80's Lakers vs Suns

[Mainstreet]

I would follow Magic and Kareem (while in their prime) into any mythical basketball war. I think people forget how good Kareem and Magic were. My friend was a Laker fan so I had to endure a lot. I never could mount an argument against Kareem so I tried to focus on Magic's game. What I learned about Magic, he would near always make the right play at the right time to beat a team. He didn't have to score to get the job done. However, make no mistake, Magic could score at will whenever needed. I know it gets said a lot, but Magic could literally play all five positions on the court with ease... and play them superbly.

 

[abomb]

Cocaine is a hell of a drug.

 

[D-Dogg]

they only people who have any question about this are Laker fans.

No.

 

[D-Dogg]

Kareem would eat shaq's lunch in front of him, push him down and use his neck to wipe his shoes. And that's freaking 80s Cap. Shaq was destroyed by The Dream...Cap would have rained all day long on Shaq.

The thing about your comparisons is they aren't even somewhat alike. They are guys who play similar positions.

 

[ajcardfan]

Kevin Johnson was a much tougher matchup for Magic than Steve Nash could ever hope to be. No one ever tortured Magic as much as KJ did. Magic just couldn't guard him. KJ always lit up John Stockton too.

Imagine if KJ hadn't spent about half his career hobbled by injuries. We would have a title, and he'd be in the HOF.

 

[Ronin]

magic was good, but there is no question that MJ was the best ever.

No love for this man?..

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...rubbish!

 

[TheHopToad]

Amare > Mychal Thompson. That's it.

80's Lakers would sweep any Suns team in history. One of the games might be single digits though....

 

[ajcardfan]

Amare > Mychal Thompson. That's it.

80's Lakers would sweep any Suns team in history. One of the games might be single digits though....

Well, they did sweep us three times in the 80s. But, we took them to six games in the conference finals in 1984 and knocked them off in five games in 1990. (Still the greatest playoffs feeling ever in my book.) I'll count that as "80's Lakers" because the season started in 89.

 

[BC867]

No love for this man?..

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...rubbish!

Defensive stars, such as Russ, never get the accolades.

Wilt Chamberlain got the glory (and the women). Bill Russell got the rings.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Well, they did sweep us three times in the 80s. But, we took them to six games in the conference finals in 1984 and knocked them off in five games in 1990. (Still the greatest playoffs feeling ever in my book.) I'll count that as "80's Lakers" because the season started in 89.

that team didn't have Kareem anymore. I think that definitely takes them out of the realm of 80's Lakers.

that being said, it was awesome when we beat them with Cotton's butterfly collar flapping around in Game 1.

 

[mojorizen7]

that team didn't have Kareem anymore. I think that definitely takes them out of the realm of 80's Lakers.

that being said, it was awesome when we beat them with Cotton's butterfly collar flapping around in Game 1.

Wasn't that the series where Mark West looked & played like an all-star center because the refs swallowed their whistles for some reason and allowed Big Daddy to actually play basketball for once?

 

[Mainstreet]

When the Suns finally did beat Magic Johnson and the Lakers in that 1990 series it was partially because Dan Majerle was assigned to dog Magic all game long full court and never allow him to make the the long outlet passes he used to make. Majerle really punished Magic defensively like I had never seen before or after. Majerle could play some defense back then. This was the only time I have ever seen Magic tired. Unfortunately Magic retired a year or so later due to health reasons. Sometimes I wonder if the Magic's health and Majerle's defense were intertwined.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Wasn't that the series where Mark West looked & played like an all-star center because the refs swallowed their whistles for some reason and allowed Big Daddy to actually play basketball for once?

yup.

 

[Mainstreet]

Defensive stars, such as Russ, never get the accolades.

I hereby officially give Bill Russell all the accolades he rightfully deserves... but he already has the rings to prove it.

When I was young I used to watch in awe as Bill Russell could quiet Wilt Chamberlain down. I found it almost unbelievable. It seemed like David (Bill Russell) versus Goliath (Wilt Chamberlain).

The reason I like Kareem so much is because he was the whole package. If a center were ever to be cloned, Kareem should be the prototype.