Game One Predictions Hou V Lakers

houston, as long as harden/howard are healthy, could easily finish as high as 2, imo. they're built for the regular season with their style of play and front-running stars. their comments about role players were misguided and tactless, but correct. you can find patrick beverleys and francisco garcias and terrence joneses anywhere. they'd all look pretty crappy without defenses focused on the big two or in downtempo situations. thus, injuries to the secondary players won't matter much to them. they'll be running the same system with interchangeable parts, so continuity will help them get off to a big early lead in the standings, imo.

now, the playoffs will be a different animal. i don't think they can advance past round 2 unless other teams have major injuries.

i think tonight will be ugly.

 

Again, I think you're giving Houston too much credit.

Howard and Harden were plenty healthy last year, but lost a lot of their depth that really made them a better TEAM.

Out: Lin, Asik, Parsons In: Ariza, Terry ?

Dwight is still overrated offensively, and Harden still can't close games.

 

Even more when you may face the Thunder in the 1st round despite being a top three seed

 

My bad, question was for everyone and not directed towards you haha. Well its safe to say and not sure if majority of yall agree, IF we win this one tonight do you think we make the playoffs?

 

SF
No, it would be a great start though. My making the playoffs is based on not losing too much ground while some key (relatively) players are out. Swaggy is obviously key for firepower and ability to get his own shot. Once we have everyone back we absolutely have to have the injury gods smile on us, or the tool with the voodoo doll having a very unfortunate accident...... Goes without saying Kobe, Lin, Randle, all our key guys have to stay healthy. Then we have a shot.

 

If it's a close game... We'll come out on top. But I'm afraid of the Rockets putting us away nice and early.

 

Well like yall stated above, if we can win tonight with one third of our team,including our 6th man being out who averages 1/5-1/6 of your total PPG alone against a playoff caliber team, than I dont see why not we wouldnt be able to make the playoffs. (*Jim More voice*) PLAYOFFS? Yes, playoffs lol, but thats just my personal opinion.

IF things went like they were supposed to go on paper... well, lets just say they dont which is why professional sports is so great because there is suprises, SEVERAL, every, single, year.

Look at their roster, honestly. http://www.nba.com/rockets/roster

Are you really scared? If you contain, which I dont see why its not more than possible, Howard and Harden to under 50, IMO the game is for us to take.

Im actually going to go on a limb and say Rockets dont even make the playoffs. I think their roster has several holes in it.

 

If the 1st unit wins, then we win the game. Kobe and Lin maybe even Jordan Hill (if he plays). If we restrict Howards scoring and tie him up to stop him scoring and have him rely on free throws, he will eventually quit and tech himself or foul himself out of the game. This point assumes that Howard has learnt nothing from two years ago and has gained nothing in maturity. A fairly safe bet.

The margin of error is small but I think this game is very important to Kobe (despite what he will say). If we are within 5 in the last 5 minutes, the game is ours. We will win by 6 or lose by 15. Little middle ground. Damn it. Lakers by 3 with a Harden airball to blow the overtime play is my biased prediction. It's personal. The Lakers are winners let's get back to winning.

 

I think both teams will have some jitters to be honest but we do have the home town love and support behind us. The teams will be feeling each other out, but ATLEAST, we have actual game tape of them from last year. They dont. Hill and Davis are going to be the X-factors on the defensive side of the ball. Are we putting Lin on Harden since he does more running around im guessing? Than Kobe can play Beverly and have a little more freedom to be a ball hawk in a way when he feels he can jump in somewhere to double or cut off a pass?

 

Do not want Kobe anywhere near Beverly. But of course that will happen at points in the game. He needs to have Randle go over and snap his effing neck if he takes a cheap shot at Kobe's legs. He did it again to Westbrook when they played after he had been out for like 6 months due to the bleep's first time injuring him. The first time, honestly just happened as he lunged for the ball right in front of Westbrook's legs. But then he did the damn same move the 2nd time. Reckless or "worse". Reminds me of Wade's crap. Or Reggie Miller chuckling about it in the booth, when Kobe had someone blatantly walk under his shot and twist his ankle badly 2 years ago pre achilles, and said, I got "Millered". Reggie didn't deny and thought it was real funny.

 

I take the over.....WAY over. Probably close to 20.

 

We should use our Sacre fouls timely tonight. I doubt Dwight has discovered some sort of a free-throw stroke over the summer

 

Hill/Boozer/Johnson/Kobe/Lin vs Dwight/Jones/Ariza/Harden/Beverly

and

Davis/Randle/Henry/Clarkson/Price vs Black/Motiejunas/Garcia/Terry/Canaan

Not sure how this season's rockets are better if anything, worse.

Meanwhile, we have Kobe back. More a consistent rotation. And a some capable bench players.

 

I think Kobe guarding Beverly is just fine&honestly have no problem with his style of play.. hes scrappy, but Ive never witnessed anything from him ACTUALLY dirty. 15 Fts for Harden? Ill take the under,I can see him drawing 7 fouls which is 14 Im not worried about Hill and Davis getting 10 fouls so dont think Sacre will be needed to be honest.

P.S-Lakerfan, thats exactly what im saying. I rather have our roster to be honest because I believe we have a better all around team. The only reason people rather have Houstons roster is because Harden&Howard are in their primes. Wait till Julius reaches his and we land some key pieces soon,wont be close IMO.

 

5 hours!

 

I already think Julius is already more skilled than Dwight. I'd take Randle all day over Dwight in a draft.

 

I'm hoping the Lakers can get a win out of the gate. Would be a great start to the season.
One thing I can predict with 100% accuracy is that i'll be watching the game at the Lamppost Pizza on Baker & Adams in Costa mesa.

 

I'd like the Lakers to win for all the obvious reasons, but I can't really predict who will come out on top. I just think it will be fun to see Kobe get unleashed after all the downtime, and against the Rockets of all teams. I'm thinking a good old-fashioned Kobe hate-@#$% is on the menu tonight.