West conf finals Lakers-Spurs pre-series analysis

[applejoe]

I'm really hoping these two teams will meet after the next round. The Lakers has probably the best player in the league right now, but after watching the Spurs/Suns series, it looks like the Spurs are still the most complete team in the NBA. On offense, they've got two of the most dangerous perimeter players in the league in Parker and Ginobili, and on the inside is the post play of Duncan. They've also got very good role players that can hit their shots in Finley and Bowen. On defense, Duncan plays dominating post and help D while Bowen always gives the opposing star perimeter player a hard time.

So how does the Lakers match up? Coaching is pretty much even, two experienced coaches used to winning, so let's just look at the players, starting with the front court. Though Gasol is no push over, he's still no match for Duncan, so given that all their other bigs are pretty much even, the Spurs have the slight edge inside on both ends of the floor. We'll have to see if the Lakers will be able to use Odom to exploit mismatches like the Suns tried to do with Diaw.

The perimeter is where the real battle is at. I think the Spurs have it evenly matched with the Lakers, because the Lakers don't have Bynum to help negate the dribble penetration of Parker and Ginobili. Kobe will need to be on fire to give the Lakers the edge, but that hasn't happened much this year and Bowen will make it real tough for Kobe to get his rhythm going. In this match up, I don't feel that he will have the consistency of Ginobili and Parker in terms of offensive output. With Parker, he can always find a way to get to the rim for a high percentage shot. Ginobili has been good at finding his spots, and Popavich knows when and how to use him. Unless Kobe is really able to step up his game to a Jordan-like level, it really depends on the role players to hit the shots, and outside of Fisher, the Lakers role players are less experienced than the Spurs role players.

These two teams should be the best matchup for the Western Conf. finals, let's hope they don't choke and lose in the next round.

[3stat2]

I personally would much prefer to watch the Lakers in the finals, after seeing the Spurs there so much in recent history - but I think we're going to see the Spurs come out of the West again. I really want to see what Kobe does on the biggest stage in basketball, but I have a feeling I'll be watching Tim Duncan, Parker and Manu... again.

The Spurs still gotta get past the Hornets though, and the Lakers need to get past the Jazz/Rockets. It would be just ridiculous to write off NO and Utah so quickly.

[Lamar Doom]

I think we actually match up quite well and are both easily the most "complete" teams in the west. I feel like we (lake show) do everything that San Antonio does a little bit better and faster than they do it. I'm not totally on board with "the spurs are over the hill" but other than parker and to some extent ginobli they are not a very quick team. parker will be very tricky for fish and farmar, but we've been dealing well with matchups that favor the opponents point guard with our team defense (thank you lamar) and solid rotations. It's cliche but it will be so much about which team is able to dictate the pace. There's players on both sides that neither side has an answer for so it will also come down to the role players, the luke waltons, sashas, brent barrys, mike finleys. Pop really likes Udoka on Kobe which means we might see a very different looking rotation for San Antonio than we did in this Suns series. Duncan and Pau are both methodical and that matchup will be very interesting. I'll also be curious to see if Lamar doesn't spend some time on ginobli, use his length to try to contain his fellow southpaw (lefty). if the game's are in the 100s every night the lakers are going to win the series. If the spurs can slow us down and take certain things away from us, they can do it, obviously they're one of the great teams of this era but I think the Lakes might have their number this year.

[MochaUdoka]

No matter how it ends up I am absolutely salivating over this matchup. Nothing against Utah/NO, but I feel these are the 2 best teams in the West. Of course we will find out if that is actually true over the next couple weeks :)

Spurs probably lose if the Lakers get a healthy Bynum back or Kobe elevates his game (good luck doing that against Udoka! j/k i have to support my player)

Sadly this series would probably come down to the battle of the floppers

[Kiddlovesnets]

The Lakers need to have Andrew Bynum back otherwise they could only wish the Hornets to defeat the Spurs if they want to clinch the final.

[BryantGasol89]

the hornets are gonna beat the oap's so we wont be seeing a lakers/spuds match up :)

[Kiddlovesnets]

the hornets are gonna beat the oap's so we wont be seeing a lakers/spuds match up :)

Exactly...

[Lamar Doom]

The Lakers need to have Andrew Bynum back otherwise they could only wish the Hornets to defeat the Spurs if they want to clinch the final.

that doesn't mean anything. Bynum's not coming back, we're the best team in the league w/o him, we don't NEED him at all. it would be nice if he came back, worst case scenario we could give him Mbenga's minutes and have him be a wonderful back up. This dilusion that the lakers are waiting for him to come back to be complete (this season) has been over for quite a while. Bynum certainly eases the burden for Pau and Lamar who will have to be extra careful to stay out of foul trouble, which the spurs are good at getting players into, but we dont' NEED anything to clinch the final.

[griffmoney1984]

IMO. the only team that had a chance to beat LA was Phoenix. they are the only team that matched up well.

now they are eliminated.

the only team standing in their way now is Boston.

and when Paul Pierce's Blood's get bounced out of the 1st round by the hawks. no one will be left to stop us

[Kiddlovesnets]

IMO. the only team that had a chance to beat LA was Phoenix. they are the only team that matched up well.

now they are eliminated.

the only team standing in their way now is Boston.

and when Paul Pierce's Blood's get bounced out of the 1st round by the hawks. no one will be left to stop us

Don't forget the Pistons. The Lakers might not even win one game against Detroit.

[All Net]

Don't forget the Pistons. The Lakers might not even win one game against Detroit.

Might not even win one game? are you a moron or something? we are struggling to beat the freaking Sixers yet we would destroy L.A...get out of here with that crap.

[loot]

I think we actually match up quite well and are both easily the most "complete" teams in the west.

Not really. When it comes to being a complete team the Hornets and Jazz look much better. Better shooters. Better PG. Kobe's excellence is what makes them better than a 'good' team. Look at the Hornets and Jazz, they've got good players at every position along with a pretty nice bench.

[nashisbest]

lakers vs tired spurs -> lakers win

spurs contain kobe -> spurs win

fisher can't keep up with parker and duncan dominates gasol

[3stat2]

If they do meet up, it'll be a heck of a matchup. Here's some food for thought:
- It would be fun to watch hack-a-Mbenga. It has a certain ring to it. Almost sounds like the name of a board game.
- If there's any guard that can get Kobe into foul trouble, I think it is Manu. Although on the other hand, Kobe is great at getting other guards into foul trouble too. They might have less of an impact on the series than we'd all expect.
- Kobe better protect his dislocated pinkie. Because a certain number 12 is going to go straight for the jugul... I mean pinkie.
- Kurt Thomas is a very very physical defender. He's going to be difficult for Gasol to go against.
- These are probably the two best playoff coaches in the NBA going against each other head-to-head. Every single coach whose team is out of the playoffs should be watching this to learn from Pop and Phil.

[Lamar Doom]

Not really. When it comes to being a complete team the Hornets and Jazz look much better. Better shooters. Better PG. Kobe's excellence is what makes them better than a 'good' team. Look at the Hornets and Jazz, they've got good players at every position along with a pretty nice bench.

hmm. i guess i don't agree, but really all four of the western semis (assuming utah advances) are awfully complete top to bottom-- i understand how their strongest player being their point guard might make them feel more "complete" (which i originally put in quotes because of it's subjectivity), or how peja or mo pete makes more sense to round out a five man rotation than radmonovich. I think the lakers are the most complete in the sense of having roles filled, even if they aren't what you might consider the normal responsibilities from the position.
we play two "shooters" in both of our main lineups (fish/vlad start, sash/farm second unit) and i really don't think either team has vastly superior shooters to us. Our point guard duties aren't prototypical because our SG and PF primarily control the ball to start the offense (most often), but our offense is one of the most effectively run in the league, so we don't end up with a "playmaker" point like chris or deron, but the results are the same.
We have inside and out moreso than Utah in my mind. Okur and Boozer hardly makeup my opinion of a complete frontcourt. Odom's certainly not a classic post up power forward but he rebounds like one and his passing, agility, footwork, ballhandling (ability in general) make up for that. Pau's a methodical post style player, and while neither would be looked at as a powerful presence, they do control the middle pretty well.
As far as bench goes there's no way you can't give the nod to us (I HATE pargo), turiaf and walton are excellent quality second unit frontcourters. Obviously Mbenga is a piece that we're dealing with because of injuries but he doesn't plague the team in his limited minutes. Sasha and Jordan have taken cyclical turns being excellent offensive sparks this year... i just got bored with my own post and sleepy. can't wait for the second round, night.