Is the Lakers' overall roster better than the Blazers'?

[PtldPlatypus]

Just looking position by position, without taking into account chemistry, potential for injury, or degrees of superiority:

PG1 Lillard > Lin
SG1 Matthews < Bryant
SF1 Batum > Young
PF1 Aldridge > Davis
C1 Lopez > Hill

PG2 Blake < Nash
SG2 McCollum < Brooks
SF2 Wright < Henry
PF2 Robinson < Randle
C2 Kaman > Sacre

PG3 Barton > Clarkson
SG3 Crabbe > (Open)
SF3 Claver < Johnson
PF3 Freeland < Boozer
C3 Leonard < Kelly

I see them better at 8 spots, with our starters being considerably better, but their bench being decidedly better. I'm speculating about Randle being better than Truck, but I think the rest of it seems pretty clear. Tell me where I'm wrong?

 

[Minstrel]

Nothing is clearly wrong, given your caveats.

Of course, degree of superiority in the starting lineup and the starters playing many more minutes than the reserves is why this type of analysis doesn't go any distance in evaluating teams.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

4 out of 5 starters being better then they goes a lot further then 7 out of 10 reserves being better then us.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

4 out of 5 starters being better then they goes a lot further then 7 out of 10 reserves being better then us.

True, although as Dame is learning at team USA camp, being deeper means that you can put forth more effort on both ends of the floor. They are clearly deeper than we are. That may well pay dividends for them, especially late in the season, and in terms of being able to keep Kobe on the floor.

Just saying, they're not likely to be the pushover many assume they will be.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

We don't take too kindly of people saying nice things about the Lakers around here.

 

[jlprk]

If Nash is healthy, he's a better PG > Lillard. If he's not, he's < Blake.

Nice color-coding, by the way.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

If Nash is healthy, he's a better PG > Lillard. If he's not, he's < Blake.

Nice color-coding, by the way.

 

[Prue]

Can we really say still the Kobe is > Wes....

I mean I get it...but if you do matchup Wes<>Kobe...Wes knows how to hound him and Kobe doesn't have the step he use to. Perhaps =?

 

[e_blazer]

If Nash is 25, he's a better PG > Lillard. If he's not, he's < Blake.

Nice color-coding, by the way.

FTFY

Agree about the color coding, though.

 

[NewsSource]

True, although as Dame is learning at team USA camp, being deeper means that you can put forth more effort on both ends of the floor. They are clearly deeper than we are. That may well pay dividends for them, especially late in the season, and in terms of being able to keep Kobe on the floor.

Just saying, they're not likely to be the pushover many assume they will be.

I don't understand how the Lakers having an advantage at players 13-15 really matters, and I also aren't quite sure how you can put Randle ahead of TRob, considering Randle has literally not played an NBA game.

 

[magnifier661]

You forgot the most important part of the debate....
Stotts > Dipshit

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I don't understand how the Lakers having an advantage at players 13-15 really matters,

I'm more talking about 6-10. The third string inclusion was just for completeness' sake.

and I also aren't quite sure how you can put Randle ahead of TRob, considering Randle has literally not played an NBA game.

Only because based on what I saw of him in college, Randle appears to have more of an NBA game with actual low post skills, as contrasted with Robinson's high-energy garbage man game. Both have value, but I just think Randle will be very good. He may well be starting before season's end.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

You forgot the most important part of the debate....
Stotts > Dipshit

Is Stotts necessarily better than Scott? Byron Scott has been to the finals. Twice.

 

[santeesioux]

Wait, when we signed Blankey and Kaman people were saying we took their two best healthy players from last season, but now they have a better roster than us?

 

[NewsSource]

I'm more talking about 6-10. The third string inclusion was just for completeness' sake.

It's an interesting exercise, but since 1-5 play the majority of the minutes, I'm not sure it really matters.

Only because based on what I saw of him in college, Randle appears to have more of an NBA game with actual low post skills, as contrasted with Robinson's high-energy garbage man game. Both have value, but I just think Randle will be very good. He may well be starting before season's end.

I think Randle could be good, too, but with college PFs who aren't exceptionally tall (he's only 6'7.75" w/out shoes), it can become about athleticism unless you're a low-post freak with a mid-range game like ZBO. I can't imagine Randle trying to defend LMA, for example, since LMA is a legitimate 6'10" w/out shoes.

Randle dropped because he's undersized in terms of height. He measured only 6'9" in shoes with a 7' wingspan. By comparison, TRob measured 6'8.25" in shoes with a 7'3.25" wingspan, and he looks undersized.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

It's an interesting exercise, but since 1-5 play the majority of the minutes, I'm not sure it really matters.

That's exactly what I was about to post.

 

[Boob-No-More]

PG2 Blake < Nash

Only if Nash has invented a time machine. As bad as Blake is, he scored more points and had more assists before Thanksgiving than Nash did for the entire season. Nash is done. He's just taking up a roster spot and eating up a shit load of cap space. That makes him my favorite Laker (if there is such a thing).

BNM

 

[THE HCP]

Boozer will be their starting PF opening night!

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Boozer will be their starting PF opening night!

Which changes nothing; Aldridge still owns him.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

I think we are better at every single starting spot and the bench strength is near the same. The Lakers would be happy finishing within ten games of the Blazers.

 

[Minstrel]

That's exactly what I was about to post.

That's exactly what I already did post.

 

[THE HCP]

Which changes nothing; Aldridge still owns him.

Didn't say it would.....just pointing out that the original post said he was their 3rd string center. Kobe will make sure he plays 30 min a night.

 

[BigGameDamian]

So if the Blazers are better than the Lakers we as fans are satisfied?

 

[PtldPlatypus]

So if the Blazers are better than the Lakers we as fans are satisfied?

I don't think anyone said anything of the sort. Nice straw man though.

On second thought...no, it wasn't.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Boozer will be their starting PF opening night!

That may be. Or perhaps Byron Scott will decide to start the better player instead of the established but declining veteran. Who knows?

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I'm moving this thread to the Laker forum.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I'm moving this thread to the Laker forum.

I'd say you've gone mad with power, but we all know you've been there for a while.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I'd say you've gone mad with power, but we all know you've been there for a while.

You want me on that wall, you need me on that wall!

 

[magnifier661]

Is Stotts necessarily better than Scott? Byron Scott has been to the finals. Twice.

So good, he lost his job twice. The two times he made it to the finals, he was in the Leastern Conference. Coming out in the East was a joke.

 

[Draco]

Lakers roster is a joke they will be one of if not the worst team in the west. Gasol was their best player last year. They got worse from last season.