<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It's time to stop the talk about 70-75 wins for the Los Angeles Lakers. Sure, they remain the team to beat for the 2004 NBA title, but this omnipotence that had threatened to paralyze the rest of the league for the regular season ended this weekend. A loss to the Dallas Mavericks to Friday night and another Saturday night at Portland to the Trail Blazers took care of that. And with five days off until Friday's home game with the Denver Nuggets, it's time to regroup with a couple of days off to heal their aches and pains, and work on smoothing out their struggling offensive execution. But with an 18-5 record -- and just their second two-game losing streak of the season -- it's not as if coach Phil Jackson and his staff have to reinvent the team. The sky is hardly falling on the Lakers, that's for sure. While trying to indoctrinate free agent All-Stars Karl Malone and Gary Payton into the triangle offense centered around Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, the Lakers have been so dominant for much of the year, the transition appears to be almost seamless. It isn't. "It's just crappy to lose like this," Malone said. "We should be ready to play. We don't have any excuse. That's what this league is about a lot, excuses. We're getting there. We're obviously not there yet -- in a new system. This is an executing offense, you can't hold the basketball, you've got to make something happen. We're not that far off. It's just crappy to lose man." "We're all right," Payton said. "We're learning on the fly how to play together and winning at the same time. We're better off than any of us thought we'd be at this point, so we'll just forget about this weekend, take a break and get back to work. We'll stop the bleeding on Friday and move on."</div> <font color="Gray"><font size="1">With the Mavs in 'Hack-a-Shaq' mode, Shaquille O'Neal was 11-of-24 from the free-throw line.</font></font> Full Story
Yea, were all 'human' but when it comes playoff time, thats when we get down and play some basketball.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Purple N Gold:</div><div class="quote_post">Yea, were all 'human' but when it comes playoff time, thats when we get down and play some basketball.</div>Yea, just like last year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">Yea, just like last year. </div> Well, we even sucked in the regular reason, with Shaq being out of shape, we know this is the Lakers year to bring the title back to LA. BTW: What happend to the Dampier sig? It was a nice one.
This team can very much look like the 2001 Lakers, or maybe even better than the '01 team. I'm not worried about the Lakers right now. They're 18-5, still in first place in the Pacific, and to me, if they don't finish with a better record than the 1996 Bulls, (which I'm sure won't happen) as long as they make the playoffs and turn it up a notch, they'll be okay. It's not about breaking the regular season record, it's about bringing the championship back to Los Angeles, and this 2004 Lakers team is on a mission.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Purple N Gold:</div><div class="quote_post"> BTW: What happend to the Dampier sig? It was a nice one.</div>It is in search of a host.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Laker_Fever_834:</div><div class="quote_post">This team can very much look like the 2001 Lakers, or maybe even better than the '01 team. </div> IMO, the 2000 Lakers were better than the 2001 Lake Show, even if the '01 squad had a briefer post season run. The '01 group didn't even win 60.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting starman85:</div><div class="quote_post">IMO, the 2000 Lakers were better than the 2001 Lake Show, even if the '01 squad had a briefer post season run. The '01 group didn't even win 60.</div> Yea, that's the point here. I love how we can lose 2 games in a row and now the world doesn't think were as good as they thought. We can lose to all these teams in the regular season, PLAYOFFS is when the Lakers get down and play some real basketball.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting starman85:</div><div class="quote_post">IMO, the 2000 Lakers were better than the 2001 Lake Show, even if the '01 squad had a briefer post season run. The '01 group didn't even win 60.</div> You're looking at the 2000 lakers from a regular season standpoint, to me it's all about cruising in the postseason. Once the Lakers get in, the regular season gets wiped out, and in a way you can call it the second season on the road to the Finals.
i was reading something about the lakers and they are on pace to go 69-13...i never thought they werent human, every team loses games...they are still one of the most, if not the most, dominate teams in the league
I knew people would start doubting the Lakers just because they lose 2 straight. We hardly ever lose to Dallas @ Staples, and we usually own the Blazers. We just need Fisher to step up more. And it doesn't help when Steve Javie dishes out 14 assists for the Mavs.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting the MDE:</div><div class="quote_post">I knew people would start doubting the Lakers just because they lose 2 straight. We hardly ever lose to Dallas @ Staples, and we usually own the Blazers. We just need Fisher to step up more. And it doesn't help when Steve Javie dishes out 14 assists for the Mavs.</div> Good point. Fisher in that Dallas game just threw up some bad misses, he even missed crucial FT's that could've helped the team down the stretch. You're right..if there's one guy that needs to get it together, it should be Derek Fisher.
Even with 4 hall of famers, we arent gonna play perfect every night. As long as we clinch a playoff spot, thats all that matters. I know how dangerous this team will become once the playoffs begin.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting starman85:</div><div class="quote_post">IMO, the 2000 Lakers were better than the 2001 Lake Show, even if the '01 squad had a briefer post season run. The '01 group didn't even win 60.</div> I'd rather take a team that has a better postseason record to cruise to the Finals and win a championship than a team that won 60+ games in the regular season.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting the MDE:</div><div class="quote_post">I knew people would start doubting the Lakers just because they lose 2 straight.</div>Just for the record, Im not doubting the Lakers atall, everybody loses! I'm just the bearer of news.
Jake Voskuhll/Shaquille O'neal Scott Williams/Karl Malone Shawn Marion/Deavan George Backcourt Joe Johnson/Kobe Bryant Stephon Marbury/Gary Payton Keys to the game Lakers <ul>[*] Feed the ball into Shaq, it's that easy, Suns will not be able to stop Shaq Daddy. Have to take advantage of being at home, control the tempo of the game, play solid defense. Suns If Suns want to have any chance of winning this game, they have to rebound. Can't let the Lakers keep getting more attempts. Can't let Shaq get easy buckets inside, try to front him, foul him, do whatever, but if you let Shaq dominate Phoenix will have no chance in this game. Current Team Leaders Lakers Points: Kobe Bryant (22.1) Rebounds: Shaquille O'neal () Assists: Assists: Gary Payton () Suns Points: Stephon Marbury (19.9) Rebounds: Shawn Marion (9.1) Assists: Stephon Marbury (8.5) Key Match-up Stephon Marbury vs Gary Payton The 'X' factor Will the Suns be able to contain Shaq? My predictions Suns won't have a chance in this one, I take the Lakers by 10-15, unless they slack off, no way the Lakers will let the Suns get this one.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting jump:</div><div class="quote_post"> <font color="Gray"><font size="1">With the Mavs in 'Hack-a-Shaq' mode, Shaquille O'Neal was 11-of-24 from the free-throw line.</font></font> Full Story</div> Yeah right they are human!!! When you got a kid like Luke Walton dating a Tyra Banks look-a-like, Shaq never having to spend a Lakers pay check and they all are making a hell of a living playing ball in the best city in the world... they even got there training camp in hawaii. They aint human! These are baller stars unlike anyother team and a lose aint a damn thing to them. They do it so the rest of the league dont look so bad. Not to worry. They gonna take it home this year for sure!!!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jimmy:</div><div class="quote_post">a lose aint a damn thing to them.</div>"It's just crappy to lose like this," Malone said.
