Whose atop the Pacific Division? 3-0 Suns!

[Yuma]

Also, if the playoffs started today, the Lakers aren't in it! The Clippers are number 2 in the Pacific Division!! What if they make the playoffs, but not the Lakers? It will be a long year in the Staples Center! Plus Shaq will be laughing his large gluteus maximus off!

I know, we played 2 of the worst teams so far. But it's STILL fun!

 

[George O'Brien]

I expect the Lakers will be better when Divac comes back, but even then the Lakers look like a 500 team.

 

[elindholm]

I expect the Lakers will be better when Divac comes back, but even then the Lakers look like a 500 team.

Don't forget Malone, who is still probably better than 50-50 to return. The Lakers still have a few more cards they can play.

 

[fordronken]

I have some Laker fan friends who, after game one, were projecting a 50+ win season. Last night I asked one of them how many wins they'd get. He said "40". So I said "Below 50 percent?", and he said "Um...41 then. Or maybe 42."

 

[Joe Mama]

Again, let's not get carried away here. The LA Lakers have lost to probably the two best teams in the NBA, San Antonio and Utah. They also beat the Denver Nuggets.

Joe Mama

 

[George O'Brien]

Malone is a real wild card. No one knows if and when he will be healthy and if he will return to the Lakers. A healthy Malone and this is pretty good team. Without him, they don't look all that impressive.

BTW, their win over Denver looks less impressiv considering how the Nuggets have looked. Even in their win over the Timberwolves, the Nuggets were not moving without the ball and seemed to be standing around a lot.

 

[Mainstreet]

In the Western Conference the teams that scare me the most are Utah, Minnesota, the LA Lakers and Denver even though I know that San Antonio probably has the best team.

Utah is very talented and the best coached. The athleticism of Minnesota, the Lakers and Denver makes for tough matchups as they tend to play a similar style of play. I think our athleticism may give San Antonio fits if Bo comes back.

 

[George O'Brien]

In the Western Conference the teams that scare me the most are Utah, Minnesota, the LA Lakers and Denver even though I know that San Antonio probably has the best team.

Utah is very talented and the best coached. The athleticism of Minnesota, the Lakers and Denver makes for tough matchups as they tend to play a similar style of play. I think our athleticism may give San Antonio fits if Bo comes back.

I am still predicting the Spurs will be the team to beat. I'm not convinced Denver will be more than a marginal playoff contender. Lakers? Who knows?

 

[elindholm]

No one knows if and when he will be healthy and if he will return to the Lakers.

From what I've read, if he comes back, it will be with the Lakers. There have been a few reports to that effect.

 

[George O'Brien]

No one knows if and when he will be healthy and if he will return to the Lakers.

From what I've read, if he comes back, it will be with the Lakers. There have been a few reports to that effect.

I've read that as well. However, if the Lakers really stink he might have second thoughts.

 

[Yuma]

I've read that as well. However, if the Lakers really stink he might have second thoughts.

I don't know what the cap numbers for Miami are, but Shaq has been rumored to have been calling Malone to come to Miami.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I don't know what the cap numbers for Miami are, but Shaq has been rumored to have been calling Malone to come to Miami.

Any deal Karl takes will be for the Vet min, which any team can offer him. He has supposedly told Shaq and Cuban that if he comes back it will be with LA.

A few days ago I actually heard he might take an office job with the Lakers.

 

[TopGamer]

I would love it if the Clippers made the playoffs and not the Lakers but it won't happen. I don't care if people may discredit our 3 wins because we were playing bad teams. I'll take 3 wins over bad teams than losses any day. The important thing to do is to win games that you are SUPPOSED to win. There are more bad teams out there than good and getting these early wins in now will give us a lot of cushion when we hit that rough period.

 

[PhxGametime]

76ers aren't a bad team - when Samuel Delembert gets healthy in the East, they should make the Playoffs...

I really don't know what the deal was with Brian Skinner, I did notice that Amare Stoudemire tore him up last year - maybe a lot of injuries happen when Hellboy comes into town...

 

[George O'Brien]

76ers aren't a bad team - when Samuel Delembert gets healthy in the East, they should make the Playoffs...

I got around to watching the tape of the game and the Sixers looked Ok in the second half, although some of it was that the Suns kept shooting and missing long jumpers. Dalembert looked quite good and I'm not sure why Marc Jackson is starting unless there is a conditioning issue.

I have some issues with a few coaching decisions D'Antoni made and ones he didn't make.

1. Why did he have Nash trying to defend Iverson? All it did was get Nash into foul trouble which could have lost them the game? Iverson had 13 foul shots.

2. When the Sixers were making a run, why didn't D'Antoni simply insist that they focus on getting the ball to Amare. Amare had 29 points but could have had 49.

3. Why did he leave Voskuhl in so long? Jake was only 1-6 from the field and had a turnover. During a stretch that the Suns offense was not doing well, Lampe might have opened things up a bit.

 

[StatsAmare]

I would love it if the Clippers made the playoffs and not the Lakers but it won't happen. I don't care if people may discredit our 3 wins because we were playing bad teams. I'll take 3 wins over bad teams than losses any day. The important thing to do is to win games that you are SUPPOSED to win. There are more bad teams out there than good and getting these early wins in now will give us a lot of cushion when we hit that rough period.

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