Hey Lakers fan

[Barnabas]

Yeah, I know you guys are lurking around here.   

I've got some questions and an opinion for you. 

1)  Bynum.  Best case scenario, what do you think of this guy's potential?  My opinion, he is Kendrick Perkins with much better offense.  Is that accurate?  Have you considered the possibility that his injury might have caused permanent damage to his mobility?

2)  Let's say Kobe gets hurt in the series.  Who would take up the leadership and carry the team to victory?  Who can step up and get the job done for the Lakers?

Ok, here is where I believe Boston has the advantage.  And yes, honestly, I believe the Lakers are the best team in the NBA right now.  They are the team to most likely win the Championship, I admit that.  I make an effort to be objective, because I appreciate good basketball more than I am a team fan. A fan of basketball first, and then secondly, a Boston fan describes what I am.  But Boston has one big advantage that no one has mentioned, that I know of.  If Kobe were to go down, the Lakers will not win the Championship.  He is the undisputed leader of that team.  Gasol and Odom are stars in their own right, but they seem to be the types who would need a leader, rather than be the leader.  On the other hand, Boston's roster have guys who have the maturity and experience to be able to take up the leadership role, should anything happen to Paul Pierce.  Ofcourse, that is a "contingent" advantage and will only play out if Kobe or Pierce were to get hurt during the series. 

Your thoughts?

[Roy Hobbs]

And yes, honestly, I believe the Lakers are the best team in the NBA right now.  They are the team to most likely win the Championship, I admit that.  I make an effort to be objective, because I appreciate good basketball more than I am a team fan

Blah.  You can be "objective" and still think the team with home court advantage, the best team defense in years, and the best record in the NBA will prevail.

[Barnabas]

And yes, honestly, I believe the Lakers are the best team in the NBA right now.  They are the team to most likely win the Championship, I admit that.  I make an effort to be objective, because I appreciate good basketball more than I am a team fan

Blah.  You can be "objective" and still think the team with home court advantage, the best team defense in years, and the best record in the NBA will prevail.

Roy, I have to listen to the analysts and read what they have to say.  Yes, they can be wrong and have been wrong.  But most likely they are not.  Yes, I understand this is Sports, not science or mathematics.  The game is not played in a laboratory.  The answers aren't black and white.  There are many variables, and very little of those are quantifiable.  And yes, even the most knowledgeable basketball expert in the world can be often times be mistaken.  If Sports worked that way, then putting together a championship team would be clear cut and dried.  The first draft pick will always turn out to be the best, the team with the best record will win the championship every time, etc.  We know sports is not like that, it is a game, not a lab activity.  But, just going by what is most likely, and who is/are most likely to be correct, you have to go with the "experts" and the analysts. 

[GroverTheClover]

And yes, honestly, I believe the Lakers are the best team in the NBA right now.  They are the team to most likely win the Championship, I admit that.  I make an effort to be objective, because I appreciate good basketball more than I am a team fan

Blah.  You can be "objective" and still think the team with home court advantage, the best team defense in years, and the best record in the NBA will prevail.

Roy, I have to listen to the analysts and read what they have to say.  Yes, they can be wrong and have been wrong.  But most likely they are not.  Yes, I understand this is Sports, not science or mathematics.  The game is not played in a laboratory.  The answers aren't black and white.  There are many variables, and very little of those are quantifiable.  And yes, even the most knowledgeable basketball expert in the world can be often times be mistaken.  If Sports worked that way, then putting together a championship team would be clear cut and dried.  The first draft pick will always turn out to be the best, the team with the best record will win the championship every time, etc.  We know sports is not like that, it is a game, not a lab activity.  But, just going by what is most likely, and who is/are most likely to be correct, you have to go with the "experts" and the analysts. 

Sorry, that's just a crock of lukewarm soup. These so-called "analysts", picked the Pistons to beat us last round, picked us to finish as low as 3rd in the Atlantic, openly questioned whether this team could defend, gel or play to its full potential. Saying that the "analysts" are most likely to be correct is a cop-out.

[seccom]

And yes, honestly, I believe the Lakers are the best team in the NBA right now.  They are the team to most likely win the Championship, I admit that.  I make an effort to be objective, because I appreciate good basketball more than I am a team fan

Blah.  You can be "objective" and still think the team with home court advantage, the best team defense in years, and the best record in the NBA will prevail.

Celtic had the best team defense all year until they hit the playoff. They are NOT even the best defensive team in the playoff. Lakers is. Look at opponent FG%, 3FG% and more important, opponent FT attempts.

Boston is slighty better than the Lakers in opponent FG%, almost identical in 3FG% and terrible in opponent FT attempts.

The main advantage for Boston is not defense, but rebounding.

Lakers have advantage in defense, especially playing defense without foul and shot blocking.

[Roy Hobbs]

And yes, honestly, I believe the Lakers are the best team in the NBA right now.  They are the team to most likely win the Championship, I admit that.  I make an effort to be objective, because I appreciate good basketball more than I am a team fan

Blah.  You can be "objective" and still think the team with home court advantage, the best team defense in years, and the best record in the NBA will prevail.

Celtic had the best team defense all year until they hit the playoff. They are NOT even the best defensive team in the playoff. Lakers is. Look at opponent FG%, 3FG% and more important, opponent FT attempts.

Boston is slighty better than the Lakers in opponent FG%, almost identical in 3FG% and terrible in opponent FT attempts.

The main advantage for Boston is not defense, but rebounding.

Lakers have advantage in defense, especially playing defense without foul and shot blocking.

Keep believing that. 

[Reyquila]

The refs will steal it from us. They tried it all throughout our Eastern series and now they will put more effort into it. They will succed now. Its the only way we are going to lose. Mark my words. I will have 2 out of 3 bloggers in here agreeing with me that "we wuz robbed!" 

[Roy Hobbs]

And yes, honestly, I believe the Lakers are the best team in the NBA right now.  They are the team to most likely win the Championship, I admit that.  I make an effort to be objective, because I appreciate good basketball more than I am a team fan

Blah.  You can be "objective" and still think the team with home court advantage, the best team defense in years, and the best record in the NBA will prevail.

Roy, I have to listen to the analysts and read what they have to say.  Yes, they can be wrong and have been wrong.  But most likely they are not.  Yes, I understand this is Sports, not science or mathematics.  The game is not played in a laboratory.  The answers aren't black and white.  There are many variables, and very little of those are quantifiable.  And yes, even the most knowledgeable basketball expert in the world can be often times be mistaken.  If Sports worked that way, then putting together a championship team would be clear cut and dried.  The first draft pick will always turn out to be the best, the team with the best record will win the championship every time, etc.  We know sports is not like that, it is a game, not a lab activity.  But, just going by what is most likely, and who is/are most likely to be correct, you have to go with the "experts" and the analysts. 

Sorry, that's just a crock of lukewarm soup. These so-called "analysts", picked the Pistons to beat us last round, picked us to finish as low as 3rd in the Atlantic, openly questioned whether this team could defend, gel or play to its full potential. Saying that the "analysts" are most likely to be correct is a cop-out.

Cosign.  Why on earth would anybody trust "analysts" and "experts" over their own eyes, when those "analysts" and "experts" are wrong as often as they're right?

[seccom]

And yes, honestly, I believe the Lakers are the best team in the NBA right now.  They are the team to most likely win the Championship, I admit that.  I make an effort to be objective, because I appreciate good basketball more than I am a team fan

Blah.  You can be "objective" and still think the team with home court advantage, the best team defense in years, and the best record in the NBA will prevail.

Roy, I have to listen to the analysts and read what they have to say.  Yes, they can be wrong and have been wrong.  But most likely they are not.  Yes, I understand this is Sports, not science or mathematics.  The game is not played in a laboratory.  The answers aren't black and white.  There are many variables, and very little of those are quantifiable.  And yes, even the most knowledgeable basketball expert in the world can be often times be mistaken.  If Sports worked that way, then putting together a championship team would be clear cut and dried.  The first draft pick will always turn out to be the best, the team with the best record will win the championship every time, etc.  We know sports is not like that, it is a game, not a lab activity.  But, just going by what is most likely, and who is/are most likely to be correct, you have to go with the "experts" and the analysts. 

Sorry, that's just a crock of lukewarm soup. These so-called "analysts", picked the Pistons to beat us last round, picked us to finish as low as 3rd in the Atlantic, openly questioned whether this team could defend, gel or play to its full potential. Saying that the "analysts" are most likely to be correct is a cop-out.

That is a terrible argument. Because half of the analysts did not pick the Celtics to beat the Pistons, they will be wrong about the Celtics vs the Lakers. What about those analysts that pick the Celtics to beat the Pistons but also pick the Lakers to beat the Celtics.

[wdleehi]

And yes, honestly, I believe the Lakers are the best team in the NBA right now.  They are the team to most likely win the Championship, I admit that.  I make an effort to be objective, because I appreciate good basketball more than I am a team fan

Blah.  You can be "objective" and still think the team with home court advantage, the best team defense in years, and the best record in the NBA will prevail.

Celtic had the best team defense all year until they hit the playoff. They are NOT even the best defensive team in the playoff. Lakers is. Look at opponent FG%, 3FG% and more important, opponent FT attempts.

Boston is slighty better than the Lakers in opponent FG%, almost identical in 3FG% and terrible in opponent FT attempts.

The main advantage for Boston is not defense, but rebounding.

Lakers have advantage in defense, especially playing defense without foul and shot blocking.

What???

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats?sort=defeff&seasonType=3&league=nba

1) Celtics
5) Lakers

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistics?stat=teamstatoff&sort=fg%&league=nba&season=2008&seasontype=3&avg=pg&order=false&split=999

FG%
1)  Celtics 42.15 %
6) lakers 43.34%





Celtics are the number 1 defense in the playoffs.  Allow the least amount of points.  Allow the lowest shooting %.  Is the most efficient defense.  Out rebounds the opponents. 


Boston has a big advantage on defense.


The Lakers have nightmare matchup in Pierce.  They have struggled to stop KG. 

[wdleehi]

Stop listening to the experts who are picking Kobe so they can talk about Kobe and Jordon. 


They are enamored with Kobe. 

[seccom]

And yes, honestly, I believe the Lakers are the best team in the NBA right now.  They are the team to most likely win the Championship, I admit that.  I make an effort to be objective, because I appreciate good basketball more than I am a team fan

Blah.  You can be "objective" and still think the team with home court advantage, the best team defense in years, and the best record in the NBA will prevail.

Celtic had the best team defense all year until they hit the playoff. They are NOT even the best defensive team in the playoff. Lakers is. Look at opponent FG%, 3FG% and more important, opponent FT attempts.

Boston is slighty better than the Lakers in opponent FG%, almost identical in 3FG% and terrible in opponent FT attempts.

The main advantage for Boston is not defense, but rebounding.

Lakers have advantage in defense, especially playing defense without foul and shot blocking.

What???

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats?sort=defeff&seasonType=3&league=nba

1) Celtics
5) Lakers

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistics?stat=teamstatoff&sort=fg%&league=nba&season=2008&seasontype=3&avg=pg&order=false&split=999

FG%
1)  Celtics 42.15 %
6) lakers 43.34%





Celtics are the number 1 defense in the playoffs.  Allow the least amount of points.  Allow the lowest shooting %.  Is the most efficient defense.  Out rebounds the opponents. 


Boston has a big advantage on defense.


The Lakers have nightmare matchup in Pierce.  They have struggled to stop KG. 

I asked you (Celtics fans) to look at 3 numbers:

Opponent FG%, Celtics is ahead,
Opponent 3FG%, it is different by 1000 of a point.
Opponent FT attempts, this is where the Lakers had a huge advantage.

Also look at shot blocking and steal, Lakers has advantage in shot blocking and Celtic has advantage in steal. It is also against conventional Celtics wisdom.

[wdleehi]

And yes, honestly, I believe the Lakers are the best team in the NBA right now.  They are the team to most likely win the Championship, I admit that.  I make an effort to be objective, because I appreciate good basketball more than I am a team fan

Blah.  You can be "objective" and still think the team with home court advantage, the best team defense in years, and the best record in the NBA will prevail.

Celtic had the best team defense all year until they hit the playoff. They are NOT even the best defensive team in the playoff. Lakers is. Look at opponent FG%, 3FG% and more important, opponent FT attempts.

Boston is slighty better than the Lakers in opponent FG%, almost identical in 3FG% and terrible in opponent FT attempts.

The main advantage for Boston is not defense, but rebounding.

Lakers have advantage in defense, especially playing defense without foul and shot blocking.

What???

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats?sort=defeff&seasonType=3&league=nba

1) Celtics
5) Lakers

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistics?stat=teamstatoff&sort=fg%&league=nba&season=2008&seasontype=3&avg=pg&order=false&split=999

FG%
1)  Celtics 42.15 %
6) lakers 43.34%





Celtics are the number 1 defense in the playoffs.  Allow the least amount of points.  Allow the lowest shooting %.  Is the most efficient defense.  Out rebounds the opponents. 


Boston has a big advantage on defense.


The Lakers have nightmare matchup in Pierce.  They have struggled to stop KG. 

I asked you (Celtics fans) to look at 3 numbers:

Opponent FG%, Celtics is ahead,
Opponent 3FG%, it is different by 1000 of a point.
Opponent FT attempts, this is where the Lakers had a huge advantage.

Also look at shot blocking and steal, Lakers has advantage in shot blocking and Celtic has advantage in steal. It is also against conventional Celtics wisdom.

Blocks and steals are empty numbers.

Celtics defense allow a lower FG%.
Celtics defense allow less points a game
Celtics defense is the most efficient in the playoffs.
Celtics defense has controlled the tempo. 


Celtics have the better defense. 

[Roy Hobbs]

I asked you (Celtics fans) to look at 3 numbers:

Opponent FG%, Celtics is ahead,
Opponent 3FG%, it is different by 1000 of a point.
Opponent FT attempts, this is where the Lakers had a huge advantage.

Also look at shot blocking and steal, Lakers has advantage in shot blocking and Celtic has advantage in steal. It is also against conventional Celtics wisdom.

The object of defense isn't to accumulate the most blocks and steals, or to not allow free throws, it's to keep the ball out of the hoop, right?  The Celtics do that better than any other team.

Why is the additional 4.5 free throws the Celts allow on average opposed to the Lakers the determining factor?  Assuming the Lakers make around 70% of their free throws, that's an additional three points per game.  I'd rather have the Celts play physical defense and give up those additional three points, rather than have them play soft.

[seccom]

And yes, honestly, I believe the Lakers are the best team in the NBA right now.  They are the team to most likely win the Championship, I admit that.  I make an effort to be objective, because I appreciate good basketball more than I am a team fan

Blah.  You can be "objective" and still think the team with home court advantage, the best team defense in years, and the best record in the NBA will prevail.

Celtic had the best team defense all year until they hit the playoff. They are NOT even the best defensive team in the playoff. Lakers is. Look at opponent FG%, 3FG% and more important, opponent FT attempts.

Boston is slighty better than the Lakers in opponent FG%, almost identical in 3FG% and terrible in opponent FT attempts.

The main advantage for Boston is not defense, but rebounding.

Lakers have advantage in defense, especially playing defense without foul and shot blocking.

What???

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/teamstats?sort=defeff&seasonType=3&league=nba

1) Celtics
5) Lakers

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/statistics?stat=teamstatoff&sort=fg%&league=nba&season=2008&seasontype=3&avg=pg&order=false&split=999

FG%
1)  Celtics 42.15 %
6) lakers 43.34%





Celtics are the number 1 defense in the playoffs.  Allow the least amount of points.  Allow the lowest shooting %.  Is the most efficient defense.  Out rebounds the opponents. 


Boston has a big advantage on defense.


The Lakers have nightmare matchup in Pierce.  They have struggled to stop KG. 

I asked you (Celtics fans) to look at 3 numbers:

Opponent FG%, Celtics is ahead,
Opponent 3FG%, it is different by 1000 of a point.
Opponent FT attempts, this is where the Lakers had a huge advantage.

Also look at shot blocking and steal, Lakers has advantage in shot blocking and Celtic has advantage in steal. It is also against conventional Celtics wisdom.

Blocks and steals are empty numbers.

Celtics defense allow a lower FG%. (true, but the Celtics opponent score the best against the Celtics in the FT line, which does not count as FG.)
Celtics defense allow less points a game (true, no bearing. The team score most point is also not necessary the best offensive team.)
Celtics defense is the most efficient in the playoffs. (Not true)
Celtics defense has controlled the tempo.  (Opinion only)

Celtics have the better defense.  (Not true)

I wrote the following in a Lakers forum regarding the Celtics defense (Warning: very long):

http://forums.lakersground.net/viewtopic.php?t=65570

I welcome your comment.