Champagne in my fridge

V1n5anity wrote:

Doc Brown wrote:

wcsoldier81 wrote:Texas Lakers fan doesn't approve this thread

Past history doesn't mean anything for right now.........OKC is the clear favorite based on past history.

I found that bit hilarious. I was the first to call him on that but he never replied haha. KeepBynum is an entertainer.

That's one way to put it.

I have a 6-pack that's not going to be opened until we hoist that LOB.

Champagne? Pssh, too bourgeoisie.

LoyalLakerfan44 wrote:You know the saying, don't count your chickens before they hatch! I hate when people make predictions about something that is based on stats. I'm a Laker fan as much as anyone but we have no idea how this team is going play or what's going to happen in the course of an 82 game season. Just because we have great players it doesn't mean they are going to fit perfectly, in fact more often than not a lot of great players in one team is a formula for failure. I just don't like put myself in that predicament.

I feel you, I remember how the 2004 season ended up. I'll feel a lot better about things if Dwight is able to regain his pre injury form. For now I'm on a wait and see mode until the season starts.

i'm as big a homer as anyone but this thread makes me uneasy

lakerfan2 wrote:Making plans to attend the championship game. I'm 2-0 in Championship clinching games at Staples (2010 Game 7 Lakers, 2012 Game 6 LA Kings).

damn. i went to games 3 and 4 this year for the Kings. so bummed they didn't pull off the sweep. i'd love to hear some about how crazy game 6 was. especially since they nearly locked it up so soon into the game.

blakeruns wrote:

lakerfan2 wrote:Making plans to attend the championship game. I'm 2-0 in Championship clinching games at Staples (2010 Game 7 Lakers, 2012 Game 6 LA Kings).

damn. i went to games 3 and 4 this year for the Kings. so bummed they didn't pull off the sweep. i'd love to hear some about how crazy game 6 was. especially since they nearly locked it up so soon into the game.

I couldn't even compare how loud the Kings game was compared to Lakers vs Boston. I could tell there were true Kings fans there, and not fans who were "there to be there". The first goal set the tone. It was loud, but no one ready to celebrate. The second came quick and caught everyone off guard, and it got as loud as a Lakers in crunch time game....and then the third goal. Disbelief, everyone just knew the cup was ours. Being the first championship for the Kings and their fans was just pure joy. Everyone was just buzzing in the crowds more than it being loud. "We GOT the cup!, We GOT the cup!" the crowd chanted. Oh, it was utter brilliance. So lucky I got the opportunity to go. I was hoping to pick up tickets off craigslist or something that day for me and my brother, then my VP at my office calls me in and hands me tickets to our company suite for working extra hard on a weekend. Nonetheless, absolutely amazing.

lakerswiz wrote:

pound4pound1 wrote:i'm as big a homer as anyone but this thread makes me uneasy

Me too. I'm way too much of a 'one game at a time' kind of guy to already have my championship plans in place.

last time i knew for sure we were going to win was 2008 when we lost to Boston..... i'm never doing it again

The group hasn't played one game yet. Nash is 38, Gasol is 32 and declining, Kobe is on his last legs and Artest is one of the worst starting 3s in the game with no athleticism. Only Howard is a dominant force and you are sure we will win? LOL.

Do i feel that we can compete with the best in the NBA? Of course. am i confident we are going to win it all? Of couse not. Not when there is OKC and MIA out there. We'll see what happens but i hate getting overconfident. I always expect less and hope for the best.

Lets Go Lakers wrote:The group hasn't played one game yet. Nash is 38, Gasol is 32 and declining, Kobe is on his last legs and Artest is one of the worst starting 3s in the game with no athleticism. Only Howard is a dominant force and you are sure we will win? LOL.

Do i feel that we can compete with the best in the NBA? Of course. am i confident we are going to win it all? Of couse not. Not when there is OKC and MIA out there. We'll see what happens but i hate getting overconfident. I always expect less and hope for the best.

You're overrating the negatives of this team. Nash had a fantastic season and once again proved himself to be one of the best point guards in the game, with Nash and a more proven consistent defender in Howard most expect Gasol's game to be rejuvenated, Kobe won't have to handle the ball as much and thus can perform better defensively, and if Artest shows up in shape he's no where near the worst starting 3 in the league.

Call me overconfident if you want. I don't care. I'm confident because I know basketball.

A brilliant shooter and playmaker next to Kobe? The pick-and-roll master next to Kobe? The best big in the game with Kobe? A true bench scorer? Big man depth off the bench? A 40% sniper off the bench looking to get paid?

The pieces are there. I'm not a homer. This is just a brilliantly designed team.

XXIV wrote:

Lets Go Lakers wrote:The group hasn't played one game yet. Nash is 38, Gasol is 32 and declining, Kobe is on his last legs and Artest is one of the worst starting 3s in the game with no athleticism. Only Howard is a dominant force and you are sure we will win? LOL.

Do i feel that we can compete with the best in the NBA? Of course. am i confident we are going to win it all? Of couse not. Not when there is OKC and MIA out there. We'll see what happens but i hate getting overconfident. I always expect less and hope for the best.

You're overrating the negatives of this team. Nash had a fantastic season and once again proved himself to be one of the best point guards in the game, with Nash and a more proven consistent defender in Howard most expect Gasol's game to be rejuvenated, Kobe won't have to handle the ball as much and thus can perform better defensively, and if Artest shows up in shape he's no where near the worst starting 3 in the league.

Seriously. A 37 year old Nash: 12.5/10.7 in 31:36. A 31 year old Gasol: 17.4/10.4 with 1.4 blocks in 37:23. Kobe on his last legs: 27.9/46/5.4 in 38:30.

None of that is important. None of that is worth noting, only their age.

John3:16 wrote:

lakerfan2 wrote:Making plans to attend the championship game. I'm 2-0 in Championship clinching games at Staples (2010 Game 7 Lakers, 2012 Game 6 LA Kings).

Seriously, I'd have given a year or two off my life to have been at Game 7.

Having been, I can tell you the year or two would have been worth it. Most fun night of my life, hands down.

lakerswiz wrote:

Doc Brown wrote:

Lets Go Lakers wrote:The group hasn't played one game yet. Nash is 38, Gasol is 32 and declining, Kobe is on his last legs and Artest is one of the worst starting 3s in the game with no athleticism. Only Howard is a dominant force and you are sure we will win? LOL.

Do i feel that we can compete with the best in the NBA? Of course. am i confident we are going to win it all? Of couse not. Not when there is OKC and MIA out there. We'll see what happens but i hate getting overconfident. I always expect less and hope for the best.

You hate getting over confident, so you sell the team extremely short? See bolded


Then you go on to say we can compete with the best in the NBA?

From one extreme to the other.

How did he sell them short? He was perfectly honest. Age, age, decline, age, Artest. Where is he selling them short? Those are facts. And they are very relevant. Especially when trying to predict a title before they've played 1 game together.

Because it completely ignores the fact that even at that age, these players are EXTREMELY effective.

Kobe Bryant 8 wrote:Call me overconfident if you want. I don't care. I'm confident because I know basketball.

A brilliant shooter and playmaker next to Kobe? The pick-and-roll master next to Kobe? The best big in the game with Kobe? A true bench scorer? Big man depth off the bench? A 40% sniper off the bench looking to get paid?

The pieces are there. I'm not a homer. This is just a brilliantly designed team.

CL's voice of reason.

im one of the biggest pessimist on this board.. but DAMN.. i fully expect a BANNER this year

DarthRekal wrote:im one of the biggest pessimist on this board.. but DAMN.. i fully expect a BANNER this year

I'm gonna drive through Colorado, swoop you up, and we're gonna meet up with KobeBryant8 and drink his champagne.

John3:16 wrote:

DarthRekal wrote:im one of the biggest pessimist on this board.. but DAMN.. i fully expect a BANNER this year

I'm gonna drive through Colorado, swoop you up, and we're gonna meet up with KobeBryant8 and drink his champagne.

thats whatsup LOL

I am very confident in this team, I EXPECT a banner, but not all is given...

NASH
KOBE
METTA
PAU
HOWARD

DAMN!

I think it's ridiculous to crown anyone champion even before the season has started. That's blind arrogance.

I'll just be confident in the belief that this team is going to contend for a title but i won't be shocked or utterly devastated if they don't get it done. Not when you consider the age factor for this team.

All fans can really do is cheer for their team. They have no impact on the outcome of the season. The best team will win it 95% of the time. We shall see.

John3:16 wrote:

DarthRekal wrote:im one of the biggest pessimist on this board.. but DAMN.. i fully expect a BANNER this year

I'm gonna drive through Colorado, swoop you up, and we're gonna meet up with KobeBryant8 and drink his champagne.

in Darth's car

I don't want to bring down the thread or anything, but if I'm honest, I'm not quite as confident as most. I would bet money we're going to be in the WCF this season based on our talent on paper alone, I'm already genuinely expecting it, Beyond that though, I need to see us play some games together with our full starting 5 healthy before I can make up my mind as to whether we have the 'it' factor, that we have that thing it takes to win it all, to get by OKC and Miami.

honestly and I felt this same way last year that if we got by OKC then we'd win it all because I felt that OKC was a tougher matchup for us in the playoffs then Miami would have been. I think the way goes for this upcoming year.

Weezy wrote:I don't want to bring down the thread or anything, but if I'm honest, I'm not quite as confident as most. I would bet money we're going to be in the WCF this season based on our talent on paper alone, I'm already genuinely expecting it, Beyond that though, I need to see us play some games together with our full starting 5 healthy before I can make up my mind as to whether we have the 'it' factor, that we have that thing it takes to win it all, to get by OKC and Miami.

the hunger in Nash's eyes.. the giddyness in D12's face... was MORE than enough for me... bball is a game of emotions... the despair of Kobes last remaining seasons.. should add another factor... these guys are HUNGRY... NAY... ANGRY!!!... out for vengeance especially at Joseph Sternlin