The stars are aligning--playoffs 2006

[JCSunsfan]

So the playoffs are set.

The Suns will face the Lakers in round one.
They will face the winner of the Denver/Memphis series in round two (if they advance).
Then they will like face San Antonio or Dallas in the conference finals (If they advance).

While no series is a gimme, this is the easiest path to the conference finals that the Suns have ever had.

While some have been nervous about the Suns' play over the last month or so, I have not. This team has been coasting. You can see it in their eyes. There is no panic, there is no discontent (except for Shawn grousing about not being able to hawk an extra refrigerator or something). They know they can win and they don't fear anyone.

Shooting. This might be one of the best shooting teams ever assembled, and shooting is one of the most underrated aspects of winning in the post season. Good shooting teams go far.

Defense. This is a team capable of playing good defense. We've seen excellent defense this year. Although it has slacked off recently, its because the team is coasting. Add KT in round 2 (thats when I think he's coming back) and things will tighten up even more.

Health. While we really would love to have Amare and KT, we've been able to get some good rest for players just prior to the playoffs. Longer spaces between games and some rest right now will go far.

My expectations. We should win in the first two rounds. Playoff competition is real competition--so there is no such thing as a cakewalk--but we should win.

I believe we have a 50-50 shot of beating San Antonio. Boris' defese. Grant's experience and the liklihood of having KT back for the conference finals should really help. Amare might even be seeing some spot duty by the conference finals.

If we face Detroit--I don't know. That is one good team, with great health.

One step at a time. First LA.

 

[Gaddabout]

Well, Denver is no push over. I keep thinking about that crazy game in Jan. I think the Lakers have some pride, but will be begging to be put out of their misery so they can retool their roster for next year. After that, it's a rugged road no matter how you cut it.

 

[Azlen]

Wouldn't it be the winner of Denver and the Clippers? Memphis is the 5 seed right now.

 

[D-Dogg]

It would be the Denver/Clipper matchup, and if the Lakers win and the Clips win, all the second round games would be at Staples.

The stars sure are aligning . . . . . . . . . for the Lakers to make the Conference Finals.

 

[Mojo]

Lakers aint sniffing the confrence finals

 

[D-Dogg]

If the Lakers beat the Suns, they are skipping to the WCF. That's even more incentive for them to win.

It's going to be fun!

 

[scotsman13]

If the Lakers beat the Suns, they are skipping to the WCF. That's even more incentive for them to win.

It's going to be fun!

since when did the lakers get a by for the second round? in all honest the lakers are the weakest team in the western conf. playoffs. if the lakers make it out of the first round and if whoever they face loses their star to a major injury (heck the whole team dieds in a airplane craft) then maybe the lakers would have a chance to go to the WCF and only then they would blown out.

the lakers only have one spot where they can count on winning the match up game and that is at shooting guard every where else they lose and lose big.

 

[jibikao]

If the Lakers beat the Suns, they are skipping to the WCF. That's even more incentive for them to win.

It's going to be fun!

You know what, seriously, I've been skipping your "Lakers own" messages for a while. Why a #7 team feels sooooooooooooo confident about beating a #2 team? Sure, upset happens but you and most of the people in Lakersground sound like Lakers is ready for the Final game. Who is the cocky one here?

 

[boisesuns]

I want the suns to play the grizzlies! Cheap playoff tickets!

 

[nothin' but net]

You know what, seriously, I've been skipping your "Lakers own" messages for a while. Why a #7 team feels sooooooooooooo confident about beating a #2 team? Sure, upset happens but you and most of the people in Lakersground sound like Lakers is ready for the Final game. Who is the cocky one here?

With history being the best predictor of future performance, I can't see how a team that has beat the Suns ONE TIME in the last two years can even dream of making it out of the first round. The only time Lakers will be mentioned with the word final will be their final game which won't be past 5 games in the first round.

Is there anyone that isn't a Lakers fan that is predicting a Lakers victory? I haven't read any.

 

[D-Dogg]

With history being the best predictor of future performance,

Playoffs and regular season can't be compared. Sorry.

 

[Wally]

Who Will It BEE?

Rather than start a new thread, I figure this fits in here. Interesting article from the Scaramento BEE....

I'de prefer the Lakers and let the Kings do battle with SA.

By Sam Amick -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PDT Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Story appeared in Sports section, Page C1

Arsenic or hemlock.

Or, as Rick Adelman put it, "Pick your poison." The words were nothing venomous toward the San Antonio Spurs or Phoenix Suns. Rather, they were a sign of respect by the Kings' coach for the teams his squad may face in the first round of the postseason.

The tough part of the formula finally behind the Kings - that being the playoff invite - they may have to wait until Wednesday night to find out which city to start heading toward. That means tonight's game against Seattle will be far from a polluted pre-playoffs practice.
A Sacramento victory coupled with a Lakers loss against New Orleans would put the Kings in the seventh spot with their itinerary geared toward the Suns, while any variation of that plan would have them facing the Spurs.

Whether the Lakers want to win and face Phoenix is debatable. Before the Lakers beat the Suns on Sunday, they had lost all seven games against them since the Suns acquired Steve Nash before the 2004-05 season. Still, the Lakers have an identical 1-7 mark against the Spurs in the same stretch.

"I'm not going to extend guys big minutes (against the SuperSonics), but we've got to see if we can win and then see what happens," Adelman said. "I would think right now, our video guys and scouts have done a good job, (so) whoever it is, we'll be ready to go."

Adelman insists there is no preference. Since acquiring Ron Artest, the Kings are 0-2 against the Suns and 1-0 against the Spurs.

"San Antonio's the world champs, and they've got a lot of things going for them," he said. "I think we also learned that Phoenix has a little bit going for them, too, with what they did to us in the second half (of a 123-110 Suns victory on April 11).

"I think whoever we play, we can be very competitive. But we have to play our game. I believe that we can give either one of them a tough time."

Socrates, coincidentally, lost his life by way of hemlock. But the closest the Kings have to a philosopher - Artest - has every assurance that this purple potion is the antidote for whichever team may come. After the Kings disposed of the Hornets on Sunday night, Artest reiterated for the second time in three weeks that there will be no first-round exit. There has been talk of titles, using a line of logic that, in his eyes, places the Kings of the Artest era among the elite.

By results alone, the theory isn't so far-fetched. After losing their first two games with Artest, the Kings have gone 25-12, with a host of games the coaching staff would consider should-have-wons. The Spurs have gone 28-9 in the same stretch. The Western Conference's second-best team, Dallas, has gone 26-11, and the Suns have gone 25-12. Resilience, too, has become a teamwide trait, as the Kings are 11-3 following losses since Artest arrived.

"Whether it's Phoenix ... or San Antonio, in order to win the championship, we've got to beat one of those teams, anyway," Artest said. "We're not going to hope to play one team. ... Obviously it's not going to be easy. Nothing's easy."

Including the duty of guarding Ray Allen. Just after the irony of the Kings qualifying for the playoffs against the Hornets, who had embarrassed them on opening night, they face Allen and a Seattle team that sent the franchise into fix-it mode after last season's first-round playoff loss.

Despite Seattle's 34-46 record, the Sonics have won five of their last eight games, with Allen scoring 30-plus points five times.

Kings point guard Mike Bibby is on his own run, scoring 23 points in each of the last four games on the heels of a 30-point outing in an April 7 victory over the Clippers and a 31-point night in the April 5 victory over the Spurs. He is 22 of 44 from three-point range over his last six games.

Poisonous play indeed.

 

[jibikao]

You know the funniest thing will be us facing Kings instead so those Lakers fans can shut up. lol

 

[D-Dogg]

You know the funniest thing will be us facing Kings instead so those Lakers fans can shut up. lol

You know that will be no fun at all for you guys. You want the Lakers. You need the Lakers. Admit it...

 

[nothin' but net]

Playoffs and regular season can't be compared. Sorry.

Exactly! That is why, each year, 7th and 8th seeds are winning championships. I understand when it is a situation with last year's Suns and San Antonio. It meant little for SA to have the best record in the conference. This is completely different. We are talking about a Lakers team that didn't know until days ago that they weren't lottery bound. Kobe is an amazing player. Phil is a good coach. Odom is a decent role player. That is really it. Lack of depth will kill the Lakers in the playoffs. If Kobe has a bad night (only 30 points) there is no more offense.

There is nothing more sad that a former superpower team gone mediocre, trying to carry the same swagger. Lakers are far from being a contender. That is reality.

 

[elindholm]

Save your breath. It will all be over in two weeks, for one team or the other. There will be plenty to talk about then.

 

[nothin' but net]

You know that will be no fun at all for you guys. You want the Lakers. You need the Lakers. Admit it...

We want the knicks. Lakers are just a good plan B.

 

[jibikao]

Double post.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Playoffs and regular season can't be compared. Sorry.

d-dogg is right. especially when you consider all the major playoff experience that lakers team has . . .

 

[golfcardfan]

The Lakers suck with a capital SUCK!!! We will destroy them look for the sweep unless a suns player goes down with an injury! Dantoni dont want to mess around sweep them and get some rest!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

You know that will be no fun at all for you guys. You want the Lakers. You need the Lakers. Admit it...

omg, the ego on you lakers fans is really something else...

kobe is the only story outta your squad this postseason and it's more for what he's going to score than anything else. otherwise your lakers are really just a footnote.

that said, i'm not expecting big things outta the suns either, but at least they have the potential to play spoiler at some point.

 

[Superbone]

So the playoffs are set.

The Suns will face the Lakers in round one.

Uh, no they're not. Lakers have to beat the Hornets tomorrow (Wed.) otherwise we play the Kings.

Yeah, I'd prefer the Lakers but the Kings will do as well. We'd beat either team in less than 7 games.

 

[Errntknght]

Does anyone know what odds makers are saying about Suns vs. Lakers playoff series? I have a hunch it will be around 2-1 in favor of the Suns because I wouldn't want either side of that bet. I'd be happy to take the Suns at even money or to take the Lakers at 6-1, if anyone is desperate to make a bet.