Not that scared of the Lakers...Yet.

[Sketch5]

I see people talking about the trade and half the people are just packing it in already, saying we don't have a chance.

Well I for one am not scared of this team yet. Why? They haven't played a single game yet. Just like I like what our team looks like on paper, but not sure how good they can be with out seeing how they play together.

 Only hope is, that with our team, we know most of the players, and they play TEAM ball. Unlike Kobe, who from watching the Olympics, still likes to pound the ball even though he's got some of the best talents around him, he still has to do it him self.

With LA, Nash is old, yeah still good, but for how much longer. Kobe seems more banged up every year. Metta is a time bomb, we saw a glimpse of Artest coming back last season. Pau, still solid, might be their best all around player on both ends. And Howard. We don't know how he's going to come back from the injury. If he loses his athletic ability, he's not going to be effective. Im sure he will still be a top Center, but who knows if its a nagging injury or just a one time thing. Also not even sure when he's suppose to come back. Any one know?

Kobe is going to be spent after the short,long season, and the Olympics. Who knows how well he will hold up, and so far they may have a problem like the Celtics were they have no bench, look how well that worked out. Miami has the same problem, and look how bad they looked until Bosh came back, one injury and they don't have any one to help out at all.

I also like our match ups in the most part. Kobe really has the most advantage that is hard to match up against.

VS Nash: Rondo can handle him as long as he stays infront and doesn't try to get those dang wrap around steels. Even at Nash's advanced age, it wont work. But no way can Nash handle Rondo. They have Howard to stop him from getting from the hoop you say. Thats were Rondo's strength comes in and kicks it out to KG.
  Bradley will also get an advantage with this match up to, making it hard for Nash to get the ball up the floor.

VS Kobe: Lee has size, but not sure about his D. Allen did okay against Kobe at times, so there is hope, with the team Deffense. Kobe will post the crap out of Bradley, which if Kobe is on, well we know what happens. Rondo may guard him, but play off to make him a jump shooter, and keep him from creating.

VS Metta: Pretty much a wash. Peirce if paying attention can gaurd him and Metta does a good job on PP. But with Green it gives us a new look, and now can wear out Metta by running around, as long as Metta keeps the elbows down...

VS Pau: KG last season had a hard time with him, but KG also wasn't in shape. Bass I think is too small, so maybe Wilcox? that might work. But we can go into dream land right now and say Atlanta wants Smith out, now that Howard is off the radar, so three team deal, Bass+ect out, Smith in. Advantage: C's. Smith, quicker, stronger, and with Rondo, makes better shots. But this is unlikely so we'll move on.

VS Howard: KG does well against him, not sure about a 7 game series, but knows how to play him and can teach others how to as well. Collision, does well to. Wilcox can even play him a little. And if Melo improves over the summer like he did last, and takes in every thing Kg says, and applies it with success, by the end of the season he, at worst case can give 6 fouls, and 2 blocks for the team with out hurting them.

So LA right now isn't that scary, they are more like NY the Miami.

But lets face it stern isn't going to let us get by Miami any ways so what does it matter.

[LEHGOCELTICS]

LOL

[LarBrd33]

You should be.  I'm distraught.  They added a franchise player who is 26 years old and easily the best big man in the league (the most important position).  As a Celtic fan, I'm incredibly depressed about it. 

[Interceptor]

You should be.  I'm distraught.  They added a franchise player who is 26 years old and easily the best big man in the league (the most important position).  As a Celtic fan, I'm incredibly depressed about it.

You are far too depressed about it. We don't face a meaningful game against the Lakers unless it's the Finals, and for that to even happen coming out of the West they need to get through the Spurs and OKC.

And if they don't deliver to Super-crybaby, he's a FA at the end of next season and might just hightail it out of Dodge.

[LarBrd33]

You should be.  I'm distraught.  They added a franchise player who is 26 years old and easily the best big man in the league (the most important position).  As a Celtic fan, I'm incredibly depressed about it.

You are far too depressed about it. We don't face a meaningful game against the Lakers unless it's the Finals, and for that to even happen coming out of the West they need to get through the Spurs and OKC.

And if they don't deliver to Super-crybaby, he's a FA at the end of next season and might just hightail it out of Dodge.

He's not leaving.  Can't see it happening.  They will be relevant for another 8+ years because of this.  NOt good.  The Lakers surpassing us in titles seems like an inevitability at this point.

[Who]

I imagine Kobe will keep defending Rondo and Nash will take Bradley.

I think Nash takes Courtney Lee if Lee comes in for Bradley. Not sure if it's Jason Terry though. Terry is more of an offensive threat. More of a creator than Bradley or Lee are. Still, Nash on Terry and Kobe on Rondo is probably still a better defensive matchup for them than leaving Nash on Rondo.

I think the only way to force Nash onto Rondo is to go big on the wings with Pierce (SG) and Jeff Green (SF) together. Pierce would be the team's best defensive option against Kobe so that should work out well for Boston on the other end of the floor too.

[Who]

I would like to see Doc go with Jeff Green (PF) against Pau Gasol (PF) pretty heavily in the regular season matchups. See if they can get away with that.

I think Pau Gasol will be even more on the outskirts of LA's offense next year. Floating in that 16-22 foot range moving the ball and taking a few long jumpers. Those are fine parts of the floor for Jeff Green to defend Pau.

I'll be interested to see if LA can get Pau enough quality touches in the post to truly punish Green the way Pau is capable of doing. With Dwight Howard alongside him and KG on Dwight, with Dwight moving to the FT line or high post to clear space in the post for Pau, Garnett should be able to supply a lot of help defense on Pau Gasol's post ups against Jeff Green. Nullify the threat. Or at least contain it. Limit it.

On the other end, Kevin Garnett will pull Dwight Howard out of the paint. Howard hates playing against high post big men and doesn't fare well against them defensively. Bosh always cooked Dwight when Dwight tried to defend him. I think KG can cause similar issues. Then with Jeff Green pulling Pau Gasol far away from the rim and with his more dynamic offensive threat at PF (vs Bass), they can open up the floor and offense for Rondo even more.

Maybe it'll work okay. Maybe it won't ... but I would like to see Doc experiment with it during the regular season matchups to get a better idea about it. There is enough good reasons there to think it may work out well for Boston.

[CelticSooner]

We're already breaking down a potential Finals matchup? Dang

That team in South Beach will be a tough out first.

[GreenFaith1819]

I still think teams with decent scorers on the wings will punish LA.

Like OKC.

And Kendrick STILL defends Dwight rather well, and Serge is a terror as a weak-side defender.

As I take off my Green-Tinted, Purple and Gold-hating glasses, though - a series between LA and OKC just got a bit tougher.

Mario Chalmers had, with the exception of games 2 and 3 vs OKC in the Finals - a rather good series vs Westbrook.

If Russell can't contain Nash, then LA beats OKC, plain and simple. Unless Russell buckles down on defense, Nash wins that matchup.

And Nash doing as he pleases vs OKC translates into (IMO) - 12-14 ppg, 10-12 assists, 1 stl, and several demoralizing lobs to Pau, DH and Jordan Hill vs the Thunder.

Not good for Russell (or OKC) at all.

If Russell isn't on top of his game, the old fella Nash will eat his lunch, plain and simple.

[Celtics18]

You should be.  I'm distraught.  They added a franchise player who is 26 years old and easily the best big man in the league (the most important position).  As a Celtic fan, I'm incredibly depressed about it.

You are far too depressed about it. We don't face a meaningful game against the Lakers unless it's the Finals, and for that to even happen coming out of the West they need to get through the Spurs and OKC.

And if they don't deliver to Super-crybaby, he's a FA at the end of next season and might just hightail it out of Dodge.

He's not leaving.  Can't see it happening.  They will be relevant for another 8+ years because of this.  NOt good.  The Lakers surpassing us in titles seems like an inevitability at this point.

Well, for goodness' sake, let's trade away Pierce, Garnett, and Rondo for draft picks and prospects pronto and pray for lottery balls.   

Rolling over and giving up is definitely the best way to go about it. 

[Jon]

I really think all the matchup rationalizations going on here are really just that: rationalizations.

I think the real hope for us against the Lakers has to do with age/health and chemistry.

Kobe and Gasol are 34 and 32 respectively and both coming off the Olympics.  That will likely take something out of them.  Nash is 38 going on 39.  He hasn't slipped much yet, but it inevitably will happen.  Will it be this year?  And with Dwight, let's see how his back holds up.  Needless to say, I wouldn't be upset to see the Lakers physically fall apart after the horrible luck we've had over the years. 

Chemistry I really think will be at least OK.  However, Kobe has only played with a real PG once (Payton) and it never really worked out.  I think there is a question about how well Nash and Kobe can coexist: both need the ball to be effective.  The advantage Nash has over Payton is that he is a better shooter, so he can be dangerous even if he's just reduced to a spot up shooter.  However, as we saw with Ray at times his first year here, even great shooters sometimes go cold if they are forced into new situations.  Nash has never stood around watching the action and then been asked to jack up a three on a consistent basis. 

[GreenFaith1819]

The biggest thing I ABSOLUTELY LOVE is the threads discussing the Lakers around here.

I thought the "Rivalry" was dying down, and it was until last night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5yMcmRWI5s

Goosebumps.

I think these two teams could be seeing a lot of each other the next two yrs, provided we can solve MIA and they solve OKC.

Don't sleep on MEM, though.

[Celtics18]

The biggest thing I ABSOLUTELY LOVE is the threads discussing the Lakers around here.

I thought the "Rivalry" was dying down, and it was until last night.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5yMcmRWI5s

Goosebumps.

I think these two teams could be seeing a lot of each other the next two yrs, provided we can solve MIA and they solve OKC.

Don't sleep on MEM, though.

Yeah, it's exciting, right?  This is how it should be.  The Lakers and Celtics should both be relevant NBA franchises.  I'd love to meet them again in the finals this year for the rubber match for '08 and '10. 

Like you say, though,  there are definitely some other teams in both conferences who are going to try to have their say about that. 

[apc]

2 out of 3 biggest prima donnas NBA on the same team.
things could go wrong very quickly, and I hope they do.