Laker fans rooting for Celtics, want a rematch...

[GreenFaith1819]

I just believe that should we get by ORL, LA will face a Celtics Team unlike any they've seen over the last 3 years..I firmly believe that. Here's what LA hasn't seen from us during that time:

1. A Confident and much improved Rondo.

2. A big with the capabilities of Rasheed Wallace. He now legitimately spreads the floor for us, and gives us that Big off the bench with height, ability and experience. Sure he has aged, but he is certainly effective for 20-25 minutes.

3. A resurgent Tony Allen. Man has been maybe our best wing defender, and played admirably against Wade and Lebron. Did not stop these two, but certainly helped to slow them down.

He'll do the same to Kobe - not stop him, but help to slow him down.

4. Kevin Garnett. The KG that LA saw during the regular season is not the one that is playing now.

5. An improved and more confident Glen Davis.

LA has improved, too, and they will certainly be a tough challenge. But of course I love our Opportunity here. We must first take care of business with ORL, though.

[RAcker]

All I needed last night was a brief cut away to the Kardashians to bring my hatred of everything LA to a boil.

Let them want us.  They are just a means to an end.

[Mr October]

Man I am a Die Hard Celtic fan and Die Hard Laker hater, but I have to try and be as objective as possible...even when talking about the purple and gold cockroach Lakers. Please don't kill me for saying this fellow Celtic fans but....[dang it] these Lakers look really good. Scary good unfortunately. I love the way our C's are playing, and I think we can match up with them. But these Lakers have won 8 playoff games in a row, and completely swept a very good Utah team, and now may do the same with a Phoenix team that was on fire and that had swept a physial and veteran San Antonio team (that themselves were playing quite well and similar to another team that wears green and we all love). I am not a blind homer who thinks we are going to "punch them in the mouth" easily like in 08. Don't you think they have not prepared for this? Don't you think most of that Laker team knows how the Celtics play?

  I'm not sure what they've done this season to show themselves to be significantly better than Cleveland or Orlando.

LA has a variety of scoring options. On offense I honestly think Kobe and Gasol are 2 of the 5 best in the NBA, and are perfectly complimented to each other's game. They are smart, can go inside, outside, score with efficiency, or take over for stretches.

Wade was on an island. Take away Lebron's drives and he becomes limited. And Orlando is too reliant on the 3 point line.

the Lakers have versatility and size. And if you put too much attention on Kobe and Gasol, Odom and Bynum feed on the garbage, and the PGs can nail those 3's.

...

Yet I still think Boston can take them. The Lakers haven't faced hard physical defense since the finals in 2008. And Boston is good enough to not overreact with double teaming.

Make Kobe, Gasol and Odom carry ALL of the load for the Lakers and they will get frustrated. All 3 are more than capable of letting their frustration hurt their games.

[Mr October]

The Lakers most effective lineup is: Fisher, Bryant, Artest, Odom and Gasol.

(Bynum is less of a factor in the playoffs due to once again, his annual injury situation.)

That lineup is darn familiar to the one that we destroyed in 2008.

[guava_wrench]

Man I am a Die Hard Celtic fan and Die Hard Laker hater, but I have to try and be as objective as possible...even when talking about the purple and gold cockroach Lakers. Please don't kill me for saying this fellow Celtic fans but....[dang it] these Lakers look really good. Scary good unfortunately. I love the way our C's are playing, and I think we can match up with them. But these Lakers have won 8 playoff games in a row, and completely swept a very good Utah team, and now may do the same with a Phoenix team that was on fire and that had swept a physial and veteran San Antonio team (that themselves were playing quite well and similar to another team that wears green and we all love). I am not a blind homer who thinks we are going to "punch them in the mouth" easily like in 08. Don't you think they have not prepared for this? Don't you think most of that Laker team knows how the Celtics play?

  I'm not sure what they've done this season to show themselves to be significantly better than Cleveland or Orlando.

They have done 2 things:

1 - Won last year
2 - Have not yet been exposed by the Celtics defense 

[Mr October]

4. Kevin Garnett. The KG that LA saw during the regular season is not the one that is playing now.

I just want to highlight number 4. KG is looking extremely good, and really not that far off from pre injury KG these days. His elevation has been back for a while. And his lateral movement has been surprisingly efficient.

[angryguy77]

I love this. This team is going to destroy this la squad. LA is not tougher just because they won a chip in 09. People act as though they are tougher this year when at the end of the day, we are still going to be walking away with their lunch money. Artest doesn't change the team's mentality. They are still a team of softies that think they can match our toughness.  This C's team looks angry and ready to skin alive anyone they face. I'm not going to say it will be a blowout every game, but I really don't fear this LA team.

They may have improved but I believe we have as well, evne more so. Every single guy has improved form that 08 team at key postions. Baby, TA are better contributers than they were in the fist series.

 If Cleveland and Orlando havn't had an answer for Rondo, what makes LA fans think they will? Both teams have a better d than LA and they were and are getting out played. Go ahead and put Kobe on him, I'm drooling just thinking about that. He's going to need both his knees drained after that series. I'm giddy just thinking about KG absolutley crushing Pau. I have visions of Ron going crazy after getting beaten by PP time and time again.

After this, Kobe is going to be wishing his problems were as simple as "wetting the bed".

[RAcker]

I love this. This team is going to destroy this la squad. LA is not tougher just because they won a chip in 09. People act as though they are tougher this year when at the end of the day, we are still going to be walking away with their lunch money. Artest doesn't change the team's mentality. They are still a team of softies that think they can match our toughness.  This C's team looks angry and ready to skin alive anyone they face. I'm not going to say it will be a blowout every game, but I really don't fear this LA team.

They may have improved but I believe we have as well, evne more so. Every single guy has improved form that 08 team at key postions. Baby, TA are better contributers than they were in the fist series.

 If Cleveland and Orlando havn't had an answer for Rondo, what makes LA fans think they will? Both teams have a better d than LA and they were and are getting out played. Go ahead and put Kobe on him, I'm drooling just thinking about that. He's going to need both his knees drained after that series. I'm giddy just thinking about KG absolutley crushing Pau. I have visions of Ron going crazy after getting beaten by PP time and time again.

After this, Kobe is going to be wishing his problems were as simple as "wetting the bed".

I think everyone in LaLa Land are comepletely underestimating the difference in Rondo's game from 2008 to now.  It is night and day.

If Bryant tries to guard him, LA will have problems and Fisher will have to chase Ray all night.  If Farmar or Fisher guard Rondo, well, you know what will happen then.

[angryguy77]

I love this. This team is going to destroy this la squad. LA is not tougher just because they won a chip in 09. People act as though they are tougher this year when at the end of the day, we are still going to be walking away with their lunch money. Artest doesn't change the team's mentality. They are still a team of softies that think they can match our toughness.  This C's team looks angry and ready to skin alive anyone they face. I'm not going to say it will be a blowout every game, but I really don't fear this LA team.

They may have improved but I believe we have as well, evne more so. Every single guy has improved form that 08 team at key postions. Baby, TA are better contributers than they were in the fist series.

 If Cleveland and Orlando havn't had an answer for Rondo, what makes LA fans think they will? Both teams have a better d than LA and they were and are getting out played. Go ahead and put Kobe on him, I'm drooling just thinking about that. He's going to need both his knees drained after that series. I'm giddy just thinking about KG absolutley crushing Pau. I have visions of Ron going crazy after getting beaten by PP time and time again.

After this, Kobe is going to be wishing his problems were as simple as "wetting the bed".

I think everyone in LaLa Land are comepletely underestimating the difference in Rondo's game from 2008 to now.  It is night and day.

If Bryant tries to guard him, LA will have problems and Fisher will have to chase Ray all night.  If Farmar or Fisher guard Rondo, well, you know what will happen then.

It seems to me that they are underestimating Rondo and what he can do when he turns the jets on. To be honest, there is nobody on LA that can guard him. I wouldn't be surprised if hes the finals mvp.

And the best thing is we are such a great road team that it doesn't really matter if LA has HCA. We will take at least one there and go back to Boston for 3, this is a huge advantage for us and one the "experts" shouldn't overlook

[makaveli]

Be careful what yo wish for
I don't think they have what it takes to win a 7 game series agianst C's. We are getting away games and taking care of homecourt, so Lakers fans won't be celebrating no banners next year or two.

[GreenFaith1819]

This entire thread is great...think about it: This rivalry is so intense, that in some cases we really don't measure our championships unless they come at the expense of LA, and vice-versa.

Just the fact that each fan base is now calling for each other's collective heads and the series at the earliest won't start for another 10 days or so attests to this.

Just Awesome, Baby!! I barely returned from deployment the last time LA and Boston tangled, so this one is really special. (Potentially).

[makaveli]

I wonder how will Celtics fans respond in game 3 saturday night. I expect an answer

[get_banners]

One game at a time, folks. First, get game 3 against Orlando. The Magic will be incredibly desperate, and this will be their most important game this season, hands-down. I know we, as fans, can be easily guilty of looking ahead (and an LA-Boston rematch would be awesome, though I think it will be a very close series). I just hope the team doesn't fall prey to the same thing.

[j804]

Simple question is are the Lakers that GOOD? Or are the teams out west just undersized and not defensively tough?

Out of all the Lakers opponents thus far imo OKC is the only team who was good defensively, I havent seen a lick of good all around team defense from either the Suns or Jazz

[angryguy77]

One game at a time, folks. First, get game 3 against Orlando. The Magic will be incredibly desperate, and this will be their most important game this season, hands-down. I know we, as fans, can be easily guilty of looking ahead (and an LA-Boston rematch would be awesome, though I think it will be a very close series). I just hope the team doesn't fall prey to the same thing.

Us looikng ahead has nothing to do with how this series is going to turn out. There is nothing wrong with speculating a C's/LA finals.  I highly doubt our guys are doing this seeing that each game has been a fight.