Exactly. They took three games off and still won the series...they won the other four games by an average of 106.5 to 85. Denver has looked better only because the Lakers have seemed disinterested at times...they haven't looked better in the games LA chose to crank the intensity up.

 

It is all about LA. If they choose to play from the opening tip of the series until it is finished, Denver simply isn't good enough to beat them. But, if they fail to show up half the time, it will be Denver's series to lose. Everyone expects the Nuggets to continue to bring it and play hard every game this series...not everyone is sure what to expect from LA. And, that's why many people are on the Nuggets bandwagon. It has far less to do with Denver than it does LA.

 

I like LA in the series as well. I just don't think championship caliber teams should be disinterested in the second round of the playoffs. What if they are really interested in 5 games but play bad in one or two of those games? The Cavs and Nuggets have looked very interested. I'm not sold that Bynum is completely healthy and I don't see any way Billups averages less than 26 a game in the series.

FWIW, here's a head-to-head comparison of the big men on each team...

 

vs. Denver - LA's big trio of Gasol, Odom and Bynum averaged 39.8 ppg and 30.6 rpg.

 

vs. LA - Denver's big trio of K-Mart, Nene and Bird Man averaged 28.8 ppg and 20.1 rpg.

 

 

Additionally, Billups averaged 18 points and 7.7 assists in 3 games against the Lakers.

 

Kobe averaged 31 points vs. Denver this year.

 

Take that for what it's worth and make of it what you wish...

 

You're talking about the 3 best players on the team not named Kobe. Of course they are going to score more. Bird man isn't counted on to be a scorer at all. I really think the key to the series is Anthony and Billups. Kobe will get his. I think you're not giving enough credit to a really good Denver team. Denver is good enough to win all 3 at home even if the Lakers play hard. They may not win all 3, but you would think they are capable of doing it. If the Lakers are bored in game 1 or 2 it could end in 6 w/ Denver winning. I agree w/ you though that if it goes 7 LA wins.

Denver in 7.

I like LA in the series as well. I just don't think championship caliber teams should be disinterested in the second round of the playoffs. What if they are really interested in 5 games but play bad in one or two of those games? The Cavs and Nuggets have looked very interested. I'm not sold that Bynum is completely healthy and I don't see any way Billups averages less than 26 a game in the series.

 

The Lakers may not be good enough to beat Cleveland, interested or not.

You're talking about the 3 best players on the team not named Kobe. Of course they are going to score more. Bird man isn't counted on to be a scorer at all. I really think the key to the series is Anthony and Billups. Kobe will get his. I think you're not giving enough credit to a really good Denver team. Denver is good enough to win all 3 at home even if the Lakers play hard. They may not win all 3, but you would think they are capable of doing it. If the Lakers are bored in game 1 or 2 it could end in 6 w/ Denver winning. I agree w/ you though that if it goes 7 LA wins.

 

I'm showing the matchup between the bigs on both teams...a lot of people seem to think LA's "soft" big men will be overmatched by Denver. I disagree. Denver's big men aren't that great to start with, and their style isn't the bruising, physical style that gives LA the most problems. The season matchup doesn't provide any evidence to support the case that Denver's big men will be too physical for LA.

 

Gasol averaged 18 and 12 this year vs. the Nuggets.

I'm showing the matchup between the bigs on both teams...a lot of people seem to think LA's "soft" big men will be overmatched by Denver. I disagree. Denver's big men aren't that great to start with, and their style isn't the bruising, physical style that gives LA the most problems. The season matchup doesn't provide any evidence to support the case that Denver's big men will be too physical for LA.

 

Gasol averaged 18 and 12 this year vs. the Nuggets.

 

I agree w/ that. Denver will win the series based on Anthony and Billups if they win it. Gasol and Kobe are going to score.

This series could go either way. Anyone who doesn't think Denver has a chance is fooling themselves. They have really started to jell as a team. They were the 2nd seed in the West so it's not like they're some joke of a team. I think to say that Billups won't be a tough as Brooks is really wrong. He's not as quick, but with the way he plays the game he really doesn't need to be. He will simply bully his way rather, than speed around Fisher and Farmar. Just because Nuggets bigs are athletic doesn't mean they don't bang.

 

From what I see they are more physical than Gasol, Bynum and Odom (not hard to do). Everyone is saying the Rockets were bruising. Who? 6-6 Chuck Hayes? Scola? Offensive minded Landry? They pushed the Lakers around, but my 4th grade team would probably do the same (exaggeration).:lol: The Nuggets bigs don't have to bang with you the whole game. They play physical in spots, and athletic in spots which can actually be a tougher matchup.

 

And this isn't Laker/Kobe hate. I want LeBron vs. Kobe. I really want that, even if the Cavs get swept by the Lakers and Kobe is head and shoulders above LBJ in the series.

 

The more I think about it I think whoever shows up more between JR Smith and Ariza may determine the series. Just watch, that will be a huge key IMO.

The difference in Billups and Brooks is that NO ONE knew what to expect from Brooks and when he brought it, the Lakers had no answers. Billups will get his 20+ points and 8 assists against the Lakers, he is not going to be that big of a deal and nothing he does is going to be a surprise, IMO. How well Billups plays is not going to determine the series, IMO.

 

Everything 5Wide has said, I agree with. Because of 5Wide's on spot analysis, I don't have to say anything.

 

I like that most people are picking the Nuggets, TV analysts included based off of the Houston series. Makes no sense to me, but whatever. We'll see how the Nuggets handle the bright lights of the Western Conference Finals. Plus, they have a had a few days off and could come out really flat tomorrow night. The Lakers, well, they didn't have to travel, slept in their own beds, and stay loose by playing tomorrow. For a lot of the Nuggets except for Billups and Martin, tomorrow is a new beginning for them. The entire Laker team has been here before and they are the defending Western Conference Champions, expect to see their best basketball yet.

 

 

If they play the way they did on Sunday, Denver may get swept. Kobe won't score less than 14 the rest of the playoffs and the only reason he had 14 was because he shot 33% from the floor and he played 1 minute in the 4th quarter. If Pau, Andrew, and Lamar bring it like they did on Sunday, this will be over quickly.

The difference in Billups and Brooks is that NO ONE knew what to expect from Brooks and when he brought it, the Lakers had no answers. Billups will get his 20+ points and 8 assists against the Lakers, he is not going to be that big of a deal and nothing he does is going to be a surprise, IMO. How well Billups plays is not going to determine the series, IMO.

 

Everything 5Wide has said, I agree with. Because of 5Wide's on spot analysis, I don't have to say anything.

 

I like that most people are picking the Nuggets, TV analysts included based off of the Houston series. Makes no sense to me, but whatever. We'll see how the Nuggets handle the bright lights of the Western Conference Finals. Plus, they have a had a few days off and could come out really flat tomorrow night. The Lakers, well, they didn't have to travel, slept in their own beds, and stay loose by playing tomorrow. For a lot of the Nuggets except for Billups and Martin, tomorrow is a new beginning for them. The entire Laker team has been here before and they are the defending Western Conference Champions, expect to see their best basketball yet.

 

 

If they play the way they did on Sunday, Denver may get swept. Kobe won't score less than 14 the rest of the playoffs and the only reason he had 14 was because he shot 33% from the floor and he played 1 minute in the 4th quarter. If Pau, Andrew, and Lamar bring it like they did on Sunday, this will be over quickly.

 

 

Maybe some people just think the Nuggets are better. I don't really know. I think the Nuggets can win, I certainly don't want them to though. I love Billups and JR Smith, K-Mart was one of my favorite college basketball players, and Birdman is one of my favorite players in the league since his days with the Hornets, but I want the Lakers to win. I can see the Nuggets winning, but I would put money on the Lakers and I want the Lakers.

 

I like that most people are picking the Nuggets, TV analysts included based off of the Houston series. Makes no sense to me, but whatever. .

 

 

The Rockets were out their two best players and started an undrafted 6-6 center and still took a team that won 65 games to a seventh game! Why does no one else realize this, or want to give the Rockets credit/admit that the Lakers have some glaring weaknesses?

The Rockets were out their two best players and started an undrafted 6-6 center and still took a team that won 65 games to a seventh game! Why does no one else realize this, or want to give the Rockets credit/admit that the Lakers have some glaring weaknesses?

 

Their glaring weakness is apathy.

 

How do you judge a team that went seven games against an undermanned team because they, for whatever reason, didn't feel like playing in three of the games? They won the other four games relatively easy.

 

How do you predict a series they're in? You know they're the better team when they play, but you're not sure when they will and will not play.

 

If you're just looking at the Lakers beating an undermanned Houston team 4-3 and saying they aren't as good as advertised, you're making a mistake, IMO. But, if you look at what happened in that series and make the guess that LA is going to give the same off-and-on efforts vs. Denver, then I can buy that.

 

Simply put, I think LA was bored with the Houston series, especially with Yao out. The Lakers need to feel challenged/pushed, and the Rockets minus T-Mac and Yao couldn't do that, so LA kept no-showing and forcing themselves into must win situations...and they responded with great games every time. A self-generated challenge in some ways. I don't expect the lackadaisical performances vs. Denver that we saw against Houston. I think the Lakers will feel "challenged" from the get go in this series.

 

LA's biggest weakness on the court is their unwillingness to be physical inside. I don't think Denver has the make-up to exploit that to a degree that will handicap the Lakers.

 

Just my guess...

Their glaring weakness is apathy.

 

How do you judge a team that went seven games against an undermanned team because they, for whatever reason, didn't feel like playing in three of the games? They won the other four games relatively easy.

 

How do you predict a series they're in? You know they're the better team when they play, but you're not sure when they will and will not play.

 

If you're just looking at the Lakers beating an undermanned Houston team 4-3 and saying they aren't as good as advertised, you're making a mistake, IMO. But, if you look at what happened in that series and make the guess that LA is going to give the same off-and-on efforts vs. Denver, then I can buy that.

 

Simply put, I think LA was bored with the Houston series, especially with Yao out. The Lakers need to feel challenged/pushed, and the Rockets minus T-Mac and Yao couldn't do that, so LA kept no-showing and forcing themselves into must win situations...and they responded with great games every time. A self-generated challenge in some ways. I don't expect the lackadaisical performances vs. Denver that we saw against Houston. I think the Lakers will feel "challenged" from the get go in this series.

 

Just my guess...

 

I don't think it matters who they play, there are going to be nights when the don't bring it. They aren't mentally and physically tough enough inside.

I don't think it matters who they play, there are going to be nights when the don't bring it. They aren't mentally and physically tough enough inside.

 

Take away "physically" and "inside" and you may be correct.

 

My biggest question about the Lakers is their mental toughness. I think the physical will follow if you have the mental make-up. They're not going to morph into the Bad Boys, but it's not about being a bruising team. It's about responding and not allowing yourself to be bullied.

 

I question whether LA has the mentality to be a champion...whether they can bear down and grind it out when necessary.

 

We'll find out over the next month.

 

Either way, I don't think Denver has the makeup to exploit LA's shortcomings.

^ It very much so does matter who they are playing IMO. We are down to the final four teams and every game means a lot. I can see how there was a let up last series when Yao went down. I don't think we will see anymore Lakers sleep walking through games.

^ It very much so does matter who they are playing IMO. We are down to the final four teams and every game means a lot. I can see how there was a let up last series when Yao went down. I don't think we will see anymore Lakers sleep walking through games.

 

At least not 3 out of 7 games worth...maybe one.