11/23/24
May 16, 2003
Spurs oust champions.: They crush the Lakers, 110-82.
posted by kirkaracha to basketball at 12:35 AM - 12 comments
Jason, I can not believe I woke at 7 a.m., and you had already typed exactly what I was going to say. Damn it.
posted by wfrazerjr at 07:13 AM on May 16, 2003
I took great joy in watching last night's game. It's great watching the Yankees and the Lakers lose.
posted by corpse at 08:25 AM on May 16, 2003
It's good to see class acts like the Spurs make this run. I hope they win it all. I can't see Dallas or a Webber-less Kings team beating them.
posted by vito90 at 09:12 AM on May 16, 2003
Yesssssss! I like all three teams left in the west.
posted by eckeric at 10:33 AM on May 16, 2003
Now I know how the Yankee haters feel. I'd feel bad for the Laker fans but I've never met one who didn't deserve to feel this way. Laker fans are why I hate the Lakers... at least there are classy Yankee fans (outside the bronx there are, anyway). And I agree. not a huge NBA fan but I do like all 3 remaining western teams, and yeah, it's hard to root against a classy bunch like the Spurs.
posted by Bernreuther at 11:29 AM on May 16, 2003
Robert Horry had a horrible postseason, only getting into double figure three times in 12 games (and the most he scored in any game was 13). Every role player was overmatched. It was odd to Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant crying after the game. The Lakers acted so casual through the entire season and playoffs, but I guess that was just on the surface. I think they really thought they could pull it out somehow.
posted by dusted at 11:57 AM on May 16, 2003
Oh, great, I jump on the Lakers bandwagon and they lose. At least now we will get to see if Shaq and Kobe are really part of a Laker dynasty; "dynasty" means that you continue to rule while undergoing some changes (like MJ and Pippen did with the Bulls). BTW, check out Bill Simmons' column on the NBA on the ESPN web site, it's a good read.
posted by cg1001a at 12:17 PM on May 16, 2003
"I'd feel bad for the Laker fans but I've never met one who didn't deserve to feel this way. Laker fans are why I hate the Lakers..." Bern, I was in St. Louis this weekend, and heard a friend hosting a talk-radio show. I decided to call in about something else, but while I was on hold, a traveler from LA got in ahead of me and basically said St. Louis didn't win championships because we didn't demand them like LA fans did. I pointed out when I got on that we actually do win championships (ok, not the Blues), and we understand that, despite the best efforts of our franchises, you can't win every title. Putz. I would now expect the Lakers to fire Phil Jackson and the Laker front office because, by God, no championship = a trip to oblivion.
posted by wfrazerjr at 02:05 PM on May 16, 2003
I would now expect the Lakers to fire Phil Jackson That won't happen in a million years, but he might retire. His comments before game 6 were eye-opening. He said he would evaluate his health and the situation in the offseason before making a decision. Add that to Shaq's threat to "never play for another coach," and it's possible to see the end of the "dynasty."
posted by dusted at 06:28 PM on May 16, 2003
The dynasty is is toast even if Phil Jackson doesn't retire. Compare these Lakers to the Jordan-era Bulls. Jordan and Pippen complemented each other, and Pippen was able to swallow his pride because their partnership (with the supporting cast) won championships. Kobe and Shaq will each say the other's the best player, but it's not hard to tell that they're lying and they each think they're the best player. That's already caused friction between them this season, and that was before they got bounced from the playoffs. Combine that with the Lakers' supporting case being either over the hill or too young, and the dynasty's done.
posted by kirkaracha at 10:16 PM on May 16, 2003
Yes!
posted by Bag Man at 04:29 PM on May 17, 2003
There is a God after all! Huzzah for the Spurs!