The dynsasty crubles before our eyes....great!!!
 

MINNEAPOLIS -- Los Angeles Lakers forward Rick Fox will miss the rest of the postseason with a torn tendon in his left foot that will require surgery.


Fox


An MRI test done Monday before the team departed Los Angeles revealed the damage. There was no estimated timetable for Fox's return.

Fox hasn't decided yet when he'll have the operation, team spokesman John Black said before the Lakers practiced in Minneapolis. He was hurt early in the first quarter of Sunday's 102-97 victory.

Fox averaged eight points in the first three games of the best-of-seven series. The first-round series is tied at two games apiece, with Game 5 at Minnesota on Tuesday night.

This is the best news I have heard all day. Fox is the best defender on the Lakers team, and will be sorely (no pun intended).

Sorely missed.

Laker bashing has almost exceeded Yankee bashing. Not quite - but almost.

I want to see them lose too. But not in the first round. Its like the evil character in a novel dying in the first chapter. Ya gotta have somebody to root against.

Fox is a great defender but I don't know if he's the best on the team, you still have Kobe and Fisher. And whether you hate the Lakers or love them, they're still the team to beat for now.

I agree with you about Kobe and Fisher being good defenders, but I have to disagree about the Lakers being the team to beat. Kobe has a dinged shoulder, and if you watched their last game, he did not play well. They are going to barely skrimp out of the first round, and the only game they looked good in was the first game in the series. That was when the had all of their guys healthy. Since then they have been playing mediocre basketball, and the loss to Fox is going to hurt them. He was playing 30-35 minutes per game, and now the their bench is even shorter. Wich translates into less minutes of rest for the team and more playing time. I love it!!

Obviously they're the team to beat or you wouldn't be running off about how great it is that they had some bad luck.

Kobe will probably rotate to Wally and Devean George will take Peeler. It's all good in the hood.

i think George is a better player than Fox anyways... George is a better athlete and rebounder.... look for Kobe to guard Hudson more, and Fisher to play Peeler.... George isn't a slouch on defense either.... remember he has to guard Kobe in practice....

Halx,
Your junior college psychology does not fly on this issue. I am rejoicing that the Lakers are having bad luck not because they are the team to beat, obviously, but because I do not like arrogance. The Lakers are the epitome of arrogance, and that is why I revel at their bad luck. You can just tell their sphincters are the size of peas knowing that they are going to get knocked out of the playoffs this year. Halx, do you honestly think that the Lakers are going to beat San Antonio, Dallas, or Sacramento? They would be lucky to have enough endurance to come out of the Eastern Conference, and we all know that the East is the weakest link. The only thing good in the hood is Shaq's clitoral hood being smashed down in front of you and all of America on live national television.

I haven't heard the Lakers acting arrogantly when it comes to Minnesota. Yes, LA frequently calls out Sacramento, because of the history those teams have. Perhaps the Lakers fans have shown a bit of misguided pride when it comes to the team, but after 3 straight titles, it's tough to NOT feel good about the team you follow.

As a Lakers fan (From the days when Jamal Wilkes patrolled the lane), I am confident that the team will come up big when they have to.

Losing Fox isn't a bonus, no team could consider losing a player a plus, but it's not the end of the world. If this is enough to keep Lakers-haters happy, enjoy your happiness. We'll know more after this week.

The Lakers are the team to beat. You kinda become that when you win the championship 3 years in a row. That being said, Lakers lose in the second round. Too bad Shaq will blame the loss on the absence of Fox. Ah well Shaq has his scapegoat, Spurs win it all, it's all good.

120 to 90... without Fox's defense on Wally.

heh.. I wanna hear an explanation.

Oh and by the way... the Lakers are arrogant, oh yeah, because they can back it up.

(And one more personal remark from you, and you'll find yourself on the bad side of a ban. You can knock my team, but you will not knock me. Board policy, bro.)

All right, you laker haters. what have you got to say now? my theory on the entire year is that the lakers have been bullshitting the entire league and messing up on purpose just to add that ever-so-cliche "adversity" aspect to the year. I mean, so much of the year was so predictable. the sorry start, the rise to contention. but just enough to not really be noticed. sure, i'm a huge laker fan and this just seems like a justification for a shitty season, but it all seems too perfect. we all know shaq can be selfish, but to wait until one month before the season started to get surgery? there had to be more reason than just wanting "more rest". conspiracy theories abound in this situation. I mean, the league isn't helping much to the integrity of the game either. the calls in this series is inconsistent on both sides, but the calls that go against the t'wolves seem to get more publicity. I could call a game better blindfolded. it's funny how officiating controversy seems to follow the lakers. maybe it's the start of a new trend. last year it was sactown. anyways, i'm rambling. in essence, i believe the lakers know how to beat every team in the nation, but choose not to show it during the regular season for fear of a practiced counter attack in the postseason. my prediction: Lakers over the spurs in 6, lakers over the kings in 6, lakers over the magic in 5. 4 peat.

p.s. after reading that over, it sounds like a whole lotta crap, but just give it some thought and see if you can predict the sway of good calls/bad calls during game 6 if it's close. the good calls will go to the team that is down and the bad calls to the team that's winning.

I'm not naive enough to think that one victory makes up for a missing player, but it is a good example of the determination of LA. Losing a veteran player like Rick Fox can hurt--but only if you let it. The Lakers role players picked up their effort and at least for one night, they didn't need Fox. Fisher was amazing, Horry played with a lot of energy and Shaw and George filled in some gaps.

It's only one win and I won't claim that one victory means the Lakers will win the title, but one injury certainly doesn't mean that they'll be eliminated.

Back to Staples, one win sends KG home again.

The 120-90 win was sweet, and to prove that the Lakers can turn it on think back to the 4th quarter when the T'wolves went on a run and closed the gap to 5 points. Till that point if I remember correctly the largest lead L.A. had was 21 or 22 points.
The T'wolves just started to lose steam after a while, L.A. proved last night that although, Fox missing is a certainly not a bonus they can still win and with a comfortable lead.
Hopefully Thursday we can wrap this up and move on to the next round. And that should be a problem if we just keep Hudson under wraps.

This is my explanation to Hal on why the Lakers won with out Rick Fox.
I shall call this, Hal Explanation Haiku

I shall explain how
The Lakers won their game 5
Minnesota sucks

Dallas, Kings and Spurs
Delight at the chance to play
The Foxless Lakers.

Do not be sore Hal
You take my comments to harsh
Foolish Lakers fan

I don't think the Mavericks delight at the chance to play the Lakers unless Kobe and Shaq are vacationing on some tropical island.

Lakers supporters and critics have admitted that Fox is a loss, but I don't see how an educated fan can think that any of the remaining teams suddenly celebrated when Fox and his 7 points a game went down.


"Thank God their 4th option went down....The title is ours!!!!"

"If only Slava Medvedenko would get strep throat---we could sweep!!!!"

I sure hope the Lakers go down, but not because of Fox's injury. I don't like the Lakers because they play with no heart. I like their team play and their talent, but I want to see someone beat them at their best. That would be most satisfying. :) Garnett looked really good.

I agree with you Joey B that the Mavericks are not going to take delight playing the Lakers…..next season. The Mavericks are going to have their lunch taken away by the Kings, just like your Lakers are going to have their milk money stolen by the Spurs. So while your superstars are vacationing on that tropical island, they will be reminiscing what it would have been to four-peat and all they will be able to do is watch the NBA finals with the rest of the world, on the television.
I should not have to explain this to you since you are a proclaimed Lakers fan, but Fox’s presence wasn’t offensive, but rather defensive. If Fox scored more than a few points a game it was a plus for your team; however, he was expected to shut down the player assigned to him. Here is what I think. I think Fox did not want to get beat up by Doug Christie again, so he is faking the injury. Do you remember when Fox got his cleft chin popped by Christie’s left upper cut? That was the day the whole league lost respect for Fox, and he does not want anymore of that action. I would be embarrassed to if I was beat down by a stick figure with no muscle tone.

Losing Fox will hurt more for the lack of D, granted shut down Wally, but will eventually have to shut down Christie if all goes right, (Christie has been sucessful at that so far). The Lake show has the title and until someone beats them they are the defending champion. Assuming they get past Wolves, the Spurs are beatable. No disrespect to Duncan, but when Malik Rose steps up, you have to think they need more scoring options.
As far as the haters go, if the (insert team here) win the championship without beating a full strength Laker team, does the championship get a astersk next to it
* Strike shortened season
* Lakers played soft most of the season, then got banged up in playoffs

Even though i loathe the Lakers, I have to admit they will beat Minnesota and they will beat San Antonio. Will they beat the winner of the Mavs-Kings series? one can only hope they dont. the only reason they are even at the 5th seed is beacause of Shaq not always being 100%. One can only hope Shaq leaves the Lakers for the Clippers.

Where are all the Laker haters tonight? :eek:

Ooop... no Laker haters. Second game in a row without Foxie and they dont miss a beat - HMMM.

Furthermore, Lakers fans get chalupas tonight.

boots are a-shakin'
all the skeptics are silent
the Lakers will win

Feel free to put me down as ambivalent.. i was a laker fan in the day, because I was an Alcindor fan in the day..
I never really liked Magic, except he was so fun to watch, which is doing his job.. didn't like the celts but Bird Like magic hard to resist, and Parrish and Mchale.. good guys, great players/// plus McHale and Bird with Walton on the sidelines a the Dead...
... i ramble on...

dislike Shaq!FNORD my kid loves him.. i love my kid.. it's a friendly rivalry.
Love Kobe! .. growing classier, which is important to me ( and i like sprite and nutella, already... hahaha.. i loved that can in the Champs locker rooom... label rturned around, but everyone knows.. sip sip sip.. classy smirk, doing his job, earning his money.. the kind of employee --or manager-- that i want).. dude can shoot, can drive, can pass.. best one on one player in the west.. and among the top three defenders...

Kobe is def a better defender than Fox, but Fox is a great defender and, perhaps not underrated, not overrated either... Fisher can't compare as a defender. In these two games though without Fox, Fisher has been important beating the Wolves because he's been hot from the arc.. without that pressure I don't htink it would have gone that way. Horry knows what he has to do too, and i do like that man.
When it comes to the Kings, as K-Jet said it, "Fox is the Peja stopper." We'll see. Don't we all expect the Kings to choke, again?

Garnett: damd dignified and predatory.. seeing that guy play makes me want him to win, and if it were beating the lakers that would be sweet... and here's a guy that i dont' want to see on that list of greats with no ring.
and T-Hud! yes my man, the underdog, overlooked and steppin' it up... if they could win on that stuff i'd be psyched... and the way that full court defense worked in the early games was inspiring...
..but this is the best round to take out the Lakers. The shoulder would have to get a lot worse for it to take away enough of Kobe's game to stop him from that fourpeat ring.. it's about all he can get on Michael this quick.

The Twin Towers? Can they? It's a ways off init, let's see.

but who will we send from the East.. who can even make a game of it.. NOT NJ! please... love the Cs right now, (poor Ron, what's the deal with that guy???) but fear Blount and Battie both foul out agisnt the ShaqdiddyFNORD.. so I gues it's poor old Derek Coleman (who is playing great on those tired legs) and the best one on one player in the east... If only that skinny white Van kid could hold onto the ball and shoot 50 %...
:cool:
If Timmy and the Spurs can come through, then send NJ.. that'll be a series (but then i'd prefer the Celts, who could beat the Mavs in a seven game series.. the East only hopeful scenario however farfetched).

Okay, I'll give you Fisher isn't as good as Kobe or Fox on defense, but Fisher was the guy last year they had on Bibby, granted Bibby nailed some great and key shots, but Fisher stopped Bibby often enough to help L.A. get the win. As far as Fisher hitting from the arc, well the man is in the top 5 or 10, I believe, for the most 3 pointers made in the postseason. When D. Fish gets hot, I feel sorry for the other team. Not to mention Horry can drop a three on you at any given time if he just takes that open shot instead of passing the ball off the cutter.

As for Garnett, well honestly I hope he doesn't be come another Karl Malone or Charles Barkley.

Lastly, I'd love to see a Celtics vs Lakers playoffs more than an other combo of teams left in the playoffs. Kidd is good, but I wish the Bucks had taken 'em out. And I'd give all most anything to see the Kings get put out of the playoffs by L.A. again

well, I think that if the Laker's get beat, they get beat because you were soft most of the season and got banged up in the playoffs. Great teams are neither soft most of a season, nor allow bangups to derail things. We'll see.

About the Kings/Lakers, I'm reminded of something Yogi Berra said to Bernie Williams in 1999 about the Red Sox:

"Relax. We've been playing these guys for 80 years. They're never gonna beat us."

It hasn't been that long, but if the Kings want to break out of that, they better do it now. :)

boatin, that sounds great to me, if they Kings never beat the Lakers i'd be fine with that...

I was listening to sports talk today, and there is a rumor that Malone and the Lakers have contacted each other. Malone is a free agent, and Stockton is retired. The owner of the Jazz is upset and wants some compensation allegedly. Anybody else here anything like this? FYI I do not live in LA so this is not a Sports Talk Show wish.

it's illegal for teams to be courting free agents before june 1st.. I really dont think the Lakers would do that shit.

Hope the lakers lose to spurs...

I agree with Halx, besides adding another great low post player would mess with Shaq's postion in triangle. In Phil's book the ZenMaster he said he'd never put some else in the post with Shaq. Unless, Malone comes off the bench :)

Malone is supposedly going to be courted by the Mavs, Lakers, and to a lesser extent the Spurs during the offseason. Hopefully, the Spurs won't sign him and instead will take Kidd or one of the Clipper's free agents.

Game 1 goes to the Spurs! I loved seeing the Lakers get out played. Loved seeing Shaq foul out with 3 and and a half minutes to play. Lastly, I'd like to say that Robert Horry is a motherfucker and should not be hitting veterans like Robinson in the nutsack.

Boots are a-shakin'
All the skeptics are silent
The Lakers will win............uh, not this year



Ankles are breakin’
All the lakers fans are shocked
The lakers just lost


The pressure must be mounting for the Lakers to win because they have given up playing ball and switched to grabbing the other team’s nuts. Horry needs to stick to shooting baskets instead of grabbing packages. Yikes, what is next, Kobe offering to give head on the floor?
Anyway, I just wanted to give my condolences to all the Lakers fans, and thank you for showing up this year and participating. You can pick up your parting gifts as you leave the playoffs, and don’t let the door smack you in the ass (we will let Horry take care of that). Wasn’t that a great game? The Lakers lose the first game in the series, and get humiliated on TNT. And the good news just doesn’t stop there, have you all seen the reports that Rick Fox should be sidelined for almost an entire year with his ankle injury. And now George is faking an ankle injury. We all no he is not hurt; he just does not want to face Christie in the Finals. He saw what happened to Fox when he got his cleft chin rearranged with a left hook. REJOICE LAKER HATERS, REJOICE.

Where are all the Laker haters tonight?
Don't worry Sixate were still here.

Jeez S=I, I've disliked the Lakers my whole life (as well as the Yankees, Cowboys and Niners). But your attitude is driving me towards their camp.

One, it ain't over. Two, talking that kind of smack just makes everyone tune you out. Three, I'll be you hate it when Shaq/Kobe talks shit like you're doing yourself. Have some pride and dignity, man!