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Short answer? Yes.
I've never seen a PG execute as efficiently as Paul did in that series. West could mostly do no wrong. I still can't figure out how the Spurs managed to win that series. Can the Lakers possibly be tougher?
Short answer? Yes.
The Lakers will be tougher. They have Kobe who is on a mission, and the Spurs have no answer for Odom.
oh, really?
we'll see.
Definitely
No
I agree with that assessment...However, I might add that the Spurs have a much better bench...The Lakers front court length will also be a problem...
Yes, and not having an answer for Odom has been the failure of many attempting to win the le.
I just don't see a floor general taking care of the ball anywhere near what Paul did. Not turning it over made the Spurs really work for their offense in the half court. I see more running from the Spurs this series.
And what pray tell will be the LALs answer for the true BIG THREE of Duncan, Parker and Manu?
@ Odom
Odom is the most overrated player in the Western Conference.
Wots this I hear about a long three then?
The Hornets are an excellent team when you look at their starters. But the Hornets have a terrible flaw in their bench. Pargo's an Ok bencher and so is Bonzi.
But the Hornets have NO backup bigmen. All their bench big men are pure trash...I've never seen a good team with such trash for bigs before.
I say there's a likely chance Hornets will have been the tougher Western opponent for us, and the Lakers will be less of a problem...
It comes down to coaching, but I think Popovich has matured a lot as a great coach (especially from the 2000's years), and he already beat Phil, and got that monkey off his back.
I think, thanks to the New Orleans series, that the Spurs have the edge over the Lakers.
I absolutely think the Lakers can be a tougher opponent than the Hornets. First, Lakers have Kobe Bryant. Much as it pains me to say this, he's been playing out of his mind lately. He looks almost Jordan-esque at times.
Second, the Lakers have some players (Kobe, Fisher) with Championship experience. They're not upstarts like CP3 and his gang.
Third, I think we have some matchup issues with the Lakers in the post. We only had to worry about one real post offensive threat with the Hornets (West). Now, there's two (Gasol and Odom). Tim can handle one of them, but we're gonna need some tight team defense to help Oberto and Thomas with the other.
But we'll still win.
No
Can the spurs play better? yes
spurs in 5
I absolutely think the Lakers can be a tougher opponent than the Hornets. First, Lakers have Kobe Bryant. Much as it pains me to say this, he's been playing out of his mind lately. He looks almost Jordan-esque at times.
Second, the Lakers have some players (Kobe, Fisher) with Championship experience. They're not upstarts like CP3 and his gang.
Third, I think we have some matchup issues with the Lakers in the post. We only had to worry about one real post offensive threat with the Hornets (West). Now, there's two (Gasol and Odom). Tim can handle one of them, but we're gonna need some tight team defense to help Oberto and Thomas with the other.
But we'll still win.
I agree that Lakers have a much better bench and more experience.
But the problem we had with Hornets was really the initial mismatches. At first, we had Bowen guarding CP3 which was a mistake. NObody to guard West, and Peja was going nuts.
the adjustments of Bowen on Peja and having some of Duncan on West are what won the series.
I really don't see a mismatch vs. Lakers. Thomas + Oberto + Duncan can handle Gason + Odom no problem. Bowen does good job on Kobe and Spurs are best at defending 3pt.
So I see this as a very even series until you bring up the fact that we have Tim DUncan and they don't. ONce you bring up this fact, I really don't see Lakers winning more than 2.
But if Lakers were to win, it would take one of their role players really stepping up their game. One other than Kobe, Gasol, Odom. Walton? Vujacik? Farmar?
I don't see that happening.
Not from the PG position
I can promise you that Pop and the Spurs are not as idiotic as a lot of their fans. Lakers are going to be tough. I'm not afraid, but I'm not quite as confident as I was going against those newbie Hornets.
Did you watch the series, head?
Paul played better than any PG has in the ING history of BASKETBALL!!!!
He didn't turn the ball over. He made every look he got. He set up his teammates greatly and made Chandler look like an all star.
Ive watched the lakers play 4 times in the playoffs and they haven't executed better. If the conference semifinals were switched we'd be getting ready for the Hornets right now.
If you put Duncan on Gasol, that leaves Oberto and Thomas on Odom.
Boozer who's better than both tried to guard Odom in the Jazz series, he just couldn't keep up and was constantly fouling out trying to stop Odom. And Odom still got his 18 points, 11 rebounds a game.
Odom was the best Laker in the Jazz series because they had no defender for him, I expect that to continue.
Duncan is pretty much evened out by Gasol. Just like Bowen contains Kobe, Pau matches Duncan's output.So I see this as a very even series until you bring up the fact that we have Tim DUncan and they don't. ONce you bring up this fact, I really don't see Lakers winning more than 2.
Spurs in 3
If the Lakers are banking on Odom winning this series... well... that's just sad.
Odom's underrated, he's no less talented that Tony Parker or Manu, he's one of the big 3 for the Lakers, not anymore strange than Tony Parker or Manu winning the series for the Spurs.
And yes, I believe Odom was the key Laker player in the Jazz series....he was beast worthy.
No you didn't. You didn't just say that Gasol=Duncan. C'mon now.
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