By David Wiseman
June 16th 2009 @ 12:20am
Related coverage
Showpony Lakers take the NBA title again
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant (24) and Pau Gasol (16), of Spain, celebrate the Lakers' 99-86 win over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the NBA basketball finals Sunday, June 14, 2009, in Orlando, Fla. AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Gary W. Green
Let’s make something clear, I don’t like the LA Lakers. I hate them with a passion. They are a bunch of show ponies, led by the most pretentious one of them all. What makes it so much worse is that they keep winning.
For the last two years, everything has fallen into their lap and a path to the Finals has been paved.
Last year, when I was at least hoping they would beat the Celtics, they couldn’t manage that.
Now they are benefiting from an Orlando side who knocked out Cleveland for them and is now playing without a coach. The Magic basically gifted Game 4 to the Lakers, due to a number of coaching stuff-ups.
Go back a little bit and a horrible Portland collapse in 2000 in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals helped them on their way to their first NBA title in twelve years.
In 2000-01 they were the best team, and as much as I’d like, I can’t whinge about that title.
But this leads us to 2002, where the Sacramento Kings were dudded in one of the biggest sporting scandals of all time. You probably don’t know that much about it due to the efforts of the NBA to cover it up. But go look it up.
All the glory and glitz of the Lakers should only belong to the Showtime Lakers. No other Lakers side should be the beneficiary of it, because they don’t deserve it.
The team consisting of Kareem, Magic, Worthy, AC Green, Byron Scott, Michael Cooper, the one and only Kurt Rambis, and led by Pit Riley, was special. It made the Forum the place to be and the celebrities were the cherry on the cake.
This current Lakers side has none of the personality or soul of its predecessor. It isn’t a team but a number of mercenaries all wearing the same uniform.
There are 30 teams in the league. Why couldn’t it be anyone but them?
Or the Celtics. Or the Spurs. Or the Pacers.
Like this content? Buzz it up!
Free Email updates:
Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport or that author. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it. We value privacy. More...
(27)
ME said | June 16th 2009 @ 2:14am | Report comment
The Lakers are anything but dull…seriously…I don’t understand where thats coming from. If you want a dull team take a look at San Antonio. Duncan’s got one facial expression – none. Boring players, boring team, boring games.
You can’t sit here and tell me Kobe is boring to watch, cuz that’s just a lie. As much as it pisses them off, even the worst of Laker haters will admit that Kobe is ridiculous to watch. And this year, especially, the Lakers pulled out all kinds of stops, from Ariza’s last second defensive steals to Gasol’s work in the post, to Fisher’s clutch 3’s in Game 5 of the Finals, etc…these playoffs were a spectacle for the Lakers…soooooo how bout you support your claims instead of just spewing random opinions.
Mushi said | June 16th 2009 @ 11:07am | Report comment
ME read the article he’s comparing them to the show time Lakers not the spurs. These guys were not a “show time” team. The author even has a crack at the spurs in his final line.
Finally the player “arguably better than Jordan” finally gets his first finals MVP in 6 tries…
JP said | June 16th 2009 @ 12:31pm | Report comment
The Lakers are not a likable team. Most basketball fans will concede this. Any club that’s won 15 championships in a city that cares more about celebrity than sports is bound to get under the skin. And let’s face it, Jack Nicholson’s a great actor but if he shakes hands with one more opposing coach, I might puke.
As much as Kobe and Co. have upset us over the years, often with dismal play, cockiness and questionable off-court behaviour, this group has grown into a highly skilled, well-oiled machine. Make no mistake, they are the benchmark for excellence in club basketball throughout the world.
Sure, Phil Jackson is a little weird and Kobe Bryant has egotistical tendencies – which came to light during his feud with Shaquille O’Neal – but even the most ardent Kobe haters must admit he’s a man who’s worked hard, paid his dues and grown into the NBA’s best player. Think about it. Nobody works harder than Kobe Bryant. Not a single player. His skill, strength and drive have culminated into the dominant player we now see – a player that has no equal in the present NBA game. (If LeBron James could shoot then maybe there’d be an argument!).
So while, Luke Walton, Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher and the rest of the Lakers may not wow us, they are good, solid players. They play their roles. They defend, pass and rebound. They do the little things. And it’s all towards the goal of winning. That’s good basketball. And clearly, that’s how NBA titles are won.
It’s easy to hate LA, because they win – a lot. They knock off faster, more exciting teams like the Phoenix Suns or the Houston Rockets. They play in a glamorous town with celebrity fans that probably don’t know a thing about the game. And they also wear those bright yellow uniforms that for some reason, ignite fury in opposing fans.
Magic, Kareem, Byron Scott, Kurt Rambis, Michael Cooper and the rest of that 80s Laker gang were indeed great. But it was a different era. They played up-tempo basketball because it was the best way for them to win at the time. In 2009, the Lakers play more structured, inside-outside ball, and it works. And all the while, they can turn to Kobe, if a game needs to be put on ice. That’s always exciting to watch, it doesn’t matter who you cheer for.
Whether you love or hate the Lakers, or Kobe for that matter, you have to admire their dedication and perseverance. Whenever challenged, they answered. Whenever pushed down, they bounced back up. Maybe they didn’t impress with fancy passes or rain three point bombs like the shoot-happy Orlando Magic. But they played hard and they played consistently well. They are deserved winners of this latest championship and I’ll admit, that’s not easy to say.
In an NBA that’s rife with mediocrity and attention-grabbing showboats, I’d actually argue that these Lakers are as business-like as it gets. They play meat and potatoes basketball – hard, tough, smart, win at all costs hoops. There aren’t many other teams you can say that about.
Thorny said | June 16th 2009 @ 12:48pm | Report comment
The current lakers team may not match up to the ’showtime’ lakers in terms of personality, but I agree with ME that they are anything but dull. They may not play an up tempo game like the Suns (before Shaq) or the bulls, but neither did the Celtics last year. Kobe is unbelievable to watch, he may take too many shots in some games, but he can make shots that almost no one else in the league can and when he does pass they are usually incredible assists. Orlando hardly gifted him 33 points a game as they tried everything to stop him and most of his points came from contested shots.
Cleveland look like they have the most team personality with Lebron’s pre-game antics and smiles all round, but where did that get them? Beaten in the conference finals. The Lakers were completely focussed on winning the title after being embarresed in Game 6 of the finals last year so they were not about to crack gags and smiles when they know how it feels to lose at the final hurdle. With many people saying that Kobe’s not a complete player until he wins a championship without Shaq, I am pretty sure he wasn’t focused on trying to emulate previous laker team’s personalities.
There were numerous coaching stuff ups by Stan Van Gundy, but that just shows that Phi Jackson is the superior coach in this series, just as Stan Van Gundy out coached Larry Brown in the Cleveland series. A Cleveland/LA series may have turned out differently, but even the huge numbers put up by Lebron couldn’t inspire a team that cracked under pressure and couldn’t match up with the Orlando offence.
In a 30 team competition it is extremely unlikely to have a team of superstars as deep as the one mentioned above (even the Celtics can only afford 3 of the best) but the Lakers still deserve plenty of accolades for their efforts.
fox said | June 16th 2009 @ 3:37pm | Report comment
There are two facts that are often misconstrued when it comes to Kobe Bryant:
1. Kobe is the best player in the league. That is incorrect. Firstly, his numbers aren’t as good as the Bron’s or D-Wade’s. Some will argue that those two are stars in an average team and therefore command more ball etc. But if you look at their Player Efficiency Ratios (PER – try ESPN.com for an exaplanation but it’s pretty definitive) and game time adjusted stats they compare better to Kobe’s. Moreover, LeBron has had a statistically better start to hios career than Kobe did, which means that he will easily surpass him in career stats and well before he retires as well (provided he stays fit etc.). Kobe is a great closer, one of the supreme talents of his generation, but let’s not get carried away.
2. Kobe is “arguably better than” or “the best player since” Jordan. Wrong. The two don’t compare. All you have to do is compare their defensive records and that’s where the argument stops. Nevermind the rest. Also, over LeBron’s career his stats actually compare to Jordan’s. As mentioned above they are better than Kobe’s and… wait for it… they are also on par with Jordan’s in areas such as PER.
I hate the Lakers. But that doesn’t stop me from being overwhelmed by the greatness that is Kobe Bryant. He is RIDICULOUS! But (and this is a big BUT), he is not the league MVP. He is not as good as Jordan. He is not as dominant or as statistically good as LeBron across the court. And he also carries on in life and on the court like a complete douchebag. I can’t like the Lakers but I’ll give them this championship as well deserved Just don’t expect me to like it, or bow to Kobe as the Messiah of basketball. He isn’t. Oh, and they got a bit of a cake walk in the end with the injuries the Celtics endured too, KG in particular. Let’s not forget that.
ohtani's jacket, said | June 16th 2009 @ 3:54pm | Report comment
The Lakers aren’t a great side, but Jackson and Bryant deserve credit for this title victory. There’s not too many teams in NBA history who’ve rebuilt and won a championship seven years after the end of a dynasty.
Kobe’s the best guard in the league and absolutely the best player since Jordan. I’m no fan of Bryant, but stats are the ultimate cop out in basketball.
ohtani's jacket, said | June 16th 2009 @ 3:55pm | Report comment
And as for you Wiseman! The Celtics are awesome and the Magic should never ever win a championship with that team.
Worlds Biggest said | June 16th 2009 @ 4:09pm | Report comment
As a Celtics fan this was hard to cop, I hate the Lakers with a passion and was cheering for the Rockets and Nuggets in the Western Conference playoffs. I admit Kobe is an absolute freak of a player and Phil Jackson is legendary. Like any champion the Lakers had some luck along the way, getting Gasol last year was big, getting back Derek Fisher was big, Yao MIng going down injured, Nuggets went missing, Garnett & Leon Powe went down injured and Lebron losing his supporting cast when it really mattered. The Magic played there Finals against the Cavs. All the planets aligned for the Lakers.
Mushi said | June 16th 2009 @ 4:32pm | Report comment
Sorry the “arguably better than jordan” was sarcasm. Just spent a week in LA and if CA could actaully bottle and sell the baseless hype of the mamba to anyone but themselves then they wouldn’t have a debt problem.
David Wiseman said | June 16th 2009 @ 5:04pm | Report comment
Kobe is a good player, I’m not going to refute that. I don’t think he is better than MJ.
None of you have really touched on the Lakers’ ability to get all of the calls which is something that particularly irks me about them.
In Game 2, they received some serious assistance from the referees and if you don’t believe me, consult Bill Simmons’ running diary of the game.
Did MJ and the Bulls receive the same get out of jail cards as the Lakers have over the years? I guess, you could cite the shove on Byron Russell but who would have called that? And this doesn’t appear to be in the same league as the phantom calls the Lakers seem to get (and which the Miami Heat received in 2006)
Thorny said | June 16th 2009 @ 5:24pm | Report comment
While I rate Kobe as the best guard in the NBA at the moment and one of the greatest of all time, I still don’t rate him above Jordan. Jordan’s superior championsips, stats and his 6 finals MVPs point to the greatest of all time.
If you read the Bill Simmons running diary of Game 4 you will see how the Magic got all the calls in that game, with one half seeing the Magic take 15 free throws to the Lakers 0.
Speaking of Bill Simmons, he has a really entertaining NBA podcast that I highly recommend. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/simmons/index
Mushi said | June 16th 2009 @ 6:15pm | Report comment
All the calls? He had the dubious calls count at 4 to 2 and didn’t count the first three quarters.
ohtani's jacket, said | June 16th 2009 @ 6:16pm | Report comment
C’mon, people only had to breath on Jordan to get a whistle.
Jerry said | June 16th 2009 @ 6:42pm | Report comment
That’s hardly unique to Jordan, all star players in the NBA get preferential reffing calls.
ohtani's jacket, said | June 16th 2009 @ 11:21pm | Report comment
Jordan was the first guy they ran iso plays for, where they’d clear out and have him drive to the basket for a foul or a three point play. It’s one of the worst aspects of Jordan’s legacy.
David Wiseman said | June 16th 2009 @ 11:30pm | Report comment
Ohtani’s jacket – Im guessing you don’t like MJ. How do you think it would have worked out if Cleveland had played LA in the Finals?
ohtani's jacket, said | June 17th 2009 @ 1:18am | Report comment
I was never a Jordan or Bulls fan, though I thought the ‘91-93 team was more fun than the ‘96-98 team. The late 90s were an awful era in NBA basketball. The game was a hell of a lot better in the 80s.
The Lakers would’ve beaten the Cavs in the Finals. It was Phil and Kobe’s year. If you compare them to the Jazz, Rockets, Nuggets and Magic, then they were a good team. It was a pretty crappy post-season once the Celtics/Bulls series ended.
ThelmaWrites said | June 17th 2009 @ 1:26am | Report comment
If only Kevin Garnett hadn’t been injured…The Lakers had all their key players. Gasol made a great difference this year. I always tnought he played half-heartedly with Memphis. But the Lakers’ scouts may have noticed how fired up he was in the Olympic Games finals, with his brother Mark.
katzilla said | June 17th 2009 @ 2:57am | Report comment
David, I can understand not liking Spurs, Celtics and LA. Three teams I don’t like too much either, but why the Pacers?
Was it Reggie?
Boring finals series, The Magic clearly punched above their weight to even make it.
Should have been Cavs and after sweeping the early rounds everyone thought so.
But alas as it was with Kobe last year, LeBrons teamates went on holiday early.
Mushi said | June 17th 2009 @ 10:54am | Report comment
Ohnati so the Bad Boys simply “breathed” on jordan . great analysis.
ohtani's jacket, said | June 17th 2009 @ 2:36pm | Report comment
The Jordan Rules predated the era where Jordan got all the calls.
Every time you see a player drive towards the basket and try to get contact — and whinge if there’s no call — that’s Michael Jordan.
Mushi said | June 17th 2009 @ 5:06pm | Report comment
And every time you see someone with irrational hatred do we call that an “ohanti’s jacket”.
David Wiseman said | June 17th 2009 @ 5:06pm | Report comment
Katzilla – yes it was Reggie. I was going through a New York Knicks phase and didn’t like him or Austin Croshere.
fox said | June 18th 2009 @ 12:03pm | Report comment
What the…? How could you not like Reggie?
ohtani's jacket, said | June 18th 2009 @ 1:40pm | Report comment
Mushi,
You can if you want, but the next time you criticise Kobe Bryant spare a thought for Mike.
katzilla said | June 19th 2009 @ 1:44am | Report comment
If you own a John Starks Jersey I will hunt you down!
J the Drafter said | September 1st 2009 @ 7:16am | Report comment
Hey now, if we’re counting all the breaks the Lakers’ got, what about Jameer going down mid-season? The Magic beat the Lakers twice in close games during the regular season.