NBA tip off is tonight. Every ESPN expert has the Lakers winning the west

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/preview2009/news/story?page=Predictions0910-Lakers

Odom has looked like he's improved his jumpshot over the summer.

If Bynum plays a full season at the form before his injuries, the competition won't even be close.

Artest so far hasn't been aggressive enough on the offensive end and is looking to pass too much. His D has been good. Hopefully he won't murder too many babies this year.

Kobe looks ready to go and worked on his postgame with Hakeem over the summer. And is still the best player in the game from both a skill and ability to win.

Pau is hurt and may miss the first few games with a minor hamstring injury, however he'll still be one of the best players in the league.

The Lakers weak spot is point guard. Fisher is 35, and they didn't sign Farmar for after the season so he can/will opt out. Shannon Brown looks good, but still has a ways to go to being a true point guard. Lakers need Farmar or Brown to step up.


Barring injuries, Lakers record: 73-9. I think they want the record this year, and are gonna make a push for it. Hopefully they can beat the bobcats finally.


Go Lakers! Time to defend your title.

[This message has been edited by Simplebay (edited 10/27/2009 2:05p).]

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Every ESPN expert has the Lakers winning the wes

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Pretty sure this was the exact scenario prior to the 02-03 season.

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Every ESPN expert has the Lakers winning the west

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I guess David Thorpe doesn't count as an ESPN expert?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=Predictions0910-West

When I talked with them, the Milwaukee Bucks team picked the Spurs. Luke Ridenour said that the west would be a war, and that he thought the Spurs would win, but it will be the best battle in years.

regardless what anyone thinks of him, Bill Simmons would probably be considered an "ESPN expert." We know who he picked, convincingly.

Soup if you check my link...not sure what Thorpe's prediction is. Check the last entry.

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David Thorpe, ESPN.com | Thorpe's picks
They are the easy pick, but I have some concerns about Artest. Will he be consumed by the media circus surrounding the team? Will he accept a well-defined role by season's end? They'll win a ton regardless, but may not be there at the end.

Pacific: 1

West:1

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Your article was more recent, so maybe he changed his pick.

[This message has been edited by Simplebay (edited 10/27/2009 2:06p).]

You're clearly sipping the Laker kool-aid, but hell it's opening day and I am too!! 80 wins or bust!!

Tim Legler also picked the Spurs, unless he changed his prediction.

Mass....incorrect.

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Mike Yam: You like the Lakers, Spurs 1, 2?
Legler: Yeah

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http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4541767

[This message has been edited by Simplebay (edited 10/27/2009 4:18p).]

Barring injury...Andrew Bynum WILL be an All Star this year.

18ppg, 11rpg, 1.7bpg over the course of the season.

Considering you predicted Bynum to be the DPOY winner last year and Phil Jackson has talked multiple times about how much Bynam needs to improve on defense, I don't think many people are putting much stock in your big predictions.

Simple, please don't jinx Bynum again...I'd like him to look as good all year as he did tonight (and Odom too)

It's soooo nice to have a gritty defender like Artest getting after loose balls on the squad...It's already noticeable the difference he makes.

In the end, who knows what will happen in the playoffs. But, If things go as they SHOULD, the Lakers will sweep their way to the title, for whatever that's worth.

Someone on TNT summed it up perfectly today when they said "the Lakers are the only team in the West, where they could lose their best player and still make the playoffs. The Lakers could Lose Kobe Bryant, and they are still a playoff team." And I tend to agree. Even without Kobe, they're probably still a top 4 team in the West.

4 games down, 12 to go.

5 games down. 11 to go.

phil jackson has never lost a series when winning game 1.

sooo....it's really 8 games down, 8 to go.

In other news, Lakers struggle at home with undermanned Utah team.

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Lakers record: 73-9

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Kobe...is still the best player in the game from both a skill and ability to win (sic).

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laugh/cry

I'm not sure which ended up being farther from the truth.

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Lakers record: 73-9

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Great prediction. You only missed by 16 games.

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Mass....incorrect.

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Not that it matters now, but I was NOT incorrect. Tim Legler may be a wishy-washy dumbass, but I was not misquoting him:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N8PG_CGjc0&feature=related

Booyah.

mass...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQrGQ-VxUaQ&feature=related

see the 1:29 mark. Legler picked the Lakers to finish #1. not the spurs. that was i thought what we were talking about.

i guess Legler meant, the spurs were going to finish with the 2 seed, but get out of the west and go to the finals?

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Legler picked the Lakers to finish #1. not the spurs. that was i thought what we were talking about.

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Bull****. The title of the thread is "Official 2010 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers".

In that context, "winning the west" doesn't mean getting the highest seed. It means winning the WCF.

Sorry for the confusion, but I was responding directly to the intention of your thread, which was to talk about which team from the west was going to be the western playoff winner.

Great game 3 last night. Lakers win in Salt Lake. i bathe in the tears of Jazz fans. Lakers look to sweep on Monday. Phoenix in WCF. Kobe gets revenge for 2006.

Go Lakers! Playing pretty damn well. If the bench, and Artest and Fisher make their shots, Lakers have a good shot at the title.

and now for this

to the MFing top. LAKERS ARE THE BESTTTTTTTT AGAINNNN

GREAT game by Ron Artest. AMAZING. thank you ron! great signing.

Kobe, championship #5.

[This message has been edited by Simplebay (edited 6/17/2010 11:32p).]

going to bed. I hate the NBA officials.

Oh how I hate the lakers....let me count the ways

Sixteen was sweet.

Threepeat!

gg Ron.


See all you folks on the 24th!

So do the Lakers order 3 extra rings for the officials? Have to thank them somehow for that abortion of a 4th quarter.

Don't be P*ssy sore loser like the Boston a**hole I just witnessed at an Austin bar talking sh*t to us after the Lakers won. Not from L.A., but been a huge Lakers fan since early '80s. So go F yourself !!!

Officiating was fine

LAKERS WIN??????

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Barring injuries, Lakers record: 73-9.

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Yeah officiating was fine. The Lakers shot more free throws in the 4th quarter than the C's shot the entire game....

Nah, the officals had NOTHING to do with it.

BTW - did you hear about Donoghy who talked about this type of actions?

The better team won. Refs were not a factor. But I still hate the outcome.