Revenge? Payback?? LOL!!!

[UNHWildCats]

Lakers fans seem to be all happy that they got revenge and payback on Christmas day....

But really... was it revenge...or payback?

xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx

[Baldy]

I see that Golden State got some revenge on the Keltics last night, too. xlolx

[wkuhillhound]

Watch out for Orlando! Not just because Courtney Lee is basically kicking Redick's arse in the rotation. They are a legitimate team NOT to mess with Boston. xnodx

[YaleFootballFan]

Lakers fans seem to be all happy that they got revenge and payback on Christmas day....

But really... was it revenge...or payback?

xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx

That's hilarious.

The only way the Lakers would get revenge (or payback) for last year is if they beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals this year. One regular season win doesn't constitute payback for losing a best-of-seven Championship series.

[TexasTerror]

I can see it now...

CHASING HISTORY: Celtics Longest Losing Streak after a 15+ Game Win Streak

Sacramento is no push-over... ;)

[blueballs]

Watch out for Orlando! Not just because Courtney Lee is basically kicking Redick's arse in the rotation. They are a legitimate team NOT to mess with Boston. xnodx

Since I am a season ticket holder for the Magic I'll weigh in...

... Orlando is much improved this year due mainly to three factors:

a) they are a MUCH BETTER defensive team. Look at their defensive effeciency stats, they have come a long way in the two years Van Gundy has been the head man. SVG has them committed to being a good defensive team and the players have bought in to it. Rashard Lewis gave SVG all the credit last night in an interview. SVG set the tone, Dwight Howard bought into it, and the rest of the team followed Howard.

b) better depth... Anthony Johnson works better in his backup role than Carlos Arroyo and (although I love his game and his parents sat beside me some last year and are GREAT people) Keyon Dooling. Getting Tony Battie back from injury was like signing a free agent and Marcin Gortat (who is getting better by the game) is a 10,000% improvement at back up C over Adonal Foyle. Courtney Lee makes rookie mistakes (like any other rookie) but most of his mistakes are at the offensive end. He brings athleticism and defensive intensity to the court. He has already cut into Pietrus' minutes (Pietrus missed time with an injury) and has come a long way. It wouldn't surprise me if he starts next year at SG.

c) Jameer Nelson is playing at an all star level. You could see the confidence start growing in the playoffs last year. He really made a commitment to himself and the team over the summer- Otis Smith walking away from Arroyo and Dooling sent a message to him too- and the dividends are being paid.

Orlando played Boston a few weeks ago at Boston and got waxed, but the Magic were w/o both starting guards and the top swing backup. Orlando hasn't played Cleveland yet either so I'm not sure how they match up. Cleveland is a different team than last year due mainly to Mo Williams. The Magic play the Pistons- who are also a different team due to the trade and 3 guard offense- in Detroit tomorrow night so we'll see how those two teams match up.

I really can't tell how the playoffs will shake out until I see all the teams match up against one another because the NBA playoffs is all about matchups. I still think Boston has a huge experience and veteran leadership advantage over Orlando but that may be diminished by April. Orlando has played both Cleveland and Boston awfully tough over the last two years but we'll see how this year matches up.

One thing's for sure... it is fun to go to the games again.

[UNHWildCats]

Since I am a season ticket holder for the Magic I'll weigh in...

... Orlando is much improved this year due mainly to three factors:

a) they are a MUCH BETTER defensive team. Look at their defensive effeciency stats, they have come a long way in the two years Van Gundy has been the head man. SVG has them committed to being a good defensive team and the players have bought in to it. Rashard Lewis gave SVG all the credit last night in an interview. SVG set the tone, Dwight Howard bought into it, and the rest of the team followed Howard.

b) better depth... Anthony Johnson works better in his backup role than Carlos Arroyo and (although I love his game and his parents sat beside me some last year and are GREAT people) Keyon Dooling. Getting Tony Battie back from injury was like signing a free agent and Marcin Gortat (who is getting better by the game) is a 10,000% improvement at back up C over Adonal Foyle. Courtney Lee makes rookie mistakes (like any other rookie) but most of his mistakes are at the offensive end. He brings athleticism and defensive intensity to the court. He has already cut into Pietrus' minutes (Pietrus missed time with an injury) and has come a long way. It wouldn't surprise me if he starts next year at SG.

c) Jameer Nelson is playing at an all star level. You could see the confidence start growing in the playoffs last year. He really made a commitment to himself and the team over the summer- Otis Smith walking away from Arroyo and Dooling sent a message to him too- and the dividends are being paid.

Orlando played Boston a few weeks ago at Boston and got waxed, but the Magic were w/o both starting guards and the top swing backup. Orlando hasn't played Cleveland yet either so I'm not sure how they match up. Cleveland is a different team than last year due mainly to Mo Williams. The Magic play the Pistons- who are also a different team due to the trade and 3 guard offense- in Detroit tomorrow night so we'll see how those two teams match up.

I really can't tell how the playoffs will shake out until I see all the teams match up against one another because the NBA playoffs is all about matchups. I still think Boston has a huge experience and veteran leadership advantage over Orlando but that may be diminished by April. Orlando has played both Cleveland and Boston awfully tough over the last two years but we'll see how this year matches up.

One thing's for sure... it is fun to go to the games again.
The east is Boston, Cleveland, Orlando and noone else. They are the elite teams in the east and the conference winner will be from that group.