So long Lakers, it was nice knowing you....

[Uncommon Sense]

Good by and good riddance. Detroit manhandled you like tha patsies you are. You will not win the series. You will not be .500 next year. Malones' and Paytons' last chance at a title is dashed and the team will be dismantled this off-season.
I write this with two minutes left on the clock, confident that the last breath of urgency has been expelled by any/all of the Laker players.

I look forward to an exciting Bucks season next year. I think they played the Pistons with more heart and desire than the Lakers did.

[wmulax93]

I can't stop grinning!

[Uncommon Sense]

me alstoo

[Askia]

I wish the Pistons had beat the point spread. I'm out fifty bucks.

[Czarcasm]

Moving this to Cafe Society.

[Syntropy]

DIE LAKER SCUM!!! There is justice, and Larry Brown and the Pistons are dishing it out in spades. I am not popular with my neighbors (the Laker fans) tonight. :D

[astorian]

Not that Joe Dumars ever heard me (or would've cared, if he had), but I criticized him harshly for replacing Rick Carlisle last year. Looks like maybe, just maybe, Dumars knows a little more about basketball than I do. Larry Brown has thoroughly outcoached Jackson in this series... of course, by doing nothing new (just trotting out the same lineup each night, and hoping things will go differently), Jackson has made Brown's job much easier.

[Snickers]

Jeezum Pete, but I hate the Lakers. I grew up a Celts fan, now I cheer for the Wolves, and I really, really hate the Lakers. I'm so glad the Pistons are doing so well, and I really hope they close it out next game. The only bad part about this series is that the Pistons didn't take 'em in four like they shoulda.

I love hearing Al talk about how much the Lakers are starting to whine, and seeing crushing defence wipe that smirk of Kobe's face. I love watching the team implode and break into factions. I loved watching the tear in Karl's eye last night. I can't believe that last night was the first game of this series I watched (I rather lost interest after the Wolves lost). I'm so watching on Tuesday.

Did I mention that I hate the Lakers?

Beat LA! Beat LA! Beat LA! Go Pistons!


Snicks

[lieu]

The next certerfold shot in Playboy ought to be of Karl Malone's face last night on the sidelines. I jizzed about 27 feet from my LazyBoy.

[Olentzero]

Is this (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040614/483/dtp14706140422) the one you're talking about? Ooooh, he do NOT look happy.

[lieu]

Karl Malone never left the bench in the fourth quarter of Game 4, and his dour expression betrayed his feelings about his long quest for a title.

Rendered ineffective by a right knee injury, the NBA's second-leading career scorer had just two points in 21 minutes during the Detroit Pistons' 88-80 victory over the Lakers.

Malone played just 4 1/2 minutes in the second half, leaving for good with 7:30 left in the third quarter. He spent the rest of the night in glum silence on the Lakers' bench, barely even standing up to cheer his teammates as the Pistons gradually pulled away.

Malone left the Utah Jazz after 18 seasons last summer because he thought the Lakers would have the best shot at a title.All That Jizz... cha cha cha!

[Syntropy]

Of all the reasons I have for wanting the Lakers to go down in flames, Karl Malone NOT getting a ring tops the list. The man rode John Stockton's talent for years, recognized the fact that he'd have to be traded to a playoff-bound team to buy himself a championship, and watching him finally get that he will NEVER HAVE ONE was the highlight of my entire weekend.










On a slightly less euphoric note, I hate that GP did the same thing. I actually kinda liked him, once upon a time.

[pepperlandgirl]

*sigh*

Well, it's no secret I desperately wanted a ring for Malone. But, Stockton somehow survived without a ring, so I guess it won't kill Malone either.

WOO! GO PISTONS!!!

LA has been so goddamned obnoxious the past few weeks. Everywhere I go, Lakers Banners are flying, people are wearing the colors everywhere--stores and restaurants are having "jersey days"--radio stations have sports commentators coming all over themselves...it's everywhere. "We'll take it in 4!" was almost the city's official motto...

It'll be insanely gratifying when everybody in So Cal is crushed. heh.

[Saint Sparky]

I am so happy that rat fink Malone is not getting a championship ring now. After he spat on every Utahn that has been supporting him and his career for the last 18 years like a two dollar whore I hope he realises he lost BIG TIME!

[Hampshire]

I'd also like to stick it in the face of the Spurs. They're claim that "they are the second greatest team this year because if they can't beat the Lakers, then no one can" falls somewhat short.

I guess Jack Nicholson can "Cry his eyes out on his huuge pillow" along with the rest of the L.A. celebrity band wagon.

[RickJay]

The next certerfold shot in Playboy ought to be of Karl Malone's face last night on the sidelines. I jizzed about 27 feet from my LazyBoy.
Sir, I salute you and your jizz for the funniest post of the month.

[Jackknifed Juggernaut]

I hate the Lakers too. But don't count them out yet. If they win Game 5, they'll be in the driver's seat again. Premature ejaculations can be embarrasing.

Askia: The Pistons have beaten the point spread in every game this series except Game 2, when they tied the point spread.

[capacitor]

Lakers have to feed Shaq, and force Detroit to play hack a Shaq very early on.
He should have at least 50 shots a game, and 45 free throw attemps.

[Quercus]

I pretty much despise the current Laker's entitled attitude, so am enjoying watching them lose.
But I do have a little disappointment that Payton and Malone's little move didn't get them a ring -- though not for Gary and Karl who particularly seemed to be on a mission to alienate everyone in the universe this year. Rather it would have been kind of entertaining watching personnel moves in a League where a couple top players had succeeded in trading money for a ring.
I mean, it doesn't really take many years of Jason Kidd's salary to be set for a comfortable life, and once most of the top players realized that, and decided they really wanted to win, the league could become fascinating off the court.
What if Kidd and Jermaine O'Neal decided they really didn't need any more money, and both went to San Antonio for no money just to get a ring? After a season of playing against him, could LeBron convince enough stars that he's enough of the real deal to build a mega-team with him? Would there be a frantic rush to see which Sacremento King would jump ship first for the league minimum with another team?
My fevered imagination is inventing WWF (uh, WWE) -like stories of teamwork, seduction, and betrayal, but for real this time.

Ah, well still nice to see Kobe looking defeated.

Now if the Lakers would just trade Luke Walton so I can cheer for him again...

[Chefguy]

Much as I'd like to write off the Lakers in this series, the crafty, slimy bastards would be just the evil-enough satan spawn to be the first team to come back from a 3-1 deficit.

Detroit had better freakin' show up for the next couple of games, or they're going to be looking at game seven as I predicted in another thread.

In the meantime:






BOO-YA, Ya CRYBABY BASTARDS!

[Marley23]

The man rode John Stockton's talent for years
Do you think Stockton would have the assist record if he hadn't been passing to Malone all those years?

recognized the fact that he'd have to be traded to a playoff-bound team to buy himself a championship, and watching him finally get that he will NEVER HAVE ONE was the highlight of my entire weekend.
I doubt he's going to retire this year, so I wouldn't write him off yet.










On a slightly less euphoric note, I hate that GP did the same thing. I actually kinda liked him, once upon a time.[/QUOTE]

[Askia]

I hate the Lakers too. But don't count them out yet. If they win Game 5, they'll be in the driver's seat again. Premature ejaculations can be embarrasing.

Askia: The Pistons have beaten the point spread in every game this series except Game 2, when they tied the point spread.

Not the 10 point spread me and my buddy Jack established. If the Pistons had one by 10 instead of ate, I'd have won $50 and Jack would have had to wear his underwear outside his jeans to work today when he punched in.

But tomorrow's game, we've got the same bet going, double or nothing.

[Jackknifed Juggernaut]

Not the 10 point spread me and my buddy Jack established. If the Pistons had one by 10 instead of ate, I'd have won $50 and Jack would have had to wear his underwear outside his jeans to work today when he punched in.

But tomorrow's game, we've got the same bet going, double or nothing.

I see. That last second bucket by Shaq must've killed you. I think that you've got a pretty good shot if the Pistons get an early lead tomorrow. The Lakers just might implode. I'd love to see Shaq and Kobe get into a fight with each other. Maybe Malone and Payton too, just for kicks.

[Happy Lendervedder]

Not the 10 point spread me and my buddy Jack established. If the Pistons had one by 10 instead of ate, I'd have won $50 and Jack would have had to wear his underwear outside his jeans to work today when he punched in.

But tomorrow's game, we've got the same bet going, double or nothing.


Two pairs of underpants?

[Jackknifed Juggernaut]

Well it had to happen. Kobe has guaranteed a victory tomorrow: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2004/news/story?id=1821889

Of course, he kind of waffled a bit later. But this should be fun.

[Harborwolf]

Personally Jackknifed, the lakers will have to do more than win game 5 to be back in the drivers seat of the series. They will have to kill Detroit to do so. Even in game 2, the lakers were hardly in control the game. They need to absolutely break out of the pistons defense and start to dictate the pace of the game, which is something they haven't even come close to doing yet.

As for shaq, the pistons have no problem letting him get the shots. Didn't he have 36 points and 20 rebounds last night (I'm pretty sure about the points but unsure on the rebounds). What the pistons have been doing is making everybody else on the team work for the shots and it's been driving Kobe up the wall :D

I won't say that is impossible for the lakers to come back in the series, but the lakers haven't shown me anything to indicate that it is possible at all. In the post game interviews, Shaq, Kobe, and Phil Jackson sounded like they were bored. They still sound like they are simply supposed to win instead of having to work for it.

Then there was shaq's lil comment about the pressure being on the pistons to win next game. What an idiot. In every game the pistons have made the lakers play their game. That puts the pressure squarely on the lakers to do anything.


Go pistons. Shut em down. Shut em up. Send em home.

[Syntropy]

Do you think Stockton would have the assist record if he hadn't been passing to Malone all those years?
I doubt he's going to retire this year, so I wouldn't write him off yet.

*sigh*....Just had to kill my joy, didn't ya, Marley? :p

While I'll agree Karl put up some awesome numbers in Utah, without John Stockton he wouldn't have been nearly that great. I haven't noticed his numbers jumping out at me the way they did in Utah. Even taking his reduced minutes into consideration. Also, (entirely my opinion) John Stockton just outstripped him as a player. Better game, all the way around.
Malone's technical foul record speaks for itself. Yes, I'm aware Rasheed Wallace has similar statistics, and if he keeps up the way he has been, he'll be on a par with Malone. However; while Wallace has stacked up technicals, he has not (to my knowledge) ever thrown a tantrum on being passed over for the Olympic team, thrown a tantrum on being beat out at the scoring record three years running, or refused to play on an all-star team because he felt snubbed by the fans.

[pepperlandgirl]

Maybe I'm being silly (I am being silly) but I hate the attitude that without Stockton, Malone would have been nothing. It wasn't a competition.

I loved Stockton. I loved Stockton my entire life, and when he retired, I didn't really have any interest in basketball anymore.

I loved Stockton because he was a team player. He didn't care about numbers or a big salery or being an ass, he just cared about a team. For nearly my entire life, it was StocktontoMalone. They worked as a team. I think knocking part of the team down to build the other one up really doesn't do service to the years they spent together on the court. And I think it really misses the point of what Stockton was doing out there--he was the assist leader for a reason.

Also, Malone isn't putting up the numbers he used to because he's old. I mean, let's not put too fine a spin on it. He's old and he's playing on a team that's not about teamwork. We can see that now because they're falling apart when they need to be working together. They have a few too many egos, a few too many superstars, and a few too many dicks flopping around out there getting in the way of the game.

[Syntropy]

Don't get me wrong, pepperlandgirl. I am not saying they weren't a great team. They were. I'm just really turned off to Malone by the type of player he is. Dirty, that is. And the way he presented himself off court. John Stockton just always struck me as a class act. Karl Malone, not so much.

[Jimmy Chitwood]

Stockton was every bit as dirty on the court as Malone is, and was. Nobody set a dirtier down-screen than Stockton.

[Jackknifed Juggernaut]

I agree with Jimmy Chitwood. Stockton was a very dirty player. You shouldn't let his size and country-boy looks fool you. Some of the dirtiest players, including Bird and Jordan, have non-intimidating faces. This allows them to play dirty for so long, because the refs never call fouls on them.

[astorian]

No one should try to whitewash John Stockton's record. Was he a dirty player- sure! He was in their grabbing jerseys and throwing elbows in every game. Everybody saw it a hundred times.

The ONLY excuse I'll offer for him is that practically EVERYBODY in the NBA did the same! Basketball can be a brutal game. Stockton didn't do anything to change that, but he sure wasn't the one who caused the problem, nor do I think he was notably dirtier than 20 or 30 players I could name off the top oif my head.

So, why did he have such a bad reputation? I believe it's mainly because he had such a squeaky clean image off the court. When someone with a reputation as a thug elbows you in the ribs, well, you may get angry, but you're not surprised. On the other hand, when a guy with a Pat Boone/Donny Osmond image does the same, you're not just angry about the elbows, you're angry because you perceive him (unfairly, in my opinion) as a hypocrite.

[Askia]

La la LAH la...la la la LAH... hey hey HEY... GOoooOOOOoood-ByyyYYyyeeeEEEE.

I shall now call Jack and haze him for the next 7 minutes.

UP BY TWENTY-FIVE, BAYYYBEEEEE!

[Harborwolf]

:D
Detroit-100
L.A.-87

I guess basketball is a team sport after all. There is no emoticon to express my feelings, but this'll do :D

I honestly thought this would be a wee bit closer than it was. Course I thought that the lakers would win it. I'll just have to live with the pain of being wrong. The looks on the faces of Shaq, Kobe, and Phil Jackson will get me through it.

Congratulations Detroit Pistons on exceeding everyones expectations except for your own.

[brianjedi]

Congratulations to the Detroit Pistons on shutting an entire city up by kicking the crap out of the Lakers.

I'm happy, mainly because a Wildcat got a ring. Way to go, Tayshaun, and hopefully you'll get several more.

Larry Brown, congratulations on winning both an NCAA and an NBA championship as a coach.

[Lamar Mundane]

[QUOTE=Maureen]Of all the reasons I have for wanting the Lakers to go down in flames, Karl Malone NOT getting a ring tops the list. The man rode John Stockton's talent for years, recognized the fact that he'd have to be traded to a playoff-bound team to buy himself a championship, and watching him finally get that he will NEVER HAVE ONE was the highlight of my entire weekend.


John Stockton is (was) generally regarded by NBA players as THE biggest prick in the sport. He is a nasty man. Good ballplayer, though.

Seriously, if you ever meet someone that played with/against him, ask them what they think.

[Snooooopy]

Would Malone's choice have been viewed in a different light if, say, he had joined upstanding citizen Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs in order to chase a title instead of Shaq, Kobe and the hated Lakers? Or if he had joined plucky Detroit? I, for one, was pleased to see a player choosing his team using criteria OTHER THAN being able to wring every last dollar that he could out of the deal. And he did go to a successful team, true, but was he really supposed to make a beeline for Golden State or Orlando?

[cmkeller]

Wow. The Pistons totally dominated.

Congratulations, Messrs. Brown, Wallace, Wallace, et al.

[duffer]

I'm curious to see how many Laker fans call into Kevin Wheeler's show tonight. Congrats Detroit, but watch out for those Bucks next year!

[Saint Sparky]

woohoo!

*does the snoopy dance in celebration*

[Genghis Bob]

I so want to go over to the "Predict the Finals" thread and heckle all the Dopers who posted "Lakers in 4; 5 if they get tired in game x". But, drat it all, it's in Cafe society, not the Pit.

Must . . . resist . . . urge to gloat . . . must . . . resist . . . urge to gloat . . .

[Askia]

It's my day off, but I went in to work on this wet and rainy morning for one reason and one reason only: to watch my boy, Jack Leigh, walking in to work with a pair of boxer shorts on over his jeans and a pair of thong underwear on his head (thank you Happy Lendervedder for the magnificent idea). As agreed he had to walk up to anyone staring at him offer to shake hands and say, "Hi, I'm Bobby, and I'm an idiot for betting on the Lakers to win." I made him do that 12 time before I let him off the hook.

My God. This has been the most glorious 12-hour period of my life, and the best bet I've ever made.

THANK YOU, PISTONS!!!

[Syntropy]

Would Malone's choice have been viewed in a different light if, say, he had joined upstanding citizen Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs in order to chase a title instead of Shaq, Kobe and the hated Lakers? Or if he had joined plucky Detroit?

Nope, I'd hate him no matter where he went. I hear all of you who have posted about Stockton, and about Malone, as well. And I respect those opinions. But, just as I am not going to change your opinions, you won't change mine, either. I do not like him. I acknowledge what he's done as a player. I still maintain he wouldn't have been there without a whole lot of help, most of it coming from John Stockton.
Snoopy, what should he have done? I don't know, maybe given back to the community that supported him and stood behind him for so long and helped rebuild his team, instead of chasing a ring the second his support system was gone? Laud him all you want about the money; he still did what he did for selfish reasons.

[Snooooopy]

Nope, I'd hate him no matter where he went. I hear all of you who have posted about Stockton, and about Malone, as well. And I respect those opinions. But, just as I am not going to change your opinions, you won't change mine, either. I do not like him. I acknowledge what he's done as a player. I still maintain he wouldn't have been there without a whole lot of help, most of it coming from John Stockton.


Heh heh ... he might have done even MORE as a player if the Jazz higher-ups had ever gotten him, say, a center who could actually score. After nearly 20 years of suiting up next to guys like the immobile Mark Eaton and the chronically underachieving Greg Ostertag, he no doubt was fed up and decided to seek a greener pasture next to Shaq.

[I Love Me, Vol. I]

Malone was a choke and a hack. God, I hate that guy. He's just enough of a prick to play for the Lakers--actually, he's worse. Goodbye, good riddance, you had a terrible attitude and a LOT less skill than you were given credit for.

The only thing better than watching him lose last night was laughing my ass off as Jordan swiped the ball from him late one game during the Bulls/Jazz Finals. Like candy from a baby. What a sap.

They don't call him "The Failman" for nothing.

[Jimmy Chitwood]

Malone was a choke and a hack. God, I hate that guy. He's just enough of a prick to play for the Lakers--actually, he's worse. Goodbye, good riddance, you had a terrible attitude and a LOT less skill than you were given credit for.

The only thing better than watching him lose last night was laughing my ass off as Jordan swiped the ball from him late one game during the Bulls/Jazz Finals. Like candy from a baby. What a sap.

They don't call him "The Failman" for nothing.

"They" didn't call him The Mailman for nothing, either. He's probably had the greatest career a power forward has ever had.

I so want to go over to the "Predict the Finals" thread and heckle all the Dopers who posted "Lakers in 4; 5 if they get tired in game x". But, drat it all, it's in Cafe society, not the Pit.

I was one of the ones who said Lakers in five, and I stand by my comments. Obviously, I was wrong, but the Lakers were the logical pick. Who could've known that Kobe has completely lost his heart, and that everyone on the Lakers' roster other than Shaq would fail to show up entirely? Obviously, there's no doubt at this point which team in the Finals was the better team, but I can't figure how the Lakers team that beat the Spurs became the Lakers team that the Pistons beat.

Don't get me wrong, though, I'm no Lakers apologist- my congratulations to the Pistons and their fans. They earned and deserve the title of champions (except Larry Brown) and I don't want my befuddlement to detract from that.

[astorian]

Here's a question I haven't seen raised yet. Seeing as how the Bucks, Nets and Pacers all gave the Pistons a much tougher time than the Lakers did... could it be that the long-maligned East is now a tougher and better overall conference than the West?

[Syntropy]

No. I really don't believe the east is better, Astorian. Yet. I believe the west will probably bring home the trophy next year, and win the All-Star game again. The Nuggets and the Rockets are gelling as teams under strong coaches, and the T-wolves and Sacramento will be right there in it again.
Detroit and New Jersey are still really the only two teams in the east that have really showed they can contend with those teams.

[Genghis Bob]

". . . I was one of the ones who said Lakers in five, and I stand by my comments. Obviously, I was wrong, but the Lakers were the logical pick. Who could've known that Kobe has completely lost his heart, and that everyone on the Lakers' roster other than Shaq would fail to show up entirely? Obviously, there's no doubt at this point which team in the Finals was the better team, but I can't figure how the Lakers team that beat the Spurs became the Lakers team that the Pistons beat.

Don't get me wrong, though, I'm no Lakers apologist- my congratulations to the Pistons and their fans. They earned and deserve the title of champions (except Larry Brown) and I don't want my befuddlement to detract from that.

Darn it, your reasoned and thoughtful reply has completely ruined the world-class gloat I was working up to.

[Quercus]

Wait, Jimmy C., why don't you think Larry Brown deserves a title?

[Trunk]

I'm happy, mainly because a Wildcat got a ring. Way to go, Tayshaun, and hopefully you'll get several more.

Prince played for University of Arizona?































I keed.