Written by: Alan Ni
It shouldn’t be a mystery which team is coming out the West.
In my mind, the team that is going to give the Lakers some problems is the young and upstart Oklahoma City Thunder. We all saw what they could do in last year’s playoffs. If you let them go off on you in the beginning, it’ll be hard to fight back. Especially in that ocean of fans.
But, with a healthy Kobe Bryant (just turned 32, happy birthday Mamba), and the new additions of Steve Blake and a very hungry Matt Barnes, the Thunder shouldn’t be that much of a problem. Not to mention that the Lakers still have their core.
I’ve punched a ticket for the Lakers winning the West for the fourth time in a row already, but on paper, their biggest nemesis is the Miami Heat. Will Miami’s so-called “Superfriends” ruin the 3-peat? Let’s take a closer look.
Next: Upgrading an Already Potent Roster
The Lakers come out of the eventful offseason with a bang. With a new point guard that can play the triangle and a man that looks to redeem himself from last season by winning a ring. The Heat, to those of you who live under rocks, have added LeBron James and Chris Bosh. How in the world will the Lakers match-up against these guys? Like this.
PROBABLE STARTERS (Lakers):
C Andrew Bynum
PF Pau Gasol
SF Ron Artest
SG Kobe Bryant
PG Derek Fisher
NOTABLE BENCH PLAYERS: Lamar Odom, Shannon Brown, Matt Barnes, Steve Blake, Theo Ratliff.
PROBABLE STARTERS (Heat):
C Zydrunas Ilgauskas
PF Chris Bosh
SF LeBron James
SG Dwayne Wade
PG Mario Chalmers
NOTABLE BENCH PLAYERS: Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem, Eddie House, James Jones, Jamaal Magloire.
Next: Positional Match-ups
Center
It seems like Andrew Bynum has been playing on one knee ever since he got here, but when he’s healthy, he can play with any other big man in this league. At the age of 22, he still has a lot of potential and if he can stay healthy and be more effective with his post moves, expect great things out of him next season.
WINNER: Lakers. Not much to say here. I would take Drew over Big Z any day.
Power Forward
Fun fact, Lakers GM, Mitch Kupchak, pulled off one of the greatest heists in all of basketball when he told Memphis he was going to trade KB for Pau Gasol, but gave them Kwame Brown instead of Kobe Bryant. Whoops! But really, ever since Gasol got here, the Lakers have been doing nothing except winning.
No adjustment, no problem with being the sidekick, just simply winning basketball. There’s way too much to talk about the guy, he just wins. Simple as that.
WINNER: Lakers. No contest. No offense to Bosh, because he’s a great big man himself, but if you tell me that Bosh is a better overall basketball player than Gasol, you’re out of your mind.
Next: The Back-court
Small Forward
I think this match-up will be one of the most exciting to watch in the NBA next season. You have one of the best 1-on-1 perimeter defenders in the league and one of the most explosive and perhaps the SECOND best player in the league going at it head to head.
It just gives me chill thinking about it. Don’t be mistaken, Artest will harass and elbow LeBron every chance he gets. We all saw what he did to Paul Pierce in the Finals.
WINNER: Heat. Even though this could be the other way around, LeBron is too great of a player to be completely shut down by Ron-Ron. Ron will disrupt his game and not let him have his way every time he gets the ball, but shutting down LeBron is impossible.
Shooting Guard
This is like Magic versus Bird, heck this is like Reggie Miller and Spike Lee. You got arguably two of the top three players right now in the game going at it for 48 minutes. What more can you ask for?
WINNER: Lakers. While Wade may be overtaking Bryant because of age, 24 is still one of the best players in the league. In case you forgot, that single possession that every Laker fan will remember when Kobe stopped Wade in his tracks with his suffocating defense. The game-winner. Off the wrong leg, over heavy defense, off the backboard, falling away. ‘Nuf said.
Point Guard
In one corner, you have the experienced veteran; in the other corner you have the newly recruited cadet. Of course, Derek Fisher will have the experience and know when to deliver. However, Chalmers has the speed and quickness that Fisher doesn’t have.
Winner: Lakers. Even though Derek Fisher’s jersey will never be up in rafters, he is one of the most popular and clutch Lakers of all time. In the end, experience will outlast quickness.
Next: Bench
Bench
With Matt Barnes, Steve Blake, Theo Ratliff, Devin Ebanks, and Derrick Caracter, the Lakers have added more firepower than their title run last year. Matt Barnes will be an essential “Ron Artest #2.” You know he will go out there and harass opponents like he did with Kobe last year. And, oh yeah, his defense isn’t too bad either.
Steve Blake serves as a very potent back-up point guard for Fish because he will fit right into the triangle.
Devin Ebanks and Derrick Caracter both had solid summer leagues and should contribute to the team. The Lakers also managed to hold on to Shannon Brown, a vital bench players last year. Shannon Brown provides that explosiveness and the ability to bring anyone to their feet.
Sure, the new look of the Miami Heat is somewhat threatening on paper, but the Lakers are just as threatening with their new additions. This is very important to consider before making bets that the Heat will stop the Lakers’ 3-peat.