Scared of the Celtics?

[YugoRocketsFan]

Since there likely will be a Celtics-Lakers matchup (nobody would have guessed), I think Boston probably is the team that could beat the Lakers, since they have players who can actually defend Gasol/Bynum, and they can easily exploit the Rondo-Fisher matchup.

[Lemon]

Not really. It'll be tough series though. We've been dealing with great PGs from the beginning of the playoffs. The only difference is that now we can't rely heavily on the front court to produce easy points. Every single point will be tough for sure, but the team is getting the confidence and synergy we lacked coming into postseason.

[ExplosiveScoring]

Celtics are the only team that the Lakers don't have this serious size advantage against.

[kingfish]

Nope not at all. We beat them in Boston with Kobe playing on a sore ankle, then lost to them by 1 point without Kobe. Were 3-1 against them in the last 2 years, the one loss without Kobe.

 

Wether or not the Celtics are a better team in 08 is up for debate, although I would say they are a little worse. The matchup is a lot different from 08. This time Pierce wont be going up against Luke Walton and Vlad Radmonavic, he will be hounded by Ron Artest. KG has lost a step, and Pau is playing the best basketball of his career. Plus we will have Bynum this time. Kobe will be a tougher matchup for the Celtics this time, because of the post game he developed, and he has more weapons to work with. Not to mention, Posey was a huge factor in their defense on Kobe. Now they have to put Ray Allen on him, and they cant cheat off the SF position now because we have Ron.

 

Overall, I think we have gotten much better as a team, and now know what it takes to win a championship. As for the Celtics I dont think they are a better team, but we also have home court this time.

[Sky]

Fisher won't be on Rondo, he guards Ray. Kobe defends Rondo. Fisher will get some time on Rajon but it'll likely be limited. Kobe can stay in front of Rondo and direct penetration into the bigs but Rajon will cause damage in transition and early offense.

 

Celtics are older, slower and shallower since 2008. Pierce isn't what he was then. KG is making a solid comeback but won't be as consistent. Gasol is a much better player now than 2008.

 

I'm not scared of the Celtics at all I welcome it, I think the rematch will be powerful motivation for a Laker team that can drift mentally and play with their food when they go up to big leads. The focus will be sharp for all 48 playing Boston. The concern is what can they get from Bynum, and if they can execute the ball movement and cutting necessary to beat the Boston defense. The execution can lose an edge after playing defensively challenged teams like Utah and Phoenix back to back.

 

Another thing about Rondo. The Big Three have even bigger egos, especially Pierce. He doesn't allow Rondo to have back to back games in the spotlight. Truth went black hole in the first half of game 5, got his numbers but inefficiently. It took Doc handing the keys to Rondo in the third quarter of game 5 to put that series away. Will Pierce allow Rondo to be the Boston MVP of the series? Not in consecutive games he won't. And with Artest on him Pirece is going to get frustrated and that means he will force things. Rondo will hurt LA, but I think Pierce will ensure that Rondo doesn't do that every night. There will be Piercefest halves.

 

I also think the Lakers went to school in playing OKC. Long fast very athletic D and they learned to beat it with reversals, sharp ball movement and smart off ball cuts. Gasol became more accustomed to acting as a secondary passer. 2008 Boston dared Gasol and Odom to take elbow jumpers or playmake, won't work now. They doubled Kobe and kept two men between Bryant and the hoop to cut the head off the snake. As long as Gasol and Odom take an active passing role that tactic can be countered now.

 

Final thing is HCA is big in the finals. Very few teams have swept the middle three. I like the Laker chances to get some payback and repeat.

[YugoRocketsFan]

Nope not at all. We beat them in Boston with Kobe playing on a sore ankle, then lost to them by 1 point without Kobe. Were 3-1 against them in the last 2 years, the one loss without Kobe.

 

Wether or not the Celtics are a better team in 08 is up for debate, although I would say they are a little worse. The matchup is a lot different from 08. This time Pierce wont be going up against Luke Walton and Vlad Radmonavic, he will be hounded by Ron Artest. KG has lost a step, and Pau is playing the best basketball of his career. Plus we will have Bynum this time. Kobe will be a tougher matchup for the Celtics this time, because of the post game he developed, and he has more weapons to work with. Not to mention, Posey was a huge factor in their defense on Kobe. Now they have to put Ray Allen on him, and they cant cheat off the SF position now because we have Ron.

 

Overall, I think we have gotten much better as a team, and now know what it takes to win a championship. As for the Celtics I dont think they are a better team, but we also have home court this time.

 

Sure, but you completely forgot that the Kobe of now isnt the Kobe of a few years ago, I also completely doubt Kobe starts playing more in the post because its the Celtics who have good height. Regular season record doesnt matter at all, KG might look like he has lost a step but ever since the playoffs began, he has been great and is the reason the Celtics have done a lot better.

 

I could still see Boston giving the Lakers the biggest fits and also having a good chance to win.

[kingfish]

Sure, but you completely forgot that the Kobe of now isnt the Kobe of a few years ago, I also completely doubt Kobe starts playing more in the post because its the Celtics who have good height. Regular season record doesnt matter at all, KG might look like he has lost a step but ever since the playoffs began, he has been great and is the reason the Celtics have done a lot better.

 

I could still see Boston giving the Lakers the biggest fits and also having a good chance to win.

Yep you are right Kobe doesnt have the same athleticism as a few years ago, he still has skills and is a lot smarter. The way Kobe is playing right now you cant even tell the difference between him now and from 08. He wont play from the low block, but he will be posting up Ray Allen and thats going to be a huge problem for Boston.

 

Your right its going to be an interesting series. The one last thing I would argue is that the regular season matchup between these two do matter, because of the rivalry these 2 teams come to play every time they meet. Should be a great series.

[reno]

To be honest, I don't think the celtics stand a chance, lakers are just too good of a team. Kobe+gasol+ this could be jacksons last year as a laker, I dont see how the lakers can not go out on top. To put it simple, lakers are playing to win, celtics will be playing to match up against the lakers. my2cents

[Warren2ThaG]

Its our year, ours to lose. I'll be scared if they win the first two games though.

Edited May 21, 2010 by SumtiNSpecial

[Real Deal]

Kobe isn't the same as he was two years ago? I'd like to think he's as good, or better. He just hit a playoff career high in assists in one game, and had six-consecutive games of 30+ points, one of those with 40. We also saw him lock up Russell Westbrook, badly, after he was manhandling Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar to the point where we were losing games because of it.

 

Crazy enough, he's doing it with his index finger wrapped in a cast.

 

Kobe has never truly regressed, with the exception of his athleticism...he has just had some major injuries throughout this season, and the healing process took over just in time.

[Multi-Billionaire]

Lakers have been hitting their strides lately and are peaking and getting better each game.

 

But Celtics are too, their defense especially. I think their defense will disrupt ANY type of system... be it square or triangle offense.

 

I wanna see if the Lakers still can be on top of their game against Celtics' defense. It should be a great series.

[YugoRocketsFan]

Kobe isn't the same as he was two years ago? I'd like to think he's as good, or better. He just hit a playoff career high in assists in one game, and had six-consecutive games of 30+ points, one of those with 40. We also saw him lock up Russell Westbrook, badly, after he was manhandling Derek Fisher and Jordan Farmar to the point where we were losing games because of it.

 

Crazy enough, he's doing it with his index finger wrapped in a cast.

 

Kobe has never truly regressed, with the exception of his athleticism...he has just had some major injuries throughout this season, and the healing process took over just in time.

 

My retarded brother Bilo could do that vs. the Suns

[SRT Spidey]

lakers fans are never scared until they get beat..and rightfully so, 3 finals in 3 years. But you guys underestimated us GREATLY in 08 as well. Cant wait to see how these teams match up two years removed

[Real Deal]

lakers fans are never scared until they get beat..and rightfully so, 3 finals in 3 years. But you guys underestimated us GREATLY in 08 as well. Cant wait to see how these teams match up two years removed

I'm not sure if we actually underestimated you guys. We basically "overestimated" ourselves, if I can make sense of that. We were a finesse team that believed we could win playing that style of basketball, but our lack of physicality is what lost us the series. Our fault? Partially, but Boston was just too damn good.

 

I truly think Ron changes that, greatly, especially against Paul Pierce (who isn't a fast and youthful player). After watching Kobe lock up Westbrook so well, I'm not sure how much I worry about Rondo, either. The mess will come from Garnett and Allen (and by that, I mean both Ray and Tony), but I'm fully confident we can take a Boston team easier than the Magic, based solely on match-ups.

 

It would be nice to have a 100% Bynum (because of his physical presence in the post), but hell, we haven't had that in our last two playoff runs, so I can't expect it now.

[Sky]

I picked Boston to beat us in '08 due to their defense and LA not being 100%. The C's are certainly capable of doing it again but I don't think they will. The Big 3 are all less than they were then, Rondo is much improved, Perk is the same, Tony Allen isn't Posey. For LA Kobe is better mentally but has lost some explosion, Gasol is vastly improved, Bynum still hurt as always, Artest is a big defensive upgrade, Odom playing well and even Fisher is playing some of his best ball in years.

 

Boston won with Pierce as #1 and the defense cutting the head off the snake to kill the ball movement. Pierce comes and goes now and Artest is a good matchup for him, cutting off Kobe and daring Gasol to shoot and playmake will no longer work. Series come down to two things imo. LA's defense on ball and underneath against Rondo to limit penetration and give him midrange on the wings. LA being able to counter the Boston defense with smart ball movement as a team particularly through Gasol and Odom, together with off ball cuts and hitting perimeter. Lakers win those two aspects they take it, and I think for four games they will. HCA also helps.

 

I respect Boston, they are playing very well on both ends now, but in no way do I fear them. The Lakers are smarter and more physical now than they were then, the two qualities that counteract how Boston won last time.

[EastCoastNiner]

If they meet in the finals, Derek Fisher is going to get absolutely torched, and I fully expect Kendrick Perkins and KG to eat the Lakers big-men alive.

 

Andrew Bynum will be devoured.

[Warren2ThaG]

If they meet in the finals, Derek Fisher is going to get absolutely torched, and I fully expect Kendrick Perkins and KG to eat the Lakers big-men alive.

 

Andrew Bynum will be devoured.

 

We have to beat the Suns first though huh? Fisher has stepped us his defense in these playoffs on defense, you can;t mess with a bulldog. Perkins and KG will play great defense but it won't be enough that's for sure.

[Sky]

Niner - In the past Kobe has taken Rondo, Fish takes Allen. Ray can beat Fisher but won't torch him. LA bigs were dominated in 2008, won't be this time. Gasol is playing very good basketball right now. As for devouring Bynum, Perkins won't see the ball enough to get big numbers. Haters will always hate but at least try to be accurate with the hate.

Edited May 21, 2010 by Sky

[Guest Zyzz]

As a long time Lakers fan, I'm a bit scared of the Celts this year. We have been a bit overrated this season IMHO.

[EastCoastNiner]

Niner - In the past Kobe has taken Rondo, Fish takes Allen. Ray can beat Fisher but won't torch him. LA bigs were dominated in 2008, won't be this time. Gasol is playing very good basketball right now. As for devouring Bynum, Perkins won't see the ball enough to get big numbers. Haters will always hate but at least try to be accurate with the hate.

 

On the defensive end.

 

At least try and think before you post, but anyways, both teams still need to win their series.

[Sky]

On the defensive end it won't matter. LA isn't counting on Bynum as a scorer because he's hurt. Anything he gives them is gravy. Taking out Bynum defensively is irrelevant.

[Real Deal]

On the defensive end it won't matter. LA isn't counting on Bynum as a scorer because he's hurt. Anything he gives them is gravy. Taking out Bynum defensively is irrelevant.

Not only that, but Bynum isn't really involved in the triangle as well. Quicksand, once the ball goes into him.

 

Against Boston, Ron Artest will prove to be the biggest difference between the 2008 Lakers and the 2010 Lakers. Garnett had his struggles with Gasol two years ago, and with Gasol playing much more physical and better, things won't change. Bryant will get his without Posey and Ray doubling him. We don't have Radmanovic defending Perkins down low.

 

Things will be much different.

[Nitro]

Boston should scare LA...they are the best defensive team in the league, and probably the most physical. They also have size and length, which has been LA's major advantage this entire post-season. And even though he is not the player he once was, KG is a nightmare defensively with his length and ability to move all over the court to cut off driving lanes. Lastly, people seem to be so confident of the Rondo matchup because of Kobe's defense on Westbrook...while Kobe did do a great job on Westbrook, I really am not sure if putting Kobe on Rondo would be the best move. Not because Kobe's can't defend Rondo, but because there's no way Fisher can reasonably defend Ray Allen while he's running around screens. And even though the Cleveland series showed Rondo can kill you, Ray has done much the same throughout his entire career.

 

With all that said, I do pick LA to win the series. I think they have too much firepower, and way too much Kobe. And unlike 2 years ago, KG isn't a major threat offensively, and Pierce will have a very difficult time with Ron hounding him. It's going to be a GREAT series.