**nba playoffs** second round

[BuddyHolly]

Everybody is acting like it's panic time for the Lakers cause they weren't as dominant as expected. Well, Boston went 7, 7, and 6 games in their 3 series leading up to the finals last year. All anybody will remember in the long run is that they won the championship. I'm a Laker fan and the only time I was ever slightly worried was after game 1. Losing home court made me a little uneasy, but after game 3 I never stressed again. Yeah, I would have liked the Lakers to not lose the last 2 road games, but they got the win out of the way first, and didn't mess around on their home court. I'm equally as confident the Lakers will beat Denver. Cleveland is the challenge that concerns me. If Denver can steal one on the Lakers home court it will worry me, but likely the Lakers win the first two and it's never in doubt.

 

[playmakr]

Everybody is acting like it's panic time for the Lakers cause they weren't as dominant as expected. Well, Boston went 7, 7, and 6 games in their 3 series leading up to the finals last year. All anybody will remember in the long run is that they won the championship. I'm a Laker fan and the only time I was ever slightly worried was after game 1. Losing home court made me a little uneasy, but after game 3 I never stressed again. Yeah, I would have liked the Lakers to not lose the last 2 road games, but they got the win out of the way first, and didn't mess around on their home court. I'm equally as confident the Lakers will beat Denver. Cleveland is the challenge that concerns me. If Denver can steal one on the Lakers home court it will worry me, but likely the Lakers win the first two and it's never in doubt.

The difference in comparing the Lakers of this year and Celtics of last year is hindsight.

 

[SoopaSooner]

Damn shame the C's couldn't try and defend at full strength but that's apart of the game I guess.

I think I'll be a Cavs fan the rest of these playoffs.

 

[rbi2]

In the Cavs-Magic series who is going to guard LeBron?

You talk about mismatches everywhere.

Dwight Howard against Big Z or Varejao. Then Big Z or Varejao on Rashard Lewis. Both of those are a joke.

But Turkoglu on LeBron and Redick on Delonte West. OMG!

Some of these games wont even be fun to watch except the LeBron factor.

 

[datsooner10]

Go Cavs!

 

[jmizzy4ou]

Consider me in the minority, or maybe I'm just a Laker homer, but I believe that the Lakers will have an easier time with Denver than they did Houston.

I don't believe that Denver has anyone who can remotely push Kobe like Battier did. I say Battier because Artest CANNOT guard Kobe on any night. His physical play doesn't bother Kobe who likes to play physical as well.

The key for the Lakers will be to make the Nugget starters do all of the work. They can't let Birdman and JR come off the bench for huge games. I like the Laker 1st five to outplay the Nugget five, and Odom should feast off the bench...... Force Melo and Billups to score big every night, and make them work on D. I'm not convinced yet about the Melo new attitude. Lets see how they react to being punched in the mouth. Dallas didn't really threaten them because Dirk had no help. The Mavs had little to no inside presence, therefore the Nugget bigs could play help D. They better not play off Gasol, Odom, and Bynum, or they will pay dearly.

LA in 5.

 

[campbest]

Consider me in the minority, or maybe I'm just a Laker homer, but I believe that the Lakers will have an easier time with Denver than they did Houston.

I don't believe that Denver has anyone who can remotely push Kobe like Battier did. I say Battier because Artest CANNOT guard Kobe on any night. His physical play doesn't bother Kobe who likes to play physical as well.

The key for the Lakers will be to make the Nugget starters do all of the work. They can't let Birdman and JR come off the bench for huge games. I like the Laker 1st five to outplay the Nugget five, and Odom should feast off the bench...... Force Melo and Billups to score big every night, and make them work on D. I'm not convinced yet about the Melo new attitude. Lets see how they react to being punched in the mouth. Dallas didn't really threaten them because Dirk had no help. The Mavs had little to no inside presence, therefore the Nugget bigs could play help D. They better not play off Gasol, Odom, and Bynum, or they will pay dearly.

LA in 5.

This would be a flagarant 2.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

This would be a flagarant 2.

Hahahaha. You are correct.

 

[rbi2]

I respect Jmizzy's opinion but I have to disagree and I'm a Lakers Fan. I hate how everyone hates on Kobe and he still just brings it.

LA has no one who could stop Billups, as Fisher, Farmar and Brown can't stay with him. He has brought them to another level. And Nuggets actually play defense now. Their energy guys off the bench are really good too. I agree they don't have anyone who can guard Kobe but LA doesn't have anyone who can guard Melo. The Nuggets Big guys are superior in Athleticism, so that should help them out.

I could see this is a classic series, Lakers in 7 and Cavs will be waiting after their 5 games they will play with the Magic.

 

[Edmond_Sooner]

I am clearly a Laker fan and biased...but i think the matchup with the Nuggets is much better for the Lakers...

The Lakers have been using the Nuggets aggressiveness against them by getting to the line an obscene amount of times this year...plus, even though they have JR and Jones to guard Kobe they rely more on athleticism than position to guard Kobe...i think that plays right into his hands...

The biggest question is the impact Billups has, he clearly is better than anything the Lakers can through out there but he isnt scary quick so if the Lakers can somehow decide to just play solid D on him maybe they can hold him down from having stupid numbers...

All of this will be answered in Game 1, if the Lakers win i think they win the series in 6 or less...if they lose i think Denver will most likely win in 6, would be very hard for LA to pull the series out IMO after another loss of homecourt that quick in the series...

 

[red recluse]

i think it comes down to the strength and quickness of nene and k-mart and how the lakers frontline deals with them. scola and the rockets got so many easy buckets underneath that i see that being a bigger problem this series. birdman and bynum will be a wash, so it depends on how well gasol and odom bring it defensively.

 

[jmizzy4ou]

Fisher matches up better with Billups than he did Brooks. Billups isn't going to blow by him as easy, and he loves the jump shot. He uses his strength, which is also Fish's strength. Billups wil probably give Farmer fits, but Brown may match up with him better.

We shall see if Billups really has changed the mentality as much as advertised. I believe that the Lakers will be more focused which spels trouble for Denver.

LA in 5........