I almost couldn’t believe what I had just seen. The Lakers had just been destroyed on their home floor to be ousted from the 2003 playoffs, 110-82.
I had been through this phase about the NBA being rigged, a business, just here to make money off of the biggest names. The officiating was horrendous the past few seasons and always in L.A.’s favor. Keep in mind, the Lakers are my most loathed franchise in sports. I was getting sick of their fans being so happy and so cocky about the fact that this team hadn’t experienced defeat to end their season in the last three years. But this year was different.
I do have to pose the same question that many of the arrogant, cocky Laker fans have posed to me in recent memory. How can a team lose that has both Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant? How is this possible? First of all, you have the most dominant force in the basketball today and then add one of the best two guards in the league. Oh, I almost forgot about Phil, Mr. Stoic, who is arguably the best coach in basketball. Now, take a step back and tell me how this team loses a seven-game series. It shouldn’t happen.
The Lakers got a reality check from a team that wanted to beat them.
Let’s give the Spurs some credit here. The Spurs played to their strengths during this series and played well all-around. Duncan was amazing and hopefully eliminated many questions about him deserving back-to-back MVPs.
I’m sure many fans will argue about L.A.’s role-players, injuries and other minor details. But when it comes down to it, these teams with their great players and coaches are supposed to find a way to victory through the thick and thin. After all, the Lakers have never had an overpowering roster in the past, just players that played out of their mind down the stretch.
I also have to make the point that Kobe has been compared to too many great names in the game. Maybe this loss will cut some of the comparison with the incomparable Michael Jordan. Kobe was on his way to get the post-season MVP. He was leading the league in scoring and making things happen for his squad. This season it seemed more like Kobe’s team than Shaq’s team for the first time I can remember. I’m not sure if this is another sign that the Lakers gotta’ run through Shaq or else bad things happen.
There isn’t going to be a four-peat champion in NBA basketball in 2003. Instead, this season there is going to be a different team on top of the world.
As for the Lakers, they will be back next year with a better team I’m sure. For the time being, the Lakers can watch four other teams battle for the 2003 title.