BREAKING NEWS: Lakers Acquire Pau Gasol

[phunwin]

Ariza currently has a broken foot and is inactive. Not sure if he could be traded based off that. Furthermore, I am not sure, since he was traded already once this seaosn, if he could be involved in a package deal to another team. Meaning, he could have been traded (if healthy) all by his lonesome but not with other players. I will have to check the CBA for clarification on that.

Besides all of that, I don't think the Lakers are looking to move Ariza. I would suspect that they would have offered up Odom, Radmanovich, Vujacic, and Walton before prying loose of Ariza. The kid can play defense like no other and has fit in perfectly oas the 6th man in L.A.

OK, that makes sense. You may well be right on that. And that would certainly explain why Memphis didn't get him.

 

[djfresh47]

It helps the Lakers but i'd put them probably 3rd in the West, regardless of seeding. San Antonio and the Suns still are the teams to beat, imo. One thing to look at is the West is going to have slug-fests in the playoffs while I think Boston and Detroit are going to walk into the finals. I want to buy into New Orleans but i still can't regardless of record.

 

[Samphin]

It helps the Lakers but i'd put them probably 3rd in the West, regardless of seeding. San Antonio and the Suns still are the teams to beat, imo. One thing to look at is the West is going to have slug-fests in the playoffs while I think Boston and Detroit are going to walk into the finals. I want to buy into New Orleans but i still can't regardless of record.

I will grant you the Spurs, but the Suns have looked very pedestrian and when they have played the Lakers with Bynum this year, they couldn't stay on the court.

When Bynum comes back for the playoffs, I don't think the Suns will be much of a matchup, especially with a front line where their Center is shorter than our Small Forward. Its a matchup nightmare for them.

 

[DuderinoN703]

Great move by the Lakers guys. As if the West wasn't difficult enough

We'll see what happens though. I wouldn't be surprised if 1 or 2 teams that go 50-32 in the West miss the playoffs (while it would get them the 3 or 4 seed in the East).

Should be a fun ride!!

 

[Amars]

It helps the Lakers but i'd put them probably 3rd in the West, regardless of seeding. San Antonio and the Suns still are the teams to beat, imo. One thing to look at is the West is going to have slug-fests in the playoffs while I think Boston and Detroit are going to walk into the finals. I want to buy into New Orleans but i still can't regardless of record.

Suns are done. Spurs I'll give you that. Kobe is playing incredible since this trade and I dont see any team stopping him or the Lakers.

 

[djfresh47]

I will grant you the Spurs, but the Suns have looked very pedestrian and when they have played the Lakers with Bynum this year, they couldn't stay on the court.

When Bynum comes back for the playoffs, I don't think the Suns will be much of a matchup, especially with a front line where their Center is shorter than our Small Forward. Its a matchup nightmare for them.

Defensively it is. Though the next time the Suns play defense will be the first. I'm not drinking the Lakers kool-aide.

 

[phunwin]

Defensively it is. Though the next time the Suns play defense will be the first. I'm not drinking the Lakers kool-aide.

Not true. The Suns are actually an above-average defensive team. According to John Hollinger's defensive efficiency stat, the Suns tie for 10th in the NBA at 103.0. All defensive efficiency does is figure out the number of points a team allows in 100 possessions. This neutralizes the pace factor which artificially makes a slow-paced team (like Detroit) look better defensively, while making a fast-paced team (like the Suns) look worse.

Because Detroit gives up so few points per game, they look like an awesome defensive team. In fact, they're still a very good defensive team (3rd in def. eff.), but the fact that they play slow-paced basketball makes them look better than they are. Phoenix gives up a lot of points per game, but it's in large part because they play a very up-tempo style of basketball. If each team has the ball more times per game, they're bound to score more points.

 

[Amars]

Great game by the lakers.

Gasol 4th Qtr
12min 5 for 5 11pt 5 rebs.

I love it.

Who would of known kobe score 6pts and we win by 10pts. I see a 10+ game run soon.

 

[Vertical Limit]

Thier defense is going to get better now. They just traded for Shaq. /sarcasm

 

[phunwin]

Thier defense is going to get better now. They just traded for Shaq. /sarcasm

Yeah, good point. They traded their best defensive player for a guy who hasn't played defense in two years. I mean, when you can make a trade like that, and bust your team's salary cap, and make yourself worse offensively, and piss off your franchise player and your head coach, I mean, you do that 11 times out of 10.

 

[BAMAPHIN 22]

Popovich pops off on Grizzlies' controversial swap

"What they did in Memphis is beyond comprehension," said Popovich. "There should be a trade committee that can scratch all trades that make no sense. I just wish I had been on a trade committee that oversees NBA trades. I'd like to elect myself to that committee. I would have voted no to the L.A. trade."

When told that Wallace had challenged executives to criticize the deal publicly, Popovich replied, "Well, there you go. I'm on the record."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/basketball/nba/02/08/popovich.grizzlies/index.html

 

[Amars]

Why didnt he complain when KG went to Boston or Shaq to Miami. There should be a committee that takes away a lottery pick for tanking a season. He's a freaking whiner.