If the Los Angeles Lakers go on to win the NBA Championship, they should seriously consider cutting in Chris Paul for a share of their purse. While they are at it, they can vote half-shares to David West and Tyson Chandler.
Hearken back to a little over a week ago.
It was the Chris Paul-led New Orleans Hornets that gave the San Antonio Spurs fits in their semifinal round of the Western Conference Finals.
They blew out the Spurs in the first two games in New Orleans by 19 and 18 points, respectively. They stretched and extended the older Spurs like a Spandex leotard on a fat lady.
Fortunately, the Spurs had two days to snap back before for Game 3 and another two days before Game 4. That gave their weary bones just enough time to regain their strength and take both games in front of their home crowd at the AT&T Center.
But then they had to return to New Orleans on only one day’s rest, and the Hornets pounded them again in Game 5, this time by 22 points. Those legs didn’t do so well with just one day between games.
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Facing elimination, the Spurs returned to AT&T Center, where they were again able to win in front of their home crowd.
However, they would have to return to New Orleans for the fateful, winner-take-all, Game 7.
Now here is where the Lakers should also consider cutting in David Stern for a share of the winner’s purse should they defeat the Spurs and go on to defeat the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Stern scheduled Game 7 of the semi-final round with…Are you ready for this?…three days rest.
Three days? That was enough time for the Spurs to not only chill out and rejuvenate but have organ transplants if they so desired.
The result: Spurs 91, Hornets 82.
By the Hornets pushing the Spurs to seven games, they pushed them virtually on wheelchairs into the conference finals, where there is only one day’s rest between games.
The result: Spurs blow a 20-point third quarter lead and lose Game 1. Then they get blown out by 30 points in Game 2.
Get the picture Lakers fans? With only one day to recover, do you see why there is a very strong possibility this series will not go more than four games?
Yes, that’s right. I said four games.
If there had not been three full days of rest between Game 6 and Game 7 in the semi-final round, I am convinced the Lakers would be dining in New Orleans this weekend instead of along the River Walk.
Above all, the Lakers should definitely vote Peja Stojakovic a share of the purse. His miserable 3-for-11 shooting (1-for-5 beyond the arc) cost the Hornets that final game and the series, despite having to play a fully rested San Antonio team.
It is difficult to say just how a series between the Lakers and Hornets would come out. But one thing is certain. Keeping up with Chris Paul and trying to eliminate the Hornets would be much tougher for the Lakers than playing the Spurs, who have only one day of rest between each game.
Sort of gives new meaning to the term "one and done."
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2 months ago
I'm pretty much inclined to agree with you. Maybe not so much the part about "sharing the purse" but I've no doubt, the Hornets managed to wear the Spurs down throughout that series. I'd say the biggest shock to me while watching the first two games of this series comes from the fact that Manu hasn't been able to sink his sure-shot threes like he did against New Orleans. We could all chalk it up to his injuries but even he's said that's no excuse and that he's been playing "terrible." I'm willing to wait and see what happens in San Antonio before counting them out. After all, I thought we (the Hornets) would be able take them out in Game 7 and we all know how that turned out.
2 months ago
I suppose we should fault the Lakers for dispatching the Jazz in 6 games, allowing them to have more days of rest. I suppose they should have lost so they would play 7 games instead of 6 to make it a "fair" match against the Spurs. I suppose the Cavs should thank the Hawks for pushing the Celtics to 7 games and wearing them out. I suppose Detroit should thank the Cavs for pushing the Celtics to 7 games once again. I suppose in the entire history of the NBA, the Spurs are the only team to have a 7 game series and then play the day after tomorrow. What you're implying is that all series should be decided in the least amount of games possible. And don't blame a difference of 1 day's rest for the outcome. That's absurd.
This is the playoffs. Teams must make use of what they're given, and that is how champions are made. A player didn't play well? Well, that's his problem. The Hornets didn't deserve to win if Peja didn't shoot well. What? You expect him to shoot the lights out every game? Your insinuations are preposterous. Rather than the Lakers, the Spurs should thank the Hornets for that. But then again, they should thank themselves for playing well in a deciding game, instead of the Hornets losing it when it mattered.
What a ridiculously flawed article. If blaming the refs weren't enough, now people blame the schedule and how many games a team plays. These are the natures of the playoffs. EVERY team deals with it. So deal with it.
from 2 months ago
The article isn't flawed at all. You're reading of it is. The point is an older team cannot recover as quickly as a younger team on just one day's rest between games. Are the Spurs an older team? Yes. Are the Hornets a younger team? Yes. Are the Lakers a younger team? Yes. Did the Spurs have two days off between Games 2 and 3 and 3 and 4? Did they have three - count them -THREE days rest between Game 6 and 7? Yes. Yes. And Yes.
Are they going to have three days rest between any of their games with the Lakers? No. How about two days rest between games? No. Are they an older team? Yes. Are they fatigued? Yes. Are the Lakers an older team? No. Are they fatigued? No, they're raring to go. Got it?
from 2 months ago
Paul...that is the most idiotic rationale I have ever heard. I had to make an account just to tell you that. I never heard of someone using age as an excuse. Hey, you're right...if the Spurs were younger, they could probably put up a better fight against the Lakeshow, but we're talking about the 2008 playoffs, not the 2004 playoffs. Let's take this a step further...if Jordan in his prime were also on the Spurs right now, they would probably beat the Lakers this year. But he's not. Or if the Lakers didn't have Kobe, they probably would lose like crazy...but he is on the team. Or how about a sprint race? A young dude would burn an old man, but your logic says the young guy should thank the old guy that he's old...or that he himself is young. Or if the old man were Maurice Green, he would probably beat the young guy. But he's not Maurice Green. Or an old Maurice Green would lose to a young up and comer, but you would say it's cuz he's old he lost. Yeah, you're right, he is old, but that just means his time has passed, not an excuse. Of course if he were younger he would be better, but it's the race in the present. Not a race in the past. Might as well say a person who beat an old Maurice Green should be thanked by Green that he was too young when Green was in his prime.
What kind of freakin idiot uses these types of things as justification for why you lost? Learn what evolution is about. Your post doesn't make any sense whatsoever...all it shows is your hatred for the Lakers...
2 months ago
I'm not saying that the Lakers do not benefit from the Spurs' playing 7 games. Of course it helps. But you're minimizing the Lakers by something that does not factor into any criticisms.
Every team has the same opportunity to end the series in 4 games. It's not like the Spurs were scheduled to play 7 games from the start and the Lakers only 6. The Spurs/Hornets had their chance to beat the Hornets/Spurs in less games. And my guess is that if the Hornets were the ones to prevail in that series, no one would be complaining about how long the series took because the Hornets are a young team where grueling action does not take as much of a toll as it does on the Spurs. It's an issue for the Spurs because they're an old team. But that in itself, again, is not even an excuse. Old teams pass. That is the nature of sports and life.
2 months ago
So, what's the problem then? The Lakers are playing an older team that is about to pass. And that older team was in a grueling series with the Suns and then an even more grueling series with the Hornets. They are out of gas just like the Celtics in the East.
What I'm saying is, after the Lakers sweep, the finals matchup between Pistons and them will be a much better test of how good a team the Lakers truly are.
2 months ago
My other point is why is there such a scheduling difference between the first-round and semi-final round, where teams get two and three days rest between games and the final round where they only get one day of rest all the way through. Could it be TV scheduling? I can see that in the first round where there are 16 teams playing in 8 series. But in the semi-finals there are only 8 teams playing in four series. The semi-finals and finals should have the same interval between games to make the competition as fair as possible.
2 months ago
"The article isn't flawed at all. You're reading of it is"
The FACTS are not flawed, but your USE and DEPICTION of them IS. That is what makes your article flawed. Got it?
All the potential scheduling is already decided even before the playoffs begin. (like you said, due to tv scheduling. But once again, this isn't a criticism against the Lakers. If it is anyone's fault, the Spurs or Hornets should have taken less games to finish the other off)
2 months ago
Didn't the Hornets get 3 days of rest too? All I saw was that the better team won that series.
2 months ago
Have to agree with you about everything besides the purse of course. Yes the better team won as the Hornets did have three days off also. But the thing is the Spurs didn't get all the rest they should have as their plane didn't leave after the game and they all sleep on the plane before a plane from, well let me paste the article.
SAN ANTONIO - The San Antonio Spurs' departure from New Orleans after winning Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals was delayed several hours after their plane had mechanical problems, the team said Tuesday.
The team could not find hotel rooms in the city, so the players had to sleep on the plane, team spokesman Cliff Puchalski said.
"We slept on the plane - as much as you can sleep," Puchalski said. "We tried to keep some normal semblance of order."
Puchalski said the team slept on the plane with the mechanical problems before boarding another plane that was brought in from Minneapolis. The team took off about 6:30 a.m. Central time, Puchalski said, and landed in Los Angeles about four hours later.
So hopefully they made it back home Friday night, got some good rest and will be ready to put the Lakers in their place come Sunday night. GO SPURS GO!!!
2 months ago
The only team the Lakers should thank is.......The Lakers!!! They finished their series in 6 games, affording them the chance to rest and wait on the winner of the Spurs/Hornet series. If the Spurs wanted/needed more time to heal then they should have won in 5 or 6. At this point of the season all the teams are in control of their own destiny and if you lose a game don't go looking for outside excuses. ALL the teams are subjected to the same schedule and circumstances. Boston went 7 against the CAVS and they still have found a way to win. Don't use their age as an excuse either, if the Spurs are young enough to lace them up, than they are young enough to play the game. If you want to say they are old then it is time to hang the sneaks up but as long as they are out there on the courst age shouldn't be a factor. They went 56-26 this year so there is no excuses. As of now they are just being outplayed by a more determined team.
2 months ago
Exactly, Mike! Nobody's talking about how the Celtics are "tired". They've played 7 highly contested games in each of the last two rounds. But Boo Hoo manu's fingernail is broke and he had to sleep on a a few hours on a luxurious airplane? Gimme a break!
2 months ago
I'm 38 and I've been in the military for over 19 years. While being deployed to other countries, I've slept on the ground and I've slept in tents, just to turn around and work for another 12 hours. Now if I can't look at my boss and say " Hey I slept on that uncomfortable cot last night is it ok if my work performance is not up to par" than i don't want to hear about how old and rough the Spurs have it. I mean really, have you seen the planes that these guys fly on....I've flown from the states to Germany on a C-130, shoulder to shoulder and kneecap to kneecap in full uniform. You had to walk on people and climb over equipment just to use the bathroom that was no bigger than a bucket. If I have to man up in my job, how bout the Spurs doing the same and people like this "WRITER" making excuses for them.
from 2 months ago
Hey Mike, thought I was responding to your comment but noticed it was going to the writter of the article I replied to earlier. So I'm copying and pasting this to you so you get it.
Hey Mike thanks for the smile. Yes you are right as I know your boss wouldn't give you any slack, but that's the military. I'm with you as if your tired, it don't matter where or what your sleeping on, your going to sleep. How old they are really shouldn't matter, really it should give them the edge if you ask me. The reason I said they lost those games is like I said, coming off a hard road trip that they made for themselves, if they want a home court advantage then they need to win the games. It all comes down to who is more hungry, just as it comes down to combat, no matter how much sleep you had, your blood is pumping, who wants it more? Differance is in the military you have no choice, you don't do as your told you life can depend on it. In basketball, well still get a paycheck, go home to their AC, so just depends on how hungry they are.
Looks like tonight they were more hungry than the Lakers. Let's see how the next game goes.
Happy Memorial Day and thanks for all your doing for our country, I salute you. Keep up all the good work and have a Blessed Day. GO SPURS GO!!!
2 months ago
Hey Mike thanks for the smile. Yes you are right as I know your boss wouldn't give you any slack, but that's the military. I'm with you as if your tired, it don't matter where or what your sleeping on, your going to sleep. How old they are really shouldn't matter, really it should give them the edge if you ask me. The reason I said they lost those games is like I said, coming off a hard road trip that they made for themselves, if they want a home court advantage then they need to win the games. It all comes down to who is more hungry, just as it comes down to combat, no matter how much sleep you had, your blood is pumping, who wants it more? Differance is in the military you have no choice, you don't do as your told you life can depend on it. In basketball, well still get a paycheck, go home to their AC, so just depends on how hungry they are.
Looks like tonight they were more hungry than the Lakers. Let's see how the next game goes.
Happy Memorial Day and thanks for all your doing for our country, I salute you. Keep up all the good work and have a Blessed Day. GO SPURS GO!!!
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