This year's Spurs reminds me 2003 Lakers

[SpursDynasty]

You guys probably don't want to hear this but as a Laker fan, the situation the Spurs are going through seems eerily familiar.

In 2003, the Lakers were going for their 4th in a row. During the off season, the fat Shaq decided to not have necessary surgery and ended up doing so on "company time". In any event, the Lakers sputtered out of the gate. It took Kobe's flurry of 9(?) 40 point games that managed to get the Lakers back in the playoffs.

The Lakers at that point were largely old and ineffective outside of Kobe. Horry was burned out because he had to play an inordinate amount of minutes for his old, crusy ass. Fox and Fish were a s of themselves. When Shaq came back, the team didn't have the rhythm and TD smashed Shaq in the playoffs.

It just seems like Manu's lost is severe for these Spurs. Although Manu's reason for being out isn't the same as Shaq's, the end result is the same. He's not there at the start of the season. Normal stalwarts like Bowen are playing 10 ineffective minutes. Guys like Finley who had productive minutes look about as horrific as our geriatric crew in 03. Scrubs like Bonner are being given an inordinate amount of minutes because of the cascading effect of the injury and the ineffectiveness of normally reliable role players(Medvedenko?).

In any event, it's not time to panic because at the end of the day, it's still TD, Tony and Manu in April. Let's just hope the hole isn't too deep before Manu comes back.

Well, the only way this years Spurs are the same as the 2003 Lakers is that the 2003 Lakers were a bucket away (Robert Horry's missed shot in Game 5 of the 2003 semifinals vs. Spurs) from a championship.

The Spurs were one bucket away from the 2004, 2006, and 2008 championships, one bucket away from a win vs. Phoenix opening night this season, one bucket away from a win vs. Portland two nights later...so yeah, I guess they are the same in that one shot makes a difference.

[Fingaroll44]

LOL that is bad man. I know more about the Lakers than one of you so called fans .

Jonnybravo is talking about 2002/2003 season. I still remember Shaq that offseason ing around and waiting until the last minute to do that toe surgery. Why did Shaq put it off so long? Did he think it was going to heal by resting it or he just didn't want to work out so he waited until the season was about to start? Kobe was not happy with Shaq that offseason either. He was very pissed off.

they had won 3 straight, Shaq thought he could afford to be lazier than normal. Like the football training camp holdouts, he didnt want to do any hard work @ the beginning of the season then hopefully play his way into shape. It didnt work

[21_Blessings]

Yeah, because Malone has such a history of delivering in the big games.

How can a Laker fan seriously say that? They were one shot from being swept.

You're re ed.

Take Manu or Parker off the Spurs in 2005 and you think the Spurs are going to win that series?

The Lakers were playing without their THIRD BEST player, third scoring option, best post defender and 2nd best rebounder. Phil was forced to start Slava Medvedenko in game 5. Get a clue.

[Manufan909]

Pop has been forced to start Finley/Barry, and bowen the last couple of years so excuse us if we don't feel bad for you.