LA Times: A Message To The Lakers: S.O.S.

[duncan228]

A message to the Lakers: S.O.S. (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dwyre-spurs3-2009mar03,0,3753980.column)

That's the Same Old Spurs to you, and yes, they're still a legitimate threat in the West -- enough so to make Lakers fans nervous.
Bill Dwyre

The Lakers weren't even in the house Monday night. They had rented it out to the kids down the street. Probably some kind of community service thing.

But the Lakers were still around. You could feel them. In the corners, hanging around the hallways, in the air ducts.

Even when they aren't there, they are.

That's because the guys playing the kids down the street, the San Antonio Spurs, are still pretty good and have four NBA titles since 1999, one as recently as 2007, and are a worry to Lakers fans, who now, at last count, number 15 million. And that's just in California.

It's all Lakers, all the time, and if Manny doesn't sign, they'll just do away with second place in this city.

So, when the Spurs are in town, it means taking a measure of the future. That means both a week from Thursday, when the Lakers are in San Antonio, and sometime in May, when projections have the Lakers playing the Spurs in the NBA's Western Conference finals.

Remember last season's conference finals? The Lakers won the series, 4-1, but not before the Spurs had a chance to make it 2-2, when Derek Fisher fell on top of a shooting Brent Barry in the last seconds of a two-point game. All three referees inhaled and the Lakers finished it out in the next game.

So Lakers fans are understandably wary. You can't get to the Celtics, or whatever powerhouse comes out of the East, if you can't get past the Spurs.

The Spurs have this 6-foot-11 tower named Tim Duncan. He's been around since Moses, but he doesn't appear to be slowing down so much as getting wiser. He still averages around 20 points a game and is stoppable only if you put a Hummer on him.

Then there is this little guy named Tony Parker, who plays like a sleek sports car and lives like one too. He is married to TV star Eva Longoria and is also an NBA superstar. It isn't fair. God should spread things around. You can't guard Parker unless you are a cowboy with a lasso.

When the Spurs played the kids from down the street Monday night, their third assassin wasn't even around. That's Manu Ginobili, kind of an older version of Parker, who is about a week away from returning from an injury.

Ginobili is the Argentine athlete of the decade, Parker is from France and Duncan is from the moon, by way of the Virgin Islands, so psychological testing to create strategy is useless.

They have some new people, notably a red-haired guy named Matt Bonner, who played basketball at a football school, but did well enough at Florida to get a shot with the Spurs, and has delivered nicely by leading the NBA in three-point shooting percentage.

But what was really intriguing to Lakers worriers Monday night was word of more on the Spurs' horizon. Talk has it that the last needed ingredient to the San Antonio broth, a rugged, rebounding, physical basher, is just one ink pen and several million dollars away.

Sunday night, 6-10 veteran power forward Drew Gooden got the Sacramento Kings to buy out his contract for $7.1 million. They did so just 59 minutes before a deadline that would have made him ineligible for the playoffs, and while both the Cleveland Cavaliers -- Gooden's old team -- and the Dallas Mavericks are interested, you get the feeling the Spurs are drooling.

You also get the feeling Pau Gasol is already getting a headache. A Duncan bump here and a Gooden bang there and Pau could be more bruise than basketball player.

The coach of the kids down the street, Mike Dunleavy, was asked before the game about a Lakers-Spurs Western finals.

"With Andrew Bynum, the Lakers seem to have the edge," Dunleavy said, "because they'd have the big presence in the middle for Parker's drives."

But if you add Gooden to the sauce?

Dunleavy opened his eyes wider and rolled them a bit. Translation: Maybe a different story.

The coach of the Spurs has white hair and a beard and is known as Pop. That helps the fans remember he is older than Duncan and Ginobili and Michael Finley and Bruce Bowen and several other ageless relics who seem to keep it going on this team.

Gregg Popovich was in a good mood before the game, and while he wouldn't talk about all the Gooden talk, he smiled a lot when answering related questions.

Gooden is due to come off waivers Wednesday, and Clippers broadcaster Ralph Lawler, an old sage who has been around almost as long as Duncan, asked Popovich how closely the Spurs were watching the waiver wire.

After a pause and a smile, Popovich deadpanned, "We are watching the waiver wire professionally. You always have to be ready to improve your team."

Popovich toyed with a guy who asked all his questions from behind a home video camera. To everything the guy asked, Popovich paused, then answered: "Sure." Then the guy asked him about his days as coach at "Pomona Military" and Popovich feigned anger, on behalf of the honor of that fine academic institution Pomona-Pitzer and his coaching days there years ago.

You can catch the interview on MyHighSchoolFilmClassAssignment.com.

Then, it was time to play the game. The kids from down the street made it exciting when Fred Jones flung in a half-court shot at the first-quarter buzzer to cut the Spurs' lead to 26-21. But soon, Pop's Pistols were emptying barrels from all over the court.

The final score was 106-78, and Drew Gooden wasn't even around. Maybe he'll never be. But it's understandable for 15 million Lakers fans to shiver for a day or so, just in case.

[Spork KIller]

I don't think the Lakers or their fans are worried about the spurms beating the crappy Clippers and behind in the standings like 8 games to the number one seed... ?

Not even spurm fans believe this shit!! hehehehe

[ChumpDumper]

I think you are more than a little pathetic hanging out here all the time.

[whottt]

I don't know why this writer is acting like Duncan, Parker and Manu are so ancient...

Kobe's been in the league longer than Duncan, Fisher's been in it longer than Parker, and Gasol and Odom have been in it as long or longer than Manu.

[Spork KIller]

I don't know why this writer is acting like Duncan, Parker and Manu are so ancient...

Kobe's been in the league longer than Duncan, Fisher's been in it longer than Parker, and Gasol and Odom have been in it as long or longer than Manu.

How about the rest of the team BITCH?

Kill yourself mofo

[ChumpDumper]

Is this really that important to you?

[Spork KIller]

Not at all...

[ChumpDumper]

Your presence here contradicts that claim.

[Spork KIller]

I'm having fun with you all delusional bitches..thats all...
Spurms fans are the laughing stock of the NBA

[ChumpDumper]

Is it really that much fun for you?

Is there nothing better for you in your life?

[anonoftheinternets]

Please do not feed the trolls, there are only here for our entertainment and to make fools of themselves.

[TheSpursFNRule]

I'm having fun with you all delusional bitches..thats all...
Spurms fans are the laughing stock of the NBA

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_s9bZUCtws8c/SV1iqP_LSaI/AAAAAAAAAvk/a7KYXE0INO4/s400/Burn+After+Reading.jpg
MORON! YOU FUCKER!

[Spursfan092120]

I don't think the Lakers or their fans are worried about the spurms beating the crappy Clippers and behind in the standings like 8 games to the number one seed... ?

Not even spurm fans believe this shit!! hehehehe

Isn't there a Gay Suns fans forum somewhere?

[Spursfan092120]

I'm having fun with you all delusional bitches..thats all...
Spurms fans are the laughing stock of the NBA

Hello...Suns fans? No rings...focus your entire team around beating one team and still can't do it..and we're the laughing stock? LOL...hilarious. At least you're good for entertainment.

[lurker23]

Isn't there a Gay Suns fans forum somewhere?

FlamingBallsOfGas.com ?

[L.I.T]

FlamingBallsOfGas.com ?

:lmao

[Danny.Zhu]

Gooden <<<<< Gasol
But if we can get Gooden, I think we finally has the chance to beat LA this season.

[Rogue]

Go oden

[21_Blessings]

Yes Dunleavy what are your thoughts about the Lakers?? We really care.

It's pretty hilarious how Dunleavy gets asked more questions about the Lakers than his own team. Every week the local radio has some soundbyte of him fellating the Lakers. No, Buss will never hire your terrible coaching ass again you fucking failure.

E; Gooden would be an extremely solid signing for the Spurs but too bad he is possibly the dumbest player in the league. If the Lakers are with Bynum Gooden could turn a 5 game stomping by the Lakers into a competitive 6 game series. Or he could go into a dumb and dumber mode and help Spurs get swept right out of their championship window.

Shame Bynum is on schedule to return before the playoffs this time around.

[TampaDude]

Keep talking, Laker fans...see you all in the WCF...things are gonna be different this time around...2009...odd year...do the math...

[ElNono]

Shame Bynum is on schedule to return before the playoffs this time around.

Didn't we hear this last year?

[stepmonkey]

I'm having fun with you all delusional bitches..thats all...
Spurms fans are the laughing stock of the NBA


Priceless. A Suns' fan saying Spurs' fans are the laughing stock of the NBA. This is why Al Gore invented the internet. So morons who have no idea how dumb they really are can proclaim their stupidity to the rest of the world from the privacy of their own home. :rollin

[lefty]

Wow, a non-biased LA Times article :wow

[Mister Sinister]

I don't know why this writer is acting like Duncan, Parker and Manu are so ancient...

Kobe's been in the league longer than Duncan, Fisher's been in it longer than Parker, and Gasol and Odom have been in it as long or longer than Manu.
Maybe the writer's overexaggerating the "Spurs are old" thing to be ironic. Or something. Hell if I know.

[Agloco]

I think you are more than a little pathetic hanging out here all the time.

He's a closet fan of head pubes......

[Indazone]

any team could pick this guy up. To the owner with the biggest pocketbook and balls go the spoils. Who's willing to go over the cap?

[Spursmania]

I don't think the Lakers or their fans are worried about the spurms beating the crappy Clippers and behind in the standings like 8 games to the number one seed... ?

Not even spurm fans believe this shit!! hehehehe

Like anything you say is relevant...
:lol

[Marcus Bryant]

any team could pick this guy up. To the owner with the biggest pocketbook and balls go the spoils. Who's willing to go over the cap?

Doesn't quite work that way.

[easjer]

I thought the article was amusing.

[Marcus Bryant]

Funny. Spurs fans are dumping on Gooden, apparently preferring to have Matt Bonner as the 3rd best bigman and an empty chair or the latest Toro superstar over one of the better rebounders in the league. Meanwhile a LA columnist is trying to scare Laker fans with the possibility of the Spurs landing Gooden.

The truth, of course, is somewhere inbetween. Gooden would be a significant addition to the Spurs and will make them somewhat better, but the only way they win #5 is if the Big 3 are healthy and show up in the postseason. Also if Pop will give Bruce a chance to go out in a blaze of glory.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Funny. Spurs fans are dumping on Gooden, apparently preferring to have Matt Bonner as the 3rd best bigman and an empty chair or the latest Toro superstar over one of the better rebounders in the league. Meanwhile a LA columnist is trying to scare Laker fans with the possibility of the Spurs landing Gooden.

The truth, of course, is somewhere inbetween. Gooden would be a significant addition to the Spurs and will make them somewhat better, but the only way they win #5 is if the Big 3 are healthy and show up in the postseason. Also if Pop will give Bruce a chance to go out in a blaze of glory.

:tu

Bowen definitely has to be starting come playoff time.

Assuming SA lands Gooden, the starting 5 should be

Duncan
Gooden
Bowen
Mason
Parker

[VI_Massive]

:tu

Bowen definitely has to be starting come playoff time.

Assuming SA lands Gooden, the starting 5 should be

Duncan
Gooden
Bowen
Mason
Parker

I agree completely.

[m33p0]

:tu

Bowen definitely has to be starting come playoff time.

Assuming SA lands Gooden, the starting 5 should be

Duncan
Gooden
Bowen
Mason
Parker
bonner instead of gooden.

[z0sa]

bonner instead of gooden.

Horry always came off the bench and did well, which is the exact role I predicted for Bonner months ago. I had a feeling KT would be starting (which is looking more and more likely as well), but an addition of Gooden brings rebounding and much needed offense from the 4/5 opposite of Tim. If Gooden can learn spurs' defensive schemes on par, I very much doubt Pop starts Bonner over him. Bonner's defense last season was as bad or worse than Gooden - the system makes bad defenders look average or decent if they get the rotations.

[YoMamaIsCallin]

This made me laugh out loud. Nicely done, Bill Dwyre.



Ginobili is the Argentine athlete of the decade, Parker is from France and Duncan is from the moon, by way of the Virgin Islands, so psychological testing to create strategy is useless.

[m33p0]

Horry always came off the bench and did well, which is the exact role I predicted for Bonner months ago. I had a feeling KT would be starting (which is looking more and more likely as well), but an addition of Gooden brings rebounding and much needed offense from the 4/5 opposite of Tim. If Gooden can learn spurs' defensive schemes on par, I very much doubt Pop starts Bonner over him. Bonner's defense last season was as bad or worse than Gooden - the system makes bad defenders look average or decent if they get the rotations.
with gooden in the starting lineup, you can expect defenders to sag off of bowen and gooden to pack the lane limiting duncan and parker's effectivity. granted, bruce has proven to be an effective shooter but the defense, nonetheless, will dare him to take those or can easily be chased off the 3-point area especially with only mason as the other 3pt threat. it's also more preferable to get your shooters hot early.

[TwelveGs210]

I don't think the Lakers or their fans are worried about the spurms beating the crappy Clippers and behind in the standings like 8 games to the number one seed... ?

Not even spurm fans believe this shit!! hehehehe

what is there to "hehehe" about, your team might has its stars feuding over the spotlight in Amare being mad about his lack of touches that shaq is taking, a mid season coaching change, and its not even a guarantee your gonna make the playoffs seeing that the last three spots belong to teams that are all better than the suns.

[MarHill]

what is there to "hehehe" about, your team might has its stars feuding over the spotlight in Amare being mad about his lack of touches that shaq is taking, a mid season coaching change, and its not even a guarantee your gonna make the playoffs seeing that the last three spots belong to teams that are all better than the suns.

Why bother even responding to Spork Killer?

Everyone in this forum..know what he is.....just ignore him!!!

:toast

[Horse]

Yes Dunleavy what are your thoughts about the Lakers?? We really care.

It's pretty hilarious how Dunleavy gets asked more questions about the Lakers than his own team. Every week the local radio has some soundbyte of him fellating the Lakers. No, Buss will never hire your terrible coaching ass again you fucking failure.

E; Gooden would be an extremely solid signing for the Spurs but too bad he is possibly the dumbest player in the league. If the Lakers are with Bynum Gooden could turn a 5 game stomping by the Lakers into a competitive 6 game series. Or he could go into a dumb and dumber mode and help Spurs get swept right out of their championship window.

Shame Bynum is on schedule to return before the playoffs this time around.
O.k. The celtics showed that the lakers are soft pussies like we thought they were. Go back and look at the series how can you call it a stomping. Simple put injuries caught and I know it happens. But with a healthy Ginobili we win no doubt!

[Horse]

Now if I was a suns fan, A Spurs board would be the last place I would go and talk shit.

[Spursmania]

Priceless. A Suns' fan saying Spurs' fans are the laughing stock of the NBA. This is why Al Gore invented the internet. So morons who have no idea how dumb they really are can proclaim their stupidity to the rest of the world from the privacy of their own home. :rollin


:tu

[Spursmania]

This made me laugh out loud. Nicely done, Bill Dwyre.

Made me a laugh as well. That was a classic:toast:flag:

[Marcus Bryant]

with gooden in the starting lineup, you can expect defenders to sag off of bowen and gooden to pack the lane limiting duncan and parker's effectivity. granted, bruce has proven to be an effective shooter but the defense, nonetheless, will dare him to take those or can easily be chased off the 3-point area especially with only mason as the other 3pt threat. it's also more preferable to get your shooters hot early.

I like the idea of Gooden on the floor with scorers at the 2 and 3. You want him chasing down rebounds and there for garbage put backs or the open J as a play develops.

I think you're right in that Gooden and Bowen would be challenged to produce from outside by a defense, but is that any different than if it was Thomas or Oberto?

[de Soto]

I don't think the Lakers or their fans are worried about the spurms beating the crappy Clippers and behind in the standings like 8 games to the number one seed... ?

Not even spurm fans believe this shit!! hehehehe

Yes...BTW, how does it feel to be a fan of a loser team? :lmao

[WildcardManu]

rebounding is what we need, and it's what he just might give us

[Manufan909]

So Gooden is a banger? Or does this guy just like being clever?

[DrHouse]

I agree with the article that the Spurs are still a legitimate threat in the WC, but to insinuate that Drew Gooden is going to make the Laker's frontcourt advantage null and void is complete horseshit.

[Spursmania]

I agree with the article that the Spurs are still a legitimate threat in the WC, but to insinuate that Drew Gooden is going to make the Laker's frontcourt advantage null and void is complete horseshit.


Who said anything about the addition of Gooden making Lakers front line null and void? Must be your subconscious... Are you one of those Laker fans lurking behind curtains hoping,sweating and praying we don't add any other player to our roster?:wow:wow

It's okay, you're the Great Lakers, remember? You have mamba on your team. nothing to worry about-Larry's yours...relax...:rolleyes

[The_Game]

no team with gooden starting is winning anything...

[Spursmania]

no team with gooden starting is winning anything...

Damn dude that's harsh. Why are you down on Gooden so much? He's the only option we have left if we want to add anybody who can be useful to us. He's not great but he's what's available now.
:hat

[The_Game]

Damn dude that's harsh. Why are you down on Gooden so much? He's the only option we have left if we want to add anybody who can be useful to us. He's not great but he's what's available now.
:hat

Don't get me wrong adding gooden is a good move if it's for limited minutes but having him at the end of important playoff games is a mistake...the guy although can score and is a good rebounder is very poor defensively and makes stupid mistakes...his basketball IQ is very low and thats why he makes such bad decisions..

gooden isn't going to improve the team a huge amount but he is another big body who can rebound which is key. suppose any soild big man to help contend with the lakers big frontline is needed

[DrHouse]

Gooden is really not that great of a player.

[hater]

neither is Derek Fisher, Sasha Vujachick, Trevor Ariza, Adam Morrison and Luke Walton

[SpursDynasty]

I don't think the Lakers or their fans are worried about the spurms beating the crappy Clippers and behind in the standings like 8 games to the number one seed... ?

Not even spurm fans believe this shit!! hehehehe

Let it go. Phoenix will not get past the Spurs in the playoffs, ever....nothing to trash talk about on here...we feel your pain. Teams have had our number in the past too.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

neither is Derek Fisher, Sasha Vujachick, Trevor Ariza, Adam Morrison and Luke Walton

Trevor Ariza is great, and Fisher is alright.


But the rest of the people on that list are pretty weak, along with Bynum's knee

[George Gervin's Afro]

There aren't many laker fans who are worried about the Spurs.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

no team with gooden/thomas/bonner starting is winning anything...

Is what you're basically saying

[Man In Black]

neither is Derek Fisher, Sasha Vujachick, Trevor Ariza, Adam Morrison and Luke Walton


Trevor Ariza is great, and Fisher is alright.


But the rest of the people on that list are pretty weak, along with Bynum's knee

Reality bites...RECOGNIZE! :king

[J_Paco]

There aren't many laker fans who are worried about the Spurs.

Okay, but that doesn't mean that we're going to lay down for them to win the LOB. Gooden isn't a good or great player, but he'll help replace the rebounding and scoring (with younger legs) that Oberto should be providing.

[smrattler]

I'm having fun with you all delusional bitches..thats all...
Spurms fans are the laughing stock of the NBA


This is coming from a Suns fan???????

[Spursmania]

Eyes on the prize Suns fans...#9 in the West.:lobt2::lmao


Yeah, I'm rooting for ya Suns.
:lmao:lmao

[crc21209]

I don't see how or why the Laker fans think their whole team is a bunch of god's and our guys are a bunch of scrubs. Are you fucking kidding me? Besides Kobe and MAYBE Pau, everyone else on that Laker team is a ROLE player. From Fisher to Vujabitch to Walton. Just like the Spurs have Fin to Mason to Bonner. The Spurs have 3 guys who can get you 20+ points any night. TD, TP, and Manu. The Lakers have 2, Kobe and Pau. So don't act like your team is the best thing to happen to the NBA and theyre going to cakewalk any team in their way, cuz theyre not.

[iggypop123]

cool gooden makes it easier to zone off against parker and ginobli. he can take all the jumpshots he wants