The other night they were showing the Lakers vs Pacers Game 6 of the 2000 Finals on ESPN Classic. As I watched the Lakers go on to win their first championship of the threepeat, I went on to think about "why" and "how" they won. Of course, the main reasons for the Lakers' success is the dynamic duo of Shaq & Kobe...anyone with half-a-brain could tell you that. But there are other factors that fall into the picture...and there was one factor that I was particularly interested in -- Ron Harper. Here's why: Leadership Harper was crucial to the Lakers' success. Yeah, he didn't score all that much...but he was vital. He was the initiator, the battle-tested veteran, the floor general, the coach on the court, and the mentor to Kobe. As we all know, Ron Harper was played with Michael Jordan as a Chicago Bull. He & MJ would teach eachother different things that they've learned over the years...and when Harper joined the Lakers, a lot of that knowledge was passed down to Kobe. Before, during & after practice, Harper would always keep Kobe under his wing. Offense On the court, Harper's presence was vital. On offense, he was the man with the most knowledge & experience with the triangle. He was the one that used passing angles to perfection to break out of a press. He was the one that knew where everyone was supposed to be and when they were supposed to cut. He was the stability of the Laker Offense. Defense On defense, Ron Harper's height & length allowed him to effectively guard SG's. With Harper guarding the SG, Kobe's NBA All-Defensive First Team skills were available to defend the opposing PGs/playmakers/initiators. Roster Versatility Another thing that Ron Harper brought to the table is his ability to play SG. By having Fisher/Harper in the backcourt, Kobe was able to focus more on scoring as the man on the wing on offense. Take the Lakers-Pacers series for a quick example: The Pacers run a PG oriented Power Set offense...put Harper on the SG (Reggie Miller) and Kobe on the PG (Mark Jackson) and what happens? The entire Power Set is disrupted. So where am I going with all of this? Well, lets apply this to last season...well, we didn't have a Ron Harper anymore. Who did we have left? <ul>[*]Fisher...but he's not good enough for 40 mpg...[*]Brian Shaw...but he's not young enough to handle 82 games a year...[*]Janerro Pargo...but he's not experienced enough to handle pressure...[*]Kareem Rush...but he's doesn't have the skills to play as an initiator...[/list]Ok...so the Lakers are kinda short at PG...so what happened? Parker, Hudson, Bibby, Steve Nash & other PGs have career nights against the Lakers. And without another G being in the picture to play SG, Kobe the huge load of being the initiator/playmaker AND scorer...82 games later...Kobe is burnt out. What happens next? The Lakers lose to the San Antonio Spurs. Aight, so as a Die-Hard Laker Fan, I'm not gonna lie...that sucked. But my team didn't just roll over and die...we didn't whine, cry & moan...we took action. The Lakers went back and looked at what was successful in the past, what was wrong with the present, and checked out what was available.... Gary Payton Mitch Kupchak, with the help of Karl Malone, was able to do wonders and sign GP in the off-season. What exactly does GP bring to the table? Well, he brings an awful lot that Ron Harper used to bring...and even more. Leadership - As one of the premier point guards in the NBA today, there is no question that GP show leadership on the court and in the locker room. Offense - Even though his role will be much different than the past, we all know what GP is capable of on offense. And to add to that, GP brings something to the Lakers that they haven't had in a long time -- someone to run the fast break. Defense - Despite the half-step he's lost on quickness since his prime, the Glove still has the ability to hold his own. His defense will help force turnovers and create some easy buckets to the Lakers. Roster Versatility - GP has the scoring & playmaking ability, and even the defensive ability to handle some SGs. Now, the Lakers can put GP at the 2-Guard and bump Kobe up to the SF. So now, with the acquisition of GP, the Lakers finally have what's been missing in their backcourt for the past couple seasons -- leadership, offense, defense & roster versatility. It took a heart-breaking loss to fully realize it...but now they are back on track, hungrier than ever. Boy, this season is gonna be fun.
It's all about the health of Shaq in my opinion, it has gone downhill so much since being a Laker. I love how you gave Ron Harper credit, as he did deserve it. Shaq and Kobe did not get others involved as much as they have in the past. Countless times I saw guys like Fisher and Horry just flat out afraid to shoot, passing open shots just to give Shaq and Kobe the ball for another double team. We will see what takes place, with the Kobe situation and all of these egos on the team, I am unsure how they will play together. Will be fun to watch.
@Mel I see what you're saying with Ron Harper. He was to the Lakers as Scottie Pippen was to the Blazers this year. However, do you really think that GP will bring leadership? The Sonics traded him not only for his value, but also because of his locker room rep. GP was playing with young guys in sea-town, but now he's with established vets. That won't fly in L.A. Besides, he's in it for the ring. He realizes that he isn't the top dog anymore. However I kinda see the connection you're making between him and Harper. BTW, who do you think their 5th man will be?
Chemistry is definately a big question mark. GP's role has be changed dramatically from go-to guy to super-role-player. If (with emphasis on "if") GP holds true to what he's said in the interviews, he will concentrate on being the initiator, play hard defense and run the fast breaks. He understands very well that he was brought in for those reasons. With GP being the initiator, Kobe can now focus his energy on scoring...which in turn will help save Kobe's legs for the playoffs and his career in general. Think of how great it was for MJ when the Bulls signed Pippen. MJ no longer had to be the playmaker & scorer...he was made a scorer (and a damn good one at that). Also, his life was definately made easier on the defensive end with Pippen in the picture. For the Lakers, bringing in GP (and Malone) does one more thing...it adds fire to the squad. It adds hunger. Look back at the Bulls Dynasty...every season they brought in a new face they could play a certain role. The old vets were surrounded by guys that wanted a championship. That kind of hunger rubs off on people...and with GP's loud mouth, his hunger will definately be heard in the locker room. As for the 5th man...I'm thinkin either Fisher or Luke Walton. PJ has mentioned that he hasn't closed the door on the idea of Luke starting. If you think about it, Luke has got those intangibles, a very high BBall IQ and a knack for finding the open man. His unselfishness could possibly mesh very well when surrounded with other scorers. Fisher, on the other hand, brings in more defense than Luke. Devean (as long as he's healthy), has better athleticism & defense than Luke, so that might be a factor as well. Depending on matchups, I'd break it down like this: If the Lakers are looking for defense with height and length, then: 1. GP 2. Kobe 3. Devean If the opposing team's SF is not a threat, then: 1. GP 2. Kobe 3. Luke If the opposing team goes small, then: 1. Fisher 2. GP 3. Kobe
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">He also must decide how to best fully incorporate the talents of Payton and Malone, neither of whom are accustomed to the triangle offense. Jackson says he might tweak the offense a bit. He even hinted that rookie Luke Walton, a passer who sees the floor well, might see a big role immediately.</div> http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ever...cnnsi&type=lgns
"Look back at the Bulls Dynasty...every season they brought in a new face they could play a certain role. The old vets were surrounded by guys that wanted a championship. That kind of hunger rubs off on people" Great point Mel. Very excellent posting.
