Funny thread by Lakers fan on RealGM. Predicts they could go to 4th in the West.

[chambers]

This classic RealGM Lakers fan gives his opinion on the Lakers potential for this upcoming season.
Do you think he may have over rated them?

http://forums.realgm.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1347267&p=41207887#p41207887

"Lakers could peak at 4th seed in the West".....

The ensuing replies and hilarity from the rest of the basketball nerd world gives him a Hollywood sized reality check. Must be read- so hilarious.

[GreenWarrior]

i'm not putting anything past kobe. I think Randle is going to be a load. the rest of the team I don't know about though.

i'm trying to think of the rest of the west and how it shakes out?

spurs
thunder
Portland
Houston
Clippers

have to be considered top 5? then the next tier of teams

Golden State
Memphis
Dallas

that's 8 teams. of the top 5, 1 would have to have to endure major injuries to bump a team not listed to make it into the playoffs.

now the lower tier teams I expect GS to be about the same. Dallas and Memphis are the 2 suspect teams here imo. Dallas you don't know because Dirk is getting up there and they keep plugging new pieces(good pieces but new none the less) every yr. and you wonder if they'll have chemistry issues at some point...but I expect them to be there.

Memphis is my choice and has been for a while now, to be that team that drops out this season. they've been running on fumes, floundering in he same spot for yrs. now. free agents coming up. the writing is on the wall for this team.

so injuries, a top team having a disastrous yr., & the Lakers having 1 surprising resurgence is about the only way they sniff the top 4.

at best I could see them possibly making a 7 or 8 seed. but they'd likely need a lot of help.

[JBcat]

i'm not putting anything past kobe. I think Randle is going to be a load. the rest of the team I don't know about though.

i'm trying to think of the rest of the west and how it shakes out?

spurs
thunder
Portland
Houston
Clippers

have to be considered top 5? then the next tier of teams

Golden State
Memphis
Dallas

that's 8 teams. of the top 5, 1 would have to have to endure major injuries to bump a team not listed to make it into the playoffs.

now the lower tier teams I expect GS to be about the same. Dallas and Memphis are the 2 suspect teams here imo. Dallas you don't know because Dirk is getting up there and they keep plugging new pieces(good pieces but new none the less) every yr. and you wonder if they'll have chemistry issues at some point...but I expect them to be there.

Memphis is my choice and has been for a while now, to be that team that drops out this season. they've been running on fumes, floundering in he same spot for yrs. now. free agents coming up. the writing is on the wall for this team.

so injuries, a top team having a disastrous yr., & the Lakers having 1 surprising resurgence is about the only way they sniff the top 4.

at best I could see them possibly making a 7 or 8 seed. but they'd likely need a lot of help.

Don't sleep on N.O. and Phoenix should be right in the mix.  Even the bottom feeders in the west might improve some like the Jazz.  My hope is something go's wrong in Clipperland, and we luck into a lottery pick.?

[GreenFaith1819]

Yeah, and pigs could fly, too lol....



My usual suspects are Spurs, OKC, Clips, DAL (Yep, DAL), GSW, POR, HOU...

DAL will surprise many...with Chandler back home where he belongs, DAL will be a dark horse this season. Really like how they are making some moves and placing people around Dirk.

But the Lakers? They may get 4th LOTTERY pick. I hope Kobe comes back strong and all, but THIS Lakers team is worse than the one he had when they missed the playoffs in mid 2000's.

[blink]

That just isn't happening.  A way more likely scenario is that they slip and slide their way to a bottom 5 finish.  Plain and simple, the lakers don't have the players to make the playoffs.  Kobe, although lakers fans and himself will claim otherwise, won't be the dominate player from 5-10 years ago ever again.  With the lakers roster, his own high milage and coming back from major injuries, I can't see it being a pleasant year for Kobe.

[mgent]

That just isn't happening.  A way more likely scenario is that they slip and slide their way to a bottom 5 finish.  Plain and simple, the lakers don't have the players to make the playoffs.  Kobe, although lakers fans and himself will claim otherwise, won't be the dominate player from 5-10 years ago ever again.  With the lakers roster, his own high milage and coming back from major injuries, I can't see it being a pleasant year for Kobe.

Yeah, I like what someone in that thread said:  Kobe's last healthy year was his final farewell to the league and an ode to the old mamba, in that he randomly played much better than he had been in previous years (especially his shooting and passing) despite doing all the same things.

I'm expecting him to look much like he looked when trying to come back last year, 14ppg on .425 shooting.

Edit:  And I definitely don't expect him to stick around in a severely diminished role like McGrady or Carter, he'll probably pretend he's still injured and sit out.

[blink]

That just isn't happening.  A way more likely scenario is that they slip and slide their way to a bottom 5 finish.  Plain and simple, the lakers don't have the players to make the playoffs.  Kobe, although lakers fans and himself will claim otherwise, won't be the dominate player from 5-10 years ago ever again.  With the lakers roster, his own high milage and coming back from major injuries, I can't see it being a pleasant year for Kobe.

Yeah, I like what someone in that thread said:  Kobe's last healthy year was his final farewell to the league and an ode to the old mamba, in that he randomly played much better than he had been in previous years (especially his shooting and passing) despite doing all the same things.

I'm expecting him to look much like he looked when trying to come back last year, 14ppg on .425 shooting.

Edit:  And I definitely don't expect him to stick around in a severely diminished role like McGrady or Carter, he'll probably pretend he's still injured and sit out.

Well like all really great players, there is a lot of pride involved.  I honestly think that Kobe will come back this year, play decently, but way below his own expectations, and probably retire at the end of the year.  I live in so cal, and see a lot of lakers crap even if I don't want to haha. 

He was already hinting about it in interviews discussing Nash's decision to make this his last year.  The lakers roster is so bad, he has no great players that he can be a supporting star to, which is really where he is at career wise.  Unless they pull of some miraculous mid season trade they are going to be bad.

[GreenWarrior]

i'm not putting anything past kobe. I think Randle is going to be a load. the rest of the team I don't know about though.

i'm trying to think of the rest of the west and how it shakes out?

spurs
thunder
Portland
Houston
Clippers

have to be considered top 5? then the next tier of teams

Golden State
Memphis
Dallas

that's 8 teams. of the top 5, 1 would have to have to endure major injuries to bump a team not listed to make it into the playoffs.

now the lower tier teams I expect GS to be about the same. Dallas and Memphis are the 2 suspect teams here imo. Dallas you don't know because Dirk is getting up there and they keep plugging new pieces(good pieces but new none the less) every yr. and you wonder if they'll have chemistry issues at some point...but I expect them to be there.

Memphis is my choice and has been for a while now, to be that team that drops out this season. they've been running on fumes, floundering in he same spot for yrs. now. free agents coming up. the writing is on the wall for this team.

so injuries, a top team having a disastrous yr., & the Lakers having 1 surprising resurgence is about the only way they sniff the top 4.

at best I could see them possibly making a 7 or 8 seed. but they'd likely need a lot of help.

Don't sleep on N.O. and Phoenix should be right in the mix.  Even the bottom feeders in the west might improve some like the Jazz.  My hope is something go's wrong in Clipperland, and we luck into a lottery pick.?

oh i'm not sleeping on NO. they definitely have talent. i actually forget if they made any moves to get some veterans in there for this season...i don't really keep up with other teams that much. if they did get some vets, then yeah i'd definitely bump them up. otherwise i think they're at least a yr. away.

[GreenWarrior]

forgot to add.

Phoenix last season seemed to overachieve. they fell off near the end of the season and they surprised a lot of teams. i think we'll get a better sense this season of who Phoenix really is this season.

[JBcat]

i'm not putting anything past kobe. I think Randle is going to be a load. the rest of the team I don't know about though.

i'm trying to think of the rest of the west and how it shakes out?

spurs
thunder
Portland
Houston
Clippers

have to be considered top 5? then the next tier of teams

Golden State
Memphis
Dallas

that's 8 teams. of the top 5, 1 would have to have to endure major injuries to bump a team not listed to make it into the playoffs.

now the lower tier teams I expect GS to be about the same. Dallas and Memphis are the 2 suspect teams here imo. Dallas you don't know because Dirk is getting up there and they keep plugging new pieces(good pieces but new none the less) every yr. and you wonder if they'll have chemistry issues at some point...but I expect them to be there.

Memphis is my choice and has been for a while now, to be that team that drops out this season. they've been running on fumes, floundering in he same spot for yrs. now. free agents coming up. the writing is on the wall for this team.

so injuries, a top team having a disastrous yr., & the Lakers having 1 surprising resurgence is about the only way they sniff the top 4.

at best I could see them possibly making a 7 or 8 seed. but they'd likely need a lot of help.

Don't sleep on N.O. and Phoenix should be right in the mix.  Even the bottom feeders in the west might improve some like the Jazz.  My hope is something go's wrong in Clipperland, and we luck into a lottery pick.?

oh i'm not sleeping on NO. they definitely have talent. i actually forget if they made any moves to get some veterans in there for this season...i don't really keep up with other teams that much. if they did get some vets, then yeah i'd definitely bump them up. otherwise i think they're at least a yr. away.

They acquired Asik in the offseason, and getting a healthy Ryan Anderson back.  I think they might be ready for he playoffs this year.

[MBunge]

Well like all really great players, there is a lot of pride involved.  I honestly think that Kobe will come back this year, play decently, but way below his own expectations, and probably retire at the end of the year.

Kobe wants his money.  He'd have to really be humiliated by his play to retire, which I suppose could happen.  For his last few healthy seasons, Kobe has propped himself up on the offensive end by really slacking off on defense.  Given that he was good but not elite defensively in his prime and with age and injuries, Kobe could be just horrific on defense this year.

Mike

[SHAQATTACK]

Yeah .....4 th ?    Ok.....I think I have a great shot at flying to Mars this year on vacation.


Don't want Kobe hurt .....want the old cripple over paid player ..ON THE CoURT ...

Laker fan will be callin for Kobe's head ultimately I think.

He is the ball and chain around the Lakers throat. 

Thanks Mitch ..love ya .....in the end resigning Kobe brought them ZERO star recruits and ran off Howard. ......btw Kobe ..thank ya verry much!

We want him on the court chucking shots and dragging on Defense.......but not too much

A 7 th seed would be sweet.

We want them out of the lottery if possible.

The Lakers are going to suck so bad..... Their fan bad mouth ed Pau...... Now they will see how awful they will become with no Gasol , old Kobe. And no Howard or Bynum......

Welcome to basement Lakers  .   ."...Wallace ...move over Kobe needs a place to,sit down.

[AidaCelt]

The funny part is if you read further on, the same couple of guys continually try to defend the original statements with things like, that's a deep bench, I'm not concerned about our guard rotation do we need to replace Pau though, Jordan Hill is underrated etc.

Kobe will be asked to carry the load more than ever and for a team that should be rebuilding, their starting 5 is made up of 3 players on the other sides of their careers (Nash, Kobe, Boozer). I would bet my left testicle they don't make playoffs.

[blink]

The injuries are already starting for the lakers.  Nash went out with a rolled ankle at practice today.  I foresee Lin playing / starting a lot for the lakers.  Nash I think is really cooked.

[RMO]

Laker fan will be callin for Kobe's head ultimately I think.

Have you ever listened to laker fans?  Kobe is a god to them.  He does and can do no wrong.  If he goes 5-30 and the announcers say he had a poor shooting night they're just a bunch of "haters" who don't realize that poor kobe had to do that because everyone else is terrible.  If he sucks they'll be calling for Kupchak's head that he didn't put the right team around him.