The Lithmus Test of Champion Teams

[gasolina]

When the defending Champion Houston Rockets were punished and embarrased by the Barkley-led Phoenix Suns in 1995 in games 1 and 2 in Arizona, The Rockets then split their home games but the series was now 3-1 Phoenix.

We all know what happened next. Kenny Smith advanced. Barkley didn't. It has been done and a member of that team now sits on your bench.

The Spurs are in a hole right now. But not that deep of a hole Hakeem had to climb out of. Sure your team is older,slower but wiser and more experienced. Duncan,imho, is the modern day Hakeem. I have yet to witness the Spurs be tested with deep adversity at the beginning and coming out the victors. You may be reminded of the 2005 Spurs team with regard to adversity but :nope

Why? The 2005 Finals had the Spurs ahead from the start. The Pistons only tied it twice (2-2 and 3-3) but were never ahead. The Hornets are ahead by two games, this series to me is a chance for redemption. This is Duncan's moment as well as TP and Manu. Them three must show the world what championship pedigree is all about.

I just can't foresee the Hornets winning it. Peja was stumped by my Lakers when he was in Sacto. Byron Scott was demolished by Phil Jackson in 2002 and by Popovich in 2003 (when he was w/ the NJ Nets) CP3 is still a newbie and not Magic Johnson material and David West is no Shaq or Amare either. Championships don't come easy. Winning one is already a gargantuan task. With that being said, TRUST ME, this series is far from over. You guys had all the swagger after you were up 2-0 on us in 2004. While the beers and quesadillas were flowing and floating by the riverwalk, Shaq and Kobe were determined to hold serve for games 3 and 4 - and they did. We went on to Finals but lost to Detroit. Now, the shoe is in the other foot. It must be mardi gras in May down at the Big Easy by now but may I warn Hornets fans that as easy as it looks right now, let's not forget the other Big Easy.

In the end, :lobt: will be decided between my Lakers and your San Antonio Spurs in the WCF:toast

[Emeyin]

Hate to say it, but this is a nice post from a Lakers fan.

[beachwood]

Excellent post.

We have to keep pounding the rock.

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

Awesome post

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

P.S. I remember when comments about the Spurs 2004 squad, were being thrown out after game 2, (I live in SoCal) "...omg the Spurs are so young! they make the 2004 Lakers look so damn old! they're clearly the better team"

[Brutalis]

Bizarre.. good post..

If any team can do it, it is the Spurs. That is what we have at least to rest on.

[TKG]

Good post....I hate to say it, but the Lakers are my backup team. If NO gets by us, they won't get by LA. I wish I knew what kind of hex they put on us. I've never seem them look so high school.

[DespЏrado]

Nice Post. I know the Spurs have it in them. They dug themselves a pretty deep hole, it will be even better if they can come back from down 0-2. And No team has any business beating the Spurs after the mettle they showed against the Suns.

But I have to admit. I am humbled by how good the Hornets have proven to be so far. I didn't think they could win both home games. The Spurs are going to have to play the perfect set of games for at least the next 2 games or they will be going home.

I would never count the Spurs out against anyone until you get the final possession in the last game. The Spurs will even the series, and we'll see how the dice fall when the Hornet's feel the pressure of an underdog with the sudden burden of choking.

I hope the Spurs can make it to that point, and our championship history seems to suggest that they will.

[gasolina]

Champions are always tested. When they bounce back, they bounce back hard and even when they fall, they go out swinging.

When your team ended our 3-year reign in 2003, we were laughed at after games 1 and 2. We fought back in 3 and 4. Horry misses in 5 and we were blown out in 6. Still, we went out with guns ablaze. In 2004, same story but Fish .4 miracle turned the tide. We came out in that series but had little left against Detroit.

There are other Champs that were "tested". Hakeem and the Rockets in 1995 vs. Phoenix. Jordan and the Bulls in 1993 vs the Knicks (they were down 0-2 as well) or even more recently the Miami Heat in 2006. I really believe your team is the most tested this year. You had the toughest first round draw of all the teams imho and passed it. When your team figures the Hornets out starting in Game 3, it will be a smoother ride from there. I feel the 1995 Rockets in your team.

In case you aren't aware, after the Phoenix series, they went on to make easy work of the no. 1 seed (ironically the DRob-led Spurs team) and swept the Orlando Magic in the finals.

If you get past NO, I would consider the Lakers the underdogs despite us having HCA.
Besides, I don't count out the Jazz just yet. In fact, I think the sreies will be tied 1-1.
Something tells me that Deron will leave his imprint on us in Game 2.

[ecksodia]

Very classy post.

[gasolina]

Can't wait for Thursday

[xtremesteven33]

"This Thursday will be the most important day in spurs history."

- Bill Walton

[Medvedenko]

Good post and it's up the spurs right now.

[JamStone]

I never liked comparisons with past championship teams that have nothing to do with either current teams in a match-up. Aren't there plenty of examples of teams going down 0-2 and not winning the series either?

These are two different teams than the Barkley Suns and the Hakeem Rockets. Different players. Different coaches. Different time. Different dynamics. It's cute to make the analogy. But, the analogy carries no weight anyway.

If the Spurs find a way to win this series, it's their own championship mettle. They don't need to go back to the Hakeem Rockets for that motivational perspective. They don't even need to go back through their own championship history to do it. Sports is about the "here and now" and what you're going to do with today's match-up. It's great to have that championship success and experience, but at the end of the day, you have to perform on the court and do it again. The experience won't win it for you. The trophies don't automatically give you playoff wins. You earn it on the court. And, it can be taken from you just as easily as you can take it.

This isn't a time for nostalgic motivation or historical lessons. It's a time for the Spurs players to man up and get it done on the court.


Oh, and I don't know why, but your screen name makes me want to sing: gasolina, cha cha cha. No idea why.

[roturn]

I never liked comparisons with past championship teams that have nothing to do with either current teams in a match-up. Aren't there plenty of examples of teams going down 0-2 and not winning the series either?

These are two different teams than the Barkley Suns and the Hakeem Rockets. Different players. Different coaches. Different time. Different dynamics. It's cute to make the analogy. But, the analogy carries no weight anyway.

If the Spurs find a way to win this series, it's their own championship mettle. They don't need to go back to the Hakeem Rockets for that motivational perspective. They don't even need to go back through their own championship history to do it. Sports is about the "here and now" and what you're going to do with today's match-up. It's great to have that championship success and experience, but at the end of the day, you have to perform on the court and do it again. The experience won't win it for you. The trophies don't automatically give you playoff wins. You earn it on the court. And, it can be taken from you just as easily as you can take it.

This isn't a time for nostalgic motivation or historical lessons. It's a time for the Spurs players to man up and get it done on the court.


Oh, and I don't know why, but your screen name makes me want to sing: gasolina, cha cha cha. No idea why.

+1

There is no way you can compare the Nets' Byron Scott to the Hornets Byron Scott. Different teams, players, opponets and even a different coach, with more experience.

Maybe the Lakers fans need to worry about the Jazz first.

Kobe can have the regular season MVP. CP3 will take Finals MVP.

[gasolina]

I'd figure a Lakers fan would spell out Litmus with a lisp. fag.

Catch any fish today?:toast

[Kobe24Forever]

When the defending Champion Houston Rockets were punished and embarrased by the Barkley-led Phoenix Suns in 1995 in games 1 and 2 in Arizona, The Rockets then split their home games but the series was now 3-1 Phoenix.

We all know what happened next. Kenny Smith advanced. Barkley didn't. It has been done and a member of that team now sits on your bench.

The Spurs are in a hole right now. But not that deep of a hole Hakeem had to climb out of. Sure your team is older,slower but wiser and more experienced. Duncan,imho, is the modern day Hakeem. I have yet to witness the Spurs be tested with deep adversity at the beginning and coming out the victors. You may be reminded of the 2005 Spurs team with regard to adversity but :nope

Why? The 2005 Finals had the Spurs ahead from the start. The Pistons only tied it twice (2-2 and 3-3) but were never ahead. The Hornets are ahead by two games, this series to me is a chance for redemption. This is Duncan's moment as well as TP and Manu. Them three must show the world what championship pedigree is all about.

I just can't foresee the Hornets winning it. Peja was stumped by my Lakers when he was in Sacto. Byron Scott was demolished by Phil Jackson in 2002 and by Popovich in 2003 (when he was w/ the NJ Nets) CP3 is still a newbie and not Magic Johnson material and David West is no Shaq or Amare either. Championships don't come easy. Winning one is already a gargantuan task. With that being said, TRUST ME, this series is far from over. You guys had all the swagger after you were up 2-0 on us in 2004. While the beers and quesadillas were flowing and floating by the riverwalk, Shaq and Kobe were determined to hold serve for games 3 and 4 - and they did. We went on to Finals but lost to Detroit. Now, the shoe is in the other foot. It must be mardi gras in May down at the Big Easy by now but may I warn Hornets fans that as easy as it looks right now, let's not forget the other Big Easy.

In the end, :lobt: will be decided between my Lakers and your San Antonio Spurs in the WCF:toast

whatever it sounds more like a licking butt post because it's entirely not true, any spurs fans with common sense will agree with me that this dude does too much butt licking to get on good terms on this forum, unless ur a spurs fan in disguise, duncan is not on hakeems level in terms of defense or offense, lets not make that comparison with the leagues best shotblocker ever, and hakeem could eat up those double teams. :nope

[gasolina]

whatever it sounds more like a licking butt post because it's entirely not true, any spurs fans with common sense will agree with me that this dude does too much butt licking to get on good terms on this forum, unless ur a spurs fan in disguise, duncan is not on hakeems level in terms of defense or offense, lets not make that comparison with the leagues best shotblocker ever, and hakeem could eat up those double teams. :nope

Hakeem's peak was greater than TD's. But Duncan is way more consistent. 4 rings is still more than 2. And, Hakeem even played with Ralph Sampson and still got manhandled in 1986. The Rockets even got Barkley in 1997 0r 1998 and had a vaunted line-up that should've gone to the finals at least. Where was Hakeem then? Why only 2 rings in his career?

Call Hakeem a better player. I say Duncan is a better leader.:nope

[Kobe24Forever]

Hakeem's peak was greater than TD's. But Duncan is way more consistent. 4 rings is still more than 2. And, Hakeem even played with Ralph Sampson and still got manhandled in 1986. The Rockets even got Barkley in 1997 0r 1998 and had a vaunted line-up that should've gone to the finals at least. Where was Hakeem then? Why only 2 rings in his career?

Call Hakeem a better player. I say Duncan is a better leader.:nope

two words "chicago bulls".

[gasolina]

two words "chicago bulls".

Bulls? Nah. He was in the league in 1984. Same as MJ. Joined the Rockets with a Championship-caliber line-up then = 0 rings up until 1994. 8 long years( he was injured 2x)

Duncan? Came into the league in 1997. ROY in 1998. Champion in 1999. 2 Short years. And like Hakeem, he joined a Championship caliber team led by DRob.

And won. :wakeup 4>2. :nope

[ManuTim_best of Fwiendz]

The Rockets even got Barkley in 1997 0r 1998 and had a vaunted line-up that should've gone to the finals at least. Where was Hakeem then? Why only 2 rings in his career?

Call Hakeem a better player. I say Duncan is a better leader.:nope

Hakeem's longevity/prime athletic abilities by 1996 got curtailed by blood clots in his legs. He had to take blood thinners, which limited his explosiveness.
Hakeem in his prime was a pretty good leader. He had all the intangibles to boot. I say they're equivalent players/leaders, because they had different styles.

[lrrr]

two words "chicago bulls".

Dude, how many times did Hakeem get beaten in the playoffs by the Bulls?

That excuse only works for Ewing, Malone/Stockton and Barkley.