o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

[mr.miracle]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

The best revenge is success. Kobe didn't react to any of Shaq's nonsense, nor did Phil to Red's. They just continue to succeed.

Great points, now the talk today all over the radio and tv is where does Kobe rank all-time. He will be 31 in August and has a lot of miles on his body starting at such a young age and now having played deep in the playoffs for a long time including 6 NBA finals. However, if the Lakers can keep Odom and Ariza, they are already installed as early favorites to repeat next year. If the Lakers can stay healthy and of course as always, that is a huge if in any sport, they are setup to be a title contender legitimately for the next 3 or 4 seasons. It is certainly possible if not probable that this is not Kobe's final NBA title. I think he has his sights set on far more. I would think he would have 3 - 4 seasons at a very high level of play yet before he starts to decline. It is certainly not out of the realm of possibility that the Lakers can get a couple of more titles with this team. Time will tell just what this team can accomplish.

[sportscentury]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

You know, I have never really understood the whole Red vs. Phil thing. I mean I understand Red not wanting to see Phil pass him and the whole thing about Phil being a disciple of the other Red , Red Holtzman and all, but I think Aurebach took a few too many puffs of the wacky weed on his old Cigars. Red or his legions of fans would always say Phil took over all these teams with HOF players and that is why he won. First, that is not true, can anybody say Doug Collins, Kurt Rambis, Del Harris who got their respective teams to the playoffs prior to Phil taking over but could never close the deal. Secondly, did Red forget about all the HOF players he coached. He was in an 8 team league and had Russell, Heinsohn, K.C. Jones, Havlichek, Frank Ramsey, Bob Cousey,Bill Sharman, Sam Jones and Bailey Howell all NBA HOF players. To remotely suggest that Red did not have a hugely stacked deck during his tenure with the Celtics is just stupidity. Not to take anything away from Red as no coach can just role the ball out there and win games, but that arguement has just been complete stupidity anytime I have ever heard it.

The best revenge is success. Kobe didn't react to any of Shaq's nonsense, nor did Phil to Red's. They just continue to succeed.

[sox83cubs84]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

You know, I have never really understood the whole Red vs. Phil thing. I mean I understand Red not wanting to see Phil pass him and the whole thing about Phil being a disciple of the other Red , Red Holtzman and all, but I think Aurebach took a few too many puffs of the wacky weed on his old Cigars. Red or his legions of fans would always say Phil took over all these teams with HOF players and that is why he won. First, that is not true, can anybody say Doug Collins, Kurt Rambis, Del Harris who got their respective teams to the playoffs prior to Phil taking over but could never close the deal. Secondly, did Red forget about all the HOF players he coached. He was in an 8 team league and had Russell, Heinsohn, K.C. Jones, Havlichek, Frank Ramsey, Bob Cousey,Bill Sharman, Sam Jones and Bailey Howell all NBA HOF players. To remotely suggest that Red did not have a hugely stacked deck during his tenure with the Celtics is just stupidity. Not to take anything away from Red as no coach can just role the ball out there and win games, but that arguement has just been complete stupidity anytime I have ever heard it.

Exactly!!

Dave M.
Chicago area

[mr.miracle]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

Zen Master...you ARE the greatest. Too bad Red isn't still around, as I'd like to see what petty trash-talking he'd send your way NOW, considering you passed him by.

Dave M.
Chicago area

You know, I have never really understood the whole Red vs. Phil thing. I mean I understand Red not wanting to see Phil pass him and the whole thing about Phil being a disciple of the other Red , Red Holtzman and all, but I think Aurebach took a few too many puffs of the wacky weed on his old Cigars. Red or his legions of fans would always say Phil took over all these teams with HOF players and that is why he won. First, that is not true, can anybody say Doug Collins, Kurt Rambis, Del Harris who got their respective teams to the playoffs prior to Phil taking over but could never close the deal. Secondly, did Red forget about all the HOF players he coached. He was in an 8 team league and had Russell, Heinsohn, K.C. Jones, Havlichek, Frank Ramsey, Bob Cousey,Bill Sharman, Sam Jones and Bailey Howell all NBA HOF players. To remotely suggest that Red did not have a hugely stacked deck during his tenure with the Celtics is just stupidity. Not to take anything away from Red as no coach can just role the ball out there and win games, but that arguement has just been complete stupidity anytime I have ever heard it.

[sportscentury]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

the grammar on that tweet was pungent and a sore to the eyes, I can't see how anyone could go on to read the entire post when he couldn't even spell congratulations correctly.

I wouldn't waste my time even googling his Twitter page ... I just heard the highlights (or lowlights, rather) reported on ESPN this morning.

[mbenga28]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

Speaking of petty trash-talking, did you see that Shaq's congratulatory tweet to Jackson was really just another shot at Stan Van? Pathetic.

the grammar on that tweet was pungent and a sore to the eyes, I can't see how anyone could go on to read the entire post when he couldn't even spell congratulations correctly.

[sportscentury]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

Zen Master...you ARE the greatest. Too bad Red isn't still around, as I'd like to see what petty trash-talking he'd send your way NOW, considering you passed him by.

Dave M.
Chicago area

Speaking of petty trash-talking, did you see that Shaq's congratulatory tweet to Jackson was really just another shot at Stan Van? Pathetic.

[sox83cubs84]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

Zen Master...you ARE the greatest. Too bad Red isn't still around, as I'd like to see what petty trash-talking he'd send your way NOW, considering you passed him by.

Dave M.
Chicago area

[mbenga28]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

aside from the Kobe winning a title without Shaq plot, perhaps another media generated theme that can finally be put to rest is the pejorative Pau "Gasoft" label. He did a fantastic job guarding Dwight Howard throughout the Finals, played a tremendous amount of minutes similar to Kobe dating from last season and an interesting stat that was mentioned last night that the Lakers have not lost three in a row since acquiring Gasol.

[mbenga28]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

Congratulations to the Lakers organization and their fans for winning the franchise's fifteenth title. Respect and recognition to the Magic organization as well for their incredible run to the Finals, may this be the first of many trips with a different outcome for this young and entertaining team.

[mr.miracle]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

Phil Jackson is not thinking about 10 rings.

He's thinking about two. The two that got away, the first to Detroit in 2004 and the second to Boston in 2008. He's thinking about how no one took the Pistons seriously and how dangerous that made them. He's thinking about how he couldn't get his players to truly understand, prepare for and match the intensity of the Celtics' defense. He's thinking about losing, about the sting it left, about the way it lingers even now. He's thinking about surviving it, replacing it, pushing past it.

He's thinking about one. This one. Right here and now. The one still to be fought for and chased down. The one to be won. The one to be celebrated and savored, should it come. The one that says, Hot damn, look what we're capable of, even with a baby-faced center and a silvered-hair coach. The one that justifies the time and sacrifice. The one that affirms the faith. The one that can come, with luck, when players connect. The only one there is.

This is truely what I love about Jackson. Despite all his successes the most successful coach in American Professional Sports history, he is still thinking about those two that literally got away. As a Lakers fan, I will never forget the sting of those two, but then again, I will never forget the sting of 91 or 89 when the Lakers were without the services of the greatest point guard in professional basketball history and they also lost their starting shooting guard. As well as the others that I can remember in the early to mid 80's. After all, for all the Lakers successes, 15 NBA Titles, there have also been 15 NBA championship defeats.

Despite all of my own personal successes in life, not certainly on any grand stage mind you, it is still the failures as few as they have been professionally that eat away at me. I guess we would not be human if that was not the case.

[mr.miracle]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

Not sure which Playoff/Finals thread we are using tonight ... congrats to Kobe and the Lakers. Perhaps Shaq will shut up for a short while now. I will say that this was one of the most anti-climactic Finals I can remember. To be up by 15 points that early in the game, when you are up 3-1 in the series, is just not exciting. Nike and the NBA must be disappointed. They were counting on a competitive 6- or 7-game series between LBJ and Kobe. The Lakers looked so dominant ... the Magic were simply not a worthy component.

Well said Reid, the Lakers need to find a way to bring back Odem and Ariza. I would love to see the Celtics at full strength and the Lakers at full strength to see if we can get a rematch of last years finals next year. That being said, I am sure an exhausted Kobe will get some well deserved rest and not go back to the gym until Tuesday at the earliest lol.

Congratulations to the Lakers, I honestly felt that this team despite the ups and downs earlier in the playoffs particularly in that Houston series and game 2 in the Western Finals against Denver, that this team just would not be denied. Kobe really really wanted this thing bad. They brought it in the finals and the results show that.

[sportscentury]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

Not sure which Playoff/Finals thread we are using tonight ... congrats to Kobe and the Lakers. Perhaps Shaq will shut up for a short while now. I will say that this was one of the most anti-climactic Finals I can remember. To be up by 15 points that early in the game, when you are up 3-1 in the series, is just not exciting. Nike and the NBA must be disappointed. They were counting on a competitive 6- or 7-game series between LBJ and Kobe. The Lakers looked so dominant ... the Magic were simply not a worthy component.

[joelsabi]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

championship parade on wednesday at 11 am.

[jobathenut]

Re: o/t-nba finals thread-lakers vs magic

los angeles lakers 2009 nba world champions-YES!!!!!....Man that sounds great.I am so happy for kobe and fischer and phil.It took awhile but kobe finally got a ring without shaquille o'neal,how do you like me now big man.I am happy that fischer came back to the lakers and was able to get this ring.Those two have had thier ups and downs and derserve this.And phil jackson being able now to own the recored all to himself.Well that's just the icing on this ring cake.On a side note-i loved the hat the wore after the game.Too bad you can't buy that as his kids made that for him.I did think the championship hats were boring looking.With all that kobe has been threw,i sure am happy for him the most.They sure proved by winning 4 games to 1 (and two in orlando)that they are indeed the better team.And the the best team won and without a doubt.Even though i'm sure the haters will find them.But i'm not going to let them bring me down and ruin my happiness for the lakers winning the championship.And i congratulate the whole laker team for this championship.As you guys did this as a team.Way to go guys