.......or, is next season the year for the Kings to finally put it all together and dethrone the champs?

can they? yes, most definitly

will they? pretty good chance... depending on off season moves by both the lakers and kings

any other team is going to have to make some major changes to compete with these 2

God I hope not.

I actually thought that Lindsay Hunter, Rock Richmond, and Samaki Walker were great additions, but they really didn't do too much this year. I am hoping the Lakers can add a bona fide starter in some veteran that wants a ring and will sign for the minumum.

The way the NBA has usually worked over the past 20 years is that you gotta finish a close 2nd at least once before the torch is passed. Kings did that this year. It remains to be seen if the Lakes can hold them off again. If they keep their nucleus together, and the Lakers stay pat, they will challenge the Lakers next year again, and it may be their turn.

Course, I wouldn't ever bet (or root) against the BIG MAN!!!!

Go Pacers!

<small>Go Hawks! </small>

Nope... ABC wants new blood.

I think next year is the Kings year. All great teams have had to experience heartbreaking failure before they can experience success (ie Maryland college bball). The Kings were a Robert Horry miss away from beating the Lakers. I think next year is their time.

Hell yeah! With Hurricane Harrington back, they're going to kick some ass! Hopefully they'll get rid of that bumbling idiot Austin Croshere and get a basketball player instead.

If not the Pacers, it'll be the year of the Grizzlies.

No. While they played excellently in the play-offs, this was the first season of the past 3 where they weren't the best team. Sacremento knows they were the better team and should have knocked them from the play-offs. I don't expect them to make the same mistake twice. The Lakers should be commended for holding off the charging Kings, but I don't see them repeating that feat. It's one thing to keep winning championships when you're better than everyone else; it's harder when there's enough talent to beat you on another team.

das

I won't argue with that. But for next year, a lot will depend on what each team does personnel-wise in the off season. I know the Lakers realize they need to upgrade some of the supporting cast and I'm sure they will attempt to do so. Almost all the nonstarters are free agents and they can let them go and try to get better and more complementary players.

I think the Laker bench will look very different next year.

But does the bench *really* matter all that much? I don't think so.

I do.

I do too. The bench is everything, especially with the Lakers. I know the worshippers in the "Shaq is My God" congregation may think otherwise, but without the roleplayers, he's not going to get all his points, and the bench is a large part of that. You get him the ball down low, and he's going to pound it home, but if you don't have good entry-pass players, and guys who can make the big shot if you triple team Shaq, then you're screwed.

movielib, like you said in the other post, I think the Lakers understand this and will make some changes to strengthen themselves against the Kings next season. If not too much changes, I give the edge to the Kings. If there are some overhauls to either squad, then obviously, I have no idea what could happen.

das

Yeah with ratings being so bad for the finals the scriptwriters will have to put Sacramento over the top next year

Please -- the bench is completely interchangeable.

I'm not talking the other 3 that compose of the starting five, I'm talkign players like Brian Shaw, Medvedenko, Hunter, etc.

All you need to do is find a few players who can hit a wide open 3 or take up space in the middle for 5 minutes a game. Dime a dozen in the NBA.

The Lakers are Shaq and Kobe and a bunch of average ball players who end up looking better than they really are. This situation is really no different than Chicago's situation was, except maybe for the inclusion of a premium rebounder in Dennis Rodman.

nope, it's all Kings next year

As a Laker fan, I want to see 4. I heard Kobe saying how he knew the Lakers were vulnerable this year, and he and all the other guys will be training and working out much earlier this year.

It also comes down to off-season moves. Lakers will probably lose Hunter, and Walker...the Kings will make some moves too. However, next year will be amazing. The Kings are gonna bring everything they've got and then some....the Lakers will have a tough battle next year, but there is no doubt that these two teams will be facing each other, again, in the Western Conference Finals.

It depends on who stays and who goes.

This should be the list of who stays:

Shakobe

This should be the list of who could possibly go:

Everyone else

If they get better supporting players they could be tougher next year.

DTSC, I was thinking the same thing. Since when does the bench consist of everybody except Shakobe?

The real bench is only there to give the starters a rest and not blow the lead totally.

That's what I'm hoping for. There have to be a lot of good free agent role player types who want to win a ring and would be willing to take a salary that would keep the Lakers under the salary cap.

Like I said, it looked like they got them last year (Rock, Samaki) and they kind of sucked......I hope they get better ones next time.

I'll tellyawhat, though, Devan George could improve leaps and bounds. He shows some serious potential to be a contributor and has more athleticism than Fox/Horry and can knock down the occassional 3 too.

that may be what you're definition of the bench is, but i think that's a bad way to look at it. the kings can bring in a few 'bench' players and they're still a top contending team, that's why they're so damn good. some of their 'bench' players could easily be starters on other teams. you want your bench to be comprised of those types of players, not just filler. that's when a good team becomes a great team. i think the lakers need to replace walker for sure. richmond can go away too, but i think the lakers don't really need much. if some guys step up next year (hunter, george) and have better stats, i think the lakers have a good shot at getting 4. it looks like bibby will stay with the kings, so you know they'll be right in the hunt.

Well my definintion of the Laker's bench. I agree with you, a good bench will be just as much an influence as the star players. I think if you look at bench scoring in the Western Conferance finals you'll see a pretty big discrepency.

The Lakers bench is shaq and kobe. Shaq can sit if kobe is in and kobe can sit if shaq is in.