In response to Fiercest34's comment:

lots of pot holes in these parts....

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In response to TommyRules' comment:

No, you're wrong.

Here:

1. Dirk is the Mavs' best player and he was only 32 when he won. 

* Kobe is already 34 years old.

2. Kidd was 37 when he finally won a championship.

* Nash will be 39 when the playoffs start.

* Kidd was backed up by a young Barea, Nash will be backed up by an old Blake.

3. Jason Terry was only 33 years old when he won a ring as a 6th man.

* Antawn Jamison is 36 years old this season and he's the Laker 6th man.

 

As you can see, Tommy, the Mavs were just old, but the Lakers are VERY OLD!

Let's not forget.........Shawn Marion was 32.......Ron Artest is 32  AND Tyson Chandler was 27, DH is 26!!

In response to Red-16Russ-11's comment:

Don't also forget that Marion is not a crazy person like Artest and Chandler was not recovering from a herniated disc. I mean how sure are we that we're going to see the same Dwight Howard this season?

The Mavs had a lot of 3pt shooters back in 2011. The Lakers' only great shooter is Steve Nash. 

I'm not saying the Lakers are a weak team. All I'm saying is they're a crappy team because they're not fundamentally sound, all big names but lacking in fundamentals.

For example, the Lakers will not be a good FT shooting team because of Howard.

And if you double Howard or Gasol, the Lakers have no spot up shooters to keep the defense honest.

It is what it is. 

 

If the Lakers don't get the offensive rebound, who's going to chase young guys like Westbrook on the fastbreak? 

We all know Nash is not a good defender.

Kobe is already 34 years old.

Artest is very slow, all muscle and no speed.

Gasol is not going to go up and down the court because he's not athletic like Dwight.

And their bench is also old.

 

Again, the Lakers are a crappy team. 

Have the Heat added any players other than Ray Allen of significance ? We came within 1 Qtr of beating them without Bradley, Wilcox & Green & PP & Allen hurt.  But many say we wouldn't have gone 7 games if they had had Chris Bosh and I say it wouldn't have gone 7 if we had the 3 aforementioned missing players.

Howard still mending his back & may not start the season. Who knows, some 13-14 yrs younger than Shaq, he may be as unavailbale to the Lakers as Shaq was to us. Won't be a dry eye in my house (HA!).

I think Philly with Bynum will be tough too & the Knicks who lost 4 in a row to the Heat after they won game 1 could be tough also in our division so yup, let's concentrate on winning our division instead of the Lakers.

In response to SFBostonFan's comment:

The Heat have added Ray Allen, Rashard Lewis and Josh Harrellson to their team.  They will be extremely formidable, even when we are at full strength!

It doesn't matter what the lakers are or are not, we ain't facing them in the playoffs. I will repeat this over and over Denver vs OKC will be the west finals. Denver is the team that on paper looks to be the most improved team of all the west contenders from last year and Denver was 2 fouls away from beating the lakers last year. I have been here for a while so when this prediction comes to fruitition I am going to rub it in the laker trolls nose until they leave.

You don't have to be a Doc to figure that one out. 5 or 6 years ago hands down the Lakers would be the team to beat. Today, NOT.

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In response to Fiercest34's comment:

 

 

 

 

In response to Fiercest34's comment:

 

In response to TheNewGKDynasty's comment:

Last season the Celtics were crappy as well. I mean the Celts were dead last in the NBA in rebounding last season.

This season the Celts got younger and more athletic, not crappy anymore.

In response to TommyRules' comment:

Howard has a lot of weaknesses. That's why the Orlando Magic couldn't win a championships with Howard. 

Andrew Bynum is better than Howard. Bynum can shoot from 15 feet, Howard can't. Bynum is a decent FT shooter, Howard, well we all know he's bad at the FT line. Doc Rivers said it's harder defending Bynum than Howard. 

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In response to TommyRules' comment:

We'll know more in 2 months. But 2 things you have to remember, Bynum will average 20 ppg with the Sixers while Howard will not average 20 ppg for the Lakers.

Also, it's true that Howard is better overall, but that was before the herniated disc. Maybe after this season Howard will be at 100% again, but this season, definitely Howard is not going to be close to 100% health during the season.

And since this is only an all or nothing deal for the Lakers, Howard will be all alone even if re-signs with the Lakers next season. I mean next season, 2013-14, Nash will be 40 and Kobe will be 35. The Lakers are a one and done team, there is no future, it's now or never.

Too bad this is MJ's reaction after hearing of Artest's 73-9 prediction.

 

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Fake Fury.........once again thrills us with his knowledge, and well-thougt out posts, showing how much he REALLY knows about the game!

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So LeBron will opt OUT of his 20 mill dollar contract with the HEAT to sign with the lakers?  Talk about ignorant........he has a player option, as do Wade and Bosh, for the last two years.  They may get Bosh........but LeBron will stay in MIA!

 

Or, of course, you could PRODUCE a link that says he'll sign with the lakers 2 years from now!!

 

 

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In response to TommyRules' comment:

 

Then you have a problem with Fierce, not me.  No changing the subject.........do you have a link or not?  Tempting???  How do YOU know they won't re-sign Gasol and kobe??

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