(1) Lakers Vs. (8) Thunder

[DVocShoeBox]

Lakers in 5 maybe 6, Durant will exploded one game maybe two......

I know that Durant is the scoring champ and all, but does anyone notice his shot attempts and turnovers???

Plays like a good "kid" basketball player, can't be compared to any of the NBA elite right now!!

[Phil89]

Lakers in 5 maybe 6, Durant will exploded one game maybe two......

I know that Durant is the scoring champ and all, but does anyone notice his shot attempts and turnovers???

Plays like a good "kid" basketball player, can't be compared to any of the NBA elite right now!!

He's only 21 remember. He averaged 30 ppg in his 3rd season in the NBA. If he does it again next season then he'll be in the same league as LeBron etc.

Durant against the Lakers this season: 28 pts in 3 pt loss at home, 19 pts in 16 pt loss away, 30 pts in 3 pt loss away, 26 pts in 16 pt win at home.
He hasn't exactly exploded in any of the games against them this season, but he seems the type of player that rises to the big occasions.
He's scored over 30 points in his last 7 games, so he's in good form at the right time too.

Also, I think Westbrook might trouble Derek Fisher with his athleticism. I mean Fisher is 35 these days and Westbrook is only 21.

Five quick questions

1. How healthy is Kobe? Not very. He just sat two games because of swelling in the right knee, came back for one, then skipped the final two contests of the regular season because a broken finger on his shooting hand, despite his own concerns of getting rusty.

2. And how is Andrew Bynum's health, while we're at it? See above, only with Bynum out since straining his left Achilles' tendon on March 19.

3. What happened in the season series? Lakers 3-1, with two close L.A. victories and one blowout win, although all were before Christmas. The Thunder won easily March 26.

4. Are the young Thunder doomed without being able to feed off a home crowd for at least three of the first five games? No. Oklahoma City plays with uncommon composure on the road for an inexperienced group.

5. Other than the obvious -- Durant -- what else is a pressing concern for the Lakers? The Thunder are very good on the offensive boards, creating the second-chance baskets that help keep them in a lot of games even when their shot isn't falling.

Let's not forget that both teams finished with a 23-8 record on the road. So it's not like the Thunder can't get the job done away from the Ford Center.

Maybe I'm just hoping the Thunder win because I'm Australian and I was brought up to root for the underdog.

[Bucket]

Go Thunders
Thunder can win Lakers, because Kobe in last time play bad, but Durant and Thunder feels good.

[Oznogrd]

Lakers in 5 maybe 6, Durant will exploded one game maybe two......

I know that Durant is the scoring champ and all, but does anyone notice his shot attempts and turnovers???

Plays like a good "kid" basketball player, can't be compared to any of the NBA elite right now!!

He's only 21 remember. He averaged 30 ppg in his 3rd season in the NBA. If he does it again next season then he'll be in the same league as LeBron etc.

Same league? only in respect to scoring right? because if we're talking about everything, Durant would have to at least win the skills comp to be the same league as leberon

[Phil89]

At the end of the day it's scoring that wins games. You can defend all you like, but if you don't score as much as the opposition then it doesn't matter.

Here is the career ppg average for previous scoring champs.
Jordan - 30.1
James - 27.8
Iverson - 26.7
Wade - 26.6
Bryant - 25.3
Durant - 25.3

Same as Kobe. He is only going to improve things like skills, shot selection, strength etc. I heard some commentator say once that Durant was the first guy into the gym and the last guy out. He works harder than anyone to improve his game. Plus he surely will learn some things going up against players like LeBron and Kobe.

He has improved his defense this year and with him being 6ft 9 and having a 7ft 5 wingspan, he can become a great defender in the future.
He showed he can make clutch shots. Against New York I remember he hit a three to send the game into overtime. Then a jump shot from the top of the key to ultimately win them the game.

But ultimately you can't compare Durant to LeBron because Durant is 4 years younger. If he can consistently play like has has so far in his career, then in 4 years who knows how good he will be compared to where LeBron is at right now.

1st year he averaged 20 points. 2nd year 25 points, 3rd year 30 points. So logically he will average 35 points a game next season

[Oznogrd]

At the end of the day it's scoring that wins games. You can defend all you like, but if you don't score as much as the opposition then it doesn't matter.

If defense didnt matter the Suns would have 5-6 rings by now.


Theres also such thing in performance called a plateau. No matter how much you work, how much you study, how much you practice: there is a stopping point. Im not saying Durant has reached it: like you said: he's young. Just dont expect this steep incline in performance again. He's already on such a high level, that ceiling is about an inch from his head.

[shadowgrin]

At the end of the day it's scoring that wins games. You can defend all you like, but if you don't score as much as the opposition then it doesn't matter.

That logic perfectly applies only to 1-on-1 basketball games. Last time I checked the NBA still requires 5-on-5 ball. Unless the team has 4 other players that are great scorers, and at least 3 more on the bench that are good scorers too. You need non-essential things like defense, rebounding, assists, etc. to offset the other players that are not good in scoring.

[Phil89]

In the case of the Thunder, Durant improved his scoring output and they doubled the number of games they won last season.

I didn't say defense didn't matter, just that offense is more important. The best players in the league are scorers 9 times out of 10. Right?

It's like in soccer. The forwards score the goals that win games. Sure the defenders stop the other teams from scoring, but without the forwards it would just end up in a draw. Offensive players in any sport are the most important because nobody would turn up to watch two defensive teams play each other.

[Lamrock]

Aren't defense and offense exactly equal?

[shadowgrin]

offense is more important. The best players in the league are scorers 9 times out of 10. Right?

The best players in the league are the best because they excel in what they are supposed to do and then some, scoring happens to be just one of those things to do. Look at Tim Duncan. Dwight Howard. Steve Nash. Kevin Garnett. Bill Russell. John Stockton. Magic Johnson. I could go on if you want me to.

It's like in soccer. The forwards score the goals that win games. Sure the defenders stop the other teams from scoring, but without the forwards it would just end up in a draw.

Explain the team known as Real Madrid Galacticos.

Offensive players in any sport are the most important because nobody would turn up to watch two defensive teams play each other.

I watched the 2005 NBA Finals. Does that count?

[benji]

In the case of the Thunder, Durant improved, the team basically played the same eight guys all year long, cleared off all the washed up deadwood, and improved from 29th to 12th on offense and 20th to 9th on defense, and they doubled the number of games they won last season.

Fixed.

[Jackal]

Lakers in 6. I think.

[Murat]

Sonics in 4

[Jackal]

Can someone laugh so he doesn't feel too bad? Please? Anyone? Humor him. He's funny. Can't you see? See what he did there? Sonics? Get it? In 4..haha. Haha. Dies. Haha. Funny hah? Yes.

[shadowgrin]

[Lean]

I'm going to say Thunder in 6 just because I hate the Lakers.

It's that time of the year again, Modi.

[Andrew]

Not a good start for that prediction, though. Lakers take the first game, though it could've been much worse for the Thunder after their sluggish start.

EDIT: From the Durant thread...

Free Throw Watch: Kobe shot 12 free throws to Durant's 11, the Thunder totalled 24 to the Lakers' 22.

[hova-]

The Thunder just need Jeff Green and their other role players to step up offensively. Durant was defended very well but will get his 25 points per game simply due to drawing fouls and getting a few open looks after set screens. Westbrook can hurt the Lakers inside but I still think he had kind of a lucky night were those heavily contested layups were falling.

But Jeff Green just could not hit a shot still he took some dumb attempts. Krstic did not score well, neither did Harden or Sefolosha. They won't win without hitting some open threes after kickouts from KD or Westbrook.

For the Lakers, they really have problems offensively in my opinion. Kobe just can't hit shots on a consistent basis, maybe because of his injury problems. Gasol did a good job hitting some open jumpers. But Odom and Artest also shot very poorly.

The Thunder will at least steal one --> 4-1 Lakers

[Fresh8]

I think the player who poses as the biggest threat is Westbrook. The Thunder need to exploit a favourable matchup there (against Fish). I didn't see the game but from what I have read, Artest did a damn good job against Durant. I hope he continues that all series.

I dunno about Kobe but I agree with Charles Barkley, it's admirable to play injured but sometimes you've got to give up the rock. Feed it to Pau and Bynum and get them going.

Anyways, still going for a Lakers sweep.

[benji]

Artest cannot guard Durant theoretically, in a single game? Yes. Through the series? No. That's the only hope the Thunder have.

The Thunder just need Jeff Green and their other role players to step up offensively. ...But Jeff Green just could not hit a shot still he took some dumb attempts.

Get used to it if Jeff Green is concerned.

This series will only last as long as Durant can score all over the Lakers. If Artest throws him off another game or two, it's over. The Thunder's only shot was that Artest couldn't guard Durant (since he's failed to guard anyone like him in the past) but if Artest can the series is over already.

I didn't think Artest could guard Durant, if he does it again, the series is over for the Thunder. I'm slightly surprised that Artest's size hurts Durant this much, nobody else has. Maybe the other games will change though.

[NovU]

On defense, I thought Artest did a superb job. He was always making a body contact with Durant all the time. Only times Durant got freed was by pick and roll or when Artest was on the help defense.

[Jackal]

As I've said all through the season, any quick, semi-decent point guard burns LA. Fisher can't defend them and Jordan doesnt have the quickness either. (He seems a step slower compared to last season.)

Artest played some solid D on Durant, but it was a team effort. Collison set some good screens but LA's bigmen stepped way out of their comfort zone to help out. (Which they didnt appreciate doing in the regular season.) Was really great seeing Bynum back, it's a treat watching two legitimately skilled big men in the post. Kareem has done a great job with the young Andrew Bynum, I wonder how much of it is Bynum himself and how much is Kareems work with him. Sometimes I wonder if he would have been this good had he played for...oh I dont know the Nets or something.

Odom back to the bench sort of calms the bench down a bit more, takes off pressure from Brown & Farmar...who managed to actually hit shots. I was amazed. No Vujacic though, not that that's a bad thing.

Kobe Bryant actually playing defense was the biggest surprise of the night. Usually he just stands around and screams/scowls at his team-mates for not helping out on defense.

[Rip32]

I never really paid attention to the constant bitching that happens in Laker games, but after watching yesterday's game I totally see it and it totally annoyed the fuck out of me.

I swear, everytime Pau Gasol gets bodied up when he's in the post you see him put up his high arcing jumper and, make or miss, he yells, "AGH AND WOON!"

[Jackal]

Players get hit, they make sounds. Especially when they are good players.

The grunting thing isn't really bitching.

[Rip32]

Players get hit, they make sounds. Especially when they are good players.

The grunting thing isn't really bitching.

Fact, I mean the after the play stuff. After a tough shot, make or miss, Gasol seems to always turn his head to the ref, say something, then hustle back down court. I enjoy rooting for the Lakers so I'm not saying it's out of the ordinary for a guy to do that, but the Gasol and Kobe seem to do it considerably more than any other successful duo in the L.