bigbadred00 said:
It's not that hard to outclass Duncan when 3 of the times he went against two of the top what 7 or 8 players in the league with D-Rob on the serious decline, Elliott being a non-factor, and players like Steve Smith, Antonio Daniels and others being good but minor factors. I never said Duncan was the best player ever. I said he is the best power forward ever. The 4 position has not dominated the league like the 2 and the 5 position have.
The funny thing is, you guys state when the Spurs were on a comparable level, and that is only the years the Lakers won. But when the Lakers lost, there is a mariad of excuses of why the Lakers weren't that elite. I could honestly careless if the Lakers were at the top of there game or not, or if the Spurs were, the point being is the Spurs beat the Lakers with Shaq and Kobe, not once, but twice in the playoffs. Something NO other team, until Detroit did it, the last 6 years. If the Lakers were weak so be it, they were better than any other team in the league in those years. I didn't see our beloved Kings, roll through the playoffs any of those years. I can't believe were making up excuses of why the Lakers lost those years. Yes the teams were definitely not as good those years as during the Laker dynasty years, but the reverse can also be said. The Spurs teams during the Laker dynasty weren't as good. Last year was definitely a showing of what better role players can do for Shaq and Kobe. Now Duncan has much better role players than either of them and the league might be in trouble.
Thsi revisionist history has to stop how. Its sad.
The Lakers in '99 and '03 were NOT "better than any other team in the league". They were also rans. Neither favored to win the title, nor particularly credible threats to.
The Spurs in '01 and '04 in particular WERE. Here's what we've got:
'99
Spurs 37-13, 1st (tied) in league (61 win pace)
Lakers 31-19, 7th (tied) in league (51 win pace)
Playoffs:
Spurs 4-0
'01
Spurs 58-24, 1st in league
Lakers 56-26, 2nd (tied) in league
Playoffs:
Lakers 4-0
'02
Spurs 58-24, 2nd (tied) in league
Lakers 58-24, 2nd (tied) in league
Playoffs:
Lakers 4-1
'03
Spurs 60-22, 1st (tied) in league
Lakers 50-32, 5th (tied) in league
Playoffs:
Spurs 4-2
'04
Spurs 57-25, 3rd in league
Lakers 56-26, 4th in league
Playoffs:
Lakers 4-2
So one more time -- in years when BOTH teams were among the elite, Lakers spanked the Spurs. Think in '01, '02, '04 the combined playoff whoopings added up to a 12-3 record among theoretical equals. But when the Spurs were a 60 win team, and the Lakers were a 50 win team, yes the Spurs won. Imagine that.