Re: Do the Spurs have a legit crack at the Lakers

by **babyskyhook** Wed Oct 28, 2009 4:31 am

Thanks big.

I hated all those jackasses on the Pistons in a way that I never hated the Celtics.

(Although I did hate Carr and Ainge. I hated Carr never playing or actually doing anything but waving his towel and running his mouth. He pissed me off beyond belief. And I hated the way Ainge whined and cried about everything all the time. He was such a baby. I'm glad he grew up.)

I always respected the Cs, though, whereas I have never, and will never, have any respect for the Pistons.

They were bad people and bad for the game.

My top 10 all time most hated:

1- Laimbeer
2- Isiah
3- Mahorn
4- James Edwards
5- The Microwave
6- Sheed
7- ML Carr
8- Ainge (who, ironically, I like as an exec)
9- Raja Bell
10- Sasha Vujacic

by **babyskyhook** Wed Oct 28, 2009 4:33 am

Did you guys hate Ainge back in the day the way I hate Sasha now ?

Or did he not bother you guys b/c he was a good player for your team ?

by **Sam** Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:31 am

Sky,

I always felt Ainge was was an example of a secondary player who sometimes has to make an impact by his feistiness more than by his ability. Larry Siegfried was another example on the "old" Celtics. Ainge became one of my favorites on the teams of the 80s because of that factor. I don't like Sasha either; but perhaps it would be very different if I were a Lakers fans.

Sam

by **Hoopdeedoo** Wed Oct 28, 2009 8:13 am

I'm still mad at Ainge for putting up 40 something points on the Lakers on the Memorial Day Massacre. It pissed off Jabbar so much he took it out on the C's that series and beat them I think in 6 games.

Without Kevin McCale on those teams Ainge would have been a big time scorer. He used to call Kevin the Black Hole. When he passed to him the ball never came back out.

Danny - love him or hate him, he is a winner and now look at his credentials.

Hoop

by **jeb** Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:11 am

That Ainge play in the ncaa where he dribbles in for the layup is one of the best ever.

And I love Danny now and then.

Sam
Did the site crash last nite?

Jeb

by **beat** Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:23 am

Hoop

It's funny howmany people that felt so so about the C's absolutely hated Ainge. Many of those insist that in that long ago playoff series against Atlanta in the fight with Tree Rollins that Ainge bit him when it was in fact the other way around. I remeber the headlines the next day.

TREE BITES MAN

beat

by **Hoopdeedoo** Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:49 am

Beat,

I was living in LA in those years and the Laker fans loathed Ainge. When he got bit I remember that same old painful look he always had like he was going to cry. The fans in LA in the sports bar I hung out in would make a crying sound whenever he got the ball. I think they did it more for me and a few lonely Celts fans though. Great era for hoops, C's and Laker fans..

Hoop

by **beat** Wed Oct 28, 2009 11:55 am

Hoop

Danny's full court dash for BYU going thru the entire UCLA team for a winning bucket in the NCAA's probably did not endear him to many out there either.

beat

by **Hoopdeedoo** Wed Oct 28, 2009 12:04 pm

Beat,

Oh yeah, that was mentioned even by Chick Hearn more than once during the broadcasts.

Hoop

by **Sam** Wed Oct 28, 2009 2:04 pm

Jeb,

Yes, I couldn't get on about 3:00 am EST. I think I was able to post again by around 5:00.

Usually, when it appears to crash, they're doing maintenance work on it. At least now they seem to be doing that in the middle of the night.

Sam

by **bobheckler** Wed Oct 28, 2009 2:21 pm

babyskyhook wrote:As a Laker fan, I ca tell you that the Spurs and the Blazers are the only two teams in the West that even get my attention as a potential problem in the playoffs.

And neither team is as strong as the three beasts of the East.

If the Spurs stay healthy, which is a BIG if given Manu's recent history and the mileage on TD's odometer, they have a shot. But only a puncher's chance, I think.

The Lakers were light years ahead of them last year, so even though they had the best offseason of any of the big 5, they had the most holes to fill, so it only closes the gap to a point.

Assuming everyone is healthy on both sides, LA is too long, athletic and deep for SA. But I have a lot of respect for TD, Manu, Parker and Pop, so I give them a shot.

I expect LA to get the top seed in the West, with SA and Portland the 2 and 3. Either one is a tough con finals opponent, but the Blazer's lack of experience and defense will give LA the edge in that matchup. I don't give them as much of a shot as I give SA if the Spurs are healthy.

BUt like I said, that's a big if. People talk about Boston as being old, but the Spurs have a much worse injury history to their Big 3 than the C's do. Outside of KG's injury last year, the C's BIg 3 has been remarkably durable. And I don't consider Pierce to be old yet, as his game isn't predicated on quickness.

Manu's however, is, so his ankle issues are a real problem.

babyskyhook,

I agree with you to some extent and hope to disagree with you as the season progresses.

I think the only team that can give the Lakers a run for their money are the Spurs. I don't think Portland's good enough or experienced enough yet. So I agree with you that it'll be Lakers, then Spurs, with the Blazers coming in a more distant third.

The Blazers didn't help themselves much in the off-season and their first round exit against an undermanned and lower-seeded Houston team might make them hungrier but doesn't make them more playoff-experienced.

The Spurs have improved with the addition of Jefferson. That's for sure. Manu's ankles are an issue, but at this point in his career he's looking at coming off the bench anyway. The question will be whether Theo Ratliffe can be effective spelling Tim Duncan. Personally, I doubt it. They are sooo thin at center. Ridiculously thin. They have to add another body to not be held together by duct tape and sealing wax come playoff time.

Where I hope to disagree with you more as the season progresses, is on your opinion that neither team is as strong as the beasts of the East. I'd like to see at least some competition for LA in the west (not that I expect them to end up on top of the west anyway). We won't know, however, until Portland and San Antone play us later in the season.

bob

by **jeb** Wed Oct 28, 2009 2:31 pm

Sam

Copy that. I am on the left coast so was up late basking in the victory.

Jeb

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