One Last Note on the Great Lakers Collapse …
NBA June 13th. 2008, 6:15pm
A historical night in the NBA warrants an ungodly number of NBA posts for one day.
Love Phil, the triangle, the Zen, all that junk. His interviews on the sidelines are the only ones we eagerly anticipate, because he’s usually going to speak his mind. But how much of a hit does Phil Jackson take if the Lakers don’t rally in this series to win the next three games? The Lakers were widely believed to have had the better team coming into the series, but the Celtics have been superior in nearly every facet of the game. Conversely, what does this do for Doc Rivers? There have been folks who have wanted Rivers gone for two years now, but let’s pause for the cause, shall we: a man who has endured 18 and 19-game losing streaks as a coach is on the verge of guiding three titleless future Hall of Famers on a defensive-minded team to their first NBA title.
Impressive.
24 Responses to “One Last Note on the Great Lakers Collapse …”
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June 13th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
One last time: Ray Allen is NOT a Hall of Famer.
Not even close, really.
Good for Doc, though.
June 13th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
How much credit does Rivers deserve for getting out of the way and not tripping up his team? A cunthair more than the coach who “wins” an All-Star game.
June 13th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Mike NYC – He’s referring to Sam Cassell.
June 13th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Doc’s situation is similar to the one with Byron Scott/Eddie Jordan back in the early 2000’s. It was rumored that Eddie Jordan was the architect of that team, and not Scott. This could be the same thing with Doc/Thibedaeu where Doc gets the credit for being the head coach and/ or more savvy with the media.
June 13th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Imagine if the Celtics had not tanked last season and finished in the playoffs, or at the very bottom of the lottery? They might not have been able to trade for Garnett. Hence, no title.
June 13th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
And really: Paul Pierce isn’t a HOF’er, either.
June 13th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Mike…I agree about Ray Allen, unless he is going to the college HOF…but PP if he wins this title will probably get in
Fo Shizzle
June 13th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
TBL never said who the Hall of Famers were on this Celtic team. Garnett, Pierce, Cassell, maybe Rondo, Big Baby, Scalabrine
June 13th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
KG is Obviously HOF bound but no Ray-Ray
Pierce will get in because HIS career stats and per season stats will probably be better than 80% of the Celtics that’s already in the HOF
Phil can’t make Gasol Hard (He’s the Pillsbury Dough Boy)
Phil can’t make His non-playoff tested reserves PLAY like Boston’s playoff veterans
And lastly Phil can’t make Bynum 100% Healthy or even Healthy Enough to be a Significant-Contributor for this title run
June 13th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Was that a poem?
June 13th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
If Pierce gets in, then get ready to make room for Mr Vince Carter, too.
June 13th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Exactly how many Toronto Raptors or NJ Nets are in the HOF
Pierce will get the same benefit as So Many Overrated Knicks have
June 13th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
This belongs in the Kobe sycophants post, but whatever.
In the same vein as “Kobe getting MVP gets only a headline while a bad game gets a whole post trashing him”, TBL also never mentions or gives props to a great Kobe game. Perfect example, game 3 of this series. Lakers desperately need a bucket under 2 minutes to go, Kobe pulls up a drills a jumper. Next time down, Lakers need a bucket to ice the game, Kobe eats up Ray Allen with the pump fake/short jumper.
These are clutch buckets in crunch time of a Finals game to win the game for your team, but I doubt Kobe got praise for it. Probably not mentioned either. Next days’ post probably just said “Lakers win, Kobe had 36″ with a link to a game recap.
Then again, it’s kinda hard to comment on and give opinions about a game if you only watch the highlights, if that.
June 13th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
TBL, I really think Kobe and LeBron are pretty close at this point, which speaks to how great LeBron is at such a young age. I know you think I bash him b/c I hate him, but my “bashing” only seems that way b/c I think he’s the 2nd best player in the game. LeBron is ridiculous and he’s the biggest freak of an athlete since Jordan and maybe Bo Jackson/LT.
With that said, will you just please admit you’re being unfair. You’re flat out being unfair. You don’t hold Kobe to the same standard as LeBron. You’ve been saying all season that the Lakers have the best supporting cast in the league and the best bench in the league (to be fair, you’re not alone). But do they really look that way to you? It was all Kobe against the Jazz, it was all Kobe against the Spurs. The Lakers have not been able to survive him playing poorly.
Kobe absolutely deserves some bashing for this series, but bad games happen. It happens TBL. Say it with me.. IT HAPPENS. Jordan had bad games, but they were masked by a team that had role players playing at an unbelievable level against some teams that were.. well, umm, not exactly murderers row.
Jordan is known for his knock down drag em out series with the Knicks. The Knicks won 60 games in 92 with John Starks as their 2nd best player. Say it with me TBL, John Starks. The team that Jordan beat in the finals had Majerle as their 2nd best player. These teams cannot compare to the Spurs or the Celtics right now (in my humble opinion). But tough to compare, I’ll give you that, b/c of the different eras.
So why again do you give Kobe disproportionate coverage? Did you kill Duncan for losing to the Lakers in 5 games? Know, of course you didn’t. But you’ll take Duncan over Kobe right? Which I have no problem with, but I am asking for equity in coverage. When the Lakers lose it’s all Kobe’s fault, but when they win, it’s the “Best supporting cast in the league.” When LeBron wins, it’s all LeBron, when he loses, it’s his supporting cast. Did you watch the Celtics vs the Cavs? It was all his supporting cast and his coaching.. not LeBron.
June 13th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
And I’m not trying to be an ass at all TBL. You do a terrific job on the website; your arms are very big, which is a testament to the hardwork you do in the weight room. But enough people have called you out on this. We’re not asking you to think Kobe is the best player in the game, we’re asking you to be fair with him. The guy played as well as anyone I’ve ever seen play for three rounds of the playoffs, yet his achievements were just a rumor on your website, while LeBron’s game 6 against the Celts, got 4 posts… Come on now.
June 14th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Has nuthin’ to do with nuthin’ yet it’s my favorite comment of the week.
June 14th, 2008 at 12:08 am
No, but a timeout to try and break the other teams momentum isn’t out of the question. He’s being outcoached by Doc Rivers, for christ’s sake.
June 14th, 2008 at 1:05 am
/giggling
June 14th, 2008 at 3:58 am
Bingo. That’s the main problem when comparing the 2. Nobody says you must think one way or the other; everyone is entitled to their opinion, but at least hold them to the same standards. Actually, Kobe being held to a MUCH higher standard kinda says all you need to know about who the best player in the league is.
And I can’t be the only one who thoroughly enjoyed cursed’s rant and the exasperation in his voice?
June 14th, 2008 at 5:07 am
Hey don’t bash Mr. Lead he is being fair with Kobe. Damnit!
The first link is from April 10th, who cares that was only an informal poll. Everybody knows polls before the elections are always right. Oh wait, scratch that… it’s not like if LeBron had officialy won the MVP he was going to make 20 posts about it, right? Right? He didn’t even mention LeBron on that first link…
This is clearly Kobe love!!!
The second links is obvious a lot of love for Kobe and his achievements this season. He won the MVP and this is the LOVE. A roundup title “Kobe Finally Wins MVP” and the right to have the 3rd link in the roundup “Kobe’s your 2008 MVP, so rant away, folks. (Sports Underground)”. Fellas, this is what i call LOVE!
Well when i called Mr.Lead about not making a post praising Kobe for leading the Lakers from 24 down against the Spurs in Game 1 in the WCF, he linked to the 3rd link above. Who cares that’s the link for Game 5? This is love! Oh wait that is not a post praising Kobe is just Ballin’…
You guys are unfair to Mr.Lead and everybody knows here “There’s been plenty of love for Kobe.”.
Please Leave Mr.Lead alone!!!
June 14th, 2008 at 6:17 am
now that I see how passionate cursed is about this, i am changing sides, Kobe Sucks, Lebron Rules.
a bolt of lightning will hit him as well for all the falsehoods he has spoken of the chosen one, Michael Jeffrey Jordan. As for the Knicks in 92, they had one Doc Rivers coincidently,hmmmmm.
June 14th, 2008 at 8:03 am
hockey post, do open your eyes miriam
pens offer arbitration to fleury, guarantees he stays
malkin says an extension is coming, five to six years, he is fine playing for less than sid
trib says hossa is the top priority they are offering seven years fifty million
June 14th, 2008 at 8:51 am
No love for Doc….he’s in one of those situations where a championship just falls in his lap as long as he doesn’t fuck it up by trying to coach. If you look, he was fucking with the rotation trying to be a coach in the first couple series…bad idea. Now he’s just letting the players go in and out when they need to. The only player he’s coaching is cassell..not letting him on the court.
June 14th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Bueller…Bueller?