The lakers have one of the best benches in the nba??

[Who]

Nuggets > Hawks
Jazz >> Cavs
Spurs > Pistons

You are wrong.

The Pistons were the 2nd best team in the league after the Celtics ALL YEAR, so not sure why you think the Spurs were better.  The Celtics just beat the 2nd best team in the league (Pistons).  I always thought the 2 best teams in the league were in the East.

Getting off point since this a Lakers bench thread but I wanted to chime in on these thoughts.

Denver were better than Atlanta and Cleveland. Check the Nuggets record against Cleveland, Melo and Co. torch the Cavs. Detroit was better than Denver.

Utah and San Antonio were both better than Detroit and it's not close. Pistons are the most overrated ball club in the league and overachieved fiercely in the regular season, the postseason was always going to bring them back down to earth just like it did the two previous years. Flawed team, not a true contender. Unlike San Antonio and to a lesser degree Utah.

I think Detroit were marginally better than Cleveland but the Cavs posed the Celtics more problems so they were a tougher test than the Pistons for Boston.

[NoraG1]

Nuggets > Hawks
Jazz >> Cavs
Spurs > Pistons

You are wrong.

The Pistons were the 2nd best team in the league after the Celtics ALL YEAR, so not sure why you think the Spurs were better.  The Celtics just beat the 2nd best team in the league (Pistons).  I always thought the 2 best teams in the league were in the East.

Getting off point since this a Lakers bench thread but I wanted to chime in on these thoughts.

Denver were better than Atlanta and Cleveland. Check the Nuggets record against Cleveland, Melo and Co. torch the Cavs. Detroit was better than Denver.

Utah and San Antonio were both better than Detroit and it's not close. Pistons are the most overrated ball club in the league and overachieved fiercely in the regular season, the postseason was always going to bring them back down to earth just like it did the two previous years. Flawed team, not a true contender. Unlike San Antonio and to a lesser degree Utah.

I think Detroit were marginally better than Cleveland but the Cavs posed the Celtics more problems so they were a tougher test than the Pistons for Boston.

What does the regular season have to with anything? Who cares who Denver torched in the reg. season. Playoffs are a whole different thing too bad we could not see some of those matchups and see what would happen.

[NoraG1]

Piston > Spurs with injured Manu



But all that really matters is in the end

Celtics > lakers.

Exactly Manu being injured really hurt the Spurs.

[Roy Hobbs]

Denver were better than Atlanta and Cleveland. Check the Nuggets record against Cleveland, Melo and Co. torch the Cavs. Detroit was better than Denver.

Utah and San Antonio were both better than Detroit and it's not close.

Question:  how can you cite to the Nuggets' record against Cleveland (2-0) as being conclusive, while ignoring Detroit's record against San Antonio (2-0)?

[Cooldude5t5]

Farmer, Vuijiac = 3 point shooters
Ariza= Defensive stopper, energy
Turiaf= Rebounding, Energy
Luke Walton= Play making

They have everything you would want from a bench.

[Who]

Nuggets > Hawks
Jazz >> Cavs
Spurs > Pistons

You are wrong.

The Pistons were the 2nd best team in the league after the Celtics ALL YEAR, so not sure why you think the Spurs were better.  The Celtics just beat the 2nd best team in the league (Pistons).  I always thought the 2 best teams in the league were in the East.

Getting off point since this a Lakers bench thread but I wanted to chime in on these thoughts.

Denver were better than Atlanta and Cleveland. Check the Nuggets record against Cleveland, Melo and Co. torch the Cavs. Detroit was better than Denver.

Utah and San Antonio were both better than Detroit and it's not close. Pistons are the most overrated ball club in the league and overachieved fiercely in the regular season, the postseason was always going to bring them back down to earth just like it did the two previous years. Flawed team, not a true contender. Unlike San Antonio and to a lesser degree Utah.

I think Detroit were marginally better than Cleveland but the Cavs posed the Celtics more problems so they were a tougher test than the Pistons for Boston.

What does the regular season have to with anything? Who cares who Denver torched in the reg. season. Playoffs are a whole different thing too bad we could not see some of those matchups and see what would happen.

When it's all you got it's all you got.

Denver and the Cavs both played the Spurs last season, the Nuggets were much tougher. Spurs completely controlled the Finals sweeping the Cavs. Nuggets gave the Spurs their most phyiscal battle of the playoffs, despite the 4-1 playoff series they were within a few points each night and just a bit short. They played San Antonio much harder than Cleveland did.

Denver's regular season success against Cleveland is nothing new, they regularly beat Cleveland over the past few years. Denver's firepower causes Cleveland too many problems to overcome. Their interior play can combat the Cavs well, negating much of their (Cavs) usual advantages. The Nuggets fast pace rips apart the Cavs halfcourt defense like several fast paced teams do to the Cavs. Too many easy baskets. LeBron would have a great series but he'd be outgunned.

Denver ended up with the worst possible matchup in the first round of the playoffs with the Lakers, that series didn't give a good indication of what they're truly capable of. If they got Phoenix, Houston, Utah ... they would have stood a reasonable chance of winning. San Antonio and New Orleans very likely would have been losses but far more contested than the Lakers series win. Lakers were the worst possible matchup for Denver, just like the Lakers were for Utah.

I agree, it would have been fun to see a Cavs-Nuggets matchup. Melo-Bron leading their respective clubs against one another, fun matchup.

[Who]

Denver were better than Atlanta and Cleveland. Check the Nuggets record against Cleveland, Melo and Co. torch the Cavs. Detroit was better than Denver.

Utah and San Antonio were both better than Detroit and it's not close.

Question:  how can you cite to the Nuggets' record against Cleveland (2-0) as being conclusive, while ignoring Detroit's record against San Antonio (2-0)?

I added some more to my reasons for why I think Denver are better than Cleveland.

So I'll switch to the Spurs-Pistons.

(1) 2005 Finals. Pistons have gotten worse. Spurs have gotten better. The Spurs were already the better side. Rasheed is worse, Billups is worse, Ben Wallace is gone. Billups cannot defend Parker nearly as well as he could in 2005, and Parker is far superior nowadays.

(2) For my money the Spurs have the best backcourt in the NBA negating the Pistons normal advantage. Other matchups I like or Bowen vs Tayshaun. Bowen can defend Rip Hamilton much better than Tayshaun can defend Manu Ginobili. Rasheed Wallace rises to the occasion and plays some of his best stuff against Tim Duncan, but Timmy still has that. Coaching mismatch matters too. Detroit have a better bench but not a large enough advantage to counter the rest.

(3) The Spurs get more easy baskets than Detroit. They're better on the break, better at attacking and scoring in the paint, better at getting to the line. Spurs are better on the backboards. Defensively San Antonio are better too.

[TheManFromAcme]

I actually think the Lakers have a pretty decent second unit.  When you take into account the amount of teams in the NBA these days, if you can roll out 8 or 9 solid contributors, I'd say you're one of the better benches in the league.  I think the Lakers qualify in that aspect. 

Thanks for the props Donoghus. I am just happy these two are meeting finally. It's going to be epic.
And yes, I am a Laker fan.

[pslakerfan]

I try to be as objective as possible when posting on an "enemy" site, but I have to go "homer" for a second.  This is what I keep hearing:

1.  We didn't beat Denver, they gave up.
2.  Utah didn't play any defense and were overrated.
3.  The Spurs are getting old and Manu was injured.
4.  The Celtics...............................?

When do the excuses end and the Lakers get a little credit?

I am not the type to predict who will win and I have no idea, but I think the team that wins deserves to win and not have their achievements tossed aside.

[RebusRankin]

Who gave the Laker fan 3 Tommy Points? 

Addressing the topic at hand, the Lakers have a good bench. They provide energy and offense. They've been productive all year.

[Chief]

Phil Jackson has always been able to get the most out of his bench. Steve Kerr was almost out of the league and Phil made him a household name.

Other notables:

Bill Wennington
Randy Brown
Jud Buechler
Jason Caffey
Rick Fox
Brian Shaw
Tyronn Lue

[Andrew Celtic Nation]

Farmer, Vuijiac = 3 point shooters
Ariza= Defensive stopper, energy
Turiaf= Rebounding, Energy
Luke Walton= Play making

They have everything you would want from a bench.

Plus Vujacic is a pesky defender who gets under guards skin. I think they might use him to p--- off Ray and Rajon at points in the game. I like their bench and if we aren't careful Radmanovic will torch us from three when he is out there with the starters.

[BigAlTheFuture]

I think the Lakers have a pretty good bench but not the best in the league. They have some decent young players on their bench. I wouldn't mind giving up Cassell or House for Farmer or Ariza.

[Barnabas]

Farmer, Vuijiac = 3 point shooters
Ariza= Defensive stopper, energy
Turiaf= Rebounding, Energy
Luke Walton= Play making

They have everything you would want from a bench.

They've got a terrific bench, but so do we.  Farmar, Ariza, and Turiaf will make some bad plays now and again.  They'll pull a Rondo every once in a while.  I like Sasha Vujacic.  In some ways, I would rather have him as our point guard over Rajon Rondo.  From what I've seen, Vujacic is a smart player who rarely makes bone-headed mistakes.

Our bench is strong due to PJ Brown and James Posey.  They're solid players who don't make a lot of mistakes.  Both can defend very well.  Hopefully, Sam will find his place on the team and figure out the best way to contribute.  This is one series in which someone like Scalabrine might be useful, guarding Radmanovic. 

[pslakerfan]

Who gave the Laker fan 3 Tommy Points? 

Addressing the topic at hand, the Lakers have a good bench. They provide energy and offense. They've been productive all year.

How did I get those 3 Tommy Points, I have no idea?  I just assumed they accrue automatically as you post. Does that mean someone is actually giving them to me?  If so thanks.