Times were dark when the Lakers turned to NVE to lead them out of the post-Johnson era. "They'll never ring again..." "Irrelevent since the last days of Johnson..." were token phrases during the decade. The franchise was gutted and not prepared for the reality of continuing the decade in the shadow of Jordan and the other up & coming teams.
"We were the kings... now this?" as fans looked on at their team simply playing to look alive. Times were not kind after the 1980s.
It's a fate that has befell other teams and will befall more teams in the coming years. "It would be different if Tim & Pop were here..." "Maybe we'll find our Jordan next year..."
Still, the legacy was strong and the magic never left the Forum. It lay dormant, but never gone.
For every dark age, comes a renaissance for teams with such a legacy as the Lakers, Celtics and Bulls. The wait may take the entire decade, even more sometimes... but it's not a question of if - but of when.