Celtics shop Rondo, Allen

[darklighter1]

Habib you are in for major heartbreak if you think the Lakers are repeating. They are a good team but far from a great one. The late 90's Lakers were head and shoulders above the rest of the League but these guys just had a good year while the rest of the League was down. Do you really think Odom or Ariza will play like they did this year when they have never consistently done so in their previous years? And Bynum? That kid is just all promise and no heart, he just doesn't come through but in flashes. Kobe is the greatest player on Earth (although I'd still take LeBron) but his supporting cast just played outa their minds. And to think it'll all come together without a challenge again not to mention ignoring the inevitable injury and complacency that sets in on a championship team is bonkers. Plus Jackson is going to be a lame duck coac next year and that usually never bodes well. The Spurs just needed a wakeup call and they could be good again, at least as good as the Lakers and I think Jefferson could be that guy.

I mean wish for the best with your boys but don't count on anything, remember they are esentially the same team that one year ago got blown out by Boston in Game 6 by 40 points. No team is that dominant that will easily win next year including the Lakers.

Why does every basketball thread get railroaded back into a Lakers discussion? :laff:

[Habib]

Wow darklighter1...

"...remember they are essentially the same team that one year ago got blown out by Boston in Game 6 by 40 points..."

Do you watch basketball? Like seriously, do you? How can you say that they are essentially the same team when THAT year Bynum and Ariza were injured. Now those are 2 starting lineup guys.

OK, the fact that I picked the Lakers to repeat is considering that there are no injuries involved. It is up to them to lose, but they have all the talent. Everything they need to repeat is within their control, the only reason they won't repeat is because of injuries.

As for the western conference, the Lakers are a team that will have to be dealt with for years to come. They are not even done yet. The differential between the Lakers and other teams in the west is HUGE, trust me. During the WCF, I though that the Nuggets are close, but damn...after that Game 6 when the Lakers blew them out in their own home floor, they have pretty much made a statement to the rest of the west that none of them is close.

Man, when the Lakers actually want to PLAY basketball, NO team can beat them in the league. I can understand some reasons why you hate, it may be because of they get too complacent (example: the Houston series that took them to game 7). Lakers are way too deep of a team -- they don't have to depend on Kobe Bryant scoring 40 points anymore, they don't have to depend on Pau Gasol scoring 30 points.

And, please give me a distinction between "good" and "great" for you. LoL please leave the '90s Lakers out of this, and let us deal with the 21st century Lakers, because that is where we are in now.

Haha, I don't know about "every" basketball thread getting railroaded back into a Lakers discussion, but I know the reason why THIS one got there...it is because 2 people said the Spurs are the top team in the west because of the Jefferson trade. Well that's only if they have moved the Lakers to Winsconsin.

:)

[trashtalkr]

Wow....Shaq to the Cavs as well. While he's getting old, I think he still has 1 or 2 good years in him

[Habib]

Damn that's scary. He's 37 now. He'll be lucky to stay healthy the duration of the season.

[darklighter1]

Habib of course I watch ball man, apparently more than you cause I see a seriously level playing field among the top eight teams. And are you trying totell me that Bynum missing? BYNUM! was the reason Boston stomped on LA by 40? The guy has been a non factor on that team since the beginning of the 2007 season. He's not that good brother. And Ariza is a decent role player but also not a superstar in any shape or form.

Don't get me wrong I think they are a good team but of all the Lakers teams I've seen win over the last 20+ years they would be by far the worst. I'm sorry to compare them to old teams as this for some reason offends you but those older teams were great while these guys are simply good. Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabar, James Worthy, Michael Cooper, Byron Scott were great (well maybe not Byron Scott). Kobe is great, but the rest of the guys average. I'm really surprised to see you think they're so dominant cause they beat on the Nuggets a team that quit half way through game 4. I just think you need to step back and look at reality..there are other teams that will be more than a challenge for LA next year. It's a serious longshot to see a repeat.

And I know you want to label me but I'm not a hater I just see a team that is eminantly beatable.

[Habib]

OK darklighter, once again, WHY do you keep comparing this Laker team to the one of 2 decades ago? I just cannot comprehend the idea behind it, and, most importantly, it doesn't prove anything. The Laker team of 20 years ago was better than the rest of the league, well, SO as this current Laker team. This Laker team isn't playing oppositions of 20 years ago, they are playing the CURRENT teams.

And to clear things up, just so that you know, the reason why I asked if you watch basketball is because someone who watches basketball will not say that this current Laker team is not different from the Laker team that got smoked by Boston in the '07 - '08 season by 39 points. How can they be the same team when they were missing a guy in the starting lineup, and their real center? I thought it was a reasonable question, so please do not get offended by it.

I like how you say that the Nuggets are a team "that quit half way through game 4." Well, that's how human beings are. Had they won the Lakers you would have said they were a REALLY good team. I personally didn't think they quit, they played hard but the Lakers were just so dominant and they exposed to them and the league the differential between #1 and #2 in the west.

About Bynum you are right, I won't argue about that. But that's partially because of he has been injured and he is still rehabbing his knee. And does a player need to be a superstar to make a team good? I believe in doing what you have to do, which is what Ariza and Fisher does. They win games, that's what is most important. Everybody on that team had a significant contribution to this championship run -- Ariza's 2 steals in 2 different games to take the lead for good, Fishers dagger 3 pointer in game 4 of the finals, and so on...

I would doubt that you watch basketball if you say that Kobe Bryant is great but the rest of the guys are average. In other words, are you calling a player of Pau Gasol's caliber average? Please sir...Pau Gasol and Kevin Garnett are the best skilled BIG MEN in the league -- even Magic Johnson said that. That's not what I call average.

[darklighter1]

No objectivity brother. But ok you win. The Lakers are the GREATEST team ever! They make other great teams look like nancy boy teams. The 12th man on the Lakers is greater than the greatest player on what ever other team you can name. Pau Gasol can leap tall buildings in a single bound and feed the hungry from the crumbs left in his beard. If Kobe Bryant doesn't win the MVP followed up by the Pulitzer Prize the next ten years than the League oughta check for voter tampering. 10 years after Bynum has been outa the League he will still be considered the greatest defensive presence of all time and his smile will help bring peace to Darfur. Derek Fisher is not only the greatest pointguard that doesn't point but when Jesus Christ returns to Earth Derek wiill be there waiting for him and say "Don't worry Jese I got this", after which 1000 years of peace and Lakerness will wash over the masses.

I was a thousand times wrong and you were right! Next year I forsee the Lakers going undefeated winning by a minimum of 40 each night, maybe two off nights where they only win by 20 or so. The Lakers are so good they will get the Lombardi, Stanley Cup and Commissioner's Trophy awarded to them as well. Perfection has been found boys and it's in LA. I have seen the light and it is Gold with a purplish hue...Hallaluliah! Peace be onto Derek.

[trashtalkr]

LMFAO!!! You crack me up DL...

[AYHJA]

CDR...Children, there is an easy way to solve this..! When deductive reasoning fails, we will always, ALWAYS have numbers...And those numbers are always the base of my arguments...

dl1, the C's did not beat L.A. not once this year...Say what you want about it being the regular season, but I watched them games...They were charged...The Lakers beat them at home and in Boston...KG was there, he was not hurt, everybody that was expected to play, played...They got dealt 2 asswhippings...So, we can say what we want after that...But lets start there...

Now, the Spurs trade presents a more distinguished argument...The Spurs beat the Lakers by 1 in the regular season once, and then got blown out 2 other times...So, we add RJeff, who is an above average scorer, no doubt...But when have you ever heard the words 'defensive presence' around his name..? Sure, he'll kick up their scoring...The Spurs were 13th in the league this year (the Lakers were 3rd) in offense, and 5th in defense...If I'm not mistaken, they lose Bowen in the trade, who was widely regarded as a good if not great defender...And the rest of the bigs they had to play D...So, who else is about to play D..? Besides Duncan's 2 BPG, what gives..? Are the Spurs about to turn into the Suns..? No, I don't think so...

RJeff is a Small Forward...That means that Ariza will likely be his counterpart...Say what you want, Ariza played crazy D this year...And is not a liability on offense...Nobody on the Spurs can guard Kobe, but then again, guarding Parker has been a problem...I'll let you all decide which of those is the greater liability...

That leaves Duncan, who will likely be guarded by Pau Gasol...And then there's 'lets go left' Manu Ginobli...Add those things up, see how they compute, and then tell me, with all honesty, that you still think this trade makes the Spurs the team to beat in the west...The Spurs got BETTER no doubt...But this is the West, they might have improved good enough to beat Denver...And lets not forget Houston, who could have just as easily been in the finals this year with a healthy T-Mac and Yao...

I am a fan boy of the Lakers, yes indeed...But enough is enough...The only way the Lakers are not the favorites to win the west again is if Kobe decides to retire and lay up with his fine ass wife for the rest of his remaining years...And I couldn't blame him for that...The C's were the team to beat this year until they got beat, I think its fair due to say the same of the Lakers until they meet a similar fate...

[Habib]

Wow, darklighter1, that post was seriously unwarranted for and very unnecessary...however, if that is your way of discussing about basketball, then that is cool. I'm sure I never said or implied anywhere that "The Lakers are the GREATEST team ever!" I'm quoting you on that one, but you can never quote me ever saying that.