Everyone is talking about the new Lakers. Getting Malone and the Glove. They say they will win more than 60 games on ESPN. Let say this more stars doesn't always mean more wins. Team ball beats stars everyday. Look at the Rockets in 96 with Hakkem,Drexler,Barkley. Eveyone said ol there is a dream team. And what happened. Nothing!!!. You can have 5 stars on the team but one person is going to shoot the ball. I just don't believe that Kobe and Shaq games meshes with malone. Payton will be ok but by mid season I think the fighting will start if they don't start off good. And I don't think they will because it takes a couple of years of playing together to know each other tendacies. I really don't see anyone in the west that can't be had. If the rockets learn team ball from the new coach. They could move up in the league. If not then it's time to dump some players and find ones that will play team ball. Remember the 94 and 95 championships were won by diff players stepping up every game and hitting shots. Not superstars but just great team ball and good outside shooting. The rockets are building a good inside threat. But until they can team team honest with the outside shot it's going to be tough. We have most of the players to be a great team. I feel we still need that outside threat that we don't have. I guess I believe still in the inside outside game. It's won us 2 championships and the Lakers some too. My point is Lakers with 5 stars can be beat with a good team ball playing team. Thats what we need to learn to be.
wrong forum dude.... but you are right if they start off losing, sit back and watch the sparks fly....... To many egos, It won't mesh Malone is old anyway, I don't even count him....GP was a good pick up though Mailman is not abruiser post up guy anymore, which is what Shaq needs, they missed the boat on this one Mailman is a 38 year old jump shootin power forward now, last I checked, they don't run the pick and Roll in LA
The new Lakers will have to learn how to play together. But they will be good. Remember that Shaq and Kobe are still young (30/25). They will carry the load. Malone and Payton, both have kept themselves in good shape. They will help a lot. But it's still Shaq/Kobe's show. I remember playing the Jazz last year (the night the lights went out) and Malone was still unstoppable. Griff did a good job, but still got beat.
Put Kobe, Payton and Malone out there and see how much they win. It all rest on Shaq and how much he can play. He has always relaxed in the off season and got bigger, then worked his way into shape when the season started. Hey that works great when you are younger and weigh less, how many years did Hakeem do it? But remember when Hakeem started having injuries they just continued to get worse, well Shaq has had injuries the last two years. Seems to me he has started to go through what we all watched Hakeem go through for his last years with injuries.
Keep in mind that this gives the Lakers depth at the superstar level. If Kobe or Shaq goes out for a few months with an injury, they've still got the best team in the league.
if the rumors about the Daddy getting serious are true, it doesnt matter who they sign....wrap it up....CAN YOU DIG IT!!!!!!!!!
I can not believe anyone could really believe that statement, much less a Rocket fan. Take Kobe and Shaq off and you have Payton and Malone with less then what was there last year and you really think they win????
I think he meant Shaq OR Kobe got injured not Shaq and Kobe. Though it is still a stretch that a Shaq or Kobe less Lakers is the best team in the league.
There is no way Malone will only play 20 minutes a game. Is he coming off of the bench? Maybe he will get spot minutes when Shaq is resting, get into the game the last minute of each quarter so Shaq won't pick up a silly foul, and get to play the last 5 minutes of a rout. I see Malone playing at least 30 min per game. I can see him playing the way Ho Grant used to play in the Chicago triangle. He will get his touches and with him not having to put up so many shots, focus on rebounding and get back to his 10 RPG career average.
