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The Throwdown ended in a tie.

dudeman.

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After these last trades, who is going to win the West?

Hyped78 said 02/23, 12:09 PM
What an eventful pre-trade deadline action we just had in the NBA.

My question is: after what just happened, who is going to win the West and go to the NBA finals?

The teams that stand out in my mind are the Spurs (still the champions), Lakers (made arguably the best trade), Suns (can Shaq dominate in the post-season, even if for stretches?), Mavericks (acquired the PG to take them to the next level, or so they hope), Hornets (Paul is playing insanely good).

I'm going with the current champions, the San Antonio Spurs. Until proven otherwise, I believe they're still the team to beat. Yes, many analysts are stating they're an old team, and they "only" acquired Kurt Thomas and Damon Stoudamire before the trade deadline. They've not been exactly very healthy.

But I believe they'll make a good run in the rest of this regular season, and their team chemistry and overall experience will eventually land them, once again, in the NBA finals.

Let's not forget they still have the big trio of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. Kurt Thomas, Damon Stoudamire, Michael Finley and Robert Horry. They're still the team to beat.

dudeman. said 02/23, 12:32 PM
You brought up some good points that help MY argument:

"They've not been exactly very healthy. "

Exactly. The recent injury of Parker showed what they are without with part of their Big 3. *points to tongue* '

They have a decent record of 36-17, but in the stacked West they aren't even in the Top half of the playoff seedings.

Even with Parker back they still struggled to beat the T-Wolves.

Now, onto my choice.

A team who arguably made the best move at the break. A team that is hungry for a championship after the Diesel left...yes, you got it!

The LA Lakers.

Their starting projected lineup when Bynnum comes back compared to the Spurs:

PG: Derek Fisher vs. Tony Parker (SA)
SG: Kobe Bryant vs. Michael Finley (LA)
SF: Lamar Odom vs. Bruce Bowen (LA)
PF: Pau Gasol vs. Tim Duncan (SA)
C: Andrew Bynum vs. Fabricio Oberto (LA)

LA has the better starting lineup. What about the projected bench with Bynum against the Spurs bench?

PG: Jordan Farmar vs. Jacque Vaughn (LA)
SG: Sasha Vujacic vs. Manu Ginobli (SA)
SF: Luke Walton vs. Ime Udoka (LA)
PF: Ronny Turiaf vs. Matt Bonner (LA)
C: DJ Mbenga vs. Kurt Thomas (SA)

Better bench too. more to come

Hyped78 said 02/23, 12:47 PM
The Spurs have been having injuries, but that doesn't mean they won't be at full health when the playoffs arrive. Besides, if you want to talk about injuries, it's the Lakers that have Andrew Bynum injured, in the inactive list!

About the return of Tony Parker: he only played 18 minutes against the Timberwolves.

Tim Duncan is a better player than Gasol. Timmy is just, arguably, one of the top 3 PFs ever.

Bruce Bowen is one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. He's also somewhat dirty (lol). He can contain Lamar Odon.

Tony Parker is better than Derek Fisher, he's younger and faster.

You've got me on Kobe vs Finley and Bynum against Oberto; but let's not forget that Bynum is injured.

But on the bench you've got to be kidding me.

The Spurs' bench is a class act:

- Manu Ginobili

- Robert Horry

- Damon Stoudamire

- Kurt Thomas

I'm not even going to count the other guys.

Overall, the Spurs' team is better. On the other hand, they have experience LA doesn't yet possess. I feel the Lakers' time isn't still this year.

dudeman. said 02/23, 12:56 PM
"The Spurs have been having injuries, but that doesn't mean they won't be at full health when the playoffs arrive. Besides, if you want to talk about injuries, it's the Lakers that have Andrew Bynum injured, in the inactive list!"

And, it's also the Bynum-less Lakers who still are one of the most dominant teams in the NBA without Bynum.

"Tim Duncan is a better player than Gasol. Timmy is just, arguably, one of the top 3 PFs ever. "

That's why I gave him the nod over Gasol.

"Tony Parker is better than Derek Fisher, he's younger and faster."

That's why I gave him the nod over Fisher.

You called Robert Horry a class act...did you watch last year's Game 4?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-0qe7PGCQvI

That, is not classy, nor a hard foul.

Other than being a pretty good perimeter defender, what else does he have? Odom can rebound, pass, and he can be your 2nd or 3rd option on offense.

The Lakers beat the Raptors 122-93, WITHOUT Bynum

The Spurs beat the T-Wolves 100-99, WITH Parker.

The re-birth of the Twin Towers will automatically give the Lakers an advantage over other teams in the Western COnference.

Hyped78 said 02/23, 01:08 PM
Yes, I watched last year's playoffs. I said "class act" in the way of them being good players, when of the best benches in the NBA. Robert Horry did a cheap shot on Nash... on the other hand, he did help his team reach the western conference finals, with that foul, did he not?

Well, Bruce Bowen was a member of last season's All-NBA Defensive Team. He's defensive elite, not just another good defender. He's been elected 7 times to the NBA's All-Defensive Teams. I'd say a guy with those credentials can defend just about anyone in the NBA right now. He can defend Lamar Odom.

Comparing positions is all good and well, but it's the entire team that counts. MJ's Bulls were weak at many positions. In an analysis like yours, they would win over the other teams they went to the finals with in some positions, but they would probably lose overall. And they did win 6 championships.

The defending teams have brought back the core of last year's championship sweep of the Cavaliers. They've still got the best in the business in Tim Duncan. A healthy Tony Parker (last year's finals MVP) and Ginobili ensure quality. And their role players (Finley, Bowen) and bench will get them to the top once more

dudeman. said 02/23, 01:13 PM
"Yes, I watched last year's playoffs. I said "class act" in the way of them being good players, when of the best benches in the NBA. Robert Horry did a cheap shot on Nash... on the other hand, he did help his team reach the western conference finals, with that foul, did he not?"

That's still not classy.

"Comparing positions is all good and well, but it's the entire team that counts."

That's what I did compare, and the Lakers were better in the starting lineup and the bench. The Lakers are the more well-rounded team, and overall the best team in the NBA. They don't need their Big 3 to be dominant, and they have GREAT chemistry.

The Lakers are still young, and no, they aren't that inexperienced.

Kobe has 3 titles. Derek Fisher went to the Western Conference Finals last year.

The Spurs are pretty old, and they will wear down as the regular season comes to a close.