# Laker Greats Thread



## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

I'm bored, and as far as i'm concerned there's no more basketball to watch till next season, so i thought about putting this up: a thread to reminisce (sp?) about former Laker greats.

Starting with the GOAT at College:


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

I'll have to watch this later. Don't think I ever watched Wilt during his college days.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

GOAT?? 

That's not Magic in that video...


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

King Sancho Fantastic said:


> GOAT??
> 
> That's not Magic in that video...


Magic's #2 ...


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

PauloCatarino said:


> Magic's #2 ...



That is correct. And Kobe is #1 .


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Basel said:


> That is correct. And Kobe is #1 .


The Greatest Laker of All Time would be Jerry West.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

PauloCatarino said:


> The Greatest Laker of All Time would be Jerry West.



You're wrong.


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## LeGoat06 (Jun 24, 2013)

Greatest Laker of all time is Magic. No one would put Kobe over Magic on the Goat list so why would you put him over Magic on the Laker Goat list when they both played their whole careers in LA. Never made sense to me. Shaq is ahead of Kobe on the Laker list as well.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

LeGoat06 said:


> Greatest Laker of all time is Magic. No one would put Kobe over Magic on the Goat list so why would you put him over Magic on the Laker Goat list when they both played their whole careers in LA. Never made sense to me. Shaq is ahead of Kobe on the Laker list as well.



You're also wrong.


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## LeGoat06 (Jun 24, 2013)

Basel said:


> You're also wrong.


About which. Because if you have Magic ahead of Kobe on the all time great list (Which I would hope any sane person would do) than how do you have Kobe ahead of him on the Laker list? I mean I guess it's possible, I just wanna know the mindset behind it.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

LeGoat06 said:


> About which. Because if you have Magic ahead of Kobe on the all time great list (Which I would hope any sane person would do) than how do you have Kobe ahead of him on the Laker list? I mean I guess it's possible, I just wanna know the mindset behind it.



I do have Kobe above Magic on both lists. Though I don't really have a list.


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## Uncle Drew (Dec 16, 2013)

Everyone has their opinion. Can we just enjoy lakers greats, please?

Wilt looks sooo fast in those tapes. My gawd. He also looks like he's playing with high schoolers, though. Countless rebounds when he's way out of position.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Basel said:


> *I do have Kobe above Magic on both lists.* Though I don't really have a list.


~

Please don't. Just... don't.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

PauloCatarino said:


> ~
> 
> 
> 
> Please don't. Just... don't.


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## LeGoat06 (Jun 24, 2013)

Well we have nothing to talk about here then.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Sorry, but this is just ridiculous:


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Basel said:


> You're wrong.


Don't mind Basel, Mr. Logo. He is young.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

June 4th, 2000:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAxEBNM5cNs#t=565

Probably the greatest Laker game i've witnessed on live TV.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

PauloCatarino said:


> June 4th, 2000:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Goosebumps.


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## DaRizzle (May 22, 2007)

1. Magic
.
.
2. Kobe
3. West
4. Kareem
5. Shaq........you DONT sign with the Celtics, You dont whore yourself to the Cavs and Heat, You dont say "Show me the money" to Dr. Buss


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

DaRizzle said:


> 1. Magic
> .
> .
> 2. Kobe
> ...


All right, that does it! What does Kobe Bryant have on Jerry West as a Laker Legend?


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

I rank them 
West
Magic
Kobe
Kareem


Shaq

Strictly in terms of his play, Kobe has West beat. West's impact as a GM has him head and shoulders over everyone though in terms of franchise impact. Anything Kobe does as a player can be directly attributed to West's brilliance as a GM.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Lost in the Showtime Lakers was their starting shooting guard Byron Scott.

Thinking about that team and their way of playing Magic, Kareem, Worthy and even Coop come to mind. But Byron Scott was one of the main reasons the Lakers fastbreak was so feared, being THE premier dunker on the roster and a crazy good athlete.











Also, was the team's leading scorer in the 1987-88 season, the season of "The Guarantee".


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> On June 7, 2000, the Los Angeles Lakers began the final step in their attempt to return to the glory days. After defeating the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers matched up against the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals.
> 
> In Game 1 against the Pacers, Lakers center Shaquille O’Neal continued his dominant play that he had on display throughout the NBA Playoffs. He finished Game 1 with 21 field goals, one shy of the NBA Finals mark of 22, shared by Elgin Baylor and Rick Barry.


http://www.lakersnation.com/video-shaquille-oneal-drops-43-points-in-game-1-of-2000-nba-finals/2014/06/07/


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

poor Rik Smits


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

The tragic side of Lakers ball: game 7, 1969 Finals against Boston:






Jerry West's (Finals MVP) 42 points, 13 rebounds, 12 assists going to waste.

And in one of the most controversial decisions ever in Laker coaching, Wilt Chamberlain sits out for the rest of the 4th quarter after twisting his knee:


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> How much do you really know about the Lakers? Does your knowledge go all the way back to George Mikan and the Minneapolis Lakers era? Ever wonder why Mikan’s jersey is hanging in the rafters at Staples Center despite never playing in Los Angeles? What about the goaltending rule – did you know that Laker legend Mikan is to thank for that?


http://www.lakersnation.com/lakers-history-george-mikans-top-5-lakers-moments/2014/06/13/


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## Wilmatic2 (Oct 30, 2005)

1. Magic Johnson
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Jerry West
4. Elgin Baylor
5. James Worthy


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> Kobe Bryant's Predraft Workout Has Become Stuff of Lakers, and NBA, Legend


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2108226-kobe-bryants-predraft-workout-has-become-stuff-of-lakers-and-nba-legend

Interesting. Didn't know abut that.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Good reading. Nothing I hadn't known before but always fun to read about.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

PauloCatarino said:


> http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2108226-kobe-bryants-predraft-workout-has-become-stuff-of-lakers-and-nba-legend
> 
> Interesting. Didn't know abut that.


Great read!


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> Buss selected Magic Johnson with the first overall pick in the 1979 NBA draft and forever changed the storied franchise as a result. Interestingly enough, Magic had other intentions telling Dr. Buss’ daughter, Jeanie, he was only going to stay in Los Angeles for three years.
> 
> Jeanie said the following about her first meeting with Magic in a post she wrote for CSQ.com:
> 
> ...


http://www.lakersnation.com/magic-johnson-told-jeanie-buss-he-wanted-to-play-for-detroit-pistons/2014/06/25/

Dr. Buss was the dude!


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> Pat Riley’s Top 5 Moments In Lakers History (VIDEO)


http://www.lakersnation.com/pat-rileys-top-5-moments-in-lakers-history-video/2014/07/04/

Yes, he later turned to the dark side. 
But before, he was the best coach in the league and an integral part of the Lakers dominating the 80's.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> Michael Cooper’s Top 5 Moments In Lakers History (VIDEO)


http://www.lakersnation.com/michael-coopers-top-5-moments-in-lakers-history-video/2014/07/15/


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> *Michael Cooper Reveals He Has Been Diagnosed with Tongue Cancer*
> 
> On the heels of leading the East team to a 125-124 win in the 2014 WNBA All-Star Game, Atlanta Dream head coach Michael Cooper announced on Monday that he has been diagnosed with tongue cancer.
> 
> ...


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2136921-michael-cooper-reveals-he-has-been-diagnosed-with-tongue-cancer

Shit. Hope for the best for Coop.


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## Basel (Mar 31, 2005)

Hope he beats it. That really sucks. **** cancer.


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## King Sancho Fantastic (Jul 19, 2005)

Damn. Good thing they caught it early.


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## Uncle Drew (Dec 16, 2013)

Get well soon Coop.

I remember reading that if B. Scott was brought in, that his staff would be "Laker heavy". Coop was one of the first names that came to mind.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

> *Atlanta Dream expects Michael Cooper to make complete recovery from tongue cancer
> *
> 
> Former Laker Michael Cooper had a procedure on Thursday to treat an early detection of tongue cancer and doctors expect a complete recovery, according to the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream.
> ...


http://www.insidesocal.com/lakers/2014/07/25/atlanta-dream-expects-michael-cooper-to-make-complete-recovery-from-tongue-cancer/


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Top 5 Gail Goodrich moments, as per LN:






#25 is hanging on the rafters.


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## PauloCatarino (May 31, 2003)

Pau Gasol STILL gets no respect:



> Building the Perfect Starting 5 with LA Lakers' All-Timers


http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2162840-la-lakers-all-time-starting-5

There's Cap at Center, sure. One could argue Shaq had a higher peak, but ok.
Magic at PG. Obviously. The GOAT not named Wilt.
Kobe at SG, i can live with. West could be in the dispute (if considered a SG).
Worthy at SF. True.
But at PF... Kurt Rambis?? Lol


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## e-monk (Sep 10, 2010)

PauloCatarino said:


> Pau Gasol STILL gets no respect:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


aside from Pau the Lakers really have never had a great PF unless of course you count Elgin Baylor (who is really the one getting the discount here)

but Baylor would be undersized at that position these days 

I think you'd be better off with

Cap
Pau
Baylor
Kobe
Magic

bench= West, Worthy, Shaq

other PFs to consider:

Happy Hairston (who once pulled down 1000+ rebounds in a season where he was playing next to Wilt - there are only so many rebounds to go around)
AC
Robert Horry
Lamar Odom
Rambo
Worthy (was sort of interchangeable with AC back in the day in terms of size and defensive responsibilities and his back to the basket/post up game was deadly)

or you could just roll out Shaq and the Cap in a twin towers scheme


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