May 5, 201016 yr What weaknesses? All-Star caliber PG - Check Guy that can create his own at will - Check Size - Check Dominate low post presence - Check Great 3 point shooting - Check Multiple great defenders - Check Depth - Check :idunno: Do you trust Stan Van Gundy?
May 5, 201016 yr The Magic are going to be really tough to beat. They've been fortunate to have the easiest playoff draw so far. They'll face someone who can test them in the conference finals. I think they'll be back in the finals, but I'd write it in pencil. Boston or Cleveland could knock them off. Sooner or later though, Cleveland is going to lose because Mike Brown can't coach. And, I still believe a healthy and motivated Lakers team is the best in the league. They're healthy enough, but you never know when they're going to bring it. Combine that with a championship last year and I'm just not sure the Lakers can stay hungry and motivated enough to repeat. They're very capable though and it's possible that Kobe can light that fire and push them through. I have to say, the western conference has played out quite favorably to LA, IMO...the Nuggets have some bad luck and lose to Utah. Dallas chokes again. Portland, who LA can't beat on the road, gets decimated with injuries and is out. Now they'll face either an aging Spurs team or a Phoenix team that has never made it further than the conference finals. LA should be back in the finals.
May 5, 201016 yr I'll be honest if LA plays like this no one is beating them. Granted UTAH is severely undermanned in the low post. Orlando can....
May 5, 201016 yr What weaknesses? All-Star caliber PG - Check Guy that can create his own at will - Check Size - Check Dominate low post presence - Check Great 3 point shooting - Check Multiple great defenders - Check Depth - Check :idunno: I'm not saying they don't, all I'm saying is that I'm making a note of that, aren't you one of the ones on here that often do that with big predictions? And like I said the Cavs had most of that last year, minus the great post presence. All I'm saying is lets not crown them simply for beating the Bobcats (who were way overmatched) and blowing out the Hawks. Let's see how they match up in the ECF first, because they did not match up well with the Cavs at all in the regular season, and this is a different Boston team. Then you have to worry about the Lakers who are going to be tough for anyone to beat with those big 3 inside and Kobe finding the fountain of youth.
May 5, 201016 yr Orlando can.... Who on Orlando could guard Pau Gasol? Vinsanity going to do as well against a rejuvinated Ron Artest? Pietrus couldn't guard Kobe last year, why could he this year? Odom was a Lewis stopper. Bynum is one of the few Centers in the NBA that can challege Dwight Howard. Dwights better, but Bynum is no scrub.
May 5, 201016 yr ^Celtics? I thought they were too old and had no chance against the Cavs. I'm usually pretty good with my NBA predictions...(see last year )
May 5, 201016 yr Who on Orlando could guard Pau Gasol? Vinsanity going to do as well against a rejuvinated Ron Artest? Pietrus couldn't guard Kobe last year, why could he this year? Odom was a Lewis stopper. Bynum is one of the few Centers in the NBA that can challege Dwight Howard. Dwights better, but Bynum is no scrub. I would think Lewis could do well enough on Gasol, who on LA could guard Lewis? Pietrus doesn't have to guard Kobe this year, that's going to be Barnes assignment, and their aren't many better on D than Matt IMO. Carter will get his against Artest, maybe not the huge numbers, but he doesn't scare me like he used to. The real question though is, how in the world are the Lakers going to be able to stop Nelson from absolutely abusing Fish? Nelson should easily go for 20-25 a game against LA, and if he does, the Lakers have no shot IMO.
May 5, 201016 yr ^Celtics? I thought they were too old and had no chance against the Cavs. I'm usually pretty good with my NBA predictions...(see last year ) All I'm saying is the Magic are doing nothing that hasn't been done before by teams that have fallen short of winning the title. That's not taking credit away from them, it's just saying that things will go into perspective in the next round. They may be the best team in the East, but I just can't crown them by beating up on the hapless Bobcats and the Hawks who have lost their mojo and weren't that good to begin with. I would think Lewis could do well enough on Gasol, who on LA could guard Lewis? Pietrus doesn't have to guard Kobe this year, that's going to be Barnes assignment, and their aren't many better on D than Matt IMO. Carter will get his against Artest, maybe not the huge numbers, but he doesn't scare me like he used to. The real question though is, how in the world are the Lakers going to be able to stop Nelson from absolutely abusing Fish? Nelson should easily go for 20-25 a game against LA, and if he does, the Lakers have no shot IMO. Lewis didn't make much of a difference last year. Barnes is a nice addition, but Kobe is going to do his work against anyone. Carter and Artest are basically a wash for Turk and Ariza last year. So far in the playoffs they both seem like upgrades so I see no difference. As far as Nelson, PGs go off against the Lakers all the time. I don't see why that would stop them. Nelson is definitely not Deron Williams or even Westbrook (IMO), so I don't see how that's going to make a difference. I could be wrong, have been before, but I think crowning the Magic before they actually prove they can compete with the Lakers is kind of out there...JMO.
May 5, 201016 yr All I'm saying is the Magic are doing nothing that hasn't been done before by teams that have fallen short of winning the title. That's not taking credit away from them, it's just saying that things will go into perspective in the next round. They may be the best team in the East, but I just can't crown them by beating up on the hapless Bobcats and the Hawks who have lost their mojo and weren't that good to begin with. I agree, although I do think they're the class of the East. As far as Nelson, PGs go off against the Lakers all the time. I don't see why that would stop them. Nelson is definitely not Deron Williams or even Westbrook (IMO), so I don't see how that's going to make a difference. I could be wrong, have been before, but I think crowning the Magic before they actually prove they can compete with the Lakers is kind of out there...JMO. The difference IMO, is neither the Thunder or the Jazz have anywhere near the talent to surround Westbrook or Williams as the Magic do around Nelson.
May 5, 201016 yr Is the importance of a point guard in the NBA overrated. Look at the top point guards, Paul, DWilliams, they are out of the playoffs or soon to be with minimal chance to make the finals. And look at the teams that will most likely be the final 4 teams. Williams at Cavs, Fischer at Lakers, Nash at Suns, Nelson at Magic. While Nash is a wonderful offensive point guard, he is a major liability on the defensive end. I am a coach that at the MS, HS, Collegiate level feels that if you don't have a point guard, you are in trouble. But it seems that in the NBA, the point guards do not have as much direct line to the team success as in the other levels.
May 5, 201016 yr Orlando can.... Not if they play like that they can't. 2 quick fouls for him and it's game over for the Magic. Lakers will eat them alive down low any time he is out of the game.
May 5, 201016 yr Orlando is beating who the are given but get back to me when they actually beat a good team. It won't be till next round.
May 5, 201016 yr Is the importance of a point guard in the NBA overrated. Look at the top point guards, Paul, DWilliams, they are out of the playoffs or soon to be with minimal chance to make the finals. And look at the teams that will most likely be the final 4 teams. Williams at Cavs, Fischer at Lakers, Nash at Suns, Nelson at Magic. While Nash is a wonderful offensive point guard, he is a major liability on the defensive end. I am a coach that at the MS, HS, Collegiate level feels that if you don't have a point guard, you are in trouble. But it seems that in the NBA, the point guards do not have as much direct line to the team success as in the other levels. I have to agree with you, because I said this a few months back about PG being overrated in the NBA. A PG is rarely the difference in a series in the NBA, as the Lakers can attest.
May 5, 201016 yr Orlando is beating who the are given but get back to me when they actually beat a good team. It won't be till next round. But they got their big time playoff reps last year. That's big IMO. They won't be bothered by the big stage. If I had to list favorites right now I'd go: Lakers Magic Cavs Suns Spurs. Getting their last year would be enough for me for Orlando if they had any answer for the Lakers height. They don't is the issue. If Bynum isn't above 80% at any time they slide below Cleveland IMO.
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