- May 31st, 2008, 1:51 pm
#178312
lakers or celtics?
i'm going Celtics in 7. Lakers were lucky the series didn't go seven games. The Lakers may have essentially dominated the series, but the Spurs and the refs helped them a lot. Lakers shouldn't have won game one, only reason they did is because the Spurs produced one of the greatest single game collapses in the history of basketball. The Lakers shouldn't have won game 4, or at least shouldn't have won the way they did - Brent Barry should have been on the FT line for three shots and even the NBA admitted that. The Lakers struggled to win three of the four games when the Spurs best player - Manu Ginobili - was basically a waste of playing time. What are they going to do against a healthy Celtics team that plays better defense and better offense than the Spurs?
PGs - Fisher, Farmar > Rondo, Cassell, House: Just barely though, Celtics better defensively here and are more versatile and deep.
SGs - Kobe, Vujacic >> R. Allen, House: Kobe makes this not even close, but Ray Allen has played dang well the past two games and is an undervalued defender, so if he continues to [lay strong then the gap is narrowed.
SFs - Paul Pierce, James Posey >>> Walton, Radmanovic: This isn't even close, Posey - the backup - is better than anyone the Lakers have at the 3 and it's not even close in my opinion. Radmanovic shouldn't even be starting for the Lakers.
PFs - Garnett, Brown, Powe, Davis >> Odom, Radmanovic, Gasol: The Celtics have by far the best player at the position and have more depth. If Gasol played the PF a lot, the Lakers would have the advantage though, but he doesn't since he's forced to play center due to the injury to Bynum.
Centers - Gasol, Turiaf > Perkins, Brown, Davis: Gasol clearly the best here, but there is absolutely no depth here after Turiaf. If Gasol gets in foul trouble they will be hurting here because Turiaf won't be able to man the 5 for extended periods of time because he's just an energy player.
Offense - Lakers > Celtics: It's pretty close, Lakers get the edge due to versatility and scoring depth.
Defense - Celtics >> Lakers: This really isn't even close. Lakers held to less than 90 twice and held to just 93.4 points a game to the Spurs, and the Celtics have had the best defense in the NBA pretty much all season. Lakers did a good job playing D against the Spurs, but when Ginobili puts up a performance not even deserving of receiving pkaying time in garbage minutes, that will help any D look a lot better than it really is.
Bench - Brown, Cassell, Davis, House, Posey, Powe > Farmar, Turiaf, Vujacic, Walton: Everyone raves about the Lakers bench, but the Celtics bench is clearly better in my opinion and I really don't think it's even close. James Posey is clearly the best player of the bunch. Powe and Turiaf are about equal. Vujacic is basically the same player as Eddie House just about. Farmar is a little better than Cassell at this point, but Cassell's total package of intangibles and experience outweigh Farmar. Walton is the second best player in the group, but I'd take the remainder of the Celtics bench over him and take the depth. The Celtics clearly have the more experiences bench, and I think that will make a major difference.
Head Coach
Phil Jackson >>> Doc Rivers: Landslide victory here, although Rivers has been doing some good stuff this year, he will never deserve to be mentioned in the same vein as Jackson.
i'm going Celtics in 7. Lakers were lucky the series didn't go seven games. The Lakers may have essentially dominated the series, but the Spurs and the refs helped them a lot. Lakers shouldn't have won game one, only reason they did is because the Spurs produced one of the greatest single game collapses in the history of basketball. The Lakers shouldn't have won game 4, or at least shouldn't have won the way they did - Brent Barry should have been on the FT line for three shots and even the NBA admitted that. The Lakers struggled to win three of the four games when the Spurs best player - Manu Ginobili - was basically a waste of playing time. What are they going to do against a healthy Celtics team that plays better defense and better offense than the Spurs?
PGs - Fisher, Farmar > Rondo, Cassell, House: Just barely though, Celtics better defensively here and are more versatile and deep.
SGs - Kobe, Vujacic >> R. Allen, House: Kobe makes this not even close, but Ray Allen has played dang well the past two games and is an undervalued defender, so if he continues to [lay strong then the gap is narrowed.
SFs - Paul Pierce, James Posey >>> Walton, Radmanovic: This isn't even close, Posey - the backup - is better than anyone the Lakers have at the 3 and it's not even close in my opinion. Radmanovic shouldn't even be starting for the Lakers.
PFs - Garnett, Brown, Powe, Davis >> Odom, Radmanovic, Gasol: The Celtics have by far the best player at the position and have more depth. If Gasol played the PF a lot, the Lakers would have the advantage though, but he doesn't since he's forced to play center due to the injury to Bynum.
Centers - Gasol, Turiaf > Perkins, Brown, Davis: Gasol clearly the best here, but there is absolutely no depth here after Turiaf. If Gasol gets in foul trouble they will be hurting here because Turiaf won't be able to man the 5 for extended periods of time because he's just an energy player.
Offense - Lakers > Celtics: It's pretty close, Lakers get the edge due to versatility and scoring depth.
Defense - Celtics >> Lakers: This really isn't even close. Lakers held to less than 90 twice and held to just 93.4 points a game to the Spurs, and the Celtics have had the best defense in the NBA pretty much all season. Lakers did a good job playing D against the Spurs, but when Ginobili puts up a performance not even deserving of receiving pkaying time in garbage minutes, that will help any D look a lot better than it really is.
Bench - Brown, Cassell, Davis, House, Posey, Powe > Farmar, Turiaf, Vujacic, Walton: Everyone raves about the Lakers bench, but the Celtics bench is clearly better in my opinion and I really don't think it's even close. James Posey is clearly the best player of the bunch. Powe and Turiaf are about equal. Vujacic is basically the same player as Eddie House just about. Farmar is a little better than Cassell at this point, but Cassell's total package of intangibles and experience outweigh Farmar. Walton is the second best player in the group, but I'd take the remainder of the Celtics bench over him and take the depth. The Celtics clearly have the more experiences bench, and I think that will make a major difference.
Head Coach
Phil Jackson >>> Doc Rivers: Landslide victory here, although Rivers has been doing some good stuff this year, he will never deserve to be mentioned in the same vein as Jackson.
- By LU Armchair coach