Looks like Staples Center Showdown!!!!

[J@3]

No, but what's your point bandwagoner?

[Carmo]

Right. I don't go questioning your fandom of the Fakers, do I?

Yeah but Jae isn't a dick

[The_Flying_Tomato]

And that makes no sense.


My point was that I'm not a bandwagoner, and even if i were, why should you care? what matters is that i love my team. Cubs, Colts and Suns have always been my teams.

[Sauru]

how the hell can you pick teams from 3 different cities.

[Colin]

^Doesn't have a local team? Is in a different country? It's pretty easy.

Other than the Grizzlies, Vancouver has never had anything. It's been Suns and Falcons for the last 8 years for me.

[Carmo]

And that makes no sense.


My point was that I'm not a bandwagoner, and even if i were, why should you care? what matters is that i love my team. Cubs, Colts and Suns have always been my teams.

I'm gonna take back my comment actually. I have seen some constructive, non-biased posts from you the last few days.

[Colin]

Where are they?

[Carmo]

lol, in the lakers thread.
edit: maybe I won't take my comment back...

[-BHZMAFIA-]

Saura, where the hell you come from? I haven't seen you on the forums in months. I kind of have a feeling that the Suns have control of this series now and that the Lakers blew their chances. I would've liked to see a LA vs LA 2nd round, but its not looking too good right now. Should be a good Game 7 though. What really would be funny though is if Raja Bell goes off for like 30 something and the Suns win, then I wonder if Kobe would be asking "who is this kid?"

[Stevesanity]

Billy's Hallway series might not happen although Im hoping it does since Im confident the Lakers will be an easier matchup than the Suns. Western Conference Finals Baby!

[Laker Socks]

Uh not really.

The suns dont have anyone to defend Elton Brand.

The lakers have Kwame Brown and a returning Chris Mihm.

Let's not forget the Kobe factor.

The Clippers should transfer to anaheim.

[Stevesanity]

Uh not really.

The suns dont have anyone to defend Elton Brand.

The lakers have Kwame Brown and a returning Chris Mihm.

Let's not forget the Kobe factor.

The Clippers should transfer to anaheim.

Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm?

Shawn Marion can matchup against Elton, he's almost his size except an inch or so shorter and a few pounds lighter but he's a much better defender than Brown and Mihm combined. Our team finds it hard at times to compete with the pace of the Suns, but the Lakers well their isnt a real problem their.

[Laker Socks]

Yes Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm. Kwame has been know to give Elton problems in the past. Judging from your reaction you also failed to see how Kwame defended Shaq. As for Chris Mihm, he has proven to be a decent weakside shotblocker.

Marion on Brand? Where have you been this past few weeks? Marion cant even defend a skinny Lamar Odom in the post. Just imagine what a beast like Elton will do to the matrix in the post.

[Stevesanity]

Yes Kwame Brown and Chris Mihm. Kwame has been know to give Elton problems in the past. Judging from your reaction you also failed to see how Kwame defended Shaq. As for Chris Mihm, he has proven to be a decent weakside shotblocker.

Marion on Brand? Where have you been this past few weeks? Marion cant even defend a skinny Lamar Odom in the post. Just imagine what a beast like Elton will do to the matrix in the post.

Marion's been all over the place, he's had to defend Kobe on and off and Odom too. I just think the Suns are more likely to be able to beat us than our good old friends from Lakerville, call it my bias if you wish. None of this will matter if the Lakers are eliminated tonight.

You guys went 3-1 up and had so much of momentum in your favour and yet messed up and now have let Phoenix still almost all the momentum in their favour. Kobe might be the clutch prince but as a team Phoenix seem to be able to rise from the ashes better than the Lakers can. But this is possibly my long term dislike towards the Lakers organisation speaking so take it anyway you want.

[Sauru]

Saura, where the hell you come from? I haven't seen you on the forums in months. I kind of have a feeling that the Suns have control of this series now and that the Lakers blew their chances. I would've liked to see a LA vs LA 2nd round, but its not looking too good right now. Should be a good Game 7 though. What really would be funny though is if Raja Bell goes off for like 30 something and the Suns win, then I wonder if Kobe would be asking "who is this kid?"

i have been busy of late. got a pregnant wife now and have had to move to a bigger place. i have had no time to get online for anything really. but it is damn nice to be back, just upset i missed the playoff predictions.

[Drex]

We got a lot of dads here. How old are you, Sauru? It's nice to have you here.

[Laker Socks]

Marion's been all over the place, he's had to defend Kobe on and off and Odom too. I just think the Suns are more likely to be able to beat us than our good old friends from Lakerville, call it my bias if you wish. None of this will matter if the Lakers are eliminated tonight

It isnt debateable if Marion could do a half decent job defending a very big strong Elton Brand. Common sense would imply that he would get killed and humiliated by Brand on each and every possesion on both ends of the floor. Kwame is probably the best in the league in holding his position and denying a power player position in the post as evidenced by his 2 meetings with Shaq this season.

Yes you are biased, you root for the clipper. The Laker's bitch.

You guys went 3-1 up and had so much of momentum in your favour and yet messed up and now have let Phoenix still almost all the momentum in their favour.

Good job twisitng the facts. Who even expected us to be up 3-1 against a team that destroyed us in the regular season? Everybody was saying Phoenix in 5 before the series began. Again, look at the facts and throw away the bullshit that results from your bias.

Kobe might be the clutch prince but as a team Phoenix seem to be able to rise from the ashes better than the Lakers can

Apparently you are forgetting that the series is tied. Both teamns have lost 2 in a row in the series. You cant say who rises from the ashes better. Worth nothing is how the lakers jumped to a 3-1 lead in the series despite how the suns have completely beaten them for the last 2 years. That's what you call rising to the occasion.

But this is possibly my long term dislike towards the Lakers organisation speaking so take it anyway you want.

I perfectly understand you longterm dislike for the purple and gold. I perfectly understand how bad it must be for clipper fans to come in the staples center and see all the laker championship banners and the retired jerseys of Magic, Kareem, Wilt and co.

The clippers should really move to anaheim. There's only room for 1 team in LA.

[-BHZMAFIA-]

Saura, where the hell you come from? I haven't seen you on the forums in months. I kind of have a feeling that the Suns have control of this series now and that the Lakers blew their chances. I would've liked to see a LA vs LA 2nd round, but its not looking too good right now. Should be a good Game 7 though. What really would be funny though is if Raja Bell goes off for like 30 something and the Suns win, then I wonder if Kobe would be asking "who is this kid?"

i have been busy of late. got a pregnant wife now and have had to move to a bigger place. i have had no time to get online for anything really. but it is damn nice to be back, just upset i missed the playoff predictions.

Well good job man, I hope everything keeps working out good for your new family.

[magius]

your basing kwame being a good defender on his defense on shaq? are you kidding me? lets put aside your laker bias and look at the facts:

1. in 2 games during the regular season shaq averaged 18 ppg, 13.5 rpg. did he shit on kwame? no. but he averaged basically what he does for the season. this isn't the old shaq, 20 and 10 does not represent 'good defense' anymore.

2. in 2 games versus phoenix this year shaq averaged 11.5 ppg, 12.5 rpg. huh? what?

If the clippers do play the suns, I fully expect diaw to play brand not marion... and diaw will do a helluva better job than kwame can ever hope to.

3. shaq vs memphis - 16.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg.
shaq vs utah - 12.5 ppg, 10.5 rpg
shaq vs jersey - 17.7, 10.0 rpg
the list goes on and on. kwame did no more a decent job on shaq than most others in the nba. the only player in the nba who could handle him on a good day is duncan. the only thing kwame is good at doing is fumbling the ball.

okays lets stop looking at the hypotheticals now. why are we even discussing shaq? the clips played the lakers FOUR times during the regular season. Let's see what the best player in the league at "holding his position and denying a power player position in the post" did.

brand vs lakers: 26.8ppg, 11.3 rpg, 2.8 apg, 2.75 bpg

kwame brown for dpoy!

on the other hand brand versus the suns averaged almost to a par his season average: 24.5 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.3 apg, 2.0 bpg. this against a decidely more high tempo team.

Good job twisitng the facts. Who even expected us to be up 3-1 against a team that destroyed us in the regular season? Everybody was saying Phoenix in 5 before the series began. Again, look at the facts and throw away the bullshit that results from your bias.

I don't know who is more bias between the two of you. Its a fucking close race. No one with a brain expected the suns to beat the lakers easily. the most important reason being that the suns went into the playoffs slumping from the loss of amare, and the lakers went into the playoffs one of the hottest teams in the league. Everyone was saying phoenix in 6 or 7, some even lakers in 7 - no one expected an easy 5 game series.

Apparently you are forgetting that the series is tied. Both teamns have lost 2 in a row in the series. You cant say who rises from the ashes better. Worth nothing is how the lakers jumped to a 3-1 lead in the series despite how the suns have completely beaten them for the last 2 years. That's what you call rising to the occasion.

No. Its called "playoff basketball."

In my honest opinion I think the clips would prefer to play the lakers over the suns for two reasons. The first being theres no doubt that the lakers entered the playoffs hot, but it seems they're starting to cool back down. The second being they probably have something to prove as an organization. Not to mention they match up a little better against the lakers.

[Laker Socks]

1. in 2 games during the regular season shaq averaged 18 ppg, 13.5 rpg. did he shit on kwame? no. but he averaged basically what he does for the season. this isn't the old shaq, 20 and 10 does not represent 'good defense' anymore.

Did you actually watch those 2 games?
Shaq went right at work when Mihm was defending him. If you actually watched the game, it was very evident how Shaq was being denied his position in the post, everybody there noticed that. Hell, even the ABC commentators noticed that.

Wow, good job on the stats, can you post Brand's fg% in his games with phoenix and la?

kwame brown for dpoy!

Woah calm down for a second. Were comparing Kwame Brown and Marion and how they fare against Elton Brand. Like i said, Kwame would do a better job than Marion and its not even debateable.

No one with a brain expected the suns to beat the lakers easily.

Wow, good job. Apparently 95% of ESPN columnists expected the suns to beat the lakers easily. The suns also made comments back in April that they want the lakers in the first round and they want no part of sacramento in the playoffs. Im sorry i cant provide you with a link. Hell, they even "rested" Nash in the last game against LA just so La can win and secure the 7th seed.

No. Its called "playoff basketball."

Yes, hence the game 7 we have right now between the 2nd seed and the 7th seed.

The second being they probably have something to prove as an organization.

They have a lot to prove as an organization. They want the lakers now and this may be their only chance to make a statement against the great purple and gold.

Not to mention they match up a little better against the lakers

The same can be said about Phoenix. Err we all know what's happening right now.

Anyway, i'll stop here. I'll come back to you as soon as game 7 is done and over with. I dont want to jinx anything.

[magius]

Did you actually watch those 2 games?
Shaq went right at work when Mihm was defending him. If you actually watched the game, it was very evident how Shaq was being denied his position in the post, everybody there noticed that. Hell, even the ABC commentators noticed that.

Wow, good job on the stats, can you post Brand's fg% in his games with phoenix and la?

wow, good job on the sarcasm, can you post any statistic or tangible proof that shows kwame is a the best post defender in the nba other than bill walton?

anyway since you asked so nicely.
brand fg% versus la: 49.44
brand fg% versus phoenix: 48.00

I watched one of the games. One wonders if kwame is such a great post defender why one of the top 3 greatest coaches ever doesn't play him on the best post player?

Woah calm down for a second. Were comparing Kwame Brown and Marion and how they fare against Elton Brand. Like i said, Kwame would do a better job than Marion and its not even debateable.

first, diaw would play brand the majority of the time.
second, niether marion or kwame would have any effect on brand.
third:

Kwame is probably the best in the league in holding his position and denying a power player position in the post as evidenced by his 2 meetings with Shaq this season.

if we're comparing kwame brown and marion and how they fare against elton brand why are we talking about shaq? Why don't we just look at the 4 meetings each team had against the clips this season. Oh yeah, thats right, we can't, because kwame got his ass kicked.

Wow, good job. Apparently 95% of ESPN columnists expected the suns to beat the lakers easily. The suns also made comments back in April that they want the lakers in the first round and they want no part of sacramento in the playoffs. Im sorry i cant provide you with a link. Hell, they even "rested" Nash in the last game against LA just so La can win and secure the 7th seed.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2 ... ies=lalpho
the only one who expected the suns to beat the lakers in 5? mark stein. the rest had it in 6 or 7. 6 or 7 isn't easy.

[Laker Socks]

Im sorry im too sad to even argue with you. Maybe next time.

[magius]

its okay good series despite the big loss.

[Air Jordon]

did someone say staples center showdown?

[Stevesanity]

Well the Laker's are the Clippers bitch for this season at least.

Shaq's nowhere as dominant as he use to be and has been hampered by injuries, Kwame doing a "good" job on him shouldnt be accounted for him in a case of making him look like the leagues best interior defender.

Marion was regarded as DPOY candidate last year and is known to be a pretty darn good defender, he's workload against the Lakers was tripled and therefore his performance was pretty mediocre. He's got the speed, the agility and the quickness to guard Brand whilst Kwame just uses size most of the time and won't have the foot speed to keep up with Brand who is by no means a world class athlete but compared to Kwame I'd say he is.

I don't mind the banners, it doesnt bother me at all really. What bothers me most about the Lakers is how their fans tend to be bandwagoners and sometimes ridiculously biased about how good Kobe is and sometimes I even get the feeling they build up a sense of massive egoism whenever the Lakers win. Sure we have our share of bandwagoning morons and a dickhead of an owner but our loyal fans stick to the cause unlike even some of the biggest Laker fans that disappeared off the face of the earth during last season.