Blazers= Toughest match up for the Lakers in the playoffs?

[Swish]

topic posted on my forum

"The biggest challenge would be Portland because of the hate factor," Magic Johnson said Sunday, walking in a corridor underneath Staples Center. "They don't like us and we don't like them. That would be a very physical and tough series, even though we would win and we're better overall. But they really know how to play us, they're well-coached and they're tenacious."
...
"They're big enough to play us tough," Johnson said of Portland. "There's other teams that I think would be a good series, but [Portland] would be the toughest series."

The Lakers have defeated the Trail Blazers three times this season, including a 25-point victory in early November. But Johnson cited the Lakers' two close wins against Portland -- a five-point overtime thriller at the Rose Garden in late February and a four-point win last Sunday -- as a reason why the Blazers would still prove challenging.

http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2011/03/magic-johnson-most-worried-about-the-trail-blazers-as-a-possible-first-round-opponent.html


Blazers are a tough team and when you guys ignore that, this is another reason and proof to call them underrated. Since they got Gerald Wallace in town, they've been playing really well with a good record if I'm not mistaking. I like to watch how they play offensively with Alridge being the go to guy since Roy's injuries have been more important than ever in his career. It's going to be a fun playoff match up to watch if this happens but I think the Lakers will win these series if they keep the same level of play since the all star break (they've been phenomenal)

 

[Mexi]

they can beat everyone in the west not named the lakers

if they had more size, i'd be extremely worried about them. I thought they would be in the WCF this year with the lakers if Roy and Oden were healthy. i was so worried about them

they played the lakers the other day and just watching that game, LMA has 0% chance at guarding Bynum(who didnt play)

 

[DJT]

I think it would be an exciting series, but I'd see the Lakers pulling it off.

 

[playmaker7]

I'd like to see it. I got the Lakers of course

 

[Elite]

If Roy was fully healthy, I could easily see the Blazers taking it, with or without Oden, but without a 100% healthy Roy, the Lakers would win in 5 or 6

 

[Mooche]

If Roy was fully healthy, I could easily see the Blazers taking it, with or without Oden, but without a 100% healthy Roy, the Lakers would win in 5 or 6

I agree.

Roy is the key in this whole discussion, and if he is not healthy, then the Blazers won't be able to fight with the Lakers till the very end.

 

[playmaker7]

I agree.

Roy is the key in this whole discussion, and if he is not healthy, then the Blazers won't be able to fight with the Lakers till the very end.

Completely agree. Roy is the key to that team but if he's not in shape, they don't stand a chance YDG