Comments on: You Do the Math http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/03/05/you-do-the-math/ A Lakers Blog. Thoughts, reflections, and the odd rant on the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA (even the Clippers). Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:13:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: The Dude Abides http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/03/05/you-do-the-math/comment-page-2/#comment-598982 The Dude Abides Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:46:54 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=1536#comment-598982 One aspect of the Utah, Houston, and New Orleans injuries this season is that their benches have gotten more seasoning (no pun intended). All three present different potential problems for the Lakers. Utah is the deepest of the three, and DWill can just about do anything he wants against our PGs. Houston has two guys who can alternate on Kobe, and on Lamar if he plays starter's minutes in the playoffs. NOLA has the Chris Paul matchup problem, and David West may be in the top three of mid-range jump shooters in the league along with Kobe and Pierce. I do think the ideal circumstance would be a Denver-Portland first round series, as that would surely result in another sweep for the Lakers. UTA, NOLA, and HOU finishing in the 3, 6, and 7 spots would be great. Let them fight it out with the Spurs in the other half of the draw. Of course, having the Jazz and Hornets fight it out in the first round at 4-5 would be OK as well. That series could easily go seven games. I simply can't see any team staying with us if Andrew comes back healthy for 24-28 minutes a game and plays with the second unit. How many backup centers will be able to defend him one-on-one? Teams will be forced to double him, giving Sasha, Jordan, and Trevor more space for their threes, LO more room for his dives to the basket, and when Pau is on the court with Drew, more opportunities for Trevor to cut to the hoop. Drew's presence on defense will allow our wing defenders to stay closer to the 3-pt line, as Drew can guard most bigs with single coverage. One aspect of the Utah, Houston, and New Orleans injuries this season is that their benches have gotten more seasoning (no pun intended). All three present different potential problems for the Lakers.

Utah is the deepest of the three, and DWill can just about do anything he wants against our PGs. Houston has two guys who can alternate on Kobe, and on Lamar if he plays starter’s minutes in the playoffs. NOLA has the Chris Paul matchup problem, and David West may be in the top three of mid-range jump shooters in the league along with Kobe and Pierce.

I do think the ideal circumstance would be a Denver-Portland first round series, as that would surely result in another sweep for the Lakers. UTA, NOLA, and HOU finishing in the 3, 6, and 7 spots would be great. Let them fight it out with the Spurs in the other half of the draw. Of course, having the Jazz and Hornets fight it out in the first round at 4-5 would be OK as well. That series could easily go seven games.

I simply can’t see any team staying with us if Andrew comes back healthy for 24-28 minutes a game and plays with the second unit. How many backup centers will be able to defend him one-on-one? Teams will be forced to double him, giving Sasha, Jordan, and Trevor more space for their threes, LO more room for his dives to the basket, and when Pau is on the court with Drew, more opportunities for Trevor to cut to the hoop. Drew’s presence on defense will allow our wing defenders to stay closer to the 3-pt line, as Drew can guard most bigs with single coverage.

]]> By: Kurt http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/03/05/you-do-the-math/comment-page-2/#comment-598978 Kurt Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:32:05 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=1536#comment-598978 Preview for tonight finally up Preview for tonight finally up

]]> By: Darius http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/03/05/you-do-the-math/comment-page-2/#comment-598976 Darius Fri, 06 Mar 2009 23:04:10 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=1536#comment-598976 While I don't think we need Andrew to beat NO, he sure does help. Not only because of his offense and how he matches up with Chandler, but also because of his ability to contest Paul's drives to the basket and his little floater coming off the P&R. I also think Pau's length can be a difference maker against West in the same way that he bothers KG's midrange game. While I don’t think we need Andrew to beat NO, he sure does help. Not only because of his offense and how he matches up with Chandler, but also because of his ability to contest Paul’s drives to the basket and his little floater coming off the P&R. I also think Pau’s length can be a difference maker against West in the same way that he bothers KG’s midrange game.

]]> By: kwame a. http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/03/05/you-do-the-math/comment-page-2/#comment-598975 kwame a. Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:49:03 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=1536#comment-598975 wondahbap-I agree we got the edge on them in the front-court...by a decent margin with AB, but they would have a shot. With CP3 they will have a shot in any series, I think he's that good. wondahbap-I agree we got the edge on them in the front-court…by a decent margin with AB, but they would have a shot. With CP3 they will have a shot in any series, I think he’s that good.

]]> By: wondahbap http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/03/05/you-do-the-math/comment-page-2/#comment-598974 wondahbap Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:44:19 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=1536#comment-598974 New Orleans still has absolutely no answer for Pau, Lamar, and/or hopefully Andrew. Until they do, they have no shot at beating us. The Jazz only have shot if they get a 5 game series that is played ONLY in Utah. New Orleans still has absolutely no answer for Pau, Lamar, and/or hopefully Andrew. Until they do, they have no shot at beating us.

The Jazz only have shot if they get a 5 game series that is played ONLY in Utah.

]]> By: chris h http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/03/05/you-do-the-math/comment-page-2/#comment-598973 chris h Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:34:58 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=1536#comment-598973 hey kurt, I read this in the Times today...so this is what happened to ol' John R. Q: I'm a sportswriter in North Dakota, of all places, and a Laker fan as well. I write a lot of basketball stories and I enjoy reading your stories to see how you keep each game fresh, and a story of its own. Here's hoping this season ends on a better note than last year. -- John R. A: The A&Q is back! Did you read my stories last week? And you didn't fall asleep? Moving forward, people ask me all the time if the Lakers are going to win the championship this season. They remain favorites in Las Vegas and, well, in my mind too. This week, Cleveland signed veteran forward Joe Smith, who will help, and San Antonio signed Drew Gooden, who will also help. Boston signed Mikki Moore and Stephon Marbury, who might or might not help. The Lakers didn't sign any of the waived free agents this week, but they'll have the best late-season roster addition of them all when Bynum comes back. That, in my mind, is enough to push them over the top. In fact, can we just fast-forward to June right now, to the finals against Boston or Cleveland. What else is there to do, other than end the A&Q with a Q? Readers can e-mail their questions about the NBA or the Lakers to our beat writers Mike Bresnahan or Broderick Turner. But please put "Q&A" in the subject field. hey kurt,
I read this in the Times today…so this is what happened to ol’ John R.

Q: I’m a sportswriter in North Dakota, of all places, and a Laker fan as well. I write a lot of basketball stories and I enjoy reading your stories to see how you keep each game fresh, and a story of its own. Here’s hoping this season ends on a better note than last year.

– John R.

A: The A&Q is back!

Did you read my stories last week? And you didn’t fall asleep?

Moving forward, people ask me all the time if the Lakers are going to win the championship this season. They remain favorites in Las Vegas and, well, in my mind too.

This week, Cleveland signed veteran forward Joe Smith, who will help, and San Antonio signed Drew Gooden, who will also help. Boston signed Mikki Moore and Stephon Marbury, who might or might not help.

The Lakers didn’t sign any of the waived free agents this week, but they’ll have the best late-season roster addition of them all when Bynum comes back.

That, in my mind, is enough to push them over the top.

In fact, can we just fast-forward to June right now, to the finals against Boston or Cleveland.

What else is there to do, other than end the A&Q with a Q?

Readers can e-mail their questions about the NBA or the Lakers to our beat writers Mike Bresnahan or Broderick Turner. But please put “Q&A” in the subject field.

]]> By: kwame a. http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/03/05/you-do-the-math/comment-page-2/#comment-598972 kwame a. Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:21:54 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=1536#comment-598972 60-Good point about Posey. However, this all kinda depends on how Kobe and the rest of the team approach the matchup. When NO beat us at Staples it was a combination of CP3 brillance (which is to be expected), David West's deadly mid-range game (which usually is there) and a 4th quarter that saw Kobe take hard shot after hard shot because he tried to go at Posey one-on-one. This doesn't even take into account what Chanlder can bring and the "threat" of Peja going off for a game where he drills 6 3's. My point is that, aside from the fact one year CP3 will hoist a team on his shoulders and win a chip, if the Lakers play NO, Kobe (as Craig. W has pointed out) cannot get bogged down into a one-on-one matchup with Posey-because that plays into NO's game plan. 60-Good point about Posey. However, this all kinda depends on how Kobe and the rest of the team approach the matchup. When NO beat us at Staples it was a combination of CP3 brillance (which is to be expected), David West’s deadly mid-range game (which usually is there) and a 4th quarter that saw Kobe take hard shot after hard shot because he tried to go at Posey one-on-one. This doesn’t even take into account what Chanlder can bring and the “threat” of Peja going off for a game where he drills 6 3′s.

My point is that, aside from the fact one year CP3 will hoist a team on his shoulders and win a chip, if the Lakers play NO, Kobe (as Craig. W has pointed out) cannot get bogged down into a one-on-one matchup with Posey-because that plays into NO’s game plan.

]]> By: Joel http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/03/05/you-do-the-math/comment-page-2/#comment-598971 Joel Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:20:18 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=1536#comment-598971 The Jazz are overrated. They can't win on the road, their defense is mediocre (and foul-prone), and they only have one player (Williams) who can create his own shot with any consistency. I wouldn't want to face them in the first round but I don't buy them as a threat to win the conference. The Jazz are overrated. They can’t win on the road, their defense is mediocre (and foul-prone), and they only have one player (Williams) who can create his own shot with any consistency. I wouldn’t want to face them in the first round but I don’t buy them as a threat to win the conference.

]]> By: Daniel http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/03/05/you-do-the-math/comment-page-2/#comment-598970 Daniel Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:47:25 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=1536#comment-598970 Oops, I suppose the Hornets have Posey now, but I still don't see their team defense allowing him to be as effective on Kobe as he was in Boston with excellent team defenders surrounding him. Oops, I suppose the Hornets have Posey now, but I still don’t see their team defense allowing him to be as effective on Kobe as he was in Boston with excellent team defenders surrounding him.

]]> By: Daniel http://www.forumblueandgold.com/2009/03/05/you-do-the-math/comment-page-2/#comment-598969 Daniel Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:42:36 +0000 http://www.forumblueandgold.com/?p=1536#comment-598969 Kwame a, I think you hit it right on the head. The only reason the Jazz give us trouble is their constant physical play and their excessive fouling that takes the Lakers out of their offensive rhythm. And in my estimation that only works in Utah where they get the benefit of the doubt from the refs and feed off the emotion of that raucous crowd. And for the Spurs?...well, they're all a year older and they really don't look that different to me from last year. The Hornets could be formidable, but to reference one of your key points, they don't really have anyone to mark Kobe like the Rockets do with Battier/Artest. Kwame a, I think you hit it right on the head. The only reason the Jazz give us trouble is their constant physical play and their excessive fouling that takes the Lakers out of their offensive rhythm. And in my estimation that only works in Utah where they get the benefit of the doubt from the refs and feed off the emotion of that raucous crowd. And for the Spurs?…well, they’re all a year older and they really don’t look that different to me from last year.

The Hornets could be formidable, but to reference one of your key points, they don’t really have anyone to mark Kobe like the Rockets do with Battier/Artest.

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