Can the Thunder beat the Lakers?

• Pick6

  

  Their 2 losses have been fairly close. With that blowout last night..im gonna go with 45% chance they knock off the Lakers.
• BR1986FB

  I think the Lakers will wake up and take this series in 7 games.
• newarkcatholicfan

  

  The West is so tough that anything is really possible.
• wes_mantooth

  

  Lakers haven't been playing well for a good while, but I think that Mamba finds a way to get it done.
• Footwedge

  I thought the Lakers would lose before the series started. Not surprised at all at what's happening and I still feel the same. Artest is killing that team. And other than Odom, LA's bench is weak.
  
  Yesterday, LA's plan was to use their heighth on offense. They got blown out.
  
  This series should be 3-1 Thunder. Game 2 was frittered away in the closing minutes.
• Pick6

  

  I only watched the second half of the game last night..did Durant guard Kobe?
• Pick6

  

  ^I think that could be a match up that can change the series. Durant owned Kobe in the 4th of game 3.
• sleeper

  

  Lakers in 7.
  
  But I wouldn't be shocked to see the Thunder pull it off.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Clearly the answer is yes if the Lakers want to continue to fuck around.
• KR1245

  

  I gotta believe that the Lakers will wake up. I think they win in 6
• Pick6

  

  I dont buy the fuck around, or taking it easy, or they can just turn it off and on crap. Its the PLAYOFFS. Why would you fuck around?
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Valid question.
  
  I don't mean fucking around like they're just toying with them, I mean fucking around like not taking advantage of their advantages in this series.
  
  If the Thunder win this series though, I'd like to see anyone make an argument that the NBA is fixed.
• devil1197

  LAL is not messing around, their just not playing smart basketball.
  
  Kobe isn't Kobe right now. He left the game to get worked on, he is hurting too much.
  
  The bench continues to blow outside of Odom or they don't use their big men properly.
• hoops23

  

  The Lakers tank is looking empty to me.. The way the Thunder are blowing by them kind of reminds me of the Dallas - Golden St series a few years back.
• 3reppom

  

  The Thunder can beat the Lakers, but they won't IMO. The advantages that Durant has over Artest and Westbrook has over the corpse of Derek Fisher can theoretically offset the advantage that the Lakers have in the persons of Gasol and Bynum inside, particularly with Kobe playing so average by his standards. But if the Lakers try to pound it inside they can get unlimited buckets. they will eventually figure that out.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Series doesn't start until someone wins on the road anyways right?
• cview

  I wouldn't really say LA is fucking around in the sense that they are not trying, their MO (at least last year and even to some extent in 2008 as well) has just been to wait until their backs are against the wall or until they absolutely need a W to do anything about it. Not unlike a lot of very good teams in different leagues that just can't find a way to summon the same type of high level energy and excitement regularly. Last year they whacked Houston every time they needed a W. Down 1-0, with the series tied 2-2, and with the series tied 3-3. They did the same with Denver, when the series was at 1-1 and 2-2. In 2008 they did it when tied 2-2 with Utah and in the Finals they got a win down 2-0, had the epic game 4 collapse but did come out and play great for a good part of that game and then won game 5. Of all of those occasions the only time they really failed was game 6 of the 2008 Finals. I'm not saying LA will even win this series and I definitely don't think they'll win the NBA title this year but this core has shown a knack for getting a good performance when they need one.
• Footwedge

  I would be very surprised if LA advances to the second round. They don't have the hunger factor this year....and...they are not nearly as good at the guard position. Bryant is nothing like he was last year. Fischer went over the hill much like Shaq. Shannon Brown has been streaky bad, and Artest somehow still thinks he's a 3 point shooter.
  
  Bynum has done fine...and Odom and Gashole have played like stars. But the Thunder is playing with house money, and I think they pull down the Lakeshow.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Agree cview, but we'll see how their ability to perform with their back against the wall soon--it doesn't seem like it's there right now with a shitty bench and a less than stellar Kobe. I still think that if Bynum and Gasol got at least 40 shots a game, they'd dominate this series.
• hoops23

  

  I picked OKC to win........ 2 games. They've done that. Now it's time for LA to show their experience by winning these mentally tough next two games.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  If the Thunder don't take game 5, I think they're pretty much screwed. I'd pretty much be willing to bet anything on the Lakers in a game 7 at home.
• Swamp Fox

  I don't like the Lakers but I still think that LA will be a different team in the next three games. I think the Lakers win in OT and Jack Nicholson comes off the bench to sink the deciding foul shot. Like I've often said...strange things happen on the West Coast all the time. And for the record, Kobe is still very dangerous in games that are must win, do or die games.
• devil1197

  If the Thunder can steal game 5 then watch out.
• goldengonzo

  I'm pulling for OKC as much as the next guy, but WAYYYYY too many people have jumped on their bandwagon.
  
  And when that happens, that usually means it WON'T happen. So I'm going to say LA wakes up and takes care of business.
• krazie45

  

  No. The thunder are too young and inexperienced to win this series.