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Greatest Laker of All Time?

Discussion in 'Colosseum' started by Aldeth the Foppish Idiot, Feb 7, 2012.

?

Greatest Laker Ever?

  1. Kareem

    1 vote(s)
    25.0%

  2. Magic

    3 vote(s)
    75.0%

  3. Kobe

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
Page 2 of 2
  1. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    Remove all ads!
    I took a look at a couple of years of playoffs.

    1987 - Lakers played the Sonics in the WC Finals. Tom Chambers in his prime (23 ppg), Dale Ellis in his prime (25 ppg), Eddie Johnson just past his prime, Maurice Lucas towards the end of his career, Xavier McDaniel entering his prime (23 ppg and 8.5 rpg), Alton Lister as the serviceable Center (11 ppg and 9.5 rpg), a young Nate McMillan and various pieces. Not too shabby. That team would do well today.

    Golden State in the WC Semis - not so great. Joe Barry Carroll, Sleepy Floyd, Purvis Short and Chris Mullin were all fine, but the rest of the team seems weak. Denver in the opening round had solid players in Fat Lever and Alex English, but not much else.


    Boston beat the almost-there Bad Boy Pistons in the EC Finals. Isaiah Thomas (20.5 ppg), Adrian Dantly (21.5 ppg), Joe Dumars (12 ppg), Vinny Johnson (15.5 ppg), Bill Laimbeer (15.5 ppg), etc.

    Bucks in the EC Semis, also not so great. Terry Cummings (21 ppg), Ricky Pierce (19.5 ppg), John Lucas (17.5 ppg), Paul Pressey (14 ppg), Jack Sikma and Sidney Moncrief.

    Boston had the Jordan/Oakley/Paxson Bulls in the opening round where Jordan score 8 billion points a game and still couldn't win.

    Lakers didn't have to play Houston and Boston didn't have to play the Hawks.

    They seem to have comparable competition getting there to me.

    Also, remember that the Lakers played the Celtics in the finals 3 times in the 80's but also played the sixers 3 times as well. They went 2-1 against each of them. They beat the Pistons once.

    The Celtics beat the Lakers once and the Rockets twice. The Pistons beat the Lakers once.

    So, if you're keeping score, the Lakers were in the finals 8 times, going 5-3. Boston went to the finals 5 times, going 3-2.


    I also looked at the '84 playoffs.

    Boston beat the Bucks in the EC finals - Sidney Moncrief, Marques Johnson, some guy named Junior Bridgeman that I have no recollection of, Bob Lanier's 36 year old corpse and Mike Dunleavy Senior. Knicks in the semis with Bernard King and Bill Cartwright - meh. Bullets in the opening round with a cast of nobodies.

    Lakers beat the Suns in the WC finals - Larry Nance, Maurice Lucas (oldest guy on the team at 32), Walter Davis, James Edwards, some decent pieces but nothing to write home about. They beat the Mark Aguirre, Rolando Blackman, Terry Cummings Mavs in the Semis, good pieces but not a fearsome team (although there were some pretty good games in there). They beat a forgettable Kings team in the opening round (Eddie Johnson, Larry Drew, Reggie Theus).

    Again, I don't see much difference between the East and West teams. YMMV.
     
    dmc, Feb 15, 2012
    #21
  2. Blades of Vanatar

    Blades of Vanatar Vanatar will rise again Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Sorry, I don't know how took your post as meaning otherwise, my bad Aldeth.
     
    Blades of Vanatar, Feb 15, 2012
    #22
  3. Aldeth the Foppish Idiot

    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot Armed with My Mallet O' Thinking Veteran

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    It was worth reading that post just to see the names Sleepy Floyd and Bernard King - two of the most under-rated players of the 80s. Neither of them ever won a championship, but they were great.

    I completely forgot that the 76ers played to Lakers 3 times. (In fact, I still can't remember them playing three times - I have no idea which one I'm forgetting.) Those were great sixer teams too. Dr. J was still pretty good even though he was past his prime, Moses Malone was still in his prime, and I guess for at least some of those teams they had a very young, not yet in his prime Charles Barkley.

    EDIT: No problem Blades. I was just confused by your response.
     
    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot, Feb 15, 2012
    #23
  4. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    Lakers over Sixers in '80. Dr. J, Darryl Dawkins, Maurice Cheeks, Doug Collins, Bobby Jones, Lionel Hollins . . .


    Lakers over Sixers in '82. Add Andrew Toney to the previous list.

    Sixers over Lakers in '83. Add Moses Malone to take them over the top.
     
    dmc, Feb 15, 2012
    #24
  5. Aldeth the Foppish Idiot

    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot Armed with My Mallet O' Thinking Veteran

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    I can only presume the one I don't remember was the one in 1980, as I was younger then. I forgot about Mo Cheeks on those teams.
     
    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot, Feb 15, 2012
    #25
  6. T2Bruno

    T2Bruno The only source of knowledge is experience Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    "Mo Cheeks"? I thought that was one of Charles Barkley's nicknames....
     
    T2Bruno, Feb 15, 2012
    #26
  7. Blades of Vanatar

    Blades of Vanatar Vanatar will rise again Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Daryl Dawkins was the MAN! "Chocolate Thunder", he was the orignial Backboard smasher.
     
    Blades of Vanatar, Feb 15, 2012
    #27
  8. dmc

    dmc Speak softly and carry a big briefcase Staff Member Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!)

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    AFI - 1980 was the one they won with Magic as center because Kareem sprained his ankle in a big way in game 5. Magic's rookie season.

    Dawkins was great, but Moses made the difference. Fo' Fo' Fo'.
     
    dmc, Feb 15, 2012
    #28
  9. Aldeth the Foppish Idiot

    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot Armed with My Mallet O' Thinking Veteran

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    Yeah, I knew that - that Magic played center in the finals - but that's the one I don't remember. Just like I don't remember the Steelers championships in the late 70s. I was alive for all of them, I probably watched all of them, but I don't recall watching them.

    Even if it were, it wouldn't beat Round Mound of Rebound. Mostly useless factoid on Sir Charles that I nonetheless find interesting - his hands weren't large enough to palm a basketball.
     
    Aldeth the Foppish Idiot, Feb 16, 2012
    #29
  10. Blades of Vanatar

    Blades of Vanatar Vanatar will rise again Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Dawkins was on of the original smack-talkers in the NBA. He jawed all game about his own greatness, no matter how terrible he played. Jsut to get in his opponents head. He was great with the fans though.
     
    Blades of Vanatar, Feb 16, 2012
    #30
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