Polladaday: Lakers’ Playoff Run?

LakeShow, did you vote 10 times? XD

Ahahhahahahhahaha. Nope. Just once for the Champs bubby!

I voted for a 2nd round exit…I don’t see the Lakers getting past the Thunder in the 2nd round, even if the Mavs push them 7 in the first round and the Lakers are chilling waiting on them after sweeping the Denver Nuggets.

Come to think of it, if the Lakers sweep the Nuggets, they’ll still be without Artest for the first 2 games of the second round, because Artest will have only served 5 games of his suspension in that scenario. The Lakers might be better off if they don’t sweep the Nuggets, and the series goes 6 games, because then Artest will be back in time for the 2nd round. If I’m a Lakers fan, I’d not be upset if the Nuggets manage to squeak out a couple victories.

What would need to happen for the Lakers to get past the Thunder? Maybe the Lakers can contain the Thunder in half-court if the bigs provide the kind of help D that Bynum showed in game 1 against Denver, but Durant will still be a problem and the transition defense against the Thunder is difficult. Jordan Hill could prove useful for transition defense for stretches of the game. If Kobe almost matches Durant’s production, LA’s bench steps up to be halfway decent, and Mike Brown finds a way to check RWs penetration, it will all be down to how badly can Gasol / Bynum destroy Ibaka / Perkins (if at all). A lot has to work at the same time for LA to win the series, it should be no cakewalk for the Thunder if LA play right.

If Kobe keeps RW in check (giving him the jumpers, though not too open, for about 6 of 20) and has enough energy to shoot to the tune of 12/26 and 6-8 FT for 30 – 35 points with Thabo Sefolosha and Harden in front, that would be not bad at all for an old man I think this is the kind of numbers that would have to happen in that particular match-up for the Lakers to stand a chance. If RW shoots high % anyway, or if Kobe is too tired to keep it up and shoots inefficiently (7 – 8 of 26, things like that), then the Lakers don’t stand a chance IMO.

I give Lakers a 40% chance making it past OKC, a 60% chance past Dallas, and a 10% chance past San Antonio.

Did people really vote them the champs? Silly idiots.

Idiots in basketball matters suits them just fine.