http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-lakerep11apr11,1,4250584.story according to this article, bynum is doubtful for the start of the playoffs. according to rumors, he will be out for 6 more weeks. without bynum, do we prefer the lakers to the jazz in the first round? i would prefer the lakers just because they may be too beaten up to challenge us. i could see rafer having a successful series against fisher, because fisher has a tendon injury, which may allow rafer to penetrate the lane more easily (and finish since bynum will not be waiting for the block). landry may be able to take advantage of his explosive dunking ability in the paint without bynum, and defensively, we have the personnel to defend gasol and odom if they are the biggest threats in the frontcourt. again, it definitely would not be an easy matchup, but i feel that we have a better chance against them comparatively than against the jazz.
we shouldn't worry who we play right now, as long as it is not the spurs or suns, we should worry about hca.
Ugh. I'd prefer the Lakers WITH Bynum, since he won't really mesh with the team (he's never played with Gasol, for example) for the first 10 games or so after his return.
I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I have a rational fear of Kobe in a playoff series. This guy can take over games like no one else, especially when they count. I'd take Jazz over the Lakers any day. It'd be a good chance for revenge anway. We were better than them last year!!
With or without Bynum, the Rockets should try to stay at #5. The Rockets will have homecourt advantage against the Jazz. If the Rockets get out of 1st round, they will probably face the Hornets. If the Rockets somehow end up at #2,3 or 6, they will face the Spurs, Suns, or Mavericks. Take your pick. The Rockets should avoid teams with big front courts.
i would MUCH prefer the Lakers vs. the Jazz. the rockets can play their traditional lineup vs. LA and you can stick Shane on Kobe to help slow him down. the lakers have a traditional big man in Gasol, so Deke gets to play alot more in this matchup, which is great for the rockets. the lakers have not had postseason success with this current core, so they will be learning on the fly. the lakers are not playing as well as the Jazz down the stretch, and are just starting to reintegrate Gasol. lamar odom tends to disappear in big games. nobody off the lakers bench is a difference maker. the lakers would be under tremendous pressure/scrutiny to advance, which would help take pressure off the rockets. basically, a matchup with LA allows the rockets to play to their strengths. I think its a much better matchup.
I'd rather see us move up to the 2nd seed. As for Lakers vs Jazz..... I'd prefer the Lakers. I'm afraid of Boozer. For Kobe we have Shane..... Who ever we face, I'm praying for a TMAC from the Mav's series and Landry of pre-injury.
Jazz all the way. If we get beat by the Jazz 2 years in a row then so be it. But the Lakers are getting out of the first round whoever they play. Kobe will go off and Derek Fisher will hit all the clutch shots like he always does.
Without Bynum I will take the Lakers..... Fisher is hurt, Gasol can be neutrilized by Scola and the rest of our team matches up very well with them. DD
I have a feeling this guy is badly hurt and the Lakers are not saying it, maybe they will trade him in the offseason.
Um...no. Scola and neutralize never go in the same sentence. Hayes would be on Gasol as much as possible. Then Scola and Landry can abuse Turiaf on the offensive end. I'm not sure what kind of lineup we would use with Rad in the game though.
If no Bynum, then Lakers are somewhat more favorable under two conditions: -We play physical -TMac/Bo-Jax/Rafer slice up their defense Just the other day, I was at my cousin's house watching Portland completely embarrass the Lakers' "defense" which for well over 40 minutes was non-existent. With the exception of a 4-5 minute stretch in the 3rd, the Lakers wing defenders were getting burned on the perimeter and Gasol was picking up soft fouls which were constantly getting turned into 3-point plays. Gasol becomes a perimeter player rather quick once someone gets really physical with him. Gasol finished the Portland game with 13 points or so and DID NOT SHOOT in the fourth quarter. Add that to Odom, who also disappears in clutch time, and it is a recipe for a playoff meltdown. Their PG position is also favorable to us since Fisher is hurt and slow, and Jordan makes bone-headed plays a lot of the time. Only thing that will worry me about the Lakers is keeping Gasol and Odom off the boards. That will be somewhat tough, but since we are going to have that problem with anybody, I would rather take the Deron Williams-less Lakers.
fakers have 0 defense without bynum. yeah, they are preferred. only concern is the refs. fakers are always stern's fav.
The normal starting 5: McGrady would guard Radman and Battier on Kobe. Suits McGrady fine to stand around on the defensive end at the 3 point line... You know, if we take care of business against the Suns (IF), then it's actually POSSIBLE for us to finish 5 and the Lakers to finish 4... Although Utah does have a brutal run home, AND they have the option of resting players, losing every game on the run home and still finishing with the 4th seed while all the other heavyweights slog it out... Did I mention how r****ded the seeding system is??
It seems nobody can help to think about who we play in the playoffs with only 4-5 games left......... ~ROX~
