Gargamel said:
I wouldn't go that far. They're minus the slow euro center, but they're also minus the deep bench along with other ?s. I think there's a great capacity for flux as far as both teams are concerned. LA is weak at PG, deficient at PF, and at the mercy of the refs at C so they could overachieve based on the cohesion they showed in the preseason...or they could succumb to small ball woes when they face top tier teams with reasonably strong interior presences. The Kings can go thru the nastiest of slumps when their defense and rebounding and free throwing aren't sharp.
Yeah, defense wins championships, and FT's translate to important points during big games. Rebounding? What is that again?
Kings were without a deep bench last season too, so I'm sticking by "status-quo". Webs presence inside has improved somewhat & his shooting percentage has come way up. Peja is not relying on screens so much and is getting free more often. Maybe my status quo mark should be moved, but heck...it's just preseason.
Lakers do look cohesive, moreso than was expected I think. By December, with a fair number of games under our belts, things will be clearer.
I HATE not knowing what to expect!