Western Conference Finals Game 1 - Series Preview vs. Nuggets - Comment Here! - Message Board Basketball Forum

SoCalMike · 05-17-2009, 06:05 PM

Break it down everyone!

Can the Lakers play like today in the next series?

lakerfreak · 05-17-2009, 06:11 PM

Of course they can. They just need to come out with a mindset of all of them doing their part and doing it with energy. If that happens, nothing can stop them.

GMW · 05-17-2009, 06:12 PM

We match up better with the Nuggets really... gonna be a series much more about offense. I like our chances.

ZeN · 05-17-2009, 06:14 PM

Lakers in 6

GMW · 05-17-2009, 06:16 PM

I agree with that.

lakerfreak · 05-17-2009, 06:19 PM

Guarding Chauncey will be easier for Fisher to guard than the high flying Aaron brooks.

This denver team has something we don't have...a much better bench.

If Odom is coming off the bench this series, he needs to match what JR smith does and score just a little more.

This series Kobe is going to work a lot more. He's got guys on the team who play him a little differently than battier do (martin) but is pretty effective. I don't think Bynum and Gasol should have a problem getting going in this series.

Lakers in 6 or 7

laker4life310 · 05-17-2009, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lakerfreak

Guarding Chauncey will be easier for Fisher to guard than the high flying Aaron brooks.

This denver team has something we don't have...a much better bench.

If Odom is coming off the bench this series, he needs to match what JR smith does and score just a little more.
This series Kobe is going to work a lot more. He's got guys on the team who play him a little differently than battier do (martin) but is pretty effective. I don't think Bynum and Gasol should have a problem getting going in this series.

Lakers in 6 or 7

Yeah, JR Smith has been playing great during these playoffs.

Lakers definitely need to come out with the same mindset throughout the whole series for Denver. We are now the underdogs, so lets come out with the fire and hunger we saw today for Denver.

Dahnty Jones and Kenyon Martin are going to get under Kobe's skin and the team, so lets see how we can handle them.

gts · 05-17-2009, 06:48 PM

Lakers in 5... We match up against the Nuggets so much better than the rockets... once yao went down it changed the whole dynamics of both teams..

With the nuggets we don't face the speed the rockets put on the floor, kobe won't face anywhere the defense he saw from battier and artest and the nuggets don't bang in the paint..

they are also more inclined to try and out score the lakers which they will fail at, the rockets tried to set the tone with defense, the nuggets will try and set the tone with offense...

lastly the nuggets are not as disciplined as the rockets or utah... they are easier to get off their game plan and disrupt.. we are now a faster team and a longer team

SCV42 · 05-17-2009, 06:53 PM

Our front line should be fine against taller bigs than they faced in the Houston series.
My faith in the Lakers might be restored if they don't give up a bunch of threes and play Defense.

D-Rose · 05-17-2009, 06:57 PM

We need to utilize Kobe and the frontline as much as possible because their bench is waaaayy better than ours.

Hopefully Phil can outcoach Karl.

GMW · 05-17-2009, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D-Rose

Hopefully Phil can outcoach Karl.

there is no question he will.

LakersLaLaLand · 05-17-2009, 08:26 PM

Lakers in 5.

Any Laker fans want to go out on a limb and say the Lakers lose? I didn't think so.

Why are you guys saying the Lakers shouldn't have any problems with Denver guards and Chauncey Billups? Because they aren't quick or as quick as Aaron Brooks. Cmon. Straight up bad scouting.

The Lakers perimeter defense is weak against ALL GUARDS & FORWARDS on any team bad or good despite their lack of speed. This statement is tatooed #1 in every LA Laker opponents scout book. Why do we consistently forget this or choose to ignore it. Homerism maybe.

Denver is a fast team from top to bottom. They enjoy playing at a fast tempo. Lakers need to slow the tempo some.

Billups is one of the most highly effective point guards in the league. He controls his defender like a puppet. Keeping the defender off balance. Smart and strong. He can do it all. Shoots the 3 well. Nice jumpshot. Great form shooter. Mr Big Shot is most deserving of his nickname. He can drive and dish. Or he can drive and finish. Mostly he can drive and draw a foul. Ending with him picking up 7-9pts a game at the stripe. Insane ft shooter. I believe he is 66-69 for the post season.He can take his defender on the block and do as he pleases. Billups makes everything look easy. Billups will have a field day against the Lakers overly zealous defenders.

Anthony Carter another smart veteran pg. Plays respectably on both ends of the court. Extremely streaky.

Dantay Jones. Not a threat on offense vs other teams. Against the Lakers Ole defense he can make plays to the basket. DJ is Denvers version of Sasha on the defensive end. Pesky defender filled with a ton of bad attitude.

JR Smith. Super quick with a killer 3 point shot. He can drill 5 3's on any given night.

Kleiza has suffered from a broken thumb most of the last 2 months. He has played through it. But his shot has greatly suffered. You can forget about him being an offensive issue.

Kenyon Martin. Although he has lost some ability because of injury and surgery. His speed and jumping is still very effective. He relies heavily on his quick 1st step and drop step to set up his turnarounds or drive and dunks. Jumpshot is streaky. Occasionally effective.

Nene is a very strong and mobile big man. Curious to see how his mobility translates against Pau and Bynum. Easily stronger physically than both Lakers big men on the block. Decent post game. Nene is a quiet player much how Gasol is a quiet producer.

Birdman. Marcus Camby 2.0 (white version). Less rebounds much much better defender. Camby was a statistical beast but hugely ineffective as a defender. Loves to run circles around the basket.

Carmelo is the ultimate scorer combined with a great general in billups he has become deadly. His only offensive weakness is 3 point shooting. Look for him to attack the basket very often drawing many fouls. He can also set up his teammates at a decent rate about 5 assists from my memory. JR smith on the opposite side is a favorite of his.

This will be a great chess match.

Lakers will play their usual style of ball. I don't see much changing. Brown will get more play over Farmar in this series.

Big_Dogg · 05-17-2009, 09:17 PM

I agree it will be only a 5 game series, we match up too well and beat them at their own style of high octane offence, they are questionable on the defensive end against our lineup.

bleedinpurpleTwo · 05-17-2009, 09:34 PM

I see no reason to believe that the Lakers will suddenly start playing consistently good ball.

Thus, it will be more than 5 games. Won't be surprised to see it go 7.

I believe we match up well, but this is a Denver team that has found its stride...is peaking...at the right time.

They are in a groove.

This is not your AI Nuggz. They are playing strong defense to go with solid offensive execution.

SoCalMike · 05-17-2009, 10:28 PM

I wish I knew that to expect from the next series. Folks have said they match up well and I agree... also, the Nuggs are an emotional team and can break down if the game does not go their way (in other words, i don't think they would have held up as well as the rockets did).

However, the Lakers are fickle as we know... Artest said it best this afternoon in a post game interview when he said the Lakers don't come to play every night (which drives us all crazy).

I am going to call Lakers in 6, hoping gts, big_dogg and LakersLaLaLand are right and we do the job in 5.