8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers

On May 31, 1:27 pm, Don Tiberone <s_knig....RemoveThis@my-deja.com> wrote:
> I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign.
>
> http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/series?series=lalbos

I'm an ESPN expert also, so make that 9 of 9.
 >> Stay informed about: 8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers 

On May 31, 10:46 am, " bozak" <________boz....RemoveThis@gmail.com________>
wrote:
> "Don Tiberone" <s_knig....RemoveThis@my-deja.com> wrote in messagenews:38417e66-9536-4ba5-a7b3-4c620ada421b@b5g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
> > I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign.
>
> >http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/series?series=lalbos
>
> its tenth ring time for phil...
>
> unless gasol or odom goes down with a major injury the lakers got this thing
> on lock...

Or this guy we have on the team named Kobe. If he goes down with a
wound at any point in the series, the Lakers might as well just wave
the white flag.

The Finals always make me nervous as far as Laker health is
concerned. How many times have the Lakers had a golden opportunity
nixed by untimely injuries? 1989 - with Byron Scott and Magic
Johnson freakishly BOTH getting sidelined by torn hamstrings. 1991 -
essentially no James Worthy to counter Scottie Pippen because Big Game
James had twisted his ankle in the WCF against the Blazers. 2004 -
Karl Malone knee injury essentially leaving the Lakers without a
credible power forward in the Finals.

I plead to the basketball gods not to let something like that happen
again this Finals.
 >> Stay informed about: 8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers 

"Don Tiberone" <s_knight8 RemoveThis @my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:38417e66-9536-4ba5-a7b3-4c620ada421b@b5g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
> I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign.
>
> http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/series?series=lalbos

Can't be a good thing. Up until now, I've thought the Lakers were kind of
the underdogs in this postseason... though I guess in each series a
majority of "experts" was picking them. Strange that they're somehow got
the consensus now against a 66-win team with HCA.

brink
 >> Stay informed about: 8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers 

On May 31, 3:23 pm, " bozak" <________boz....DeleteThis@gmail.com________>
wrote:
> "Ron" <BigELil....DeleteThis@msn.com> wrote in messagenews:772760bf-c1c1-4dc0-80b5-0036b4c131d7@m73g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> > On May 31, 1:27 pm, Don Tiberone <s_knig....DeleteThis@my-deja.com> wrote:
> >> I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign.
>
> >>http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/series?series=lalbos
>
> > I'm an ESPN expert also, so make that 9 of 9.
>
> might as well make that an even ten...
>
> so there, no need to even play... just send the trophy on over... :-)
>
> wouldnt be any fun in that though, i want to see the boys destroy the
> smelts...

I've never been a Kobe fan (or Lakers fan), but I do respect his
talent, especially after this yr.

Whatever the Zen Master taught MJ, has *finally* sunk into Kobe's
head.

I was very impressed with his play this yr, and he, w/o a doubt,
deserved
the MVP award.

I'm pretty sure we will see a MJ-ish performance from Kobe in the
finals and his will to win will totally destroy the C's.
 >> Stay informed about: 8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers 

On May 31, 3:35 pm, "Skeptic" <bcs0... RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote:
> "Don Tiberone" <s_knig... RemoveThis @my-deja.com> wrote in message
>
> news:38417e66-9536-4ba5-a7b3-4c620ada421b@b5g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
>
> > I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign.
>
> >http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/series?series=lalbos
>
> Really? Wow. 8 out of 8 is VERY surprising. Recognizing my being fan may
> obscure my view, at the ver worse I could see them splitting 4-4 or 5-3 in
> either direction. If I were betting on the series (and would thus be very
> objective), I'd bet on the Celtics. If I had to pick how many games, I'd
> say in 6 games. They'll win the first 2. Take one in LA. Win the first
> game back home.

1 word why the Lakers win - Kobe

I don't care for the guy, but he is the MJ of today.
 >> Stay informed about: 8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers 

On May 31, 12:21 pm, "brink" <brinknos....TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote:
> "Don Tiberone" <s_knig....TakeThisOut@my-deja.com> wrote in message
>
> news:38417e66-9536-4ba5-a7b3-4c620ada421b@b5g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
>
> > I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign.
>
> >http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/series?series=lalbos
>
> Can't be a good thing.  Up until now, I've thought the Lakers were kind of
> the underdogs in this postseason...  though I guess in each series a
> majority of "experts" was picking them.  Strange that they're somehow got
> the consensus now against a 66-win team with HCA.
>
> brink

I think it's not so much the experts' great confidence in the Lakers
as it is their *loss* of confidence in the Celtics. Those 7-game
series against the Hawks and the Cavs cost the Celtics the aura of
invincibility that they had coming into the playoffs, and even their
victory in 6 over the Pistons hasn't fully brought it back.

Had these polls been done at the beginning of the playoffs, the
Celtics would have been the pick of all eight experts.
 >> Stay informed about: 8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers 

On May 31, 1:41 pm, "Skeptic" <bcs0... DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote:
> "Ron" <BigELil... DeleteThis @msn.com> wrote in message
>
> news:0095c5a9-ffba-4755-810c-aa7c0e023ae2@a1g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> > On May 31, 3:35 pm, "Skeptic" <bcs0... DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote:
> >> "Don Tiberone" <s_knig... DeleteThis @my-deja.com> wrote in message
>
> >>news:38417e66-9536-4ba5-a7b3-4c620ada421b@b5g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
>
> >> > I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign.
>
> >> >http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/series?series=lalbos
>
> >> Really? Wow. 8 out of 8 is VERY surprising. Recognizing my being fan
> >> may
> >> obscure my view, at the ver worse I could see them splitting 4-4 or 5-3
> >> in
> >> either direction. If I were betting on the series (and would thus be
> >> very
> >> objective), I'd bet on the Celtics. If I had to pick how many games, I'd
> >> say in 6 games. They'll win the first 2. Take one in LA. Win the first
> >> game back home.
>
> > 1 word why the Lakers win - Kobe
>
> > I don't care for the guy, but he is the MJ of today.
>
> MJ comparisons are old and dead. The reason? He never lived up to them and
> never will. Jordan was an offensive juggernaut, moreso than Kobe. But
> let's say, for the sake of argument, that their offensive abilities are
> close to equal. That leaves 1/2 of the game unaccounted for and the
> difference between being defended by Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant is a
> vast as the ocean is deep. The media so badly wants there to be another
> Jordan that they have tried to create one ever since Kobe entered the
> league. But it takes more than media hype to actually achieve that. It
> takes skills that Kobe doesn't possess.

I don't care for the comparison's between the two either, but this
knock on Kobe is off the mark. And your hatin' can't go unchecked.
Kobe has been NBA First Team defense 5 times, and second team twice.
Sure, I'd give the nod to sweaty ballhog jordon as the best defensive
2-guard ever, but Kobe is in the neighborhood.

--
jabba
citizen of the empire
 >> Stay informed about: 8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers 

On May 31, 4:37 pm, "Skeptic" <bcs0... DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote:
> "brink" <brinknos... DeleteThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:6adqllF36si99U1@mid.individual.net...
>
>
>
> > "Don Tiberone" <s_knig... DeleteThis @my-deja.com> wrote in message
> >news:38417e66-9536-4ba5-a7b3-4c620ada421b@b5g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
> >> I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign.
>
> >>http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/series?series=lalbos
>
> > Can't be a good thing. Up until now, I've thought the Lakers were kind of
> > the underdogs in this postseason... though I guess in each series a
> > majority of "experts" was picking them. Strange that they're somehow got
> > the consensus now against a 66-win team with HCA.
>
> > brink
>
> It's nothing but those morons being blindly sucked into the Kobe hype.

Kobe hype? I don't care for the guy, but give credit where credit
is due. He is the best player in the game right now, whether you like
him or not.

Maybe he will drop 81 on the C's and beat them by himself.
 >> Stay informed about: 8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers 

On May 31, 4:43 pm, "Skeptic" <bcs0... RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote:
> "Ken Cheng" <kench... RemoveThis @worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
>
> news:300ed925-f44d-42fd-99a2-4464d80352f6@a32g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> I think it's not so much the experts' great confidence in the Lakers
> as it is their *loss* of confidence in the Celtics. Those 7-game
> series against the Hawks and the Cavs cost the Celtics the aura of
> invincibility that they had coming into the playoffs, and even their
> victory in 6 over the Pistons hasn't fully brought it back.
>
> Had these polls been done at the beginning of the playoffs, the
> Celtics would have been the pick of all eight experts.
>
> ***************************
>
> These same "experts" all had the Hawks being swept.

So what does that tell ya about the C's?
 >> Stay informed about: 8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers 

On May 31, 5:16 pm, Miguel MB <P....DeleteThis@yaho.com> wrote:
> Skeptic wrote:
> > "Ron" <BigELil....DeleteThis@msn.com> wrote in message
> >news:0095c5a9-ffba-4755-810c-aa7c0e023ae2@a1g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...
>
> >>On May 31, 3:35 pm, "Skeptic" <bcs0....DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >>>"Don Tiberone" <s_knig....DeleteThis@my-deja.com> wrote in message
>
> >>>news:38417e66-9536-4ba5-a7b3-4c620ada421b@b5g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
>
> >>>>I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign.
>
> >>>>http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/series?series=lalbos
>
> >>>Really? Wow. 8 out of 8 is VERY surprising. Recognizing my being fan
> >>>may
> >>>obscure my view, at the ver worse I could see them splitting 4-4 or 5-3
> >>>in
> >>>either direction. If I were betting on the series (and would thus be
> >>>very
> >>>objective), I'd bet on the Celtics. If I had to pick how many games, I'd
> >>>say in 6 games. They'll win the first 2. Take one in LA. Win the first
> >>>game back home.
>
> >>1 word why the Lakers win - Kobe
>
> >>I don't care for the guy, but he is the MJ of today.
>
> > MJ comparisons are old and dead. The reason? He never lived up to them and
> > never will. Jordan was an offensive juggernaut, moreso than Kobe.
>
> What's your definition of "offensive juggernaut"? I take it
> the ability to drop 55 in a half, 30-point quarters, go on
> 3-point sprees, outscore the opponent single-handedly, and score
> in about a hundred different ways have nothing to do with it?


What yr did they move the 3 pt line to a shorter distance?
 >> Stay informed about: 8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers 

On May 31, 2:24 pm, Ron <bigelil... DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote:
> On May 31, 5:16 pm, Miguel MB <P... DeleteThis @yaho.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > Skeptic wrote:
> > > "Ron" <BigELil... DeleteThis @msn.com> wrote in message
> > >news:0095c5a9-ffba-4755-810c-aa7c0e023ae2@a1g2000hsb.googlegroups.com....
>
> > >>On May 31, 3:35 pm, "Skeptic" <bcs0... DeleteThis @yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> > >>>"Don Tiberone" <s_knig... DeleteThis @my-deja.com> wrote in message
>
> > >>>news:38417e66-9536-4ba5-a7b3-4c620ada421b@b5g2000pri.googlegroups.com....
>
> > >>>>I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign.
>
> > >>>>http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/series?series=lalbos
>
> > >>>Really?  Wow.  8 out of 8 is VERY surprising.  Recognizing my being fan
> > >>>may
> > >>>obscure my view, at the ver worse I could see them splitting 4-4 or 5-3
> > >>>in
> > >>>either direction.  If I were betting on the series (and would thus be
> > >>>very
> > >>>objective), I'd bet on the Celtics.  If I had to pick how many games, I'd
> > >>>say in 6 games.  They'll win the first 2.  Take one in LA.  Win the first
> > >>>game back home.
>
> > >>1 word why the Lakers win - Kobe
>
> > >>I don't care for the guy, but he is the MJ of today.
>
> > > MJ comparisons are old and dead.  The reason?  He never lived up to them and
> > > never will.  Jordan was an offensive juggernaut, moreso than Kobe.
>
> >         What's your definition of "offensive juggernaut"?  I take it
> > the ability to drop 55 in a half, 30-point quarters, go on
> > 3-point sprees, outscore the opponent single-handedly, and score
> > in about a hundred different ways have nothing to do with it?
>
> What yr did they move the 3 pt line to a shorter distance?- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I think it was 1994-1995. I remember that Cedric Ceballos suddenly
fancied himself a great 3-point shooter, much to Laker fans'
exasperation at times.

I think Nick Van Exel also hit a ton of threes during that year or two
when the shorter line was in effect. Not that Nick didn't have *real*
3-point range, but the shorter line almost certainly padded his career
stats on threes made.
 >> Stay informed about: 8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers 

"Don Tiberone" <s_knight8.RemoveThis@my-deja.com> wrote in message
news:38417e66-9536-4ba5-a7b3-4c620ada421b@b5g2000pri.googlegroups.com...
> I'm not sure if that's a good or bad sign.
>
> http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/series?series=lalbos

What qualifies them as "experts"?
 >> Stay informed about: 8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers 

Each probably made his own pick without knowledge about anyone
else's. They just happened to all pick the Lakers.

It's a bit disturbing, but the Lakers have earned this position as
favorites with their play up to this point. Based on recent data and
information, there's little reason not to go with the Lakers. It
doesn't mean that's how it will actually work out, but it's more fun
to take a stance, ride with it. As opposed to "anything can happen",
or "I don't know, it could go either way."
 >> Stay informed about: 8 out of 8 ESPN experts pick the Lakers