Da sich hier Leutchens die Freiheit nehmen, Soccer postings zu machen, will ich mal die Schons nutzen und nen geilen Artikel aus der Sacramento Bee (immerhin gehts auch um Bball) posten (zugegeben nur was für Freaks, aber geil geschrieben):
Ailene Voisin: Lakers' dynasty due to be dismantled
By Ailene Voisin
Published 2:15 am PDT Wednesday, June 16, 2004
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The ending was a fast-paced Hollywood horror show, except, of course, for Detroit Pistons fans.
And Kings fans.
And Red Auerbach and his fans.
And anyone else out there who wearied of Shaq and Kobe, of Phil and Jeanie, of a Los Angeles Lakers team that won three consecutive NBA championships (2000 to 2002) and seemed to catch all the breaks from the referees (Game 6) and the basketball gods. Seriously, does Robert Horry stroke that game-winning three two years ago for any other club? Does Derek Fisher convert that last-second prayer mere weeks ago if attired in a Clippers jersey? Does any other club in recent seasons storm into Arco Arena and steal away with that seventh game? With game after game?
It all ends, at least for now.
Still, in a sense, it's a shame.
It was certainly fascinating to watch from afar.
All those rings, all those feuds, all those weird angles coming out of L.A.
Even if you didn't like the Lakers, you had to appreciate their sense of serial drama. They were nothing if not entertaining. They always had something to say, something to prove. But as Shaquille O'Neal indicated late Tuesday after the Pistons had completed their dismantling of his once-and-mighty Lakers,"This summer is going to be a different summer for a lot of people. Everyone is going to take care of their own business, and everyone is going to do what is best for them, including me."
Shaq, at least he has a year remaining on his deal; the best he can hope for is a trade. There have been murmurings that he wants to return to Orlando, where he continues to maintain his primary residence. Derek Fisher, Karl Malone, Rick Fox, Gary Payton, other Lakers who matter, can all opt out of their contracts.
And of course, of greatest interest is whether Kobe Bryant -who reiterated his intention to opt out of his contract - re-signs with the club or considers offers from, say, the Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs and crosstown Clippers.
But Phil Jackson beat them all out the door.
The triangle and its long-limbed, loose-lipped coach apparently will be going on sabbatical for a while. With four of his adult children standing behind him, his two teary-eyed daughters wearing O'Neal replica jerseys, Jackson demonstrated that he has retained both his wry humor and his philosophical leanings despite his first championship series defeat. The coach who was 9-0 in NBA Finals, who was seemingly invincible, was suddenly vulnerable.
"Right now, I would say that it's a pretty slim chance that I'll be back coaching next year," he said, when pressed about his future plans. "It's a pretty slim chance. I've had a lot of persuasion given to me by these kids. They were hoping I could win the 10th and retire. But maybe losing this one, this opportunity is enough for me to say that it's time to give it up."
Though his agent, Todd Musburger, later stood in the hallway, clarifying that, "I don't think he's saying he won't ever be back on the sidelines," Jackson, his limp pronounced as he guided his children into a private room, looked like a man in need of an extended break, as if he had seen enough of a team that performed like a broken-down machine.
His Lakers took a licking, took one on the chin.
His Lakers stumbled badly, worse than any of his previous squads.
In a series that was indeed a mismatch, though not the one that almost everyone expected, the Lakers lost to a deeper, younger, longer, more athletic team. To an undeniably better team. Adhering to a pattern that was established in the series opener in Staples Center, Larry Brown's assemblage of hard hats defended ferociously, dominated the boards, executed their pick-and-rolls, backcuts, open jumpers, transition opportunities.
The Pistons played with the sense of purpose, of commitment, that the Lakers used to display. Performed as if they bought into their coaches' philosophy - and we're talking about the best coach in the league here in Brown - and his nightly mantra that, by "playing the right way," the underdogs could slay the dragon.
Oh, they believe.
Oh, yes, so do the Lakers.
"They flat-out beat us," said O'Neal. "They just came out and played real good team ball. Congratulations to them."
With that, off they went. Malone to mull a possible retirement. Jackson probably to the mountains of Montana. Fox perhaps off to the movies. Off they went, perhaps for a final time.
But it was entertaining, it was always that.
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About the Writer: Reach Ailene Voisin at (916) 321-1208 or
avoisin@ sacbee.com. Back columns:
www.sacbee.com/voisin.
Quelle: ww.sacbee.com
