That team is very good but has one big fault most of the players are just plain Stupid, will always make bone-head plays when the going gets tough.

Based on last year Celtics didn’t have KG and the Cavs didn’t have the perimeter defenders and length to beat them. In that sense they were overrated. Something else that made them overrated is the fact that they swept the Lakers in the regular season. But so did the Bobcats..lol

Based on this year. During the Finals the Lakers did have the length to outrebound them unlike the Cavs and they did have the perimeter defenders. By them getting V. Carter and keeping Gortat does not solve their weakneses. This year I doubt they get to the Finals. It will be the Celtics vs. Lakers.

but that’s not saying they’ll blow pat the Celtics and make the finals. I’m just saying that I think they would be the last team I would want to play in the finals. I still think the Lakers could handle them, but I want to play the Celtics or Cavaliers in the finals followed by the other for a three-peat. but let’s look at all the match-ups (I’m kinda bored)

Fisher<Mo (unless he chokes again) / Fisher<Rondo / Fisher<Nelson
but Fish is still all right.

Kobe>Allen, Carter, and Delonte (but Allen and Carter are nothing to sneeze at,
Delonte = | I just don’t know)
Artest<= Pierce/LeBron/Lewis (Artest can handle those guys though)
Pau = Garnett ( they bring different things to the table and Garnetts kinda old)
Pau >>> Varejao, Pau> Bass/that white guy they got ( I think his name is Anderson?)
Bynum = Howard and Shaq ( they can’t make free throws, Shaq’s old, and Howard can’t play offense against solid bigs)
Bynum > Perkins (but Perkins isn’t someone to laugh at)

Most of us ( except for stubborn Celtics fans who say Sheed will win 6moty) will say Lamar’s the best sixth man out of these 4 teams

I do not think we have the best bench though. The Celtics/Magic have the best bench

And seeing as the Spurs are the only team listed from the western conference, besides us, they are the biggest roadblock for the Lakers. One game at a time, lets take care of the west, then we can focus on the east.

Carter is fitting in better than I expected and looks like he has regained his all star form. My second choice would be the Nuggets. I think the Spurs and especially the Celtics are over the hill and over rated. They will start strong as there are a lot of bad teams. But they will fade in the playoffs.

vince looks way more awesome than i thought, it’s probably too soon to tell but he looks like an upgrade over turkeyglue.

and boston is probably the best team when healthy, but what guarantees are there that that will happen? when a team is as old as they are major injuries are almost certain to happen. just look at san antonio that past couple years. so i guess i’d go with orlando.

Lol @ cleveland with one vote

in my opinion the Magic are the Lakers number 1 threat, a young center in Dwight to match our young center in Bynum, I just feel they completely can match the Lakers from top to bottom, offensively and defensively but I still would pick the Lakers over Orlando in the Finals because of the Kobe-effect. Everyone else is ageing(Boston, Shaq) Spurs and Blazers are also teams Lakers must keep an eye on as for the rest of the league, Lakers will take down and pick apart easily.

The Cavaliers and the Spurs don’t worry me as much should the Lakers face them in the Finals or the WCF.

Boston, in my opinion, if healthy, is still the Laker’s #1 threat. That team, as constructed, is a really good counter against the Lakers. Last year, we only beat them by like 6 points and 1 point (though we were without drew in that game).

However, if Boston is unable to stay healthy, I do see the Magic repeating as ECF champions. They’ll have that same chip on their shoulder bitter taste like the Lakers did last year and will want to prove everyone wrong and get to the Finals again.

Of course, not saying Boston or the Lakers won’t be hungry, but seeing that the Magic know they’re underdogs (again) has got to suck especially if you were just the ECF champions. Like the Lakers they have to face the same whispers of benefiting from KG’s injury. The Lakers will to prove those whispers wrong and in order to do so, must repeat. But the Magic will also want to prove those whispers wrong and so I see that as a great motivation for them.

It’ll be interesting to see come regular season which teams will come out the winner and how their regular season record against each other will go. I see Orlando as the sleeper pick to challenge the Lakers, but I first want to see the Lakers beat the Spurs and the Blazers before worrying about anybody on the east coast (though it will be really nice to see the Lakers defeat any of those teams come regular season and playoff time as well).

I know the Lakers have the capabilities and talent to beat those teams when they feel like it.

so I’m gonna piss the Celtics fans off and say “If we had Bynum in the 2008 Finals we would’ve won.”
That’s right, I said it!!!

I’m going with the magic, they are definatley alot scarier than the celtics and cavs.

The lakers have answers for the weapons on the celtics and cavs, but we got very lucky last year with jameer out last year, and dwight not having a game when he is not directly under the hoop. I think if Dwight comes back with an actual low post game the magic will be tough for anyone to stop including the lakers.

Vince carter is also a big upgrade over hedo. Mark my words: the magic are the team to beat in the east.

Boston is the biggest threat. Last year they were without KG, and still made some noise. They have a healthy KG, and added a still viable Wallace, who has skills all over the floor. Rondo has another year’s experience, and I know they feel eager to better their campaign from last year.

Orlando has added Vinsanity, but they lost HT, who is a better ball-handler and outside shooter than VC. They are the number 2 or 3 team in the East, but not the threat you think they are.

Cleveland added Shaq. Sorry about your luck, Cavs fans.

San Antonio looks like the #2 team out West, and should they stay healthy (always a question mark) they will be there at the end of the Western playoffs banging with the Lakers.