Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, I was polishing my darts.

I don't think I'm any more than a casual NBA fan, so I don't know all the specific dynamics that went on between Shaq and Kobe. The impression I had was Kobe didn't want Shaq there, so Shaq found another team that did want him. Was it because he had grown lazy? Could be. Was it because Kobe wanted more limelight? That's my impression.

Since then, the results say: Shaq has another ring, Kobe has yet to win another post-season series. Again, just a (barely) casual fan's impression.

Now, where did I put my monogrammed blindfold?...

That was my impression as well. I really liked that team and every time Kobe would open his mouth it was as if he felt he deserved more credit for what the team did. Say what you want to about Shaq, but he makes other players better and when he went to Miami, he gave all the praise and responsibility to Wade. When Shaq was with the Lakers he would talk about how Kobe is the best player in the NBA. Kobe never seemed to humble himself enough (at least in interviews) to be satisfied that he was apart of a group that was successful rather than trying to make it seem like no one was giving him credit.

Peace

tomegun, you have defended Kobe vigorously in the past also, which sends the clear impression that you are a Kobe fan. That's great, but even a Kobe fan should remember that it was Kobe who had all the interviews where he blasted away at Shaq and other players on the Lakers at that time, and it was Kobe who made statements about wanting the ball more and comparing himself to Jordan, etc., etc...my memory may be faulty at times, but that's certainly the way I remember it going down.
So Kobe did play a role in Shaq leaving, and the Lakers have gone downhill since then...one of the main reasons that they don't have that second "weapon" is because it seems that very few of the stars want to play with Kobe after all of that happened in the past.

I do not think it even matters who wants to play with Kobe. There are not many Shaqs running around in the NBA to be such a force in the middle. He pushed away one of the great players that can defend and score in the middle. Ben Wallace who is a great defensive player cannot even help out on the offensive end with that kind of frequency. When Wallace was with the Pistons, he was about the only starter on that team that was not an offensive threat. You need more than one man teams in the game of basketball. Even Jordan has a few players that could step up when he was not completely on.

Peace

Agreed....

No, but I can see where you would get that impression. Since 1979 I have been a Laker fan first and foremost. If Kobe left today he would be public enemy #1. Do I think Kobe is perfect? NO! I think Kobe makes the game harder than it has to be. I think Kobe has done some really punk things in the past. However, besides being the jolly giant, Shaq was to blame also. If casual observers can't see that, look harder. Why is he still working his way into shape right before the playoffs? Why would he wait until September to get surgery on a toe that could have been operated on in June or July? For all Shaq has done good, any basketball fan should be able to see that he hasn't taken advantage of his God-given talent. THAT, is the #1 thing Kobe had a beef with. With all of Kobe's faults - he has many to me - he is still the best player in the world right now.
I can't address them all, but some of you guys have made some observations that I agree with, in part at least. I will leave with this question.

Should Avery Johnson be fired? After the finals last year and the first round this year, I say yes.

Should he be fired? I'm not sure. Will he be fired? Most likely. After what is being called the worst playoff loss in history, #8 beating #1, something has got to happen. Isn't the coach usually the first to go? What are the odds the owner will get fired instead? (Insert tongue-in-cheek smilie here.)

It's not the first time a #8 has beaten a #1 (Dikembe's Nuggets did it to the Sonics and the Knicks actually made the Finals as an 8-seed in '94, I think); but it's the first time it's happened in a 7-game series.

And I don't even think it's the worst loss in playoff history, to be honest, for all the reasons that I mentioned in a previous post. They played the Mavs great all season. It wasn't a lucky fluke; it was just a really bad match-up for the Mavs.

It's also the first time a team with that many regular season wins has lost in the first round.

Not that I'm paying attention or anything.

I fear the Bulls. :cool:

"Bulls forward Luol Deng won the NBA's sportsmanship award Thursday...." - http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baske...ip-award_N.htm

That would be a knee-jerk reaction. I think everyone in the Dallas camp needs to step back and re-evaluate how they are going to move forward.

To me, the coaches don't win or lose games, the players do. However, they got handled pretty good, in fact too good. In a 7 game series and you are the more dominate team with home field advantage, that should not happen. Firing the coach will not improve your chances of winning next year with the same players, and you can not play a regular season any better than they did this year.

Firing the coach might mean you don't even make the playoff's next year, because we seem how these players truly play, which is a compliment to Avery that they won so many games this year. With that being said, something got to go. A major wheel is got to be replaced and they usually start with the management. What I don't understand, is what the hell happen to the Dallas defense.

Well, the Warriors beat 'em 7-2 this year, I think.
Sometimes one team just owns another team.

Bulls beat the Pistons 3 of 4. In the game the Pistons won, unlike the 3 losses, the Pistons played all 5 starters.

Raps lose by 1 at the buzzer. An entry pass to CB4 is intercepted. CB would have had time to dunk it for the win. Oh well.

Good job guys! Roster, coaches, and GM!

I was pulling for you guys. You really got jobbed by Vince Carter. I would've loved to see you get some revenge.