OT--all time best Lakers?

[Briancuse]

On second thought, because he has 6 rings, and 6 mvps, I think I would give the nod to Jabbar over Wilt.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Smush Parker

 

[CorduroyG]

I go magic and Kobe 1-2

 

[kirbivore]

Smush Parker

Nick the quick

 

[OrangeDW]

Nick the quick

View attachment 60842

I was such a huge Van Exel fan, even going back to his Cincinatti days. Just a ton of fun to watch.

 

[Alsacs]

Greatest Laker is Magic. Then Kobe.
IMO it goes
1. Magic
2. Kobe
3. Kareem
4. West
5. Baylor
6. Shaq
7. Chamberlain
8. Worthy

 

[Knicks411]

I think there's a pretty good argument fo r West over Kobe. West was REALLY good.

 

[bevosu]

I think there's a pretty good argument fo r West over Kobe. West was REALLY good.

West had better stats..FG %, points per game...assists per game.

 

[Knicks411]

West had better stats..FG %, points per game...assists per game.

Great stat from the Simmons book is they didn't track steals until his last year in the league, when he was 35. In 31 games that year, he averaged 2.6 steals per game.

 

[br801]

I think there's a pretty good argument fo r West over Kobe. West was REALLY good.

West could do everything on both ends of the court, and was arguably the equal of his great contemporary Oscar Robertson. He aged better than Oscar, and was still something to see right to the end.

The West/Baylor/Chamberlain grouping was intriguing, but only in Wilt's first season there, when they lost to Boston in seven games, were they all healthy at the same time.

 

[Knicks411]

West could do everything on both ends of the court, and was arguably the equal of his great contemporary Oscar Robertson. He aged better than Oscar, and was still something to see right to the end.

The West/Baylor/Chamberlain grouping was intriguing, but only in Wilt's first season there, when they lost to Boston in seven games, were they all healthy at the same time.

It's kind of amazing to think Baylor barely played for the 72 Lakers. They were an all time team; imagine if he was a few years younger.

 

[br801]

It's kind of amazing to think Baylor barely played for the 72 Lakers. They were an all time team; imagine if he was a few years younger.

Yeah, he really didn't factor in that season but at least got a title. Gail Goodrich was at his peak at that time and carried the scoring load with West that season. Jim McMillian was a very good small forward and also scored a lot for that team. Happy Hairston was a good rebounding power forward. Wilt rebounded, played defense and scared people. Pat Riley was one of their main bench guys.

 

[cuseinseattle]

Jabbar 1
Kobe 2
Magic 3

 

[Cowtown]

"I'm not feeling the love here ..."

 

[RoysRunts]

PS--this thread is sickening, as a Boston Celtics fan.

Why? The "Eagle with a beard owned them"

 

[DeGrozz]

 

[orange79]

 

[CorduroyG]

I was such a huge Van Exel fan, even going back to his Cincinatti days. Just a ton of fun to watch.

im a laker fan, loved van exel. those mid 90s laker teams were pretty fun to watch. van exel, eddie jones, ceballos. they made the lakers relevant again after a couple down years after magic retired. i think '95 they upset sonics in 1st round and played the spurs tough in 2nd round, van exel hit a buzzer beater in game 5.

 

[Knicks411]

im a laker fan, loved van exel. those mid 90s laker teams were pretty fun to watch. van exel, eddie jones, ceballos. they made the lakers relevant again after a couple down years after magic retired. i think '95 they upset sonics in 1st round and played the spurs tough in 2nd round, van exel hit a buzzer beater in game 5.

I was randomly looking up the series stats for that Sonics-Lakers series this week. Van Exel went off, with Payton guarding him

 

[OrangeDW]

im a laker fan, loved van exel. those mid 90s laker teams were pretty fun to watch. van exel, eddie jones, ceballos. they made the lakers relevant again after a couple down years after magic retired. i think '95 they upset sonics in 1st round and played the spurs tough in 2nd round, van exel hit a buzzer beater in game 5.

Yup, that was a great run. Van Exel hit a 3 to tie that Spurs game late in regulation too, and then the game winner in OT. He had 34 points and 7 3's in the game they eliminated the Sonics. That was an exciting game. Plus he hit the 3 to beat the Celtics in their last matchup at the Boston Garden that season.

 

[Alsacs]

I was randomly looking up the series stats for that Sonics-Lakers series this week. Van Exel went off, with Payton guarding him

The greater mystery to me when I looked up the 1995 playoffs was Michael Jordan wearing 45.

I still to this day don't get how Michael Jordan leaving the sport in his prime after 3 championships isn't a greater mystery. I get his father was murdered and that tragedy but imagine Lebron leaving the NBA now for 1.5 seasons. It would be insane.

 

[CorduroyG]

The greater mystery to me when I looked up the 1995 playoffs was Michael Jordan wearing 45.

I still to this day don't get how Michael Jordan leaving the sport in his prime after 3 championships isn't a greater mystery. I get his father was murdered and that tragedy but imagine Lebron leaving the NBA now for 1.5 seasons. It would be insane.

he must regret it, who knows how many rings and records he'd have if he played straight through till he was 40.

 

[OrangeDW]

The greater mystery to me when I looked up the 1995 playoffs was Michael Jordan wearing 45.

I still to this day don't get how Michael Jordan leaving the sport in his prime after 3 championships isn't a greater mystery. I get his father was murdered and that tragedy but imagine Lebron leaving the NBA now for 1.5 seasons. It would be insane.

And not only leaving, but playing Triple A baseball.

 

[OrangeDW]

he must regret it, who knows how many rings and records he'd have if he played straight through till he was 40.

I remember one of the old Saturday Night Live Chris Farley Chicago "Superfans" skits after the Bulls won their first title where they were talking about "we're not looking at a repeat or even a 3-peat here. It's obvious we're looking at a minimum 8-peat!"

They were being over the top and ridiculous, but it actually came pretty close to happening. They won 6 out of 8, and the only 2 they didn't win were when Jordan was gone and then when he first came back and was rusty.

 

[Knicks411]

I mean Stern obviously suspended him for gambling, right?

I think it's possible if he played straight through he doesn't have as much gas in the tank as he did in 97 and 98. Pure conjecture, obviously.