Los Angeles Lakers: Pros and cons of Rockets-Thunder outcome

The Los Angeles Lakers have pros and cons no matter who they play in the second round.

In a few hours, Game 7 between the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder will decide who the Los Angeles Lakers are going to face in the second round of the playoffs.

The fourth and fifth seed in the Western Conference will face off in the game that decides their season and who will confront the number one seed in the next round.

Two teams drastically different that probably did not imagine this scenario when they began their seasons. Two teams with different projects, objectives and game styles.

One or the other winning will mean different rotations and different strategies to employ for head coach Frank Vogel, with no certainty on which would be better for the Lakers.

So, let’s see what facing each of them would mean for LeBron James and co.

Los Angeles Lakers’ pros and cons vs. Houston Rockets

A team built to win now, full of veterans that surround superstar James Harden. His second is Russell Westbrook.

Knowing this is probably his last dance with the Rockets, head coach Mike D’Antoni has decided to go all-in with his philosophy and push it to the limit, doing what he did not dare to do in Phoenix: Going the whole game with a small lineup.

Having got rid of Clint Capela, their starting center is now Robert Covington. This strategy allows Houston to operate on a full-floor-spacing approach, leaving Harden the chance to express all his potential as an unstoppable offensive force.

It is hard to define whether this style could represent an advantage or a disadvantage for the Lakers. The lack of big men in the middle of the area for the Rockets could allow Anthony Davis to operate undisturbed in the paint and dominate the whole series without any chance to contain him for the Texans.

On the opposite end, five players who stretch the floor could become a problem for the Lakers, forcing the big men to get away from the paint and creating mismatches all around the floor.

Anyway, the explosive duo Harden-Westbrook remains a hard challenge for LA, which will have to do extra work on defense trying to limit them.

Los Angeles Lakers’ pros and cons vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder a hybrid team, consisting of young up-and-coming players, part of a new generation looking up at the future, and great veterans determined not to waste any year in their career and give battle as if there is their last series. A more traditional point guard-big men configuration structures the roster.

Oklahoma City looks like the better option for the Lakers, but they must not be underrated.

They are being dragged by a spectacular Chris Paul, who, at 35 years old, might run out of gas after such an exhausting series. The young players simply lack the experience and skills yet to carry a team through the playoffs.

Paul, an incredibly durable player, who maniacally takes care of his body, could just be in the first stages of his playoff explosion and keep leading his team with incredible performances. In that case, limiting Chris Paul could turn in another tough assignment for the Lakers’ defense, while the youngsters’ energy gives boosts to the veterans, potentially causing troubles for LA.

The outcome of this confrontation and hypothesis will be played out tonight. However it goes, the Lakers need to be prepared, because this is a second round of the NBA Playoffs we are talking about, it is never supposed to be easy, especially under the most difficult environmental conditions in the history of the NBA.