Lakers-Hornets series proves Lakers won't make it to the Finals

[OsirusCeltics]

This series has been an eye-opener to really highlight the Laker's glaring weaknesses

They don't have that fight like they used to. Plus they are getting throughly outplayed by the Hornets. Their big are being outrebounded by a 6ft point guard

Hornets are a good team, but they aren't great. And if they have problems with them, they won't have a chance in the later rounds. Not to mention theres going to be alot of wear and tear from this grueling series

And honestly, Lakers would not be able to match Chris Paul's will. He scares me when he plays in the postseason lol. Lakers might even lose this series

[angryguy77]

I want the Lakers, but I have a sinking feeling we wont get that chance. My gut is telling me that the Thunder are going to take them.

[vinnie]

Not sure this is true. Didn't the Celtics require 7 games in the first round when they won it all in 2008?

[CNYCeltsfan]

atlanta and cleveland were all 7 game series, and detroit took 6 games.  After Atlanta everyone wrote us off to Cleveland.

We actually set a record for most games in the playoffs with 26.

[Jon]

I disagree.  The Lakers went to 7 against the Thunder last year.  And as others have said, we went to 7 against the Hawks and Cavs before winning it all (we also lost to the Cavs by 20 one of those games and the Pistons by 20 in one of our two losses to them). 

Few, if any, championship teams dominate the entire way to a title. 

That's also why I was so annoyed by everyone willing to write the C's off for only "narrowly beating" the Knicks in two games. 

[OsirusCeltics]

This is different than Celtics 2008. Celtics were having a tough series against those teams, but they weren't being outplayed.

IMO if they are struggling this much against the Hornets, they have no chance against Mavs/Portland or the Thunder

[Fred Roberts]

Lakers have a GREAT chance in any series in the Western Conference. All the West teams have flaws, and the Lakers can always fall back on their depth and size advantages ... they're certainly the favorites in the West right now. They've been to the Finals 3 times in a row now? Nobody has really come close to beating them in the playoffs in a while ... except us in the Finals last year. Thunder only took them to 6, even though that was a good fight.
I'll believe it when I see it. Lakers should dispatch the Hornets in 6, and kudos to the Hornets for making it tough when nobody thought they could.

IF (and I doubt it) Kobe's ankle is bad, then things MIGHT change. .. .but they are the team that never goes away ... easily. It will take significant injuries or a significant upset to beat them in the West. Here's to hoping that happens. I wouldn't expect it though.

[Greenbean]

This is different than Celtics 2008. Celtics were having a tough series against those teams, but they weren't being outplayed.

IMO if they are struggling this much against the Hornets, they have no chance against Mavs/Portland or the Thunder

They werent being outplayed? They couldnt win a game on the road until the ECF. They lost 10 games in that playoff run and you dont think they were outplayed in any of them?

The Lakers had trouble with OKC in the first round last year and we know how that turned out.

Just like you cant count the Celtics out, the same goes for the Lakers who have an established core of players who have been together for years.

[manl_lui]

Hawks took us to 7 games in 08, just saying

[GreenNote]

I disagree.  The Lakers went to 7 against the Thunder last year. 

It was actually a 6 game series

[PosImpos]

I disagree that the title of the post is necessarily true.  However, the '11 Hornets are a much weaker team than the '08 Hawks, '08 Cavs, '08 Pistons, or '10 Thunder.  I think the Lakers have more than a few reasons to be seriously concerned right now.

[heyvik]

I want the Lakers, but I have a sinking feeling we wont get that chance. My gut is telling me that the Thunder are going to take them.

i fully agree with you! I think Spurs/Thunder will end in 6 on OKC's home floor. then a 5 game series ending in LA (LA only winning in Game 2).

Then it'll be OKC and Bos!

[Q_FBE]

I don't think that they have to face Chris Paul in any other series but this one. Chris Paul is making this a series all by his lonesome. The Lakers are at fault for not exploiting their big man advantage fully so once they correct this - they will easily defeat the Hornets and set up a grudge match against Oklahoma which could decide the WC representative in the Finals. Assuming KD vs Kobe is a push, how do the rest of the matchups breakdown? OKC only has an advantage at PG Westbrook against Fischer. Kendrick and Bynum cancel each other out but what about Iduka vs Gasol??

OK - what about the other four teams Portland, Dallas, SAS, and the Grizz who have come on? Of these, I think all four teams can dictate some matchups that can slow the Lakers express but not enough to beat them 4 out of 7 games. The Grizz are a nice case study of a young athletic team causing matchup nightmares against an old SA team. If it is Dallas vs SAS in the 2nd round, both teams beat the snot out of each other and will have little left for the Lakers (Kobe, Gasol) vs OKC (Durant, Westbrook, Udaka) winner.

The Lakers are my WC pick still after all this diatrabe so I respectfully must disagree with the thread initiator's opinion. The 2008 Celtics is a fair analogy to what the Lakers are experiencing right now.

[scaryjerry]

wrong, every game and series takes on an identity of its own and honestly teams who have swept early series in recent years go on to lose in the semi or conference finals by a team who went through more playoff adversity...says nothing but once they get out of this now best of 3 series with the hornets they will have a clean slate and on to the next....sweeps dont account for nothing

[scaryjerry]

I disagree that the title of the post is necessarily true.  However, the '11 Hornets are a much weaker team than the '08 Hawks, '08 Cavs, '08 Pistons, or '10 Thunder.  I think the Lakers have more than a few reasons to be seriously concerned right now.

I certainly wouldnt say the 11 hornets are worse then the 08 Hawks....thats ridicoulous, even without David West....The hawks were well below .500 I would even argue the cavs were not much better then these hornets, and cp3 is better than any 08 Pistons, where in the playoffs its all about the superstar