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Not photoshopped by the way
You couldn't around with Malone then. You couldn't reason with him///it wasn't in his DNA coupled with him being at max q. He didn't care for that happy-horse that the NBA was entering into (and basically have never resurfaced from). He wouldn't do it and we got scared and retreated for lack of a better term. Trying to guard him with Jabbar was humiliating. It just would not work. Malone would cork screw him from the floor on up and use him like a lamp post with the overhanging light/Jabbar's head.
But as quick as Malone hit that ultimate prime it disappeared, and thank Christ---he became mortal and we were able to function again.
Not photoshopped by the way
Was surprised to find out Abdul-Jabbar's interest in going to the Knicks was real, he even asked for a trade to NY or NJ in the offseason after Malone beat him down in 81. Said it was because he wanted to go home but I wonder how much was not liking Westhead vs not liking Magic. Everyone hated Westhead's offense though. Can't believe they lost by 26 to a Spurs team with Ice out, Larry Kenon and James Silas gone, and before they had traded for Mike Mitc . Westhead lost by 26 to a Spurs team led by ing Ron Brewer. Should have been fired right there. Glad he'll finally be off the show next episode, his character is so annoying with his constant let me try to sound smart quotes.
Yep, Jabbar was never the same mentally after Malone got done with him. Magic held his hand the remainder of the way. Then when Magic needed his hand held, he held his own hand, there was nobody else to do it. And it worked till the AIDs showed up, then all the laughter died in sorrow. Knocked him flat mentally, Karl Malone came after him immediately just to make sure he wouldn't try and brazen it out, and of course Magic went knee jerk and retired on-the-spot instead of just shutting his mouth and staying home. No. He had to rush to a live mic and promptly the bed. But that kind of diagnosis in association with the prognosis/in that circa would be enough to knock anybody to their knees. You look back now there was nary need to quit. But Malone, went hard at him.
Not photoshopped by the way
That was the circa where the entire state of Utah took a fit every game with the Lakers, regular season and playoffs. Their bench would rise as one and take a conniption when Magic would waltz down the lane, miss the shot, then the whistle would follow. They'd go nuts off that bench. But we made it thru. Oh, they wanted our ass on a pe , bad. Was it the fat guy coaching, or, was it Sloan by then? I can't place it now.
One of their problems was not the Lakers, but that white PG, Jon...name escapes me. He was good, but he was self-centered on the assists instead of a complete game. That decision by him was insidious to their championship cause.
Kareem's always been kind of soft IMO. His last year in Milwaukee he led the Bucks to the lottery in a weak league when half the talent was in the ABA despite having HOF'er Bob Dandridge as a teammate. He crashed and burned in Milwaukeee with Oscar.
Magic was who the Lakers revolved around and he's ridiculously underrated since he didn't score 25 a night. I loved on the show last night seeing Riley flex and make Westhead accept Rambis on the team too (not sure if it actually happened that way). Rambis was ing legendary how he'd run to sideline to inbound ASAP so the Lakers could be running right off made baskets. Never seen anyone who took inbounding the ball so seriously.
That cover was from 97 , coach was Sloan
Durihg the 80s/Showtime era, Utah's coach was the fat one, Fran Layden, Solan was his assistant
But, he rang in Milwaukee Vs. Boston with Robertson. It was just those 3: him, Robertson and Dandridge, and some beater, can remember the name came forward and lent a hand, a back up PG for Robertson's rest times. Oh, CBS was livid. Again, in the immediate aftermath it was like somebody had died, or, worse, lost money.
Once a few seasons passed, media wanted to forget about that Jabbar ring over the Celtics. Musberger was in an interview with Jabbar toward the end and asked him how it felt to have accomplished 5 rings?..."Six."
"Oh, yeah, that one in Milwaukee."
He knew, it was just too ripe to pass up a chance to denigrate Jabbar/Lakers. Media never stops. Ever. It's their religion. The mother ers.
---------
He was soft, bum. But the NBA HQ huddled and set the standards that he'd be afforded and that was the line the rest of the way. Remember when Benson elbowed him and Kareem socked him a good one? Benson was never the same. It broke his honkey heart.
Thanks for the correction, Lefty. Then he came to the Lakers and I'll be damned if a GD Sun/name escapes me didn't fall on him and ed him up.
He lost to Boston in 74. He beat Baltimore in 71 against Unseld and Monroe.
Red didn't really leak the news of ics 25 contract.
That was lame of the writers.
Otherwise season 4, wow kudos to the writers.
Was Westhead really on a power trip like ep 4 showed? He was alienating everyone.
I'm guessing everyone except Kream hated the O?
Kareem hated it too. The offense was just run to a fixed spot on the floor and shoot as fast as possible.
Christ, where'd I get that idea?
Let me guess.
Grandpa Parrott thought Kream beat the Celts in 74?
You have me on Ignore, but you're always contemplating me. You silly SOB, you.Let me guess.
Grandpa Parrott thought Kream beat the Celts in 74?
I like you Amb but you suffer from the same revisionist history you accuse the media of.
If you are saying peak Bird was better than Magic sure I will bite but Magic beat his ass 3 of the 4 times they faced including college. And don’t give me the Indiana state was overmatched or Magic had kareem excuses when it mattered most Magic made the plays to win those series.
And even if you want to chalk that up to team success (funny how when it’s Duncan it matters around here) Magic career overall easily outpaces Birds Magic is still on some top playoff and finals lists all these years later while Bird has been surpassed on his own franchise by Pierce on many lists. Not saying pierce is better obviously but Magic legacy has lasted further than Birds…
81-86 bird was a supernova and was arguably the best player in the world until MJ but Magic career is still better than his.
As for David great player but come in fam Hakeem was clearly better at the peak of both their powers …
Last edited by Killakobe81; 08-29-2023 at 10:33 AM.
Reading the book the show was wise to focus on the SI article …
The players resented the implication that some Shakespearean quoting nerd that never played on any high level …
Had to teach the Lakers how to win …
West Riley and others are quoted as saying how much it rankled the players
And the anyone can fit his system argument was also a tough pill to swallow when players were trying to get contract extensions.
Also that Mitch kupchak move was dumb AF
Magic didn’t beat Bird , the Lakers beat the Celtics
Bird was a better player than Magic
Sure and Timmy didn’t beat dirk Kobe etc.
I just live by reciprocity consistency and loathe hypocrisy
Then missing the playoffs multiple times with LA and other all stars. If anyone was ever a stat padder it was Jabbar.
Crap just saw that I wrote "He crashed and burned in Milwaukee with Oscar" when I meant to write "without Oscar"
Most overrated player in league history. Couldn't do in LA pre-Magic with HOF teammates like Adrian Dantley, Jamal Wilkes, and Gail Goodrich, plus Norm Nixon who was close to allstar level. No way he should be thought of as on par with Magic, though he is because LA. Meanwhile when Kareem left Magic still led the Lakers to 63 and 58 wins and a Finals appearance in two years.
Indiana state was so inferior to Michigan State outside of Magic and Bird that I don't believe I have to go into it. In fact, Michigan State actually practised by having Magic play the role of Bird with a bunch of end of bench players to show how the other guys can stop a one-man team. It's not really a fair fight.
For Lakers vs. Celtics, I actually thought the two teams were almost equal talent-wise. The differences are:
1) The East was so much tougher than the West, the Celtics were totally beat up by the time (and if) they made the finals. I don't recall the Celtics ever playing a sub-500 team in the ECF like the Lakers did (in the WCF). I don't think they went through a sub-500 team in the ECSF too (I may be wrong) but that is the difference between the compe ion. The Celtics had to go through the 76ers, Pistons, Bucks, Bulls, and to a lesser extent Knicks. Cavs and Hawks to get to the Finals. In the West, I would say none of the teams were as good as the early decade 76ers or late decade Pistons, mid-decade Rockets, late decade Jazz, and late decade Blazers were as good as the Bucks and Bulls, while the Suns and Mavs were the Knicks/Cavs/Hawks level teams. There is a reason the Lakers made the finals 9 times in a 12 year span. The compe ion was terrible, and none of those teams that beat the Lakers actually went on to beat the East Conference representatives in the finals, which is an indication they beat the Lakers more on match-ups than on being better in talent, which leads to:
2) The Lakers were the better constructed team, with balance in all 5 positions and strong bench. They just match up better with the Celtics because of it. The bench played plenty earlier in the rounds as the Lakers were blowing out subpar teams in earlier rounds, allowing the starters to rest up, while the Celtics, already comparatively thin at the bench, had to play the starters heavy minutes just to survive.
I have not heard of Pierce surpassing Bird in any lists, that's just asinine. It's Bird or Russell at the top of the Celtics pile, there is no debate.
Finally, Hakeem was better, but not that much better. They were very close and Hakeem was by far a better offensive option in 90s ball due to his insane post up game (2nd best ever in my books behind McHale), but it was exaggerated due to one series, whcih was a product more because of coaching (no doubles on Hakeem vs. constant doubles or even triples on David), team construction (one team had Sam Cassell and Mario Elie coming off the bench, the other had Avery Johnson and Vinny Del Negro starting), and Kenny Smith being on TNT pimping that series every chance he has.
I had been very consistent on this. I do not take les as the be-all-and-end all. Context in those les are more important. Kobe actually had a better head to head vs Duncan, well because he had Shaq (more like Kobe). I can never figure out how Shaq and Kobe were better than Duncan, when they were 3-2 with 2 on 1 side and 1 on the other side. Duncan was better than Dirk because he was more versatile in his game. I don't know if Dirk can win 5 les switching places with Duncan (I don't think so because his defence just won't hold the Spurs together) and I am not sure if Duncan could win more than 1 le switching places with Dirk, but Duncan was undoubtedly the easier guy to build around. Same goes for Garnett (offence instead of defence.)
H2H records are more products of teammates, team construction (matchups) and coaching. it's rarely individual talents. That said, individual talents often dictates team construction (how the supporting casts fill in for your weaknesses or amplify your strengths), but teammates and coaching is often dictated by front office and market-sizes. Duncan was able to do so in one of the smallest markets in the NBA speaks to how good he was. I have no doubt if he played for the Knicks, Lakers, Celtics, Bulls or Heat (with a competent front office) he will undoubtedly be ranked top 3 in the history of the league.
I’m talking stats with pierce, I don’t believe any sane person that saw them both play would choose Bird but yet Paul is the Celtics all time leader in many counting metrics. And yes the Celtics and Lakers were both stacked.
Lebron outscored jordan. Doesn’t make Lebron a better scorer. The thing about Pierce vs bird was more about longevity. The driveway stopped bird more than magic.
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