Say what you will, they are the defending champs. And they do have the best player on the planet...and quite possibly the second best as well. With an impressive collection of complimentary pieces as well. This team is well conceived, well coached and well put together. Lebron and AD are being monitored the same way as Conley and Mitchell but I expect them both to be close to 100% for the playoffs. I expect Shroder back from Covid protocols but I actually think Kuzma and Caruso are a bit of an x factor for them. But the fact remains that nobody outside of Brooklyn creates more match-up problems and Brooklyn doesn't have the same proven experience and chemistry. Plus the fact that the Lakers are built for the playoffs where they can exploit match-ups in half court sets and get star treatment at the foul line.
To play the Jazz, as an eight seed, the Lakers would need to expose themselves to a one game playoff (after losing to the Warriors.) Get an in game injury? They are done. Morant goes off? They are going home and ridiculed forever. None of that is preferable to matching up with the Clippers after a full week of rest. They are going to face the Clips next round anyway, if they get the 7 seed. They aren't going to get healthier
I mean if the Lakers are in a one game elimination game you think the league let’s them lose?
No offense but you did fail to include Kevin Durant in the Warriors dynasty equation. Yeah and that guy Klay isn't bad either. They're truly a shadow of their former self. Yes they did beat us on Monday, but Ingles and Niang are better suited as back ups. When healthy, the Warriors really create no glaring mismatches for us. They play the same style. Curry can shoot the rock, no doubt but the announcers Monday were commenting on the defensive problems that O'Neale creates for him. He can become a volume shooter and look pretty awful sometimes.
Ultimately, there is much more opportunity for refereeing to affect a series than a single game. If the league bulldozed a Memphis that hard, there would be repercussions. You just never want to be in a winner takes all game in the NBA if you are the favorite. That's part of the reason they extended the first round to 7 games, is to ensure that the better team won.
I disagree. In one game an early key foul on an opposing teams player goes a long way... if you do that in 3 or 4 games out of 7 it looks even more sketchy. Do it in one game and its a missed call or just them calling it tight tonight. Way easier to screw a team in one game than a whole series. No one will care... they have done it before with higher stakes. It is easy to do in basketball because the rules on contact are so open to interpretation. They could call moving screens and fouls on drives almost every possession if they wanted to.
I agree that the Bevetta thing sucked, but the bigger difference maker was allowing Scotty Pippen to play Zone throughout the entire series. People remember the Bevetta screw job and the Game 6 Lakers-Kings. Nobody remembers that the NBA allowed Scotty Pippen to stay in illegal defense throughout the entire series, which had a bigger overall effect. I remember the announcers saying "Well, you can't call that every play! That's just smart basketball!" The Jazz offense was predicated on the other team being forced to follow the rules. Which is why we scored like 50 in one of the games.
Well, yes, but that’s like taking your whole 401k out and putting it on red. It would be awesome if it’s red! Not so awesome if it’s not...
