Track the NBA Finals (Celtics vs Lakers)

[5wide]

Comes down to a few factors...

 

- Rondo's health and containing him

- If Odom brings it, the Lakers win easily. If you want a pulse of the Lakers, do not look at Kobe, look at how Odom performs. When he is on his game, they are virtually unstoppable.

- Rasheed Wallace. Crafty vet that can put the Celtics over the top, or he will claim a quick technical foul, harm an endangered species, and score 3 points? With the stage being this big, I expect him to show up and play, but who knows.

- Rebounding.

 

You're right about Odom. And, he seems to play far better at home than on the road.

 

I think the 2-3-2 format makes a split of the first two games paramount for the road team. It's pretty tough to win three straight anywhere if the teams are competitive. We'll see if LA has improved enough to give Boston a tougher test.

 

These series are often decided by the role players. If healthy, you know what the stars are going to give you. But, guys like James Posey in 2008 are unknowns. Nobody expected him to kill the Lakers the way he did, while Odom struggled with Boston's defense. The Lakers have Artest (instead of Radmanovic), and a healthy Bynum allows Odom to come off the bench and play less minutes. Those are two big positives LA didn't have the last time around.

 

The Lakers can't have Gasol disappearing like he did in Game Six at Phoenix though. They can't depend on Ron Artest to score 20 points and pick up the slack.

 

Ultimately, I think it will come down to the Lakers defensive effort. Boston is a team that can struggle mightily to score at times, and the Lakers are a team that can play great defense when they want to. If they'll bring the effort on that end, I don't think Boston will be able to score enough to beat them 4 times in 7 games. But, its the Lakers, so your guess is as good as mine as to whether they'll be willing to play defense consistently.

[5wide]

Just read that Bynum got his knee drained. I hope it has the same effect on him that it did on Kobe.

 

I also hope we don't learn a few months from now that in addition to draining the knees, the doctor put something back in. :scared:

[Hangman]

Let's go Celtics!

[spindoc]

In my humble opinion, if the Lakers win this year, I think we can legitimately squash the "Lebron James is the best player in the league" talk. With that said, I am rooting for the Celtics. Hope Rondo is healthy and Ray is on.

 

I know that CatsCatsCats will denydenydeny that, but I think Kobe is a cut above the rest and this would solidify that.

[CatsCatsCats]

^To each his own. No one can question the fact that Kobe has had a greater career so far, but LeBron is young and still has a chance to equal or pass Kobe's career. I don't see how a title this year makes or breaks an argument about Kobe being better than LeBron. Dare we compare their rosters or coaches? Kobe's numbers in the Suns series are amazing, but aren't as good as LeBron's last year in the ECF, not scoring-wise, not rebounding-wise, not assist-wise. The difference? Kobe knows how to win a championship, LeBron is still figuring it out. Gasol is worth 20 and 10 every night something LeBron has never played with. Odom, Artest, and Bynum when healthy are better than anyone else on the Cavs roster. I don't want it to sound like an excuse but trade the two and the results are the same, Cavs lose in the playoffs and the Lakers go to the Finals.

 

Kobe is a better winner than LeBron and no one could argue that. But, that doesn't make him the better player without question IMO. And what if Kobe loses? He would have won only 4 of the 7 times he's been to the Finals, does that drop him in your book? It wouldn't in mine, but that would forever prevent him from being in the conversation with Jordan, who he already belongs no where in the discussion with.

[spindoc]

^To each his own. No one can question the fact that Kobe has had a greater career so far, but LeBron is young and still has a chance to equal or pass Kobe's career. I don't see how a title this year makes or breaks an argument about Kobe being better than LeBron. Dare we compare their rosters or coaches? Kobe's numbers in the Suns series are amazing, but aren't as good as LeBron's last year in the ECF, not scoring-wise, not rebounding-wise, not assist-wise. The difference? Kobe knows how to win a championship, LeBron is still figuring it out. Gasol is worth 20 and 10 every night something LeBron has never played with. Odom, Artest, and Bynum when healthy are better than anyone else on the Cavs roster. I don't want it to sound like an excuse but trade the two and the results are the same, Cavs lose in the playoffs and the Lakers go to the Finals.

 

Kobe is a better winner than LeBron and no one could argue that. But, that doesn't make him the better player without question IMO. And what if Kobe loses? He would have won only 4 of the 7 times he's been to the Finals, does that drop him in your book?

Nope, but I bet it will in yours.:lol:

[CatsCatsCats]

Nope, but I bet it will in yours.:lol:

 

Sure won't. I have a new found appreciation for Kobe, and have said that many times on here this season.

[CatsCatsCats]

I know championships have to factor in but I think people also need to be realistic. Jordan was given the same treatment LBJ is getting before he won his titles, and look how dumb everyone looked. You have to have teammates, and history shows they have to be very good to great. Yes, Kobe has 4 championships and that can't be taken away from him, but he has also played with two of the best offensive post players of this era in Shaq and Gasol. Jordan didn't do much before Pippen and LeBron wasn't going to do anything with Mo Williams as his go to side-kick. People want to say the Cavs choked, but they had no business being in the title conversation. That was only due to LeBron. Mike Brown, Mo, Jamison, and Co. should their true stripes when the playoffs began.

 

Kobe is a better winner, but I see no reason why he could/would not have had the same success Kobe had if they two had switched careers. Yeah, he was disappointing this year in the playoffs, but it was the first time in his career. 29 of his teams last 30 to beat the Pistons and go to the Finals, 45 in game 7 in the Garden and nearly upsetting the champion Celtics, averaging 42, 10 and 12 (or something close) last year against the Magic.

[ladiesbballcoach]

With as much problem as the Lakers have had with the Western Conference point guards (Westbrook almost beat them in the first round) I see Rondo having a HUGE series and named MVP as the Celtics win in 6.

 

Don't see how the Lakers can stop him (barring injury) since they have struggled defensively against point guards this playoff.

 

Defensively, the Celtics in contrast have shown some success in stopping a tough wing player in LeBron and Carter.

[ladiesbballcoach]

In my humble opinion, if the Lakers win this year, I think we can legitimately squash the "Lebron James is the best player in the league" talk. With that said, I am rooting for the Celtics. Hope Rondo is healthy and Ray is on.

 

I know that CatsCatsCats will denydenydeny that, but I think Kobe is a cut above the rest and this would solidify that.

Kobe is the better clutch player and better offensive player.

 

I think Lebron is the more complete player in all facets of the game, passing, rebounding, defense and offense..

[CatsCatsCats]

Kobe is the better clutch player and better offensive player.

 

I think Lebron is the more complete player in all facets of the game, passing, rebounding, defense and offense..

 

I couldn't disagree with any of that. Maybe that Kobe is the better scorer rather than just offensive because passing and ball handling have to come into play with all offense.

[spindoc]

Kobe is the better clutch player and better offensive player.

 

I think Lebron is the more complete player in all facets of the game, passing, rebounding, defense and offense..

 

Your post makes no sense to me. Kobe is better in the clutch and better offensively, and Lebron is better on offense and defense????? So, which is it?

[CatsCatsCats]

Your post makes no sense to me. Kobe is better in the clutch and better offensively, and Lebron is better on offense and defense????? So, which is it?

 

How about:

 

Clutch- Kobe

Shooting-Kobe

Scoring-Kobe

Passing-LeBron

Rebounding-LeBron

Athleticism-LeBron

Defense-Push (Kobe is better on the ball and LeBron is better off the ball)

[ladiesbballcoach]

I couldn't disagree with any of that. Maybe that Kobe is the better scorer rather than just offensive because passing and ball handling have to come into play with all offense.

 

I should have said Kobe is the better scorer, not offensive player.

[ladiesbballcoach]

How about:

 

Clutch- Kobe

Shooting-Kobe

Scoring-Kobe

Passing-LeBron

Rebounding-LeBron

Athleticism-LeBron

Defense-Push (Kobe is better on the ball and LeBron is better off the ball)

 

I could agree with this breakdown.

 

Kobe is by far the best scorer on the planet.