Shaq might not Ressurect the Lakers?

[Diesel]

Everybody figures that once Shaq gets back the Lakers go back to winning. However, I have to raise this thought. What if the League has gone past the days of 2 man teams? I know the Lakers are ShaqKobe and a bunchof role players, however, look at the best of the League:

Dallas, Sactown, Boston, and Indy... These are teams that have deep benches and versatility. PLUS, they can shoot. What that means is that these are teams that can attack you from multiple directions. Even the Hawks have this going for us. We have the triplets in JT, GRob, and SAR... however we also have Ratt, Glover, and Hendu that can put up points.

As dominant as Shaq may be, he might not be dominant enough to overcome these Super deep teams who can always find a way to score.

Then there's Kobe. The whispers of Kobe can't do it are probably going throughout the forum as we speak. I mean, Kobe cannot even lead the Lakers over lowly Cleveland without Shaq. I suppose that once Shaq comes back, Kobe will still try to be "Da Man". I mean, when Pippen was hurt, Jordan could still carry the Bulls and if you go to Washington, Jordan just might carry the Wiz too?

It's something to watch. I know I will hear from the Laker bandwagon... Even those who forgot you got on it... However, Like I told you that the Lakers wouldn't win more than 2 of it's first 10... I must tell you that it's hard seeing the Lakers being better than a 4 seed in the West THIS YR.

[chillzatl]

It's only been a few months since shaq was dominating the finals. Have you already forgotten how good the guy is? I know you are a hater, but don't act slow. He doesn't just score, he doesn't just rebound, he doesn't just play defense. He makes everyone on that team better by just walking on the floor.

I don't know if they'll win another ring this year. But if shaq comes back within the next 4-5 games, They will be among the top 5 teams in the league by or before the all-star break. Shaq IS that good.

Don't forget that Dallas and Sacramento were both "Super deep teams that always find a way to score" and BOTH of those teams got eliminated last season.

[Boondocks]

Very true, the moment Shaq is on the floor the entire defense is focused on him.

Horry, Fisher and Fox all are getting extra time and space to make their shots when he is on the floor.

[Traceman]

The talent that they go out and acquire is always meant to compliment Shaq in some way. Primarily, they get shooters who can hit the open J when Shaq gets double (and triple) teamed. That is why they are so bad now. Kobe is the only guy they have who can create his own shot. With Shaq out of the lineup, the wideopen jumpers no longer exist. Fisher, Fox and Horry are good shooters when open but they aren't geting open looks because there is no Shaq to worry about. Samaki Walker is an average post player at best and he definitely doesn't demand a double team when he catches the ball on the block. Because the team is built around Shaq, they look horrible when he's out. It would be like Minnesota without KG or San Antonio without Duncan. Kobe is a great player but he's a guard and their weakness is in the low post. He can only do so much with the players he has around him. Honestly, I'm surprised they have won 3 games with the players they are putting on the floor every night.

[Gray Mule]

But, and here is the kicker, even if they are the 4th seed

in the west, they still make the playoffs.

If they are 4th. and have a healthy team at that point,

they will again be the team to beat.

In last night's game, the Hawks made Lenny's team look

bad {And they were bad} because there were so many

out {They only had 9 players available} and they couldn't

be too aggressive or they would face the possibility of

fouling out.

Shaq does not foul {???} and because he is so much

bigger, stronger and has a team built around his talents

and skills, the Lakers are almost impossible to beat when

they are really hitting on all cylinders.

Without Shaq, they are just another good team, a little

lost without their leader. Hawk fans know how it feels

to have players out on I.R. from our last 2 seasons.

Lenny knows, after watching last night's game, what it

feels like to be short handed.

Shaq IS the main reason for the Laker's success.

If the rest of the team is healthy when he returns, many

victories will follow. How long will it take them to

make up the lost ground? Depends on Shaq's health.

Right now, if Shaq could sit on the bench for three

quarters and play all the 4th. those close games would

go the other way. He's that much of what that team is.

Get 4th seed in the west, get Shaq and everyone else

healthy and still win it all -- Health is everything.

Having a full I.R. roster is what loosing is all about.

Ask Lennie W. He knows.

[cyman3]

shoot... what the heck, if the lakers were 8th seed... they would BEAT SACTOWN/MAVS and win the WESTERN CONFERENCE TITLE....

lakers record doesnt matter rite now... sure a win is good, but it means NOTHING until the whole team is together...

[Diesel]

How easy is it to dominate Jared Collins and Todd McCollough in the finals? How easy is it to win when the refs will allow you to drop the big shoulder on all opposing Cs. History will not look on the Lakers that favorably. Are they that good or did they play in a time when there was creampuffs. I won't mention the luck of always having the refs to bail you out... Hello Portland and Sacramento.

The question is what's going to happen now that Teams are DEEP and getting their acts together. The Lakers couldn't beat a Healthy Sacramento team last yr. I don't think they will be so lucky (unless the refs are still on the take) this yr.

[Diesel]

What I'm saying is that there seems to be teams coming along with so much depth and a different philosophy on defense.

Somebody said that the Lakers would beat Sacramento and the mavs if they were an 8th seed. That is wishful thinking. Dallas has two could be allstars injured right now and they are walking through everyone. They have GREAT depth and the defensive philosophy has changed. What that means is that they won't be as concerned with doubling Shaq. They play their one two one Zone and Let Shaq do his thing. However, their plan is to simply keep the tempo high, use their depth to outscore and tire the Lakers. The old school Philosophy of Phil hates to see a deep team that can run. That's who they normally have the most trouble with.

Portland in yr one.

Sactown Last yr.

In both cases, they were able to make Kobe a non factor because they were able to lock him up with one on one play. Philly showed that if you play Shaq one on one (Deke) that you limit the open looks that Fox, Horry, and Fisher gets. The Problem with Philly is that they had 1 scorer and when the refs allowed Lue to Hold and grab Iverson, there went the offense. But Brown's defensive thoughts were right.... Play man to man... rotate as many on Shaq as you have fouls but don't double.

It sounds funny, but that's exactly what Nelly will do. He will allow Shaq to tire himself out with Bradley, Lafrentz, and whatever other C he has on the Roster while playing the tight zone on everyone else. Watch it happen if they meet.

Dallas isn't the only team built that way. Look at SacTown.. They have Clark, Vlade.

Look at Indiana.. They have lots o Depth.

Look at Portland. I suspect that they can't run like they need to, but they have depth as well.

Just watch.

[Guest]

Nellie, father and author of the hack-a-shaq how to manual is suddenly going to decide to play him one on one? I doubt it.

[chillzatl]

you need to come back to teh real world. The lakers won the title last year, remember? You can talk all you want about refs and your weak conspiracy theories. But they won. Jordan got away with murder and as a result his team got away with murder. That means the bulls titles carry an asterisk. I mean Jordan had no peer. He had nobody at SG that was close to him. That makes his dominance an afterthought. He was only dominant because there was nobody else around as good as him. Mitch richmond? hahah. Allan houstan? Craig Ehlo? HAHA. What a joke.

History will look favorably on the lakers. It's haters like you that will not.

[Diesel]

the refs. I think it was Game 6, the refs went Laker Whistle Crazy giving the refs more calls than I have ever seen in a basketball game.

Plus, had Peja not been hurt, the series would have been over in 5.

[Diesel]

Why you guys so quiet now that the Big toe is back and they still getting that a** BEAT!

[beav]

and I'm [censored] happy!

[Guest]

They will be on top soon...Besides Kings and Mavs don't have the sack to knock the Lakers out of the playoffs.