Why the Lakers are rooting for the Rockets.

by hofccsaint on Apr 29, 2009 11:07 AM PDT

Although the Lakers aren't exactly afraid of the Blazers, and while I think he is being generous... Zephid makes some clear points here as to why the Lakers are really hoping the Blazers lose. (One does have to wonder if he is just getting into some early mind games with the Rockets...)

Check it out here.

On offense against the Blazers...

"The Blazers, on the other hand, have two legitimate seven-footers in Joel Przybilla and Greg Oden. Both of those guys are true bangers, and as we’ve seen in the past, they could easily outmuscle our guys underneath and get a ton of offensive rebounds. LaMarcus Aldridge and Channing Frye also have good size to use against Odom, so that match-up loses it’s luster. On the perimeter, Nicolas Batum has been very aggressive against Kobe, doing fairly well at taking him out of his comfort zone, while Travis Outlaw is long and tall enough to bother a lot of Kobe’s shots. Overall, all the beautiful mismatches we have against the Rockets we simply do not have against the Blazers."

On Defense Against The Blazers

"While the Blazers have similar models to our team, the one difference is they are a jump-shooting team. The Rockets are able to contain them so well because they have a lot of great individual defenders. Lowry, Battier, Artest, Landry, Hayes, and even Scola and Yao to some extent are very good individual defenders who don’t require help. This way, Portland isn’t getting any uncontested jumpers unless it’s off Roy’s penetration. Compare this to our defense, which has a penchant for giving up open jumpers, and is especially weak against sweet-shooting bigs, and you can see why we’ve lost 2 games to them this season."

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On jump shooting

Hard to say Blazers have the edge on jump shots based on this series.

by jiminut on Apr 29, 2009 11:10 AM PDT reply actions

That's the thing

Houston defends the jumpshot well
Lakers don’t
LMA/Roy/Outlaw drool at the thought of open 15 footers against the Lakers, shots that don’t come against Houston. (Ask Outlaw.)

by Zaig on Apr 29, 2009 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions

and we won't have to watch bynum with 3 guys all the time like we do yao

Tony Luftman Is an Animatronic Robot created by Cyberdyne Industries for the purpose of the destruction of the entire human race, no one shall be spared.

by Jiggamant on Apr 29, 2009 12:01 PM PDT reply actions

and just having to get your shots up against such a tough D in Houston is going to make it feel like a luxury going up against the Laker's D

Tony Luftman Is an Animatronic Robot created by Cyberdyne Industries for the purpose of the destruction of the entire human race, no one shall be spared.

by Jiggamant on Apr 29, 2009 12:02 PM PDT up reply actions

I'd say the main reasons the Laker fans are rooting for the Rockets are these:

1. They swept the Rockets this year and went 2-2 with the Blazers. They can’t quite understand why the Rockets are such a tough opponent for the Blazers…

2. It’s really hard to win in Portland and they’re working on an 0-12 streak there.

3. It’s all about the matchups. Blazers have 2 centers, a 6’11" power forward that can run with Lamar, a baby Ariza in Nic, a shooting guard in Rudy that tops the unloved Sasha Vujacic, and a legit superstar in Roy. The Rockets have Yao Ming, who they are convinced they have figured out how to stop, and — who exactly? Luis Scola?!? Crazy Ron from Sactoe?!?

That said, Laker fans think they’re gonna either annihilate the Rockets or crush the Blazers. An itty bitty speedbump or a medium-sized speedbump. But then, the Lakers are the Lakers, and they’re coming off their 4th most successful regular season in franchise history and were in the NBA Finals a year ago… They have certain expectations…

Pontiff of the Pryz for Prez Posse...

by timbo on Apr 29, 2009 12:53 PM PDT reply actions

most posters on that Blue n Gold thread seemed to have a good idea why we were having trouble...

doubling Yao, leaving the 4 open for a free throw line jumper or unchecked for an offensive rebound. I don’t quite understand their confidence that they can defend it any better (maybe they think there won’t be as many fouls called on the block?).

Its nice to see that they feel the same way about Vujacic as I do.

"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy

by Honka Playboy on Apr 29, 2009 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions

I would NOT say the rockets hope one way or another

honestly, I think kobe would LOVE to play the blazers and attempt to crush them.

Laker FANS however are going to be a bit more nervous. We didn’t just beat the lakers, we crushed them in a game they VERY much wanted. the two wins came before the blazers started rolling.

"Fernandez, to my eyes, is the Blazer who walks that walk most comfortably. A lot of Portland's fans (egged on, dare I say, by their local broadcasters) lament things like how Ron Artest or Yao Ming get to hit Brandon Roy's arms.

But I suspect Fernandez sees all that and thinks: We get to hit arms! Cool!"

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-39-135/On-Playoff-Experience.html

by ratbastird on Apr 29, 2009 1:02 PM PDT reply actions