I'm sorry but............. The Lakers are a great team and a contender when healthy

[ballup]

I figured out how to be a common bad Lakers fan:

Player X goes to Lakers, treat him like he's going to put the Lakers over the top
Player X doesn't do so well, demand his blood and his first born
If Player X stays in the next season, Player X's image is salvaged and you tell yourself that he will be solid, but you ignore all other possibilities
If Player X leaves in the next season, bash him and call him a scrub

[kennethgriffin]

Without Dwight I do believe there will be a much better, consistent flow to the offense. The problem is, last year the offense wasn't the problem. They were awful, terrible defensively

they were the worst free throw shooting team in the league with guys like metta/howard on the team. and they were contagious

now all skilled sharp shooters even at the center and power forward spots. theyel go from dead last to maybe top 10 in free throw shooting


that and 2 of the 3 best free throw shooters on this team ( nash/blake ) will finally be playing

the line hurt us more than most people know. the field goal percentages/fast pace ppg disguised it

[Lakers2877]

I'm not going to lie, I also feel like the Lakers have the potential to be a good team next season.

It could be the Nash-homer in me, but I think this team is currently underrated, and has the potential to surprise us all.

This summer kind of reminds me of that 07' Lakers offseason. If I remember correctly, Kobe had demanded to be traded, and no one, and I mean NO ONE, had any hopes for the Lakers that upcoming season. Many believed (including myself) that even if they managed not to give in to Kobe's trade demands, they would be a first round exit, at best. Then these dudes came out of no where, winning games left and right (even before the Gasol trade), and the rest is history.

Here's to hoping history repeats itself...

I like your optimism but that was '08

[brownmamba00]

young sushi gonna drop 20 ppg this year yall just watch

[DMV2]

Not a contender, but they'll be better than they were last year.

You know they were a 7th seed playoff team last season in spite of all their struggles. If they'll be better than last year like you say they are then they'll be at least #5 or #6 seed team?

They'd be lucky as fk to make it in the playoffs this upcoming season.

[Lakers2877]

I figured out how to be a common bad Lakers fan:

Player X goes to Lakers, treat him like he's going to put the Lakers over the top
Player X doesn't do so well, demand his blood and his first born
If Player X stays in the next season, Player X's image is salvaged and you tell yourself that he will be solid, but you ignore all other possibilities
If Player X leaves in the next season, bash him and call him a scrub

And that's different from the majority of succesful franchises in sports how exactly?

[NASH = BEST]

thats what i though last year, that despite there being a lot of guys who were all gonna wanna shoot a lot, nash would be able to make it work. that hes one of the smartest, most unselfish players in the league, and he would figure it out, but he/they never quite did

so im not sure what is gonna be any different next year.

Injuries

Not sure what the stat was last season, but the starting line up never logged in heavy minutes together. Due to injuries, the team never had a good chance to build good chemistry. There were moments where it seemed like things were getting better, and then a new injury would occur.

The whole Howard situation was a major distraction also. When Dwight was out, and Pau was starting at center, the team seemed to be getting on a roll. When Pau went out, I was like "Sh!t, this team is snake-bitten!". I think there a better team next season with Pau instead of Howard.

Ultimately, I agree with the premise of OP.

IF healthy, the Lakers have potential to be contenders.

[Lakers2877]

You know they were a 7th seed playoff team last season in spite of all their struggles. If they'll be better than last year like you say they are then they'll be at least #5 or #6 seed team?

They'd be lucky as fk to make it in the playoffs this upcoming season.

Lucky to make the playoffs? That's kind of silly. Last year they were completely ravaged by injuries

[TylerOO]

I agree. No excuses for Kobe this year

[TheReal Kendall]

[kennethgriffin]

young sushi gonna drop 20 ppg this year yall just watch

i'l say this

pg - nash - 12/3/8
sg - kobe - 26/6/5
sf - young - 13/4/2
pf - pau - 19/10/3
c - kaman - 11/8/2

bench - 19ppg ( 100 ppg as a team )

[TheReal Kendall]

i'l say this

pg - nash - 12/3/8
sg - kobe - 26/6/5
sf - young - 13/4/2
pf - pau - 19/10/3
c - kaman - 11/8/2

bench - 19ppg ( 100 ppg as a team )

GIVE IT A REST BRO!

[DMV2]

Lucky to make the playoffs? That's kind of silly. Last year they were completely ravaged by injuries

Healthy Lakers will just reduce opponents 60 points at halftime to maybe 50 but will still be getting L's at the end of the game.

There's a reason why they were plagued with injuries last year, they're an OLD ASS team.

[kennethgriffin]

GIVE IT A REST BRO!

you disagree with my predictions?

[TheReal Kendall]

you disagree with my predictions?

OF COURSE I DISAGREE. LAKERS WON'T MAKE PLAYOFFS