tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686559413429262258.post5393031521327175388..comments2023-05-13T06:01:24.477-06:00Comments on From the Frozen Wasteland: Draft thoughts and conference finals picksBrandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08426116709669588248noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686559413429262258.post-70685074010215412962008-05-21T18:10:00.000-06:002008-05-21T18:10:00.000-06:00Yeah, and Phoenix looked pretty good after 1. I'd...Yeah, and Phoenix looked pretty good after 1. I'd say four games from now we'll be able to say something about this series, probably not until then.Matt Gibbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03673869352562960087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686559413429262258.post-37803127252338469162008-05-21T17:34:00.000-06:002008-05-21T17:34:00.000-06:00We're going to have to agree to disagree, G. Tonig...We're going to have to agree to disagree, G. <BR/><BR/>Tonight will be a good indicator of how the rest of the series will go.<BR/><BR/>Though New Orleans looked pretty good after Games 1 and 2 in the semifinals, eh?Brandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08426116709669588248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686559413429262258.post-62138810455944230892008-05-21T17:25:00.000-06:002008-05-21T17:25:00.000-06:00Bynum could be as good as Shaq was, later on. He s...Bynum could be as good as Shaq was, later on. He still has to get a little bit older and get a little more NBA experience under his belt. He still has a chance.Nicholas G. Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14890754344866148503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686559413429262258.post-76505503923296791702008-05-21T16:54:00.000-06:002008-05-21T16:54:00.000-06:00SA will be unable to run away and build leads beca...SA will be unable to run away and build leads because of its plodding offense. I'm not convinced that Pau is so overmatched by Duncan as everyone thinks he is. If they guard each other. And while Pau doesn't have the physical power of Shaq, he does have the competitive mindset and is a much better mid-range threat and FT shooter. He adds a lot of value.Matt Gibbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03673869352562960087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686559413429262258.post-11200917827844850042008-05-21T13:40:00.000-06:002008-05-21T13:40:00.000-06:00Season series vs. Spurs: 2-2. And let's not forget...Season series vs. Spurs: 2-2. <BR/><BR/>And let's not forget San Antonio doesn't seem to care much about the regular season, as long as they get a decent seed in the playoffs.<BR/><BR/>The Spurs today are different from the Spurs of six weeks ago. Not to mention the Spurs and Lakers teams of SEVEN years ago are completely different.<BR/><BR/>I'd also like you to address the fact that Gasol is nowhere near the force today that Shaq was half a decade ago. That's the key here, IMO.Brandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08426116709669588248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686559413429262258.post-52678265597867697262008-05-20T23:17:00.000-06:002008-05-20T23:17:00.000-06:00by the way, let's not forget the second-to-last ga...by the way, let's not forget the second-to-last game of this season when the Lakers beat down the Spurs again, 106-85, as only one Laker starter got minutes in the fourth quarter. Yes, Ginobili was out for the game, but you can bet the Spurs weren't planning on giving that game away.Matt Gibbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03673869352562960087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686559413429262258.post-81875284702889303742008-05-20T23:12:00.000-06:002008-05-20T23:12:00.000-06:002001 playoffs, Lakers sweep Spurs. Kobe's lines:g...2001 playoffs, Lakers sweep Spurs. Kobe's lines:<BR/>game 1: 45 pts on 19-35, 10 reb, 3 ast.<BR/>game 2: 28 pts on 11-24, 7 reb, 6 ast.<BR/>game 3: 36 pts on 14-27, 9 reb, 8 ast.<BR/>game 4: 24 pts on 10-19, 2 reb, 11 ast.<BR/><BR/>Oh yeah, Kobe's been known to put a beatdown on the Spurs. That's time and again in ten days, let alone ten years. That series was when Kobe established himself as basketball's most skilled player. If you watched that series, you remember Kobe getting dunk after dunk on Duncan and Robinson.<BR/><BR/>And you know he's not afraid of them like most teams are, so the Lakers as a whole won't be rattled.Matt Gibbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03673869352562960087noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686559413429262258.post-2951354463636871712008-05-20T22:12:00.000-06:002008-05-20T22:12:00.000-06:00Lakers/Spurs playoff series since Duncan showed up...Lakers/Spurs playoff series since Duncan showed up in San Antonio:<BR/><BR/>1999: Spurs sweep Lakers.<BR/><BR/>2001: Lakers sweep Spurs.<BR/><BR/>2002: Lakers beat Spurs 4-1.<BR/><BR/>2003: Spurs beat Lakers 4-2.<BR/><BR/>2004: Lakers beat the Spurs 4-2. <BR/><BR/>So it's 3-2 in the past ten years.<BR/><BR/>Not exactly Kobe "pounding them time and time again."<BR/><BR/>And forgive me for not equating Pau Gasol with a young Shaq, a major component of those wins vs. the Spurs. <BR/><BR/>I just don't see it.Brandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08426116709669588248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4686559413429262258.post-17572436525511690832008-05-20T21:56:00.000-06:002008-05-20T21:56:00.000-06:00Anybody who watches hoop knows that there is only ...Anybody who watches hoop knows that there is only one team in the Western Conference that doesn't have some kind of inferiority complex when they play the Spurs: that would be the Lakers. That's because Kobe leads the team, and he knows that there's nothing magical about San Antonio. He's pounded them time and again in the playoffs, and Derek Fisher has done some pounding on them as well. Look for the Lakers to come out confident and win this series, avoiding the poor efforts that most other teams, especially the Jazz, put up against the Spurs. Nobody is picking LA, so when it happens I'll be the only one who says "I told you so."Matt Gibbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03673869352562960087noreply@blogger.com