The Western Conference’s Best Team: L.A. Lakers or San Antonio Spurs?March 03 08  My AM Take: One embodies glitz-and-glamour. The other is blue-collar. One has a superstar who transcends the league. The other has a superstar who is unfairly compared to a robot because of his low-key personality. Yes, I’m referring to the Western Conference’s two best teams: the L.A. Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. And yes, Hollywood and The River City are polar opposites. The Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant, have star-driven talent. The Spurs, led by Tim Duncan, aim for text-book efficiency. Different styles, but both are highly effective.
Only one team can represent the west in the NBA Finals. Right now, who has the best shot of winning the Western Conference: Los Angeles or San Antonio? Read the post and let us know in the comment box below.
The Case for the Lakers … - Staples Center houses the best player in the world. Of course, Bryant is now content to facilitate for others or –like Sunday afternoon- he can still dominate when necessary. #24 is in line for his first MVP.
- Staples Center also houses the best frontcourt in the NBA: Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol, and Lamar Odom. When healthy, this trio has the size and skill to give opponents fits.
- Depth is a beautiful thing. The purple-and-gold has one of the league’s best benches; Phil Jackson can go ten deep, calling on useful players like Jordan Farmar, Ronny Turiaf, and Sasha Vujacic.
The Case for the Spurs … - San Antonio is a perfect example of defense winning NBA Titles. With Duncan acting as the anchor, the silver-and-black stays near the top of the standings by stopping opponents.
- Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker are interchangeable All-Stars. Over the years, each has led the Spurs to playoff glory. And they are the defending champs.
- Savvy veterans are a wonderful commodity. Last month, San Antonio added Damon Stoudamire and Kurt Thomas to a roster of experienced pros like Robert Horry, Fabricio Oberta, Michael Finley and Brent Barry.
L.A. or San Antonio? Who is the best team in the Western Conference? Get at us in the comment box below with your vote.
The AM Take is Oly’s morning thoughts on the NBA appearing Sunday through Friday on HoopsVibe NBA Blog. Errors can be attributed to the time and his need for another coffee.
[Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/do-it_do-it-now/373048494/]
Posted by
mari
on 03.3.2008 | since when are lamar odom, pau gasol and andrew bynum the best front court in the league?? how many games have they played together??? sounds a little premature to be calling them the best front court in the NBA when they’ve never even been on the court at the same time. . | Posted by
dirtyspurswillgethandled
on 03.3.2008 | I’m sorry, the laker’s are the spurs Achilles heel man.When these guys got at it in a playoff series the spurs lose 75% of the time.
Phil has Popoviches number. its gonna be tough because the match ups are too hard to judge who will guard Bynum? and if Bynum is on the bench then you have mbinga and or Turiaf, then you have Gasol to deal with at the PF spot on tim duncan all day.
forget about Horry.He can’t do any funny business to these guys with all our height.then Bruce bowen guarding Lamar Odom who is like what 6-10 to Bowen’s 6-7 yeah right.let me see him throw a kick to his face in crunch time.not gonna get above his abdomen.
then we got Ariza’s defense on anybody all day, as well as the deepest bench in the league...double, triple, hell quadruple Kobe Bryant and then he will kick it out to the machine, Farmer, or Radmonovic and they will drill a 3 in their face.
Now we have Fisher on Parker, Fisher knows how to play defense with the best of them and he is proven in playoff time especially against Parker.
Kobe on Ginobli, kobe bryant defensive first practically every year of his career.Ginobli none of them.even if they trow bowen on Kobe, he can’t pull any funny business on him cause kobe knows him
so there you have it.laker’s in 6 in the western conference finals, and you can take that to the bank. . | Posted by
on 03.3.2008 | Sprus will take it for sure. They have a better roster, more experience, and are just an all around better team. . | Posted by
Dingo
on 03.3.2008 | You’ve asked two questions: who has the best shot of winning the Western Conference and who is the best team in the Western Conference? The Lakers are now the best team on paper with Pau Gasol, and will be even better once Andrew Bynum is back in uniform, but the Spurs have the best shot of winning the West because of their depth and their playoff experience. Their matchup on April 13 in LA should be a nice preview of the Western Conference Finals. . | Posted by
Dingo
on 03.3.2008 | You’ve asked two questions: who has the best shot of winning the Western Conference and who is the best team in the Western Conference? The Lakers are now the best team on paper with Pau Gasol, and will be even better once Andrew Bynum is back in uniform, but the because of their depth and their playoff experience. Their matchup on April 13 in LA should be a nice preview of the Western Conference Finals. . | Posted by
chAk
on 03.3.2008 | spurs have been creeping to the top of conference for the past decade...they have power, experience, endurance, and a very good coach...and though the lakers do not have as much experience as the spurs, they do have a wonderful team that has been rejuvenated since the emergence of bynum and the acquisition of gasol...not to mention the zen master phil jackson who has more experience and more rings than the spurs organization...the lakers...it is extremely likely that the western conference will come down to these two teams, and though the lakers dont have as much experience as the spurs, the lakers will be able to power through this year if bynum and the bench play their roles....oh and lebron is good, and he brought the cavs to the finals...but...he’s on the east coast...and uh...the east is simply pathetic compared to the west (aside from the c’s n pistons this year) . | Posted by
LakerFacts
on 03.3.2008 | I can’t wait to see the spurs and Lakers when they both are at full strength. This Lakers team should become even more dominant then the one that won 3 in a row which was no easy feat. The spurs wish they could ever be that good. Spurs can’t even win back to back and they’ve been trying for years. This Lakers team has the potential to pull off multiple championships in a row. This is what Spurs fans are so worried about. The Spurs are as good as they are ever going to be. The Lakers are just scratching the surface of their potential yet have still been good enough to beat the elites. I feel sorry for the rest of the NBA. . | Posted by
Jeremy
on 03.3.2008 | LA hasnt gone past the first round since Shaq left, so they have to prove they can do it.Kobe’s amazing but can he keep his cool when things dont go his was as opposed to pull off stupid s---like stop shooting during the whole game to prove a point?Bynum is too green and will face the best at his position, tall order! Gasol is what, 0 for 12 in the playoffs ?Spurs have 4 rings for a reason, gotta respect that. All the kids who dont know nothin about basketball except for whatever hype is hot THIS year cant wait to jump on the latest bandwagon (celts, lakers ...). Just remember last years finals. Lebroom anyone? . | Posted by
Topher
on 03.3.2008 | Lakers baby! .best team in the league . | Posted by
rzurzel
on 03.3.2008 | Hope that it’ll be lakers. I can’t watch that wooden Pinocchio-Duncan. . | Posted by
tmike23
on 03.3.2008 | When the lakers are back to a 100% mode and if they get the andrew bynum that continues to do what he did before he left theres no doubt in my mind that its gonna be the lakers. KOBE FOR MVP 2008! . | Posted by
steven[stunna]
on 03.3.2008 | first of all, lakerz to win the title. im not going to rant on and on about the spurs age. they arent that old. veterans means they are clutch under pressure. if kb24 manages to pull it off, then he deserves the mvp award he will surely be getting soon. the lakers are not only style, they have substance as weel. more substance though but it looks like style cuz we pull it off so nicely. hey ’sanantonioalltheway’, ur an ignorant person but ill put u in your place anywayz. bynum overrated??? the lakerz were in 1st place before his injury! kobe is averaging 5.4 assists a game. thats more than everybody else in a spurs uniform except for tony parker(5.9apg). kb24 only had 1 bad year without shaq because the team was completely new. only kb24 and devean george remained 4rm the pervious season. next year, we were in the playoffs again, let me ask you, whos going to stop the height and power of gasol, odom, and bynum? no one. kobe has an easier time. and i STILL havnt included the bench! our n=bench is better than other team’s starters!!! if duncan is the best since mj, then y is kobe constantly compared??? anybody whos a fan or hater of the lakerz(future champs of ’08) who has a problem with me, hit me up at shakur_makaveli96@yahoo.com on myspace or in an email. lakerz!!! . | Posted by
Spursbaby
on 03.3.2008 | Spurs baby when the big are on you can’t beat them. By the way Kobe isn’t the best player in world Labron James is thats why he is Jordan reborn. Kobe the best haha James took his team last year to championship by himself Kobe needs someone tall to win.James has way better stats then Kobe James=MVP . | Posted by
Texsand
on 03.3.2008 | The Mavs are spookier than the Lakers but I still think the Spurs take them in 7. They are building a good team in La_la Land but the operative word is building. . | Posted by
on 03.3.2008 | the lakers have kobe bryant, ur all stupid for doubting him, he just torched the mavs lastnite and hes gonna set records against the spurs this yr, lakers will sweep the spurs if the match up. GARENTEE a victory . | Posted by
Nathan
on 03.3.2008 | if healthy, its most likely going to be the lakers . | Posted by
Clayboy
on 03.3.2008 | Gotta love it! This reminds me of last year’s Dallas Mavericks. I must keep repeating myself: Regular season success does NOT equal post season success! The Lakers are an unproven in the playoffs. Year after year, the Spurs are forgotten until the playoffs. The "long in the tooth" term has been used for at least five years now. They keep winning. Until somebody proves otherwise...in the playoffs, the Spurs are the team to beat! . | Posted by
laker girl
on 03.3.2008 | lakers all the way http:// . | Posted by
10th message
on 03.3.2008 | It’s all about the boston celtics baby! best team no doubt! . | Posted by
LAKERS08CHAMPS
on 03.3.2008 | THATS ALL SAN ANTONIO IS A TEAM CONSISTING OF OLD PLAYERS DAT CANT EVEN TOUCH THE YOUNG AND MUCH QUICKER LAKERS A SEVEN GAME SERIES SEE THE LAKERS AT THE OTHER SIDE OF DA TUNNEL BEFORE THE SPURS TURN AROUND AND REALIZE THAT THE LAKERS JUST BEAT THEM AND ARE GOING UP AGAISNT THE CELTICS FOR THE FINALS AND CHAMPIONSHIP THAT KOBES BE LONGING TO GIVE US .....................LAKERS FAN FOREVER 08 IS OUR YEAR LETS GET READY TO PUT THAT 08 BANNER UP ON THE RAFTERS . |
No profanity or inaproppriate remarks. All i.p. addresses will be saved and abuse/hate posts will be reported to providers and authorities as part of the anti-spam act of 2003, thank you for posting comments on the articles only. | | | |
|  | About
Oly Sandor | Daily take on NBA Oly Sandor is an NBA analyst and sports journalist based out of Vancouver, Canada.After years of the free-lance game, Oly Sandor is bringing his unique brand of NBA analysis exclusively to (...) More |
|
