# What made Los Angeles perform so badly in 1991?



## Zeeboe

In my view, if the Lakers from the 80's took on Jordan and the Bulls from the 90's, Magic and the boys would have beaten them in seven games.

1991 was a bad year though. Lots of new young guys who couldn't play too good, Mike Dunleavy was a rookie as a coach and Magic and Worthy were older and age slowed them down a little and they just could not keep up with the younger Bulls team.

Such a shame too. I recall watching game 1 of that series thinking that it was going to be a classic and was a dream come true and it all ended in fives games with Jordan destorying Magic. Only close games were games 1 and 3. The rest were all blow-out's.

I also know many fans think that Scottie Pippen was the reason Magic Johnson had trouble in the games but that is nonsense. Here is something I got off another site that pretty much describes my feelings on the myth that Pippen "took the magic out of the ball".

"First: Lets disspell a myth. Scottie Pippen did not "shut down" Magic Johnson in the 1991 NBA Finals:

Johnson's numbers in the 1991 NBA Finals:

Game Pts Rebs Ast 
1 19 10 11 
2* 14 7 10 
3* 22 6 10 
4* 22 6 11 
5* 16 11 20 

* games when Johnson was guarded by Pippen

Johnsons's 1991 NBA Finals Stats: 18.6ppg 8.0rpg 12.4apg 
Johnson's 1991 NBA Finals stats while guarded by Pippen: 18.5ppg 7.5rpg 12.8apg 
Johnson's 1990-91 Regular season stats 19.4ppg 7.0apg 12.5apg 

When you consider that an assist causes your team to score 2 points, Johnson was actually more productive for his team (by a tiny fraction) while guarded by Pippen than he was in Game 1 of the 1991 NBA Finals or the 1990-91 regular season. 

While Scottie deserves credit for keeping Magic from completely "going off" in the series, Pippen only slowed Johnson down in Game 2. In games 3-5 Johnson averaged 20ppg, 7.7rpg 13.7apg, all better than his regular season numbers. Pippen was a great defender but, Johnson, -like all of the game's All Time Greats do in big games- still "got his" while he was guarded by Scottie Pippen. Johnson even had 20 assists in game 5 when his two long time trusted options: James Worthy and Byron Scott, were out with injuries.


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## PauloCatarino

Must...Refrain..To...Post...In...This...Thread... :curse:


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## Zeeboe

Why? Post please. I made this thread to have a discussion. I don't care if you agree or disagree. My feelings won't be hurt if you disagree and my ego won't grow if you do agree.

I realize the Lakers had a good record that year, winning a respectable 58 games and did make it to the championship round but there is no denying they got beat badly in the finals by Jordan and the Bulls. I mean losing in seven or six games is not bad, but losing in five games or getting sweeped IS pretty bad.

Or perhaps you are a hard-core Bulls fan and did not like my comments made about the Bulls.

Either way, I'd like to read some opinions, yours included PauloCatarino.


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## NOODLESTYLE

No the Lakers were missing one key player from all the championships:

KAREEM ABDUL JABAR.


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## Zeeboe

But he was with them in 83', 84', and 89' and they didn't do too well.


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## NOODLESTYLE

wasn't 89 the year the played the Pistons in the Finals, but Magic and Byron Scott were hurt? The Finals is still the Finals tho right? but then again we're talking about Michael Jordan and the Bulls it was just their destiny. Beating the Lakers just gave them even more momentum to win more championships. I think a better question is, would Houston win those championships if Michael Jordan still remained with the Bulls?


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## PauloCatarino

Zeeboe said:


> Why? Post please. I made this thread to have a discussion. I don't care if you agree or disagree. My feelings won't be hurt if you disagree and my ego won't grow if you do agree.
> 
> I realize the Lakers had a good record that year, winning a respectable 58 games and did make it to the championship round but there is no denying they got beat badly in the finals by Jordan and the Bulls. I mean losing in seven or six games is not bad, but losing in five games or getting sweeped IS pretty bad.
> 
> Or perhaps you are a hard-core Bulls fan and did not like my comments made about the Bulls.
> 
> Either way, I'd like to read some opinions, yours included PauloCatarino.


All right, i'll bite.

Here's my take:

*1- James Worthy.*
Big Game James was the Laker Mailman: he allways delivered. James got hurt in the WCF against the Blazers, and wasn't himself in the Finals. Sure, people will say he still got his numbers, and all, from games 1-to-3, but that's crap: Worthy was not the guy to "get his points". He was supposed to be the difference-maker in that series. James Worthy was an unguardable player. when he got the ball in the low post, he was money. Nor Jordan, nor Pippen would be able to check him. Horace Grant, maybe, but James was to quick for him.
Going in, everybody knew that Magic would be the center of attention for the Bulls defense. The original plan was to stick Jordan on Magic and have another guy help. And stick Pippen on Worthy. When Jackson saw that Worthy was a non-factor, he was pretty happy to exchange roles: get Pippen (and help) on Magic, and simply pressure Worthy. It worked. 
Not being able to rely on Worthy in scoring (and with Byron Scott playing like crap), the Lakers had no *effective* scoring punch. 

*2- Byron Scott.*
One of the greatest disappearing acts of all-time. Byron Scott, who averaged 35 minutes per game, had something like 4.5-1.8-1.8 to show for. His display in the Finals was horrific. The Lakers counted upon him to provide the offense (mainly from the distance) Magic (heavily guarded) and Worthy (injured) couldn't deliver, and he failed miserabily. 
I don't know what happened, but Scott turned into a wuss with a weak wrist. That was a dagger in the Lakers' offense.

*3- Bench:*
The Bulls were a much, much younger team and could have their players go for 40+mpg. The Lakers couldn't afford that, and relied on their bench to keep up the production. The Laker bench was non-existant. The veteran AC Green shot in the 30's. The bum Teagle (hired form Golden State for his "instant offense") also shot in his 30s. And that was the Lakers bench. Nothing more.

*4- Defense:*
The Lakers post defense was horrid: a slow Perkins and a green Divac. and nothing more.

That about sums it up.


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## The MAMBA

Because the Bulls were better.


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## Zeeboe

The MAMBA said:


> Because the Bulls were better.


Why do you think that? That is the question I am asking here but I believe PauloCatarino summed it up the best.

I would also like to add that the Pistons were having injury and aging troubles in 1991 as well and that is why they were beaten so badly, just like Magic and the Lakers.

If the 80's Lakers took on the 90's Bulls, I truly believe Magic and Jabbar would win it for them in six or seven games.

If the Pistons...when they were in their prime were to take on the Bulls when they were in their prime, I'd say the victory would go to the Bulls.

But it's a shame with what happened in 91'....the ECF and the Finals should have been better and more exicting. Not a blow out. But the injury bug really bite into L.A. and Detroit that year.


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## compsciguy78

I really thought the Lakers were going to take this series. The bulls were the young inexperienced team and Lakers were the vets. 


The Bulls were hungrier and the Lakers looked old and slow. Mike Jordan wanted this one and he took it like the man he was. 


I hate seeing that Jordan "be like mike" layup where he brings the ball down with his right hand and finishes with the left while hanging in the paint. That was the 1991 finals. That layup has been overblown and I didn't think it was very spectacular when I saw it live. He made the Lakers look old. Mike sucks.


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## Zeeboe

I agree. I recall seeing that shot as a child and I think it is very over-rated.

I really wish the Lakers would have just won, ONE other game and that the Bulls could have won in six games because I hated seeing Magic get beaten that badly. At least if he won two games, it wouldn't have been as bad.


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