No National Media Love / Experts Picking LA

[JAM]

Since Doc has been showing the team Ali footage it is time for Doc to show them the Ali/Liston Fight: "I shocked the world!  I shocked the world!"

[RMO]

I believe the "experts" made the same predictions in the 2004 finals.

And they would have been right if the NBA had not blatantly fixed the series in favor of the Pistons through the use of corrupt officials.

4 Jump Ball Violations to open the first 4 games of the NBA Finals?  Please.

Lakers shooting less FTs with Shaq and Kobe than a jump shooting team every game?  Please.

There is a reason the Pistons haven't won another title since.  They haven't had a Finals series rigged for them since, with players calling their own fouls or any average college/high school refs, the Lakers would have won that series in 4 or 5 games and anyone who watched it knows that to be fact.

The opening jump ball?  That's a pretty pivotal part of the game.  Those refs should be fired for messing up such a crucial moment.

[LoyalLaker]

Hey the lakers can be favored so what..i think we match up really well against the Lakers...i also thought we matched up well against the pistons..

The 2 worst match ups were the Hawks and Cavs..Due to the Hawks athleticsm and the Cavs size inside..

Lets take a look

Kobe/ Pierce edge lakerrs but not by a huge margin

Odom/KG edge KG offensively and defensively

Gasol/ Perk Offensively Gasol wins..but Defensively and on the boards perk can dominate a soft player

fischer/ Rondo..Fisher is a vet.. But Rondo can beat him off the dribble and D him up..

Allen ? / Walton/Pavlovich If Ray has any legs left we win this match up

benches Posey, House, Cassel,Leon , Davis, PJ

Walton, Pavlovich, Turiaf, Farmar  wash to edge Celtics

Try: Vujacic and Radmanovic.

[sk7326]

And they would have been right if the NBA had not blatantly fixed the series in favor of the Pistons through the use of corrupt officials.

4 Jump Ball Violations to open the first 4 games of the NBA Finals?  Please.

Lakers shooting less FTs with Shaq and Kobe than a jump shooting team every game?  Please.

There is a reason the Pistons haven't won another title since.  They haven't had a Finals series rigged for them since, with players calling their own fouls or any average college/high school refs, the Lakers would have won that series in 4 or 5 games and anyone who watched it knows that to be fact.
[/quote]

I think Chauncey Billups vs Gary Payton's corpse had more to do with it.  That, and Ben Wallace being able to defend Shaq without help.  And besides, Sam Cassell is not hurt, we may very well not have this discussion anyway (and probably no KG either, so hey lucky us).

[vinnie]

I think the Lakers should be the favorites.  They won their 3 rounds against, in my opinion, better competition in 15 games, while the Celtics took 20.  Kobe is by far the best player in the league and best playres who get to the finals often win.  They are playing extremely well right now -- both the starters and the bench.  I was surprised that not one ESPN expert picked the Celtics, but not shocked.

[CoachCowens]

I believe the "experts" made the same predictions in the 2004 finals.

And they would have been right if the NBA had not blatantly fixed the series in favor of the Pistons through the use of corrupt officials.

4 Jump Ball Violations to open the first 4 games of the NBA Finals?  Please.

Lakers shooting less FTs with Shaq and Kobe than a jump shooting team every game?  Please.

There is a reason the Pistons haven't won another title since.  They haven't had a Finals series rigged for them since, with players calling their own fouls or any average college/high school refs, the Lakers would have won that series in 4 or 5 games and anyone who watched it knows that to be fact.

The opening jump ball?  That's a pretty pivotal part of the game.  Those refs should be fired for messing up such a crucial moment.

The Celtics just played 3 teams in a row that got more calls than them.
And aren't we talking about playing David Stern's Lakers. I'm sure he has corrected any officiating problems that might have happened once upon a time in La La land.

I guarantee the Lakers go to the line more than than the Celtics.

[tanner]

National media picking LA?   What a surprise.       I'm surprised they held back a bit and didn't predict a sweep for their darling Kobe.

[coco]

I know what every expert is basing their opinion on and with all due respect they are wrong.  We are Cs fans and watch the Cs a heck of a lot more than the national guys. We know what this team can do when Rondo/Perk/Ray are at the top of their game and our defense is clicking.

I'll say this; Perhaps the Lakers have had a better playoff run but here is the thing - Cleveland and Detroit play a heck of a lot better defense than anything the Lakers have seen so far - and we play better defense than both.  So, who is stopping Kobe? well, perhaps the experts should ask, who is stopping the Cs?

[dark_lord]

personally, i prefer being the underdog.  we were the underdog against det, and we did better than when we were favorites against atl and cle. 

[fan33]

Oh Noooes, we are gonna loose, turn back, we'll never make it because the National media experts have very good intellegence that says the Lakers in a cakewalk

C'mon UNDERDOGS, lead your hoards from the East and lay waste to *cough* self proclaimed braintrusts

Give 'em a second think and a headach

I'm already defending our honor on my other hobby boards who have all but handed the Fakers their rings...

That's cool, I tell 'em, its true the Lakers are the best ever, the best Lakers team Kobe has ever played on and Kobe is the next Air Jordan... And may the better defensive team win

[hpantazo]

the national media also said at the the start of the season that our bench was terrible, and rondo and perk were not true starters, and we would never make it this far, so I'm glad they are keeping it up right until the very end. It's amazing how we can add KG, Ray Allen, Posey, House, Cassell, PJ Brown, and Big Baby and the media says we will have trouble in the playoffs, yet the lakers, who were not very good last year either, add Gasol and suddenly they are the sure bet to win the title. Ray has been waiting for this chance to take on kobe for the title, these two guys hate each other. And the lakers have yet to face tough physical D, they will not be able to handle it. They haven't shown much D themselves. Defense wins championships!

[GLS]

Meh, much ado about nothing.  Who really cares what the national media thinks?  I was unaware that this was necessary in determining the outcome of the series.  As stated earlier, they have been wrong all year long, so no sense in wondering about it now.

I'd be more concerned if suddenly it was a love fest for the C's.

[tenn_smoothie]

fine with me. this team will play better as underdogs.

remember 1984 - this series reminds me of that season somewhat. these Celtics need to win this title the same way the '84 team did - tough physical play, pound the glass and force their will on the Lakers.

trouble is, in 1984 we had Larry Bird to lead the team thru that 4th game crucible that transformed the series. does Paul Pierce have that inside himself ?

[sk7326]

The pick of the Lakers is flawed in another way ... the 2-3-2 format.

In a 2-3-2, the lower seeded team almost always has to win twice in the other guy's house.  It is very very rare that the home team sweeps games 3-5.  Obviously the Celtics should not be thinking they have a game to spare ... but history says they do. 

[hpantazo]

The pick of the Lakers is flawed in another way ... the 2-3-2 format.

In a 2-3-2, the lower seeded team almost always has to win twice in the other guy's house.  It is very very rare that the home team sweeps games 3-5.  Obviously the Celtics should not be thinking they have a game to spare ... but history says they do. 

Good point, even though the Lakers are undefeated at home in the playoffs, I don't see the celtics dropping all three in LA.