Former Lakers Coach John Kundla Believes Lakers Will Turn It Around, Won't Repeat 9-20 Start of 1957-58

 
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:33 pm    Post subject: Former Lakers Coach John Kundla Believes Lakers Will Turn It Around, Won't Repeat 9-20 Start of 1957-58

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John Kundla is a longtime Lakers fan, and perhaps one of the most loyal members of Lakers Nation. He certainly is one of the oldest.

So it’s understandable that the 98-year-old Minnesota resident doesn’t see many of the flaws that mark this year’s underwhelming team. The Lakers slipped to 3-11 after losing to Denver on Sunday and rank at or near the NBA’s bottom in several categories.

“They’ve had a lot of tough luck,” Kundla said in a telephone interview from his home. “They’re going to come back. They need to get a good center, that’s all. They need more than one player.”

Kundla isn’t just any fan, though. He coached the Lakers to five league championships in 11 seasons back when they bore Minneapolis across their jerseys. He still catches his favorite team on TV when it’s not on too late, 46 years after putting down his whistle for good.

“Defense is the key,” Kundla said of the current Lakers. “Controlling the backboards offensively and defensively is the key to good basketball.

“They’ve had a tough time finding a center with not getting (Kevin) Love and keeping (Dwight) Howard.”

This crop of Lakers has had a hard time, period. They haven’t come close to playing consistently good basketball and with Memphis, Toronto and Washington among their next five opponents, life is about to get harder.

But that’s nothing to Kundla, who has seen the Lakers at their worst. Way worse. Like franchise-worst.

Kundla was the team’s general manager in 1957, when the Minneapolis Lakers opened the season by losing their first seven games. They then won their next two, but proceeded to roll up another seven losses for a 2-14 start and owned only nine victories by Jan. 10.

Sound familiar?

Consider that the 1957-58 Lakers were coached by a former player, George Mikan. They had lost several key players to retirement, injuries and trades, and lacked a true quality center. Defense, Kundla said, was a season-long problem.

Mikan didn’t last the season, though, quitting midway through. Kundla was forced to return to the bench and the Lakers limped to a 19-53 record – still the franchise’s worst mark.

“We didn’t have the defensive ability,” Kundla said, adding the players had a me-first mentality. “That was a lot to take.”

Kundla said as great a player as Mikan was (a four-time All-Star and Hall of Famer), he had trouble connecting with the players. He had retired three seasons earlier, after the 1954 season.

“George couldn’t coach. He was too much of a player still,” Kundla said. “Don’t get me wrong. Mikan was one of the greatest players because of what he could do with the ball. But there was a clash of personalities on the team.”

No one is suggesting that current coach Byron Scott has conflicts with his players, but this season’s Lakers could be hard-pressed to avoid a similar fate. They started this season 0-5 and were 1-8 after nine games – marking their worst start since they moved to Los Angeles. Comparisons to their Minneapolis forefathers were inevitable.

Kundla, however, isn’t one of those predicting prolonged doom and gloom. He believes the Lakers can turn it around, largely because of Kobe Bryant, whom he considers one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA, and a few new players next season.

“I’ve never seen anyone with quicker moves,” Kundla said of Bryant. “He is one of the most outstanding players in the game.”

Could history repeat itself? Following their worst season, the Minneapolis Lakers, led by a talented rookie named Elgin Baylor, reached the league finals. Kundla is a believer.

Contact the writer: jcarr AT ocregister.com


http://www.ocregister.com/articles/kundla-643325-lakers-players.html
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:35 pm    Post subject:

Always good to hear.... smart basketball minds giving the city hope.... but he probably doesn't know that this roster is full of quitters and stat-padders.
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:38 pm    Post subject:

7-22 in 29 games incoming... 20-62 final standing, 3rd worst behind Sixers and Minny...
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:40 pm    Post subject:

At 3-12 we're kind'a on pace for a 9-36 start actually.

D'oh!
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 11:05 pm    Post subject:

Jordan-esque wrote:
At 3-12 we're kind'a on pace for a 9-36 start actually.

D'oh!

It would be miraculous to get a 4th win
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