Is this year's Laker team the second coming of Showtime?

 
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slavavov
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 1:40 am    Post subject: Is this year's Laker team the second coming of Showtime?

NPZ posting those awesome games from the 1981-82 season got me back to thinking something I was thinking about before the coronavirus hit:

This Lakers team is feeling more and more like the second coming of the Showtime teams. When the season was suspended we were 2nd in fast break points, just barely behind Toronto, and that's honestly our bread and butter.

I was born in the 80's, so I missed out on that era. But I've read all about it and watched plenty of games from that decade.

On further thought, we even have several players who play similar roles as the main guys on the actual Showtime teams:

LeBron - Magic
AD - Kareem/James Worthy (he plays both roles at the same time)
Dwight Howard - Mychal Thompson
KCP - Byron Scott (albeit a homeless man's version of him)

The one thing we maybe don't have is someone like Michael Cooper. I'd say Danny Green, but I get the feeling that those of you who were actually around in the 80's will say Green isn't as good as Cooper. Cooper would've been a great fit on this year's team.

We also don't have a Bob McAdoo type who can come off the bench and get buckets as a stretch 4, or an AC Green who's a stretch 4 who also does the dirty work. Morris can somewhat do that, but not really.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:30 am    Post subject:

Comparing AD to Worthy I can see, comparing him to Kareem is an insult. He will never measure up. I think that this team is more like the 1996-1998 Laker teams, two really good players and some supporting players. Like those teams, a HOF coach is needed to get them over the top.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:26 am    Post subject:

It’s tough to think that there may not be playoffs this year and we might not find out whether or not this Lakers team could have gone the distance.

Apart from that, I love AD, but Kareem...he stands alone imo.

And I voted for Michael Cooper over B Scott in a different thread, but respectfully the letters “KCP” do not belong anywhere near Byron Scott.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 7:50 am    Post subject:

venturalakersfan wrote:
Comparing AD to Worthy I can see, comparing him to Kareem is an insult. He will never measure up. I think that this team is more like the 1996-1998 Laker teams, two really good players and some supporting players. Like those teams, a HOF coach is needed to get them over the top.

Kareem did compare AD to himself though.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:11 am    Post subject:

diando wrote:
venturalakersfan wrote:
Comparing AD to Worthy I can see, comparing him to Kareem is an insult. He will never measure up. I think that this team is more like the 1996-1998 Laker teams, two really good players and some supporting players. Like those teams, a HOF coach is needed to get them over the top.

Kareem did compare AD to himself though.


Yes, Kareem is the gentleman.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 10:47 am    Post subject: Re: Is this year's Laker team the second coming of Showtime?

slavavov wrote:
NPZ posting those awesome games from the 1981-82 season got me back to thinking something I was thinking about before the coronavirus hit:

This Lakers team is feeling more and more like the second coming of the Showtime teams. When the season was suspended we were 2nd in fast break points, just barely behind Toronto, and that's honestly our bread and butter.

I was born in the 80's, so I missed out on that era. But I've read all about it and watched plenty of games from that decade.

On further thought, we even have several players who play similar roles as the main guys on the actual Showtime teams:

LeBron - Magic
AD - Kareem/James Worthy (he plays both roles at the same time)
Dwight Howard - Mychal Thompson
KCP - Byron Scott (albeit a homeless man's version of him)

The one thing we maybe don't have is someone like Michael Cooper. I'd say Danny Green, but I get the feeling that those of you who were actually around in the 80's will say Green isn't as good as Cooper. Cooper would've been a great fit on this year's team.

We also don't have a Bob McAdoo type who can come off the bench and get buckets as a stretch 4, or an AC Green who's a stretch 4 who also does the dirty work. Morris can somewhat do that, but not really.



It's not a bad comparison.

Lebron and Magic are similar.

Kareem and AD too, though Kareem is better. But it depends what Kareem you're talking about. He was 32 at the start of Showtime and 41 by the end, he went from being an MVP to a part-time decent player.

I don't know what you mean that AD plays "both roles" of Worthy and Kareem. That doesn't make any sense to me.

Thompson/Howard is a good comparison. I don't really get KCP/Scott. Green at this point isn't anything close to the defender of Cooper. But that's all just trying to force players into comparisons that you wouldn't make except for the jersey they happen to wear.

This team doesn't have the overall talent of Showtime. But that's a function of eras and different salary rules. Showtime was a super team in an era of super teams.

So there are some stylistic and superficial similarities. But I don't think you can really call them the second coming of Showtime until and unless they win. Showtime is ultimately about playoff success. if you don't have that, you're not showtime.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 2:17 pm    Post subject:

venturalakersfan wrote:
Comparing AD to Worthy I can see, comparing him to Kareem is an insult. He will never measure up. I think that this team is more like the 1996-1998 Laker teams, two really good players and some supporting players. Like those teams, a HOF coach is needed to get them over the top.


I respectfully disagree. Kareem himself said that AD is the player in the game who currently most resembles him in terms of playing style.

Moreover, Worthy was a unique player in that he was:
(a) Our #2 post scorer,
(b) Our best iso scorer, AND
(c) Our best finisher on the break.

Also, for all his gifts, Worthy was never a great rebounder. Magic often pulled down more boards over smaller defenders, as Worthy was often leaking out on the break.

AD plays a much different role, as he is our main post option and out defensive backstop. If anything, the clsoest player we have to Worthy in terms of offensive role is Kuz.

I agree with the OP that Danny Green is the closest we have to Coop at the moment in terms of swing-man D and 3 shooting. Bradley is our Scott-counterpart, designated small PG defender and starting lineup floor spreader.

McGee is our AC, albeit with far more wingspan. AC was never a shot blocker, but he did the dirty work rebounds and chipped in putback points as needed. same with McGee.
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slavavov
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 2:19 pm    Post subject: Re: Is this year's Laker team the second coming of Showtime?

activeverb wrote:
slavavov wrote:
NPZ posting those awesome games from the 1981-82 season got me back to thinking something I was thinking about before the coronavirus hit:

This Lakers team is feeling more and more like the second coming of the Showtime teams. When the season was suspended we were 2nd in fast break points, just barely behind Toronto, and that's honestly our bread and butter.

I was born in the 80's, so I missed out on that era. But I've read all about it and watched plenty of games from that decade.

On further thought, we even have several players who play similar roles as the main guys on the actual Showtime teams:

LeBron - Magic
AD - Kareem/James Worthy (he plays both roles at the same time)
Dwight Howard - Mychal Thompson
KCP - Byron Scott (albeit a homeless man's version of him)

The one thing we maybe don't have is someone like Michael Cooper. I'd say Danny Green, but I get the feeling that those of you who were actually around in the 80's will say Green isn't as good as Cooper. Cooper would've been a great fit on this year's team.

We also don't have a Bob McAdoo type who can come off the bench and get buckets as a stretch 4, or an AC Green who's a stretch 4 who also does the dirty work. Morris can somewhat do that, but not really.



It's not a bad comparison.

Lebron and Magic are similar.

Kareem and AD too, though Kareem is better. But it depends what Kareem you're talking about. He was 32 at the start of Showtime and 41 by the end, he went from being an MVP to a part-time decent player.

I don't know what you mean that AD plays "both roles" of Worthy and Kareem. That doesn't make any sense to me.

What I meant by that is that AD is our main rim protector and rebounder, just like Kareem was. Offensively, AD is LeBron's main target on the fast break (like Worthy), and in the halfcourt he's our #1 option in the post (like Kareem, and later Worthy).
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Thompson/Howard is a good comparison. I don't really get KCP/Scott.

KCP is a streaky (but good) 3-point shooter, has some (limited) ability to fake the J, drive in and set up a higher % shot, and he's a sneaker good finisher on the break. That was Scott's game, right?
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Green at this point isn't anything close to the defender of Cooper. But that's all just trying to force players into comparisons that you wouldn't make except for the jersey they happen to wear.

True, and that's what I alluded to in the first post. We don't really have a Cooper-type player, although Green plays a similar role because we depend on him to cover the other team's best swingman and hit 3s.

Cooper was one of the greatest defensive players ever. Larry Bird said that Cooper guarded him better than anyone else.
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This team doesn't have the overall talent of Showtime. But that's a function of eras and different salary rules. Showtime was a super team in an era of super teams.

So there are some stylistic and superficial similarities. But I don't think you can really call them the second coming of Showtime until and unless they win. Showtime is ultimately about playoff success. if you don't have that, you're not showtime.

Very true, you're not truly showtime until you win a world championship. But like I said here, I'm starting to see some similarities in terms of the roles different players play, even if it seems like an insult to compare them to the original guys on the 80's squad.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 11:12 am    Post subject:

Can’t really see this comparison with Lebron being so much older than Magic. Showtime lasted a long time, not for just 1-3 years.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 11:50 am    Post subject:

Magic and Kareem are better than anybody on this team, so no.
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PostPosted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 4:05 pm    Post subject: Re: Is this year's Laker team the second coming of Showtime?

slavavov wrote:
activeverb wrote:
slavavov wrote:
NPZ posting those awesome games from the 1981-82 season got me back to thinking something I was thinking about before the coronavirus hit:

This Lakers team is feeling more and more like the second coming of the Showtime teams. When the season was suspended we were 2nd in fast break points, just barely behind Toronto, and that's honestly our bread and butter.

I was born in the 80's, so I missed out on that era. But I've read all about it and watched plenty of games from that decade.

On further thought, we even have several players who play similar roles as the main guys on the actual Showtime teams:

LeBron - Magic
AD - Kareem/James Worthy (he plays both roles at the same time)
Dwight Howard - Mychal Thompson
KCP - Byron Scott (albeit a homeless man's version of him)

The one thing we maybe don't have is someone like Michael Cooper. I'd say Danny Green, but I get the feeling that those of you who were actually around in the 80's will say Green isn't as good as Cooper. Cooper would've been a great fit on this year's team.

We also don't have a Bob McAdoo type who can come off the bench and get buckets as a stretch 4, or an AC Green who's a stretch 4 who also does the dirty work. Morris can somewhat do that, but not really.



It's not a bad comparison.

Lebron and Magic are similar.

Kareem and AD too, though Kareem is better. But it depends what Kareem you're talking about. He was 32 at the start of Showtime and 41 by the end, he went from being an MVP to a part-time decent player.

I don't know what you mean that AD plays "both roles" of Worthy and Kareem. That doesn't make any sense to me.

What I meant by that is that AD is our main rim protector and rebounder, just like Kareem was. Offensively, AD is LeBron's main target on the fast break (like Worthy), and in the halfcourt he's our #1 option in the post (like Kareem, and later Worthy).
Quote:

Thompson/Howard is a good comparison. I don't really get KCP/Scott.

KCP is a streaky (but good) 3-point shooter, has some (limited) ability to fake the J, drive in and set up a higher % shot, and he's a sneaker good finisher on the break. That was Scott's game, right?
Quote:
Green at this point isn't anything close to the defender of Cooper. But that's all just trying to force players into comparisons that you wouldn't make except for the jersey they happen to wear.

True, and that's what I alluded to in the first post. We don't really have a Cooper-type player, although Green plays a similar role because we depend on him to cover the other team's best swingman and hit 3s.

Cooper was one of the greatest defensive players ever. Larry Bird said that Cooper guarded him better than anyone else.
Quote:

This team doesn't have the overall talent of Showtime. But that's a function of eras and different salary rules. Showtime was a super team in an era of super teams.

So there are some stylistic and superficial similarities. But I don't think you can really call them the second coming of Showtime until and unless they win. Showtime is ultimately about playoff success. if you don't have that, you're not showtime.

Very true, you're not truly showtime until you win a world championship. But like I said here, I'm starting to see some similarities in terms of the roles different players play, even if it seems like an insult to compare them to the original guys on the 80's squad.



No comparison is going to be 100% spot on, but this is pretty reasonable. I started seeing stories about this team being Showtime 2 late last year. I see the reasoning, even if the personnel on this team aren't as good and this team won't be together as long.
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