[SportingNews] Who's Tough enough to be Champions

Hayesfan · Apr 30, 2009

http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/th...3650/whos_tough_enough_to_be_an_nba_champion?

I know now might not be the best time to bring up rugged playoff basketball, seeing as Chicago's still crying bloody murder over Rondo's foul, and Dwight Howard will miss a game for the crime of being big. After tonight's games, though, I think it's about time we revisit last summer's conventional wisdom: That the Celtics out-toughed the finesse Lakers, and thus became world champions.

Okay, so we've all been distracted by dreams of Kobe/LeBron. The Lakers got Andrew Bynum back, Pau Gasol got a few muscles, and we forgave that team its womanly trespasses. And LeBron is physical enough in his own way that cliches about hard fouls and protecting the lane become laughable.

But now you have the Hawks and Heat beating the crap out of each other, and an (admittedly injured) Dwyane Wade reduced to bugging refs for calls like it was the 2006 Finals. And the Nuggets bruising, athletic frontcourt rotation of Nene, Chris Andersen, and Kenyon Martin looking awfully scary right about now.If the Lakers had problems with Boozer and Millsap, they should be skittish about this troika of terror. Am I fully convinced that Houston will not only beat Portland, but maybe yet prove to an important test for the Lakers: In addition to Yao's sheer size, they've also got the likes of Ron Artest, Carl Landry, and Chuck Hayes to kick some rear, postseason-style.

Thankfully, none of these teams are one-sided thug-fests; there's also plenty of skill on these rosters. All this means, though, is that whoever wins this title is going to have to combine some of the best qualities of last season's Celitcs and Lakers. Which, I think most sane people would agree is the ideal form of basketball.
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Aznoob · Apr 30, 2009

I want to see how Hayes can contain Gasol. If Hayes can't come in, and become a good defender against Gasol, we don't stand a chance.

My X-Factor for the next series, assuming we get there, has got to be Chuck Hayes and Ron Artest.

Can Hayes slow down/stop Gasol?
Can Artest slow down Kobe?

If yes on both, then we can give them a series.

durvasa · Apr 30, 2009

The Lakers may super-sweep the Rockets -- 4-0 in the regular season, and 4-0 in the playoffs.

I don't think it will be much of a matchup, frankly.

rocketsjudoka · Apr 30, 2009

All threads looking forward to the next series should be locked until the current one is done.

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[SportingNews] Who's Tough enough to be Champions

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