Re: Could be a Dark Decade for Celtics Fans

[W <titans@ihug.com.au>]

> A second decent rebounder (a la Rodman) and you have the Next Bulls.

Dont agree.

Lets break down the Bulls and the Lakers

C - Luc Longley // Shaquille O'Neal
PF - Dennis Rodman // A.C. Green
SF - Scottie Pippen // Glen Rice
SG - Michael Jordan // Kobe Bryant
PG - Ron Harper // Ron Harper

BENCH

CHI: Bill Wennington - Simpkins  - Toni Kukoc - Scott Burrell - Steve Kerr - Jud
Buechler - Dickey Simpkins/Randy Brown
LAL: Travis Knight - Rick Fox - Robert Horry - Brian Shaw - Derek Fisher - Devean
George - John Celestand/Tyronn Lue

Chicago's triangle offense relied on one solid interior player, Dennis Rodman.
The Lakers possess a more dangerous interior player in the leagues MVP, Shaquille
O'Neal. The Bulls had three solid wing players all capable of controlling the
ball in Pip, MJ and Harper. The Lakers also have three big wing players, however
only Kobe and Harper can control the ball. The Bulls wing players are far
superior to the Lakers in the system, but, with a dominant inside player it evens
it up a little.

A key and often overlooked aspect of the Chicago lineup was that while he was by
no means a star or anything, Longley is one of the better passing big men in the
league. For this reason the Bulls starting lineup is superior to the Lakers  as I
would call Shaq/Rice/Kobe/Harper even with Rodman/Pippen/Jordan/Harper but I
believe when it comes down to the system, Longley was marginally better than A.C.
Green is.

When it comes down to the bench, Knight and Wennington are a wash. The Bulls then
had a solid underrated rebounder in Caffey (Simpkin)  whereas thats another area
of note that the Lakers dont have. Robert Horry, the Lakers all-purpose second
unit forward was given Toni Kukoc's role and played it well, but was far from the
same factor that Kukoc was. The Bulls then have Burrell, Kerr, Buechler, three of
the better role players in the league while at the Bulls and that was due to the
system that they were in - none of them were expected to do anything other than
live up to their strengths and each of them did just that. The Bulls bench imho
far outweighs that of the Lakers....

You minus the Lakers elder statesmen who are going to retire soon (Green, Harper,
Brian Shaw) and you're left with

C - Shaq / Knight
PF - no one / Horry
SF - Rice / Fox
SG - Kobe / George
PG - Derek Fisher / Lue

The Lakers need to sign a free agent power forward who can pass - for this reason
I dont know if Brian Grant is their best player, while he is if they simply want
another thug (and I mean that in the nicest way Claudia!!) to go in and play hard
nosed basketball alongside Shaq. They then need to add in their Steve Kerr / Jud
Buechler three point shooter (not easy to find!), another solid big man and then
you have the question of Glen Rice's worth to the Lakers - do they trade him or
do they sign him?

The Lakers may be able to do all that and if they do accomplish it all and do
become a dynasty, then I hate to say it, but good on them, they've earnt it - I
just dont believe for one second that it will come easy to them, they have a lot
more holes in their team than most will admit. However, I'm sure Jerry West and
co. know all about their little problems and will endeavour to stick it up Celts
fans for years to come.

W