Are the Kings the best team in the League?

[Dre2g]

I would have to say, right now- Yes. They are filled with great players throughout their roster. Mike Bibby has helped them out tremendously, and I think will eventually beat out the Lakers in a playoff series.

[bostonsportsfan]

Talent wise, I would say yes.

But, come playoff time, the Lakers will start playing at a whole new level, like they always do. It will be very difficult for the Kings, or any Western Conference playoff team for that matter, to beat the Lakers 4 times. But, if anyone can do it, I think it's the Kings.

[air_canada]

The Kings are working well this season, especially with Mike Bibby, who is a straight point guard collecting 14.1 points and 5.1 assists per game. Jason Williams, now in Memphis, collects 14.8 points and 7.9 assists. Even though Williams' numbers are slightly better, the Sacramento team prefers working with Bibby.

Another factor is Chris Webber, feeding 24.9 points a game and 10 rebounds. This 6-10 forward makes a difference.
Overall, the Kings are an excellent team in all aspects and could challenge the Lakers.

[Marc]

Yes, I think they are - but I still don't know if they can beat the Lakers come playoff time. Their ability to contain Shaq will be the factor.

[Jazzbum1225]

As a Jazz fan, I can honestly say that I think the Kings are the best team in the league. The Jazz, while they haven't had a great season, have not been blown out of many games. The Kings have done it to them twice in the last two games big time.

[Tornado23]

That win today over the Jazz was pretty impressive... That Williams-Bibby trade was great for the Kings. He's an incredible PG - I'd definietly say top 10 (maybe even top 5. ???)... You all are right though - With a healty Shaq, the Lakers are almost unbeatable. If somehow the Lakers choke, the Kings will win the NBA Finals.

[Bran]

Kings no chance to beat L.A
Hello people! They got swept last year by them, and becuase Mike Bibby is there will make no difference.
Only teams who can condent come playoff time


Spurs (Duncan, Robinson, and Steve Smith)
TrailBlazers (Wallace (When smart), Pippen (when becomes a leader), and all other role players, Damon, Bonzi, and Shawn Kemp)

[Bran]

Now I know someone will say "Well those two got sweept too." Bottom line I feel they are the only teams. But who cares? Really? Lakers will 3 peat no problem

[Spike]

Well since I'm from northern California, I feel like I should say something to defend the Kings, hehe.

Originally posted by Dre2g:

I would have to say, right now- Yes. They are filled with great players throughout their roster. Mike Bibby has helped them out tremendously, and I think will eventually beat out the Lakers in a playoff series.

I'd love to share your optimism but unfortunately I think the Lakers are still best team in the league. Until someone knocks them off they'll always be the best. I believe even if the Lakers got in as the 8th seed, they'd still be the team to beat.

Here's the key:

Kings are 24 and 1 at home are on a 12-game winning streak at home. They're playing as well at home as the Celtics did in the late 1980's and the Jazz in the early to mid 90's. If they can get the #1 seed out West, and the Lakers have a tussle with an opponent in a lesser round like Minnesota, Seattle, or Dallas that wears them down then I think yeah, the Kings have a very good chance to take down the Lakers.

Originally posted by Brian:

Kings no chance to beat L.A

Well they at least have a better chance than Toronto does of beating the Lakers out in the N.B.A. Finals, if Toronto even makes it that far which I don't think they will.

Spurs (Duncan, Robinson, and Steve Smith)
TrailBlazers (Wallace (When smart), Pippen (when becomes a leader), and all other role players, Damon, Bonzi, and Shawn Kemp)

Oh please, Portland might not even make the playoffs. They're in 7th place right now, one game ahead of 8th place Utah. I wouldn't be surprised if Portland didn't even make the playoffs at all.

San Antonio like David Robinson is done. They actually made that game with the Lakers competitive last night. A little surprising but they lost again but watch once the playoffs start if these 2 teams meet again in a playoff series the Lakers will roll them by 20 to 30 points again every game.

Originally posted by Brian:

Now I know someone will say "Well those two got sweept too."

Well the difference is when Portland and San Antonio got swept out of their series with the Lakers last year, both of them got blown out by huge numbers every game. The Kings were the only ones in the West to be competitive with the Lakers losing 3 of 4 games by single-digits.

Bottom line I feel they are the only teams. But who cares? Really?

Because that's not interesting. Now if I had money on it, I would say the Lakers will 3-peat but if we all just sit here and say, "Oh the Lakers will 3-peat, let's not even talk about it". That's boring. That's loser talk. And the fact of the matter is none of us know what's going to happen until it actually does.

[air_canada]

[Well they at least have a better chance than Toronto does of beating the Lakers out in the N.B.A. Finals, if Toronto even makes it that far which I don't think they will.

Let me remind you, friend, that the Raptors are fourth in the East and second in Central. Some of you Westerners are obsessed with the Lakers, the Kings, and the Blazers. Also, it is getting annoying to hear people talk about 3 or 4 teams (western teams) winning when you don't even know how the East is doing. Last night's Bucks loss to the Knicks are bringing the Bucks closer down to the Raptors. If the Raptors win today vs. Orlando, they might have a good chance of reaching the top and working the rest of the season from there. I wouldn't be surprised if the Raptors made it to the finals. After all, they are capable of beating the Nets, Bucks and Celtics!

[Dre2g]

The east does have some good teams, but none of them can possibly beat the Blazers, Lakers, Kings, or Spurs. They're just too big for any eastern team.

[Bran]

Actually no its not loser talk. I'll tell you now and I'll tell you when they win, I dont mind. As far as Toronto is concern I didnt say they could beat the Lakers so why did you even make that comment? Portland is finding their touch right now and mind you beat the Kings last week. And a 29-13 record is nothing to you? The Spurs are out of gas?. Just check out the standings.

Let me also remind you that the Raptors have as much chance of making it to the finals then any other team in the East. No team could beat L.A last year, and my friend the same goes for this year. That's not loser talk thats reality talk. No center in the leauge can guard Shaq, No one! and Kobe is something else, his outside game, and the ability to split the defence up. Big deal what they do in the regular season, come playoff time thats when they are at their best and watch out.

[Tornado23]

Originally posted by air_canada
Some of you Westerners are obsessed with the Lakers, the Kings, and the Blazers. Also, it is getting annoying to hear people talk about 3 or 4 teams (western teams) winning when you don't even know how the East is doing.

I'm an Eastern Conf fan and I still will admit to you that the West is better than the East. Face it, no team in the east can battle position-for-position with most Western conf teams... I don't know why people are talking about the Blazers - they rot, and will continue to stink until they redo their roster.

Originally posted by Brian

Let me also remind you that the Raptors have as much chance of making it to the finals then any other team in the East. No team could beat L.A last year, and my friend the same goes for this year. That's not loser talk thats reality talk. No center in the leauge can guard Shaq, No one! and Kobe is something else, his outside game, and the ability to split the defence up. Big deal what they do in the regular season, come playoff time thats when they are at their best and watch out.

You're absolutely right. Any East team in the top 5 right now can make it to the Finals. The West, though, is so much stronger this year that it's crazy to think that an East team will win it all.

[Spike]

Originally posted by air_canada:

Let me remind you, friend, that the Raptors are fourth in the East and second in Central. Some of you Westerners are obsessed with the Lakers, the Kings, and the Blazers. Also, it is getting annoying to hear people talk about 3 or 4 teams (western teams) winning when you don't even know how the East is doing.

I know every team in the East that has come out on a Western Conference road trip has gotten killed so far.

And people talk more about the West because the West is so much better than the East. The top 5 teams in the West all have better records than the best team in the East right now (New Jersey). Brian talked about reality in his last post. Well here's another reality, nobody in the East will beat any team in the West in the N.B.A. Finals.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Raptors made it to the finals.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Raptors made it to the Finals either but I'm picking Milwaukee because they have the experience of having been one step away from it last year and also I think eventually they'll get the #1 seed in the East because they've already finished all their Western Conference road games. I think that will be a huge advantage coming down the stretch of the regular season because while all other the East teams will get slaughtered out West the Bucks will have an easier schedule.

[Spike]

Originally posted by Brian:

Actually no its not loser talk. I'll tell you now and I'll tell you when they win, I dont mind.

I didn't mind your comment as much as the "who cares? Really?", like your putting us down for even discussing it. Like it's taboo. If I or other people believe there's a team that has a good chance to knock out the Lakers in a playoff series, I don't see why it can't be discussed.

As far as Toronto is concern I didnt say they could beat the Lakers so why did you even make that comment?

Well just like what you said above. If I want to tell you what's going to happen with Toronto, I'll tell you right now. And I don't mind either.

Portland is finding their touch right now and mind you beat the Kings last week.

Yeah I saw that game too from start to finish. The Kings didn't play that well. They got outrebounded by a lot and turned the ball over quite a bit in the 2nd Quarter. And even through all that the Kings still had a chance to win it in regulation but Webber missed a right elbow jumper at the buzzer.

Plus the Kings beat the Blazers the first 2 meetings this year by 12 and 15 points.

And a 29-13 record is nothing to you? The Spurs are out of gas?. Just check out the standings.

To clarify, I didn't mean the Spurs were done for the regular season. I mean they're just done if they meet the Lakers in the playoffs whereas I think if the Kings got home court over the Lakers I think they would have a very good chance to knock out L.A.

Let me also remind you that the Raptors have as much chance of making it to the finals then any other team in the East. No team could beat L.A last year, and my friend the same goes for this year. That's not loser talk thats reality talk. No center in the leauge can guard Shaq, No one!

I didn't say anyone could guard Shaq. But I believe even if Shaq has a big game, if you can control everybody else you can beat them. That's what Denver did to them last week because even though Shaq had a monster game (40 points and 11 boards) they still beat them by 16 points.

and Kobe is something else, his outside game, and the ability to split the defence up. Big deal what they do in the regular season, come playoff time thats when they are at their best and watch out.

Actually, the idea that all the Lakers have to do is turn it on in the postseason no matter what they do in the regular season is a misnomer because last year the Lakers won their last 8 straight regular season games to gain momentum before heading into the playoffs so what they do in the regular season does matter for them.