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Any news on Sasha?
Official: Western Conference Finals Lakers vs. Suns thread (LAL 1-0)
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by rockforlight,
- Start date
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lets hope not
notorious 858
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Yes there is. But just don't bring it up with KB8
It's a sore subject with him
Link:
http://www.latimes.com/sp...20100511,0,6858088.story
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Everyone, including the Suns fans know the Lakers are going to take this series easily!
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Go Suns
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Hate to break it to you, but he's making his return in this series.
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As much as I would like to see my Suns beat the Lakers, they have NO answer for Kobe.
Lakers in 7.
Lakers in 7.
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this series is not going past 6 games, but it will be fun to watch
More than likely, Lakers close this out in 5 in LA.
More than likely, Lakers close this out in 5 in LA.
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Originally Posted by knightngale
acidicality would say the same thing even if the lakers were playing the 1999 clippersOriginally Posted by NobleKane
god when will people learn??fr
the hate in him is deep
the lakers should not take the suns lately because of what is happening with the cavs
nothing is easy in the playoffs and if they dont show up at 100% then acidicality will be celebrating
this...i would get knocked from this guy for hating his warriors while living in the bay but yet he hates the Lakers for the same reason cause he goes to school down there and sick of all the Lakers fans
son first off respect your elders...second is this toddler really calling some of us immature when hes not even legally old enough to drink?
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Well damn. Yall going in on each other early. But having to wait 7 days will do that to you.
I am confident we will win. To be honest I don't care how many games it takes. I have seen my team go 7 with teams they should have killed in 4 (Houston last year) and sweep teams I thought they would have gone 6 games with (Utah this year). Any real Laker fan knows from game to game we get a different team because of the talent we have. There is on constant and that is Kobe but you never know who will go off with him. Could be Pau, Could be Odom you just never know.
We have too much talent for the suns and everybody knows that.
I am confident we will win. To be honest I don't care how many games it takes. I have seen my team go 7 with teams they should have killed in 4 (Houston last year) and sweep teams I thought they would have gone 6 games with (Utah this year). Any real Laker fan knows from game to game we get a different team because of the talent we have. There is on constant and that is Kobe but you never know who will go off with him. Could be Pau, Could be Odom you just never know.
We have too much talent for the suns and everybody knows that.
On top of too much talent, we have seen that the Lakers WILL respond when pushed a lil bit. So if the Suns were to take a game in LA, we would come right back and get that game back in Phoenix. Anyone who doesn't think so is foolish.
And let's be real, the Suns aren't exactly known for their mental toughness this late in the playoffs.
Phil Jax with a week to prepare for an opponent? And an opponent within our own division? That we know very well already?
Ima go ahead and say that's an advantage, call me crazy.
As Tupac said, i don't care how many games it takes, just win 4 times in the next week and a half. Period.
And let's be real, the Suns aren't exactly known for their mental toughness this late in the playoffs.
Phil Jax with a week to prepare for an opponent? And an opponent within our own division? That we know very well already?
As Tupac said, i don't care how many games it takes, just win 4 times in the next week and a half. Period.
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FML YUKU
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Momentum and matchups: An early peek at Lakers vs. Suns
By Brian Kamenetzky
Perhaps the toughest thing for players, fans, and media alike during the playoffs is to avoid becoming a prisoner of the moment. Teams can fluctuate wildly, strengths and weaknesses often masked by matchups and the sort of performance blips able to alter the course of a series. They can look incredibly vulnerable one moment, then hoist a Larry O'Brien the next (see Celtics, Boston 2007-0
, or look totally dominant but then fall short (see Lakers, Los Angeles 2007-0. All the while, infinite definitive and declarative statements are made crowning or burying a squad.
It's particularly true of a team like the Lakers, for whom "the now" is parsed and dissected like no other team in basketball. Forget game-to-game- the Lakers are often tagged as champions, fakers, pretenders, world-beaters, too-thin, too-deep, complacent and focused within any 48 minute stretch. Sometimes within the same quarter.
They were undoubtedly on shaky ground heading into the playoffs, and I warned it would be a tough slog for the Lakers en route to what I still believed was a Finals appearance. I figured they would get better as they went along, but there would be some extremely rocky points along the way in a brutal Western Conference. Any missteps could cost them a third straight trip to the Finals. Then things, as they often will, started happening: Denver fell apart, Portland effectively lost Brandon Roy, and the Jazz were left without Mehmet Okur and a rusty Andrei Kirilenko.
Suddenly a pothole-laden road got a fresh paving.
http://The Lakers survived a stiff test against an Oklahoma City team without any experience, but scores of other stuff able to give the L.A. fits. The Thunder had speed, defensive energy, a guy to put on Kobe Bryant, and a great transition game. Once it became clear they weren't going to shrink in the moment, it's no surprise the Lakers were nearly pushed to seven games by Oklahoma City.
Call Utah the anti-Thunder. Seasoned as they may be, it didn't take long to see the Jazz had absolutely no chance of beating the Lakers. My original pick was Lakers in six. By halftime of Game 1, I figured I oversold it by a game. Turns out, I was off by two. Without Okur to provide a little useful height and without anyone to check Kobe effectively, the Jazz were left with a beautiful system, Deron Williams, and little else. That's not nearly enough to beat L.A., particularly one getting healthier as the series progressed. Break out the brooms.
So how much of that dominance was L.A. rounding into form, how much was a second round draw tailor made for success?
Having won six straight, including three on the road, I'm inclined to say it's some of the latter but more of the former. The Lakers have produced quality execution at critical moments against the Thunder and Jazz (teams not up to L.A.'s level, but hardly the Warriors) and looked overwhelming in others. We'll find out more next week when they kick off the Western Conference Finals against the Suns. Again it seems like the draw has opened up well for the Lakers. Sounds funny after watching the Suns torch (ha!) the Spurs in four games- can't say I saw that coming- but on paper, at least, it doesn't seem like Phoenix can beat the purple and gold four times in seven games.
Two or three, maybe, and it wouldn't surprise me if at least one was a blowout, but not four.
They will, however, be a serious test. Phoenix ended the regular season winning 14 of 16. 26-21 after an overtime loss to Charlotte on Jan. 26, the Suns went 28-8 the rest of the way. Measured by efficiency, the Suns had, by miles, the best offense in basketball. They've also slowly evolved into a better defensive team, and over the tail end of the season and the playoffs have exceeded their season norms for defensive efficiency as well. Phoenix outscored the Blazers and Spurs by an average of almost 10 points a game (vs. 4.1 for L.A.). Offensively, they've dominated in the postseason more than any team west of Orlando (scroll around these stats, and you'll see what I mean).
They're certainly capable of spreading the Lakers defensively and piling up points.
On the other hand... the Suns are still small. Very small. Depending on the health and effectiveness of Robin Lopez, who hasn't played since March 28th thanks to a bad back, the Suns may have to take the floor against the Lakers without a seven-footer and perhaps only the ineffective Jarron Collins to eat up space inside against Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom. The Lakers have the ability to make Amar'e Stoudemire work defensively like few other teams can. Gasol is mobile enough to defend in space and still dominate inside. The Suns, like the Jazz, have no natural fit when it comes to guarding Kobe, explaining Bryant's 54.4 percent mark from the floor in four regular season games (three of which were Lakers wins) against Alvin Gentry's bunch. This despite a terrible mark (28.6%) from downtown.
In those four meetings, the Lakers held Phoenix under their season average in offensive efficiency in three. They also scored at or well above their mark for offensive efficiency in all four, which makes sense given L.A.'s size advantage inside. Bynum and Gasol combined to shoot 60 percent against Phoenix. That's a lot of easy points. Defensively, the Lakers were able to hold the Suns under their season mark of 41 percent on three pointers in all four games. They held Stoudamire and Steve Nash under their season averages in most meaningful statistical categories, and absolutely destroyed Jason Richardson.
On the other hand, much like it was when evaluating the Oklahoma City series, context matters. Two of those four contests came reasonably early in the season when Phoenix wasn't nearly as good as they are now. The Suns have the dangerous point guard in Nash, the superstar offensive player in Stoudamire, waves of dead-eye three point shooters, and a bench playing incredibly well. Every time I turn on my TV, Jared Dudley hits a three, and that includes when I'm watching Food Network. Dude's everywhere. And they're not winning just by running up and down the floor, either. In the postseason, likely due to time against the slowpoke Blazers, Phoenix has a slower pace factor than L.A. (90.3 trips per 48 minutes vs. 90.7 for the Lakers).
Both teams are trending up, both are coming off sweeps. The Lakers, however, were expected to win. Phoenix broomed a potent San Antonio squad most, at least here at ESPN, picked to win. A Spurs squad many thought was L.A.'s biggest threat. They absolutely destroyed them.
With a week to go before Game 1, there won't be an angle for this series left uncovered. I'm sure at some point, I'll issue my end-of-the-bench, Dwayne Jones vs. Adam Morrison post. Jack vs. The Gorilla. Which city has better tacos. There's that much time. But by next week, a Lakers team already getting healthy will be even more sound, and while I can't guarantee they'll win, I'd be surprised if they didn't.
One thing I can guarantee? It's going to be a very fun series.
Send us your feedback by e-mailing us. Follow us on Twitter at ESPNLandOLakers.
By Brian Kamenetzky
Perhaps the toughest thing for players, fans, and media alike during the playoffs is to avoid becoming a prisoner of the moment. Teams can fluctuate wildly, strengths and weaknesses often masked by matchups and the sort of performance blips able to alter the course of a series. They can look incredibly vulnerable one moment, then hoist a Larry O'Brien the next (see Celtics, Boston 2007-0
, or look totally dominant but then fall short (see Lakers, Los Angeles 2007-0. All the while, infinite definitive and declarative statements are made crowning or burying a squad. It's particularly true of a team like the Lakers, for whom "the now" is parsed and dissected like no other team in basketball. Forget game-to-game- the Lakers are often tagged as champions, fakers, pretenders, world-beaters, too-thin, too-deep, complacent and focused within any 48 minute stretch. Sometimes within the same quarter.
They were undoubtedly on shaky ground heading into the playoffs, and I warned it would be a tough slog for the Lakers en route to what I still believed was a Finals appearance. I figured they would get better as they went along, but there would be some extremely rocky points along the way in a brutal Western Conference. Any missteps could cost them a third straight trip to the Finals. Then things, as they often will, started happening: Denver fell apart, Portland effectively lost Brandon Roy, and the Jazz were left without Mehmet Okur and a rusty Andrei Kirilenko.
Suddenly a pothole-laden road got a fresh paving.
http://The Lakers survived a stiff test against an Oklahoma City team without any experience, but scores of other stuff able to give the L.A. fits. The Thunder had speed, defensive energy, a guy to put on Kobe Bryant, and a great transition game. Once it became clear they weren't going to shrink in the moment, it's no surprise the Lakers were nearly pushed to seven games by Oklahoma City.
Call Utah the anti-Thunder. Seasoned as they may be, it didn't take long to see the Jazz had absolutely no chance of beating the Lakers. My original pick was Lakers in six. By halftime of Game 1, I figured I oversold it by a game. Turns out, I was off by two. Without Okur to provide a little useful height and without anyone to check Kobe effectively, the Jazz were left with a beautiful system, Deron Williams, and little else. That's not nearly enough to beat L.A., particularly one getting healthier as the series progressed. Break out the brooms.
So how much of that dominance was L.A. rounding into form, how much was a second round draw tailor made for success?
Having won six straight, including three on the road, I'm inclined to say it's some of the latter but more of the former. The Lakers have produced quality execution at critical moments against the Thunder and Jazz (teams not up to L.A.'s level, but hardly the Warriors) and looked overwhelming in others. We'll find out more next week when they kick off the Western Conference Finals against the Suns. Again it seems like the draw has opened up well for the Lakers. Sounds funny after watching the Suns torch (ha!) the Spurs in four games- can't say I saw that coming- but on paper, at least, it doesn't seem like Phoenix can beat the purple and gold four times in seven games.
Two or three, maybe, and it wouldn't surprise me if at least one was a blowout, but not four.
They will, however, be a serious test. Phoenix ended the regular season winning 14 of 16. 26-21 after an overtime loss to Charlotte on Jan. 26, the Suns went 28-8 the rest of the way. Measured by efficiency, the Suns had, by miles, the best offense in basketball. They've also slowly evolved into a better defensive team, and over the tail end of the season and the playoffs have exceeded their season norms for defensive efficiency as well. Phoenix outscored the Blazers and Spurs by an average of almost 10 points a game (vs. 4.1 for L.A.). Offensively, they've dominated in the postseason more than any team west of Orlando (scroll around these stats, and you'll see what I mean).
They're certainly capable of spreading the Lakers defensively and piling up points.
On the other hand... the Suns are still small. Very small. Depending on the health and effectiveness of Robin Lopez, who hasn't played since March 28th thanks to a bad back, the Suns may have to take the floor against the Lakers without a seven-footer and perhaps only the ineffective Jarron Collins to eat up space inside against Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom. The Lakers have the ability to make Amar'e Stoudemire work defensively like few other teams can. Gasol is mobile enough to defend in space and still dominate inside. The Suns, like the Jazz, have no natural fit when it comes to guarding Kobe, explaining Bryant's 54.4 percent mark from the floor in four regular season games (three of which were Lakers wins) against Alvin Gentry's bunch. This despite a terrible mark (28.6%) from downtown.
In those four meetings, the Lakers held Phoenix under their season average in offensive efficiency in three. They also scored at or well above their mark for offensive efficiency in all four, which makes sense given L.A.'s size advantage inside. Bynum and Gasol combined to shoot 60 percent against Phoenix. That's a lot of easy points. Defensively, the Lakers were able to hold the Suns under their season mark of 41 percent on three pointers in all four games. They held Stoudamire and Steve Nash under their season averages in most meaningful statistical categories, and absolutely destroyed Jason Richardson.
On the other hand, much like it was when evaluating the Oklahoma City series, context matters. Two of those four contests came reasonably early in the season when Phoenix wasn't nearly as good as they are now. The Suns have the dangerous point guard in Nash, the superstar offensive player in Stoudamire, waves of dead-eye three point shooters, and a bench playing incredibly well. Every time I turn on my TV, Jared Dudley hits a three, and that includes when I'm watching Food Network. Dude's everywhere. And they're not winning just by running up and down the floor, either. In the postseason, likely due to time against the slowpoke Blazers, Phoenix has a slower pace factor than L.A. (90.3 trips per 48 minutes vs. 90.7 for the Lakers).
Both teams are trending up, both are coming off sweeps. The Lakers, however, were expected to win. Phoenix broomed a potent San Antonio squad most, at least here at ESPN, picked to win. A Spurs squad many thought was L.A.'s biggest threat. They absolutely destroyed them.
With a week to go before Game 1, there won't be an angle for this series left uncovered. I'm sure at some point, I'll issue my end-of-the-bench, Dwayne Jones vs. Adam Morrison post. Jack vs. The Gorilla. Which city has better tacos. There's that much time. But by next week, a Lakers team already getting healthy will be even more sound, and while I can't guarantee they'll win, I'd be surprised if they didn't.
One thing I can guarantee? It's going to be a very fun series.
Send us your feedback by e-mailing us. Follow us on Twitter at ESPNLandOLakers.
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And on top of that if the Suns have ANY chance of winning, they HAVE to take Game 1. Cause we all know if they don't it's a wrap. Phil is 46-0 or something when winning Game 1.
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First and foremost:
If this series was already over then there wouldn't be any games!
Yes, the Lakers are overwhelming favorites. They should be - best record in West, 3-1 season series against the Suns (although I wouldn't take a lot away from those games), dominating inside game and one of the best players ever.
But you are absolutely stupid if you think this series is over from the get go.
The entire book of Frye (besides being soft) is that he can get hot and he can ONLY shoot off of a pass. When he takes a dribble and hoists one up, it's a brick no question. If somebody kept stats on his 3's via a kickout vs. off the dribble it would be night and day.
Just like the Lakers create problems inside for the Suns, Nash can do the same thing to the Lakers off of a pick and roll. If Nash is driving by Pau or another mismatch does help side defense 1) try to help on Nash and leave their man open or 2) prevent the kick out but Nash is surprisingly efficient for a guy his size around the rim.
If the Suns make open shots, especially 3s, they can win this series. If they don't, they could be euthanized in 5. It's simple as that.
One last thing. Regarding us Suns fans. Just like there are MANY Lakers fans who talk out of their @*+, there are Suns fans that do that as well. It's just easier to isolate Suns fans because we have yet to win a ring and because there might be 15 real Suns fans on NT - making the asinine posts stand out even more so.
I'm looking forward to a fun WCF series. I just wish they could freaking play already.
If this series was already over then there wouldn't be any games!
Yes, the Lakers are overwhelming favorites. They should be - best record in West, 3-1 season series against the Suns (although I wouldn't take a lot away from those games), dominating inside game and one of the best players ever.
But you are absolutely stupid if you think this series is over from the get go.
Completely agree on all levels. Nobody expects Robin Lopez to be a defensive stalwart but he can certainly help with interior defense. The Suns will not be able to stop the Lakers inside game, hopefully they can crash the glass and limit Pau's and Bynum's open looks.Originally Posted by CP1708
Diddy REEEEEEAALY wants me to chime in soon.
You should slow down good homie.
For things get a little sad in this thread for you. If you aren't sure, ask around.
Let'shave a good series, 6-7 hard fought games, maybe get an OT in theresomewhere. Gasol and Bynum always do work on Amare, Robin Lopez canhelp, but he isn't going to stop us.
Odom on Frye will help us big time, just gotta stay close to that guy, he won't be able to get his shots up.
The entire book of Frye (besides being soft) is that he can get hot and he can ONLY shoot off of a pass. When he takes a dribble and hoists one up, it's a brick no question. If somebody kept stats on his 3's via a kickout vs. off the dribble it would be night and day.
Just like the Lakers create problems inside for the Suns, Nash can do the same thing to the Lakers off of a pick and roll. If Nash is driving by Pau or another mismatch does help side defense 1) try to help on Nash and leave their man open or 2) prevent the kick out but Nash is surprisingly efficient for a guy his size around the rim.
If the Suns make open shots, especially 3s, they can win this series. If they don't, they could be euthanized in 5. It's simple as that.
I agree with this as well.Originally Posted by bittersweet
I like the Lakers, but *!+*, you guys act like your team is unbeatable.
Come on now.
One last thing. Regarding us Suns fans. Just like there are MANY Lakers fans who talk out of their @*+, there are Suns fans that do that as well. It's just easier to isolate Suns fans because we have yet to win a ring and because there might be 15 real Suns fans on NT - making the asinine posts stand out even more so.
I'm looking forward to a fun WCF series. I just wish they could freaking play already.
Thing is, I think we WANT Nash to have a good series, by shooting. If Nash is shooting, his teammates aren't.
Lakers have proven, they can absorb big series by point guards. Fish been gettin killed for years now. But as long as we slow down other parts of a teams game, we got them. If we stick with JRich and Frye, and let Nash go to the hoop over and over and over nobody else gets involved, and we just keep leaning on them until they fall. Then we close the game out with Kobe/Pau on offense, and then put the brakes on Nash and force him to kick it out. If those guys haven't been makin plays all game long, they are unlikely to start in the late 4th quarter.
So to me, I expect Nash to get a few 30 point games, but HOPEFULLY not many 13+ assist games which means he has all his teammates goin.
Lakers have proven, they can absorb big series by point guards. Fish been gettin killed for years now. But as long as we slow down other parts of a teams game, we got them. If we stick with JRich and Frye, and let Nash go to the hoop over and over and over nobody else gets involved, and we just keep leaning on them until they fall. Then we close the game out with Kobe/Pau on offense, and then put the brakes on Nash and force him to kick it out. If those guys haven't been makin plays all game long, they are unlikely to start in the late 4th quarter.
So to me, I expect Nash to get a few 30 point games, but HOPEFULLY not many 13+ assist games which means he has all his teammates goin.
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^^ Dude, I couldn't remember your screen name, I was thinking of saying DCH or something like that, but I didn't want to butcher your screen name.
My point is, I know you are one of the true Suns fans on here, but I couldn't remember your screen name.
My point is, I know you are one of the true Suns fans on here, but I couldn't remember your screen name.
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Odom is gonna be a PROBLEM in this series
You guys think Phil will put Artest on J Rich and Kobe on Hill?
You guys think Phil will put Artest on J Rich and Kobe on Hill?
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Suns match up PERFECTLY WITH THE LAKERS.
Nash deosn't have to play much defense. Look who he is going to be guarding. Jrich/Hill/Dudley will switch up on Kobe, as long as we keep fresh legs guarding grandpa we shouldn't have many issues. With STAT stepping up his rebounding in the playoffs we can match up with Gasol. Lopez > Bynum
Nash deosn't have to play much defense. Look who he is going to be guarding. Jrich/Hill/Dudley will switch up on Kobe, as long as we keep fresh legs guarding grandpa we shouldn't have many issues. With STAT stepping up his rebounding in the playoffs we can match up with Gasol. Lopez > Bynum
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I dont know. I thought he would be a problem during the Utah series. He had some great moments, most notably in GM 3. But other than that... I remember last years' Utah series, he was killing it. I think he AVG near double-double.Originally Posted by Menacin Methods
Odom is gonna be a PROBLEM in this series
You guys think Phil will put Artest on J Rich and Kobe on Hill?
I hope he does step it up just a bit more and stay keep it consistent. If he does this...
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--Even if we cant get ZoDogg unbanned (which I gave a thumbs up to) we got JDiddy in the house.
--For reals though. Keeps the thread fun and interesting.
--10 pages and still 5 days till gameday?!
--For reals though. Keeps the thread fun and interesting.
--10 pages and still 5 days till gameday?!
live boy d
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I hate the suns. Let's Go Lakers
cedric ceballos 1995 lakers
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Originally Posted by VegasHustla
@ these responses, gotta love Laker fans
your a yankee fan and a cowboy fan im suprised your not a laker fan now and a bulls fan in the mid 90's
