Lakers-Blazers - Strangest Game So Far

[Masbee]

so says SI

Ah, the last weekend of the NBA season, where lottery-bound teams will get a little more liberal in resting key players and meaningless games verge into defense-less chaos. Things just get a little funky at this time of year; Jordan Crawford might take 30 shots in a game this weekend.

And so I present to you a nominee for the season’s strangest game so far, at least in terms of bizarre playoff implications: Friday’s game between the Lakers and Blazers in Portland. The Lakers are nearly locked into the No. 2 seed, meaning they will face the No. 7 seed in the first round. As of Friday morning, the Hornets (45-33) inhabit the No. 7 spot, just a half-game behind the Blazers (46-33). A few of the more candid Lakers told Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times that the team would prefer to avoid Portland in the first round. That makes sense, considering the Lakers’ recent history in Portland, where they had lost nine straight games before a tough win in February.

The Lakers have one easy way to increase Portland’s odds of snagging the No. 6 seed: by losing. No team is ever going to acknowledge tanking, and the Lakers are healthy and set to play their normal rotations. But don’t be shocked if the minutes distribution between starters and bench players looks a bit different than usual....

http://nba-point-forward.si.com/201...e-strangest-game-of-year/?xid=cnnbin&hpt=Sbin

 

[maxiep]

Let's hope the author is right. If Bynum and Gasol come up with sore knees and K*be's finger is bothering him enough to sit out the game, we'll know that to be the case. I can't imagine why they'd fear us, though. We're not the same team that ran up that streak.

 

[BrianFromWA]

it'd be kind of funny to have both benches duking it out to see who could suck more and take the L. Charles and Kenny would have a field day.

 

[Shooter]

So . . . the Lakers actually fear us, despite the fact that Brandon Roy can barely run or jump anymore? Hard to believe.

 

[andalusian]

I think the Lakers are going to do whatever they can to win in the event they have to face Orlando or the Celtics in the finals - to ensure they have home court advantage.

Not buying this tanking argument.

 

[magnifier661]

So . . . the Lakers actually fear us, despite the fact that Brandon Roy can barely run or jump anymore? Hard to believe.

I don't think it's fear, but more about avoidance of a hard first round series. Against the Lakers, I suspect they will win in a seven game series, but it could be 7 games. A team like Dallas facing NO would have a much easier time beating them Portland. And Lakers could enjoy the Blazers pounding the life or even possibly winning the series against Dallas; which would give them a much easier match-up in the second round.