Western Conference Preview: Are The Lakers Tough Enough to Defeat the Nuggets?
So the Lakers were able to defeat Ron Ron and the Rockets in 7…and a hard fought 7 games it was. Their toughness of character was questioned but the resolve of Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson won over. Kobe trying to inspire his teammates after the Rockets shot out early in Game 6 was huge in Game 7. The seeds of victory were definitely planted and led the Lakers to an expected victory at home. What now?
Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups and the Denver Nuggets stand in the way of this dream LeBron James/Kobe Bryant match up everyone and their Momma’s Momma is clamoring for. Don’t believe the hype people.
Ain’t nobody played yet.
Yeah, we can talk about it all we want, but until the ball is tossed high Game 1 in Cleveland…and the Bynum is at the tip, all that gibberish is a bunch of crew pop.
Like I said in the Dallas/Denver preview, it must not be understated that Denver is a team full of mean mugs who wear massive shoulder chips. Take your pick of who you think I’m referring to.
Denver pros:
1. Chauncey Billups is gonna eat up Derrick Fisher.
2. Carmello Anthony is gonna murder Trevor Ariza.
3. All that crazy Lakers rebounding advantage is over. Nene and Kenyon Martin will not be stopped getting after it on the glass.
4. This is George Karl’s shot. Maybe his last shot.
5. JR Smith is gonna have a big series. Especially from downtown.
6. Denver’s bench is vastly underrated.
7. Denver is gonna be mad, mad physical…especially in the interior.
LA pros:
1. Kobe Bryant can smell them Carolyn Hastings window apple pies in Cleveland and from Mike’s ringdom.
2. Andrew Bynum stepped up in Game 7 and seems to be back on track.
3. The Triangle.
4. Shannon Brown anchors the bench.
5. Phil Jackson has his team focused but chill.
6. Lamar Odom didn’t do shit in the last series.
7. Experience.
Denver cons:
1. George Karl.
2. What Kenyon Martin will show up?
3. Is JR. Smith as good as he should be?
4. Who will guard Kobe Bryant?
5. Is Carmelo mentally strong enough to go Syracuse 2003 in the NBA right now?
6. Execution.
7. Perimeter defense.
Laker cons:
1. Are the Lakers too Hollywood?
2. How many Laker nails will Denver break before they start whining?
3. Will they depend on Kobe Bryant too much?
4. Trevor Ariza expending too much energy chasing 15.
5. Complacency.
6. Back court depth.
7. Entitlement.
These are just some points. This is the series where the NBA steps in a time warp and Fat Lever competes with Magic. There will be points. Mad points. Ridiculous amounts of points…but when it all is said and done, which team will come out and take their opponents will? Kenyon Martin is gonna Skip smack Pau Gasol all over the place. Kobe will be pushed down on concrete with no extended hands to pick his 81is not Mike butt up. Nothing will be easy. All that BS Shane Battier hands in the face stuff is nothing to what is gonna go down now. Remember, Chauncey knows how to beat this team when the June diamonds shine.
How will the Lakers contend with his execution and NBA veteran prowers?
No one on the Lakers can stop Carmelo. The Olympics also affected his play. He wants what Wade has. He wants what Kobe has. He wants what Chauncey has. He wants what LeBron wants. He wants to saunter into his draft class ring party with shiny cap and gown in tow.
The key will be how the Lakers defend the rest of the Nuggets. Will they fight and scrap and scratch and claw for every single rebound? Will they fight to get over picks man enough to move on to the Finals?
How many blocks with Chris Andersen have?
Dahntay Jones will rest on offense.
Phil Jackson presumably will have his team ready but the players ultimately have to play. Jordan Farmar has to step up…Luke Walton and Josh Powell as well.
This is gonna be a series of attrition.
With so much offense, the second teams will be huge. Who steps up?
Kobe Bryant’s place at the table is set. He’s gonna eat. There’s no one alive who can stop him. All the bench time Phil has given him during the season will rear its well rested head right now. Will Gasol and Bynum shrink and let themselves be punked by the Nuggets intimidating front line? Will the specter of a potential Cleveland/LA series cloud the last year memories of this Lakers team? How much have they learned from Boston beating them with a hood stick?
I seriously wanna pick the Nuggets. Chauncey Billups is showing the world how bad he is in professional and Dre like reticent fashion.
He ain’t no joke people. Ease back.
Don’t believe the hype of all these LeBron/Kobe commercials. The NBA does a great job of marketing itself but don’t be fooled. Do not be surprised if the Lakers lose here. LeBron and Kobe is NOT written. It may be implied, but the shoulder chips…Martin neck lips (yeah he’s that hood) and Laker recent focus slips all lead to…
Man forget the dumb stuff.
Until the Lakers prove they have what it takes, I can’t pick them. The Nuggets are rough and rugged and their point guard has a ring…without Shaq.
There just seems to be something missing so…
Denver in 7.
I stand by my words.
Sphere: Related Content
May 18th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Mizz:
Great write-up.
I’m working on this theory of the NBA. It’s really simple. It goes like this. The team with the most options to get primary offense from tall guys WHO CAN FINISH ABOVE THE RIM wins. Simply, the team with dudes shooting high percentage shots at or above the rim will tend to win. No rocket science — just basic physics.
Top 4 scorers for the Lakers:
Bryant — 6′6″
Pau Gasol — 7′0″
Andrew Bynum — 7′0″
Lamar Odom — 6′11″
Top 4 scorers for Denver:
Carmelo — 6′8″
Billups — 6′3″
JR Smith — 6′6″
Nene — 6′11″
I will be rooting for Denver. I don’t actually like the Lakers but I believe they will win. I suspect a 6 or 7 game series and I suspect that Denver will have a tough time scoring late in some of these games because of the height differentials. For the Nuggets to win, they have to play OVER the TOP of the Lakers. I hope they do it. I really like Denver’s bench — and I believe it will give them a huge plus on both sides of the ball.
If I’m Phil, I put Ariza on Chauncey. Odom on Carmelo — as much as possible. Carmelo is going to get his — but Odom is only Laker with the strength and size to make him work hard. Size, size, size. I put Kobe on JR. Fisher on Jones. Gasol on K. Mart and Bynum on Nene. The only size advantage to Denver will be in the Jones-Fisher matchup. That’s not enough.
I think Pau Gasol may be the key to the series. He is really the nightmare matchup for Denver. If he gets Nene or K-Mart in foul trouble early, it’s going to get ugly. Bird Man has as much shot against Pau as he did against Dirk.
One last thing — Isn’t all of the gambling money on the Nuggets now?
May 18th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Yes, the Lakers are too Hollywood, but there’s no way the Nuggets will even make this close to a series. Denver had some incredibly simple matchups in the first two rounds and sound “come back to earth” when they face a real team in the WCF.
May 18th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
I think Odom may only be 6′10″. Not sure.
May 18th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
How things change over a couple of weeks. The Nuggets were picked to lose in the first round to the Hornets by many people. Now, they are the toast of the Western Conference. Maybe it’s a part of the Disney strain, but folks are looking more at teams not winning like they think they should, and not the match ups themselves. Remember, the Celtics played 26 games to win the title last year, only 2 less than the maximum 28 possible.
Denver’s first two opponents in the playoffs were more flawed than L.A.’s. New Orleans had two ball handlers on the entire team. Dallas is a jump shooting team. Both teams are extremely soft.
Utah was definitely a better team than New Orleans. Maybe not record wise, but just better overall. Houston just beat the Lakers down with physical play. It didn’t help that the refs put the quick whistle on Bynum in a couple of games.
Denver’s playing more physical in the playoffs, and I’m impressed with their roster. They have two guys that are willing to take a shot at the end of the game in Anthony and Billups. They have the guy that probably should have won sixth man of they year in J.R. Smith. Nene has been playing well and Kenyon has been the intimidator. Jones plays good defense. Chris Andersen is energy off the bench and provides defense.
I’m still picking the Lakers. I just think the series against the Rockets was a very bad matchup for the Lakers. The Nuggets won’t be as bad a matchup for them. No hands to Kobe’s face in this series like Battier is prone to do, and refs are prone not to call. Chauncey Billups is fast, but Derek Fisher won’t be panting for breath like he was against Aaron Brooks. Nene won’t get the benefit of calls early in the games on Bynum like Yao. (I don’t believe that there are a billion Brazillians for the NBA to market to.)
May 18th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
kos-
LOL. Great stuff. A billion Brazilians!!
May 18th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Yeah that is good stuff Kos.
I think the Nuggets have simply become an elite team because of Billups. Nothing more. Not the coach, not Melo and even not the reemergence of Nene after defeating cancer is the difference. He’s given every single player on this roster the confidence in themselves because remember, this team was in constant search for an identity. Allen Iverson made this inferiority complex even more pronounced and then comes the hometown hero done June good. 7 straight Conference Finals? That’s ridiculous. Like mad even.
I know I didn’t have to spell it out for you (and I do agree on the Ariza/Billups potential match up), but if Fisher guards Billups it will be a post Brooks nightmare in the interior.
The Lakers are soft. Real soft. They are Stern’s answer to Kermit Washington in a post punch drunk pink socks and flip flops, basketball players shouldn’t break a nail league.
I think folks are picking the Nuggets because the Lakers got punked by the Celtics. That’s part of my critique of this team. Put them in bibs until they want to eat at the big people table.
I love Kobe, but he might be the only player on this team that won’t have his lunch money taken.
I just don’t see where the rest of this team has a ticker. Something in their will seems shooooook and barely getting past a depleted Rockets team might have exposed this man up deficiency. Could you imagine if Ron Artest didn’t have to play so much on the perimeter?
Kenyon Martin will be a nuisance. It all depends on how the refs blow their whistles in this series. If we see the Nuggets bigs pick up two fouls in the first six minutes and a constant exodus of Lakers to the charity stripe the rest of the games, simply go HMMMM.
The Nuggets before could be poked into frustration, but not any longer with Chauncey.
We just got another SportsCenter shout out for this preview. Appreciate the love.
May 18th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Mizzo -
It’s not just because of Billups. Somehow, George Karl had an epiphany and finally decided to let his team play defense. Last year, they had to outscore you to beat you. A couple of times this season, they won because they actually stopped the other team.
In the playoffs, they’ve ramped up their defense to another level, a must for any team wanting to win a championship. Granted, I don’t like everyone jumping on their bandwagon just because of how they’ve done so far, not with such flawed competition. It reminds me of how in the early season of college basketball, you’ll see middle of the road major conference teams at home beat a series of opponents consisting of HBCU’s, Division II schools, Mid-majors, and low level schools by 30+ points. You’ll hear praise early on, but come tourney time, when they face a team with comparable talent that played a tougher schedule, they lose.
May 18th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Kos…nah bruh…it’s because of heart. LA is in danger of becoming Dallas. That’s crazy to think about, but KG and crew showed me something covering the Finals up close.
When an athlete knows he can take your will, you’re done. Chauncey will not be faded.
Oh and Temple, I feel your theory. I’ve stated this all season…specifically mentioning Orlando’s length. Hedo is damn near a 7 footer and so is Rashard Lewis. Interesting.
May 18th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Mizz:
I actually think the theory goes against Orlando because for all their size, Hedo and Rashard shoot a lot of jumpers and are not notorious for finishing above the rim. Hedo will bang it on you if you’re not careful — but that’s once every full moon. That’s not Rashard’s game. If he and Rashard attacked the rim more, I’d like their chances more.
As it stands, I go back to what I said at the beginning of the playoffs. You have to like Cleveland’s chances because their big men CAN score — but seemingly only at home. They have home court advantage. It should be enough. If not, they have another answer. I take it back to Joe Smith. He’s the talented off-the-radar big on Cleveland’s roster with experience, SKILZ and the pedigree to perform well here. If I comes down to Joe scoring on the road in Orlando to steal Game 3 or 4, I like Cleveland’s chances. All they need from him would 15 points on 6-8 shooting and a few free throws. That’s enough to give LeBron a fighter’s chance.
May 18th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
I concur on how Hedo and Turk score. What I was attempting to say and maybe didn’t say it as well as I hoped, was that Hedo and Lewis can get a shot off against any defender because of their length and this advantage is most glaring in critical moments.
I don’t want to tip my hand before the preview. I’ll get to it after this interview I’m doing now.
May 18th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
Mizz, the Lakers have heart. The problem is, theirs aren’t always beating when they need to be. I’m expecting Lamar Odom to show more than he did in the Finals last year, or risk not being able to go back home next summer.
Rashard Lewis is too in love with his jump shot. Turkoglu, by being a European player, I can understand. Rashard needs to do more things than just shoot. If he could grab some rebounds to help out Howard, or play solid defense on LeBron for short spells, they could make Cleveland take a couple of L’s. Not sure if they could string together enough for 4 wins, though.
May 19th, 2009 at 12:54 am
I know they do. The quote from the TNT notes says it all. That’s exactly how I feel.
May 19th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Lakers in 6 games Mizzo, The Lakers will focus because Denver is on their level and they are going to need to because Anthony is coming out and becoming the pure, tough, scorer I thought he would have been for the Pistons if they made the right choice instead of selecting “that soft player” in 2004. I think Bynum and Gasol will play tough and not lose focuse because this ain’t Houston and they knew they would have game 7 at home. If they play hot and cold defense the same way in this series they will get swept in 4 games.
pray for me folks It looks like I am going on Dialysis again.
May 19th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Brothaman, whatever you need from us is yours. You are definitely in my prayers. God bless.
May 19th, 2009 at 11:58 am
You will definitely be in my prayers brotha Eric.
May 19th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Eric - prayers up for you man.
I like kos’ thoughts and I concur that the Lakers do have heart. They’re rope-a-doping it a bit I think. They’re so talented that they think that they can turn it on and off, and I agree with Mizzo that the emergence of the Nuggets as an elite team coincides with the acquisition of Chauncey. He has that je-ne-sais-quoi. He’s just a natural leader, and he’s been refined in the fires in the Eastern playoffs, so there is no questioning his creds. I got mad respect for him. I mean….those Detroit teams….I’m a Laker fan and honestly, the Lakers in ‘04 had the same sense of entitlement that this team shows waaaaay too much. That was the Magical Mystery Tour year when Karl GP, Shaq and Kobe were around and Devean was the Fifth Beatle and the media pre-ordained the team to win it all…….and they slept through the regular season and then got tripped up by a very determined, organized, Detroit team.
The Lakers’ play was maddening as a hoops fan. I can’t say I was glad for the Lakers to lose, but honestly, if a team doesn’t bring a good effort, and they lose, I tip my hat to the winner. This Laker team has more depth than those Lakers but I agree with Kos, and also with Mizzo’s point up top that LO didn’t have his best series against HOU. Also, if Andrew plays consistently, the Lakers should win in 6. All that said, and as a Laker fan, I hope my team steps up, but when Chauncey B-b-Billups is on the opposite bench, strange things can happen.
May 20th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Everybody ask me this question why has Joe Dumars hasn’t been fired first not drafting Carmelo Anthony in 2004 when they won the championship and had the no.2 pick and trading Chauncey Billups while helping Denver build their franchise not once but twice. I thought trading for Iverson was bad for team chemistry unless you were going to make him a 6th man al la Vinny “microwave” Johnson. “The Lake show” better win this year because if they don’t do it this year they never will again not with the Nuggets, Rockets, Hornets and Blazers on their heels and the Cavs, Celtics, Magic, Bulls and Hawks in the East.
KOBE, BETTER STEP UP BROTHA !!!
May 20th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
ED:
All the best of the health tip. Be well.
As for the Lakers, they’re fine. Denver lost this game at the free throw line. Also, Carmelo is just that dude. The rest of their shorter players had trouble with the Lakers length — even Chauncey. This series is going to be played above the rim. Tons of blocked shots last night. Best finishers are going to win the series. Denver needs another big man to step up on offense and support Carmelo’s production. Bynum barely played in the 2nd half and Denver couldn’t pull away and ice the game. Odom and Gasol’s length are going to only become more of a problem as the series continues. I still want Denver to win, but I see a bunch of close games — and probably a blow out or 2 in Denver games. Lakers by a whisker in 7.
May 20th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
ED:
I wish you all the best on your recovery. As T3 said, “Be well”.
Now, for the game last night…….
I agree with T3….the Nuggets lost the game at the FT line. I’ve never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever seen Chauncey miss 2 FTs in a row. But they also lost the game from a strategic standpoint. They’re up by 7 or 8 in the 4th with less than 5 minutes to play and they start jacking up threes? What was that all about? If i’m G.K., I have them slow the game down and go to Melo in the post. Or, run a high-low pick-and-roll with Chauncey and one of the forwards. Also, did anyone notice how far back the Lakers’ big men were playing off the Nuggets big men?
I think that the time off may have affected the shooting of Denver’s bigs in addition to the Lakers length. They were missing shots last night they were making in the series against the Mavs. They have mature real fast if they want to take that step to the next level. They have to learn how to finish teams off when they have them on the ropes.
I think that Denver is a bad match-up for the Lakers because they have scoring options at each position. This one can and might go 7 games but i’m not sold on the Lakers winning this one….not yet at least.
T3,
Kobe picked up another technical foul last night. If i’m not mistaken, I think that’s his 5th in the post-season. If my calculations are correct, what are the odds of him picking up 2 more and getting suspended for 1 game?
May 20th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Mizzo - Shhhh . . . don’t tell Kobe what I put in those pies. –C
May 20th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
Eric Daniels,
Stay strong, brother.
May 26th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
[...] and still, this is all about the shoulder chips. The Nuggets are playing with more cohesion. They are intimidating the Lakers in almost every which [...]