# Two of a Kind



## Lynx (Mar 6, 2004)

_Malone and Payton have made numerous sacrifices in quest for elusive Finals win _

Once upon a time, that seemed to be how the movie would end for the Lakers in this storybook '03-04 season. On July 16, 2003, when the Los Angeles Lakers signed Karl Malone and Gary Payton, it was supposed to be the fairytale to end all fairytales.










The talk of that week's press conference bordered not only on the optimistic (will they win 70 games?), but crossing over to the absurd (how about 80?). The Mailman and The Glove on the same team with Shaq & Kobe? Oh...my...God. The mood of the day was euphoric. Magic Johnson was all smiles—even more than usual—slapping congratulatory handshakes with anyone within arm distance, telling all, "It's Showtime again!" GM Mitch Kupchak was doing his best to suppress a smile, lest he look like the cat that ate the canary, telling anyone who would listen that he "still did not believe it was a done deal."










Smiling, too, were the star attractions who took a pay cut to play with the NBA Championship-contending Lakers—Gary Payton in polo shirt with blinging earring, talking about how he couldn't wait to be on the same team with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant so that he could "lead the League in assists," while Karl Malone, in so-him attire of jeans and a tank top to accentuate his Rock-like chiseled frame, said simply, "I cannot wait 'til all of us get to play together to see what we can do." Shortly thereafter is when reality struck—the stagecoach turned into a pumpkin, the prince turned into a frog and the too-good-to-be-true fairytale was interrupted.

And that's where we are today, folks—due to injuries and other things—the four star Lakers didn't even play half the season together (suiting up as a quartet only 21 times through mid-March).

It is almost as if one hears the same Malone's words reverberate off the STAPLES Center walls all year long as a constant reminder, like an echo chamber, or a scene from Groundhog Day, whether it was November..December...January...February...March..."I CANNOT WAIT 'TIL ALL OF US GET TO PLAY TOGETHER TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO."


You can read rest of the article by clicking *here!*. This article appears in the June issue of Hoop magazine.


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## Brian34Cook (Mar 26, 2003)

Very nice article, thanks!


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## Lynx (Mar 6, 2004)

*Career in Photos: Karl Malone*










_1989: Malone began his career in Utah in 1985, and spent 18 seasons with the Jazz before heading to L.A._










_1992: Malone, seen here flying to Barcelona with John Stockton and Charles Barkley, was a member of the original Dream Team_










_1997: The Mailman is known for his unwavering commitment to fitness ... and for his patented hand-on-the-head, elbow-out dunks._










_1997: Coming into this season Malone had been to The Finals twice, in '97 and '98. Both times Utah fell to the Bulls in six games_










_Malone's signature footwear never really caught on with shoe fanatics, but he made a nice gesture to the military this season (upper right)._ :usa:










_2003: Malone and longtime teammate John Stockton gave Utah one of the most productive and successful duos in league history._










_2004: Good friend Shaquille O'Neal made great efforts to "recruit" Malone. The Mailman's decision to come to L.A. has paid off so far._


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## Lynx (Mar 6, 2004)

*Career in Photos: Gary Payton*










_1992: Payton began his career in Seattle, where he spent twelve-and-a-half seasons matched up against everyone from Kenny Smith (pictured) to Kobe Bryant._











_1996: In Payton's only trip to The Finals, he ran into a Bull named Michael. The Sonics fell in six games_











_1997: Payton and Shawn "Reign Man" Kemp were one of the game's most popular and athletic duos during their seven seasons together in Seattle._











_1998: "The Glove" dressed for rainy Seattle weather in this All-Star portrait. Payton has been named an All-Star nine times in his career._











_2000: Best known for his clean-cut dome, Payton grew his hair out for a stint in the 2000-01 season_










_2003: Payton was traded to Milwaukee midway through the 2002-03 season, where he helped the Bucks give Jason Kidd and the Nets all they could handle in the playoffs.
_












_2004: Payton and Malone's fiery leadership has helped take the Lakers back to The Finals._


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## Lynx (Mar 6, 2004)

I've cut/paste the important/funny parts of the article. 




*Malone's wit, wisdom help unify Lakers *










_Former Jazzman Karl Malone has been a wise veteran and good friend to the Los Angeles Lakers this season. He averaged 13.2 points and 8.7 rebunds during the regular season._

*By Phil Miller - The Salt Lake Tribune *

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Lakers envisioned Karl Malone as an embodiment of Dennis Rodman's rebounding, Kurt Rambis' defense and Vlade Divac's supplemental scoring this season, the perfect complement to their Shaq-and-Kobe core.

They didn't expect Malone to bring along Henry Kissinger, Dr. Phil and Bill Cosby, too. :bsmile:

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*"If he was a woman," Shaquille O'Neal deadpanned Thursday, "I'd kiss him." * :laugh:

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_Forty-year-old Karl Malone and Gary Payton, 36, are closing in on their first NBA championship ring, with the Lakers, who will play Detroit in the finals. _

He was the guy who kept us all together," said Gary Payton, who joined the Lakers last summer in part to play with Malone. "A lot of us went off to the wall, but with him, he pulled us aside, talked to us, worked out a lot of things." 










_Kobe Bryant and Karl Malone, who both live in Newport Beach, Calif., have become good friends since the Mailman joined the Lakers_

Malone has even bridged the Lakers' continental divide, becoming a close friend to both O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, superstars whose regard for each other barely stretches to tolerance. Malone lives near Bryant in Newport Beach and has made the guard's mental health while coping with a rape trial his own personal project. 

"We joke around with each other a lot," Bryant said. "I can talk about life with Karl, not just basketball. He's been terrific, on and off the court." 

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*"You have to have guys like Karl step in there and say, 'Look, we don't care about none of this. We have to do this, we have to do that. We have to focus on ourselves,' and that's what we did," Payton said. "We didn't have no distractions this year -- you [media] guys wrote the distractions, but we didn't have none. All we did was step on the plane and have fun. Play cards, play dominoes, and stay focused." * :yes:

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More article can be read by clicking *here*


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