Andrew Bynum=No Championship

[Antitrust32]

I'm really not sure why everyone assumes its going to be a Lakers/Cavs matchup.

The way Denver is playing I see them beating the Lakers.

I also think the Cavs playoff record is going to be 12-0 heading to the finals and whoever plays them will be LUCKY to win 2 games.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

It might be. The problem will be that the Lakers don't have a superior talent advantage over the Cavs. Deron Williams killed them. Brooks is killing them now. Chris Paul kills them. Guys like Williams and Paul kill everyone though. In today's game, with the rules the way they are about touching guys, every team in the league has problems with quick point guards. Even the teams WITH quick point guards. Paul can't guard Williams and vice versa. So I don't think that the Lakers would be that much better with a better defensive guard. It wouldn't hurt of course but I don't know how much it would help. I think that what will help them is that fact that LeBron is a ball controlling star for Cleveland and not their point guards. I think that if they use a lineup that has Bryant and Ariza in the backcourt, that's their best lineup. Ariza has the athletic ability and length to stay in front of their point guards. Brown, Fisher, and Farmer can't do anything with them.

That lineup is too big and gives them no spot up shooters. Ariza in the lineup with Bryant is fine but you need fisher, Sasha or Farmar prepared to shoot or else defenses can cheat over on kobe or in the paint with the floor so unbalanced.

lakers front line creates huge mismatches against Cleveland. Cleveland's best interior defender is Verejao and he is too small to guard Gasol or Bynum. Illguaskus is too slow.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

I'm really not sure why everyone assumes its going to be a Lakers/Cavs matchup.

The way Denver is playing I see them beating the Lakers.

I also think the Cavs playoff record is going to be 12-0 heading to the finals and whoever plays them will be LUCKY to win 2 games.

Denver's chances of beating the lakers are slim and none and slim already left for the beach.

Denver matches up horribly with the lakers.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

West can matchup fairly well with Kobe on the other end with Lebron getting some time on him also .

Chuck, I love you buddy, but did you really type this?

pgardn...please get off of chuck's keyboard!

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Denver's chances of beating the lakers are slim and none and slim already left for the beach.

Denver matches up horribly with the lakers.

we will see, my beautiful friend, we will see..

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

we will see, my beautiful friend, we will see..

bet? I will give you 3-1

[Antitrust32]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

bet? I will give you 3-1

sure.. a beer... if the lakers win i'll buy you one if Denver wins you can buy me three

I don't see why anyone would consider the Cavs a lock to win it all when LeBron turns into super tard and starts shooting 3's nonstop when the pressure is on. It's not like that mental aspect of his game has improved since last year. He still has flashes of tardation.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

That lineup is too big and gives them no spot up shooters. Ariza in the lineup with Bryant is fine but you need fisher, Sasha or Farmar prepared to shoot or else defenses can cheat over on kobe or in the paint with the floor so unbalanced.

lakers front line creates huge mismatches against Cleveland. Cleveland's best interior defender is Verejao and he is too small to guard Gasol or Bynum. Illguaskus is too slow.

Verejao is too small to guard Gasol or Byum? Is Ben Wallace too small too?

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Chuck, I love you buddy, but did you really type this?

pgardn...please get off of chuck's keyboard!

West is a good matchup on Kobe in regards to size and speed. He is the same size and has quick hands. That isnt to say that Kobe wont still score 35 but he will have to work for it and they will have Lebron match up with him as well to try to wear him down. Not to mention that if Kobe freelances on the defensive end West will bury the Lakers with open jumpers. Hard to believe that this guy couldnt get minutes in Seattle, he is a really good player.

imo Bynum is sitting around because the Lakers
are just running so much. They are pushing the
ball very hard. And that means running to get back on
D as well. Bynum is not ready for this type
of game. Gasol and Odom are much better suited
for this type of game.

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Verejao is too small to guard Gasol or Byum? Is Ben Wallace too small too?

Ben Wallace is about 9X as strong as mop head.
Verejao is much more of a pest on D. He has mobility
and size, physical strength in the low post is not his
game.

Anyway,
Cleveland helps out so well its going to take a really
good offensive effort to beat them. imo Cleveland
has really faced some rotten teams. Atlanta was
playing without a number of good players here and there.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Verejao is too small to guard Gasol or Byum? Is Ben Wallace too small too?

Ben Wallace is just too old. Surely you are not trying to throw the name "ben wallace" out there like it still means something are you? He is a body at this point...an extra 6 fouls that can give minutes and maybe snag some boards. His days of being mentioned as a top interior defender are well behind him.

Regardless of how "soft" he is or whatever knocks people want to throw at him, make no mistake that Pau Gasol is one of the top five post players in the game and in his prime and there isnt a player on Cleveland that can guard him one on one. You can't double him and kobe.

[dalakhani]

[quote=Cannon Shell]West is a good matchup on Kobe in regards to size and speed. He is the same size

What? Kobe is 6 6 205. west is 6 3 (in heels!) and 180. Same size? Besides, everyone knows Kobe is bothered more by length than speed on defense. Same speed? Whatever you say buddy.

I hope it is a Lakers - Cavs finals. Please baby Jesus let it happen so I can come back and laugh at this thread.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Ben Wallace is just too old. Surely you are not trying to throw the name "ben wallace" out there like it still means something are you? He is a body at this point...an extra 6 fouls that can give minutes and maybe snag some boards. His days of being mentioned as a top interior defender are well behind him.

Regardless of how "soft" he is or whatever knocks people want to throw at him, make no mistake that Pau Gasol is one of the top five post players in the game and in his prime and there isnt a player on Cleveland that can guard him one on one. You can't double him and kobe.

Pau gasol is a good player but hardly needs to be doubled.

[Cannon Shell]

[quote=dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

West is a good matchup on Kobe in regards to size and speed. He is the same size

What? Kobe is 6 6 205. west is 6 3 (in heels!) and 180. Same size? Besides, everyone knows Kobe is bothered more by length than speed on defense. Same speed? Whatever you say buddy.

Everybody knows Kobe is bothered by length? Like who? Manute Bol? West is far closer to Kobe size and speed wise than you want to give him credit for. Shaq is listed at 290 too.

[dalakhani]

[quote=Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Everybody knows Kobe is bothered by length? Like who? Manute Bol? West is far closer to Kobe size and speed wise than you want to give him credit for. Shaq is listed at 290 too.

West is, by NBA standards, an undersized 2 guard at 6 3. A three inch height advantage is big...especially when it comes to guarding arguably the best player in the world.

length, like who? How about Tayshaun Prince? How about Rashard Lewis? Shaun marion? Those guys have at times done very well against Kobe. Even bigger physical guys have done well like artest or even pierce, who is very underrated defensively. Now when i say very well, I mean it relatively. Kobe will get his when he gets his no matter who is guarding him.

Smaller players he tends to eat alive because he can shoot over them so easily.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Pau gasol is a good player but hardly needs to be doubled.

Well, maybe Cleveland should start doubling him. Against them this year, he was 17-28 from the field while averaging 20 points and 12.5 rebounds.

In the last game in cleveland, Odom and Gasol combined for 46 points and 19 rebounds against ben wallace and company and that was the cavs only home loss of the season. Then again, Delonte West wasnt playing that game.

*side note- Delonte west is a solid NBA player and he is having a very good postseason. He is tough, smart and is able to hit the big shot when left open. I just scoff at the idea that he is any kind of impediment for kobe.

[Cannon Shell]

[quote=dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

West is, by NBA standards, an undersized 2 guard at 6 3. A three inch height advantage is big...especially when it comes to guarding arguably the best player in the world.

length, like who? How about Tayshaun Prince? How about Rashard Lewis? Shaun marion? Those guys have at times done very well against Kobe. Even bigger physical guys have done well like artest or even pierce, who is very underrated defensively. Now when i say very well, I mean it relatively. Kobe will get his when he gets his no matter who is guarding him.

Smaller players he tends to eat alive because he can shoot over them so easily.

West did a very good job against Joe Johnson who is bigger than Kobe. While Johnson isn't Kobe he is an NBA allstar. I agree that stopping Kobe is not an option but West will make him work harder for his points than most and will also keep him honest at the other end. Kobe must have been sick the night Rashard Lewis gave him trouble.