21 replies to this topic

[evil Monkey]

Anyone else catch that segment on ESPN First Take earlier today? Smith is essentially saying what a lot of us think to be true: D 'Antoni's system is not utilizing the potential of this team--just look at our stats.

[Real Deal]

He knows that if there isn't an adjustment made on offense, we won't be able to utilize Kobe and Howard correctly, and when we struggle on the defensive end, all we have is our offense to lean on...and that's where they will need to be SUPERSTARS, and not mere role players in a Nash-led offense.

This has been repeated over and over again since Nash came to LA, even before D'Antoni replaced Brown and Bickerstaff, but I guess we have some who will continue to support everything we're doing on the offensive end, not understanding just how much we're having to rely on Kobe's surges to get us through a game.

[Real Deal]

By the way, regarding the first round exit...IF we do make the playoffs, I'm not sure how this team is going to be able to defend the Thunder, the Clippers, or the Spurs in a seven-game series. Those are the three teams we have to avoid...but, really, we aren't going to be able to do that unless we go on a miraculous run to end the season.

[kj24]

On a side note, lets look at the bright side here.... People are still actually talking like we are going to make the playoffs, moral victory!

[Goku]

IF we do make the playoffs, that means we will have a good second half of the season and momentum will be on our side. At that point, I won't doubt this team. But let's get to that point first before discussing 1st round matchups.

[noknife]

Insert YouTube link to Mora saying "playoffs?"

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

By the way, regarding the first round exit...IF we do make the playoffs, I'm not sure how this team is going to be able to defend the Thunder, the Clippers, or the Spurs in a seven-game series. Those are the three teams we have to avoid...but, really, we aren't going to be able to do that unless we go on a miraculous run to end the season.

I'm not scared of San Antonio. Look at last night's game. No Dwight and we still nearly beat them. If you remember correctly we nearly beat them as well the first meeting with no Nash. They've been lucky in both meeting we had one of our top dogs out.

OKC and the Clippers don't scare me either. Yeah they're good and obviously very explosive offensively, but it was evident in last year's playoffs they both struggle in the half court. That's why OKC lost in the Finals and the Clippers got swept in the second round.

Not sure if we'll make the playoffs or not, but if we do I think we'll be a dangerous team and could go on a deep run. Dwight should be 100 percent by that time.

Edited by Cowboys&LakersFan, January 10, 2013 - 11:32 AM.

[UKUGA]

Insert YouTube link to Mora saying "playoffs?"

We haven't seen that enough the last two days.

[UKUGA]

I'm not scared of San Antonio. Look at last night's game. No Dwight and we still nearly beat them. If you remember correctly we nearly beat them as well the first meeting with no Nash. They've been lucky in both meeting we had one of our top dogs out.

OKC and the Clippers don't scare me either. Yeah they're good and obviously very explosive offensively, but it was evident in last year's playoffs they both struggle in the half court. That's why OKC lost in the Finals and the Clippers got swept in the second round.

Not sure if we'll make the playoffs or not, but if we do I think we'll be a dangerous team and could go on a deep run. Dwight should be 100 percent by that time.

I actually agree with you that of the three, we seem to match-up with them the best.

If we don't guard the 3, we get torched, though.

[Nak]

Losing in the first round would be great news for this Lakers team. It would mean that they made the playoffs!

[Lakerace24]

I'm not scared of San Antonio. Look at last night's game. No Dwight and we still nearly beat them. If you remember correctly we nearly beat them as well the first meeting with no Nash. They've been lucky in both meeting we had one of our top dogs out.

OKC and the Clippers don't scare me either. Yeah they're good and obviously very explosive offensively, but it was evident in last year's playoffs they both struggle in the half court. That's why OKC lost in the Finals and the Clippers got swept in the second round.

Not sure if we'll make the playoffs or not, but if we do I think we'll be a dangerous team and could go on a deep run. Dwight should be 100 percent by that time.

I've seen you call out quite a bit of fans on this site, calling some 'homers' and what not... but damn you need to take off those purple and gold shades if the three best teams in the West don't scare you. You really are all over the place with your posts.

[Cowboys&LakersFan]

I've seen you call out quite a bit of fans on this site, calling some 'homers' and what not... but damn you need to take off those purple and gold shades if the three best teams in the West don't scare you. You really are all over the place with your posts.

Why should they scare me? What have any of those particular rosters won? Not a damn thing.

Anyways I know it's a different sport, but this current Lakers team kind of reminds me of the 2011 New York Giants.

Alot of talent, but inconsistent as hell. Nobody wanted to face the Giants because they knew what they were capable of and they got into the postseason and won the Super Bowl.

I could see the same for these Lakers. Thev've got that Wild Card factor and I'm sure fans around the league are praying we don't make the playoffs.

Edited by Cowboys&LakersFan, January 10, 2013 - 11:54 AM.

[Real Deal]

I'm not scared of San Antonio. Look at last night's game. No Dwight and we still nearly beat them. If you remember correctly we nearly beat them as well the first meeting with no Nash. They've been lucky in both meeting we had one of our top dogs out.

OKC and the Clippers don't scare me either. Yeah they're good and obviously very explosive offensively, but it was evident in last year's playoffs they both struggle in the half court. That's why OKC lost in the Finals and the Clippers got swept in the second round.

Not sure if we'll make the playoffs or not, but if we do I think we'll be a dangerous team and could go on a deep run. Dwight should be 100 percent by that time.

San Antonio didn't play Duncan or Manu enough to sustain that lead last night. Pop decided to sit them for extended amounts of time, and that won't be the case in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, a Nash offense is better off for this particular team...than it would be for a Kobe/Howard/Gasol trio...and I don't need to explain why, really.

Also, you have the factor of players coming out of nowhere and contributing...as you saw last night with Earl Clark. With Howard and Gasol back, you won't see Earl Clark and Ron Artest combine for 45 points, and how many times have we seen Dwight and Gasol rack up that many together? Not many times at all.

Additionally, when we nearly beat them earlier in the season, Bickerstaff was coaching. We didn't have Nash, so we weren't running the Nash offense. Finally, we were playing MUCH better defense, holding teams to around 95 PPG and was ranked top 10 in the NBA on that end of the court. Ah...AND Manu was injured, played that way for 18 minutes before finally coming out of the game, shooting 1-8 that night.

The Spurs would run through us in the playoffs, even with Dwight at 100%, as long as we don't make the necessary adjustments.

-----------

As far as the Thunder goes...we stand no chance? What do you mean when you talk about them losing in the Finals? They beat us last season, and they'd do it again...they lost in the Finals to a Miami Heat team that would have swept us.

I could make an argument that we may be able to hang in there with the Clippers, but they run far too much...just like OKC...and they are the deepest team in the NBA.

People don't like the negativity, but you guys have to get used to it. We've gotten our asses handed to us against Dallas and OKC over the last two seasons, and it's bound to happen again if adjustments aren't made...has little to do with our health.

[Lakerace24]

Why should they scare me? What have any of those particular rosters won? Not a damn thing.

More games than the Lakers this season.

And what has this Lakers roster won? Not a damn thing.

I'll never stop being a Lakers fan, but I'll never lose the objectivity that some fans seem to lack or even care for.

This team is not capable of beating the Spurs, Clippers, or Thunder in a 7 game series until proven otherwise (and they probably won't even get themselves into the position to do it).

[Honey Boo Boo]

I'm not scared of San Antonio. Look at last night's game. No Dwight and we still nearly beat them. If you remember correctly we nearly beat them as well the first meeting with no Nash. They've been lucky in both meeting we had one of our top dogs out.

OKC and the Clippers don't scare me either. Yeah they're good and obviously very explosive offensively, but it was evident in last year's playoffs they both struggle in the half court. That's why OKC lost in the Finals and the Clippers got swept in the second round.

Not sure if we'll make the playoffs or not, but if we do I think we'll be a dangerous team and could go on a deep run. Dwight should be 100 percent by that time.

You are kidding right.....

[Goku]

You should be scared of Pops before anything.

[Hollywood]

Why should they scare me? What have any of those particular rosters won? Not a damn thing.

Anyways I know it's a different sport, but this current Lakers team kind of reminds me of the 2011 New York Giants.

Alot of talent, but inconsistent as hell. Nobody wanted to face the Giants because they knew what they were capable of and they got into the postseason and won the Super Bowl.

I could see the same for these Lakers. Thev've got that Wild Card factor and I'm sure fans around the league are praying we don't make the playoffs.

thats diffrent you can have a fluke game or a lucky play in the nfl playoffs and beat a better team. But we woukd have to do that 4x to either the clipps okc or SAS the odds of a lucky play or them having 4 bad games is slim very slim

[Scooter123]

I'm new here, but the West is really good this year, and it is likely that the Lakers would need 45-50 wins to even make the last seed.

They currently have 15 wins, and the season is a little shy of being half over.

They would have to go on a 30-18 streak starting now.

A streak of those proportions would be a .625 percentage, and not impossible,

But, alas they have Boston, Miami, Clippers, Denver in February, then in March (on the road) they have OKC, Indiana and Golden State, then in April, Clippers, San Antonio, Golden State, and Houston. These are all probable losses.

I'm not seeing how this pencils out as making the playoffs in the West.

[Gotrings?]

Insert YouTube link to Mora saying "playoffs?"

[Hollywood]

Lmao top comment says LA Lakers