Miami Heat: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers Know Big Names Alone Don't Win Rings
The Miami Thrice have openly broadcast their absolute confidence in themselves to make NBA history.
Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh; this isn't a video game, but reality.
The Miami Heat are America's new bandwagon franchise, and everyone's jumping on. Well, everyone except the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers aren't impressed, not even a little. In fact, any NBA fan remembers the 2003 NBA season knows that Miami's Big Three pales in comparison to a group of four who settled in Hollywood that offseason.
Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant failed to continue their three-peat in 2002 as Tim Duncan and San Antonio Spurs ended the Lakers dominance and won the NBA Finals in six games over the Jason Kidd led New Jersey Nets.
The Lakers grew accustom to finishing the season with a parade, and they weren't about to take a two year vacation from the winner's circle.
That offseason, future Hall-of-Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton signed one year deals with the Lakers. Neither had ever won a ring and teaming up with Shaq and Kobe appeared to be the path of least resistance.
Fans may be quick to say Malone and Payton came to the Lakers well past their prime and were expected to be nothing more than role players playing side-kick to Shaq and Kobe.
Don't be fooled by the fact Malone prepared to enter his 19th season in the league while Payton readied for his 15th that summer.
Both of them averaged over 20 points a game the season before they wore purple and gold.
If the Miami Heat fans want to play the name game, beat this:
Adding up O'Neal, Bryant, Malone, and Payton's scoring numbers from the year before they joined forces, the total comes to 98.5 points per game.
Wade, James, Bosh, and the Heat's projected starter at point guard Mario Chalmers 2009 scoring totals would equal 91.2.
All those people that believe a Miami Heat title is a lock because of a few hyped up names are foolish. The 2003 Lakers star power easily out shines the 2010 Heat's, and everyone knows how that Lakers team's season ended which was expected to be magical.
They were defeated by a band of hungry, defensive minded, and previously no-name players on the Detroit Pistons.
Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Rasheed and Ben Wallace had been to a combined three all-star games going into the NBA Finals while the Lakers starting five boasted 37 all-star appearances.
The Pistons crushed the dreams of the Laker Nation winning the championship in just five games.
In 2003, the defensively focused team embarrassed a roster full of icons.
Phil Jackson mentioned an example not as fresh in the minds of fans, but maybe an even more convincing comparison in an interview with ESPN this week. "I always refer to when Wilt Chamberlain was traded from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and that put (Elgin) Baylor, (Jerry) West and Chamberlain together, three of the top scorers in NBA history, and they never won a championship together the four years they were together."
Now in 2010, roles have been changed. The Heat are being seen as an unstoppable force, and who of all teams is going into the season with that fighter mentality but the Lakers.
Feisty perimeter players in Bryant, Ron Artest, Derek Fisher, and Matt Barnes will get in the heads of Wade and James. The length of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum will cancel Bosh's effect on the outcome of a game.
Again, this isn't a video game, its reality. The Miami Heat won't be able to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers this season.
The Lakers are too good defensively, possess far more championship experience, and their chemistry is on another level than the Heat's.
The Miami Heat may have changed the face of the present NBA, but as of this year, they won't be changing history.
