Random Thoughts on the Spurs-Lakers Series - 03 May 2004

Went to go see Game 1 of the Spurs-Lakers series down in San Antone on Sunday afternoon. Here are a few thoughts:

The SBC Center looks great on the inside. That said, from the outside, it looks like the Spurs took an old Airplane Hanger and turned it into an arena.

The Lakers will lose this series in 4 games, and perhaps 5 if Kobe goes off for 50 in one of the games. They play poor defense, have little depth, no consistent shooting threats apart from Kobe, and they don’t play with a consistent team philosophy or sense of urgency. I wonder if it bugs Phil Jackson that, even with nine championships and 4 future Hall of Famers, he’ll be fortunate to win a game against Greg Popovich. I hope it does…

Gary Payton is done. He was passive on offense, and when he was aggressive, he couldn’t do anything. Also, he was completely ineffective in guarding lightning-quick Tony Parker. Just two years ago, Payton averaged over 20 ppg and 8 apg, and was capable of carrying a playoff team to the second round. Now, he looks to be in the “Bluesmobile Disintegrates at the End of The Blues Brothers” phase of his career. Some others I would compare his decline to:

1) Hakeem Olajuwon, circa 1997 – went from being the Greatest Post Player in the history of basketball in 1995 to the equivalent of Kareem at age 40 in two years flat.
2) Emmitt Smith last year – see his line against the Cowboys last year. He lost yards, and looked old doing it. At least in 2002, he had a little left in the tank. As great a warrior as he was, no one will remember that he played in Arizona. Never happened.
3) Penny Hardaway, circa 1999 – could have been the next Jordan – nagging injuries and passive play meant that he was the second best point guard on his own mediocre team, behind Darrell Armstrong. This was the most heart-breaking of all – Penny was one of my favorite players in his prime. He could have been what Kobe is now.
4) Ken Griffey Jr, circa 2001 – Having a solid year so far this year, but since he joined the Reds in 2000, the only thing he’s done consistently is get injured. Junior declined dramatically when he should have been in his glorious slugging prime. Should have hit for 800 career home runs. Will probably finish career around 600. Still a nice guy, though, and will be a Hall of Famer without question.
5) Shaq, now – This Spurs series will be remembered as the point where everyone realized that what skills Shaq once possessed deteriorated due to neglect, leaving him a shell of the dominant Pantheon center of 2000-2003. No vertical, no range outside 5’, free-throw shooting as bad as ever.

If the Spurs could shoot free throws, they wouldn’t lose another playoff game. Duncan once shot close to 80% from the stripe; he’ll shoot 60% this year. Even so, the Spurs will lose no more than 3 games the rest of the way in capturing their third NBA title.

One last note – if you read this, pray for my friend Jeff Williams. He was involved in a serious car accident over the weekend, and is currently in Brackenridge Hospital fighting for his life. Jeff is a wonderful guy with an 8-year-old daughter who will soon finish his Master’s in Counseling from St. Ed’s. He was part of my Hope Group this year, and I hope and pray that God will heal him and bring him through this.

That’s all. More coming later…

-Nate