Angeles Lakers Thread

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Originally posted by cardbuyer66
I dont think this will be much of a series

You know why this won't be much of a series?

1. Olowakandi has no heart. He's the biggest waste of talent in a big man since Benoit Benjamin (ironically, another Clippers player). Look at what he was able to do in game 1, despite sitting out most of the Kings series - 8 points in 1st quarter, and 11 boards for the game.

Now, why can't he dedicate himself to performing at this level his entire career?

b/c most players with guaranteed contracts could care less about playing. every so often, you see a KG and a Kobe, who play as if they are on a day-to-day contract.

2. Cassell is badly hurting. To beat the Lakers, you need everyone healthy or nearly healthy.

3. Hudson is out.
Sure, the Wolves may not be able to contain Shaq. But, if Shaq scores 35 and Hudson scores 26 (what he averaged against the Lakers last year), that sure helps to balance things a bit

4. Wolves have 3 scorers: KG, Sprewell, and a hurting Cassell. Wally is useless, b/c he's a stop-and-pop shooter, the kind that Devean George and Rick Fox handle well (see Peja for the past 4 years).

Meanwhile, Lakers have 4 scorers: Shaq, Kobe, Payton, Malone.

If the Wolves have a healthy Cassell and Hudson, and an Olowakandi with heart, they'd have a great shot at getting to the Finals.


Lakers should win game 2....b/c it doesn't look like Cassell is going to play. He was badly needed in 4th quarter, but couldn't play - so you knew that back was killing him. Cassell is not a malingerer like Olowakandi.

The only way Lakers don't win game 2 is if they decide not to play ball.

There is only 1 team that can beat the Lakers, even when the Lakers play well - San Antonio

all other teams just cannot match up, not even the Kings or Wolves

especially not the Wolves, who have no center, and are a perimeter-shooting team.

That's the worst type of team to play the Lakers, b/c perimeter-shooting teams go into cold spells. Thats why Dallas has won only 1 time at Staples Center in over 13 years, and have something like a 4-50 record vs. the Lakes in the past 13+ years.

To beat the Lakers, you need an inside and outside presence.

KG and the Wolves need more weapons - simple as that.

It's just a matter of time before the Wolves lose.

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Originally posted by cardbuyer66
It sounds dumb, but maybe only play KG if you're ahead in game 1? Now game 2 is coming right up, and he will be tired for that one too.

You know, that is a VERY SOUND strategy,

but, if the coach actually did that, the fans of Minnesota and the media worldwide would go on a witch hunt

I like your strategy.

After all, the point is to win 4 games. You can lose 3.

So, why not sit all the starters in game 1, let them rest, and lose the game? By playing them in game 1, as you say, these players are now tired by game 2.

but in sports, the motto is to try to win every game, and if the media suspects something fishy, they'll torch the organization, not to mention the fine that NBA might levy on the Wolves for that strategy.

But, I feel the same as you do: who cares about ONE game. Hell, the Lakers spotted the Spurs TWO games, and still won.

So, the ideal thing is - let the Lakers win game 1, but rest all your key players for game 2.

People pretty much knew the Lakers were most likely going to win game 1 - even the gambling odds had the Lakers as a 3-1/2 point favorites on the road at MN.

[cardbuyer66]

I agree with everything on these posts by Pod. Olowakandi Is a waste, benoit benjamin...great comparison.

Cassell is hurt badly, and hes an extremely good player when hes healthy. hes nowhere near healthy, the Wolves have no shot in this series

Now KG and Spree played 45 mins+ each in game one, another tired team will come out in game 2, and this series will be 2-0 heading to LA, where LA will sweep it 4-0. Unless LA feels like not having a long layoff and just try some sets in game 2, and basically jogs the way through and gives the game to the Wolves.

LA is going to the finals, where they will meet the Pacers

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Originally posted by cardbuyer66
LA is going to the finals, where they will meet the Pacers

I would love too see Indiana in the Finals.

If the Lakers lose, I want a UCLA alumni (Reggie Miller) to be the one celebrating.

In the past 20 or so years, only Reggie Miller and Baron Davis have done much of anything in the NBA

We recruit McDonalds All-Americans (JaRon Rush, Trevor Ariza etc etc)....but these are all spoiled brats who don't improve their game and leave too early

[cardbuyer66]

I'd like to see the Pacers get one, mainly because of Carlisle. He grew up in Lisbon which is like 20 minutes from here, and my dad is good friends with his father. Carlisle may have left me tickets to the locker room for a Raptors game a few years back on my birthday. His brother is still a local cop, and he stopped over and said they were left there at halftime, we only checked at the beginning of the game and they werent there. So either way, Id love to see Carlisle win an NBA championship.


As for Miller, Ive always been a fan of his also. When I was younger, because I was a good shooter, and was tall and skinny, I was always called Reggie. So I ended up following him a lot. I'd love to see him get an NBA tite.

I also was always a Stockton/Malone fan...so of the 4 teams remaining, If the Pacers cant get the title....I'd like the Lakers and Malone and Payton to get one

Im really pushing for Carlisle and the Pacers though

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Sam Cassell seems like he is highly doubtful to play in game 2 (and if he plays, most likely it's gonna be no more than 20 minutes).

He didn't play in the 4th quarter at all in game 1
He didn't practice Saturday.....

so, you'd have to wonder how a guy who's had back spasms the 2nd half of the season, and all through the playoffs, and who couldn't play in the critical 4th quarter of game 1, will be able to perform in game 2 and the rest of the West Conf. Finals

TNT paid a ton of $$$$$ to the NBA to exclusively show the West Finals, hoping for a Lakers-Spurs or Lakers-Kings showdown....

and now, if Cassell doesn't play in game 2, or even if he does play, ...as long as the Lakers "want" to play defense, this is now going to be a sweep.

Personally, I would like to see the series end in 5 or 6 games, and preferably 6 games.

That will mean several things:

1. Lakers won't have to wait 7+ days before the Finals start (Indiana could barely beat Detroit at home by 3 points, on a night when Rasheed Wallace scored 4 freaking points. If Rasheed was even average, the Pistons win).

2. with game 6, that means the Lakers will have played 3 playoffs games at home, and each home game nets them about $1M+ in revenue. Why does this matter? B/c owner Jerry Buss will be shilling out $140M for Kobe and giving pay raises to Karl Malone (who's sure as heck deserves more than $1M)

3. And with 6 games, both the Wolves and lakers make more money (both teams share all the revenues, along with payout to the NBA)

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congratulations to the Lakers, who had the chance to bury the Lakers......

and instead got buried

very typical

when the Lakers win the NBA title, they may go down in history as one of the worst ever championship team

all style, all ego, no substance, no heart.

how can you play so badly against a team that has no center, can doesn't play that great of a defense.

absolutely PATHETIC!

[stalking_WOLF_21]

are the t-wolves good or what
first
they tied the lakers low of pionts in a game by the lakers. (71)

two
there going to win the series

three
lakers stink
they play dirty did you see malone shaq glove all start crap malone got ejected

[stalking_WOLF_21]

congratulations to the Lakers, who had the chance to bury the Lakers......


what did you mean by this

[cardbuyer66]

I agree. I just cant be a Lakers fan. No heart, all talent. Is truely is a pathetic team to win the NBA title, sorry to say it....buts it definately true. No defense, dont show up half the time. They dont represent the NBA to well