OFFICIAL LAKERS @ suns 2/20 ESPN

[darthska]

Shaq with the Heat was not a problem with me personally.

First of all, I wanted to keep Shaq way back when and let Kobe walk to Chicago or the Clippers or wherever he wanted. (Save the comments like, "Well whatdo you think now?" #1- That will only turn this into a comparison thread. #2- Shaq did get another ring.)

Secondly, even if I didn't want to keep Shaq and I wanted to keep Kobe and let Shaq walk, I couldn't have let him go with ill feelings. Dude was ourFinals MVP for all three of our most recent titles! I can't hate on that. Dude was the Big MDE.

But with the SUNS?

All that goes out the window.

the Magic Shaq = not a problem; fun to watch
the Laker Shaq = APPRECIATED
the Heat Shaq = not a problem
the Sun Shaq = can't be appreciated

It's going to be hilarious watching him flop all over the place, because he has flopped VERY few times in his career, and has said HUNDREDS of times thathe hates floppers and flopping. And now... he's a SUN?!

That's like a guy saying they HATE playing defense and they just like to run, run,RUN... and then he goes to the Pistons or Spurs.

 

[darth dnzy]

Originally Posted by BullsRepeat3Peat

damn........... once again... I don't get how you guys hate on Shaq that much especially when he won you 3 titles

........

probably cause he's a PHX Sun though.... I understand the fans of both teams hate each other here on NT

--I will always respect Shaq for the 3peat.But come gametime and he's the opposition, he will be hated on for 2 and a half hours.

--GO Lakers!!

 

[kb8sandiego]

LET'S
GO
LAY
KURZ!!!!

Shaq plays no more than 25 minutes.....





Due to foul trouble.

 

[acidicality]

I wish both of these teams would lose. That said, Shaq won't play too much

 

[bullsrepeat3peat]

Man put it this how would you treat Michael Jordan if he left Chicago like Shaq left LA? Where Shaq trashed the Lakers Organization, Dr. Buss, The Buss Family, Mitch Kupchak, the city of LA and Laker fans while he was in Miami.
I'm not exactly sure how he left LA... I didn't follow the situation very closely.according to what I heard Shaq wanted more $$ and Busswasn't willing to pay him. not to mention the feuds between Shaq & Kobe didn't help much and the fact that they lost in 04

... If itwasn't for Shaq's ego & Kobe's ego I honestly think the Lakers could have won 4-5 titles with that same core....... So pretty much Shaq haddisagreements with Buss, much like Jordan did with Krause, unless I'm mistaken...

but I know that in Chicago the GM Krause pretty much broke up a championship team because of his own ego...... MJ had disagreements with him, as well as Philand Pip..... he refused to resign Phil, which led to MJ's retirement, Pip & Rodman leaving, etc.... but Mike was pretty demanding of the Bullsmanagement as well.. I'm not sure how much Shaq was asking Buss for but MJ was asking for $36 mil for the 97-98 season (he got $33 mil).... and I don'thave feelings against Mike, Pip, or any of the players or even Phil because if you followed that team every day it was easy to see Krause didn't likePhil....


maybe if they had won in 04 you guys would have lighter feelings for Shaq?

 

[you big dummy]

Suns

 

[pinoy baller]

GO LAKERS!

 

[kidskillz858]

Originally Posted by BullsRepeat3Peat

Man put it this how would you treat Michael Jordan if he left Chicago like Shaq left LA? Where Shaq trashed the Lakers Organization, Dr. Buss, The Buss Family, Mitch Kupchak, the city of LA and Laker fans while he was in Miami.

I'm not exactly sure how he left LA... I didn't follow the situation very closely.according to what I heard Shaq wanted more $$ and Buss wasn't willing to pay him. not to mention the feuds between Shaq & Kobe didn't help much and the fact that they lost in 04

... If it wasn't for Shaq's ego & Kobe's ego I honestly think the Lakers could have won 4-5 titles with that same core....... So pretty much Shaq had disagreements with Buss, much like Jordan did with Krause, unless I'm mistaken...

but I know that in Chicago the GM Krause pretty much broke up a championship team because of his own ego...... MJ had disagreements with him, as well as Phil and Pip..... he refused to resign Phil, which led to MJ's retirement, Pip & Rodman leaving, etc.... but Mike was pretty demanding of the Bulls management as well.. I'm not sure how much Shaq was asking Buss for but MJ was asking for $36 mil for the 97-98 season (he got $33 mil).... and I don't have feelings against Mike, Pip, or any of the players or even Phil because if you followed that team every day it was easy to see Krause didn't like Phil....


maybe if they had won in 04 you guys would have lighter feelings for Shaq?


Shaq was demanding $30 million per season which he says Dr. Buss promised him on his next extension at that time.Shaq could have gotten that much a year ifthe Lakers & Dr. Buss were stupid enough to give it to him because Shaq had a gandfathered in contract from the old CBA.No franchise in the league or GMwas going to pay Shaq that much.

 

[slow motion g35]

I think the consensus Lakers fans still love Shaq more than they do Kobe. Mostly because Shaq knows how to work the media and the fans, while kobe is a greatplayer on the court, he really talks with" too much ego" and the media eats it up for the Kobe haters.

I asked 15 of the All-Star Weekend participants whom they would want to see get a championship ring, other than themselves. Their responses showed players value the same things the fans do: effort, dedication and teamwork.

It didn't surprise me that the winner was Kevin Garnett. He is beloved and respected around the league. But I wasn't prepared for such a slim margin of victory or the identity of the runner-up: Steve Nash. You don't see people rushing to say they are big fans of his, much the same way people don't voluntarily say they love Lionel Richie songs, but they definitely don't change the radio station when he comes on.

Nash himself was surprised.

"I didn't know they cared," he said.

Garnett, meanwhile, appeared to be genuinely moved.

"That's shocking, actually," he said. "It feels great. It feels good to know that the people you play against or people you battle against actually have a level of respect or appreciation for certain things. That says a lot. It says a lot about the class and the character of this league."

Garnett received six votes to Nash's five.

Others receiving votes were:

• Jason Kidd ("He's an unbelievably great player; guys like that, you want to see them have success," Dwyane Wade said.)

• Allen Iverson (Chauncey Billups put the guard on the top of his list.)

• Ray Allen ("He always conducted himself as a professional on and off the court," said fellow UConn alum Caron Butler.)

There was one notable abstention in the voting: the ultra-competitive Kobe Bryant. "If it ain't us, I don't care," Kobe said.

I don't know what Kobe is thinking or if hes even thinking but it would help if gave a better answer than that.

Anyways, the players are tight lip about tomorrows game, 2nd place is at stake, and it might determine who wins the division.

 

[mrmossyman84]

I'll be tuning in...

shaq/kidd make their debuts tomorrow and Bibby returns to sac-town...i love league pass

 

[bullsrepeat3peat]

Originally Posted by Kidskillz858

Originally Posted by BullsRepeat3Peat

Man put it this how would you treat Michael Jordan if he left Chicago like Shaq left LA? Where Shaq trashed the Lakers Organization, Dr. Buss, The Buss Family, Mitch Kupchak, the city of LA and Laker fans while he was in Miami.

I'm not exactly sure how he left LA... I didn't follow the situation very closely.according to what I heard Shaq wanted more $$ and Buss wasn't willing to pay him. not to mention the feuds between Shaq & Kobe didn't help much and the fact that they lost in 04

... If it wasn't for Shaq's ego & Kobe's ego I honestly think the Lakers could have won 4-5 titles with that same core....... So pretty much Shaq had disagreements with Buss, much like Jordan did with Krause, unless I'm mistaken...

but I know that in Chicago the GM Krause pretty much broke up a championship team because of his own ego...... MJ had disagreements with him, as well as Phil and Pip..... he refused to resign Phil, which led to MJ's retirement, Pip & Rodman leaving, etc.... but Mike was pretty demanding of the Bulls management as well.. I'm not sure how much Shaq was asking Buss for but MJ was asking for $36 mil for the 97-98 season (he got $33 mil).... and I don't have feelings against Mike, Pip, or any of the players or even Phil because if you followed that team every day it was easy to see Krause didn't like Phil....


maybe if they had won in 04 you guys would have lighter feelings for Shaq?

Shaq was demanding $30 million per season which he says Dr. Buss promised him on his next extension at that time.Shaq could have gotten that much a year if the Lakers & Dr. Buss were stupid enough to give it to him because Shaq had a gandfathered in contract from the old CBA.No franchise in the league or GM was going to pay Shaq that much.


damn........ I guess it had to be done then

....

also I heard so many stories about this dudes infamous big toe

.... not to mention I heard once that he'd bring a "doctors note" to excuse him from playing if he didn't get the $$ he wanted...... and that "company time" surgery issue...... but I guess Buss made the right decision then if he was asking for that much....maybe if they had won in 03 and/or 04 things might be different..... I'm not too sure though..

 

[kidskillz858]

Originally Posted by BullsRepeat3Peat

Originally Posted by Kidskillz858

Originally Posted by BullsRepeat3Peat

Man put it this how would you treat Michael Jordan if he left Chicago like Shaq left LA? Where Shaq trashed the Lakers Organization, Dr. Buss, The Buss Family, Mitch Kupchak, the city of LA and Laker fans while he was in Miami.

I'm not exactly sure how he left LA... I didn't follow the situation very closely.according to what I heard Shaq wanted more $$ and Buss wasn't willing to pay him. not to mention the feuds between Shaq & Kobe didn't help much and the fact that they lost in 04

... If it wasn't for Shaq's ego & Kobe's ego I honestly think the Lakers could have won 4-5 titles with that same core....... So pretty much Shaq had disagreements with Buss, much like Jordan did with Krause, unless I'm mistaken...

but I know that in Chicago the GM Krause pretty much broke up a championship team because of his own ego...... MJ had disagreements with him, as well as Phil and Pip..... he refused to resign Phil, which led to MJ's retirement, Pip & Rodman leaving, etc.... but Mike was pretty demanding of the Bulls management as well.. I'm not sure how much Shaq was asking Buss for but MJ was asking for $36 mil for the 97-98 season (he got $33 mil).... and I don't have feelings against Mike, Pip, or any of the players or even Phil because if you followed that team every day it was easy to see Krause didn't like Phil....


maybe if they had won in 04 you guys would have lighter feelings for Shaq?

Shaq was demanding $30 million per season which he says Dr. Buss promised him on his next extension at that time.Shaq could have gotten that much a year if the Lakers & Dr. Buss were stupid enough to give it to him because Shaq had a gandfathered in contract from the old CBA.No franchise in the league or GM was going to pay Shaq that much.

damn........ I guess it had to be done then

....

also I heard so many stories about this dudes infamous big toe

.... not to mention I heard once that he'd bring a "doctors note" to excuse him from playing if he didn't get the $$ he wanted...... and that "company time" surgery issue...... but I guess Buss made the right decision then if he was asking for that much.... maybe if they had won in 03 and/or 04 things might be different..... I'm not too sure though..


Yup here is Shaq's quote when he came into training camp for the 02-03 season "I feel I should be allowed to take company time off to get my toesurgery done, because I got injured on company time".That season the Lakers got out to a bad start and ended up with the 6th seed in the west and lost tothe Spurs in 2nd round of the playoffs.The following season during a pre season game in Hawaii Shaq after a dunk turns to where Dr. Buss is sitting in thestands and yells out to him "Now will you F*cking pay me" .If you watched the 2004 finals you would have saw Shaq getting out rebounded in each gameby Sheed & Big Ben.

 

[jch3]

No excuse for the Suns to drop this one.

Especially since the Lakers are 1 (damn) GB of the Suns.

I understand all of the hate for PHX/LAL fans here on NT, but I am just looking forward to seeing a great rivalry tomorrow night.

Even though these predictions are pointless, I'll go ahead and say the Suns take it by 4.

 

[sohi 23]

Lakers vs. Suns = Best rivalry in the NBA today
Thoughts?

 

[presequel]

Originally Posted by Slow Motion G35

I think the consensus Lakers fans still love Shaq more than they do Kobe. Mostly because Shaq knows how to work the media and the fans, while kobe is a great player on the court, he really talks with" too much ego" and the media eats it up for the Kobe haters.

I asked 15 of the All-Star Weekend participants whom they would want to see get a championship ring, other than themselves. Their responses showed players value the same things the fans do: effort, dedication and teamwork.

It didn't surprise me that the winner was Kevin Garnett. He is beloved and respected around the league. But I wasn't prepared for such a slim margin of victory or the identity of the runner-up: Steve Nash. You don't see people rushing to say they are big fans of his, much the same way people don't voluntarily say they love Lionel Richie songs, but they definitely don't change the radio station when he comes on.

Nash himself was surprised.

"I didn't know they cared," he said.

Garnett, meanwhile, appeared to be genuinely moved.

"That's shocking, actually," he said. "It feels great. It feels good to know that the people you play against or people you battle against actually have a level of respect or appreciation for certain things. That says a lot. It says a lot about the class and the character of this league."

Garnett received six votes to Nash's five.

Others receiving votes were:

• Jason Kidd ("He's an unbelievably great player; guys like that, you want to see them have success," Dwyane Wade said.)

• Allen Iverson (Chauncey Billups put the guard on the top of his list.)

• Ray Allen ("He always conducted himself as a professional on and off the court," said fellow UConn alum Caron Butler.)

There was one notable abstention in the voting: the ultra-competitive Kobe Bryant. "If it ain't us, I don't care," Kobe said.

I don't know what Kobe is thinking or if hes even thinking but it would help if gave a better answer than that.

Anyways, the players are tight lip about tomorrows game, 2nd place is at stake, and it might determine who wins the division.



Kobe got 3 rings already......why would anyone want to see him get another?

 

[noblekane]

suns win by 13.

we always choke in phoenix except for the one time early in the year

 

[la all day]

there are so many reasons why the Lakers need to win this game; get on top of the division, tie breaker w/PHX, ruin shaq's debut, mental edge, etc.

this is definitely not just another game

I just hope the game is competitive and the Lakers can pull out the W on the road. I think the Lakers will be ready though

 

[ai bundy]

Shaq disrespected the Lakers, the organization, the fans, the city. I don't really take sports personally so I don't really care. But it's quiteobvious why Laker fans would resent Shaq, the guy left town acting like a bitter jack off. The Lakers were great long before Shaq got here, and they'll befine long after him.

 

[rapsa]

explosive game for sure!Suns by 15!O'Neal goes for 30 points and 15 rebounds!

 

[8tothe24]

Let's go Lakers!

 

[Los Angeles]

No way shaq plays more than 15 minutes.

With that said, pau needs to contain amare. And dfish needs nash to play some dfense - even it means driving it to the basket and always ending up on thefloor.

Lets go lakeshowwwwww

 

[lamarownsem]

I don't know if Lamar can guard Stoudemire. Maybe we should start Turiaf at 4 just so a bigger body is on him and slide Lamar to the 3.

 

[gordon gartrelle]

Slobbo Snaq-vedenko on a stretcher by the middle of the second period -- 5 pts. 5 fouls, 4 turnovers - triple single baby!

Gasol - 25+ points
Kobe - 30+ points

 

[darth dnzy]

Originally Posted by LamarOwnsem

I don't know if Lamar can guard Stoudemire. Maybe we should start Turiaf at 4 just so a bigger body is on him and slide Lamar to the 3.

--There's no way Lamar or Pau can contain Amare. Hopefully Amare has an "off" night.

--Lakers must defend that 3-point line and win the boards/limit turnovers to insure victory. We already know both these teams can put up points no problem.Once again..GO Lakers!!

 

[jdiddy931]

wow i didnt even notice odom will be guarding amare.. Give the ball to STAT.

Suns win. Shaq dunks on kobe and looks at the crowd and smiles