Jazz & Lakers rivalry is back! Who ends up on top?

[fishonjazz]

I think Magic just said “LeBron look, this season were just gonna party our butts off. Hookers and blow everywhere. Then in 2019 free agency we land two other alpha dogs and bring you 3 more titles.”

This is my thinking as well. Lebron gonna train the young guys, take it easy this year, and then go for another title next year after picking up a blue chip or two. I figure they will keep his minutes reasonable this year and save his body for the future runs at titles.

 

[Rgiss]

I don't see how so many people are still sleeping on SA. This happens every year.

They won 47 without Kawhi. They added Derozan, Poeltl, Belinelli, Cunningham, and Walker to that group. They are going to have improved three point shooting and they are still going to be good on defense because it's still a coach Pop team. And Derozan and Aldridge will provide the necessary offensive production. They're going to be improved from last year. I hate the Spurs with a passion and I would gladly watch their demise, but I don't see it happening next year.

To counter, they won 47 games with near perfect health - minus kawhi, who's gone. They aren't gonna be as healthy. Their best players were Gay, Aldrige, Pau, Anderson, and Manu. Manu retired, Anderson left, Pau is like 40, he'll surely get worse, and Gay and Aldrige are like 33, they'll probably get worse too. On top of that, they lost TP and Green? Derozan has never made his teams better, and I'm not sure Poeltl will help much. Plus rookies like Lonnie are almost always pretty big negatives when they're on the court.

 

[Rgiss]

Lakers only won 35 games part year. Lebron is great, but taking a 35-47 to a 47-35 team in the Western Conference which not only is stacked but where nearly all the teams above the Lakers got measurably better, will prove too much for him.

This is selling the task shortly, too. Lakers best players, who helped a ton in winning 35 last year, were ironically Randle, Lopez, Thomas, Nance, and Clarkson. If this team didn't have Lebron now, with the additions of Lance, Rondo, Beasley, and McGee, I would have them winning 25-30 games. And now Lebron has to carry them to 45-50 wins?

Remember that the Cavs last year were barely a .500 team (43-39) by point differential, which is more telling than the actual record - and that was in the East, where they got a freebie every other game. Now he's in an even better west than last year, with what I'd argue is an even worse roster.

 

[addictionary]

This is selling the task shortly, too. Lakers best players, who helped a ton in winning 35 last year, were ironically Randle, Lopez, Thomas, Nance, and Clarkson. If this team didn't have Lebron now, with the additions of Lance, Rondo, Beasley, and McGee, I would have them winning 25-30 games. And now Lebron has to carry them to 45-50 wins?

Remember that the Cavs last year were barely a .500 team (43-39) by point differential, which is more telling than the actual record - and that was in the East, where they got a freebie every other game. Now he's in an even better west than last year, with what I'd argue is an even worse roster.

Cavs did not push anything during most of the regular season too tho. Whether if it was confidence or lossnof team chemistry, this will not necessarily mean the same thing will apply to Lakers this season.

 

[jazzfan1971]

We should be better, but I certainly wouldn't wish to face off vs. Lebron in the playoffs. He's got another gear that we don't have. (well, maybe Mitchell gets that gear, but, then we have a MVP level player)

 

[LifeOnaPlate]

Honestly if the re was a team that probably shouldn't have chased Lebron it was the Lakers.

5 years from now they will have to rebuild again and they won't have much to show for it.

If they manage to lure, say, AD and Kawhi, or Kawhi and Klay, they'll get at least one chip during that time. I'd trade a championship for another decade of rebuilding, without question.

 

[JimLes]

If they manage to lure, say, AD and Kawhi, or Kawhi and Klay

I don't know why people just assume that the Lakers can magically get whatever free agents they want.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

I don't know why people just assume that the Lakers can magically get whatever free agents they want.

They were supposed to have Russell Westbrook and Paul George by now.

 

[yamers]

I think the lakers will do well just b/c of Lebron James. He alone will carry them into the playoffs. I think the lakers fans are under-estimating the impact brook lopez had on their team as well as a Julius Randle, both are now GONE to other teams. They Laker's FO replaced them by none other than tragic bronson himself.

I guess i was close to being right....but bron couldnt carry them to ****....

 

[Kyoto]

I guess i was close to being right....but bron couldnt carry them to ****....

I never thought that adding LeBron, rondo, and McGee was the formula to take a young Lakers team to the top. I thought they MIGHT get 7th or 8th seed, but yeah, LeBron is great, but he's also 35

 

[LoPo]

Yeah if LeBron doesn't have the longest injury of his career, this is probably a different story. Overall, AD's selfish trade demand pretty much wrecked the seasons for two teams which should be playoff bound.

Sent from my VS995 using JazzFanz mobile app

 

[Nate505]

My bold prediction: Jazz win 54 and Lakers miss the playoffs.

Great prediction. They probably won't hit 54 but they should hit 50.