Official Los Angeles Lakers Thread

[podstock]

Kobe man-handled Bruce Bowen, an NBA 1st team all-defense, in the playoffs

Tayshaun Prince wasn't anywhere near being nominated to the
NBA 3rd team all-defense.

Only Kobe's wife can stop Kobe

[minew_m]

Kobe won't be stopped. Shaq won't be stopped (hell, they are taking about even sending Darko after him, lol!). Lakers in 6 just because they will want to win it at home!

[cardbuyer66]

Lakers in 5 just because they will want to win it at home!

Game 5 is in Detroit, 1, 2, 6, and 7 are in LA

[SingleDaddyof2]

Gotta give credit to Detroit for their defense. I'm impressed by their ability to limit teams to 70 points or less. Still, if the Lakers bring their 'A' game, then there's no stopping them. It's just a matter of how badly the Lakers want it. I think the Lakers will actually be more motivated to play well against a great defense like Detroit's.

[stalking_WOLF_21]

lets see the who guared kobe in the finals

bruce bowen defensive specialist 6 ft 5 and old

latrell sprewell little better than most on "d" 6ft5 6ft6

rockets every body on the court

now
prince not known for amazing defence but at 6ft9 he can get in front or hobe stop his quick jump shots. prince has a wonderful defence behind him to back him up. the pistons play great defence together.

kobe prince
6ft7 6ft9
great scorer like to see big n names go down.

[Rockman]

Wolf, I bet that Kobe will average more then 20 points this series if your so confident.

Pick something from my site.

[leftyshan]

Originally posted by stalking_WOLF_21
lets see the who guared kobe in the finals

bruce bowen defensive specialist 6 ft 5 and old

latrell sprewell little better than most on "d" 6ft5 6ft6

rockets every body on the court

now
prince not known for amazing defence but at 6ft9 he can get in front or hobe stop his quick jump shots. prince has a wonderful defence behind him to back him up. the pistons play great defence together.

kobe prince
6ft7 6ft9
great scorer like to see big n names go down.

Kobe: 6'6"
Prince: 6'9"

Kobe: All Defensive Team....again
Prince: Not

Kobe's Heart: Unmatched
Prince's Heart: ???

Kobe's 4th ring in 5 years..........PRI(N)CELESS!!!

[stalking_WOLF_21]

leftyshan
every body wants to see kobe on the all defensive team. no one wants to see prince.
prince has only played in the nba 2 years and he can't win four champioships in two years. Thats like saying prince did much better than kobe in college kobe didn't go to college.

[insanefishpossay]

It doesn't matter how well Prince guards Kobe, the lakers will win the championship regardless.

Nobody can stop Shaq, which is extremely frustrating considering he has absolutely no real basketball skill.

[podstock]

Originally posted by insanefishpossay
Nobody can stop Shaq, which is extremely frustrating considering he has absolutely no real basketball skill.

Finally, someone who sees what I see.

if you're bigger than everyone else, of course you can "power" your way in and score dunks

put me up against anyone who is shorter than me and weighs less than me, and I'll beat that person.

So, just because you're bigger than everyone else doesn't make you the most dominant ever.

The best center in the past 2 decades is Akeem Olajuwon

-- he could shoot a mid-range jump shot, and his "Dream Shake" was to die for. As a matter of fact, Olajuwon hit that shot time after time when the Rockets blew out Shaq's Orlando Magic. And yes, that may have been Shaq's rookie or sophomore year in the NBA

-- he played defense. Unlike Shaq, Akeem played defense ALL the times, not just when he felt like it.

-- he could shoot free throws fairly ok. Wasn't a Reggie Miller shooting 90%....but also wasn't a Shaq shooting 34% in the playoffs or 45% in regular season.

If Olajuwon had more talent on his team, he'd have won more than 2 titles. The other "stars" on his team were journeyman Kenny Smith, Robert Horry, etc....


Now, look at Shaq...

1. Where does he shoot his shot?
A: from 7 foot and inside. He HAS NO ability to shoot outside of that area.

Kareem could shoot the mid-range sky hook
David Robinson could shoot the mid-range shot
Patrick Ewing, also.......

but Shaq never ever did anything in his life, outside of powering his way to shoot layups.

HELL, I could do that too, if you put kids up against me.

And how can you be the most dominant, when, in close games, the coach takes you out b/c you can't shoot 50% from the free throw lines?

The Lakers are smartly NOT giving Shaq the maximum on a new contract. Wait out the next 2 years that he is under contract.

If Shaq goes elsewhere, he will be paid about $15M (he gets $27-$30M right now with the Lakers), b/c that's the rules of the NBA.

Why pay Shaq a new 5-yr contract at $30M, which is what he demands, when you know that other teams, by league cap rules, CANNOT pay Shaq more than $20M?

That's not to say that Shaq can't go to New York, and be "compensated" an extra $10-15M via movies, endorsements, etc.

The future is Kobe, plain and simple.

Who would you rather have?

1. a 25-year old getting into his prime, who spends his summers working out in the gym every day (and of course, having sex with various females)? Someone who wants to do everything he can to be the greatest ever to play the game?

or

2. a 32-y/o who has said he spends his summers doing his own thing (rap music, movies, buying more cars, etc), and that he will work out on "company time" --- i.e. he will use the regular season to get himself into shape? Someone who refuses to get help from his free throw guru this season, even when he was shooting 25% for an extended period of time?