The Regime Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 "The biggest challenge would be Portland because of the hate factor," Magic Johnson said Sunday, walking in a corridor underneath Staples Center. "They don't like us and we don't like them. That would be a very physical and tough series, even though we would win and we're better overall. But they really know how to play us, they're well-coached and they're tenacious."..."They're big enough to play us tough," Johnson said of Portland. "There's other teams that I think would be a good series, but [Portland] would be the toughest series." The Lakers have defeated the Trail Blazers three times this season, including a 25-point victory in early November. But Johnson cited the Lakers' two close wins against Portland -- a five-point overtime thriller at the Rose Garden in late February and a four-point win last Sunday -- as a reason why the Blazers would still prove challenging. http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2011/03/magic-johnson-most-worried-about-the-trail-blazers-as-a-possible-first-round-opponent.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Check my Stats Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Maybe if Roy was still in 2008 mode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren2ThaG Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Tell me something I don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Penny Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Maybe not over the Spurs, but they will be very very tough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Feelgood Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 Maybe if Roy was still in 2008 mode. Even with Roy sitting out, we're still a tough matchup against the Lakers. We've proved that a couple times in the past I believe, even last year nabbing a win against the Lakers with Roy sitting out if my memory isn't playing games with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Check my Stats Posted March 28, 2011 Report Share Posted March 28, 2011 (edited) I just don't know how you can sit here and say they are more of a threat than the Mavs, Spurs, or Thunder (let's not even mention the Heat/Celtics), it is just insulting to those teams, especially on the sort of basis that they hate each other. The Blazers will play them tough? Every team will play them tough, save maybe the Mavs, I mean it's the playoffs FFS. AS far as I am concerned the Lakers toughest challenge in the West is themselves, if they don't come out of the West then that would be bad, very bad. Edited March 28, 2011 by Check my Stats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newman Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 The Lakers have always struggled in the Rose Garden and having Gerald Wallace and LaMarcus Aldridge alongside guys like Wes Matthews, Andre MIller and Brandon Roy gives Portland a chance to win at any series. I would still put Thunder as the team most threatening to the Lakers, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Swish* Posted March 29, 2011 Report Share Posted March 29, 2011 Blazers are a tough team and when you guys ignore that, this is another reason and proof to call them underrated. Since they got Gerald Wallace in town, they've been playing really well with a good record if I'm not mistaking. I like to watch how they play offensively with Alridge being the go to guy since Roy's injuries have been more important than ever in his career. It's going to be a fun playoff match up to watch if this happens but I think the Lakers will win these series if they keep the same level of play since the all star break (they've been phenomenal) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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