[Skrying]

Really? Because in my opinion you'd be singing a completely different tune if the Lakers lost.

 

[fhuang]

ok, lbj can go to anywhere and it's all good and everything... dan gilbert can't say anything?  wow. 

 

[grokit]

Who would ever want to sign with Gilbert after he threw James under the bus with that vindictive tantrum? King James has moved on, pick your ego off the floor, wish him the best and get on with it.
 
Miami Heat: Just more fodder on the way to another Lakers three-peat, if they can get past Boston and Orlando.
 

 

[AmanGeorge]

Quote:

Miami Heat: Just more fodder on the way to another Lakers three-peat, if they can get past Boston and Orlando.
 

Heh - this is probably overstating things a little bit. Vegas odds have the Heat as the favorites for 10-11 now, and they haven't even built their roster out yet. Looks like Mike Miller is going to join, which gives them a killer shooter. The possibility still exists for a Derek Fisher coup. If they can pull in Shaq or Big-Z, this is easily the team to beat next year.

 

[ak622]

Haslam is going to resign with the Heat so along with Mike Miller, they're going to have 6..  I think they should make a run at Jamaal Magloire or a Jason Collins for a center and they'll have a resemblance of a team.  I'm sure there will be other guys they can pick up on the cheap, maybe Jason Williams will resign for the minimum as a back up and play a role similar to the 2006 Heat team. 

 

[grokit]

But just think what the Lakers will be able to accomplished with a healthy Bynum, and a surgically-repaired Kobe:
 
Wade = Bryant
 
Gasol > Bosch
 
Artest contains James?
 
Bynum is the X factor, and they still have the best sixth man in Odom.

 

[Skrying]

Artest contains James? Huh? No, no way. Artest barely contained Paul Pierce, who is now old and even at his peak is 70% of James. Wade is better than Bryant, Wade is MUCH better than Bryant when Wade has another person commanding a double team. Gasol > Bosh? Maybe, I think in terms of defense this is true and Gasol is better in the post but again Bosh is on a team where two players would command double teams at all times and sometimes triple teams (anyone recall Wade v. Boston in round one?).
 
Bynum is where the Lakers are superior. Odom as well. It's the Lakers depth, not their starting 5, where the superiority lie. This will be true with other contenders. It's just a matter of how much better the Heat starting 5 are going to be.

 

[grokit]

Paul Pierce is the best player in the NBA remember? How can anybody forget that when he keeps reminding us, lol!
 
When Kobe gets his finger and knee repaired, we shall see who is better, as even hobbled and without Bynum he was good enough to lead his team to the title. With the Laker's front line guarding the paint James would be relegated to jump shots, where is distinctly average. Now that Artest is starting to figure out the triangle his defense will get back up to par. I hope both teams can stay healthy and make it to the finals next year, it would be a good one!

 

[rawrster]

I don't think Lebron can be stopped by Artest or anyone for that matter but I will take his defense on Lebron over just about everyone else in the league. His defense is still very good on those bigger stronger guys and imo he's the best defender at that position on the lakers and on most teams. Also this is where the team defense comes in. Lebron is not a great consistent jump shooter. He likes to drive a lot as does Wade and that's where the bigs of the Lakers come in. Gasol, Bynum and Odom clog up the lane and their size are a difficult matchup for anyone in the league.
 
Gasol is considered one of the best in his position and was that even before he was on the Lakers and he has only gotten better since. Bosh is a good player don't get me wrong but not as good as Gasol is.
 
I disagree about Wade better than Bryant. I think the overall complete game goes to Bryant since he can get you in so many ways. Bryant has greater range and more ways to score. Wade however is a great slasher and is a great finisher. He's also very streaky although one area he needs to get better is the FT line. Someone who slashes as much as gets to the line as much as he does and as good as he is should not be averaging under 80%
 
Bynum definitely is the game changer here. Without him the Lakers are a very good team but with him they are absolute monsters that no team will want to face.

 

[virometal]

^ Hey I agree about Bynum. But does he count? The guy can't stay able. One thing that always bugged me about this Lakers. They're just are not a team. As I like to say, they're funky. Half of Boston's starters were in wheel chairs, and the Lake show was still pushed within two points in a game seven. Really I thought this last series was more about Boston's decline than the Lakers' ascent. That should not be so, since L.A. had the most glaring mismatch in the series.
 
Give me the Heat. They'll be scary good if they mesh.

 

[grokit]

Well Boston was not so decrepit that they couldn't take out the rest of the Eastern Conference!

 

[Skrying]

Wade v. Bryant: I would give Kobe the edge in his array of scoring options. Kobe has a post game, a decent perimeter game and when needed a great slashing game. Wade is a tremendous slasher but lacks the post game and is slightly worse from outside. Wade however is a much better passer and I'd give him the slight edge in rebounding as well. Wade's passing abilities are going to be key on the Heat, along with LeBron's.
 
One of the biggest problems with defending the Heat is going to be both Wade and James passing abilities. They're both very good passers. LeBron is the best passing forward in the league and honestly I think he'll look like Magic Johnson 2.0 on this Heat team. They can both slash all day. As nice as it sounds I don't think the Lakers or anyone can just keep two key players in the paint all game, at least not without it resulting in players fouling out very quickly.