Personally, I wouldn't be totally shocked if the Lakers won a fourth straight title. They have lots of similarities to the 1995 team. Injury problems, coming together at the right time, dominant center, fearless shooting guard, clutch role players, defensive intensity. I don't think another title is out of the question... Of course, we beat two 60 win teams and the teams with the four best records in the NBA, so it wouldn't be EXACT.
You forgot to factor in a clutch SF that seemed on the verge of breaking out. Also a Pg that could shoot lights out when on and a young pg coming off the bench that was instant O. Having said that, I dont think that the lakers are going to repeat, That rocket team had much more depth than before, and with the seven game schedule it could start to wear the lakers down.
Lakers don't give a flying fu(k right now about the regular season. They know how to win when it counts, so until they lose, I can't pick against them.
Ain't that the truth. AND - they are likely to NOT have to open with SA, Dallas, or Sac. Just Po'land or KG.
i pick san antonio. rather have a texas team win than a california team. mavs wont do it, sa will have to. sick of the lakers being cocky and being champions every year. hope someone teaches them some respect.
To answer the question... Of course they can. I seriously hope not, as I hate the lakers with an undying passion, but they are easily one of the top 4 teams in terms of Championship potential, and have a possible psychological edge over the Kings, Spurs, and Mavs, the only 3 other legit contenders, IMO. They are also one injury away from being nothing...but then that was true for each of the last 3 years as well.
When Shaq plays like the way he's playing now, no one can stop the Lakers. They are gonna win it again.
I am rooting against the Lake Show, EXCEPT -- if they keep moving thru the Drexler Rox will get prime time recognition. (More than at the time???)
Agree. Having Shaq is like putting a Division 1 player on a middle school team. When healthy, he is simply a different level of player than everyone else in the league. I don't like the Lakers at all, but they are the ones with the unfair advantage on their side. As long as injury and fatigue doesn't catch up with Diesel, I don't see any reason for LA to be dethroned.
I would not be shocked if the Lakers won it all, but I think that the Spurs are going to take it all this year, and if they sign a big free-agent in the off season I could see them going back-to-back. Duncan is the best big man since Dream, Shaq is awesome too, but he is so fat he just pushes everyone away in his way.
They can and they will. It's already a done deal. I still hate them though, but I won't pick against them.
First time poster here, big Rocket fan and Laker hater. I seriously hope the Lakers do not go all the way again. Someone needs to teach Shaq some freaking respect. It would really suck for all the Laker haters out there if Phoenix were to knock off SA, which would seem to be the Lakers' biggest threat in the playoffs right now. Dallas won't do it, and I don't have faith in Sac-Town right now. Of course if Portland can still beat LA with Shaq and Kobe playing lights out, anything's possible....
I think 3 teams have real good chances--the Spurs, Kings and Lakers. I can't see the Mavs returning to their early season offensive form--and they never really could play defense if even--so I don't think they have much of a chance. It is very likely the Spurs will have a major advantage--home court versus everyone IMO more importantly perhaps all the other serious contenders in the same bracket (Kings, Lakers & Mavs). For this reason alone I would favor them--though honestly the Lakers or Kings are probably just as good a bets in any one individual series. All this said, yes for sure the Lakers can win. But the schedule really is looking favorable for the Spurs. Then again it looked this way in 95 and we know what happened--and the current Shaq is still the most dominant force in the game as Hakeem was then. The Lakers at their best is the best team the league has too offer--it is a question of if they can play their best for a pretty grueling strech. They might be awefully beat down by the Kings by the time they reach the Spurs, or vice versa if by some chance the Lakers end in the 4/5 spot. I'll wait until tonights outcome to make predictions--it will suck for the Spurs and be wide open for the Kings if the Lakers fall to #5.
I'm just glad the Lakers are the 5 seed so the Rockets can still be the lowest seed to win the championship. B
Yeah, the safe money is on them, but... Doesn't this seem like the situation where the Kings (if not Spurs/Mavs) beat them on the way to a championship, thus legitimizing their ascension to the top? Kind of like Pistons over Lakers in late 80's... Or Bulls over Pistons in '91.
