Stern: "Laker's a lock"
- Thread starter AAAintheBeltway
- Start date
Heart without talent is useless in a 7 game series.
If the Lakers were so inclined, they could sweep this series.
However, since the Lakers are prone to periods of laziness and boredom, it probably goes 5 or 6 games.
I love Larry Brown and think he did a great job, but this is a mismatch anyway you look at it. Any one of the top 5 or 6 teams in the Western Conference would blow away Detroit.
The only real hope I see for the Eastern Conference is King James, and Miami if they can get a true center.
There is one other interesting possibility, and that would be if David Stern makes a deal with Kobe to go to a major market team in the East, like New York or Boston, to engineer a rivalry with the Lakers.
If the Lakers were so inclined, they could sweep this series.
However, since the Lakers are prone to periods of laziness and boredom, it probably goes 5 or 6 games.
I love Larry Brown and think he did a great job, but this is a mismatch anyway you look at it. Any one of the top 5 or 6 teams in the Western Conference would blow away Detroit.
The only real hope I see for the Eastern Conference is King James, and Miami if they can get a true center.
There is one other interesting possibility, and that would be if David Stern makes a deal with Kobe to go to a major market team in the East, like New York or Boston, to engineer a rivalry with the Lakers.
Sorry, a 7 game series in baseball is much different than a 7 game series in basketball.
As Arizona proved with Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, 2 hot pitchers can win you a world series.
That doesn't happen in pro baskeball.
In hockey, an obscure but hot goalie can win you a championship, but show me one NBA championship that was won in the past 20 years where there wasn't at least one or two hall of famers on the team.
Think about it....
Michael Jordan was the only player who achieved greatness for his team without a serious center, do you remember the 3 headed monster?
Detroit had Bill Lambier who was a better than average center, and also had Joe Dumars, Vinne Johnson, and a fellow named Dennis Rodman
Go over the past champions in the NBA, and find out how important a dominant center is, and the value of real superstars.
Look at the list below, see the pattern of Superstars there?
See any Superstars on the current Pistons?
2002-03 San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan
2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal
2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal
1999-00 Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal
1998-99 San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan
1997-98 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan
1996-97 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan
1995-96 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan
1994-95 Houston Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon
1993-94 Houston Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon
1992-93 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan
1991-92 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan
1990-91 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan
1989-90 Detroit Pistons Isiah Thomas
1988-89 Detroit Pistons Isiah Thomas
1987-88 Los Angeles Magic Johnson
1986-87 Los Angeles Magic Johnson
1985-86 Boston Celtics Larry Bird
1984-85 Los Angeles Magic Johnson
1983-84 Boston Celtics Larry Bird
1982-83 Philadelphia Moses Malone
1981-82 Los Angeles Magic Johnson
1980-81 Boston Celtics Larry Bird
1979-80 Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson
As far as Miami goes, they need a dominant presence in the paint, and Brian Grant aint it.
As Arizona proved with Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, 2 hot pitchers can win you a world series.
That doesn't happen in pro baskeball.
In hockey, an obscure but hot goalie can win you a championship, but show me one NBA championship that was won in the past 20 years where there wasn't at least one or two hall of famers on the team.
Think about it....
Michael Jordan was the only player who achieved greatness for his team without a serious center, do you remember the 3 headed monster?
Detroit had Bill Lambier who was a better than average center, and also had Joe Dumars, Vinne Johnson, and a fellow named Dennis Rodman
Go over the past champions in the NBA, and find out how important a dominant center is, and the value of real superstars.
Look at the list below, see the pattern of Superstars there?
See any Superstars on the current Pistons?
2002-03 San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan
2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal
2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal
1999-00 Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal
1998-99 San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan
1997-98 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan
1996-97 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan
1995-96 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan
1994-95 Houston Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon
1993-94 Houston Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon
1992-93 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan
1991-92 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan
1990-91 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan
1989-90 Detroit Pistons Isiah Thomas
1988-89 Detroit Pistons Isiah Thomas
1987-88 Los Angeles Magic Johnson
1986-87 Los Angeles Magic Johnson
1985-86 Boston Celtics Larry Bird
1984-85 Los Angeles Magic Johnson
1983-84 Boston Celtics Larry Bird
1982-83 Philadelphia Moses Malone
1981-82 Los Angeles Magic Johnson
1980-81 Boston Celtics Larry Bird
1979-80 Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson
As far as Miami goes, they need a dominant presence in the paint, and Brian Grant aint it.
Good points ...also, Detroit had a little point guard named Isaiah Thomas ( sure fire hall of famer) and Rick Mahorn who would beat up his mom for a nickle....Regarding Jordan....i think Bill Cartwright is one of the all time most underrated players of his time....he was a rookie the same year as Magic and Bird...If he came into the east today with his turnaround J...he'd avg 24 and 10 and be a perennial all star...same with Laimbeer...
Look at the revised list:
2002-03 San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan+David Robinson
2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal+Kobe Bryant
2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal+Kobe Bryant
1999-00 Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal+Kobe Bryant
1998-99 San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan+David Robinson
1997-98 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan+Scottie Pippen+Rodman
1996-97 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan+Scottie Pippen+Rodman
1995-96 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan+Scottie Pippen+Rodman
1994-95 Houston Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon+Clyde Drexler
1993-94 Houston Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon
1992-93 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan+Scottie Pippen
1991-92 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan+Scottie Pippen
1990-91 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan+Scottie Pippen
1989-90 Detroit Pistons Isiah Thomas+Rodman+Dumars
1988-89 Detroit Pistons Isiah Thomas+Rodman+Dumars
1987-88 Los Angeles Magic Johnson+Worthy+Jabbar
1986-87 Los Angeles Magic Johnson+Worthy+Jabbar
1985-86 Boston Celtics Larry Bird+McHale+Parrish
1984-85 Los Angeles Magic Johnson+Worthy+Jabbar
1983-84 Boston Celtics Larry Bird+McHale+Parrish
1982-83 Philadelphia Moses Malone+Dr. J
1981-82 Los Angeles Magic Johnson+Worthy+Jabbar
1980-81 Boston Celtics Larry Bird+McHale+Parrish
1979-80 Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson+Worthy+Jabbar
2002-03 San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan+David Robinson
2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal+Kobe Bryant
2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal+Kobe Bryant
1999-00 Los Angeles Lakers Shaquille O'Neal+Kobe Bryant
1998-99 San Antonio Spurs Tim Duncan+David Robinson
1997-98 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan+Scottie Pippen+Rodman
1996-97 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan+Scottie Pippen+Rodman
1995-96 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan+Scottie Pippen+Rodman
1994-95 Houston Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon+Clyde Drexler
1993-94 Houston Rockets Hakeem Olajuwon
1992-93 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan+Scottie Pippen
1991-92 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan+Scottie Pippen
1990-91 Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan+Scottie Pippen
1989-90 Detroit Pistons Isiah Thomas+Rodman+Dumars
1988-89 Detroit Pistons Isiah Thomas+Rodman+Dumars
1987-88 Los Angeles Magic Johnson+Worthy+Jabbar
1986-87 Los Angeles Magic Johnson+Worthy+Jabbar
1985-86 Boston Celtics Larry Bird+McHale+Parrish
1984-85 Los Angeles Magic Johnson+Worthy+Jabbar
1983-84 Boston Celtics Larry Bird+McHale+Parrish
1982-83 Philadelphia Moses Malone+Dr. J
1981-82 Los Angeles Magic Johnson+Worthy+Jabbar
1980-81 Boston Celtics Larry Bird+McHale+Parrish
1979-80 Los Angeles Lakers Magic Johnson+Worthy+Jabbar
I love Ben Wallace. He is Rodman without the craziness, simply the best rebounder and defensive player in the game. Only nondrafted player ever to start in the All Star game. He comes to play every night, every quarter, every minute he's in there. But he gives a lot of size away to Shaq, as does Rasheed Wallace, plus the ref's no doubt will call a foul every time anyone breathes on shaq as he bulls his way to the rim. Potentially interesting matchup though, as Big Ben's nonstop motor and athleticism might wear Shaq down.
The rest of the matchups seem to me to favor the Lakers. Perhaps if Rasheed Wallace can have a big scoring series or if Prince or Corliss Williamson can generate some offense, the Pistons can win. I look for Kobe to dominate Rip Hamilton at both ends, but again Kobe may get tired of chasing the nonstop Hamilton.
On paper, this one looks like a Lakers cakewalk, but that's why they play them. that and the TV revenue.
The rest of the matchups seem to me to favor the Lakers. Perhaps if Rasheed Wallace can have a big scoring series or if Prince or Corliss Williamson can generate some offense, the Pistons can win. I look for Kobe to dominate Rip Hamilton at both ends, but again Kobe may get tired of chasing the nonstop Hamilton.
On paper, this one looks like a Lakers cakewalk, but that's why they play them. that and the TV revenue.