The Lakes are a good team. They've proven themselves to be the NBA's best. But it wasn't all genius and Kobe Bryant that led them to the title. They had some good fortune — including the gimme trade with Memphis for Pau Gasol. The Lakers are not the first team to have things go their way en route to a title. It's part of winning a title But they did have a lot go their way, which this story about 'Lakers luck' by SI's Steve Aschburner points out. It also asks: "Now that Bryant has proved he could win a title without Shaquille O'Neal, will his next order of business be to prove someday that he could win one without Fisher?"
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so if the cavs manage to win one with lebron will his "cavs were lucky" article mention that stern gifted lebron to the cavs on the night of the lottery?
also, to hell with kobe vs lebron
shannon brown – 1 ring
lebron – 0 rings
That's hilarious, you read my mind, last night during the fourth quarter, I was thinking that exact same thing.
Who woulda thunk it. Four years ago, the Cavaliers had the most cap space in NBA history, plus LeBron James. Four years later, the great Shannon Brown has a ring while LeBron is standing alone in his front yard in his boxer shorts, with nothing on his hands except 56 tattoos, while holding a can of Turtle Wax to goop that statue of himself perched in the front of his estate.
I don't believe there is a god. However, *if* God does exist, then this is *irrefutable* proof that he is a gajillion times more funny than Steve Martin, Mel Brooks, Richard Pryor and Larry David combined.
Would the Lakers have won without Gasol? I think prior years have proven, no. So was there some backroom politics/antics wherein Memphis GAVE the Lakers one of the league's best centers for NOTHING? You tell me. Is it any coincidence that Milwaukee, once upon a time, sent Jabbar to LA? Conspiracy theorists? You betcha, as Palin the Nut would say.
This is all a bit silly….they had Gasol last year….and LOST. Yeah, they got him in a trade….but Stern didn't hand them the trophy after that trade….
I take nothing away from what the Lakers did on the court…I'm Cavs fan born and RAISED in Cleveland….but the Lakers earned that title..noone gave them anything and it wasn't luck. Getting a player via trade does not equal a title…ya still gotta go out there and BEAT people…they did. Give them credit.
As far as Phil goes…10 rings…I can't argue with that. John Thompson often says on his radio show here in the DC area…."The hardest thing to do in coaching is to coach great players..anyone can coach losers and guys who can't play." I believe him.
What's also silly is Abdul-Jabbar wasn't traded by Wayne Embry as part of a "conspiracy." He was traded because Abdul-Jabbar wanted to go back home to either New York or Los Angeles. And it's not like Embry intentionally took stiffs in return, he simply misjudged the potential of the horrible David Meyers and the mediocre Elmore Smith. Brian Winters and Junior Bridgeman turned out to be pretty good. As a matter of fact, Brian Winters would sure as hell look good on the Cavs, and boy do they need somebody like him. Besides, Los Angeles didn't win a thing until they got Earvin Johnson four freakin' years later.
Who knows, if Ferry didn't lose his mind within two seconds of being on the job, Cleveland might have had the cap space and assets to be able to get somebody like Gasol, too. But hey, we'll never know. Other teams also had offers on the table for Gasol. In retrospect, better deals.
Bottom line, there's nothing "conspiratorial" about moron NBA general managers. That's why Chris Wallace made that particular Gasol trade, and that's why he signed the black Foster Brooks, also known as Vin Baker, to a zillion dollar contract while Wallace was doing some really idiotic stuff during his Celtics-murdering days.
Wayne Embry, unfortunately, proved he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer by first trading Jabbar (the all-time leading NBA scorer), and later signing 6th-man Hot Rod Williams and baby-maker Shawn Kemp to deals that nearly bankrupt the franchise.
I just heard yesterday that when Ferry took over as GM, the Cavs had unprecedented cap space, plus LeBron James. Way to squander it all with wasted signings.
It's much like Mark Shapiro, who upon becoming GM, immediately signed Matt Lawton and Ricky Gutierrez to long-term outrageous (for their talent) deals. It seems to take GMs making horrible mistakes early to realize that simply throwing money at any-old-player is not the way to build a team.
All that being said, Memphis still GAVE Gasol to LA, and it's unforgivable that the NBA and Memphis fans allowed such a one-sided travesty to happen. Jerry West, essentially, gave his old team a huge gift and told the rest of the league: "screw you."
Yeah, you're right Pat. I mean, when Cleveland doesn't win, it's all bad luck for them and good luck for the winner. Funny, I don't see you all that upset that the Celts got Garnett for a song and Miami got Shaq for spare parts. All three led their new teams to titles. Typical Cleveland whining. When we gonna run Mangini out of town? First or second loss? As for luck, you make your own. Get LeBron some real players around him and see how many titles the kid brings to C-town. It'll be a lot.