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| Friday, August 11 Some say repeat, some call it luck ESPN.com |
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Are the Lakers going to repeat? Well, Lakers fans bombarded us with more than 1,000 e-mails in the two days after we ran the Lakers Team Offseason Spotlight and it sure seemed like a lot of people were thinking repeat. Of course, there were also plenty of people writing about Glen Rice and the lack of a big-time power forward.
Here are some of the better comments you had to say about the Lakers and our recent Team Offseason Spotlight on them. Enjoy, and check out our spotlight index page to see when your favorite team will be broken down.
There are two things in this world that I am for sure of, one being that the planet Earth is round and two that the Lakers are not hardly heading in a direction where they will have a dynasty (well, no time soon). This is the worst championship team ever. In the playoffs this so-called "championship team" had extreme trouble in almost every round, with the exception of the Suns. Furthermore, no championship should ever lose three games straight in the conference finals like the Lakers did to Portland. The Bulls never lost three games straight in the conference finals during their championship run. Brandon Carter Detroit, Mich.
Yes, you are right. The Lakers ARE the favorites to repeat as NBA champs. Seeing as they were the only team to win the championship last year, they must be the only team to be able to repeat this year. Thanks for the insight.
On a serious note, I think that the Lakers play Robert Horry too little and Rick Fox too much. Fox is great at turning the ball over and Horry played with a lot of energy and heart last year. If they are going to win without grabbing a power forward, then they need to look more to Horry, who can spread the floor on offense with his range and grab a few rebounds on the offensive end.
The Lakers need one big man to become a dynasty. With a good or decent power forward that can guard a Rasheed Wallace or a Chris Webber they can beat any team in the league. Look for Rice to be traded for a backup center and Mark Madsen to start this year. Dalvin Newport Beach, Calif.
One thing people need to take into consideration is that Shaq and Kobe will be better this year. They'll have a better understanding of the offense and defense Phil wants to run. Plus their confidence level will be much greater considering they are the champions. In close games/series last season I noticed times where their confidence was shaken (Kings, Blazers). So this season I expect a more consistent and dominating brand of basketball. If they get a decent power forward they will be that much better, but if they don't they will still be No. 1 in the West. James Russell Sacramento, Calif.
I think the Lakers will repeat as NBA champions. The move they really need to make is sending Rice back to Charlotte for Elden Campbell, which will give Shaq a chance to rest, and will enable the Lakers to have one of the biggest front lines in the West (sorry Spurs!!). The only challenge I see for them would come from Miami. The battle between Shaq and Zo will go on for years to come. Of course, Shaq will win the battle, but it will be nice to see. Ryan Bullock Norfolk, Va.
Frankly, I think that the Lakers have always had a great team, but they just lacked the proper teaching and that came with Phil Jackson last season. While still moving up to higher grounds of maturity, Kobe and Shaq and the rest of the team can go out on the court and feel far more superior than a Bulls dynasty could ever feel. Why? Because you have that missing piece to the triangle in Shaq and you have a player with a Jordan-like style in Kobe Bryant. As for the power forward position, it's evident that no one has been able to control Dennis Rodman but two people: Dennis Rodman and Phil Jackson. Rodman by far is still the best rebounder there is and the Lakers can use him and yet still control him. Travis Crockett North Miami, Fla.
The Lakers will find being the defending NBA champions a more difficult position night in and night out. Each team will be gunning to beat them this year to make a highlight in their season. Although I agree they will make the Western conference finals, it will be difficult to again win 67 games with three question marks in their starting five and improved competition from the rest of the conference. Jerry Haecker San Antonio, Texas
If there ever was a lucky team in the NBA in 1999-2000, it was the Lakers. I would hardly call a team that was on the edge of losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Kings a dynasty. I agree that the Lakers have two of the best players in the NBA in O'Neal and Bryant, but everyone seems to forget that they didn't face the team that they couldn't beat in the playoffs -- the Spurs. That plus the strength of the Blazers this year equals one thing; no repeat. Go Pacers!!! Larry Parker Cincinnati, Ohio
The Lakers are almost assured of a 65-70 win season for three reasons: O'Neal, Bryant and Phil Jackson. However, a challenge awaits Kupchak. Will he continue the slick deals that West made to keep L.A. a championship team? Glen Rice is good bait and teams like Miami (Mason or Gatling) or Philly (Geiger) may take the bait. If the Lakers can not lure a rebounder or power forward, maybe we will see Rodman in a Lakers uniform again. Rodman is likely the last option but with the Spurs and Blazers in the West, Kupchak and the front office will make a move. It looks like Gill will remain in New Jersey so look for Jackson to persuade Harper to stick around for another year. Regardless of the changes that are made, the Lakers are champions and it will be tough to dethrone them. James D. McClain Atlanta, Ga.
I feel if any team has a chance of repeating, it's the Lakers. Kobe and Shaq last season finally checked their egos at will call and worked together brilliantly. With Shaq and Kobe in the right frame of mind under the expertise of Phil Jackson, they will go down as possibly the greatest center-guard combination of all-time. Sorry Magic and Kareem. Brian Courtney Coatesville, Pa.
I don't necessarily believe Kupchak will fail but things aren't looking so good considering all the trades that have been rejected and the free agents who have turned the Lakers down. First it's Amaechi, now Gill. In case the Lakers haven't noticed, the free agent market is thinning out quickly. What worries me is that recent comments from Kupchak and the Laker organization give off the idea that they may only add a few role players at guard and small forward and try to get by again at power forward next year. Not acceptable! Shaq simply can't and shouldn't be asked to play all of those minutes again. And if he gets injured -- oh boy. They need a couple more big bodies who can score and rebound if they expect to outlast teams like the Spurs and Blazers. Ken Washington Fort Washington, Md.
Nice column! The Lakers need to dump Glen Rice and get their power forward who can rebound. Bring in a Kukoc and become Chicago West with a better center. Just as long as Kobe and Shaq are there it doesn't really matter who the teammates are. The bench is solid, though I wouldn't trust Derek Fisher to be my backup point guard. Maybe they could package a deal with Rice and Fisher for either a power forward or small forward with some game and not one dimensional like Glen. No matter what they do they'll be looking at championship No. 2. Shaq Daddy will be MVP and Kobe will be All-NBA first team. Once Rice is gone they will end up moving Horry or Fox as starters like they were two years ago.
Thank you, Jerry West, for all you've done for the franchise! You've built a dynasty and we greatly appreciate all your hard work and efforts.
Too many Laker fans worry about the power forward position. The Lakers won the championship without one. The likes of Duncan, Malone, Wallace and Webber would have their way against any power forward in the Western conference. It really doesn't matter who the Lakers get at that position. All the Lakers need to do is play good team defense and stop the other teams' role players. One player is not going to beat the Lakers. Keep Glen Rice, and hope a defending and rebounding power forward lands in the Lakers' lap. Thanh Vu West Covina, Calif.
Now that the Lakers have won a championship with this group of guys, it will be interesting to see if Kobe can continue playing second option to Shaq. All it takes is a couple of extra shots per game by a guy trying to inconspicuously raise his scoring average (Hello, Antoine Walker) to throw off the continuity of the offense. D. Mason Boston, Mass.
The Lakers are still and will always be my team. And while things will definitely have to change this year they still have two amazing players running the show. The team definitely needs to unload Rice. While this would definitely hurt the Lakers outside (especially if Rice is replaced by a rebounding power forward), this won't hurt the team too badly considering how average Rice played. Joel Brown Bakersfield, Calif.
It seems to me that Jerry West leaving could have one possible positive effect for the Lakers: Other GMs might not be so afraid of being out-maneuvered by Mitch Kupchak. They may be more willing to deal. Even with West's "bad" trade of Campbell and Jones for Rice, the Lakers went on to win a championship only a year and a half later. I didn't like the trade, but you can't argue with that big gold ring. I would like to say, however, that I am very dismayed at other teams' unwillingness to deal with the Lakers. Just because Rice isn't a good fit in the triangle doesn't mean he wouldn't flourish as one the league's premier shooter in a more traditional set offense such as Utah's. Tom Riverside, Calif.
Repeat for the champs? Possible, but if and only if they can get what they have been missing for the past few years -- a legit power forward. Face it, it almost cost them against Sacramento (Chris Webber) and the other two threats to the the title each have all-star forwards (Rasheed Wallace of Portland and Tim Duncan of the Spurs). Don't get me wrong. If I was a betting man, I would bet on the Lakers repeating, but they may run into some trouble in the playoffs, especially if they get Portland and San Antonio in consecutive playoff rounds. Kyle Englewood, N.J.
I don't think the Lakers should be the favorite to win the title this year. They weren't even the favorites last year, until the playoffs started. Portland is (just as last year) a better team. All Portland needs is a little more heart. San Antonio is also a better team than the Lakers. San Antonio is a blue collar team that gets the job done, and they would have defeated the Lakers in the playoffs if Tim Duncan hadn't been injured. Let's not forget about the East teams either. Although the Lakers are better than the Knicks and Pacers, Miami raised a few eyebrows with their recent acquisitions. They have had the strongest team in the East for the last several years and have had only Mourning as their primary scoring threat. They always get by on their defensive prowess, and now they have more offensive artillery. It is going to be a great season nonetheless. Jabali Wells Los Angeles, Calif.
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