Lakeshow vs Team Tattoos

Like most people I am somewhat unsure about this. I think I convinced myself for most of the season that the Lakers were leaps and bounds ahead of everyone... but it seems that several of the key issues that stood in the way of them winning last year are still there: inability to defend pick and rolls/drive and kicks, lack of toughness, and the tendency to stand around and watch kobe....

Front Court: Common knowledge is that the lakeshow's real advantage is the length of their bigs...two actual 7 footers on the block, while denver's front court is basically a group of undersized powerforwards. The difference maker for the Nuggets though is that Mark Cuban was right....their forwards are THUGZ. And the laker's front court is panzy as shit. Pau is inexcusably bad at defense for a player of his talent, and Bynum can't move laterally at all. Both of these guys will be in foul trouble early. Mitigating factor here is Odom off the bench...then again who has any idea what Birdman is capable of doing...what the hell is that guy?

Point Men: In the triangle point guard play is traditionally a secondary thought and the lakers are actually rolling minutes to fisher, farmar, and brown; three decent PGs. But obviously Chauncey B-B-B-Billups (suddenly acclaimed by everyone as hands down the greatest point player in NBA history) will expose all three if he gets touches on the block.

Melo vs Kobe?: Stupid question...mamba eats melo

Result: As easy as it is to talk shit about the Lakers at every position, they are still ridiculously deep and talented. Their issues exist and are obvious but they also tend to evaporate when the Laker's actually respect their opponent and feel they have something to prove. Denver is legit and the Lakers know it, and with so many "experts" jumping on the Denver wagon I'm sure the lakeshow will have plenty of the motivation they lacked at times against Houston. Lakers in 6.