On Tuesday against the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers will be playing in their sixth conference final in the last 10 years. After the a tougher-than-expected seven-game series against the Rockets, however, the critics are out in full force.
The Lakers, you'll hear, are soft. They lack heart. And if they are lucky enough to beat the now what seems to be the favored Nuggets to advance to the NBA Finals, they surely don't have what it takes to win a championship - whatever "it" is. Blah, blah, blah.
It's all absurd.
Are they complacent at times? Absolutely. Should it have taken seven games to dispose of the short-handed Rockets? Absolutely not. But who cares? When you have by far and away the most talent in the league you can overcome those things.
Now, I'm not guaranteeing an NBA title, not by a long shot. Cleveland is playing far too well to suggest such a thing. Denver, however, has no chance to beat them, and I will guarantee that.
The Nuggets are 1-10 against LA over the last two seasons, including the playoffs. It's not an accident, and I don't care that Chauncey Billups didn't play in most of those games. The Lakers are just better.
Let's take Kobe Bryant. Now Kobe is going to get his against everyone. He's just that good. Houston, though, has two guys in Ron Artest and Shane Battier who make him work. Most teams can't say that. The Nuggets certainly can't say that. They, in fact, don't have one guy who gives Kobe a hard time. The Lakers a pretty tough to beat when he can anywhere he wants on the court.
If LA puts in the effort on defense and get modest production from Andrew Bynum, this thing won't be close.
Lakers in Five.
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