[Ratzz]

they are just too old...*k0bie is a terrible shot now..
i tuned into the Olympics vs. Australia.. and the announcer is complaining
that k0bie was 4-21 in his last 25.... then he gets hot (5 or 6 three-pointers)..
*but that is still like 9-27.... (.330% FG) !?!?

that is just not going to cut against white-hot talent and speed like the Thunder...
AND he's not going to be rested at all, because of all the practices/games and events.. etc...*

Nash (i love him) but there is no way he can keep up with a Westbrook (15 yrs younger)
after playing 90+ games and meeting in the playoffs... he's closer to 40 than Westbrook is to 20! *

it ALL adds up... on paper these names are HUGE, but really,
you need to get guys before they win MVP Trophies, not half a decade or so after they did.

Howard will leave LA, and seek free agency, end up in Brooklyn where he always wanted to be,..
and all of this be for naught.

they may be 'better'.. but not the 'best'. Thunder or Heat next year. Nobody else need apply.

[jsmithj88]

doubt howard is going to brooklynn anymore, im pretty sure they are capped out
howard could still leave, thats a definite possibility

[onlooker]

doubt howard is going to brooklynn anymore, im pretty sure they are capped out
howard could still leave, thats a definite possibility

Mavericks will get another shot at him.

[BigDofBA]

Bynum was good. Howard is a little better. The Lakers are a little better but I don't see how this makes them the team to beat.

The Lakers still have no depth. Nash can't guard Westbrook. The Lakers have no bench and no answer for Harden and Maynor off the bench.

While the Lakers three star players are past their prime, OKC's three stars haven't even hit their prime and are getting better every year. The evidence is in the fact that OKC has gone deeper into the playoffs the last three season.

Ibaka and Perkins can bang with Howard and Gasol. OKC is still younger and deeper.

[onlooker]

Bynum was good. Howard is a little better. The Lakers are a little better but I don't see how this makes them the team to beat.

The Lakers still have no depth. Nash can't guard Westbrook. The Lakers have no bench and no answer for Harden and Maynor off the bench.

While the Lakers three star players are past their prime, OKC's three stars haven't even hit their prime and are getting better every year. The evidence is in the fact that OKC has gone deeper into the playoffs the last three season.

Ibaka and Perkins can bang with Howard and Gasol. OKC is still younger and deeper.

I'm interested to see if the Thunder keep progressing. For three years they have been climbing and have failed. We will see how that fire burns after losing the in Finals.

Do they keep climbing, or hit a ceiling and start regressing?

I'm a Durant fan, and I hope they own the West for quite sometime, but they have to hit a wall sometime. Right?

The West is going to be interesting.

[BigDofBA]

I'm interested to see if the Thunder keep progressing. For three years they have been climbing and have failed. We will see how that fire burns after losing the in Finals.

Do they keep climbing, or hit a ceiling and start regressing?

I'm a Durant fan, and I hope they own the West for quite sometime, but they have to hit a wall sometime. Right?

The West is going to be interesting.

I don't see how they have failed really. They have consistently gotten further then I have predicted them to. The team is way ahead of schedule.

They have already won the West and non of their top 4 players are over 24. You can literally see this team get better every year.

That doesn't mean they're a lock to win the West. I just think they should still be a slight favorite. San Antonio really good too. It's hard to win the West.

[onlooker]

I don't see how they have failed really. They have consistently gotten further then I have predicted them to. The team is way ahead of schedule.

They have already won the West and non of their top 4 players are over 24. You can literally see this team get better every year.

That doesn't mean they're a lock to win the West. I just think they should still be a slight favorite. San Antonio really good too. It's hard to win the West.

Anything less then a NBA Championship is failing to the players.

[BigDofBA]

Anything less then a NBA Championship is failing to the players.

This year it is. Not the last two.

The Spurs were the favorites to win the West. I kind of get the feeling that the Finals was too big of a stage for this young Thunder team. They did a lot of things they didn't do all year.

I think last year's run and the Olympics will help them a lot. We will see.

[darko3131]

Nah...Lakers win the title this year with no injuries. Sure they are old but Boston was as well and won a title. Experience is huge in the Playoffs.

[BigDofBA]

Nah...Lakers win the title this year with no injuries.Experience is huge in the Playoffs.

Then why couldn't Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, and Artest beat the young Thunder?

[riffraff24]

Bynum is a bum. He gives up, whines, feels entitled. Does he not know Pau, Kobe and Fish won him those rings?

[Speedy88]

Howard is a top 5 player when he is motivated. Not even sure if Bynum is a top 20 player.

[pepero428]

KGB broken up now its



kobe gasol howard and nash now

jamison hill think mwp is still on team

[jsmithj88]

Bynum was good. Howard is a little better. The Lakers are a little better but I don't see how this makes them the team to beat.

The Lakers still have no depth. Nash can't guard Westbrook. The Lakers have no bench and no answer for Harden and Maynor off the bench.

While the Lakers three star players are past their prime, OKC's three stars haven't even hit their prime and are getting better every year. The evidence is in the fact that OKC has gone deeper into the playoffs the last three season.

Ibaka and Perkins can bang with Howard and Gasol. OKC is still younger and deeper.

i think ultimately it will come down to how this team will be playing together
u have 4 players that want/need the ball
it will be very interesting how they run their offense
howard, gasol, MWP shud pretty good on defense

[R.P. McMurphy]

Funny how sad the NBA has become over the years when D. Howard is considered the best big man in the game lmao!!!! I guess by todays standards he is great but it's just another sad attempt to build a pile on team and buy a title. Gl Laker fans I remember the glory days and was a huge fan till sadly Magic retired. And "Wannabe like Mike".... Kobe Bryant is just the poor mans version of the real thing!

[Speedy88]

Why do I feel like this is one of those threads that will get bumped a year from now and everyone will laugh at the OP.....

[R.P. McMurphy]

Speedy you may be correct on that. However it does not change the fact we are in a sad era of sports where the rich teams just try and stockpile to "buy" a trophy without having any heart or character at all. And once again... anybody who thinks D Howard is a top 5 talent and has any heart lmao!!!!

[Ratzz]

Bynum was good. Howard is a little better. The Lakers are a little better but I don't see how this makes them the team to beat.

The Lakers still have no depth. Nash can't guard Westbrook. The Lakers have no bench and no answer for Harden and Maynor off the bench.

While the Lakers three star players are past their prime, OKC's three stars haven't even hit their prime and are getting better every year. The evidence is in the fact that OKC has gone deeper into the playoffs the last three season.

Ibaka and Perkins can bang with Howard and Gasol. OKC is still younger and deeper.

This year it is. Not the last two.

The Spurs were the favorites to win the West. I kind of get the feeling that the Finals was too big of a stage for this young Thunder team. They did a lot of things they didn't do all year.

I think last year's run and the Olympics will help them a lot. We will see.

Then why couldn't Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, and Artest beat the young Thunder?

Thunder will be twice as much improved next year than they were last year.. and the year after that better, and then the year after that.. etc.. they will be a nightmare for the rest of the league, i expect them to win it all this year, if not them Miami repeats.
They handled LA so easily, it was hilarious.

Kobe will ALWAYS hit the flashiest shot, because that is his goal. But there are no extra points for that, it will always be a 2-3 pt FG, after that Golden Shot he goes cold.. shoots 30% (even less sometimes).
His shooting this year will be under 40%. The player that shoots the most cannot shoot under that mark and have expectations to win.*

Kobe and Nash ages combine to 72 yrs. of age...*

Westbrook and Durant combine to 45 yrs. of age.

If experience was so large a factor, why then did the Thunder dispatch the Lakers in only 5 games!?
Did the 'experienced' Lakers not know it is a good idea to hold a 13 pt. lead (going into 4th) ? (Game 4)

[upscope]

Love how everybody says yr after yr how this team is old & cant win & this team is young & cant be guarded yet yr after yr the experienced veteran old team hangs the banner & the young teams that cant be guarded are left crying.
Name me the last young team that couldn't be guarded that actually won the championship??

'12-Miami loaded w/ veterans
'11-Dallas loaded w/ old guys
'10-Lakers loaded w/ veterans
'09-Lakers loaded w/ veterans
'08-Celtics loaded w/ old guys
All the Spurs teams loaded w/ veterans

Veterans & old guys win championships. Young guys that can't be guarded wait their turn until they become veterans & old guys, then they win championships. FIGURE IT OUT PEOPLE!!

[Ratzz]

Love how everybody says yr after yr how this team is old & cant win & this team is young & cant be guarded yet yr after yr the experienced veteran old team hangs the banner & the young teams that cant be guarded are left crying.
Name me the last young team that couldn't be guarded that actually won the championship??

'12-Miami loaded w/ veterans
'11-Dallas loaded w/ old guys
'10-Lakers loaded w/ veterans
'09-Lakers loaded w/ veterans
'08-Celtics loaded w/ old guys
All the Spurs teams loaded w/ veterans

Veterans & old guys win championships. Young guys that can't be guarded wait their turn until they become veterans & old guys, then they win championships. FIGURE IT OUT PEOPLE!!

if this indeed were true.. then last year,

A) the Lakers would have beaten the THUNDER,
B) and the Celtics would have beaten the HEAT...

guess you proved my point...*thanks!

[Ratzz]

The Thunder are both young... and veteran at this point.*
Lakers just really veteran..*

waaay too veteran, really...

'coachy' veteran almost..

[upscope]

if this indeed were true.. then last year,

A) the Lakers would have beaten the THUNDER,
B) and the Celtics would have beaten the HEAT...

guess you proved my point...*thanks!

Read closely.....CHAMPIONSHIP.

The veteran team wins the championship every yr. Not the team that has they youth that can't be guarded. When is the last time the team w/ the youth that can't be guarded actually won the championship??

[Ghenghis Kahn]

let me ask you this, do the lakers have a better chance of winning the title with howard or with bynum?

exactly... bynum is a loser, he has no heart and something is wrong with this guys mentality. he's is a 10yo in a man's body.

[adila1401]

Dude, not sure if u have seen Nash play..Nash +Howard+Pae pick n roll will be sick..I agree though, I'm not sure about Kobe, he is too old and wants the ball always even though I think a pick n roll play with Nash and Pau would probably be higher percentage due to Pau's free throw %..but We 'll see..I still don't see them beating the Heat..

[Ratzz]

Read closely.....CHAMPIONSHIP.

The veteran team wins the championship every yr. Not the team that has they youth that can't be guarded. When is the last time the team w/ the youth that can't be guarded actually won the championship??

listen.. scope'..

all we need to do is look at your avatar, and we understand where your brain is..
it is on high reward experiences.. you are a Laker fan, and a desperately wishing for another 'high-reward' experience of a Championship, which sadly is never coming.. it's cool though, it's part of being a fan, but..

...Durant is better/faster/longer/younger than k0bie..
...and Westbrook is faster/better/younger than Nash..

i am not talking about k0bie "prime".. i am talking k0bie now..
nor am i speaking "2xMVP" Nash.. but Nash*now.. today.. ..*after a long hard season ..90+ games.. (the Playoffs)

those dues are old, spent, *there simply is no way.these are not memories or Fantasy/If games.. their bodies have to go out and do it. Even if mentally they are better, their bodies cannot execute the task. You cannot beat time..

The Expendables would not beat The Avengers in a fight

[pepero428]

Thunder will be twice as much improved next year than they were last year.. and the year after that better, and then the year after that.. etc.. they will be a nightmare for the rest of the league, i expect them to win it all this year, if not them Miami repeats.
They handled LA so easily, it was hilarious.

Kobe will ALWAYS hit the flashiest shot, because that is his goal. But there are no extra points for that, it will always be a 2-3 pt FG, after that Golden Shot he goes cold.. shoots 30% (even less sometimes).
His shooting this year will be under 40%. The player that shoots the most cannot shoot under that mark and have expectations to win.*

Kobe and Nash ages combine to 72 yrs. of age...*

Westbrook and Durant combine to 45 yrs. of age.

If experience was so large a factor, why then did the Thunder dispatch the Lakers in only 5 games!?
Did the 'experienced' Lakers not know it is a good idea to hold a 13 pt. lead (going into 4th) ? (Game 4)

you expect him to shoot worse than his rookie year? What are you predicting this shooting % off of, kobe's olympic shooting percentage?

[PS3]

Bookmarked.

[upscope]

I see u continue to dodge the point @ hand Rattz?? The reason is simple you can't answer because you don't have the answer. The youthful team that can't be guarded doesn't win championships. The veteran team that is loaded does. The youthful team may advance a few rounds over teams that weren't legitimate condenders but once the big stage hits the experienced veteran teams win everytime.

Again, not considering ones choice of avatars could u please kindly show me where the youthful unguardable team beat the experienced veteran team for the title?? Oh, u can't?? We'll then tell me again how the youngest team wins before the games are played simply because they are younger.....

[Goat Milk]

anyone that says "Nash can't guard Westbrook" I"m not gonna read your post and you don't understand the game.

Bryant will guard westbrook for 50% of possessions during a 7 game series.

Jesus, understand the game or don't fukkin post in this section

fukkin clowns

[Wojo]

Hey Goat,
How much did Kobe guard Westbrook in the playoffs this year?
TIA

[ColdBeerHere]

I see u continue to dodge the point @ hand Rattz?? The reason is simple you can't answer because you don't have the answer. The youthful team that can't be guarded doesn't win championships. The veteran team that is loaded does. The youthful team may advance a few rounds over teams that weren't legitimate condenders but once the big stage hits the experienced veteran teams win everytime.

Again, not considering ones choice of avatars could u please kindly show me where the youthful unguardable team beat the experienced veteran team for the title?? Oh, u can't?? We'll then tell me again how the youngest team wins before the games are played simply because they are younger.....

nice

[kobefanatic]

lakers have a better bench this year with jamison,meeks,hill