Because of my hatred to LA, I've offically changed my stance on the playoffs

[heyvik]

After watching Game 1 of the Western Conference semis (LA vs Utah), I've offically changed my stance on how I view the playoff matchups. I am no longer rooting for who I'd LIKE to win, I'm now rooting for who would be the team to beat LA! I am sick of wanna be teams who seem like a good scrimmage for LA. As much as I like the Utah as a team, can anyone really say that they have a good chance of beating LA? Not really - Unless Kobe gets injured.
I love Phoenix, however, if they beat SA, they'll be beat in 5 games vs LA. Therefore I'm rooting for SA all the way to beat Phoenix in 6 games. A matchup of SA vs LA would be much better to watch. I sure wish that back in the regular season, OKC would have beaten GS. That would have essentially locked SA into the 8th seed against LA in the first round.
I think SA would have beaten LA in 6 games.
Am I alone in my viewpoint? Does anyone else agree with me?

[guava_wrench]

After watching Game 1 of the Western Conference semis (LA vs Utah), I've offically changed my stance on how I view the playoff matchups. I am no longer rooting for who I'd LIKE to win, I'm now rooting for who would be the team to beat LA! I am sick of wanna be teams who seem like a good scrimmage for LA. As much as I like the Utah as a team, can anyone really say that they have a good chance of beating LA? Not really - Unless Kobe gets injured.
I love Phoenix, however, if they beat SA, they'll be beat in 5 games vs LA. Therefore I'm rooting for SA all the way to beat Phoenix in 6 games. A matchup of SA vs LA would be much better to watch. I sure wish that back in the regular season, OKC would have beaten GS. That would have essentially locked SA into the 8th seed against LA in the first round.
I think SA would have beaten LA in 6 games.
Am I alone in my viewpoint? Does anyone else agree with me?

I think both Clev and Orl can take LA in the finals. A healthy SA has a chance.

I am always pro rooting against LA.

[celticinorlando]

if my beloved celtics get knocked out...i will be all for anyone but the lakers

[RAcker]

if my beloved celtics get knocked out...i will be all for anyone but the lakers

I think 99.9% of all Celtics fans feel the same way.  Make that 100%.

[Who]

I sure wish that back in the regular season, OKC would have beaten GS. That would have essentially locked SA into the 8th seed against LA in the first round.
I think SA would have beaten LA in 6 games.
Am I alone in my viewpoint? Does anyone else agree with me?

I thought Oklahoma had a better chance of knocking out the Lakers than the Spurs did ... but maybe with this Bynum injury, the Spurs now have a better shot.

I agree that San Antonio is the only team left in the West capable of defeating the Lakers. I would still favour the Lakers heavily in that series if Bynum is in shape though.

I think both Clev and Orl can take LA in the finals.

I like the Lakers against Orlando. Bynum and Gasol do a good job defending Dwight Howard + Ron Artest can stop Vince Carter from exploding + Odom outplays Rashard Lewis. That leaves Orlando awfully reliant on Jameer Nelson and their supporting cast.

Orlando does a good job defensively against LA too (Pietrus/Barnes on Kobe + Dwight around the rim) ... but I think LA is more effective in taking Orlando's best options away than the Magic are of LA. So, I think LA have the advantage here.

I thought Cleveland had LA's number prior to the Jamison trade (would have picked the Cavs in 4 or 5 at that point) but I'm not convinced that they still do. I'm not sure their post defense is still strong enough to contain the Lakers big men with Jamison playing 35 minutes a night. Also worried about Mike Brown's decision-making.

I do love that matchup at the point for Cleveland though. Mo Williams is a pure scorer and he'll take advantage of Fisher's lack of quickness + defensive ability.

Need to think some more on that Cavs-Lakers matchup but I'm inclined to give LA a slight advantage.

[jdub1660]

IF, the Celtics get eliminated, then I'm rooting for every team except LA and Cleveland. If it comes down to those 2 teams, I will root for LA, b/c I can't stand LeBron.

San Antonio at it's best right now, could beat LA. As for a previous blogger saying LA would beat the Magic again, I highly doubt that. Odom disappears against Lewis. And with Barnes and Peitrus, the 3 ball will be falling and their bench would outscore the Lakers by 30. Nelson vs Fisher, no chance. Fisher is a dinosaur. Either way, I still feel the Celtics have a chance against the Cavs, and it should still fall down to LA vs BOS

[Neurotic Guy]

Hate to admit it, but I've been thinking this way for months.  Unfortunately, nothing is falling out the way I'd hoped. I had thought Denver and Dallas were the best chances to beat LA and both are gone.  I guess Denver was done some time ago -- but I really believed Dallas had something going.   

Depression sinks in if LA takes another title.  I think if LA can lose this year, the balance of power in the West may start to shift next year -- perhaps starting to diminish LA's window with Kobe.   But this year. Ugh...

An admission I made once before that I'll repeat -- though I am rooting my heart out for the C's, I have to acknowledge a twinge of ambivalence stemming from the worry that if the C's win this series, they may be defeating the only team left that can beat LA. 

[Tai]

I love Phoenix, however, if they beat SA, they'll be beat in 5 games vs LA. Therefore I'm rooting for SA all the way to beat Phoenix in 6 games.

I'm assuming you also think the Spurs WOULD beat the Suns in 6? I know this sounds like the ol' transitive property (if A > B and B > C, then A > C), but I think the Spurs match up well with the Suns, and if the Spurs can't beat the Suns, I don't see how they could've beat the Lakers anyway.

[misha]

if my beloved celtics get knocked out...i will be all for anyone but the lakers

I think 99.9% of all Celtics fans feel the same way.  Make that 100%.

Pretty much. First goal - to win a championship, second goal - elimination of the evil forces (aka Lakers).

[Hoops]

Maybe I'm in the minority, but I still think LA looks vulnerable. If not for a Pau Gasol rebound, they'd have played a game 7 against OKC last night and I don't think even Jack Nicholson would have felt comfortable betting the farm on LA in that game.

Utah had a very good chance to win game 1 last night. Everyone seems to be focusing their attention on Utah and how they failed to deliver (especially defensively) in crunch time. But if 1 or 2 possessions had gone differently down the stretch, LA could be in a 0-1 hole right now. Give the Lakers credit - they're making plays to win games - that's what winners do. But still, the law of averages suggests that they won't keep winning ALL of these close ones if they keep happening.

Even if they slither by everyone in the West (I believe the odds are well under 50%), I do think the Cavs or Magic will be a break wall on their path to a repeat. Should the Celtics find their way back to the Finals, LA would have a chance, but of course Boston would still win 

[Roy Hobbs]

My Western Conference rooting interest is *always* 1) whoever is playing LA, and 2) whoever can beat LA down the line.

In the East, priority #1 is obviously the Celts.  After that, it's again, whoever can beat the Lakers.

[Mr October]

Utah does a terrible job of beating LA in LA.

In 2008, LA won 4-2
In 2009, La won 4-1

I expect LA to win 4-1 this year. The front line is just too big.

Its funny a couple weeks ago there was a poll on this blog over who you'd like to see win less: LA or the Cavs. I was surprised at how many people were more comfortable seeing LA win it all again.

Glad to see the LA hate return. They are the ulimate hoops enemy.

And yeah, I wish we saw, and hope we will see San Antonio vs LA.