C's title run vs the Lakers title run

[sinbad]

Is it just me or did it seem that everything went the Lakers way in the playoffs. Here are some examples.

1-KG and Powe out for the playoffs. I got to believe that the Cs would have beaten the Magic and as a result the Lakers would have had to either play a Boston team made for the playoffs or a Cleveland team that would have home court advantage. Instead they get Orlando and home court.

2-Manu Ginobili out for the playoffs killing the Spurs chances.

3-They get a Utah team in the first round that was slumping badly instead of a surging Dallas team.

4-They avoid a Portland team that have owned the Lakers at home. Steal one in LA and the Lakers are in trouble.

4-Houston loses Yao Ming for the remainder of the series.

5-Cleveland loses to Orlando and the Lakers get HCA for the Finals.

Seriously, you couldn't have scripted a better scenario for the Lakers. Last year we went through the worst possible matchups with Cleveland and Lebron, then the 4-time defending Eastern conference champion Detroit, then the Lakers and Kobe. We earned that championship.

If you asked the Lakers prior to the playoffs who they would like to play to ensure the best possible chance to win the title, I'm willing to bet they would prefer Utah over Dallas in the 1st round, Houston over Portland in the 2nd (Kobe stated that Portland gives them problems), Denver over a healthy Spurs team in the conference finals, and any team in the East not named the Celtics or Cavs.

[guava_wrench]

If that helps you sleep at night.

[LB3533]

I think the Lakers' title run was not very memorable, other than the Derek Fisher 3 pointers.

[Rondo_is_better]

If that helps you sleep at night.

Uhh... he's right, so it should.

The path was glossed for the Lakers--but they did take care of business--so you have to give them credit.

[guava_wrench]

I remember us beating a Detroit with a gimpy Billups last year and a Lakers team without their starting center.

[Scalablob990]

*Starting* center? I think the Lakers and all of us know the only reason why Andjoke Bynum starts is because he whines and complains if he doesn't get his minutes. Jackson still heavily relies on the Odom/Gasol combo when he wants to win.
Perkins > Bynum

[Rondo_is_better]

I remember us beating a Detroit with a gimpy Billups last year and a Lakers team without their starting center.

I remember Billups being a non-factor this year while playing for Denver against LA.

I also remember us playing tougher teams leading up to and including the finals.

I can't imagine anyone arguing the LA had a tougher road to the finals this year than the Celtics did last year.

[ma11l]

Certain things have to fall right for every team to win every year.  There is no absolute dominant team that's a clear cut favorite, hasn't been one since Shaq and Kobe's Lakers. 

I like that we had to get win two game 7's to win the whole thing.  The series against the Hawks make our run look less impressive, but it was fun and eventually a great learning experience.

I love that we had to go through Lebron and they didn't.

I love that we beat them in the Finals and they never had to play either us or Cleveland.

In the end of it all it still counts as number 15 just as much as ours counted as 17.

[Fafnir]

I remember us beating a Detroit with a gimpy Billups last year and a Lakers team without their starting center.

Billups didn't play bad during most of the ECF, but point taken.

However the Bynum thing was and remains silly. He hasn't shown he is all that good with any consistency.