[Goat Milk]

As I've always said, Bryant makes the moves in LA. He demanded a PG, and he wanted Bynum out. When they thought about trading Gasol, Bryant refused.

This guy is a genius. IF he wins number 6, there is no question he is the 2nd greatest player ever to play the game.

Any of you that think this team is not going to mesh, comment here so I can shatter your arguments. Many on this site said the same things about MIA when they joined. I think we know who won those debates...

[darkhat]

here comes the lebron fan boys....

[brooks85]

As I've always said, Bryant makes the moves in LA. He demanded a PG, and he wanted Bynum out. When they thought about trading Gasol, Bryant refused.

This guy is a genius. IF he wins number 6, there is no question he is the 2nd greatest player ever to play the game.

Any of you that think this team is not going to mesh, comment here so I can shatter your arguments. Many on this site said the same things about MIA when they joined. I think we know who won those debates...

so true

[ngates815]

Make or break season for him.

2 of the best big guys and one of the better 2 guards. 1 of the better pg's.


Even if they win it will still be very debatable, because this will be one of the greatest teams assembled (no matter the age of players) Only soft spot will be at the 3 (don't even know who they have at that position) Not many teams can play against a beast like Howard and a good passing guy at PF...Especially with the eyes Nash has, they have 2 great passing guys on the court.

Should be fun to see them vs Miami. Lebron guarding Gasol and Howard dominating Bosh...then kobe and wade just out there as role players, probably alot of bitching and moaning between the 2 of em.

[Goat Milk]

Make or break season for him.

2 of the best big guys and one of the better 2 guards. 1 of the better pg's.


Even if they win it will still be very debatable, because this will be one of the greatest teams assembled (no matter the age of players) Only soft spot will be at the 3 (don't even know who they have at that position) Not many teams can play against a beast like Howard and a good passing guy at PF...Especially with the eyes Nash has, they have 2 great passing guys on the court.

Should be fun to see them vs Miami. Lebron guarding Gasol and Howard dominating Bosh...then kobe and wade just out there as role players, probably alot of bitching and moaning between the 2 of em.

Agreed with all of this until you said Wade and Bryant as "role players" lol

[ngates815]

Agreed with all of this until you said Wade and Bryant as "role players" lol

I'm just saying...Whether either one of those teams win the championship will not be on their shoulders.


Wait, that makes no sense...It won't really be on Kobe shoulders (but it will) and how he handles not needing to be a ball hog finally...So Kobe doesn't need to carry the team, he just needs to play it right and not be frustrated that he doesn't need to score 27-30 pts a game...We'll see how he handles that.

What I meant was...Kobe shouldn't be playing a huge role in order for them to win and obviously the same with Wade. If both of them average 20pts/4/4 That's all their teams need out of them, it's all on the other players around the 2.

[Goat Milk]

If the Lakers had any sort of bench at all maybe, but they dont, so they will struggle. Even if they take it easy in the regular season and give away a few games and get a 3 or 4 seed then they try to flip the switch. What happens then? Even if howard if good to go. Lakers still need to make a move to improve the bench the problem is they dont have anything worth trading. it reminds me of Semi-Pro they might be trying to trade a washing machine for someone mid season.

I heard the same arguments about MIA when they first formed. They had the worst bench in the league outside the big 3 and were on track to win a title if lebron didn't melt down in the finals. A good bench helps but having 2 superstars and an all star on the team is the model for winning now. You can have 1 superstar too but then you need like 5 very good/near all-star caliber players.

[darkhat]

Make or break season for him.

2 of the best big guys and one of the better 2 guards. 1 of the better pg's.


Even if they win it will still be very debatable, because this will be one of the greatest teams assembled (no matter the age of players) Only soft spot will be at the 3 (don't even know who they have at that position) Not many teams can play against a beast like Howard and a good passing guy at PF...Especially with the eyes Nash has, they have 2 great passing guys on the court.

Should be fun to see them vs Miami. Lebron guarding Gasol and Howard dominating Bosh...then kobe and wade just out there as role players, probably alot of bitching and moaning between the 2 of em.

You better hope that Wantiall4moi guy who pays for hookers doesn't come in this thread. He believes this team is at best a lottery team.

[FindTheLock]

Howard is a much better role player on offense than a go to guy. With nash running the point Howard will look much better on offense than he actually is. Howard is not good at creating his own shot, so the key to this teams success relies heavily on the health of steve nash. If Bryant learns to pass the ball after he draws the triple team and nash stays healthy, then the lakers will do well. Having Howard on the defensive end eliminates Nash's defensive deficiencies. Nash and Howard are a great compliment to each others games. Nash is a weak defender and Howard is weak on the offensive end when it comes to creating his own shot. Howard has no killer instincts so he needs a lot of help in crunch time. With this trio their health is the only thing that could hold them back.

[SlimZ]

If the Lakers had any sort of bench at all maybe, but they dont, so they will struggle. Even if they take it easy in the regular season and give away a few games and get a 3 or 4 seed then they try to flip the switch. What happens then? Even if howard if good to go. Lakers still need to make a move to improve the bench the problem is they dont have anything worth trading. it reminds me of Semi-Pro they might be trying to trade a washing machine for someone mid season.

Like miami had a bench LOL and they won

[daonlyplaya]

I can barely rank him top 10.. and you're saying he'll be 2nd of all time.. smh

[keyboarding]

A lot of age and injury concerns in that starting 5.

[FindTheLock]

Even if you gave Kobe credit for the GM's job, I still don't understand the logic behind ranking Kobe number 2 all time because the lakers stacked their team? Wouldn't Kobe's credibility as one of the best ever increase if kobe was able to win without a stacked team? With the logic you're using in this thread, Phil Jackson is the best player of all time.

[Ratzz]

ZERO chance. (win it all)

They are clearly the most famous*starting 5 in the league. But not the BEST...Thunder and Miami are both better.
Lakers NO chance after 82 games.. huffin' and puffin'... k0Bie missing shot after shot...

this is going to be a disaster.. k0Bie likes to place blame on underlings around him, but now.....
he is the 3rd best player on that team... he can't pull that shee-aht with Nash.. he won't have it..
he can't pull that*shee-aht on Howard, coz he won't have it either... this is gonna be a lo-o-o-o-ng
2nd half... it may work before A-S break, but wheeels fall off as they tire..

NBA is for talented youngsters.. OR super-talented older guys that can still shoot.

k0Bie 1) can't shoot, 2) can't elevate, 3) can't drive.. BUT he is an All-Star 'blame-placer' and 'finger-pointer'...
definitely 1st Team All-NBA in those two categories.. so kudos for that.

[thetrinity]

miami has 1 title and 1 huge choke. they are supposed to win "multiple titles." the jury on them is still out aint it?

[Goat Milk]

Mike,

Anything can happen in the NFL. It's 1 game, not a 7 game series. I know you don't follow the nba very carefully, so before this year, why don't you tell me how many games Dwight has missed in his career. And remember, I said win the west, not win it all.

FindtheLock,

Good post. You are dead on in that first post. For your second post, IF Bryant wins this year, and it comes on the road to beating the Heat in the finals, I would have to keep him at 2 on the list. He is aging and his ppg are not going down. His playoff numbers are getting better. He is breaking all time records for 1st team and def. 1st team, among many others. MVP most certainly in discussion this year if he puts up over 25 ppg with that team.

Remember, Jordan never beat a team like the Heat in the finals. Not his fault, but obviously there was no team he played anywhere near Miami's level. That's a daunting task--to play against 2 of the top 20 guys in NBA history on one team.


Apricot Sinner,

Who had 1k down on MIA +200 last year before the season started to win it all? Who called MIA winning the East the last two years and guaranteeing a championship last year? Who took Boston at +350ish to beat Orlando in the ECF in 2010 when the whole board thought ORL was a lock? Who called LA winning the championship in 2010, and who bet LA to beat Boston 4-3 for +247 or some shit?

This is all documented on this site. I picked 2/3 NBA champions the last 3 years on this site BEFORE the season started. Go reload one of your accounts. Turn in your dignity for a gold token. Go slither back into your hole you snake. You are a disgrace to your family and to the human race.

Ratzz,

I don't respond to children's posts.

[Ratzz]

Laker Management has put k0Bie in a very bad position. Now he has to win to secure his legacy. If he fails to deliver in the playoffs (and he will) his stock will plummet. People are saying 'maybe'.. 'possibly' as good as Michael Jordan... etc...

but when this upcoming year is done. I guarantee you, there will be no more questions..
Bryant flies miles beneath Jordan

[zoo youk]

Kobe can average 14 a game and they will still win the West...the combo of a pick and roll with nash and gasol with gasol being such a great passer is going to put up so many points a night, than you throw in Nash getting Howard easy dunks at will...crazy

[riffraff24]

Lakeshow baby!

[broadway6]

nice reverse jinx thread

[lunchbawks]

if im a coach im hacking dwight at the end of every quarter

its going to be some ugly basketball this season in LA

[bryant81]

This is not my argument but I saw it posted on another forum:

I'm not convinced that it works all that well, or that they get by the Thunder, let alone the Heat. They had better hope that it works quickly, because they don't have a huge window before they become Orlando. And that's if Dwight stays. That will be another problem - they will start off with the west coast Mickey mouse story of distractions about what the guy that can show once and or all that he is not Shaq will do. It'll be interesting.

I just want to see your arguments

[onlooker]

here comes the lebron fan boys....

Lebron plays in the West?

[baskets]

Y'ALL FORGETTING ABOUT THE COACH


CHOCOLATE WINS?


very rare

[raydog]

Like miami had a bench LOL and they won

the heats bench played mega huge minutes in the finals... battier and miller overachieved bigtime

[kobefanatic]

lakers have the best frontline rotation in the league right now, dwight and gasol starting with jordan hill and jamison coming off the bench

[darkhat]

Lebron plays in the West?

Don't start with me...