Pop was right about the Lakers....

[Amuseddaysleeper]

I miss them too. When he made that comment last season I thought he was insane but I miss having that super heated rivalry. yeah i still love it when we beat them but its not the same without shaq on board as well with them being a perennial title contender. Detroit, i respect too much and they are in another conference, we own dallas and phoenix too much for it to be a rivalry, its more of a "warm up" if anything, I just miss getting up for a team that you want to defeat out of spite.

[boutons_]

Spurs have their hands full with the Mavs and Pistons, thank you.

Kobe + Phil + some real help this off-season. Then you will get what you wish for.

[Amuseddaysleeper]

Spurs have their hands full with the Mavs and Pistons, thank you.

Kobe + Phil + some real help this off-season. Then you will get what you wish for.

oh i agree, especially with the pistons being our new road block to the title, but i dont loathe the pistons the way i loathed the lakers is what i mean. i'm not crazy about the mavs, but i dont have nearly the same excitement in playing the mavs as i did the early 2000's lakers

[1Parker1]

Give the Lakers a few years, you may get your wish.

[FromWayDowntown]

I've just never understood why the media has never played up the Spurs/Lakers rivalry from the late 90's through the early 00's as the defining rivalry of that era. There wasn't any bad blood, and perhaps that's the answer, but it's a damned shame that it takes some sort of bullshit histrionics to get anyone's attention. The Spurs/Lakers series in 2002, 2003, and 2004 were as intense as any playoff series I've ever witnessed. For a span of time (1999-2003; I'll include 2004 as the end of the era, though neither obviously won the title) where those were clearly the two dominant franchises in the league the fact that they met in 5 playoff series over a 6 year span, that the series records ended up 3-2 with the games split 14-11, should be evidence that it was the rivalry of that era. It was far more competitive than Kings/Lakers, and I can't really think of any other rivalry over that mini-era that might even come close other than that one.

[/rant]

[Derek Fisher V0.4]

don't worry spurs fans, the rivalry will be back in a few years i guarantee it! we are just in a rebuilding mode right now but once we get the right pieces we are gonna end up seeing you guys again. i promise!!!

SPURS LAKERS RIVLARY WILL NEVER DIE!!!!!!!!!

[Spurologist]

http://hugobasket.skyblog.com/pics/16458092.jpg

As long as i'm on spurtalk, things like this come up. I don't think I have ever been happy and feel the opposite feeling in an instant. I couldn't sleep that night and day.

To sum up:

Td hits an impossible fade away over shaq: Holy shit
Then 0.4 - FUCK. FUCK. FUCK.

I do miss the rivalry because I couldn't move out of my seat. My face glued to the tv, not wanting to miss a single second. This type of paranoia only comes from a true, heated rivalry.

Now the fakers are a mediocre one man show. Sad.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

I've just never understood why the media has never played up the Spurs/Lakers rivalry from the late 90's through the early 00's as the defining rivalry of that era. There wasn't any bad blood, and perhaps that's the answer, but it's a damned shame that it takes some sort of bullshit histrionics to get anyone's attention. The Spurs/Lakers series in 2002, 2003, and 2004 were as intense as any playoff series I've ever witnessed. For a span of time (1999-2003; I'll include 2004 as the end of the era, though neither obviously won the title) where those were clearly the two dominant franchises in the league the fact that they met in 5 playoff series over a 6 year span, that the series records ended up 3-2 with the games split 14-11, should be evidence that it was the rivalry of that era. It was far more competitive than Kings/Lakers, and I can't really think of any other rivalry over that mini-era that might even come close other than that one.

[/rant]

I think there's a lot of truth in that. It just seems odd to me when the marketing for such a rivalry practically writes itself. There's such a contrast of styles in personality and play. Big market vs. small market, media darlings vs. the best kept secret in the NBA, ego flare ups vs. a team that plays as a team (although you'd think that the Pistons were the first team to ever win that way after they beat the Lakers).

There were two main problems. The first is that they couldn't meet in the finals. Even though the finals in that stretch were little more than a dominant Western team hammering a team from the East that any of the West's top four seeds could have beaten, the finals are always where the media will be watching.

The other problem, though I might sound a little crazy, is that the media needs to keep a team like the Spurs under wraps. Bear with me on this. How often do you read NBA columnists bitching about egos and me first attitudes? Seems like they never stop. The question that gets asked around here is always, "So why not root for or write about the Spurs?" Because the Spurs are the answer to all the questions and prayers that they make in those whining articles. So long as they cover the Shaqs and Kobes they will always have never ending source of things to write about as they complain about the latest woeful depth that the game has sunk to. In effect they get to look like crusaders fighting a monster, even though they are the ones who created it and they are the ones that will make the next monsters to fight. But if they turn to the Spurs, then what? The well dries up on the hacks and they have to actually go out and do some real work for a change.

[Jimcs50]

I miss them too. When he made that comment last season I thought he was insane but I miss having that super heated rivalry. yeah i still love it when we beat them but its not the same without shaq on board as well with them being a perennial title contender. Detroit, i respect too much and they are in another conference, we own dallas and phoenix too much for it to be a rivalry, its more of a "warm up" if anything, I just miss getting up for a team that you want to defeat out of spite.

I miss the Lakers like I miss a hangover.

[slayermin]

Lately, it seems the best rivalries or best showdowns involve a team from Cali and a team from Texas.

Early ninties - Cowboys vs. 49ers
1998-2004 - Spurs vs. Lakers
2006 - ??? - USC vs. Texas

Even the highschool all-star games in football are very competitive between Cali and Texas.

[ShoogarBear]

Td hits an impossible fade away over shaq: Holy shit
Then 0.4 - FUCK. FUCK. FUCK.

I was in the ST.com chat that night. After TD hit his shot, the chat went into friggin overload. There must have been 200 posts in 30 seconds. After 0.4*, there was NOTHING for a good minute.

I don't know what happened after that because I logged out and don't think I said a word to anyone until the next morning.

[Sportcamper]

Rivalry? You call The Mighty Lakers 14 NBA Titles compared to the *purs 2 1/2 a rival?

Might as well call “the lions vs. the zebras” a rival....
:lol :rollin :lol

[Chris Childs]

don't worry spurs fans, the rivalry will be back in a few years i guarantee it! we are just in a rebuilding mode right now but once we get the right pieces we are gonna end up seeing you guys again. i promise!!!

SPURS LAKERS RIVLARY WILL NEVER DIE!!!!!!!!!


fakers suck!!!
muaahahaahahahahahaha

[picnroll]

I'm looking forward to years of rivalry with LA.




The Clippers that is.

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Hey Chris Childs, do you have any pics or footage of Doug Christie busting Rick Fox in the jaw? That was hilarious. Mr. Vanessa Williams getting beat down by the most whipped man in the NBA.

[Sportcamper]

Welcome to NBC sports where the rivalry with the Gold vs. the Silver & Black keeps heating up!
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/kay_holekamp/Lion5eatingZebra8_92.jpg/medium.jpg

[ShoogarBear]

http://www.gamersreports.com/hosted/images/kobe_crying.jpg

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

Welcome to NBC sports where the rivalry with the Gold vs. the Silver & Black keeps heating up!
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/kay_holekamp/Lion5eatingZebra8_92.jpg/medium.jpg
:lol I can appreciate good wit when I see it.

[leemajors]

sportcamper, no one said the rivalry was decades old. it's just the most competitive rivalry in the last 10 years. by your logics the celtics/lakers rivalry is non-existant, the celtics have more championships than the lakers...

[Sportcamper]

The only thing I know about the Celtics is that nobody goes to see them play unless it is against the Lakers....

Further Proof that the Lakers are the greatest force in all of sports ....
See Routine -6 (http://www.nba.com/lakers/dance/200203_lakergirls.html)

[leemajors]

hahaha

[nkdlunch]

this thread is stupid. there was no rivalry. ever since the beginning the lakers would pound the shit out of the spurs. and one brilliant year when Spurs beat them. That was the greatest playoff win for Spurs ever. And then the lakers turned to dogshit.

who would miss that shit????? it's no rivalry

[Obstructed_View]

I can't hate the Pistons like I hated the Lakers simply because I have to love the team that denied Karl Malone a ring after mine failed to do it.

[sanman53]

http://hugobasket.skyblog.com/pics/16458092.jpg

As long as i'm on spurtalk, things like this come up. I don't think I have ever been happy and feel the opposite feeling in an instant. I couldn't sleep that night and day.

To sum up:

Td hits an impossible fade away over shaq: Holy shit
Then 0.4 - FUCK. FUCK. FUCK.



Yeah, I agree. I graduated college the next day and what should have been one of the best days of my life was ruined by ".4".

[ambchang]

this thread is stupid. there was no rivalry. ever since the beginning the lakers would pound the shit out of the spurs. and one brilliant year when Spurs beat them. That was the greatest playoff win for Spurs ever. And then the lakers turned to dogshit.

who would miss that shit????? it's no rivalry

I believe the Lakers had Shaq and Kobe on the roster in 1999.
2000 was a let down, 2001 was just embarrassing, and in 2003, the Spurs won the series and started the downfall of the Lakers. They panicked, went out and got Malone and Payton, and killed any possibility of a dominant future.
BTW, loved that lion and zebra pic, just hilarious stuff.

[tlongII]

I don't believe any NBA city hates the Lakers more than Portland.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

shit the day i graduated college was one of the worst days of my life.

[Jimcs50]

The only thing I know about the Celtics is that nobody goes to see them play unless it is against the Lakers....

Further Proof that the Lakers are the greatest force in all of sports ....
See Routine -6 (http://www.nba.com/lakers/dance/200203_lakergirls.html)


Thankyou Camper.

:smokin

[Pistonfan1]

This was the only team that has beaten Tim Duncan since 1999 yet people keep on forgetting that. It is amazing how you people forget how that fued with the Lakers should be a huge reason to have all the confidence in the world against the team you dethroned a year ago. Lakers lucked out that summer of 2003 when they got GP and Malone while the Spurs lost some key role players and replacing them with downgrades. I am sorry but if the Spurs had of kept Speedy and Jax, they would of had enough to still get horry and that Hedo deal would of never happened.

If the Spurs had kept that core the team would be:Parker,Jax,Bowen,Duncan,Rasho and reserves:Speedy,Manu,Brown,Horry,Malik,Willis,and Sean Marks. That team would of HUMILATED the Lakers worse then they did in the 2003 semis and would of given that Piston team a nightmare of a series (would of be nowhere near a 5 game sweep). Before people make jokes about the spurs lack of repeating in titles, this explains part of that reason:00 Duncan and Elliot had injuries and in 04 they lost some key role players/clutch shooters and replaced them with scrubs/chokers like Hedo and Charlie Ward. Oh well though that is of course in the past.

[TDMVPDPOY]

i dont miss them, im enjoyin everytime they lose, be more happier if they missed the playoffs or see us in the first round to get sweep by the hands of the spurs.

[Joepa]

Give the Lakers a few years, you may get your wish.

Yeah... as long as Kupchak is the GM, this ain't gonna happen.

[Man In Black]

Sportcamper loves his PAST TENSE.

Current tense tells me that the current la"K"ers are...Say it with me,"MEDIOCRE".